“But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.’” (Mark 6:4 NKJV)

Imagine being the half brother of Jesus. You could never blame Him for anything. Think about it. Who were Mary and Joseph going to believe—you or the only sinless human being who ever lived? Imagine trying to compete for your parents’ attention with the long-awaited Messiah, the Son of God, the Savior of your people.

That was the lot in life for James, the author of the New Testament book that bears his name. It’s noteworthy that neither James nor any of Jesus’ other half brothers believed in Jesus prior to His resurrection. In fact, at one point, Jesus’ family came to take Him home, thinking that He had taken leave of His senses. John 7:5 states plainly, “For even His brothers did not believe in Him” (NKJV).

Yet James starts his epistle by identifying himself as “a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (James 1:1 NKJV). He doesn’t identify himself as “James, the brother of the Lord” or even “James, the half brother of Jesus.” Instead, he writes, “James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Still, it seems hard to believe that James came to recognize the truth about Jesus so relatively late in life. After all, Jesus lived a flawless life. He never lied or stole or lost His temper. He never even sinned inwardly. Yet as Jesus Himself said, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house” (Mark 6:4 NKJV).

That just goes to show that even living a perfect life is not necessarily enough to convince someone of the truth about Jesus. And, for believers who are trying to share that truth, it becomes even more difficult because all of us have fallen short at times in living out the witness we ought to live.

The hardest people for many Christians to reach are those who are closest to us, especially in our own families. Many of us were raised in non-Christian homes. We know how difficult and hostile an environment that can be. It took the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to finally reach His brothers. That’s when they all believed. It took the power of the gospel.

Reaching family with the gospel message is still a challenge. But it’s a challenge we must rise to. The questions that the apostle Paul poses in Romans 10:14–15 still apply. “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!’” (NKJV).

Reflection question: How can you help the people who are closest to you understand the Good News of Christ?

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“Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven you.’” (Mark 2:3–5 NKJV)

The Gospel writers give us very little insight into why Jesus chose the people He did to serve as His disciples. We can get a sense of the personalities of Simon Peter, John—and Judas Iscariot—because they are featured prominently in certain stories. But for the rest of the Twelve, we must rely on quick glimpses. We must look beyond the words to the circumstances in which they’re mentioned to see just a little of what Jesus saw in them.

Case in point: Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. We find the origin story of Andrew’s discipleship in John 1. Andrew was first a disciple of John the Baptist. One day, as Jesus walked past, John the Baptist pointed at Him and said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” (verse 36 NKJV).

That was all Andrew needed to hear. He immediately started following Jesus. But that’s not all he did. “He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus” (verses 41–42 NKJV).

The thing about Andrew is that once he was convinced, he was convinced. He saw for himself. He believed. And he immediately went out to tell his brother Simon.

How we need more Andrews today. If we had more Andrews, we would have more Simon Peters. One person bringing another person to Jesus—it’s so simple. It’s so effective. And it’s so neglected.

Mark 2 gives an account of four men who brought their paralyzed friend to Christ. As Jesus was teaching inside a house overflowing with people, these four persistent men climbed up to the roof and lowered their friend inside. Jesus was so impressed with their demonstration of faith that He forgave the paralyzed man of his sins and healed him (see Mark 2:3–5).

This story serves as an inspiration and a reminder that sometimes a number of Christians working together can bring a person to Christ more effectively than one person working alone. As Paul said, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6 NKJV). We all have a part in God’s plan.

Andrew was brand-new in the faith, and often the newest converts are the most zealous evangelists. That’s probably because they are so cognizant of the fact that they have just been saved from a miserable lifestyle. That was Andrew. Maybe we, too, need to remind ourselves time and time again of what God has done for us.

Reflection question: Who can you bring to Jesus?

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The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

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“When Jesus heard it, He said to them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.’” (Mark 2:17 NKJV)

Jesus interacted with a remarkably diverse group of people during His public ministry. The Gospels record His encounters with Pharisees, tax collectors, Roman officials, fishermen, a Samaritan woman, and a host of others.

One of the extraordinary things about these encounters is the personalized attention He gave each person, whether He was offering encouragement, rebuke, or healing. He recognized that every man, every woman, and every child is different. And though they have many of the same problems and the same basic needs, He realized that there were unique things about them that required individual ministry. He saw people for exactly who they were. He understood exactly what they needed. And He provided it.

It’s no wonder people refer to Him as the Great Physician. Jesus Himself said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Mark 2:17 NKJV).

Like a physician, Jesus usually saw people at their worst. I’ve always thought that one of the hardest things about being a doctor is that you only see people when they’re sick or in need of medical assistance. Most physicians don’t get a lot of patients stopping by their office to say, “Hey, Doc, I’m feeling great! I just wanted to let you know. Want to go to lunch?” You don’t usually call your doctor when you’re feeling good. You call when you’re feeling sick. And your doctor will have you come in, examine you, and apply the necessary treatment to the area of need.

Doctors, of course, are limited in their areas of expertise. Cardiologists specialize in heart health. Dermatologists specialize in matters of the skin. Gastroenterologists specialize in digestive system health. Hematologists specialize in blood disorders. Oncologists specialize in cancer treatment. The list goes on and on.

Jesus, on the other hand, can treat the whole person. He caused the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the disabled to walk, and the dead to live. He removed the spiritual torment of the demon-possessed. He eased the emotional struggles of the frightened and grieving. He didn’t just improve people’s quality of life; He gave them a life they never knew was possible. That’s what He meant when He said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10 NKJV).

Jesus still provides personalized care for His people. He knows what you need. In fact, He knows better than you do what you need. And He can and will provide it. Reach out to Him. Open yourself to His loving ministry. Let Him guide you into the life He has planned for you. Enjoy all the benefits of having a personal Physician.

Reflection question: How has Jesus impacted your life in a personal way?

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The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

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Support the show: https://harvest.org/support

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.