Word@Work Luke187 - Luke 11:27-28
Published: Thu, 09/09/10
Word@Work from BeaconLight
THE BLESSED FAMILY
Luke 11:27-28 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you." He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it." (NIV)
There is no doubt that the influence of godly parents has a profound effect on their children. Jesus, having quashed the allegations that His power came from the devil, was applauded by one anonymous woman who dared to speak out. Instead of saying how wise He was, and that He spoke the truth from God, she made the assumption that He had got it from His mother; and how proud she must be of Him. Mary was indeed blessed (Luke 1:48), but not because she was the source of the Saviour's wisdom; she was the humble agent through whom Jesus was delivered into the world, because she allowed God's Word to come alive in her.
It may have been that the admiring woman wished that she could have had a son like Jesus, and could bathe in His reflected glory. If so, Jesus' next sentence would have been a huge encouragement to her when He said, "The blessing of God belongs to all who receive His Word and display its truth by obeying what God says!" Blessing always follows humble submission to God's Word. Mary had certainly modelled that but the blessing was not exclusively hers: it was for all of Jesus' true family as He said in Luke 8:21, "My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice."
Family is important, but the words of Jesus point us beyond our precious human relationships to the supremacy of His Father and ours; and to His family blessing of receiving God's Word and doing it. Although the religious leaders of Christ's time claimed that their human descent from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob made them a part of the Divine family, Jesus challenged them by saying that only obeying what God said (including accepting Jesus as their Saviour) could give them the family blessing. For us this needs to be a daily practice: we cannot spiritually surf the waves of our human family's relationship with God, or even the memory of our own precious encounters with the Lord. Each day requires a fresh commitment to hear and obey what He says to us.
Prayer: Dear Lord God and loving Heavenly Father. Thank You that Mary was humble and obedient, allowing You to do Your work in her body, for her blessing and ours. Forgive me when I take pride in the human agencies of Your grace, my family, my church, my work and my resources - they all come from you and I am grateful. May I not so much look to them to bless me but to You, as I hear, read and obey Your Word today. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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You can read the verses around this Bible passage from the Internet Bible: - in English, and many other languages
There is no doubt that the influence of godly parents has a profound effect on their children. Jesus, having quashed the allegations that His power came from the devil, was applauded by one anonymous woman who dared to speak out. Instead of saying how wise He was, and that He spoke the truth from God, she made the assumption that He had got it from His mother; and how proud she must be of Him. Mary was indeed blessed (Luke 1:48), but not because she was the source of the Saviour's wisdom; she was the humble agent through whom Jesus was delivered into the world, because she allowed God's Word to come alive in her.
It may have been that the admiring woman wished that she could have had a son like Jesus, and could bathe in His reflected glory. If so, Jesus' next sentence would have been a huge encouragement to her when He said, "The blessing of God belongs to all who receive His Word and display its truth by obeying what God says!" Blessing always follows humble submission to God's Word. Mary had certainly modelled that but the blessing was not exclusively hers: it was for all of Jesus' true family as He said in Luke 8:21, "My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice."
Family is important, but the words of Jesus point us beyond our precious human relationships to the supremacy of His Father and ours; and to His family blessing of receiving God's Word and doing it. Although the religious leaders of Christ's time claimed that their human descent from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob made them a part of the Divine family, Jesus challenged them by saying that only obeying what God said (including accepting Jesus as their Saviour) could give them the family blessing. For us this needs to be a daily practice: we cannot spiritually surf the waves of our human family's relationship with God, or even the memory of our own precious encounters with the Lord. Each day requires a fresh commitment to hear and obey what He says to us.
Prayer: Dear Lord God and loving Heavenly Father. Thank You that Mary was humble and obedient, allowing You to do Your work in her body, for her blessing and ours. Forgive me when I take pride in the human agencies of Your grace, my family, my church, my work and my resources - they all come from you and I am grateful. May I not so much look to them to bless me but to You, as I hear, read and obey Your Word today. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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