You Are Jesus’ Little Brother

[Christ4Ever]

When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. Luke 3:21 NKJV

What a few guys enjoy in life—a fantastic older brother—every Christian man has in Jesus. Even if you were an only child, or you just had sisters, or your brothers were younger, or your older brother wasn’t that great, Jesus is everything you could hope for: Kind, Helpful, Protective, Wise, Generous, Loving. The list goes on and on.

And those benefits are available to any man who simply obeys Jesus. In today’s scripture, Jesus’ biological family sought Him while He traveled around teaching. We all know Jesus’ mother was Mary; perhaps His brothers are less familiar: James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon (Matthew 13:55). Jesus also had sisters, though they are unnamed in scripture (Mark 6:3).

While He undoubtedly loved His flesh-and-blood family, Jesus was most concerned with His spiritual siblings, those who would accept His teaching and receive His gift of salvation. For some time, “even his own brothers did not believe in him” (John 7:5).

Happily, at least some of Jesus’ brothers ultimately believed. And we who have made the same commitment can count on Him to be the big brother who excels all others—the one who is truly perfect.

So when trouble comes calling, just say, “Buzz off! I’m Jesus’ little brother!”

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for making me Your little brother. Keep me always by Your side.

 

[Beetow]

.
● Eph 1:4-5 . . He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ,
in accordance with His pleasure and will

There are important differences between adopted kids and foster kids.

The latter have no inheritance rights, they have no right to be known by a foster
father's name, they have no right to a foster father's love, they have no right to
address their foster father with a filial vocative like dad, pop, or papa; and they
have no right to a place in his genealogy.

Plus, foster care is temporary. Older kids eventually age out of the foster system
and the State ceases to assist foster fathers to continue providing for them. At 18
the older kids are legally adults in my country, and the responsibility for their
providence is upon themselves. Ouch!

Adopted kids' circumstances are so, so much better. They are legally just as much
an adopted father's children as his biological offspring. Ergo: adopted kids have
inheritance rights, they have a right to be known by their adopted father's name,
they have a right to their adopted father's love, they have a right to address their
adopted father by a filial vocative, and they have a right to a place in his
genealogy.

Plus, adoption is permanent. Older kids don't age out of their adopted homes so
they always have a family support base to fall back on should their circumstances
become difficult. (cf. Luke 15:11-24)

Not every Christian is related to God as His kin by adoption. But those in that
envious position aren't left to guess at whether they are or not.

● Rom 8:15-16 . . For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear
again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out,
"Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children
of God.

A tragic case in point is Mother Teresa. Virtually her entire five decades as a
missionary, Teresa felt not the slightest glimmer of The Lord's presence. I'm talking
about 50 years. Her feelings of abandonment were so strong that she eventually
began doubting there's a God out there, and if there is one, she wasn't sure He
even liked her and might even be disposed to quite condemn her. That poor soul
went to her death without any assurance she would be safe on the other side.

Point being: Teresa was deprived the Spirit's witness per Rom 8:16. That being so,
then I must assume Teresa left this life on her own instead of in God's care.

NOTE: Abba is neither English nor Greek; it's Aramaic. The word means father, but
not as an ordinary noun. Grammatically, it's a filial vocative.

When my son points me out to one of his friends at the mall and says: "That's my
dad over there" then his use of "dad" simply indicates how he and I are related. But
when he shouts: "Hey dad, I'm over here!" then his use of "dad" is a filial vocative
because he's addressing me personally to get my attention-- same noun; different
sense.
_

 

[lentz]

.
● Eph 1:4-5 . . He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ,
in accordance with His pleasure and will

There are important differences between adopted kids and foster kids.

The latter have no inheritance rights, they have no right to be known by a foster
father's name, they have no right to a foster father's love, they have no right to
address their foster father with a filial vocative like dad, pop, or papa; and they
have no right to a place in his genealogy.

Plus, foster care is temporary. Older kids eventually age out of the foster system
and the State ceases to assist foster fathers to continue providing for them. At 18
the older kids are legally adults in my country, and the responsibility for their
providence is upon themselves. Ouch!

Adopted kids' circumstances are so, so much better. They are legally just as much
an adopted father's children as his biological offspring. Ergo: adopted kids have
inheritance rights, they have a right to be known by their adopted father's name,
they have a right to their adopted father's love, they have a right to address their
adopted father by a filial vocative, and they have a right to a place in his
genealogy.

Plus, adoption is permanent. Older kids don't age out of their adopted homes so
they always have a family support base to fall back on should their circumstances
become difficult. (cf. Luke 15:11-24)

Not every Christian is related to God as His kin by adoption. But those in that
envious position aren't left to guess at whether they are or not.

● Rom 8:15-16 . . For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear
again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out,
"Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children
of God.

A tragic case in point is Mother Teresa. Virtually her entire five decades as a
missionary, Teresa felt not the slightest glimmer of The Lord's presence. I'm talking
about 50 years. Her feelings of abandonment were so strong that she eventually
began doubting there's a God out there, and if there is one, she wasn't sure He
even liked her and might even be disposed to quite condemn her. That poor soul
went to her death without any assurance she would be safe on the other side.

Point being: Teresa was deprived the Spirit's witness per Rom 8:16. That being so,
then I must assume Teresa left this life on her own instead of in God's care.

NOTE: Abba is neither English nor Greek; it's Aramaic. The word means father, but
not as an ordinary noun. Grammatically, it's a filial vocative.

When my son points me out to one of his friends at the mall and says: "That's my
dad over there" then his use of "dad" simply indicates how he and I are related. But
when he shouts: "Hey dad, I'm over here!" then his use of "dad" is a filial vocative
because he's addressing me personally to get my attention-- same noun; different
sense.
_

“Not every Christian is related to God as His kin by adoption. “

Huh?

 

[Beetow]

.

"Not every Christian is related to God as His kin by adoption."

Huh?

Webster's defines a Christian as somebody who professes belief in the teachings of
Jesus Christ.

According to that definition; it isn't necessary to actually believe in Christ's
teachings in order to qualify as a Christian; it's only necessary to say you do.

People don't even have to know what Christ's teachings are; they only have to say
they believe in them.

Nor is it necessary to put Christ's teachings into practice in order to qualify as a
Christian; it's only necessary to say you believe in them.

For example Matt 7:1-2 says:

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others,
you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

According to Webster's: one need not actually comply with Matt 7:1-2 in order to
identify as a Christian-- one need only give those instructions their seal of approval
and believe they're Jesus' teachings.
_

 

[lentz]

.

Webster's defines a Christian as somebody who professes belief in the teachings of
Jesus Christ.

According to that definition; it isn't necessary to actually believe in Christ's
teachings in order to qualify as a Christian; it's only necessary to say you do.

People don't even have to know what Christ's teachings are; they only have to say
they believe in them.

Nor is it necessary to put Christ's teachings into practice in order to qualify as a
Christian; it's only necessary to say you believe in them.

For example Matt 7:1-2 says:

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others,
you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

According to Webster's: one need not actually comply with Matt 7:1-2 in order to
identify as a Christian-- one need only give those instructions their seal of approval
and believe they're Jesus' teachings.
_

But we know better. Don’t we

 

[Beetow]

.

But we know better. Don’t we

I pretty much go along with Webster's because the Greek word translated
"Christian" is a man-made label that appears only three times in the entire New
Testament.
_

 

[lentz]

.

I pretty much go along with Webster's because the Greek word translated
"Christian" is a man-made label that appears only three times in the entire New
Testament.
_

But still,it’s scriptural. How many times does it have to say it?