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‘And He looked round about on them which sat about Him, and said, Behold My mother and My brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is My brother, and My sister, and mother.’
Mar_3:34-35
I. In the family.—It were a great thing that God should admit us to be His servants, to occupy the lowest place in all His house. But that He should count us thus in the family is a love which has no parallel.
II. A relative duty.—Suppose that you lived in the days of Christ’s sojourn upon earth, and that you were introduced one day to some one of whom you were at that moment informed that that person was ‘the mother,’ or ‘the brother,’ or the ‘sister’ of the Lord Jesus. With what interest, with what wonder, with what reverence, with what affection you would look on that person! Now is not the thing real now, though invisible? You meet a person of whom you believe that he is a true Christian. Perhaps he is a very poor person. At that moment Christ is introducing you to that person. You ought to see that relation to Christ as the determining feature in that person, and love and honour him for Christ’s sake. Is your love to Christ worth much if you are not doing it?
III. Intimacy and confidence.—But the subject bears still another interest. It is very comforting. Now suppose that any one of us is really at this moment so near to Christ that we have reason to believe that that hand is now pointing to us, and that those blessed words are really being addressed to us. What a wonderful intimacy and confidence may the thought of those words inspire us with! Are you indeed ‘as a brother, or a sister, or a mother’ to the Lord Jesus Christ? Then what may you not confide to Him?
—
Rev. James Vaughan.
DOING THE WILL OF GOD
I. Pray according to His will.—This is to pray in the spirit of adoption (Rom_8:15). It was thus Christ prayed, and through Him we have access. It is also to know what to pray for by the Holy Spirit’s guidance (2Ch_1:12; 1Ki_3:11-13).
II. Suffer according to His will.—There is a suffering which comes direct from God’s hand and, when we recognise that, it is not difficult to wait patiently till the suffering with Him gives place to the glory with Him. There is also a suffering which we bring upon ourselves, but let us ever remember that all things work together for good to them that love God.
III. Work according to His will.—David willed to build a house for God, but God willed that he should only prepare for it, and David gave up his own idea. God’s will was done by David who prepared, the people who offered, and Solomon who built.
IV. The first step in doing God’s will is submission to that will. God wills all men to be saved; how strange that some choose to be lost.