The Church as God’s Family

Introduction

The need for Christians and non-Christians to understand the nature and purpose of the church of the Lord

  1. of God's People in the New Testament
  2. Church     "called-out ones"  a group of people called out for God's purposes.
    Emphasis:  God's special people.
  3. Kingdom   (Col. 1:13)  the rule of a king over his people.  The kingdom of heaven = heaven's rule gladly received. 
    Emphasis:  submission to the will of Christ.
  4. Body       (Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:22,23; 1 Cor. 12:12-27)
    Emphasis:  Interdependence, as in members of a human body.
  5. Family      (Rom. 8:14-16;  1 Jn. 3:1;  Gal. 3:26,27;  Jn. 1:11-13)
    Emphasis:  Closeness, intimacy, relatedness.
Most powerful and moving language describing the church is the language of home, the family. Jesus pointedly uses something we know about already to help us understand the nature of His church.
  1. Nature of the Human Family
Human family the work of God. So familiar it fails to fill us with wonder.
  1. It's Intimacy and Closeness
  1. husband and wife    Gen. 2:24; Eph. 5:28,29; 1 Pet. 3:7
  2. parents and children   2 Sam. 18:33    irreplaceable
  3. brothers and sisters    Gen. 13:8  "we are brothers"  Gen. 45:1-1
  1. It's Protective Safety and Support
  1. a place of belonging  Isa. 49:15  "Can a woman forget her sucking child, and have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget but I will not forget you."
  2. a sanctuary from an uncaring world
  1. It's Nurture and Training
  1. a school for children   Deut. 6:5-7; Eph. 6:4
  2. children born helpless and unformed.   parents must guide and nurture them to maturity.
  1. Church as God's Family
  2. The Closeness and Intimacy of its Ties.
  1. Example of Jesus with the disciples
  1. lived with them closely and intimately
  2. always accessible, open to them
  3. knew them personally and individually    Jn. 10:3
  1. Personal relationship of Christians
  1. Rom. 12:10   "be devoted to one another in brotherly love"
  2. 1 Pet. 1:22  "love one another from a pure heart fervently"   (1 Cor. 13:4-7)
  3. Acts 2:46   life shared, time spent together   "close as a brother/sister"
  1. Reason:
  1. The profound spiritual relationship we share.    Mt. 16:24,25; Lk. 14:25-27,33.
  2. Christ is our life.  Col. 3:1-4; Phil. 1:21
  3. We are joined at the soul.     Mt. 12:49,50
  1. The Mutual Support
    1. Jesus laid down his life for us - we are to lay down our lives for one another 1 Jn 3:16
    2. We share what we have physically with one another.   Acts 4:32-35; 1 Jn. 3:17
    3. We bear one another's burdens    Gal. 6:2; 1 Cor. 12:23; Rom. 12:15; 15:11; Thess. 5:14; Jas. 5:16

  2. Nurture and Training
  3. Jesus was a teacher   Jn. 3:2; Jn 11:28:  "The Teacher is here and is calling for you".  Jn. 6:45: "It is written in the prophets, 'they shall all be taught of God'"
  4. Christians are to teach one another until all grow up in Christ  Col. 1:26-28; Eph. 4:11-16; 2 Tim. 3:16,17; 4:2
  5. Preparing God's children to go home to their Father.
Have you been born into God's family? John 3:3-5; 1 Pet. 1:23 Do you feel close to Christ and close to other Christians who help, strengthen and support you? Are you growing in God's word and becoming more like His Son every day? Isn't it time?

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