WHO IS YOUR FAMILY? YOUR SPOUSE, YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR PARENTS, COUSINS, AUNTS, UNCLES, GRAND PARENTS. THE SCRIPTURE THAT WAS READ A LITTLE EARLIER THIS MORNING EXPANDS OUR FAMILY TREE A LITTLE BIT DOESN’T IT BECAUSE IT SAYS,
Hebrews 2:11 Jesus and the people he makes holy all belong to the same family. That is why he isn’t ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.
ISN’T THAT NEAT, I MEAN WE COULD ALSO SAY, THAT THE ONE WHO SAVES, AND THOSE WHO ARE SAVED ARE OF THE SAME FAMILY. WE SING, "I’M SO GLAD I’M A PART OF THE FAMILY OF GOD, I’VE BEEN WASHED IN THE FOUNTAIN AND CLEANSED BY THE BLOOD", OR WE SING "WE’RE PART OF THE FAMILY, THAT’S BEEN BORN AGAIN." BUT WHAT IS A FAMILY? AND DOES IT REALLY RELATE TO OUR CHRISTIAN WALK AND THOSE AROUND US?
COLLINS DICTIONARY DEFINES FAMILY AS; "A SOCIAL UNIT CONSISTING OF PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN, THE CHILDREN OF THE SAME PARENTS, OR A GROUP OF PEOPLE RELATED BY ANCESTRY OR MARRIAGE."
BUT HOW DOES THAT APPLY TO US AS THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD? DOES BEING FAMILY IMPLY COMMITMENTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS WELL AS THE ENSUING BENEFITS AND BLESSINGS? AND DO THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES AND COMMITMENTS EXTEND BEYOND OUR HEAVENLY FATHER TO THE ONES WHOM WE CALL BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
AND SO LET US BEGIN OUR SPIRITUAL DISSERTATION THIS MORNING WITH A DEEP AND PROFOUND THOUGHT. YOU REALIZE AS WELL AS I DO THAT WE ARE NOT ALWAYS IMPRESSED WITH OUR FAMILY. THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS OUR FAVOURITE PEOPLE AND SOMETIMES THEY’RE NOT THE TYPE OF PEOPLE THAT YOUR MOTHER WOULD WANT YOU TO HANG AROUND WITH. RIGHT, YOU STILL WITH ME.
I’M SORRY PASTOR THAT MAY BE WHAT YOUR FAMILY IS LIKE BUT MY FAMILY IS NOT LIKE THAT I AM PROUD OF EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY. THOMAS FULLER SAID, " HE THAT HAS NO FOOLS, KNAVES NOR BEGGARS IN HIS FAMILY MUST HAVE BEEN BEGOT BY A FLASH OF LIGHTNING." LOOK ADMIT IT, EVERY FAMILY TREE HAS SOME SAP IN IT. SO PLEASE KEEP THAT IN YOUR MIND AS YOUR ENGRAVE THIS DEEP THOUGH PROVOKING THOUGHT DEEP INTO YOUR MEMORY, YOU READY, GOT YOUR BIRO OUT, RIGHT HERE GOES, "YOU CAN PICK YOUR FRIENDS, BUT YOU ARE STUCK WITH YOUR RELATIVES." AND FOLKS THAT PROFOUND THOUGHT GOES DOUBLE FOR THE FAMILY OF GOD.
THEY MAY NOT BE YOUR FRIENDS BUT THEY’LL ALWAYS BE YOUR FAMILY. SO LET’S LOOK AT FAMILIES.
1) FAMILIES ARE RELATED. DEEP ISN’T IT, SOMETIMES I WONDER WHERE I COME UP WITH THEM. IF YOU ARE FAMILY THEN YOU ARE RELATED, SOMEHOW, SOMEWHERE YOU ARE RELATED. NOW YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THIRD COUSINS ON THE LEFT FOUR TIMES REMOVED BUT THEY ARE STILL RELATED TO YOU.
