Theme: Save the Whole Family
Text: Genesis 7:1 & Romans 8:14-17
Greetings: “The Lord is good and His love endures forever.”
Joke: A couple had a fight and they were not talking to each other for a long time.
The husband had an urgent meeting the next day and he had to wake up early morning. But he didn't know how to tell this his wife. So, he decided to write on a paper with a note "Wake me up at 4 am" and put it near to the place where his wife sleeps. So, he did it. And went to bed peacefully. But he was too late to get up and he couldn’t attend the meeting. He saw his wife sleeping next to his bed. He was so furious but he noticed a slip next to his bed written: "Wake up it is 4 am".(Adopted).
Definition of the Redeemed Family:
A family composed of primarily husband and wife, then children. The family also refers to the blood relatives directly or indirectly connected. “The family is a masterpiece of God’s Creation, Marriage and parenthood reveal God’s character, God put children in families so they can experience His love and learn how to love others” (Ref: Focus on the family).
God ordained the family as a fundamental institution in human society (Genesis 2:20-25, 4:1, Exodus 20:5-6, Joshua 7:10,15,24-25, 2 Kings 13:23). Realistically speaking within a family there are strives, struggles, and misunderstandings but undeniably, a family certainly has love, care, advice, and support. Families are never absorbed or replaced by Church, spiritual, and/ or social groups.
I would like to share with you from Genesis 7:1 and Romans 8:14-17. Let’s see how Noah saved his family, how Jesus saved the whole family, and how we can save our families.
1. Noah Saved the Whole family
Noah saved the whole family through his righteous walk with the Lord. God found Noah was the only righteous man on the earth but he decided to give him his heart’s desires and the blessing of the family. Nowhere bible talks about the faith of his wife or children. He had three sons but nothing is said about their faith till they entered the ark (Genesis 6:6-13). His family consisted only of eight persons (1 Peter 3:20), namely, Noah and his three sons, and their four wives (Genesis 6:18).
When God decided to wipe out humankind from the face of the earth Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:7-8). Noah did everything just as God commanded him (Genesis 6:22, 7:5). It was his trademark.
So, God told Noah to come into the ark and take his whole family with him because God found him alone as righteous in his generation (KJV: Genesis 7:1). God found not men found. He was pleasing God and not men. He went against the crowd. He stood for God. God did not say go but he said to come into. Some translations use the word “go” instead of “come”.
Noah was accounted righteous, not for his righteousness, but as an heir of the righteousness which is by faith (Hebrews 11:7). He was a preacher of righteousness by faith (2 Peter 2:5).
Matthew Henry comments, ‘God is pleased with those that are good in bad times and places. Those that keep themselves pure in times of common iniquity God will keep safe in times of common calamity.’
The call of Abraham has the reference to it. That he would be the source of blessing for the families of the universe (Genesis 12:2-3). Acts 16:31 says ‘believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household’. Lot, could save his family however lost his wife to become a salt pillar (Genesis 19:26). He was called a righteous man tormented in his heart for the wickedness of the people of his city and nation (2 Peter 2:7-9). But God rescued him or saved him.
Job, could save his family because of his faith and he prayed and offered for his children. He sacrificed a burnt offering for each of them for their daily safety (Job 1: 5). Your prayer life and your sincerity with God are going to be a blessing to you and your family members. He is a God who remembers the commitment of his followers for generations (Exodus 34:6-7).
2. Jesus Saves the whole family (Romans 8:14-17. a)
The subject of Romans 8th chapter is triumphant Christian living. We learned that victory is both desirable and possible because of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and an honored position in the family of God. Paul wants to identify the believers in Christ as one redeemed family, the Church. This redeemed family is inclusive of times, nations, and faiths. Those who are led by the Spirit of God are "Sons of God." Our new identity as children of God is found in Christ (John 1:12-13). It is by adoption. Isaiah prophesied that he would see his offspring and will rejoice over them (Isaiah 53:10).
Paul uses the words children and sons interchangeably. The word ‘Children’ (Tekna) emphasizes our relationship as those who are born into the family. It is the doctrine of regeneration. The word ‘Sons’ (huioi) emphasizes our position and privileges as grown-up children. It is the doctrine of adoption. In God's family, both are true! We're born into it, and we're adopted into it. So, we're in the redeemed family of God. We are the whole family of God in heaven and on earth (Ephesians 3:15).
Originally Israel was known as the son of God (Hosea 11:1), and his posterity was known as children of God, others are gentiles and strangers (2 Corinthians 6:18, Galatians 4:6). Jesus often declared she is also the daughter of Abraham (Luke 13:16). He is also the son of Abraham (Luke 19:9). It is a reference to sonship by adoption. But now it is open to all races on the earth through Christ (Ellicott). Adoption gives an assurance of our reconciliation with God through the influence of the Spirit of Christ (Galatians 4:6).
According to Barnes, the title Sons of God refer to the adopted status into God’s redeemed family and are his children. This is a name of endearment who are his friends, disciples, and imitators. It is often applied to born-again Christians (Job 1:6, John 1:12, Philippians 2:15, 1 John 3:1-2, Matthew 5:9, Matthew 5:45, and Luke 6:35). Jesus repeatedly affirmed that he came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).
The redeemed people of God are heirs of God and co-heirs of Christ. If you inherit your parents' estate, you're an heir. If you have brothers and sisters who share that estate with you, then you are joint heirs. Paul suggests we are now heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17) who shares with the father (peace, life, righteousness) has now been bestowed to all as well. The Holy Spirit does have an agenda for himself. He wants us to bring into a relationship with God and Christ (Romans 8:15-17).
Jesus foretells the Holy Spirit will be a helper (John 16:7). All that belongs to Jesus by His eternal relationship with the Father, we will share. All the glory that He has enjoyed in the Father's presence from eternity past, we will participate in (John 17:22). Sonship does not guarantee a trouble-free life. Look at the life of Christ. He suffered as the Son of God. We are led to the suffering which becomes an opportunity for God to bring glory. Being co-heirs with Christ we suffer with him so that we might also be glorified with him.
3. We need to save our families (Romans 8:17. b)
How many divisions, and denominations are among the Christians? Jesus said: “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:50). Paul taught that we should treat older men in the church like fathers, younger men like brothers, older women like mothers, and younger women like sisters (1 Timothy 5:1–2).
In our standing before him, there is no male nor female, Jew nor Greek (Galatians 3:28). We are all siblings under one God and Father. The Spirit of the human person is sexless. All believers in Christ who have received the gift of righteousness by faith are sons of God regardless of whether they are male or female. But the present church has evolved as a system. It has governance.
The redeemed church has been understood as one family for generations yet with reconciliation, discipline, equal accountability, and stewardship. Spirit is not identifiable by male or female, so what is true of the human spirit is quite apart from what is true of the body. all of us are the "sons of the living God," (Hosea 1:10, Romans 9:26). David couldn’t save his family.
Conclusion:
The Spirit of God leads us from sin, from dependence on our righteousness. He leads into the paths of faith and truth, of righteousness and holiness, though sometimes in a rough way. He leads us to Christ, his blood, and His righteousness. He leads us from one degree of grace to another and at last to glory. He does it gradually by little and little he leads us to see the iniquity of our hearts and natures and leads us to salvation and proportionally strengthens us (John Gill).
This call to Noah reminds us of the call the gospel gives to poor sinners. Christ is an ark, in whom alone we can be safe when death and judgment approach. In Noah's family, there was a Ham, and in Christ's family, there was a Judas. There is no perfect purity on this side of heaven.
