Jesus And Family Relations
Due to Covid19 pandemic experience, people around the globe are getting closer to their families than ever before. The once "leaving room" finally becomes the "living room". More to it, our prayers to our family members are heartfelt and heard.
But there's even more about family relationships, which I love to use as illustrations during family gatherings, allow me to share, are the experiences of Jesus Christ.
Let me start with these thoughts
1. I don’t know the conduct of marriages before, yet Jesus was there and turned water into wine (John 2:1-11).
2. I don’t know the conduct of funerals before, yet Jesus was there and raised someone to life (John 11:43-44).
Solemn truths
Water into wine and raising Lazarus to life - on these two, hang one of the solemn truths about the ministry of Jesus – the importance of family relations. Let’s dive into this and see what we can learn.
The miracle of turning water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana served as Jesus’ first miracle prior to His entrance to His public ministry. It was on this occasion He chose to illustrate the beginning of His ministry, like the beginning of the wedded couple to their family life.
It was still on this occasion He chose to illustrate His joy and excitement in His ministry as to the happiness of the wedded couple towards their future parental life.
On the other hand, raising Lazarus to life was the last miracle which marked the closing of Jesus’ public ministry. It was on this occasion He chose to illustrate His death and resurrection, like the death and resurrection of Lazarus.
It was still on this occasion He chose to illustrate the sadness and gloom from His death, like the cries echoed by the crowd at the funeral.
The Savior was there
But one thing filled me with joy is the truth that Jesus chose to illustrate the entrance and closing of His public ministry to family relations.
Both were miracles; both were undoubtedly great. The first illustrates union, the second was separation; the first was happiness, the second with tears.
Yes, I truly don’t know the conduct of marriages before. Sinners, backbiters, drunkards might have been there. Unwanted guests and relatives of the couple might have been there. Traditions, vices, worldly shows and performances might as well have been observed; yet the sin forgiving Savior was there, and He turned water into wine.
I don’t know the conduct of funerals before. Fake friends, paid mourners, enemies, and perhaps plain spectators might have been there. Traditional ceremonies and services might have been conducted; yet Jesus was there and raised someone to life.
He truly did!
It is well with my soul to know that God took the garb of humanity and dwelt with us – and He truly did!
Through these occasions He showed to all humanity that family relations matter most.
Our families might not be perfect, but God shows respect of humanity and blesses it with His presence.
God showed through His words that in happiness and sorrow in all our family affairs, He will be there. And when He is there, He might not again turn our drinking water into wine nor raise our dead members to life, but believe that He is working on something best.
And that through us, His miracles might as well be wrought, making our plain and odd affairs into sweet savoring one, and our dead apathetic relationships come back to life.
If there's a good thing this Covid19 brings, it is the "living room" experience. Make the most out of it. May our family relationship bring us closer and even closer to Jesus. Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
But there's even more about family relationships, which I love to use as illustrations during family gatherings, allow me to share, are the experiences of Jesus Christ.
Let me start with these thoughts
1. I don’t know the conduct of marriages before, yet Jesus was there and turned water into wine (John 2:1-11).
2. I don’t know the conduct of funerals before, yet Jesus was there and raised someone to life (John 11:43-44).
Solemn truths
Water into wine and raising Lazarus to life - on these two, hang one of the solemn truths about the ministry of Jesus – the importance of family relations. Let’s dive into this and see what we can learn.
The miracle of turning water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana served as Jesus’ first miracle prior to His entrance to His public ministry. It was on this occasion He chose to illustrate the beginning of His ministry, like the beginning of the wedded couple to their family life.
It was still on this occasion He chose to illustrate His joy and excitement in His ministry as to the happiness of the wedded couple towards their future parental life.
On the other hand, raising Lazarus to life was the last miracle which marked the closing of Jesus’ public ministry. It was on this occasion He chose to illustrate His death and resurrection, like the death and resurrection of Lazarus.
It was still on this occasion He chose to illustrate the sadness and gloom from His death, like the cries echoed by the crowd at the funeral.
The Savior was there
But one thing filled me with joy is the truth that Jesus chose to illustrate the entrance and closing of His public ministry to family relations.
Both were miracles; both were undoubtedly great. The first illustrates union, the second was separation; the first was happiness, the second with tears.
Yes, I truly don’t know the conduct of marriages before. Sinners, backbiters, drunkards might have been there. Unwanted guests and relatives of the couple might have been there. Traditions, vices, worldly shows and performances might as well have been observed; yet the sin forgiving Savior was there, and He turned water into wine.
I don’t know the conduct of funerals before. Fake friends, paid mourners, enemies, and perhaps plain spectators might have been there. Traditional ceremonies and services might have been conducted; yet Jesus was there and raised someone to life.
He truly did!
It is well with my soul to know that God took the garb of humanity and dwelt with us – and He truly did!
Through these occasions He showed to all humanity that family relations matter most.
Our families might not be perfect, but God shows respect of humanity and blesses it with His presence.
God showed through His words that in happiness and sorrow in all our family affairs, He will be there. And when He is there, He might not again turn our drinking water into wine nor raise our dead members to life, but believe that He is working on something best.
And that through us, His miracles might as well be wrought, making our plain and odd affairs into sweet savoring one, and our dead apathetic relationships come back to life.
The LORD thy God in the midst of thee [is] mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. Zephaniah 3:17
If there's a good thing this Covid19 brings, it is the "living room" experience. Make the most out of it. May our family relationship bring us closer and even closer to Jesus. Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
