whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother

 Matthew 12:33-50

For a tree is recognized by its fruit. It is a good tree or a bad tree.

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.

He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 

The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.

He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

The lawyers and Pharisees want to see Jesus do a miracle - a sign that will bear out his claims. But he will not perform for their benefit. One sign only will be given - Jesus' resurrection from the dead: the incontrovertible proof that his message is true; that he is who he claims to be.

The story is a warning to those who have repented and made the about-0turn in their lives as a result of what they have seen and heard. Unless they take the further step of wholehearted commitment, they are in grave danger.

Jesus' apparent lack of filial respect would have shocked his hearers, as he no doubts intended. He is making the point that the bond between those who respond to God is stronger even than family ties.

Why?

Good deed comes from good heart and mind. If there is not good behavior and spoke any words will become condemn to him on the final judgment. Speak the truth.

Jesus is the Lord who won't listen to the request of miracles. The last miracle is Jesus raise from the dead three days later.

Repent and follow the word of Jesus Christ. Be humble and gentle on the world for Jesus has done the example for us.

All Christians are the family of Jesus Christ.

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耶穌接著前面犯聖靈的人，他們不是說者無心，是與耶穌為敵。必須從內心的改變，他們的言行才會改變。

v38-42: 文士、法利賽人要求耶穌顯現神蹟。剛才看到神蹟現在又要求看神蹟，他們不認為是從神來的，若是如此為何要耶穌行神蹟，他們不相信神的人，怎麼會相信神蹟?這兩個都是矛盾的事，即使有神蹟也不會信。神蹟的目的要人悔改，相信神的人不見得會悔改。尼尼微人沒有看到神蹟只聽到信息就悔改，這是神的工作。最難改變的是人的心，心改變才是最大的神蹟。

人怎麼聽得到神的信息，因為人想聽就會聽見，就像南方的女王遠道而來，有心想聽，就聽到了。外邦的女人，雙重讓人看不起的人都如此努力，猶太人竟然不把握機會，還認為耶穌是靠鬼王。這裏雖然指猶太人而言，其實也是說我們基督徒，我們願意留在神的國度，讓神做王嗎？我們有如示巴女王如此渴望神的話。如果我只要神蹟、恩典，卻沒有讓主進來居住，在我們心中做王，就會被惡者進來做王，景況比以前更慘。

媽媽來了還不見她嗎？凡遵行神語言，追求神話語的人，都有機會親近神，如果如同耶穌的家人，耶穌會放下手邊的事來接見。

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How?

We rejoice and welcome the Holy Spirit lead my way and my all in all.