Church is God’s Family
14 Oct 2019 | 10 min readessc2019unitedkingdom | church relationship loveothers
“but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” (1 Timothy 3:15)
Here, Paul says that the church is the house of God. We have discussed earlier that the church is built on the foundation of the apostles. So we must as our duty keep completely the gospel of truth. We cannot allow any one person to break down this foundation that we have.
“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,” (Ephesians 2:19)
This verse tells us that after we have believed in God, we are no longer strangers. An strangers is someone who has no relationship with the household of God, like a stranger on the street. We are also not guests, like those who come to church just to observe. That is why we do not ask such individuals to put in effort for this house. We are neither of these types of people. We are members of the household of God. We are of the same nation as those of the faithful. This is why we call each other brothers and sisters, even though in the flesh we may not be related. The speaker says that he came to church on his own to believe and so nobody is related to him. Even though this is the case, however, in the spirit we are all family. God’s family. Since the church is God’s family, what should we do?
First, we must have the spirit of one family. Secondly, we must know who is here in this family. Thirdly, we must be good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Since the church is the house of God, we must have the spirit of one family. What is this? Being close.
“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;” (Romans 12:10)
We must love one another with brotherly love. Why is it that after we finish work, our hearts fly home? Because there, there is our love; it is our nest; our family members are there. But if husband and wife have cold wars, would you want to go home? That is difficult. The speaker shares that a sister was telling him yesterday that her children spent a lot of time on technology, so their relationship feels rather distant, and their children never desired to speak more than a few words to the parents. The speaker told the sister that this is a symptom of our modern age and many of us are glued to our devices. Even though physically we may be near each other, but our hearts may be apart. If you take the train, many people would be on their phones, and nobody would be talking. The church is the house of God. We cannot allow our church to become like this. We shouldn’t allow ourselves to just come to church and attend services. We need to be kindly affectionate to one another. If we do not know each other, how do we be kindly affectionate?
The speaker says that in some places in Taiwan, when you go to church, they will give you a name tag to wear so people know who you are, so that people can quickly form bonds. Our church can actually share a life of fellowship, having more activities so that everyone is more quickly familiar with each other. The speaker shares that here he has a feeling, that since many people here are relatives, they should know where each other stay. But he has found that this is not the case. Because the speaker is driven around here while chatting with those who drive him around from church, he realizes that the drivers sometimes do not know where others stay. The speaker thinks this could be because we are very busy earning money and we spend less time showing concern for one another.
Jesus said that a house that is divided will fall. Since the church is God’s family, we must be harmonious. Every one of us have different perspectives and we have different educational attainments, different backgrounds. This is an exercise we must do, to overcome this and be harmonious and united. Without the help of the Holy Spirit, it is very hard. This was a matter that Jesus was most worried about. That is why before Jesus was crucified to the cross, this was the last prayer that Jesus made in John 17:11. Jesus prayed that all of us would be one. This is very challenging. So what do we do? We must rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
“with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,” (Ephesians 4:2)
When we come to church, we need lowliness, gentleness, and longsuffering, and all of us must bear with one another in love. The way we speak and our tone may sometimes not be the same. Let us not bear grudges and be angry even with one small thing. If we remember a small thing in our hearts, how can we be united? Let us easily bear with one another’s weaknesses and forgive one another. How Jesus does it for us, let us do it to others. Without the Holy Spirit, it is very difficult for us to be one. If in our service to God we meet with friction, and when we see someone else we feel unhappy and do not want to be with this person, we need to pray. Let us not pray that the Lord changes the other person—this prayer God would not listen to. Let us pray instead that God forgives us: “I am weak, I cannot live out your truth. Please add to my faith. Even though it is difficult for me to love the other person, help me to use your love to bear with this person in love.” If you pray like this, you will find that after your prayer, your perspective will change. This is a secret for our lives. If we are all able to live harmoniously as a family in Christ, we will receive many blessings.
