First Family

Mark Dunagan
03/24/13 - Sunday Morning

First Family

Many Families

We often hear the word “family” used in all kinds of contexts with varying amounts of intimacy: 

• On a basic level we are all part of the family of mankind, the human family.
• Schools, sports teams and businesses talk about themselves as a family.
• We all belong to an extended biological family which includes our grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
• There is our immediate, or nuclear family - spouses,  parents and kids.

Then there is a beautiful spiritual family God gives to all believers: Galatians 6:10; Ephesians 2:19. There was a moment in Jesus’ life when someone came up to Him and informed Him that His mother and brothers were wanting to see Him.Jesus' reply? “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it” (Luke 8:19-21). One mark of this family is that they just don’t do something or anything, or are simply "busy", indeed, they hear the word of God and do it. In other passages the church is spoken of as a family or a household (1 Timothy 3:15), and Christians are often seen addressing other Christians by the affectionate title, “brother” (Ephesians 6:21; Philippians 2:25; Colossians 1:1).Jesus is clearly telling us that there is a closeness that can be far more important than even our immediate biological family.

We Do Value This Family

• I have often seen mature Christians put their worship on the first day of the week ahead of an event that had been planned by physical family.
• How encouraging to see Christians working their schedules around worship and being with other Christians: Matthew 6:33
• I have seen many wise, young Christian couples as they are making out a will, asking not biological family to take care of their kids if something happens to them, but asking other Christians if they would be willing to do this, because they want their precious children to be raised in an environment where they learn to love and obey Jesus and thus obtain eternal life.
• Christians will often choose the company of other Christian on various holidays and birthdays.
• The Biblical text is silent about Paul ever having a wife and children, but he spoke of men like Timothy as being his “ beloved son” (1 Timothy 1:2).  See also 1 Timothy 5:1-2. How beautiful when Christians “adopt” other Christians, viewing them as another set of parents, grandparents, or even as their own children: Mark 10:30. 
• The ultimate mark of closeness is when a Christian is willing to sacrifice their own comfort to reach into the fire to snatch another member out of sin and its dire consequences by  offering admonishment and a fresh start (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15). Such Christians risk being verbally attacked in exchange for this service, but choose to take that risk for the good of the soul they love.

Feeling Connected to This Family

In any church there are members who at times feel they are not connected to the rest of the family.  In any church there are people who visit from time to time and never really connect.  They may attend for a while and then move on.  So what is the secret to connecting? 

The Secret is Serving

Jesus often talked about the importance of serving, especially serving our brethren:

• “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.  It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great shall be your servant, and whosoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:25-28). Serving, then, not only makes you "great" in the eyes of God, it will knit your heart to other hearts like few other experiences can.
• “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14). There is really no acts of service too lowly for those with a heart like Jesus, and we must serve not to avoid feeling guilty or any other reason other than a love for people.

This principle is really true in any “family” or group.  Do you want to feel more connected and get more out of your marriage?  Your local school?  Your community?  The college you are attending?  Your neighborhood?  Then get involved and serve.

An Illustration

As was noted by a speaker I recently heard, some view the church like a restaurant.  They arrive, wait to be seated, don’t do anything, but rather expect to be entertained and have their needs served without thinking about the needs of anyone else.  They also feel that they have a right to complain:  “The service was slow”.  “The food arrived cold”.  “We waited too long”.  “It was too cold in the room we were seated”.  What if brought our restaurant attitude to a family meal?  You see at a family meal, we are expected to pitch in and help out.  We don’t stand around waiting to be seated, we help set the table.  Neither do we simply get up and leave when the meal is over, we are expected to help clean up.  And there are no “comment cards” to fill out.  Tempted to complain about the meal? That's an invitation to be smacked for ingratitude.

What Can I Do?

• Come early and be prepared to engage in encouraging conversation with people who so need to get to know you, and you them.
• Take the initiative: Ask the elders and deacons, ‘Give me a chore, what can I do?’
• When you see a need, be the solution, or set the solution in motion. Be careful how you talk about other family members.
• Treat other members as family: Share the things closest to your heart and bear their burdens as well. Be their shoulder and confidant.
• Speak respectfully to older members and insist that your children do the same. Take them to breakfast or lunch. Ask their advise.
• Get into the habit of hospitality by choosing a day of the week or month to open up your home to family gatherings.
• Be committed and a loyal family supporter.  Express pride in your family and tell others about how genuinely great your church family is. And how wonderful it will be to be with these people forever in the afterlife.
• No matter if you are a teenager, a college aged student or employee, if you are a young family, middle-aged, or retired, God expects every Christian to give monetarily.  Support the work of your spiritual family not only in time but in resources.
• Determine to never view the church from the standpoint of a consumer, that is, how well are these people meeting my needs?  Rather, view this family as an opportunity to serve, asking yourself questions like, “What role do I play?" "What can I do?”  “How can I make this Bible class better?” "Who is going through a lot and may need to talk?" Certainly whom you serve and with whom you invest will begin to feel like family.

What It's All About

This life God has given us is about loving Him and loving one another. We express this love by learning, laughing, serving, crying and growing together. When the world looks on and observes the support of one another and closeness, Jesus says such is a priceless tool in bringing more into the fold, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). We do a good job of this in this congregation. Let's aim for even higher ground!

Mark Dunagan | mdunagan@frontier.com
Beaverton Church of Christ | 503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net