June15, 1997 - Father’s Day

The Church is a Family! One big happy family.

The Church is a Family!, Father’s Day 1997

By: Ron George Jr.

Family vacations are wonderful times, but they do have their tedious moments.

Dad, Mom, and the two boys were about 200 miles into their trip, when Dad had enough! "Ever since we left home," he said, "you boys have been picking on each other, yelling names and tearing up the back seat of the car. I am putting an end to this now!" He slammed on the brakes, pulled the car off to the side of the road, jerked his sons out and spanked them both soundly. "I don’t want to hear one word out of either of you for 30 minutes," he shouted, "not one word!" The two boys sat still and quiet for at least 30 minutes until the youngest one meekly said, "Daddy, do you remember when you spanked me? Well, one of my shoes came off...!"

Text: Roma 8:13 (KJS) For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, wwhereby we cry, Abba, Father.

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

2Cor 6:18 (KJS) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Gala 4:4 (KJS) But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

I. How do you become a member of God’s Family? Are we all God’s children? Heavenly Father’s Day..

How do you become a member of the earthly family? are you sure that you are a member? Have an adoption, and a rebirth that everyone in the family must partake of .

John 3:3 (KJS) Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

II.What is the family connection? What is the Tie that binds? the connection is the blood of the Family that is common to all in the family. Gal. 4:4-5 and the Spirit that causes us to live and breath as living and breathing family members.. and the adoption of the Father through the blood of the Son. The Father’s choice that makes the difference. He chooses to love us and to accept us in His Son Jesus Christ. Because He is accepted , we are accepted by the Father who brings us all into the family of God .. We have a common Father. Jehovah.The connection is the name of the Father that we all share. As Jesus taught us to pray our Father which art in Heaven.

John 1:12 (KJS) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:

Ephe 4:4 (KJS) [There is] one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 One God and Father of all, who [is] above all, and through all, and in you all.

III. Who is the Family of God in the church? Where are the Father’s , mothers, sons, and daughters.?Heavenly Father’s Day .. the Father who chose each and everyone of His Children. Church Father’s and Mother’s are the elders of the church. Must teach and train the children to take over the family chores and responsibilities so that the family continues to go and to grow so that it doesn’t die. Where do you fit in ? Everyone is a part of the family as it grows and changes.

IV. What is the Purpose of the family:the family business.. Our business is people , our reason is Jesus Christ. To be a lighthouse for those who live in darkness to find the way through the night and avoid the dangers of the rocks of life.. We must plan for those who are here and those who are to come>>>

V. What is the Family of God? The church?

In 1975 Edith Schaeffer, wife of Dr. Francis Schaeffer, asked a question that deserves an answer every year. That question became the title of her book, What Is a Family? It’s a good question. Every twelve to fifteen months, each one of us would do well to analyze and evaluate our family, facing up to the truth of our answer. Certainly every generation would be wise to do so. It may surprise us. She suggests several answers, each one forming a separate chapter in her book. For example:

A Changing Life Mobile. The Birthplace of Creativity. A Formation Center for Human Relationships. A Shelter in a Time of Storm. A Perpetual Relay of Truth. A Door That Has Hinges and a Lock. A Museum of Memories.

1. A Place of love? Do we love each other with the agape love of sacrifice ?

John 13:35 (KJS) By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

2. A Place of support? Do we support each other with our prayers and our presence and our patience?

Jame 5:16 (KJS) Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

3. A Place of Growth? Are opportunities and challenges given out that we may grow in the Faith and knowledge of the Lord and in the Lord’s work?

Ephe 4:14 (KJS) That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, [even] Christ: {speaking...: or, being

sincere}

4. A Place of Acceptance and forgiveness? Do we accept everyone into the Family as God does and do we allow others possibility of Failure that isn’t final? Failure or sin isn’t final with the Lord but is it with us so that we allow persons into the family and allow them to continue to be in the family by our forgiveness and acceptance of them.

Matt 18:21 (KJS) Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Matt 25:40 (KJS) And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me.

How is your family today? How is the Heavenly Father’s family? What have you given to him for Father’s day?