The Roar of Family 

Pastor Phil Derstine 4-28-24

 

We are Family

  • Matthew 12:48 “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers? (49)  Pointing to His disciples, He said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. (50) For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
  • Ephesians 2:19-22 “You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household… Being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.”
  • The Community of God on Earth… The Kingdom of God.
  • Heaven’s Influence on Earth… Wherever Heaven’s Influence takes Dominion over the Earth. 
  • God’s culture, language, lifestyle, values, and morals… on Earth.

 

3 Things We Have as a Christian Family 

 

  1. Family Name - Identity
  • Ephesians 3:14-15 “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.” 
  • Hebrews 2:11 “Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family.  So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.” 
    • Christ = (Gr: Cristos) Anointed One
    • Christian = Little Anointed Ones (Christ-ians = Christ-like, little Christs)
    • Proverbs 22:1 “A good name is more desirable than great riches…” (You have a GOOD NAME!)
  • Philippians 2:9-11“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow… and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

 

  1. Family Friendship - Connection
  • John 15:13-15 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.  Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” 
  • Proverbs 27:10 (NLT) “Never abandon a friend – either yours or your father’s. Then in your time of need you won’t have to ask your relatives for assistance. It is better to go to a neighbor than to a relative who lives far away.” 
    • Covenant Friendships – We are a City of Refuge 
    • As a Church, we are: Multicultural, multigenerational, interdenominational.
    • Proverbs 18:24 “A man that has friends must show himself friendly: there’s a friend that sticks closer than a brother.”
  • Galatians 6:10 “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
  • Matthew 18:19 “If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.  (20) For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

 

  1. Family Business – Assignment (Marketplace Ministry… in all the world!)
  • Luke 2:49 “Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”
  • I Corinthians 3:9 “For we are laborers together with God… “
  • Mark 16:15 “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”
  • II Corinthians 5:20 “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” (We have INFLUENCE in the world)
  • Hebrews 10:22-25 “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith… Let us hold fast to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.  And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”