Holy Boldness

Chapter 9 F inding F amily in the fear of the L ord

Jesus established His ministry platform by announcing the immediate fulfillment of significant prophetic Messianic scriptures in and through His life and ministry. He did this in His hometown and received a dramatic and agitated response barely escaping with His life. This story of Jesus demonstrates the conflict which results in a person walking in their calling among close relatives. There is no more difficult place to fulfill one’s calling than among one’s own family. That is usually due to the issue of familiarity which causes people to misperceive the true identity of someone close to them. The term “familiarity” is of course derived from the word, “family”. The scriptures are full of stories that highlight this reality including Cain and Able, Ishmael and Issac, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and His brothers to mention a few. In the kingdom of God, finding family is important but it must not be based on mere “flesh and blood” but must be accessed by knowing others by the Spirit. Natural relations must be transformed to spiritual if members of one’s natural family are going to take their place in one’s spiritual family. This reality was played out powerfully in the life of Jesus, even with His amazing mother, Mary. When Jesus was 12 years old, He had a misunderstanding with His parents staying behind in Jerusalem while His parents headed home. It foreshadowed future challenges in the relationship. As we have already foreseen, part of walking in the fear of the Lord is the ability to navigate family expectations, as well as submit to those in authority, without compromising one’s identity and mission. Jesus faced this challenge as acutely as anyone. Jewish culture was steeped in family tradition and expectation. Throughout the Gospel narratives are small indications that Jesus faced challenges from His natural family relations. During Changing Relationship with Mary

87