Here you are, you’ve come to Jesus and you’re nuts about Him. In fact, you didn’t just come to Him, you gave Him your everything. But, your family thinks you’ve gone off the deep end. You’ve gone a little too far with this Jesus business. What do you do? Well, you can look at the example of Jesus. What did Jesus do when His family thought He had lost His mind over God the Father?

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[Tweet “The ones who are nuts, are those who don’t choose the Kingdom first lifestyle.”]

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You can view a basic transcript of this podcast at the bottom of this section.

Accept the Challenge

Each week’s podcast contains a call to action. The Word of God will not produce in your life unless you put into operation.
This week’s call is:

The top spot in your life should be, must be, ought to be the Kingdom of God. It must be number one among all that you commit to. If you desire to put the Kingdom first, then you must constantly make commitment choices between things which will try and compete for the top spot.

Join the Conversation

Each week’s podcast also contains a question designed to encourage testimony. Testimony is vital to a believer’s life. We overcome by it (Rev. 12:11).
This week’s question is:

Question: How did you handle it when your family told you that you were nuts about Jesus? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Episode Resources:

You can find additional information on the subject of the Kingdom of God in the resources listed below.

1. #S3-044: What is the Kingdom of God? [Podcast]
2. #S3-045: What Does The Future Kingdom of God Look Like? [Podcast]
3. #S3-046: How Important in the Kingdom of God Are the Kings Kids? [Podcast]
4. #S3-047: Why the Lordship of Jesus Is the Linchpin of Kingdom Authority [Podcast]
5. #S3-048: The Great Need to Flow in the Authority of God [Podcast]
6. #S3-049: Why It’s Tremendously Important to Take Your Stand [Podcast]
7. #S3-050: Four Reasons Why You Have More Authority than the Enemy [Podcast]
8. #S4-001: What Do Priorities in the Kingdom of God Look Like? [Podcast]
9. #S4-002: The Danger of Putting Family First Ahead of the Kingdom of God [Podcast]
10. #S4-003: Kingdom First? Some Bible How To Illustrations [Podcast]
11. #S4-004: What Commitment to Kingdom First Really Looks Like [Podcast]

About Emery

Emery committed his life to the Lord Jesus Christ over 40 years ago and has served as both a full-time pastor and an itinerant minister. Both he and his wife Sharon of 35 years emphasize personal growth and development through the Word of God. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is both the focus and the hallmark of their mission. Read more about them here.

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If you enjoyed the podcast, please rate it on Stitcher Radio and leave a review. If you have a suggestion for a Bible topic you would like to see taught, or if you have a question, please e-mail me at emery@emeryhorvath.com

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Podcast Notes

What about the Example of Jesus?

• Did Jesus leave us an example of what it means to put the Kingdom first with regards to family?
• If you remember putting family first was one of the two excuses given for not attending the Great Supper.

Matthew 13:55-56 (NKJV) — 55 Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? 56 And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?”

• In this verse, we have a picture of Jesus earthly, physical family.
• It consisted of his mother Mary, his four brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas and at least two sisters.
• Seven people lived in the same first century home.
• The family was raised in Nazareth but they didn’t stay in Nazareth.
• When Jesus received the call of God to leave Nazareth, His family went with Him.
• For parts of it anyway.

Jesus Family at Capernaum

• We see the family together at Cana of Galilee, the location of Jesus first miracle.

John 2:12 (NKJV) — 12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.

• The words ‘after this’ are part of a timeline.
• After this, that is after turning water into wine, the whole family moved to Capernaum.
• That’s everybody who moved; His mother, His brothers, I think you can assume the sisters too.
• I’m sure they didn’t leave the girls behind.
• Capernaum was the city where Jesus performed many of His miracles.
  • The Centurion’s servant found healing (Matthew 8:5–13)
  • The paralytic borne by four and let down through the roof realized health (Matthew 9:2-8)
  • Peter’s mother-in-law has a startling delivereance from a fever (Matthew 8: 14-15)
  • A man with an unclean spirit was set free (Mark 1:21–28)

The Man with An Unclean Spirit

Mark 1:21–28 (ESV) — 21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

What Demons Called Jesus

• Just a side thought here.
• Did you notice what the demons called Jesus?
• They called Him by his official name, Jesus of Nazareth.
• You understand that Capernaum was 20 miles northeast of Nazareth.
• So, the devils of Capernaum knew the Messiah of Nazareth.
• The point is devils know what your name and is and they where you are from.

Background on Capernaum

• Capernaum was the most important city on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
• Jesus established His headquarters there for the major part of His public ministry.

Matthew 4:13–17 (KJV) — 13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: 14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; 16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

• Jesus moving to Capernaum was part of Bible prophecy.
• God’s plan was that He should live there.

Do you think God might have anything to say about where you live?

James 4:13–15 (ESV) — 13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

• Did you also notice the words ‘from that time’?
• The time that Jesus moved to Capernaum, the time that He got into the place He was supposed to be in, that’s when He got the Kingdom message He was supposed to preach.
• The application is this, ‘Are you where you are supposed to be?’
• The reality of this is that if you are waiting for God to move in your life, to give you a ministry which is your own, get into the place you’re supposed to be in.
• In Nazareth, Jesus message was ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.’
• In Capernaum, He preached, ‘Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
• Why didn’t Jesus preach ‘Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand’ Kingdom message when He was in Nazareth?
• In Nazareth, it just wasn’t time.

