Praying for Our Army Work (Yesterday’s Prayer Warriors: 25/100)
Pray that our allegiance to God will always have the highest priority in our lives
Pray that when competition between the priorities of ministry and family come in to play that Jesus will give us wisdom to choose appropriately
Pray for Redstone Army Arsenal (Staff: Steve and Ramona Kreipe)
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Family and Ministry from Jesus’ Perspective
Luke 2:41–51 “Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He became twelve, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast; and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents were unaware of it, but supposed Him to be in the caravan, and went a day’s journey; and they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem looking for Him. Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. When they saw Him, they were astonished; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You.” And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” But they did not understand the statement which He had made to them. And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart.”
Observation: Very early in His childhood, Jesus makes His relationship with the Father a priority over His family (vs 49). And yet after the incident at the temple Jesus put Himself in subjection to His parents (vs 51, completely fulfilling the Law)
Luke 14:26 “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.
Observation: Jesus expresses the priority of loving the Father over loving ones family
Mark 3:31-35 Then His mother and His brothers *arrived, and standing outside they sent word to Him and called Him. 32 A crowd was sitting around Him, and they *said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You.” 33 Answering them, He *said, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” 34 Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He *said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! 35 “For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.”
Observation: Jesus practices the priority of loving the Father by loving other (ministry) over loving His family
Mark 7:9-13 He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. 10 “For Moses said, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER’; and, ‘HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER, IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH’; 11 but you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, given to God),’ 12 you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; 13 thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”
Observation: Jesus expresses that using a higher love for God as a cover to selfish gain and mistreating ones family is a violation of God’s commands
John 19:25–27 “When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He *said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son! ”Then He *said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.”
Observation: Jesus takes care of His mother in a time He could have legitimately been thinking of His own well being and/or making His greatest sacrifice to God the Father. He loved His mother during one of His greatest acts of ministry.
General Observations:
· Anytime our loyalties to family are placed in competition with our loyalties to God, our obedience to God should have priority.
· Life is a balancing act over the long haul. Attention to family verses other people will change based on the needs of the hour.
· There are real sacrifices to be made on the part of both family and ministry.
· Most of the time these conflicting priorities can be kept in balance (although dying on the cross was an act of ministry that would separate Jesus from His mother He did manage to take care of her by entrusting her to John’s care)
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