I LOVE GRAND MANAN ISLAND, IT’S OUR TRADITIONAL FAMILY HOME AND EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NEVER LIVED THERE I AM CONSIDERED AN ISLANDER, ON THE OTHER HAND IF YOU WENT THERE AS A CHILD OF FOUR AND LIVED THERE UNTIL YOU WERE A HUNDRED AND TWO YOU WOULD ALWAYS BE A STRANGER FROM OFF THE ISLAND. AND EVERY BODY THERE IS RELATED, WHICH IF YOU KNOW ABOUT GRAND MANAN PROBABLY EXPLAINS A LOT OF ODD BEHAVIOUR. BUT WHEN EVER I INTRODUCE MYSELF, AND I’M ALWAYS "OH RIGHT, YOUR FATHER WAS ONE OF THE TWINS AND YOUR MOTHER IS STEVE BRADBURY’S GIRL" AND THEN THEY EXPLAIN WHY I AM RELATED TO THEM, "OH, WELL YOUR MOTHERS FATHER’S BROTHER WAS MY SISTER’S HUSBAND’S COUSIN’S NEPHEW’S FIRST COUSIN SIX TIMES REMOVED SO WE ARE RELATED."
FOR EXAMPLE BECAUSE ANGELA’S MOTHER IS AN ISLANDER AS WELL, ANGELA AND I ARE RELATED, YOU SEE ANGELA’S MOTHER’S, FATHER’S GREAT UNCLE WAS MY FATHER’S MOTHER’S GREAT UNCLE’S BROTHER. IN OTHER WORDS OUR GREAT, GREAT, GREAT GRANDFATHER’S WERE BOTH THE SAME FELLOW. I MEAN THAT’S HOW I AM RELATED TO MY WIFE BUT THE QUESTION STILL REMAINS, HOW AM I RELATED TO YOU. John 1:12-13 Yet some people accepted him
and put their faith in him. So he gave them the right to be the children of God. 13 They were not God’s children by nature or because of any human desires. God himself was the one who made them his children.
NOW WHAT JOHN IS SAYING IS THIS, THAT IF JESUS IS OUR LORD THEN GOD IS OUR FATHER AND IF WE AS CHILDREN ALL HAVE COMMON PARENTAGE THEN THAT MAKES US BROTHERS AND SISTERS. NOW THEN I WANT YOU TO TURN TO THE PERSON NEXT TO YOU AND SAY "HELLO BROTHER", OR "HELLO SISTER" NOW DO THE SAME WITH THE PERSON ON THE OTHER SIDE OF YOU.
NOW SOMETIMES WE THINK THAT WE’RE BROTHERS AND SISTERS BECAUSE WE ALL ATTEND THE SAME CHURCH, THAT WE ARE WESLEYAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS. AND THOSE OTHER PEOPLE WHO ATTEND THE CHURCH DOWN THE ROAD, WHY I KNOW THAT THEY ARE RELATED BUT LIKE THEY’RE THIRD COUSINS, ON THE LEFT FOUR TIMES REMOVED, I MEAN THEY ARE KIN, BUT NOT REAL CLOSE KIN.
BUT THEY ARE, THE CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS AT BEDFORD BAPTIST CHURCH, AND GRACE CHAPEL, AND EVEN AT THE ROCK CHURCH ARE EVERY BIT YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS AS THE PERSON SITTING NEXT TO YOU. AND THEY AIN’T JUST INLAWS, THEY ARE RELATED TO YOU BY BLOOD, THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST, THAT WAS SHED FOR EACH ONE OF US.
