La Familia Part 6: The Rhythm Of The Kingdom

Recap: Family On Mission

We’ve talked Family:

-The Father

-The Oikos

-New Families

Now lets talk Mission:

-Missio Dei As the Father has sent me, so am I sending you

-FOM: Peter building Oikodormeo—-through him

-Relationship - expansive love

-FOM Looks like impact- It’s what our family does, it’s our signature move.

-look like Jesus

-Live like Jesus

-Invite others in

-Tell them the good news of the kingdom

-Gospels Used Discipleship language

-Shift in Epistles to family language (Oikedormeo

John 14:6 NLT

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

(Picture of A Discipling Culture Triangle)

Truth-Way-Life

information & Words

Imitation & Ways

Innovation & Works

We are great at information (words) and then Innovation (Works)

Discipleship is about :

-instruction (information)

-Apprenticeship (imitation)

-Immersion (innovation)

ALL AT THE SAME TIME

The texture in which discipleship thrives is family “oikos”

All of this requires a shared life.

Old example:

-Liturgical model: be baptized, experience Mass, take first communion, go to catechism, be confirmed, keep going to mass.

-Bible Church Model: Go to sermons and Sunday school. Keep going to sermons and Sunday School. Hope you get it.

-Program Model: Go to kids church, then middle school ministry, then high school ministry, then young adult ministry, then young professionals group, then go to church until you die. Hopefully you get it….and serve 2x per month

-Charismatic Model: We’ll go to pray and sing and yell until you get it.

Problem is that Jesus would look at all of these and go….what do you call this? Oh a church….but why?

I told you to go make disciples….and this is what you thought I meant?

We are going to imitate Jesus to the last details and that includes the method of making disciples and building a family.

ASIDE:

-Not just for married families with kids living in the suburbs.

-Single people

-Divorced people

-single parents

-couples with no kids

-couples with 8 kids

-empty nesters

-teenagers

-widows, widowers

-college students…yes even college students

-Jesus was always singLe and so was Paul…..and God had them build these extensive FoM, Oikos

-Oikos is ancient, and the promise to Abraham (tribes and nations)

Friends are those who serve the cause when they can.

Followers are those who submit their skills and resources to have Jesus transform them.

Family are those who surrender completely, laying down their agenda fully for the agenda of Jesus.

Oikos is about Covenant, family always starts with covenant and is revealed through commitment.

-Promise,

-Oath

-Lifetime until you form new Oikos or join another

-Shared Purpose: Missio Dei

-Geographic proximity:: Access and Margin

-Predictable Patterns:: UP-In-OUT

Last week we talked about spiritual parenting:

-watch Bob’s sermon last week

-We submit to grow

-Key part of Oikos is surrendering our will to live in community, surrendering our preferences

-We ask people to be spiritual parents because they are people we want to emulate

-Some of you don’t feel ready to start an oikos and be spiritual parents

-You aren’t (Timothy) but you should anyway

-Maybe you need a season under a Rabbi to follow (Paul Finds Barnabas)

-If no one loves you, listens to you and serves you…you’re not a spiritual parent yet

-some of you need to step into that role

-some need to find spiritual parents and be formed in the way Jesus led

-Come follow me as I follow Jesus

-If no one is

-knocking down your door to love, listen and serve you… (followers)

-Telling you to be a spiritual parent (leader)

THEN=> You need to be a part of someone else’s Oikos and let them be your spiritual parents

Humility is key virtue of God’s family:

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” Romans 12:3.

“Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.” Romans 12:16.

“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’” 1 Peter 5:5.

“And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, ‘If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.’” Mark 9:35.

What is happening inside of you as we talk about spiritual parenting?

-some of you are really bristling at the idea of being under someone else’s leadership

-This means one of two things….you’re ready to build and lead an Oikos or you really aren’t ready yet

-Look at our diagnostics above…if the markets not demanding more of you…then you’re not ready and you need to submit to someone else’s leadership and grow.

-I’ve always wanted both: to be under someone and lead in my own space.

-I’ve always had men and women as spiritual leaders in my life who had permission to direct me and challenge me

-If you can’t learn from someone else, you are a danger to others around you.

-We don’t want to replicate us…we want to replicate Jesus. WE can’t learn the way of Jesus in a vacuum (take challenge) and so if you can’t submit to learn and be challenged by others, you cannot teach the way of Jesus, because you do not know the way of Jesus.

-True submission has nothing to do with authority or position and everything to do with honor and relationship.

-Jesus didn’t treat his disciples like slaves or servants but like little brothers with fragile egos

-Jesus didn’t treat his disciples like Robots. He gave them free will to come and go…with no coercion that we can discern in the text. God works the same way and so should we. WE give grace and time to grow and mature in the way of Jesus.

-early 20’s mentoring with Tim….I wanted to be an equal and a partner….but I wasn’t. Tim taught me so much by telling me what he is learning and asking me what I thought about it…like I was the expert. He saved my ego by inviting me, and I was transformed by his humility.

-Spiritual parenting is not about position or authority, it isn’t: Do what I say or you can’t be here…..It is: questions, challenge, meals, coffee, long walks and invitations to deeper places with Jesus.

-some of you have been looking and aching for someone to take you under their wing..and you don’t know where to start.

-your spiritual parents can’t be your actual parents (boundaries, etc)

-But you just need to find someone further along in the journey and ask them to hang out with you. Tell them what you’re looking for and if they agree to give you access, don’t waste it by being too busy.

-my commitment: someone wants to learn the way of Jesus and seeks it out, I make space for them in my life

-some of you are wondering how does your life fit in an Oikos (Micro Church)?

-too many kids

-too busy

-too private

-too scared

This is a battle that we must wage. Belonging to the household of God is what it means to be a part of his Family, His kingdom. We can’t ask, how can the micro church oikos fit my life…but rather, what needs to change in my life so that I don’t Miss out on the joy of being a part of a FoM, and be formed in The way of Jesus

150 or 200 people cannot be your oikos because you can’t be known, seen or loved by a crowd.

Step into Covenant Identity: join the Oikos of God

Step into Kingdom Authority: lead a spiritual family

Spiritual uncles and aunts

-extended families

-widows and orphans

-same in spiritual families

Predictable Patterns:

-Need for Structure

-Tom Brady Concerns >> Never lived as an adult

-coaches

-Trainers

-Nutritionists

—-— Tom is a self starter but lives with absolute structure

-My kids are resilient and happy but they are A mess when bed times and naps and food are not on schedule. (Summer and Holidays)

-Love is defined in family as Predictable Patterns of connection, formation and purpose

our radically minimal ecclesiology…you have these three things are church

Acts 2:42 NLT

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

-Up-In-Out

-Not about schedules and flowcharts

-

3 parts to the Up-In and out of FoM

-SPiritual Parents

-Predictable Patterns

-Missional Purpose