Are You Part Of The Family Or Just A Boarder?

Are You Part of the Family or Just a Boarder?

Ephesians 2:19-22

A boarder has no commitment and merely pays rent to have a place to hang his hat for awhile. A functional family member is committed, caring and contributes to the well being of the family. Which are you in relation to God's family?

I. Becoming a part of the family is by the new-birth

A. We are all the offspring of God in the sense that we are His products of the creative work of God. But all men are not the children of God in a personal sense as a father with a son. Simply put not everyone who claims to be a child of God is a child of God.

B. 1 John 3:10 “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”

C. John 1:12-13 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

D. John Piper relates that "Receiving Jesus means taking Jesus into your life for what He is. It does not mean a kind of peaceful co-existence with a Christ who makes no claims — as though He can stay in the house as long as he doesn't play his music so loud." – John Piper, How to Become a Child of God, December 17, 1989

II. Being a functional family member means being committed

A. In a dysfunctional family everyone does their own thing. There is no commitment to other family members. However, in a functional family each family member has a sense of commitment to the family.

B. Husband and wife are committed to pursuing what is best for the other person.

1. Ephesians 5:22-33 “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord the church: for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

2. Christ desires what is best for us – His commitment to us took Him to the cross to die for us and to provide us with the Holy Spirit to direct our path through life.

3. As His bride our commitment to Him should be to love Him unreservedly living each day with the intent of bringing honor and glory to Him in all that we do.

C. Parents are committed to encouraging their children to learn and develop their skills.

1. Ephesians 6:4 tells us that fathers are to nurture and admonish their children. Nurturing is to cultivate and foster in one a spiritual appetite and growth. While admonishing is a matter of teaching what is right and wrong and warning of the dangers and providing a guidance.

2. Those who are mature believers in the faith need to nurture or mentor those who are young in the faith.

3. After a distinguished performing career, virtuoso violinist Jascha Heifetz accepted an appointment as professor of music at UCLA. Asked what had prompted his change of career, Heifetz replied: "Violin playing is a perishable art. It must be passed on as a personal skill; otherwise it is lost.'- Today in the Word, 1997

4. We must pass on what Christ has taught us.

D. Children are committed to following the leadership and wisdom of their elders.

1. Children need to learn to honor and respect their elders. To listen to instruction.