Looking To The Cross | Day 39 | 1 John 3:16

In ancient eastern culture, people dwelled within communities or family tribes that were led by their patriarch.

This community offered protection and provision, and if a member of the community were ever kidnapped or in danger, it was the patriarch’s responsibility to redeem or rescue that community member. These communities existed as families, and family members were expected to live their lives for the purpose and pleasure of the community.

In Matthew 12 and Mark 3, Jesus challenges the typical view of family by ignoring the requests of his biological kin and placing those who do the will of his Father as his true family. The beauty of this picture is realized in the imagery of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2 & 3).

Humanity lives in God’s perfect community until they rebel and are forced to leave; and God immediately makes promises and plans to rescue humanity. The cost would be severe, but Jesus would come and die on the cross to redeem and rescue us from our sin. All of this so that God can adopt us back into his family and his community.

This is true love, and his expectation is that we give this love back to our family of believers. Imagine what the world would be like if we stopped viewing church as a place to be fed and started treating it like a family to be enjoyed, protected, grown, and cared for.