We Are Family JANUARY 28, 2018

We Are Family – January 28, 2018

Ephesians 1:3-5

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

The Word of the Lord.

Introduction:

If you started 2018 with a Bible reading plan that takes you through the Bible in a year, you’ve already encountered some interesting family stories and genealogies. Not very many pages into Genesis, you find sibling rivalry (in multiple stories!), parents and grandparents who sometimes do right by their kids, other times not so much, and lists of people according to their ancestors. But we also find God calling people to himself, redeeming families out of wicked situations, and setting apart those who trust in Him.

We can see that from the beginning, God created us to belong. And as our identity is shaped by ‘our people’ - showing to us and to others where ‘we belong’, it also delineates where we do not belong. Abraham was called to leave his country, called out by God to become the father of many nations - a new people that didn’t before exist. The New Testament reveals that we are ‘children of Abraham’ - part of the family of God, inheriting the promises that belong to those who are God’s children.

Today and for three weeks, we are going to talk about what it means to be a part of the family of God. Today we will look at three aspects: Belonging, Purpose and Legacy. Next week we will delve into the Privileges, Provision and Possibilities that accompany being a part of God’s family. And lastly we will look at Family Responsibility, Flourishing Community and Fitting Celebration.

1

We Are Family JANUARY 28, 2018

Belonging:

Ephesians 1:5 says that God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family.

When we are born again by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, we become a member of God’s family, identified in the New Testament as ‘believers’. We belong to Him, and He belongs to us. And we belong to a group, a community, a family - the family of God.

Belonging to God’s family starts with ‘becoming’ a child of God. Jesus said: You must be born again. (John 3) Paul writes to Titus: "He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5)

Colossians puts it this way:

He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. (Colossians 1:12-14)

There is a leaving of sorts involved in belonging. Being born again involves the purchase of Christ, paid for by his own blood, and the forgiveness of sins. We leave behind our old life, and live anew - a radically different life, a ‘new creation.’ An outward sign that we have received the new birth is water baptism. Following Jesus in being baptized is an important step in declaring your new birth, and that you now belong in God’s family.

The New Testament constantly uses family language when talking about the church. We are referred to as brothers and sisters 126 times in the New Testament. Jesus taught us to pray: “OUR Father.” Other phrases include ‘household of God’, ‘children of God’, ‘children of the promise’, ‘God’s family’, ‘family of believers’.

Please understand - we do not only belong to God. We belong to God’s family. None of us is alone or an island unto ourself. Yes - if in some tragic way you became isolated from everyone else, like for example the Apostle John who was exiled to the Isle of Patmos, you can still have fellowship with God the Father through Jesus Christ and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. But that is not the norm. The family of God is a living, dynamic beautiful reality - and each of us belong to God’s family.

God’s family is not made up of 99% perfect people, and then one or two who haven’t quite gotten perfection figured out. Nor is it made up of 99% hypocrites and then one or two perfect people. God’s family is made up of 100% redeemed people, people who have experienced new birth and forgiveness of sins, people who make mistakes and fail on a regular basis, and people who have the full rights and privileges of growing up to

2

We Are Family JANUARY 28, 2018

maturity in Christ, leaving behind our old ways and allowing the fruit of the Spirit to flourish in our lives.

Belonging is a mutual experience. There are 59 instances of ‘one another’ or ‘each other’ in the New Testament. I belong to God’s family, which means I belong to you and you belong to me - it is mutual, a ‘one another’ reality.

Belonging involves many layers. (concentric circles) We belong to the eternal and universal family of God. We belong to the Assemblies of God. We belong to the Potomac Ministry Network. We belong to Vienna Assembly of God. The practical benefits of belonging are most personal and powerful at the smallest level. I am convinced that we need to nurture and grow our sense of belonging here within Vienna Assembly of God, and I am committed to do my part.

Belonging is multi-faceted. (overlapping circles) Each of you belong to other groups besides your church family, including sports teams, school groups, other Christian groups, community and service groups. And your own family groups. Sometimes these can compete for your time, resources and energy. There may come times where we have to determine a priority in where we belong. But I believe the multi-facets of your lives are important as we continue today’s discussion.

