The Church Is a Family
We have been through so much over the past two-plus years. We have lived through a pandemic and continue to live with Covid variants. We have watched the sad, painful tragedy of over a million people who have lost their lives because of Covid. We have, and we are, facing the turmoil and violence in our cities. We are watching the war between Ukraine and Russia. The devastation and loss of life are overwhelming. We are facing economic challenges, moral corruption, the cost of living is rising, and our children are now facing an uncertain future. We will make it by the love and grace of the Lord Jesus, His Word, the Holy Spirit, and His Church.
1 Peter 3:8 says, “You should be like one big happy family, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds.”
Did you know that there are over twenty-six specific metaphors for the Church? The best or more complete in meaning is that of a family. Hebrews 3:6 say, “But Christ was faithful as a Son in the household of His own Father, and we are members of this household (family) if we hold on to the end.” God expects us to be part of His family, known as the Church.
A Believer in Jesus without a church family is a contradiction. Ephesians 2:19, “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”
What is it that makes Church a family? We are a family because of:
- What God has done for us
- Why we exist as a church
- How we fulfill our purpose
- When and where we fulfill our purpose
God made us so He could love us as His family. Jeremiah 31:3, “I have loved you with an everlasting love!”
Ephesians 1:4-5, “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.”
We were created to worship and enjoy a personal relationship with God. We are transformed as we worship the Lord with all our heart, mind, and soul. We are taught to love, encourage, and edify one another, sharing His message and serving others as we go into all the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are His special people!
Genesis 1:27-28, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God, He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
We learn, live, and share the narrative of God’s faithfulness that builds us up as a family. Exodus 10:2, “You will be able to tell wonderful stories to your children and grandchildren about the marvelous things I am doing among the Egyptians to prove that I am the LORD” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).
Together as a family,
Pastor Steve