All In The Family

How Do You Treat Your Family

Opening

Story

If you think your family has problems, consider the marriage mayhem created when 76-year-old Bill Baker of London recently wed Edna Harvey. She happened to be his granddaughter’s husband’s mother. That’s where the confusion began, according to Baker’s granddaughter, Lynn. "My mother-in-law is now my step-grandmother. My grandfather is now my stepfather-in-law. My mom is my sister-in-law and my brother is my nephew. But even crazier is that I’m now married to my uncle and my own children are my cousins."

Recap/Intro

Be Welcoming (vv. 1-2)

It's been said that a happy family is an early heaven.

The Christian family is both personal and communal.

During times of crises, it's good to know that Christians are acting as Christ's family:

serving, helping, and loving those in need.

Romans 16 is a family chapter.

Paul used words such as brother, sister, and brethren.

Paul addressed his spiritual family and showed us how to treat our own family.

Paul reminded us to be connected to other Christians.

According to relationship expert Donald Joy

people need support from four groups:

family (parents, spouse, kids)

relatives (extended family)

friends

Associates (social groups, church, etc.).

The first person Paul welcomed in this chapter is a woman

(Phoebe) which reminds us Christianity is not a chauvinistic faith, but a compassionate faith

loving to both female and male, young and old.

Jesus welcomed women and had friends that were women.

Notice three things Paul said of Phoebe

She was a sister in the Lord

a servant (a deaconess who helped the poor and visited the sick)

a helper—possibly a patron or benefactress who supported the church.

Paul called on Christians to be welcoming.

The word welcome is a derivative of hospitality, meaning "a love of strangers."

Be Honoring (vv. 3-16, 21-24)

Paul was a friend-maker as well as a soul-winner

"A man who has friends must himself be friendly" (Proverbs 18:24).

What does friendliness mean?

Friends operate on the basis of supply, not need.

We don't demand attention; we give it to others.

In Paul's tentmaker ministry, he met many people, including Priscilla and Aquila, a couple he met in Corinth.

The next two names Paul mentioned, Urbanus and Stachys

were common names for slaves and members of the royal household.

Paul's friends included people of different social standings.

Christians are not to be respecters of persons (see James 2:1-13).

Aristobulus, Herodian, and Narcissus

may have been members of Herod Agrippa and Herod the Great's households.

Rufus may have had a connection to the man who carried Jesus' cross (see Mark 15:21).

Son of Simon of Cyrene

Out of great calamity comes great opportunity.

Be Discerning (vv. 17-20)

Paul loved the church

but does give a warning, like any father in the faith

He wanted the church to be discerning with regard to those that cause division.

Paul didn't want division to creep in (see Acts 20:29-31 and 1 Corinthians 13:6).

The best way to handle divisive people

don't argue or debate with them, but ignore them

simply reject what they are saying and move on.

What a divisive person hates the most is the lack of attention his or her divisiveness affords them.

We should welcome, honor, and protect those who belong to Christ

Marching forward together is better than marching alone.

Closing:

story

Fred Sigle, preaching minister at Garfield Christian Church in Indianapolis tells about Mark Knutson. On August 28, 1993, he was diagnosed with an extremely aggressive form of cancer. When diagnosed, he was already in the late stages and was only given a short time to live.

Mark's biggest worries were not for himself but only for his wife and two children. Who would take care of them? Would there be people to love and support them throughout his ordeal?

By September 19, his worries were taken care of. The Knutson family heard noise outside, opened the window, and saw that the street was filled with Christian friends from their church. After completely encircling the house, all of the friends joined hands and prayed for Mark and his family. They let the Knutson family know they were loved.

Mark was too ill to receive visitors but the show of love continued. These Christians continued their public display of love throughout through the next six weeks. During that time, not a day went by in which 2-20 people gathered in the corner of the yard to pray for the Knutsons. Because Mark was so sick, they kept a prayer register on the back porch so that Mark would know who had been there.

These Christians did more than pray. Many faithfully sent cards of encouragement. Some helped with transportation and other needs for the Knutson children. The Knutson's said, "We truly felt a hedge of love encircling our home."

Mark fought valiantly but in November of the same year, he succumbed to the cancer. Mark passed away knowing that his wife and children were loved and taken care of by their church family. Not only did this six-week display of Christian love affect the Knutsons, their neighbors were influenced in a positive way. Several neighbor families witnessing the love of Christ in action obeyed the Gospel.

Prayer