We are going to read a ‘family story’, one that Jesus told, to help explain some of the dynamics of God’s family. Let us turn to Luke 15, and begin at verse 11:

11 To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. 14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.

17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.” ’

3

We Are Family JANUARY 28, 2018

20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’

22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’

28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’

31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’ ”

 Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Lk 15:11–32). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

Luke says that Jesus told this story “to illustrate this point further.” What point? Verse 10 - In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”

The point was to get it, how happy Father God is when a lost one returns.

So let’s look at this through the lens of family, and today’s points: belonging, purpose and legacy.

1. Belonging. Both sons belonged to the family. But one chose to walk away. Once he had wasted everything and was reduced to feeding pigs, Jesus says that he came to his senses. He realized that even his Father’s servants had it better off than he did. So he made up his mind to go back to his father, and do what? He planned to confess his sins, declare his unworthiness, and then work for his living. How

4

We Are Family JANUARY 28, 2018

many times is this scenario played out! We are aware of our shortcomings, overly aware of our unworthy state, and try to work our way out of it. But of course, this doesn’t work! Works don’t work! We cannot serve our way into deserving God’s grace! Ephesians 2:8 says:  God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.  Before the lost son could finish speaking, the father quickly ordered for a robe and shoes to be brought, and for the festive dinner to be prepared. We belong by his grace. Through sin, our ‘belonging' was lost. We were lost. But Jesus paid the price with his own life so that grace could be offered. We are twice-born, given new birth, our sins are forgiven, and we BELONG to God’s family.

2. Purpose. God has a purpose in all this. It is his pleasure. Ephesians 1:5 said: God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. In this story, the father was filled with love and compassion. Nothing had brought him greater joy than to have this son who was dead to be alive again. This is God’s purpose - he wants all his children to experience new birth. He is not willing that any should perish. So how do we align with God’s purpose? As Jesus was eating and drinking with sinners, the Pharisees were complaining. They were unable to align to God’s purpose. The older brother serves in this story as a mirror for the Pharisees. I am struck with how he also is hung up on the concept of work. He moves it into the level of ‘I have slaved for you all these years…’ He expects his status of belonging to be secured by his works. The father continues to speak in love - “Everything I have is yours.” But he also insists on the purpose - this is the main thing! We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’ God’s purpose is that the lost be found, that the dead come back to life. As God’s children, we are invited to live according to his purpose, and celebrate with him. One of the resources we will consider during Lent is Rick Warren’s '40 Days of Purpose’ - a fuller description of the purposeful life God has provided to all of us. But hear this: if you are struggling with a sense of purpose, this is a great place to start! Purpose to join Jesus in seeking the lost, welcoming them into the family, and celebrating with gusto with each new family member!

3. Legacy. What is our family legacy? Jesus leaves the story open - we don’t know how the older brother finished the conversation with the father. We don’t know if the younger brother lived well from then on, honoring the grace the Father had bestowed. Jesus offered the choice to us - we can choose our legacy. Will we live according to the Father’s pleasure? Or will we choose earthly pleasure? Will we live as though we belong to God’s family? Will we honor the grace so lavishly poured out on us? Will we follow Jesus in seeking the lost? Will we welcome people with open arms, celebrate when a sinner comes home, and

5

We Are Family JANUARY 28, 2018

enjoy the moment, rejoicing together?

I want that to be our legacy.

Vienna Assembly of God is just one ‘house’ in the giant ‘house of God’. We are a loving community. What will the next level of that love be? Do we view each other as brothers and sisters? Are we family? Do you feel like you belong? I call us to nurture the sense of belonging here. Treat each other as family, even deeper than what your natural family may be.

What is our purpose? We have a ‘purpose statement’ that declares “Loving God, Loving Others, Loving Life.” Do we love God fiercely enough to fully align with his purpose? How do we love others and life? This is where your multi-faceted lives display God’s purpose. As you live within the many places where you belong, living as a child of God and a part of His family, chances to invite others into the family will occur.

In addition, opportunities for us to reach out, moving outside of ourselves, and to go searching for the lost, is going to be a part of our future. The how/when/where will be diverse and I don’t have all of it fully developed yet. But the why is clear - this is God’s purpose, and our legacy must be that we care about what God cares about. As a family, let’s each one do our part to see God’s purpose fulfilled here in Vienna - bringing others to new life in Jesus Christ.

From before time began and until after time is no more - that is how eternal God’s family is. We are a part of something bigger and more enduring than we can ever imagine. What will define our piece of the story? What will our legacy be?

6