Jesus’ family is getting worried. And the religious authorities are alarmed. The family think he’s off his rocker, and the authorities imagine that he is possessed by an evil spirit And Jesus’ response is to offer a problematic parable about unity vs. division.

It seems straightforward, at first. A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. This is something we think we understand: civil war, bad – Peace and harmony, good. But Jesus doesn’t stop there.

Has Satan’s downfall really come? And whose house has been plundered? Which strong man are we talking about? And how did we get to an ‘unforgivable sin?”

The note of commentary – offered by the author – suggests that Jesus is condemning folks for not recognizing the true spirit within him.

But this parable was never just about Jesus’ troubles, was it.

Talk of division, and the alignment of family members is sprinkled throughout the Gospels. Jesus is inviting people to form and develop a community. It is meant to be a community of shared purpose and shared motivation. A community established through the ongoing recognition and interpretation of the work and wonder of God’s activity in the world. A ‘family of faith.’ The ‘body of Christ.’ The church, catholic and holy – or so we call it in the Creeds: an institution held together by faith, courage, imagination, audacity, and duct tape.

And it is to this branch of the community of faith – this body right here – that Jesus speaks this morning. Not because we are divided necessarily, but because we might be tempted to division.

It’s what the Christian church does best…to our shame.

We love the image of folks gathered in the will of God as ‘siblings in Christ.’ We’ve claimed that and used that image to satisfy ourselves that we are all on ‘team Jesus’ as a friend of mine says. But it’s the challenge of unity that most often leads us to disaster.

The family of God – and our ‘unity in Christ’ – means different things to different people. It’s an argument that I quickly grow tired of, since it almost always marked with declarations from people who hide behind their certainty:  “If only you were in agreement with me.” “if only you would take my side.” “If only you would support my point of view.” Statements of certainty have made fools of us all at some point, since the thing we are most certain of is something that is still in development – something that all humanity is trying hard to understand. (Think of the ways that the church has changed perspective on things like slavery, colonization, gender roles, the place of children/youth in a faith community, ideas on marriage, divorce…the list is long and growing.)

Statements of certainty can be good starting point for conversation, but too often those certainties mark the end of all discussion. So, while Jesus’ voice offering kinship to ‘whoever does the will of God…’ might have been a good place to start a conversation, the struggle to understand the will of God has brought too many conversations (and relationships) to a screeching halt.

We claim; ‘so and so has wandered from the truth – they are not seeking the will of God…’ without ever asking ‘how can we know the will of God?’

Putting the pieces of the biblical narrative together can be a dangerous exercise. It is very easy to get Scripture to say whatever you WANT it to say.  So please recognize that I don’t make these connections lightly or frivolously.

The search for ‘God’s will’ in our actions doesn’t end with that line in the Lord’s Prayer – it begins there. We are encouraged to seek out the evidence of God at work, whether in the natural world or among and within the diversity of the human family. And the epistles give us occasional clues: landmarks, if you will, that help us navigate this challenge. “By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is…”

Behold, a list of desirable and faithful attitudes that might mark those who share kinship with God through Jesus. The Galatians (and the Presbyterians, and anyone else who considers this passage) are also warned against a list of undesirable behaviours, the like of which we have all heard might be displayed by ‘enemies of the faith.’ But the truth of the matter is far more disturbing.

These things – the bad and the good – are part of all of us, all the time. And the challenge (and the privilege) of those who would follow Jesus is that we need to be on the lookout for the good and the bad in our own lives – cultivating the good and acknowledging the bad – so that we might recognized as part of the family of God. Not by God, who has already claimed us. And not by Jesus, whose starting point was “come, ALL you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you (ALL) rest” No, the trick is that we might recognize one another by our efforts to be more like Jesus, and less like our own fallible selves.

This is the challenge of the church. This is the task of the faithful. Not to ‘win the world for Christ’ but to SHOW Christ to the world. Whether through our behaviour, our relationships, our attitude, our repentance, or our willingness to be changed and taught as we make our way through life. Without arrogance, or envy, or the need to outdo one another. Humbly honouring God by trying to be like Jesus.