NOW SOMETIMES IT IS HARD TO COMPREHEND, AND TO BE TRUTHFUL SOMETIMES IT’S EVEN HARD TO ACCEPT, BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS IT’S NOT DOCTRINE THAT MAKES US BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AND IT’S NOT THEOLOGY THAT MAKES US BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AND IT’S NOT CHURCH AFFILIATION THAT MAKES US BROTHERS AND SISTERS. IT IS JESUS THAT MAKES US BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
YOU SEE WHEN SOMEONE COMES TO CHRIST WITH A CONTRITE HEART AND ASKS FOR FORGIVENESS AS ACCEPTS THE SALVATION THAT ONLY CHRIST CAN GIVE, THEN THEY BECOME PART OF THE FAMILY, THEYS BROTHERS AND SISTERS. AND IN THE SAME WAY THAT I HAVE LIGHT BROWN HAIR AND MY SISTER HAS DARK BROWN HAIR, AND I HAVE A HOOK NOSE AND SHE HAS A PUG NOSE, AND I HAVE 0- BLOOD AND SHE HAS A+ BLOOD, AND I’M EASY TO GET ALONG WITH AND CUDDLY AND LOVABLE AND SHE’S WELL WE WON’T GET INTO THAT RIGHT NOW. THE FACT IS THAT WE ARE DIFFERENT AS DAY AND NIGHT BUT I’M STILL HER BROTHER AND SHE’S STILL MY SISTER AND WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO CHANGE THAT. WE MIGHT SAY THAT WE AREN’T WE MIGHT DENY OUR RELATIONSHIP BUT WE WILL ALWAYS BE BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
NOW HANG ON TO YOUR SEATS YOU READY FOR THIS YOU GOT BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO PROFESS TO SPEAKING IN TONGUES, AND YOU GOT SOME BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO BELIEVE IN ETERNAL SECURITY, AND YOU GOT SOME BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO ARE PRE-POST-OR A MILLELIANAL, AND YOU EVEN GOT SOME BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO CALL THEMSELVES CATHOLIC. AND YOU MAY NOT LIKE THEM, BUT CHRIST SAID THAT IF THEY HAVE REPENTED OF THEIR SINS, AND ACCEPTED HIS FORGIVENESS THAT THEY ARE BROTHERS AND SISTERS. AND I THINK THAT THAT IS A HOOT. NOW YOU ARE SAYING "PASTOR YOU ARE WAY OFF BASE." UH-HUH, IT’S SCRIPTURAL, CAUSE EVEN IN THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH WHICH WAS THE CARNALIST, MOST PAGAN, UNRIGHTEOUS CHURCH IN THE NEW TESTAMENT PAUL STILL FOUND BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST.
2) FAMILIES CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER, OR SHOULD I SAY FAMILIES ARE SUPPOSED TO CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER.
Galatians 6:2 (NIV) Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.
I REMEMBER A SONG FROM WHEN I WAS GROWING UP THAT HAD A LINE IN IT THAT SAID, "HE AIN’T HEAVY HE’S MY BROTHER." WHEN IT COMES TO BEARING THE BURDENS OF ONE ANOTHER IN THE FAMILY OF GOD THAT NEEDS TO BECOME OUR MOTTO, THE WORLD SAYS "HE’S TOO HEAVY HE AIN’T MY BROTHER." BUT AS WE LOOK AROUND AT THE HEARTACHES AND NEEDS IN THE FAMILY OF GOD, WE NEED TO SAY, "HE AIN’T HEAVY HE’S MY BROTHER, OR SISTER"
NOW LISTEN UP, IF’N YOU FOCUS ON THE LOAD IT WILL BE TOO HEAVY TO CARRY. IF EVERY STEP OF THE WAY YOU WHINGE AND WHINE ABOUT HAVING TO CARRY BROTHER SO AND SO’S LOAD, IT WILL SOON BECOME TOO-TOO-TOO HEAVY FOR YOU TO CARRY. BUT CHRIST SAID John 15:17 17 So I command you to love each other.
AND LOVE IS NOTHING BUT LIP SERVICE UNTIL IT PROVES ITSELF IN SERVICE. YOU CAN SAY, I LOVE THAT PERSON OR I LOVE THIS PERSON, BUT LOVE ISN’T LOVE UNTIL IT COST SOMETHING, UNTIL YOU REACH OVER AND HELP THE PERSON BEAR HIS BURDEN YOU HAVEN’T LOVED HIM.
YOU SAY "BUT PASTOR I’M WAITING UNTIL SOMEONE LIFTS MY BURDEN" HEY THAT AIN’T THE WAY IT’S SUPPOSED TO WORK. CHRIST HAD ALREADY ACCEPTED THE BURDEN OF YOUR SINS, WHEN SIMON OF CYRENE ACCEPTED THE BURDEN OF CHRIST’S CROSS.
OUR RESPONSIBILITY ISN’T "WHO IS GOING TO CARRY MY BURDEN", INSTEAD IT NEEDS TO BE WHOSE BURDEN CAN I CARRY. THERE IS SOMEBODY IN THIS CONGREGATION WHO NEEDS YOU TO LIFT A BURDEN FROM THEIR SHOULDERS.
