Pastor Scott Applegate
“His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” Ephesians 3:10-12 NIV
- The Church is the eternal purpose of God
- That purpose is expressed in four metaphors
- The Church is His beloved bride, His dwelling place, His family, and His body
Understanding How the Church is the Family of God:
- From eternity past God the Father wanted a family to express His love to
“His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by sending Jesus Christ to die for us. And he did this because he wanted to!” Ephesians 1:5 LB
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12 NIV
- You become part of the human family by your first birth
- You become part of God’s family by your second birth
“All honor to God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; for it is his boundless mercy that has given us the privilege of being born again so that we are now members of God’s own family. Now we live in the hope of eternal life because Christ rose again from the dead.” 1 Peter 1:3 LB
- In God’s family I discover my true identity
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.” 1 John 3:1-3 NIV
- In God’s family I find true belonging
“Now you are no longer strangers to God and foreigners to heaven, but you are members of God’s very own family, citizens of God’s country, and you belong in God’s household with every other Christian.” Ephesians 2:19 LB
“Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.” Psalm 68:5-6 NLT
- In God’s family I am protected and cared for
“All the believers continued together in close fellowship and shared their belongings with one another. They would sell their property and possessions, and distribute the money among all, according to what each one needed. Day after day they met as a group in the Temple, and they had their meals together in their homes, eating with glad and humble hearts, praising God, and enjoying the good will of all the people. And every day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.” Acts 2:44-47 GNT
What Level of Commitment are You at in Participating in God’s Family?
Attending
Giving
Serving
Living
Doing