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John Barnett

Pastor John Barnett

 

Word-Filled Resources from the Ministry of John Barnett

 

 

 

DSS Book Cover Smaller

John's newest book,
David's Spiritual Secret , is now
available online. This
book traces David as a
young man and how
he resisted peer
pressures
to sin;
David as a young
married man with job
stress
, and the
struggles of job loss;
David in his career
and making godly
choices
, then his
midlife crisis and sins
with Bathsheba; and
finally how David
shows us the way to
live well to the
end for God
. 
 

Do You Have a Personal Relationship with Jesus? 
(Mark 3:31-35)
 
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The most important question you will ever be asked to answer is the question - "Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?"

 

Mark 3.31-35 "Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him.  And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You." But He answered them, saying, "Who is My mother, or My brothers?"  And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother."

 

First our text reminds us that as believers we sometimes are "STANDING OUTSIDE" of what Jesus is trying to do - aren't we? For just a moment think of what a graphic picture this is.

 

Jesus' family was standing outside calling Jesus away from his work. They believed they were helping, not hindering. They did not realize how they were blocking Jesus' mission. None of us would consciously block Jesus' efforts, yet we become thoughtless of him when we pursue only our own interests and needs:

  • We desire interesting and uplifting companions. He wants to include the unfortunate, disabled, and sick.
  • We desire to get to know those who will help us get ahead. He loves the poor, the disenfranchised, the foreigner.
  • We desire to get to know those we enjoy on a more intimate basis. He intends to reach all the people of the world, the millions who as yet still have not heard.
  • We desire the comfort of family and selected friends. He desires everyone to be in his family.

 

Next, our text shows the wonders and the dangers of a relationship with Jesus. The wonders are immense, briefly God offers to each of us and to the entire world the incredible closeness of relationship that would be like growing up in Christ's family as children in a home in Nazareth. We can have the same closeness that James and Jude had, that the disciples had, that Paul, Peter, Daniel, Moses and David had, all simply by faith in HIM.

 

What are the dangers that are taught by Jesus in these verses? These dangers are immense; we see them in the text. They are the danger of over familiarity with Jesus (that was his mother's problem); the danger of a lack of faith in Jesus Christ (that was his brothers' problem); and trusting in a physical relationship instead of a spiritual relationship (that was both Mary and the brothers' problem).

 

Finally this passage prompts us to ask the most important question, "How does one enter into this personal relationship with Christ?"

 

So how can we be sure that we have a personal relationship with Jesus? Jesus said that salvation is clearly seen by an internal change. Look again at verses 34-35. Here is the key. The test of a true believer is this - one who is "doing the will of God."

 

To continue reading this message on having a personal relationship with Jesus please click here. 

 


Yours Because His,
John Barnett, Pastor and the entire DTBM Staff

 

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