The Whole Family

Ephesians 4:11-13

¹¹It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, ¹²to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Last Sunday we began to unfold the new Vision and Mission for our church family.  The sermon series will go through June 13^th.  As we talked about the family being under attack – we mentioned that it will take the whole family to reach the family.  It will take all of our giftedness to be all that God calls us to be as a church family.  We even named some of the gifts that God gives to us.  I hope at least one of them resonated with you and you could see yourself being a help to the Body of Christ.

The passage I started this article with speaks of a purpose for God gifting us – to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. The family has been gifted to empower the Body – the family – the church – to be all God plans for her to be.

God wants the church – the family of God – to all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. We cannot reach such a lofty goal with 20% of the people using their gifts to God’s glory while others simply receive from others.  In order to be all God wants us to be we must all participate and do our part.

When I was younger, my grandmother taught me how to put puzzles together.  Puzzles have many pieces – some we tackled had 5,000 pieces.  We would always do the edge first – so we had a framework to guide us.  Then we would do the pieces that formed pictures – many times using the picture on the box to know where the pictures went inside the framework of the edge pieces.  It took time – sometimes days, even weeks of working at it a little here and a little there – before the picture started to take shape.  What I will always remember is that the picture was not complete – no matter how close to finished it might have been – until all the pieces were placed in the right place.

The family of God is not complete until all the pieces are placed in the right place.  We are not the perfect picture God planned until we are all where God planned for us to be in the church.  The church is not complete until the whole family is involved.

Won’t you pray with me for God to reveal to us our part and then do what God calls us to do?  The whole family can only be reached when the whole family is involved!

Just something to think about today as you go on your way.

God Created Us for a Purpose

Ephesians 2:10

¹⁰For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Have you ever asked the age old question – why was I created – why am I here?  Many people in my generation left home to “find” themselves – seeking to find out who they were and why they were created.  Young people go through this while they are in college or shortly after they graduate and try to find their nitch in the world.  I went through a time of questioning – didn’t you?  It is a tough time to face – especially if you don’t find answers.

God gives us answers.  I love the thought that we were created by God for a specific purpose – for good works God prepared for us to accomplish.  God crafted us for good works that He prepared for us in advance.

It is so important to know God’s will for our lives – if indeed He created us for such a purpose or will.  I love to couple this passage with one of my favorites.

Romans 12:2 - ²Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Conforming to God’s desire is the way to find out God’s will for our lives – our created purpose.  The less of the world the more of God in our lives – the more we will be able to know God’s perfect will for us.

Just something to think about today as you go on your way.

The Lord Will Deliver

1 Samuel 17:37

³⁷ The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Tough times come into everyone’s life – for sure.  David was no different.  He had tough times facing lions and bears protecting his father’s flocks according to this passage.  Here he was facing the Philistine – who was Goliath.  David faced many tough times – and each time he relied on God.  They were not easy times – they were tough – yet he relied on God.

David didn’t sit and do nothing while relying on God – but rather – trusting God he faced his tough times.  When going up against Goliath – he bent down and picked up several stones.  He wasn’t going to throw one stone and run.  If need be – he would have thrown each stone – doing battle with Goliath to the very end.

What tough times do you face?  Many in our church and community face tough times in the family.  Not only would I say that God wants to be there for you and with you in your tough time – but so does your church family!  Our vision is to reach the whole family for Christ and we want to do all we can to bring that vision about.  The Lord – using us or others – or in some other way – will be there for you during your tough times.  He promises.

Just something to think about today as you go on your way.

The Father Loves Us

John 16:27

²⁷No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.

Jesus was trying to encourage His disciples.  He had just told them He wouldn’t be with them for long.  He soon would be crucified and would be out of their presence.  as words of encouragement He told them that the Father would love them, because they loved Jesus and believed that the Father sent Jesus.

What a strong word of encouragement.  We just held a funeral for one of our members.  We believe that this member is with God, because this member professed to love Jesus.  The promise given to the disciples is good for us as well.  If we love Jesus – the Father will love us.

This is a great concept – and I pray we hear it and apply it to our lives.  Love for Jesus – following Christ – equates to being loved by the Father.

John 16:27 – ²⁷No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.

Just something to think about today as you go on your way.

Be Perfect!

Matthew 5:48

⁴⁸Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Have you ever read this passage and wondered how you could ever be perfect?  I mean – I know me – and I am anything but perfect.  I have flaws galore – physical and spiritual – so what could Christ have meant by being perfect?  Some might relate it to the passage just before this verse.

Matthew 5:43-47 - ⁴³“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

What do you think?  Was Jesus speaking of loving others perfectly, like our heavenly Father loves?  Could be.  But even still, my love is not perfect.  Even when I try to model Christ’s love, I fail.

Earlier in this passage we have the beatitudes.  We also have the call of God to be salt and light.  It is part of the Sermon on the Mount.  Christ calls us to not hate in our heart or in action, to not lust in our heart on through actions, to not divorce our spouse, and then to love, even those who do not love us.

Maybe what Christ is asking us to do here is to have a like mind with Him. Paul put it this way.

Philippians 2:5 -⁵Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

I like the NIV’s use of attitude because I have long said that Christianity boils down to attitude - the condition and position of the heart.  Other translations use these words.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: KJV

In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus. NCV

and think the same way that Christ Jesus thought: CEV

Maybe, the like mindedness – the attitude like Christ – the call to perfection – is simply a call to model Christ in what we do, say or think.  Being perfect is striving to be like Jesus – and our imperfections will be washed away by grace.

Just something to think about today as you go on your way.

