“Welcome to the Family”
May 22, 2016
Romans 12:4-5
"For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”
Fifty-eight days ago we had a significant event happen in our family. Julie and I got a new son; Nate, Caleb and Bre got a new dad; Ben got a new brother and Monica got a husband. We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome this new addition to the family. Shannon is my son-in law, which means he is a son –by law. Legally he is my son, and by –law, Ben’s brother, and by law –Monica’s husband.
Because Shannon is a member of my family – he has certain rights and privileges that he didn’t use to have. For instance, he has free access to my home. He doesn’t have to knock. He is family. He can just walk in just like Monica or one of my grandkids. Family has free access to my home. If they need milk or eggs or sugar – they can help themselves if we have it. JUST KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY TOOLS! And guns! And don’t walk into the bedroom without knocking. Even family has certain boundaries! But there are a lot of privileges when you belong to a family.
As a family member Shannon receives certain benefits he once didn’t have. He will get gifts at Christmas and on His birthday and maybe a card on his and Monica’s anniversary. When I was cleaning out my garage I realized at this point in my life there are some things I probably won’t use anymore – like my snowshoes and backpacking equipment. I gifted them to Shannon so he and the kids could enjoy them. When you are part of the family you receive gifts you otherwise wouldn’t.
When you are a part of the family you are included in the family plans. You have a say. As a family we plan celebrations and parties and vacations together. “Should we rent a house at the beach, rent a houseboat, or go to Minnesota together?” We all have a voice in making this collective decision. Each person’s desires, schedules and opinion counts.
Maybe most importantly is that when you are a part of a family you are unconditionally loved. You can blow it bigtime in a family – and yet you are part of the family. I remember when my Dad gave me and my four brothers his boat. Any of us could use it to go fishing whenever we wanted. Unfortunately, my brother Mark, because of a bad addiction – sold it. He didn’t consult anyone. He just sold it. Nothing was safe with him around. But you know what? We still loved him. He was still welcome in any of our homes (we did lock up the valuables tho). We still invited him to the family parties and barbecues and picnics. He was family. Love bound us together. And that is how families stick together. It isn’t perfection of a person’s actions or thinking alike. Some of the most furious arguments I ever was involved in was with family. We definitely don’t think alike. We have Nazarenes and Baptist and Jews; we have Republicans, Democrats and Progressives in our family. Talk about some heated arguments! Sure, sometimes a family member would in anger unfriend someone from Facebook – but no one was kicked out of the family. We still loved each other. We still cared about each other. That doesn’t mean you don’t keep any eye on that relative who is unsafe. Some you wouldn’t want to leave the kids with. But even those are family. It is awesome to be a part of a family. I love my family – all the in-laws and out-laws and some I haven’t even met yet.
Another family I am proud and pleased to be a part of is my Church Family. As in my personal family, some members are closer than others and have more rights than others – but love for the Lord and for each other has made us family. As with personal families – Church Families have certain privileges that others don’t. They have access to the Pastor that others don’t. They receive invitations to events locally and world-wide that others don’t. From picnics or campout to General and District events that are for members only we enjoy many benefits to belonging to the Church family.
In my family we have family forums where we make plans and bring complaints or give praise. In the Church family we do that, too. Once a year we have a Church meeting where members vote on delegates, or representatives to district meetings, Church Board members, who represent the Church Family in monthly meetings, and sometimes we even vote on who you want to be the Pastor. Our Church Board, in conjunction with the District Superintendent, decided to keep me for your pastor for four more years. Then we will have another vote after that.
The Church Board is made up of members of the church who decide how to spend money, set goals and manage the day to day business of the Church Family.
Not everyone in the Church Family is a member of the Church. The leadership positions in the church are reserved for members in the Church Family who share similar beliefs and have attained a higher level of spiritual maturity and commitment. Board members, Teachers and Worship Team members are held to a higher standard because they represent, not only the Church Family, but Christ as well. As with our personal families we may not always agree on everything – but love binds us together. The Bible says,
“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8
Even Paul and Timothy had some sharp disagreements – so much so that they were unable to work together for a time. But love helped them overlook each other’s faults and they went on to do great things – sometimes together. The Bible says,
“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:3
“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone…”
Hebrews 12:14
Do you know in your earthly family you have to work really hard to keep the peace sometimes? Sometimes you just have to keep your mouth shut when you want to let someone have it. For the sake of peace – you don’t do it. You may feel like bringing up that boat incident – but for the sake of peace you don’t.
It is that way in the Church Family. We sometimes have to work really hard to keep things peaceful and harmonious – but that is what we are called to do. There has been a few times in my four decades of being a pastor that I have had boards that were contentious and lacked harmony. I like a board like we have in this Church where everyone not only loves the Lord, but love each other and works together harmoniously. In families – love brings us together.
Let me conclude by talking about one more family. That is the “Heavenly Family”. The Bible says,
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God…”
1 Peter 2:9-10
“In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—“
Ephesians 1:5
As with Shannon and our earthly family, as with Church Membership, membership in the Heavenly Family is a choice. It is an exercise of your free will. It is for all who would come. It is for “whosoever will,” Jesus said. And like Church Membership, there are standards and beliefs we have to agree on. Here is the first,
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12
“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Romans 10:9
Here is the second,
“For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
Romans 10:10
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses…” Acts 1:8
You are adopted into God’s Family when we believe and share that belief. That is one of the reasons for Church Membership. We help each other in both these areas. Also, as a member of the Heavenly Family, you have a job; a duty; a calling. The Bible says,
“But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.” Ephesians 4:7
“There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.” 1 Corinthians 12:5-6
“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.” Romans 12:6
Another reason for Church Membership is to help with our Heavenly Membership in serving. Just like in an earthly family, each has a role; each has a job to do in the family. That is unless you are too immature to be responsible. But to all who are capable and responsible they have a job to do. Jesus said a Day of Reckoning is coming. On that Day He will says,
‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did (or did NOT do) for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Matthew 25:40
You know, being a part of a family has its benefits. For ten years or so my cousin bought me and many family members airplane tickets to fly home each year. Sometimes another family member would let me use one of their vehicles to run around in. Each family has it benefits and rewards.
The rewards are humongous in God’s family. If you do well and carry out your responsibilities and duties the rewards are greater than you can imagine – and then there is eternal life with our Loving Father. One day each member will hear, “Well done, good and Faithful servant! Enter into the joy of your Lord.”
I want to encourage you if you are a Member of the Heavenly Family to keep on; keep doing well. Don’t get tired. At the right time you will reap a great reward – both in this life and in the life to come.
If you aren’t a member – now is the time to join. You can be adopted today. You just have to believe and receive Jesus as your Savior. You have to believe that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6) and you have to be willing to share your faith. If you agree to those conditions you become a member by praying a prayer like this.
“Dear Jesus,
Thank you for loving me. Thank you for providing a way that I may be forgiven and saved. Thank you for preparing a place for me in heaven.
Please forgive me of my sins and cleanse me from all wrongdoing. I vow to follow you and obey you from this time on, as You help me. Give me boldness and courage to be Your witness. Thank you for adopting me into Your family and providing a place for me.
