The Family of God

This morning in my devotions I was reading from Luke 18:19-21, where Jesus' family came to get Him because He had been acccused of madness.  When they tried to get into the house where He was staying they could not because of the crowd.  They then sent a message inside telling Him His family was outside and they wanted to see Him.  Jesus remarked to His family and the crowd, that His family was those that hear His word and put it into practice.  This pssage has three applications I wish to relate to you this morning.  First, being part of this family is a privilege.  When a person gives their life to Jesus Christ they become part of a greater family call the Body of Christ or the family of God.  We may go to different churches and have different taditions and views but we belong to a large family.  One old preacher put it this way, "We may be travelling in different buses but we are going to the same place."  The second truth or application of this scripture is that we need to hear the word.  The Word of God is our spiritual food.  We need to eat from it everyday.  It is our life.  The third application of this truth is simple.  Those who hear His word must also put it into practice.  Jesus made it clear that those who are in His family are those that put into practice what they hear.  James calls it being doers of the word.  You can read the word all day but if you do not put into practice you are not a member of His family.  Lifestyle must follow the confession.  We must walk the walk.  Talk is cheap, the walk we show tells others that what we have in Christ is real.  So today.  Walk the walk and show you are truly a member of His family.