God Desires a Relationship

Introduction:

Activity Booklets (ushers)

Emmanuel means, “God with us”.

#1. Pursues us (doesn’t let us flounder in selfish’ss; makes ev’y attempt to calls us back to him… even if don’t ack’ge him!)

#2. Relates to Us (Jesus was human & XP’d human life like us… relate to him, be like Him)

#3. Sacrifices for Us (Jesus didn’t care about status, came to serve, even die… we called to sacrif. pleasure & comfort for HIS Way, HIS peace)

Tonight, discuss another related idea re: Emmanuel.

Starts with an oft’ overlook’d section of scripture… >>

Jesus’ Diverse Family

Kids: Start right in on first pg. & find really obscure names in word find.

Often called the ‘begats’ bc of the 16th c. english of KJV

A list of the family lineage of Jesus.

Contains some surprising figs.

Not going to read all of it tonight, but found in:

Matthew 1:1-17 & Luke 3:23-38

Some standouts include:

Tamar (got justice for herself by deception); Rahab (Canaanite, lady of night, trusted YH in Jericho); Manasseh (exceedingly wicked king); The "Wife of Uriah" (Bathsheba; a victim of abuse of pwr by David)

1. To have women listed is incred. surprising. Men thot to carry family line 4ward

2. Messed up, sinful, sideways stories contained in genealogy

Going to do a sermon on these one year for Christmas; enlig’ng!

If you think your family is messed up, Jesus’ family line wasn’t perfect by any means!

Unique about G’s choice come as man: comes with historical baggage.

JC didn’t just pop out of think air as adult: baby, diapers, toddler, mid.school!

That comes with awkwardness; growth; puberty; silliness.

Just because your family is messed up, doesn’t mean you can’t change the course for your future! There is HOPE for you.

Beautiful: Jesus was fully human, but his other personhood was divine.

Jesus had a complicated side, let me heretical for sec, and a perfect side.

Jesus’ father was GOD HIMSELF. THE FATHER.

But Jesus didn’t die for you to bcome Israelite (that family) >>

God Wants You in His Family!

There are patent examples all over the Bible. Going to look at three today.

Turn to pg.2 in your activity packet… wave in air… color picture of:

1. Prophet Hosea & His Wife

Hosea was called as a spokesperson for YH.

His task, like few of proph, very unique! His LIFE was the prophecy. Lived out.

He was called to marry a woman who was going to constantly stray for their covenant of m’rrge.

Weird? Yes. Pwrfl? YES!

You see, God’s chosen ppl, Israel constantly strayed from God’s commands & their promises

They were unfaithful to God.

In fact, the most common way to talk about disobeying YHWH was adultery!

The relationship God desired to have with His people (read: whole world) was a committed, loving, trustworthy, protective marriage.

Why a healthy marr. needs to be founded on God’s word. Why healthy marr’ges so imoprt. to Church life: exemplify God’s relat. to our kids.

Here’s amazing thing. Amidst God’s anger and frustr. toward Israel’s disob., He constantly has compassion on them!

As Hose’s life is an ex., he’s called to go after his adultrous wife:

Hosea 3:1 “The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods…””

God is more committed to me than I am to Him.

God constantly runs after us and helps us (kicking & screaming s’times) back in relat. with Him!

God’s love for you; desire for you to be in family; that strong!

The next point we’re going to talk about is…

2. Our Adoption

turn to pg.3 in booklet… wave it in air… solve the code! Older kids: help with math; younger kids can match up the numbers & letters.

AP writes in letter to Romans:

Romans 8:15 “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.””

Paul calls us (spec. non-Jews) adopted.

Not an insult, rather a BLESSING, a HOPE.

God says: “You are mine. You are chosen. I want you.”

This is an astounding truth.

We aren’t born & God says “Well, I guess you’re my child. You’re in. Oh well, here’s another one.”

No! He intentionally selects us to be part of His family. With love and care.

God is committed to caring for and showing us the BEST Way in Life:

to call us 2 reject those things that we pursue but will harm us.

to usher us into the Best life where He is the center and we are lovingly part of His Good plan.

Point of “election”… not predestination, but personal commitment & call!

God’s choosing us means that I am: valued; have a purpose; & He wants me to be part of His good plan!

That also means rejecting our own plans, as good or fun as they sound!

That puts us at odds w our feelings or intuition or, often, selfish desires.

Succinctly, God’s adoption through the HS leads us to live closer to God than any generation before Pentecost.

A privilege to experience and a resp. to steward.

Turn to pg.4 (back pg.) in booklet and finish the maze. Then go back and work on anything you missed!

3. The Lost Son (Forgiving Father)

We looked at this parable in each of last two weeks… one more time!

JC weaves amazing story of God’s grace. Father God is the Dad in story; we are the sons.

Son who wishes dad was dead; takes off with inhert. & parties, drinks, way into debt.

At end of his rope, returns to Dad hoping for a slave’s quarters & scraps… repentant!

Surprise ending: Father says this:

Luke 15:22–24 ““But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

What the Father (God) does to welcome home son is so telling:

“Robe, ring, sandals, party” = At the sons’ repentance, God grants him provision, protection, & acceptance into His family.

He desired to see his family whole again.

When we stray & go away from God’s ideal… relationships, words, treat others, bus. pracs, commit’t/devo. to Him… he is grieved

Wants to see His kids all in the same house together again, if you will.

The Final Goal of creation is for all the world to be together like family.

Revelation 19:7 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.”

Both husb./wife && parents/kids used to describe God’s relat. with Humans.

God’s kingdom is like a healthy family

And guess what? >>

I am Invited into God’s Family

FINALLY, Kids… open up your whole paper & you’ll find our closing verse to color.

Hebrews 2:11 “Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.”

Amz’g paradoxical thing about Incarnation = JC who saves us, is like us. Was like us.

Made as we are; in a womb, cells dividing, neurons firing. YET was also before time itself.

Jesus died to save his own kind, in a way. Died as a human.

Jesus went to that cross, took our pain & shame, sacrificed, pursued us & loved us so that we can be part of His family.

Candle time

Ushers come down row w/ lighters — light the end person, next person LEAN candle and so on.

Sing carols to worship our savior.

Worship Him for who He is

Closing Challenge:

God wants you in His Family.

How close have you been to Him lately?

He doesn’t force us, though he gives us plenty of opportunities & blessings.

Sadly, we take those blessings and use them for ourselves and never give him any thanks or focus.

WeQ’d be happy to have you here at our church if you don’t have one.

At CRA, we try to be the family of God to each other; see the value in serving beside and worshiping with one another. You’re always welcome.

However God is speaking to you, He wants you to be part of His family.

Extinguish candles tonight.

Love you guys!

God Bless…

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Band: We Wish you Merry Christmas!