A Child Like Faith

Mark 10:15

¹⁵I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.

What does this mean?  Can we only receive Christ as a youth?  Some experts say that if a person doesn’t receive Christ by the time they are 18 the chances are very limited afterward.

What about the simple faith of a child?  I think this is what it means.  My oldest daughter, when she was fairly young went camping with us one year.  She was playing on a high play set and went to the edge.  I was below and asked her to jump to daddy.  Without hesitation – she jumped into the air – into my arms.  She had total faith that her daddy would keep her safe.  The very next year, a year older obviously, she was on the same play set and I asked her to jump to daddy.  She went to the side – looked over – and said to me – “but daddy, I could get hurt”.  In just one year she went from total trust – faith – in her daddy to a place where her trust was challenged.

Are we like this?  Are we so “mature” that we have a lack of faith?  We need to have total faith in Jesus.

Mark 10:15 - ¹⁵I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.

Just something to think about today as you go on your way.

Use What God Gave You!

1 Peter 4:10

¹⁰Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.

This Sunday we will begin a five-week series of sermons that will cast the vision and mission of our church.  The first sermon will talk about our desire to reach the whole family.  We define the family in that sermon – but the main part of the sermon will be speaking about our gifts as individuals – our abilities and our uniqueness – which we need to use to the blessing of God and to the whole.

1 Corinthians 12:12 - The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.

What gift has God given you?  Are you organized?  Are you a teacher?  Are you generous?  Do you have the gift of discernment?  Does God use you to perform His supernatural acts?  Are you a good worker bee?  Are you able to work with youth – even middle high children?  Are you able to get things done?  Do you have mechanical skills?  Are you able to carry a tune?  Do you play an instrument?  Has God blessed your work materially so that you could help others?  Are you able to properly understand and share the Word of God?  Are you a good mediator?  Do you have a servant’s heart?

God has gifted us all and asks us to use what He has given us to His glory.  Are you using what God has given you?  If not, call me and let’s talk.  We cannot be the whole family – the whole body of Christ – without all the people God has called to be the Body at Mt. Oak using all that God has given them to His glory!

Just something to think about today as you go on your way.

The Joy of the LORD is Your Strength

Nehemiah 8:10

¹⁰ Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Have you ever had a bad day?  It usually takes bad days to know what a good day looks like – you think?  I know that my bad days – days I fight my mental health – days I fight with my physical health – days I struggle in other ways – helps to make the good days better.  What about you?

The people of Israel had been through some tough times – they had been defeated and beaten down.  Along came Nehemiah with a vision to rebuild their city wall.  The people followed this man of integrity.

Coming through the tough days – months – years – decades – they began to have some hope as Nehemiah worked with them on the wall.  They learned some lessons along the way.  They grew to trust in God again, even though God had never been untrustworthy.

When the wall was finished – the doors set in place – the project that Nehemiah had set out to accomplished had been accomplished – they came together to celebrate.  It was an awesome day!  The people gathered and the Words of God were read to them and they wept upon hearing them.

Nehemiah 8:9-10 – ⁹ Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is sacred to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. ¹⁰ Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

I must remember this last part -  Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength. When I am feeling down – when I am feeling beaten up – when I am feeling sorry for myself and having a bad day – I must remember that the joy of the Lord is my strength – that walking with Jesus is all that I need.  I do not need circumstances to line up for me to have joy – only for happiness.  Joy is in the Lord.

You’d think that the person who wrote – Happiness is circumstantially driven, but Joy is spiritually derived - would get it – but I suffer from the circumstances of life at times as well.  Do not allow the circumstances to control you my friends but rather the Lord’s presence – He is our rock and our salvation!

Just something to think about today as you go on your way.

Getting in Spiritual and Physical Shape

1 Corinthians 3:16

¹⁶Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?

Whenever I read this passage I am so torn.  If I am God’s temple, a place where God’s Holy Spirit dwells, then I need to take better care of my physical and spiritual self.  Is anyone with me on this?  I mean, I should be in better physical and spiritual shape.

We all know what it takes to be in better physical condition.  We need to eat right and exercise.  We go on diets, we change our eating habits, we strive to watch our portions.  We walk, we run, we go to the gym, we spend time in all sorts of physical exercise.  If we eat right, and exercise, we will improve our physical shape.

Spiritual conditioning is just as vital, maybe even more so.  Doing daily devotions, not just Sundays or when we can, will help us get in better spiritual condition.  Spending time in prayer, in small groups, with other Christians, in worship – personal and corporate – will help us get in better spiritual condition.  Digging into the Bible more often – maybe even daily – will help as well.

Who is with me?  Can we work on our physical and spiritual bodies so that we might house the Holy Spirit in a better witness of God’s grace?

Just something to think about as you go on your way.

Jesus’ Love for His Mother

John 19:26

²⁶When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,”

Jesus was hanging on the cross.  He was dying.  And yet He had the time and concern enough for His mom and for a close friend.

I write this on Sunday, Mother’s Day, for Monday, May 10th.  We have just completed a full day with worship – our moms and dads over – our children – celebrating Mother’s Day – an afternoon nap – some wedding plans – and now a little computer time.  As this full day unfolded – I couldn’t begin to imagine the day Jesus had when He was crucified.  Beaten – taken before so many courts – leaders – officials – beaten some more – carried His cross – beaten on the way some more – crucified – near death – and yet He had time to direct his close friend John to care for His mother and His mother to care for John.

Oh for the grace to always think of others – no matter what is going on with my day.  Lord – take away thoughts that limit my view of all around me – and help me to see others at all times like Jesus.

Just something to think about today as you go on your way.