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing— Life forevermore.” (Psalm 133:1-3)
This was a Song of Ascent and they were going up the Mount Zion. They would be able to see the temple at the top and their hearts would be filled with joy because they were heading there. This psalm says how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. How was it good and pleasant? It is like precious oil used to anoint high priests. Exodus records this, that such an oil is made with exquisite materials. For such an oil to be anointed on the head of the high priests and then to flow from his head, down his beard, and to give off a fragrance—how precious. The high priest is the one who plays the role between God and man. This exquisite oil on an honorable person! Dwelling in unity is also likened to the dew of Hermon. There isn’t a lot of rain on the mountains of Zion. It is difficult for things to grow this way. Imagine taking rain to a place that rarely rains—there is life from God! If Leicester church was like this, we would not have to worry that the Holy Spirit does not work with us.
Third, we must also have order in church. When there are those who have been given positions in church, we must listen to them and respect them so that the church will have order. We also need order in how we live together. For example, for the generation that is 15-20 years old, when they speak with someone who is much older than them, they should speak with more respect to them. The speaker finds the culture here where we address others by their first names even when they are much older really strange especially because he is from Taiwan. He says that if you get home and your child calls you by your first name, that feels strange, no? So he encourages us to keep the good habit of addressing others properly.
“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”” (1 Peter 5:5)
We must also submit ourselves to our elders. And elders should not just say, “I’ve eaten more salt than you have eaten rice!” We need to do according to the truth. If someone who is younger has a good suggestion, then submit to them too. If your child gives you a good suggestion, then we must submit to them too. We who are Chinese tend to have the mindset that as parents our children must obey exactly what we say, otherwise they are disobedient. What we should do instead is to engage in discussions so that it is more harmonious.
The church is God’s family. We need to know who is managing this household.
“but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.” (Hebrews 3:6)
But we cannot see this. What we can see is those whom we have chosen from amongst ourselves to be leaders in the church. This verse tells us that Jesus is the one who is over the house. We need to hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope! This is our faith. We will encounter trials and difficulties in our lives. No matter what we face, we cannot leave the love of God. We must endure to the end. This way, we will be deserving of being called the family of God. In the future, the church’s tests will become more and more challenging. Because of some individuals, there has been trouble caused in the church and even caused doubt to arise towards salvation. This will be more and more difficult over time. He who endures to the end will be saved. We are God’s family. Jesus is here! What about those who have been appointed posts in the church? We must remember that God has appointed us. We must submit to God and let Him rule over His own house.
“The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.” (1 Peter 5:1-4)
These are Peter’s exhortations for the elders. Shepherd the flock. How should one shepherd? According to God’s way, not our own way. It must also be willing, not by compulsion, and not for any other gain. We cannot control our flock either by being lords over them. This is how when the Chief Shepherd appears, we will receive the crown of glory. These are good reminders for preachers as well. Therefore, brothers and sisters, you must pray for those who have been appointed in the church, so that they can be faithful servants. Jesus is the one who is personally over the church.
Lastly, all of us must resolve to be good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (1 Peter 4:10)
God has given us each a gift. We must minister it to one another, and we must be good stewards of this gift. The one requirement that God has of His servants is faithfulness. Whatever gift God gives to us, we must do according to this gift to serve our brothers and sisters. This is what faithfulness is. We must also put in our effort. However much we have received, we must do. Didn’t Jesus share the parable of the talents? One was give five talents, another was given two talents, and another was given one talent. This is referring to differences in gifts, not values. It doesn’t show that the one who has received one talent can be done without in church. We cannot do without anyone in church. So what should we do? We must put in our best effort. If we have received five talents, then we must do accordingly to be good stewards of this manifold grace of God.
“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.” (Romans 12:6-9)
If your gift is to prophecy, which is to preach, then according to your faith, preach. If you are gifted in ministry, then minister. He who teaches, in teaching. However, much has been given to do, you must do. Only then will God call us a good and faithful servant. If we have been given talents but we do not use it, God will call us wicked servants. The more we serve, the more will be given to us. If we do not serve or put in effort, then even what we have will be taken away from us. We must be good stewards of the manifold grace of God—His gift—given to us. As we serve, let us not grumble or complain.
“Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,” (Philippians 2:14-15)
Whatever we do, let us not complain or dispute. Let us use our gifts as good stewards. Then God will manifest in us His strength and power and do exceedingly beyond what we ask or think. May the Holy Spirit of God guide us, such that the church in Leicester will be filled with love as the house of God.
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