God is Family

Introduction

What comes to your mind when I say Family. Say it with me, “Family.”

A place of belonging and acceptance. A place to love and beloved. A place to call home.

I would venter to say that when family is good you can handle anything and when family is bad, you’re probably in therapy, or should be.

Family is one of those institutions that surpasses all cultures and politics. Family is one of the most important things in our lives.

I realize everyone’s got that crazy family member. And if you look around and say there’s no one crazy in my family, It you.

I’ve done enough ministry to know that many families are so unhealthy that some never recover from the trauma of family.

Some of us had to adopt a new family or be adopted into someones family.

Gangs form because of the since of family.

Religions thrive when they have a since of family.

Why? Because God is the author of family. God is Family. In his make up is the Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is family.

The first institution that God form for humanity was that of family.

All throughout the scriptures God uses language of family. Wives and brides, sons and daughters, generations of children. It’s all family.

As Jesus established the church, His bride, he created a brotherhood of believers. A group of people that would give their lives for the cause, and each other if necessary.

When I was growing up it was Brother Benny or Brother Joe. We didn’t use the sister term so much but many churches did.

The Church of God is his family and therefore as children we make up the family of God. I don’t want Reliant to be known as a friendly place but a place to belong: a place of family.

So, how do we accomplish this will of the Lord that we be the family he has called us to be?

How are you doing as a family member?

There are three defining characteristics of a Child of God:

Our Position in Christ

Our Passion for Others

Our Power to overcome the World

Our Position in Christ

The first question one must answer is how does one become a member of the household of God. This is the defining answer for most religions and denominations today.

The Jews believed you were born into the family of God.

The Catholics believe you are christened into the family as a baby.

Some believe personal righteousness gets you in.

Some believe personal righteousness keeps you in.

We understand a person is born again when they receive Jesus as Lord and Savior and are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.

Let bear that out in our text:

1 John 5:1 ESV

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.

The Supernatural Birth of Jesus

Jesus was born of a virgin.

A supernatural line of Humanity.

the second man.

1 Corinthians 15:47 ESV

47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.

The only begotten of God

John 1:1–2 ESV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

John 1:14 ESV

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Supernatural Birth of Believers

You must be born again.

Believe and Receive the truth and grace of Jesus Christ.

John 1:12 ESV

12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

You are adopted in the the family of God.

Before the world began, God predestined the plan of adoption through Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:5–10 ESV

5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Those that believe are sealed with the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 1:11–14 ESV

11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Our Passion for others

1 John 5:2–3 ESV

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

God expressed His love through the sacrifice of his Son

1 John 4:9–11 ESV

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

We express love through our sacrifice for each other

The command is not for you to be loved but that you express love to others. When you are loving others all are loved. Very few times do I see people crying about being loved that are loving others. God established the principle of love.

“If I express love, then love will be expressed back to me.”

God loved first and expects love in return.

We should love first and then expect love in return. When we expect love but don’t express love, love seems to come up short.

Look for opportunities to love others through sacrifice and service.

Make the love of God known through your sacrifice.

Our Power to Overcome the World

1 John 5:4–5 ESV

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Faith is essential for Christian victory.

Reliant Core objective: God Pleasers, “Trusting God with every aspect of our lives as we join Him in His work.”

Hebrews 11:6 ESV

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Faith is living in the power and confidence that God is working all things out for His glory and our good.

“Faith determines your focus for the battles of life.”

Faith is the victory that overcomes the world.

Through faith we overcome sin and death.

Through Faith we overcome the tragedies of a sin cursed world.

Through Faith we have hope that this world can never take from us.

Closing Thoughts

Have you been born again into the family of God? Have you been adopted and sealed with the Holy Spirit? Does the Holy Spirit bear witness with your spirit that you are a child of God?

If you feel like an outsider maybe you are.

Believe and receive God’s love for your through the expression of His Son and you will be born again.

How are you expressing the love of God to others? Think of one thing you can do this week to really make someone feel the love of God.

Are you walking in victory through your faith in God? Are you an overcomer?