November 24, 2024 Devo

November 24th, 2024

“It’s All About Jesus!”
Jesus and His Brothers (John 7)
But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters, and Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!” For even his brothers didn’t believe in him. – John 7:2-5 (NLT)
“Listen to Your Father, Not Your Brothers”

Jesus had family issues. No wonder He is able to be so empathetic with us! We don’t know a lot about His family, except that according to Mark 6:3, we learn that He had four brothers and at least 2 sisters. Can you imagine growing up in a family where Jesus was the oldest child? I wonder how many times they had to hear the stories about the angels, the shepherds, the wise men, the star, and the trip to Bethlehem. I wonder how envious they were of the attention Jesus was given as a young person by Mary and Joseph. I wonder if they might have heard stories from relatives about the family speculation surrounding Jesus’ birth which might have caused them to question the supernatural roots of His birth. One thing is certain from scripture. They didn’t believe Him to be the Messiah.
Now couple that with the fact that Jesus was as human as He was divine. He loved His siblings and probably grieved over their jealousy of Him. Like any big brother, He would have wanted them to love Him like He loved them. He also would have wanted them to believe in Him. But what Jesus wasn’t willing to do was put receiving favor from His siblings above receiving favor from His Father.
In our passage today, Jesus’ brothers are giving Him a dare. They try to get Him to march into Judea, perform a bunch of miracles, and make a spectacle out of Himself. Why? Because that’s what they would do if THEY were the Messiah. But Jesus doesn’t take the bait. As much as I’m sure He would have loved to have had the faith and respect of His siblings, He wasn’t willing to compromise Himself, His character, or His mission to achieve it. Jesus listened to His Father, not His siblings. So He did His Father’s will, not theirs.
Reflect on this a bit today. Whose opinion of you matters the most? Are there people in your life who can sway you by what they say or how they act? Are there people whose respect you desperately want or whose approval means the world to you? Be careful. Don’t compromise who you are or what God has for you by listening to those who have their own plans for you. Don’t lower yourself to their whims or demands. Like Jesus, stand firm in your faith and your commitment. And listen to your Father, not your brothers. That’s God’s Word for you today.