The Discipline Of Faith: Relationships

Jesus said to His disciples when asked about His mother and brothers who were asking for Him outside, “Who is my mother and who is my brother?”. He then turned to His disciples and said, “Here are my mother and brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother”. He was asked in another place in the book of Matthew about a woman who had ended up married to seven brothers and had died, they wondered whose wife she would be at the resurrection, and He replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection,” He said, “people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.”

Let us look at Him in relation to His disciples, Luke 5:16, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” . Mark 6:45-46, “Immediately Jesus made His disciples to get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, He went up on a mountainside to pray” . Luke 9:18, “One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only His disciples were with Him , and He asked them, “Who do people say I am?” Jesus’ love for His family and disciples cannot be questioned, He loved them deeply, and He loved them dearly. But Jesus understood times, seasons and the order of priority. It is important to love each other, it is important for us to fellowship and equally important we must know when it is time to be away from each other because the relationship to nurture and esteem above human relationships is our relationship with the Lord.

Looking closer into His relationship with His disciples, after Peter had answered Jesus through the Spirit about who He is, he later turned and spoke contrary to Prophecy when he tried to deny that Jesus would die. The Lord did not spare him, rebuking him sharply He said, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Or in Luke 22:31-34,” Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.” Jesus knew what was in the hearts of man, more so His disciples. Yet on display is His love, patience and compassion towards them and truth is never lacking because love precedes it. He was loving and truthful to all with whom He had encounters because His aim was the salvation of their souls. Don’t our own relationships require an audit?