Capernaum, Jesus Own City

• So, Jesus settled in Capernaum by the will of God, a city which is called in the gospel of Matthew, “his own city.”

Matthew 9:1 (ESV) — 1 And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city.

• Nazareth was His place of birth and upbringing but Capernaum was His own city.
• It was His city of ministry.
• Jesus and His whole family moved there.
• But, His family weren’t the only ones who moved to Capernaum.

John 2:12 (NKJV) — 12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.

Jesus ministry team moved to Capernaum also.

• The disciples, all of them, went to Capernaum also.

Mark 1:21–29 (NKJV) — 21 Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. 22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26 And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee. 29 Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

Everyone Relocated to Capernaum

• So, Jesus relocated at His Father’s direction.
• But, the disciples did the same.
• Obviously, they didn’t think He was nuts.
• They uprooted their lives to follow Jesus.
• Would you do as these disciples did?
• Would you move, would you leave your hometown, if the Lord asked you to?
• As you can see, Jesus didn’t just leave His family behind to do ministry.
• His family made the move to Capernaum.
• But, that doesn’t mean everything was peachy in that household.
• They thought he was nuts.

John 7:1–10 (NKJV) — 1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. 2 Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. 3 His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5 For even His brothers did not believe in Him. 6 Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.

Jesus Own Brothers Thought Jesus Was Nuts

• Jesus own brothers didn’t believe in Him, they thought He was nuts.
• They were raised together and they didn’t believe.
• What was Jesus response to His brother’s criticisms?
• He flat out tells them that they were of the world.
• And He didn’t finish there.
• He went on and said that their works were evil.
• Now, how do you think that went over in the family?
• Not only did they not believe in Him, they also didn’t agree with how He was doing ministry.

Mark 3:20–21 (ESV) — 20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”

Why was the family so upset with Jesus?

• Because He would minister to people instead of eating.
• If Jesus had a choice between feeding Himself and ministering to people, He ministered to people.
• He put the Kingdom first not food first.
• His family said He was nuts.
• They set out to seize Him.
• The Greek word ‘seize’ is a verb which means to apprehend or to take into custody.
• Arrested is the right idea.
• The family wanted to do a family intervention because they thought He was nuts.
• Think about this.
• Jesus decides to put the Kingdom first, to put the needs of people ahead of His needs by choosing not to eat and in turn taking that time to minister.

Jesus Family Wanted Him Arrested

• His family wants to have Him arrested for that because they think that He was nuts, totally out of His mind.
• The phrase ‘out of his mind’ is one word in the Greek and it means to be insane or nuts.
• It means to be afflicted with mental derangement and not behaving responsibly.
• Because of a Kingdom first decision, Jesus wears a label; nuts, insane and deranged, hung their by His family.
• Have you ever been there?
• Have you ever been to the place where your family told you that you were nuts for being so fanatical about Jesus?

Jesus Response to His Family

• Here’s Jesus moment with His family.

Matthew 12:46–50 (NKJV) — 46 While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. 47 Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.” 48 But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” 49 And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

Who are the real family of God per Jesus?

• Is it the family that thought He was nuts?
• Well, it’s not even natural family alone.
• Jesus gave us the definition of real family.
• Real family are Kingdom seekers.
• They are doers of God’s will.
• That could be a natural family member if they are doing the will of God.
• So, the will of God and the Kingdom of God are ahead of natural family.
• You see it again and again in Jesus ministry.
• So, now after we have looked at all these verses, what do you think about this priority list we started with?
• You know:
  • God first
  • Family second
  • Ministry third?
• Would you change this order based on what you heard and seen in the life of Jesus?
• If you desire to put the Kingdom first, then you must constantly make choices between things which compete for the top spot which includes family.
• You are not the one who is nuts when you do this.
• Nuts, are those who don’t choose the Kingdom first lifestyle.

Lessons from the First Family

• This whole thing that we have endeavored to understand is that family does not come first, Jesus does.
• We striven to see that God is number one, that the King’s business, that is His perfect will, must have precedence.
• This fact is absolutely played out for us by the first family of planet earth.
• Adam sinned in the Garden.
• You know the story.
• He was driven out.
• By Adam’s transgression, death came upon all men.
• What was Adam’s sin?

Adams’ sin in the Garden was a Kingdom first mistake.

• He put the wife first instead of the Word first.
• The girl first instead of God first.
• He put his family first instead of his faith first.
• Can you see the mess mankind is in because of misplaced priorities?
• The King’s business was to dress the Garden and keep it.
• Adam didn’t keep it.
• He gave it away.
• Lest we become guilty of being self-righteous, you and I both have made the same mistakes and then some.
• We didn’t prioritize God’s Word in our everyday lives.

The difference between Adam’s failure and ours is that Adam was perfect; spirit, soul, and body.

• He didn’t have the death nature, the sin nature, egging him on.
• You had help messing up.
• Adam messed up without help.
• You had pressure from your flesh to sin, a pressure Adam never experienced.
• Where does that leave us as we get ready to close this podcast and close this series?
• Well, it brings up a question I have had for a number of years about the future Kingdom of God.
• The Word of God tells us that God is going to restore all things.
• The sin nature will be gone.
• The curse that is in the earth will be burned with fire.
• There will be a new heaven and a new earth.
• The saints of God will have glorified resurrected bodies.
• Satan, death, and hell will all be cast into the Lake of Fire.
• Is it possible that this could happen again?
• That is a perfect resurrected glorified man could make a priority mistake and not put the Kingdom first?
• Could we have another Adam situation all over again?