Family

Intro

When we had the ice storm and everything shut down, I think the hardest part wasn’t the obvious.

Not just no water or power, heater etc. That wasn’t great.

But the worst… Someone asking you a question and you don’t know how to find the answer.

Think about it, where do you look to find most any answer, google, online.

I realized how little I really knew when google was unavailable!

But life has some deep questions that even google can’t answer.

What do we do about those?

(story summary)

Jesus is preparing to leave the world. He quizzes his disciples, who am I?

Peter, you are the Christ the son of the living God, yes! you got it)

Matthew 16:18

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

Jesus had a building project.

I’ve built things that i’ve had to repair pretty quickly after. didn’t last long. As that’s good enough.

But you gotta imagine what Jesus builds is pretty good. will last, even hell itself can’t destroy.

He was building the church.

He would be leaving the earth, but he was leaving the church.

The cross paid the way for anyone and everyone to come to him, find forgiveness, wholeness and completeness!

The cross is the answer for everything!!

But the message of the cross is left to what he left behind in his place, THE CHURCH.

John 20:21

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

Ok Jesus what’s the plan. You are!!

You are what I’ve been building, THE CHURCH.

The hope of the world, the answer to the brokenness, THE CHURCH.

Google was built with code, the church was built with the cross.

It is the answer the world needs!

Over the next few weeks we’ll be talking about different ways the church is the answer.

One of our greatest soul longings is a longing for belonging.

Feeling like that puzzle piece trying to find it’s place.

it’s gotta fit somewhere right?!? ( you ever felt like that piece that must be from a different box?? )

We all have this desire.

Little is worst than feeling like you don’t belong anywhere.

People will do crazy things to just belong...

5th grade farted Sit ups to impress

The church is the ultimate answer!

The church wasn’t built be institutional or organizational, but relational!

Word church - ekklesia.

Called out ones.

A group of people called out.

Ephesians 2:19-20

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

Ephesians 3:14-15

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.

The church is a family!

Church isn’t just a place to attend but a people to belong!

Jesus left the church to solve the belonging question.

Matthew 12:50

For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.

is this how you’ve thought of the church?

It’s how God has defined it.

A family to belong to!

Some of us, our first thought of family isn’t positive.

maybe you’ve put the func in dysfunctional.

There is a family your born into.

Then there is a family your bought into.

Bought through Jesus life on the cross.

When you receive him as savior, he gives you a new life, but also a NEW FAMILY!!

Romans 8:14-17

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Ephesians 2:13

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Listen to how personal and intimate this all sounds.

Too often we see God as distant and the church as optional.

But this is family as it was intended to be.

WHAT KIND OF FANILY IS THIS?

It’s a Family of Unconditional Love

Listen I’m with you, people haven’t always gotten it right.

Church people have hurt other people.

We are all broken people serving a perfect God.

I’m sorry if there have been times you didn’t feel love from the church.

But God never misses it.

He is a perfect Father.

Romans 8:38-39

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Unconditional!!

Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Your heavenly father is proud of you, wants you, loves you, desires you.

I don’t know what your home life was or is like, but this is a family of Love.

that’s what this family is built on

the church should be the most loving place in the world.

1 John 4:7

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

It’s a family to share life with

1 Thessalonians 2:8

so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.

Romans 12:15

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

I don’t know where i’d be without the church.

We say here were family because we believe it!!

Church isn’t just an event or a service. It’s a people together.

Doing life together.

We often say “We are better together” because as family we are!

We share in joys, we carry through struggles, we pray and support through mess ups...

Swedish Proverbs describes it well -

When shared, joy is doubled and sorrow is halved.

It’s a family to grow in

One of the most important aspects of family is it’s a place to grow up.

learn to walk, talk, etc.

(kid story)

1 Peter 2:1-5

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

God wants to grow you in the context of this community of people.

how will we learn to walk and talk and develop all alone???

————-—

Inside everyone is a longing for belonging, this puzzle piece scrambling to find a fit.

The Church is the Answer

This church is a family.

A place to belong.

How have you viewed the Church?

have we undervalued it?

The church was Jesus’ plan!

Where you belong determines what you become.

If you have found your belonging in things outside of God, you are not growing more into who he’s called you to be.

Psalm 68:6

God sets the lonely in families

You’re in a new family.

2 Challenges

1. Look UP

Here’s how adoption works:

This kids don’t adopt the parents, the parents adopt the kids.

chose them.

Theological truth:

God chose you. you didn’t choose God. You decided to respond to him, but you were chosen.

Ever had the choose teams moment???!?

I just knew i’d be last to be picked.

He chose you first!!!!!

God went to the adoption agency of the world. Cut off through sin.

And he said I want that one right there.

The agent said, ok but your realize the price.

It’ll cost your one and only son.

He’ll be beat, scorned, spit on, humiliated, hung on a cross and tortured to death.

Are you sure you still want them.

God looks you and says yes!!!

Was a high price, but he paid it for you.

You can now be his son or daughter.

Why then do we keep living as orphans??

So often even after we realize what he’s done, we go back to the orphanage, living like nothing has changed.

Never looking to him, going to him, being in his house.

He’s your abba father!! You’re in his family.

2. Reach OUT

Do you know someones name here?

Are you connected with others?

Don’t wait for someone else, reach out.

These are your brothers and sisters. We need each other.

make the effort to reach.

One way to reach, go to the Next Steps Event after service.

partner here, get off the fringes and decide to be a part of the family.

Church isn’t just a place to attend but a people to belong!

THE ANSWER TO YOUR LONGING FOR BELONGING IS THE FAMILY OF GOD.

RESPONSE

Pray

Response questions.

Song.

Host.