We are Family

Luke 8:19-21
(19)  Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd.
(20)  And he was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you."
(21)  But he answered them, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it."

(19)  Παρεγένετο δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἡ μήτηρ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἠδύναντο συντυχεῖν αὐτῷ διὰ τὸν ὄχλον. 

(20)  ἀπηγγέλη δὲ αὐτῷ, Ἡ μήτηρ σου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί σου ἑστήκασιν ἔξω ἰδεῖν θέλοντές σε. 

(21)  ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς, Μήτηρ μου καὶ ἀδελφοί μου οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ ἀκούοντες καὶ ποιοῦντες.

I have always found this passage to be fascinating.  Jesus' family came to see Him.  Someone, perhaps a disciple, told Him that his mother and his brothers (αὐτὸν ἡ μήτηρ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ) were outside to see Him.  It is most reasonable to assume that οἱ ἀδελφοὶ refers to men that grew up in the same house He did.  They had the same mother, but of course they had different fathers.

One might think that He would be glad to see His family.  After all, He was extremely busy with His ministry.  However, a parallel passage tells us that they wanted to have Him committed because they thought He was insane.  Nevertheless, you would think that He would at least meet with them to explain His ministry to them.  After all, they needed to believe in Him as much as anyone else.

But what did He do?  He put them off.  His mother had no special influence with Him.  Instead, He called His followers His family.  

Where does this put you?  Are you in His family?  Are you one of His brothers or sisters?  Or are you still on the outside?  If you are not in the family I urge you to start following Jesus.  It's not easy, but you will never regret it.