Quite often in my sermons and Bible classes I refer to those who are present as my brothers and sisters in Christ. And I am constantly encouraging the members of my congregation to see each other as brothers and sisters in Christ as well. I think this is so important for us to do. You and I are children of our Heavenly Father, adopted into His family, as His sons and daughters, through the water and words of Holy Baptism. And Jesus being the beloved Son of the Father, would by the biblical context of relationships, make Him our sibling. Thus, we are joined with one another, by the Father, with Christ Jesus as our dear brother. Jesus Himself had a reference to this type of belief and thinking, when He is confronted by a man in Matthew 12:46-50. While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.
But he replied to the man who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"
And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers!
For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."
Certainly, Jesus is much more than our brother, He is our Lord, Savior, Advocate, and Friend. He is the very one who gave His life, so you and I might have the wonderful blessing of enjoying eternal life with Him and all of our fellow brothers and sisters in the faith, who have gone before us into heavenly glory.
Being a Christian is not at all about traveling this road of life here on earth by ourselves. We are family and you and I have been yoked together as one in the Body of Christ. As people of God, we were never created to travel this journey alone. In fact, there is safety and strength in numbers as we fight the good fight of faith and battle against the arch enemy the devil. As brothers and sisters of the King we need to be faithful in serving Him and watching out for the spiritual well-being of one another. We are family all my Christian brothers, sisters, and me!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pastor McCarty