The Ballestero Blog

The Heartache Caused By Your Own Family
The Apostle James made this powerful statement:

3 John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

If this knowledge brings the greatest joy… then the opposite is also true. There is no greater pain, when your family does not walk in truth.

Jesus looked at the people around Him in the Synagogue. Their curiosity had caused them to leave their homes and their daily duties to come and listen Him. He searched the crowd seeing many familiar faces, but not the ones He had hoped to see. None of His brothers were present.

Some of these people He had known from His youth. The Synagogue of Nazareth was full. His skeptical hearers wrinkled their brows as He spoke. In their minds they disqualified most of what He taught.

They had known Him all of His life. He was the carpenter’s son. He had not been taught at the feet of any learned scholars. Who did he think He was expounding these deep spiritual sayings? He was just an ordinary carpenter.

This was Nazareth. The four hundred or so inhabitants here knew each other well. There weren’t many secrets in this small town. Their personal opinions of His upbringing caused them to disqualify what He said. The sound of His voice echoed meaninglessly in their ears. There would be no hero’s welcome here today for Him.

Pain filled the heart of the Lord, as He perceived their unbelief. Yet, He felt even more pain when He realized who wasn’t there. His own family wasn’t there. It wasn’t an accident. His own brothers were boycotting Him.

John 7:5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.

More pain than we can ever know hid behind the next words of the Lord. Jesus focused His attention back toward those in the Synagogue as He said:

(Matt. 13:57-58)… “A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

It was bad enough that the neighbors and friends He had known all of His life, rejected Him. But to not have the support of one’s own family cut very deep. The lack of faith in the village that day placed a limit on His ability to help any of them. He grieved.

Not much is known about the residents of Nazareth, except that nothing spectacular had ever came from their town before. They seemed to be known only for their skepticism and unbelief.

But some from Nazareth finally did believe and it is almost hidden from the casual reader. It’s mentioned concerning those who gathered in the upper room after Jesus was resurrected.

Acts 1:13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.

Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

His brethren actually came to the upper room! Everyone in the upper room was filled with the Holy Ghost! The brothers of Jesus finally found enough faith to believe and receive the glorious Gift of the Holy Ghost! That was a miracle!

Most believers have some family members who are not in church. Remember that even some of the family of Jesus didn’t believe … for a while. But the Last chapter of their story finds them right smack in the middle of the upper room experience.

Do you have family that doesn’t live for God? Never stop praying for your family! Never stop believing for your family! What happened in the family of Jesus can happen in your family too!

Believe God for a Miracle for your Family!