MAYBE IT’S A SPIRITUAL BURDEN- YOU EVER FEEL TO PAY FOR SOMEONE, YOU DON’T KNOW WHY, ALL YOU KNOW IS THAT YOU FEEL THAT YOU NEED TO PAY, DON’T HESITATE MY FRIEND PRAY. THAT PERSON MAY BE WAGING A SPIRITUAL BATTLE AND YOUR PRAYER WILL BE THE TURNING POINT, THE POINT OF VICTORY. IT MIGHT BE AN EMOTIONAL BURDEN, AND ALL THEY MAY TODAY IS FOR SOMEONE TO TELL THEM HOW SPECIAL THEY ARE, THEY MAY SIMPLY NEED TO BE AFFIRMED, TO BE THANKED FOR WHAT THEY DO OR WHO THEY ARE.
SOMETIMES WE FEEL, "I WISH I HAD OF TOLD THAT PERSON HOW MUCH THEY MEANT TO ME." TELL THEM NOW, DON’T WAIT, THEY WON’T BE ABLE TO SMELL THE BOUQUETS THAT YOU THROW WHEN THEY’RE DEAD. WHEN I FIRST WENT TO TRURO THERE WAS AN OLD PREACHER WHO DROPPED IN FROM TIME TO TIME TO ENCOURAGE ME, AND LAWRENCE WOULD TELL ME HOW WONDERFUL I WAS, AND WHAT A GREAT JOB I WAS DOING AND WOULD AGREE WITH MY DREAMS AND PRAY WITH ME. AND DO YOU KNOW WHEN I REALIZED HOW MUCH THAT MEANT, AND ACKNOWLEDGED THE DEBT I OWED HIM, WHEN I DELIVERED THE EULOGY AT HIS FUNERAL, A LITTLE LATE.
MAYBE IT’S A PHYSICAL NEED, A SENIOR IN THE CHURCH WHO NEEDS SOME WORK DONE AROUND THE HOUSE, A YOUNG MOTHER WHO COULD USE SOME FREE BABY SITTING SO SHE CAN GET OUT FOR AN AFTERNOON.
AT NORTH POINT WE HAD A LADY IN THE CHURCH WHO HAD TWIN GIRLS AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE ANGELA WOULD TAKE THE GIRLS FOR AN AFTERNOON SO TINA COULD GO SHOPPING AND HAVE A COFFEE ALL BY HERSELF. HOW ABOUT THOSE IN OUR CONGREGATION WHO MIGHT HAVE A FINANCIAL NEED. REMEMBER FAMILIES CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER.
3) FAMILIES PROTECT ONE ANOTHER. 1 Corinthians 13:7 Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.
WHEN MY SISTER DIANNE AND I WERE GROWING UP WE FOUGHT LIKE CATS AND DOGS. I STILL HAVE THE SCARS TO PROVE IT. ONCE WE GOT INTO IT AND SHE THREW PEPPER IN MY EYES AND I COULDN’T SEE SO I GRABBED HER AND THREW HER AGAINST THE WALL BUT MISSED. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW HARD IT IS TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PICTURE WINDOW IN THE LOUNGE ROOM WHEN YOU PARENTS COME HOME AND FIND IT ON THE LAWN, IN PIECES? BUT I WILL TELL YOU THIS, WE FOUGHT THREE WAYS, CONSTANTLY, CONSISTENTLY, AND COURAGEOUSLY, BUT IFN YOU TOOK ONE OF US ON YOU TOOK BOTH OF US ON.
I COULD SAY ANYTHING ABOUT HER, AND DID SAY MOST OF IT, BUT YOU’D BETTER WATCH OUT WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT HER. WE HAD OUR DIFFERENCES AND WE HAD OUR FIGHTS BUT WE WERE BROTHER AND SISTER AND ULTIMATELY BLOOD WAS THICKER THEN WATER. SHE’S REALLY A NEAT GAL I HOPE YOU GET TO MEET HER SOME DAY.
I WILL NEVER DELUDE MYSELF INTO BELIEVING EVEN FOR A MINUTE THAT BEDFORD COMMUNITY CHURCH, LET ALONE CHRISTIANITY AS A WHOLE WILL EVER EXIST IN PERFECT AND COMPLETE PEACEFUL HARMONY, WE WON’T.
