For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren. Hebrews 2:11
At a place where I used to work many years ago was a group of employees who were members of one of the local Pentecostal churches. They were a close-knit group of women, very friendly and pleasant ladies, and they always addressed each other as ‘Sister’. When speaking of another member of their group, they always referred to ‘Sister Marian’, or ‘Sister Julie’. Warm hugs among each other were frequent. For them, their sisterhood was very real and important, and in my opinion, very admirable. They obviously loved each other, and shared everything that they possibly could. We often see such close relationships develop within a group, whether members of a church or in any other type of organization. But what happens when an outsider tries to enter the group? Whether that person is welcomed often depends on how deserving that person is deemed to be. In most cases, those deemed unworthy are never considered a brother or sister within the group. How wonderful, then, to realize that you and I are welcomed into a fellowship that we could never deserve to enter.
John speaks of this fellowship in his first epistle: ‘That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ’ (1 John 1:3). This is not simply fellowship with other Christians, it is fellowship with God the Father and God the Son. How could we ever be worthy for such a fellowship? In ourselves, we cannot. But God has imputed righteousness to us to make us worthy. And not just righteousness, but the very righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). We appreciate that among Christians, we can address and consider each other brothers and sisters in the Lord. But according to our text, that fellowship also includes none other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Does it not thrill your heart that He is not ashamed to call us brethren?
During a period when the Catholic church in Scotland was persecuting and killing the Christians, a woman was making her way toward a secret gathering of a number of Christians in her area, who were meeting to read and study the Bible. Suddenly, she was confronted by a group of soldiers in the employ of the Catholic authorities. They demanded to know where she was going. They knew that as a Christian, she would not lie to them. And she did not lie, but she came up with a very ingenious way to tell the truth. They let her go on her way when she told them, ‘My older Brother has died. His Will is being read today, and I have a part in the inheritance’. Knowing that the Lord Jesus is not ashamed to call us brethren saved that woman’s life. And that same relationship ought to do wonders for you and me as we appreciate it today.
He is not ashamed to call us brethren! May we never cease to be amazed at that. – Jim MacIntosh