Sermon / Jesus’ Focus on the Family – Detective Training / Matthew 12-13

Last week we began to look at Jesus’ focus on the family. 

The church is probably the largest pro-family institution in the world. But the relationship between church and family can be complicated. To live rightly as families and as disciples, we need to get the relationship right.

Matthew 12:46–50 can help us do so.

In last week’s message, we looked at Jesus’ focus on the family. We asked and answered three key questions:

1. Why do families matter?
2. What is the focus of the family?
3. Who is all in the family?

This week we will conclude chapter 12 with three lessons we learn about our family from Jesus’ family.

1. If there was confusion, concern, even hostility in Jesus’ family we should not be surprised if we find it in ours;
2. Jesus’ family issues help us take the long-view
3. Jesus’ family issues help us to take the wide-view

And then we will turn our attention to chapter 13.

Agatha Christie once said: “Very few of us are what we seem.” 

We all know appearances can be deceiving, the truth can be slippery, secrets abound.

That is why one of the largest sections of any book store and one of the largest sections of any Netflix-type movie platform is the “mystery” section. Some of the most iconic figures in all literature or film are detectives.
Almost everyone loves a good “Who done it.”

And in Matthew 13 Jesus gives us the parables, not as stories to entertain, but as keys to unlock the mysteries of life. This is a training manual, on how to make sense of life.

So join us as we begin our spiritual sleuth training program.