HOFC Sermon Archive: Gospel of Mark Part 19: The Family of Jesus

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SERMON TIMELINE

1. Introduction

2. John the Baptist

3. The Baptism of Jesus

4. Temptation of Jesus

5. The Preaching Ministry of Jesus I

6. The Preaching Ministry of Jesus II

7. The First Disciples

8. A Teacher with Authority

9. At the Home of Simon and Andrew

10. Jesus Cleanses Leper

11. Jesus Heals the Paralytic

12. Jesus and the Tax Collector

13. Jesus Questioned About Fasting

14. Of Wine and Wineskins

15. Jesus, Lord of the Sabbath & Resurrection Sunday 2025

16. Hard Hearts and Hard Thoughts

17. Three Responses to Jesus

18. Jesus Appoints the Apostles

19. The Family of Jesus

Today is Sunday. May 25^th, 2025

INTRODUCTION

We have read in the Gospel of Mark how the ministry of Jesus in Galilee drew a lot of attention.

Multitudes followed Him everywhere (which included truly committed, the curious, and even the occasional condemned.) Mark 3:7-8; Mark 3:11-12

Jesus’ life was actually endangered by the crowds on various occasions. Mark 3:9-10 “And He told His disciples that a boat should stand ready for Him because of the crowd, so that they would not crowd Him; 10 for He had healed many, with the result that all those who had afflictions pressed around Him in order to touch Him.”

Now we read that the house where He was staying was besieged. Mark 3:19b-20

Jesus also drew the attention of His own family. The family He was born in to. We know from scripture Jesus had younger half-brothers and sisters. We also know from scripture they were not “on-board” with what was happening in the life of Jesus.

We see in the scriptures they actually questioned His sanity, and wanted to take Him into their custody. Mark 3:21

Their reaction is understandable. So, lets examine their reaction to Jesus and His ministry, how they respond to Him later on, and what the scriptures say about it all.

This week we will look at The Family of Jesus, next week the unforgivable sin, and the following week, the real family of Jesus.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE

Mark 3:20-21

“And He *came into a house, and the crowd *gathered again, so that they could not even eat a meal. 21 And when His own kinsmen heard this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “He has lost His senses.”

I. THE MEMBERS OF JESUS’ FAMILY

a. His parents

i. Mary – His birth mother

1. A virgin who gave birth to Jesus (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38)

2. She visited her cousin Elizabeth during her pregnancy (Luke 1:39-56)

3. Gave birth to Jesus in Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-19)

4. Took Jesus to Jerusalem when He was 12 (Luke 2:48-51)

5. Present with Jesus at a wedding in Cana (John 2:1-10)

6. Sought Jesus when He was teaching (Matthew 12:46; Mark 3:31; Luke 8:19)

7. Present at the cross, and committed into John’s care by Jesus (implying Jesus’s adoptive father Joseph was no longer in the pictures. John 19:27)

8. With the disciples in Jerusalem following the ascension of Jesus (Acts 1:14)

ii. Joseph – His adoptive father

1. A descendant of David (Matthew 1:1-16)

a. Jeremiah 23:5; Isaiah 11:1; Luke 1:32; Romans 1:3 say the Messiah would be from the line of David.

b. Luke 1:27 implies that Mary was also from the House of David as well.

2. Took Mary as his wife, but was not intimate with her until after Jesus was born (Matthew 1:18-25)

3. Presented Jesus at the Temple in Jerusalem before returning to Nazareth (Luke 2:22-30)

4. Fled to Egypt and later, re-settled in Nazareth (Matthew 2:13-23)

5. Took Jesus to Jerusalem when He was 12 (Luke 2:48-51)

6. Many believed He was the father (not adoptive) of Jesus and was a carpenter by trade (Matthew 13:55; Luke 3:23; Luke 4:22; John 1:45; John 6:42)

Jesus was blessed to be born to a virtuous woman, and raised by a just man

b. His siblings

i. Brothers – James, Joses, Simon, Judas

1. All four were mentioned by name on a single occasion (Matthew 6:3; Matthew 13:55)

2. They accompanied Jesus and His mother from Cana to Capernaum (John 2:11-12)

3. They later sought Jesus with Mary (Mark 3:31; Matthew 12:46; Luke 8:19-20)

ii. Sisters – Mary, Salome

1. There were at least two sisters (possibly more) but two mentioned in scripture (Matthew 13:56; Mark 6:3)

2. Though no names are given in scripture, later Christian literature give them the names Mary and Salome, however this is just tradition.

Jesus was blessed to have a number of half-siblings.

II. THE MISGIVINGS IN HIS FAMILY

a. Before His resurrection

i. Some of His family believed He was crazy (Mark 3:21)

1. They believed Jesus was out of His mind

2. They attempted to take custody of Him (Mark 3:21)

ii. His brother’s did not believe Him

1. Sometimes taunting Him to prove Himself, or show Himself publicly

Jesus claiming to be the Messiah, the Son of God, it would be difficult to believe.

b. After His resurrection

i. Jesus appeared to James (1 Corinthians 15:8)

ii. His brothers became disciples (Acts 1:14)

iii. James was identified as “the Lord’s brother”

1. He became the author of the Book of James

2. And a pillar in the church (Acts 12:17; Acts 15:13; Acts 21:18; Galatians 1:19; Galatians 2:19; James 1:1)

3. Josephus records that James was martyred by being thrown from the pinnacle of the temple

iv. Joses and Simon became missionaries (1 Corinthians 9:5)

v. Judas (believed to be the author of Jude) Jude 1:1

Jesus’ resurrection from the dead overcame any misgivings by His family.

CONCLUSION

The initial unbelief of some of the members of Jesus’ family is understandable.

The claims of Jesus would seem outlandish, and easy to doubt.

Even though they were witness to the miracles of His ministry, they initially did not believe, but later had faith, chose to follow His apostles and suffer for His cause.

The transformation in the skeptical members of Jesus’ family came from the fact Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to them.

And like John the Baptist in his prison cell when he struggled with doubt about Jesus, we must all decide for ourselves to accept Jesus as Lord and our only Savior.

NEXT WEEK: “Part 20: The Unforgivable Sin”

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