Bishop Keith Butler
Nov 28, 2023
His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. For neither did his brethren believe in him. (John 7:3-5)
Do you have family members that aren’t sure if they believe in Jesus? You’re not alone. Jesus had the same issues in His own family. Jesus’ own siblings expressed doubt in His identity and purpose.
One of those brothers was a man named Jude. This is the same man who wrote the epistle of Jude. In the intro to that letter, he identified himself as a servant of Christ and a brother of James. James and Jude were both half-brothers of Jesus. These were the siblings who grew up in the same household, who witnessed His upbringing and possibly heard of the things that were being done, and yet, they found it difficult to believe in His divinity during His earthly ministry.
This true story of Jesus’ own family might resonate with many of us who have faced skepticism from within our own families or communities regarding our faith. Just as Jesus faced this challenge within His own household, we, too, may encounter resistance or disbelief from those closest to us. But there's a profound lesson in this story.
Both brothers turned to faith in Jesus, but only after the resurrection of Jesus. That tells us that salvation has nothing to do with the family we come from, but from the personal relationship we have with the power of His resurrection in our lives. So, if you face doubt or disbelief from those close to you, take heart. Just as Jesus' own family came to believe, there is hope that your faith and the evidence of God's work in your life can touch the hearts of those around you.
Pray for your unbelieving family members. Pray the Ephesians 1 prayer over them: that the eyes of their understanding will be enlightened, and that God would send laborers across their path to share with them the Gospel they can receive.