We Are Born into the Family

April 30, 2000

1 John 5:1-6

Introduction: We are in the resurrection season. We see the risen Lord appear to Thomas and remove all his doubts. There is no question as our text says that “Jesus in the Christ” (v 1) and the very “Son of God” (v 5). We believe that as the Messiah and the Son of God, he shed his blood (v 6) and rose. He lives! It is evident and proper that we celebrate that fact. But how can anyone celebrate what he does not know for himself? Yet, everyone born of God knows and is alive by faith. That gives us who believe a very unique status. As children born of God, we celebrate a unique relationship not only with God but also with one another. We are God’s living family enabled by His Love to love. Not only that, we are also a family of champions who celebrate our victory over the world with its temptations and challenges.

We are an “alive” family of God. I know many of you have witnessed the birth of a child? But, do you remember when you were born? It takes a while before we even get to the point of knowing what being born means, doesn’t it. A similar thing happens when we are born of God. A pastor approached his friend after Easter and asked, “How are you feeling?” His friend replied, “Alive.” He meant that he was “alive in Christ.” John writes, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” He also writes, “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 John 5:12 NIV)There are a number of things that need to happen in order to be born.

Your father needs to “beget” you and your mother needs to give you birth. You do not “beget” yourself. You do not form yourself in your mother’s womb and give yourself birth. To be a child of God, the Father must also “beget” us. His Spirit then gives us birth. John uses a very powerful word when He says, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born [begotten of/from] God” v 1). The Greek word gennaw means to procreate (properly, of the father, but by extension of the mother); figuratively, to regenerate: bear, beget, be born, bring forth, conceive, be delivered of. The point here is that we do not beget ourselves in human terms. And we do not beget ourselves in spiritual terms.

But where did that life come from? What is the power God uses to “beget” us? John writes, “[We are] children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” (Jn 1:13). God connects us to his life by Baptism. In Baptism God promises His Holy Spirit. In Baptism we are buried with Christ into His death. In Baptism we are united with Christ in His Resurrection. Listen to Paul say it to the believers of Rome, “Do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” That new life is the life of faith and trust in God. So, being born again “from above” we are alive and a child of God through faith in Jesus, the Christ.

What a wonderfully new status that gives us. This status was lost by Adam and Eve, and now by rebirth of the Spirit of the living God it is restored. How we ought to rejoice to be called “a child of God.”

Illustration: The story is told of a little boy named Ben Hooper. He was born years ago of an unknown father. It was a time when he was shunned for what he had not done. The neighborhood children would not play with him; at school he was alone on the playground. Saturdays were especially painful for him. Then a new preacher came to town. Ben heard that everyone was welcome at his church. He attended worship but ducked out before the service ended. One day he couldn’t get out ahead of time. As he came through the line, the preacher put his hand on his shoulder and said, “I know who you are. Why, anyone looking at your would know whose family you belong to. There is an uncanny resemblance—your are a child of the King.” He slapped him on his back and said, “Now live up to your inheritance.” Hooper said that was when he realized to whom he belonged and started living the life that eventually enabled him to be elected governor of Tennessee.

We also belong to a family. Our Heavenly Father also has begotten others into this new life of faith. We are not alone. We “belong.” Only, sometimes we think we don’t belong. Take Thomas for example. The other disciples had “seen the Lord,” while he was off by himself with his own fears and doubts. When he returned he would not believe just the word of the others. He didn’t think he belonged to this group any more. His Lord was dead he thought. How frightening to be alone in this fallen world without God.

So what happens? The living Christ calls Thomas to himself with the evidence in His Resurrected body. He indeed is the one who was crucified. It is like Jesus gently calling him back to reassure Thomas that He does belong to God. He is numbered with the others. That works to strengthen Thomas’ little faith. Thank God we are also His through the risen Christ. Thank God, we are family, God’s holy people, who are not dead, but alive with Christ.

We are in a “loving” family. Like it is in childhood, we grow as spiritual children having new birth by his Spirit. As we grow, we experience and realize more and more the fullness of our Father’s love that keeps us secure in the family through faith. John says, “This is Love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

Do we love God? Thomas à Kempis, who lived about 50 years before Luther, expressed his love in this way:

O Lord, what can I trust in this life? And what is my greatest comfort on earth? It is you, O Lord. Whose love is without limit. When have I ever been harmed when you were present? I would rather be poor with you, than rich without you. I would rather be a wanderer on earth with you, than in heaven without you. For where you are, there is heaven. And where you are not, there is death and hell. You are everything that I long for; Therefore I will earnestly pray to you. … You are my hope. You are my assurance. You are my strength. You are my comfort. You are my most faithful helper in every need. (Prayers from the Imitation of Christ, edited by Ronald Klug [Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1996] 24.)

Do we love God? John also writes, “everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.” My friends, who is it that does not love God? Is it not the one who hates his brother or sister?

We show Love for God by loving our brothers and sisters, people born of the same heavenly Father, through the same faith in Jesus the Christ and Son of God. Oh yes, there are those whom we find it hard to love. But that just means we need to grow more in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That, we can all surely do.

We are a family of “champions.” We have a victorious faith. “Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith,” John writes. (v 4). Isn’t it wonderful to have a Father who never stops loving us? Isn’t it refreshing to know that God is always faithful to His promises? Isn’t it great to be able to share that with those who think they have been left destitute and deserted by God? Isn’t it a glorious thing to see God’s people gather together as a family to eat and drink the spiritual meal He has prepared. Talk about the breakfast of champions! We have it right here in a special meal called Word and Sacraments of God. Let’s share it with one another and also with others, so that we might all be born of God and continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Conclusion: Rejoice, dear Christians, Christ is victorious! Jesus Christ “came by water and blood.” He is declared God’s “beloved Son” in His Baptism and in his death on the cross. Through His own blood, he conquered what none of us in our sinful nature can do, sin and the prince of this world. That becomes our victory when we accept in faith His work for us. In this way “We are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom 8:37). Thus the apostle writes, “This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith” (V 4). What a great family to be born into. Amen.