Day 9 -- The Church as Family

Jesus establishes the church (his followers) as family when he says, “Whoever does the will of my father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:50). This leaves little doubt that Jesus saw his disciples as family, on the same level as his biological family. It’s not that he disowned his own family. Even on the cross he was caring for his mother (John 19:26-27). It’s just that he saw his spiritual family as taking the highest priority. In the end, the two were indistinguishable. He leaves his mother in the hands of one of his closest disciples and makes them like mother and son (John 19:25-27).

Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a family when he tells the story of a father who had two sons. The older son serves the father faithfully, but the younger son insults the father and turns away from him, living his life in a reckless orgy of self-indulgence. In the end, the younger son comes back to the father and the father forgives him and welcomes him back into the family with a great banquet. The older son is confused and angry because the father is willing to forgive and forget so quickly. The father tells his older son that he loves him and would do anything for him, but that they had to celebrate and be glad because the younger son was dead, but now is alive again. This is what it means to be a family (Luke 15:11-32).

Again, Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a family when he says that it is like a father asking two sons to do a task. One answers “no,” but does it anyway. The other agrees to obey, but never gets around to it. Which one was the obedient son (Matthew 21:28-32)? Jesus uses other such examples to illustrate the Kingdom of God in familial terms.

Jesus also alludes to the family motif for the church when he commands us to love and serve each other. His teachings are full of exhortations to the kind of relationships that are found in healthy family life. When we love others the way we wish to be loved and treat others the way we wish to be treated and serve others the way we wish to be served, we establish healthy personal relationships. This is true with any relationship, but is vitally important in the intimate relationships that form our family life.

The other New Testament writers pick up on this motif. Paul encourages us to carry each others burdens the way you would in a family. He tells us to do good to all people, but “especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Ephesians 6:10). He acknowledges that we derive our name from God and are, therefore, his family (Ephesians 3:14-15).

The writer of Hebrews tells us that the one who makes us Holy (God) and the ones who are made holy (the church), are of the same family. For that reason Jesus is not ashamed to call us brothers (Hebrews 2:10-13). Peter tells us that we are not to be ashamed to bear the name of Jesus. It is because of his name that we are part of the family of God (1 Peter 4:16-17). John refers to the church as a “chosen sister” (2 John 1:13).

Obviously, the Scriptures are replete with comparisons of the church to organisms and familial relationships. What conclusions can we draw from this motif about the nature and work of the church?

1. The church is to exhibit the love, care, honor, loyalty, and intimacy that are found in healthy family relationships. We are to take care of each other.

2. The church is to fully accept anyone that God calls family. We don’t choose our brothers or sisters or parents … we are simply called to love and honor them.

3. The church, as a living organism, needs to be fed, nurtured and encouraged in its quest to fulfill its reason for existence.

4. The church, as a living organism, has a reason for living and a mission to fulfill.

So far we have uncovered 8 principles on the nature and work of the church – Four from the Agricultural motif, and four from the family motif. Tomorrow we will begin to study the church as an army … the military motif. Stay tuned …

Don’t forget the two questions I asked you to ponder about our church:

1. What about FBC Richardson would you want to preserve?

2. What about FBC Richardson would you want to change?

Ask God to help you do your part in creating a healthy family at FBC Richardson. Ask the Father to take away all bitterness and rage and anger and rancor that might be in your heart. Ask him to create in you a new heart … a fresh heart of love.

Blessings,
Pastor Ellis