AN INTERESTING CHOICE OF WORDS
MATTHEW 28:9-10 NKJV
9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”
After His resurrection, Jesus interacted with some of the women who came to the tomb. These ladies were the first to see the resurrected Jesus. Mary Magdalen and the other Mary had heard from the angel that Jesus was alive, and they were running to tell His disciples when they met Jesus.
Jesus told them to rejoice. A good idea, seeing He was alive when they did not expect Him to be. So as they came and worshipped Him, Jesus gave them some instructions.
The first instruction was not to be afraid. This is an often repeated theme in the scriptures, and there is a good reason for it. God does not want us to be afraid. Obviously, these two ladies were shocked to see Jesus, but He did not want them in fear.
The second instruction from Jesus was they were to go and tell His brethren that He would see them in Galilee. And this is an interesting word choice from Jesus. He did not tell the ladies to go tell the disciples. He did not instruct them to go and tell the 12. Instead, Jesus identified with His followers by calling them brethren. Jesus was saying that these disciples were His brothers. They were not simply servants or followers; they were family.
One of the unique positions of the New Testament is the change in our relationship with God. No longer are God's people limited to the role of a servant. When someone receives Jesus as Lord, they become new creations and are children of God. Hebrews 2:11 says that Jesus is not ashamed to call us His brethren. Romans 8:29 says that Jesus is the firstborn of many brethren. Yes, we serve Him. Yes, He is Lord and Savior. But He is now our brother, and we are children of the same Father God.
APPLICATION
This is a simple but profound truth that we are now related to Jesus Christ. He is our older brother, and we are a part of His family. The power of this revelation is how it can affect how we see ourselves in God's light. I sense all of us, me included, have not grasped the enormity of being children of the living God.
So use this revealed truth to draw nearer to God. The barriers that we have set up in our minds about who we are to God, and our ability to come close to Him, need to be removed. We are loved, we are children, we are brethren of the Lord Jesus Christ.
PRAYER
Lord, I appreciate the fact that You are not ashamed to call me Your brother or sister. You do not treat me as an outcast, and I am not an orphan. I am a full-fledged member of God's family due to my connection to You. Thank You!