What does it truly mean to be family? In our modern world of individualism and shifting identities, the concept of family has become unclear. Yet Jesus spoke repeatedly about family as the essence of spiritual community and discipleship. In a striking passage, he redefines family in radical terms that challenged cultural expectations.
Jesus ties the intimate bonds of family to the deep fellowship he desired with his followers. Not content with surface relationships, he calls us into authentic community where we are fully known and investing in one another’s lives. Yet living this way defies natural human tendencies towards selfishness.
Where do we find the strength for such other-oriented love? Jesus points to the perfect family of the Trinity, in which each member selflessly glorifies the other. Through the cross, God welcomed us into this divine family, empowering transformation from within. As we peel back the layers of Jesus’ message, a breathtaking vision of radical fellowship is revealed – one capable of changing the world.
- Jesus uses family as an analogy to describe the spiritual community and relationship he wants with his disciples, which becomes the church.
- True community and discipleship require identifying fully with the church rather than prioritizing individualism and personal opinions.
- The early Christian church embodied justice, peace, and countercultural values of sexuality and family through radical community, marking them as different from their surrounding culture.
- True spiritual family and participation in Christ’s fullness comes from being part of the church community, not alone.
- The perfect family of the Trinity gives us power to live selflessly, be other-oriented, and serve those different from us through the radical community Jesus calls us to.
True spiritual community starts from identifying fully with the body of Christ. When we prioritize relations within the church above personal opinions, we tap into Christ’s very presence. Together, through sacrificial service and engaging diverse perspectives, we embody the justice, peace and love characteristic of the early believers.
Rooted in the perfect self-giving unity of the Trinity, we can overcome selfish instincts. No longer alone but part of a spiritual family, transformation becomes possible through authentic fellowship. While culturally counterintuitive, radical community was the catalyst that spread Christianity globally.
Who God calls us to be defies what we can achieve alone. Yet the power of perfect love overcomes all obstacles through the cross. As we embrace Christ’s invitation into deep discipleship, may our lives increasingly reflect the community of the Trinity to the blessing of our cities. No longer passive spectators, we live out our adoption into God’s eternal family.