Single lesson
Jesus' Mother and Brothers Come to See Him
Matthew 12:46–50; Mark 3:31–35; Luke 8:19–21
Jesus’ mother and brothers come to see him, but Jesus uses the moment to teach something important. He shows that hearing God’s word and doing it marks out his true family.
Before you teach
In these verses, Jesus is speaking while a crowd sits around him. His mother and brothers are outside and want to speak with him, and Luke says the crowd keeps them from coming near. Jesus answers by pointing to the people around him and explaining who belongs to his family in relation to God’s word and will.
Students will be able to retell the order of this account, identify the choices and outcomes in it, and explain that Jesus says his true family are those who hear God’s word and do God’s will.
Welcome: Who is in the story?
5 minBegin by introducing the people named in the passage: Jesus, his mother, his brothers, the crowd, and the disciples or people sitting around him. Ask children to listen for where each group is. Explain that this account appears in Matthew, Mark and Luke, and each one helps us notice the same main teaching from Jesus.
Matthew 12:46, Matthew 12:49, Mark 3:31, Mark 3:32, Mark 3:34, Luke 8:19
Read and explain: Outside, inside, and the message
7 minRead the verses aloud from one Gospel, then briefly compare the others. Point out that Jesus’ mother and brothers are outside, and in Luke the crowd stops them coming near. Other people tell Jesus they are there and want to speak with him or see him. Help children notice the setting before discussing Jesus’ answer.
Matthew 12:46, Matthew 12:47, Mark 3:31, Mark 3:32, Luke 8:19, Luke 8:20
Discuss: Choices and outcome in Jesus’ answer
7 minName the choices and outcome from the passage. Jesus’ mother and brothers seek to speak to him. The people around Jesus report the message. Jesus then asks, ‘Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?’ and teaches the outcome: those who do the will of God, and those who hear God’s word and do it, are counted as his family.
Matthew 12:46, Matthew 12:47, Matthew 12:48, Matthew 12:50, Mark 3:31, Mark 3:32, Mark 3:33, Mark 3:35, Luke 8:20, Luke 8:21
Make and respond: Sequence and match
7 minChildren make simple sequence cards showing four steps: family outside, message sent in, Jesus asks his question, Jesus explains who his family are. After ordering the cards, have them match a final card with the key idea: hearing God’s word and doing it. Encourage them to say the story in their own words using the ordered cards.
Matthew 12:46, Matthew 12:47, Matthew 12:48, Matthew 12:49, Matthew 12:50, Luke 8:21
Closing: What will we remember?
4 minReview the order of the account together. Ask the group to finish the sentence, ‘Jesus says his family are...’ Help them answer from the text, not guesses: those who do the will of God, and those who hear God’s word and do it. End by summarising the lesson’s sequence, choices and outcome from the passage.
Matthew 12:50, Mark 3:35, Luke 8:21
Questions to explore
Why did Jesus’ mother and brothers stay outside in Luke’s account?
Look for the practical reason in the verse: they could not come near him because of the crowd.
Luke 8:19
What choices and actions can you list in order from the passage?
Start with the family seeking to speak to Jesus, then the people reporting the message, then Jesus asking his question and giving his teaching about who his family are.
Matthew 12:46, Matthew 12:47, Matthew 12:48, Matthew 12:50, Mark 3:31, Mark 3:32, Mark 3:35, Luke 8:20, Luke 8:21
According to Jesus, who are his mother and brothers?
Use Jesus’ own words from the passage: the answer includes doing God’s will and hearing God’s word and doing it.
Mark 3:35, Luke 8:21
Make, think or respond
Story Sequence Cards
What you’ll need
- Plain paper or card
- Pencils or textas
- Scissors
- Optional sticky tape
Try it together
- Draw or write four simple cards: family outside, people tell Jesus, Jesus asks his question, Jesus explains who his family are.
- Mix up the cards and let children place them in the correct order.
- Ask each child or pair to retell the account using the cards in sequence.
- Add a final card that says, ‘Hear God’s word and do it’, and place it with the last step.
This activity helps children follow the order of the account, identify the choices and outcomes in it, and remember Jesus’ teaching about who belongs to his family.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, prepare the four cards in advance with simple pictures and let them place the cards in order before repeating one key sentence from Luke 8:21.
- For older or more confident children, read short parts from Matthew, Mark and Luke and ask them to spot shared details such as ‘outside’, the crowd, and Jesus’ answer.
An optional closing prayer
You might pray, ‘Dear God, thank you for Jesus’ words. Please help us hear your word and do it, and help us want to do your will. Thank you for Jesus’ clear teaching about belonging to him. Amen.’
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Matthew 12
46 While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.
47 One said to him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you.”
48 But he answered him who spoke to him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”
49 He stretched out his hand toward his disciples, and said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!
50 For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
Mark 3
31 His mother and his brothers came, and standing outside, they sent to him, calling him.
32 A multitude was sitting around him, and they told him, “Behold, your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside looking for you.”
33 He answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”
34 Looking around at those who sat around him, he said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!
35 For whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister, and mother.”
Luke 8
19 His mother and brothers came to him, and they could not come near him for the crowd.
20 Some people told him, “Your mother and your brothers stand outside, desiring to see you.”
21 But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.