All in With The Family

Main Idea: Becoming a all in member of the family is not always easy or comfortable, but will always bring glory to God and build you up.

Opening Line: Does anyone here have brothers or sister? Does anyone here have a spouse? Does anyone here have children? Does anyone here have a mom and dad?

Does anyone have a family member you don’t get along with? Maybe they make holidays awkward or down right miserable?

Family is a part of life…no matter if you like them or not

Galatians 3:26–29 NIV

26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Everyone who has faith in Jesus Christ is part of the family of God or are children of God.

If you have been around more than a few minutes you have probably noticed that it’s not always easy or nice being part of a family.

No one is perfect so that means no family is perfect.

Galatians 5:13–17 NIV

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. 16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.

Main Point

All for One and One for all (God’s family)

Being a part of a family is as much for you as it is for everyone else

Why Does it Matter?

Everyone needs a family to belong to

Galatians 5:15 NIV

15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

there is enough evil in the world attempting to bite and devour you

Allow this family to be the family that helps

1 Corinthians 8:1 (NIV)

1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.

Or NLT

1 Corinthians 8:1 (NLT)

1 Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.

What We Should Do?

Jump ALL IN-to the Family

This is not always an easy thing to do.

As in a natural family; people often become selfish and hurt each other.

This causes families to fall apart and go their separate ways; but if you are part of God’s family we MUST work together.

Philippians 2:3–5 (NIV)

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Going ALL IN with family must start from the place of each person looking out for the interests of others first.

All for ONE (God) and ONE (God) for all!

Stop living as the distant relative who only shows up for Holiday’s or special occasions.

And HOW?

*Important Note - It is not safe to become an ALL IN member of the family, but it is worth it!*

Start with Love for all people (Especially your family)

1 Peter 4:7–11 NIV

7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

When it comes to the Family of God we must recognize Love covers a multitude of sins.

Those hurts that people caused intellectually or unintentionally

We must recognize those hurts will only continue to hurt if we let them.

But this can be the hardest step to take and is the reason so many in the family of God are the distant relative who shows up on Christmas and Easter.

It is safer, but less beneficial to stay at a distance from family.

There is a wrong idea going around in America that being a Christian is a solo sport. Without a family; we are like a distant relative who simply calls God or sends a card to say Hi, but there is no real relationship there.

Galatians 5:13–21 NIV

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. 16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But love gives us the ability to forgive and regain unity and avoid and help others out of the lust of the flesh.

1 Corinthians 13:1–13 NIV

1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Next we must Serve Each other

How do we serve each other in love?

Look to others interests first

Show hospitality

Be patient - When people are doing well or falling to biting and devouring

Be Kind - As we build up the church.

Don’t become jealous or envious of others

Forgive others when they mess up or hurt you

Protect people’s feelings and people’s privacy (often we can become people who gossip or cause dissension with our words)

If there is a problem or issue go to that person.

Matthew 18:15–20 NIV

15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. 18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Serving each other in love will cause unity and in unity we will see amazing things happen.

Where are you at in the family? Are you All in or are you mostly in family member?

Worship Team

Story to close

I go to a family reunion almost every year. It is nice to see family who live further away. That is how it is when we are distant. It is simply nice to sit, eat and chat for a little, but when I have to be reminded EVERY TIME of someone’s name it is clear I am not an ALL IN member of the family. I can’t be counted on by the family if there is a need. I can’t be helpful if a kid falls into the water (because I don’t know their name), I’m not an active member of the group.

Here at church we can become that kind of family member…look around…Do you know everyone’s name?

Do you know all the kids names who will be running through here soon?

Closing Line: If not maybe you aren’t ALL IN Yet!

As we leave today and you want to start with Love…Take 5 minutes to love on someone and ask them their name!