When a church begins to feel more like an extended family than just a non-profit organization it becomes a magnet to people looking for a real connection to God and a healthy connection to people.
In fact, the Bible uses FAMILY language to describe this type of community
[Ephesians 2:19]
“So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.”
“Church isn’t a service you attend. It’s a family where you belong.”
[Acts 2:23-24]
“But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.”
[Acts 2:36-38]
“So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah. Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what should we do?’ Peter replied, ‘Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
[Acts 2:41]
“Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day – about 3,000 in all.”
Not everyone is a child of God.
[John 1:12-13]
“But to all who believed him and received him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn – not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.”
Now what? We live as brothers and sisters in a screwed up world, looking for the opportunity to help the people we care about become a part of God’s family also.
[Romans 12:9]
“Don’t just pretend to love others. REALLY love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.”
LOVE OTHERS LIKE JESUS LOVES YOU
[John 13:34]
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.”
The one thing that marks every follower of Jesus should be their capacity to love other people. A love that moves you to act on their behalf.
- Truth: you can’t say you love other people if other people don’t FEEL loved by you!
LOVE OTHERS AND THEY’LL KNOW YOU LOVE JESUS
[John 13:35]
“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
The one thing that marks every follower of Jesus should be their capacity to love other people, especially other Christians
LOVE OTHERS SO THEY KNOW THAT JESUS LOVES THEM
[1 John 4:8-12]
“But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.”
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Application Questions
- What stood out to you from this message and why?
- What is one thing God is telling you to START doing because of this message?
- What is one thing God is telling you to STOP doing because of this message?
- How will this message change how you act at home, work and in the your relationships?