The Family of God

The Family of God 7 Things The Family of God Knows 1. It is important to find the right examples to follow. 1 Thessalonians 2:14-20 September 6, 2020 Remember: Paul was gentle with them, like a mother with her nursing children (2:7) and challenging with them, like a father calling his children to “walk worthy.” (2:11) God has called us into a spiritual family. The Big Idea: Paul speaks to Christians in the context of the church, not as individuals. He calls us to not only seek Christians to be our examples, but to take note of faithful, healthy churches and emulate them. Scripture calls us to be a spiritual family of God who loves our Lord and our Christian brothers and sisters. 1 Thessalonians 2 (ESV) 14 2. The Lord has given us two locations. 3. We should expect opposition to the Gospel. [John 16:1-3, 33] 4. We must seek wisdom in understanding suffering in the world 5. We should long to be with one another. For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and 6. Satan aggressively seeks to hinder the spread of the Gospel and God’s purposes. oppose all mankind 16 by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last! 17 But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short 7. The people you lead to faith in Jesus are a primary source of joy and glory for the Lord, both now and in heaven. time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, 18 because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. 19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy. One last thing we know about the family of God – we are all a part of it by adoption. The only way we are saved and brought into God’s church is by His selection of us to be His son or daughter. Our adoption into God’s family costs the Father the blood of His Son.