MY MOTHER, HAD TO COME TO THE POINT THAT SHE ACCEPTED THE FACT THAT WE WOULD NEVER BE THE BRADY BUNCH, OR THE CLEAVERS, BUT SHE ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS EXPECTED US TO DEFEND ONE ANOTHER. WE NEED TO LEARN TO PROTECT ONE ANOTHER, AND THERE HAS TO BE A LOYALTY WITHIN OUR SPIRITUAL FAMILY. WHEN SOMEONE BADMOUTHS A FELLOW CHRISTIAN YOU’D BETTER BE THE FIRST ONE ON THE SPOT TO STAND UP FOR THAT BROTHER OR SISTER, INSTEAD OF BEING THE FIRST ONE TO DENY THEM OR SAY, "OH REALLY TELL ME MORE SO I CAN PRAY FOR THEM."
1 Corinthians 13:6 Love rejoices the truth but not in evil. AND WHEN A BROTHER OR SISTER FALLS, THEY ARE STILL FAMILY. JUST CAUSE THEY BLOW IT DOESN’T MEAN THEY AREN’T KIN ANYMORE.
AND SOMETIME IT ISN’T REAL EASY TO PROTECT SOME OF OUR CHRISTIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AND SOMETIMES WE DON’T EVEN WANT TO ADMIT A RELATIONSHIP. AND SOMETIMES I HAD TO GO DOWN TO THE GRAND MANAN FERRY AND PICK UP MY UNCLE TO TAKE HIM TO DETOX, AND HE WALKED ON THE FERRY STONE SOBER ON ONE END, AND GOT OFF MY END TWO HOURS LATER DEAD DRUNK, AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REAL EASY TO TURN THE CAR AROUND AND DRIVE BACK TO SAINT JOHN SAYING HE’S NO KIN OF MINE, BUT HE WAS, HE IS AND HE WILL BE FOREVER, WHETHER I LIKE HIS BEHAVIOUR, APPROVE OF HIS BEHAVIOUR OR NOT.
AND YOU GOTTA ADMIT THAT WE HAVE HAD SOME OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE THE POLICY OF DEFENDING OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS OVER THE PAST SIX OR SEVEN YEARS, WHAT WITH THE MORAL FAILINGS OF THE BAKERS AND SWAGGERTS AND OTHERS, SOMETIMES WE WANT TO SAY HEY THEY ARE NO KIN OF MINE. BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT THEY ARE, THEY ARE BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF YOURS AND YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO STAND UP AND PROTECT THEM. CAUSE REMEMBER YOU CAN PICK YOUR FRIENDS BUT YOU ARE STUCK WITH YOUR RELATIVES. BUT HOW DO I DEFEND THEM, HOW DO I PROTECT THEM, HOW DO I STAND UP FOR THEM? GOOD QUESTION, WHEN SOMEONE IS JUMPING ALL OVER THEM YOU CAN AFFIRM THE FORGIVENESS OF GOD, AND THAT FACT THAT WE ARE ALL HUMAN AND THAT GOD IS BIGGER THEN OUR SINS. YOU CAN FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE ON THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SAVED, AND TOUCHED THOUGH THE MINISTRY OF THOSE MEN, AND IT HASN’T BEEN ALL BAD.
AND WHAT GOES FOR THE BAKERS AND SWAGGERTS GO TROUBLE FOR THE FOLKS IN OUR CHURCH. IF I EVER CATCH YOU BACK BITING, AND TEARING DOWN A BROTHER OR SISTER IN THIS CONGREGATION I MIGHT JUST ASK YOU TO FIND ANOTHER CHURCH, CAUSE THERE AIN’T NOTHING I HATE WORSE IN MY CHURCH THEN SINS OF THE TONGUE. I KNOW IT’S NOT MY CHURCH BUT CHRIST’S CHURCH BUT IF YOU KNOW YOU NEW TESTAMENT YOU KNOW THAT I AM THE ELDER IN CHARGE. AND SO YOU MAY ASK HOW DO I BECOME A PART OF THAT FAMILY AND PART OF THE FAMILY OF GOD. GOOD QUESTION, GLAD YOU ASKED, Galatians 3:26-27All of you are God’s children because of your faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And when you were baptized, it was as though you had put on Christ in the same way you put on new clothes.
