The Family Role In Gods Plan
Memory Verse:
'I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. '
John 10:9
Sermon Sentence: One of the greatest tools a church can have are families that are walking as disciples together.
'I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. '
John 10:9
Sermon Sentence: One of the greatest tools a church can have are families that are walking as disciples together.
Day 1
Read 1 Timothy 5:1-16
My best guess is that Paul is writing a letter to Timothy, a new pastor in ministry that he helped mentor, and the church that seems to be struggling with a few issues. That is what the context of 1 Timothy seems to be. Some of the issues are serious issues of false teachings that are adding more than enough troubles to the ministry here, but some seem to be just generic, cultural issues that need to be addressed. Timothy is a young leader, so it seems that there are a few strong personalities that are starting to unsettle some of the needed goals in the church. It is in that vein of thought that we find the passage for today.
When I read this, I am not looking for the one for one ideas we should implement. I am looking for the teachings. Paul is setting up the idea of what the church should be. It could easily become a system that is expected to help people with no real goal other than to just supply help. It can also become a game of political fights and arguments as people fight for positions, powers, and authority. That is what Paul seems to be trying to stop. The answer to all of that is a family atmosphere in the church. Paul is hitting on ideas that everyone would have grown up around in their normal everyday lives.
What do you notice about the church that you have never considered, but see in this passage here?
How do we work through the teachings on widows that Paul was addressing here?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
My best guess is that Paul is writing a letter to Timothy, a new pastor in ministry that he helped mentor, and the church that seems to be struggling with a few issues. That is what the context of 1 Timothy seems to be. Some of the issues are serious issues of false teachings that are adding more than enough troubles to the ministry here, but some seem to be just generic, cultural issues that need to be addressed. Timothy is a young leader, so it seems that there are a few strong personalities that are starting to unsettle some of the needed goals in the church. It is in that vein of thought that we find the passage for today.
When I read this, I am not looking for the one for one ideas we should implement. I am looking for the teachings. Paul is setting up the idea of what the church should be. It could easily become a system that is expected to help people with no real goal other than to just supply help. It can also become a game of political fights and arguments as people fight for positions, powers, and authority. That is what Paul seems to be trying to stop. The answer to all of that is a family atmosphere in the church. Paul is hitting on ideas that everyone would have grown up around in their normal everyday lives.
What do you notice about the church that you have never considered, but see in this passage here?
How do we work through the teachings on widows that Paul was addressing here?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
Day 2
Read Galatians 4:1-20
Paul goes analogy heavy in this part of the Bible. He wants to get some ideas across, but those ideas are best understood in the vehicle of the analogies. First of all, he compares salvation to adoption. This is not just adoption of a random person, but a slave that has gone from slavery to inheriting everything that the Father has. The ideas are important in that context as well. It was from slavery to inheritance that salvation is mirroring. It is not JUST adoption the way that we understand it. It is an adoption that ends in inheritance of all things.
From here, Paul encourages the readers to see that they can become like him. He is inviting the listener to have what he has. He compels them to no longer be enslaved to the things that keep them from not experiencing the fullness of that relationship. He thinks that it is foolish for them to desire to be enslaved to what they have been delivered from because of their adoption. Paul thinks this familial language is important to grasp and so he draws their attention to it again.
What is it that Paul is trying to show the reader they are free from?
What is it Paul is trying to show the reader they are now free to?
How does this all apply to your life today?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
Paul goes analogy heavy in this part of the Bible. He wants to get some ideas across, but those ideas are best understood in the vehicle of the analogies. First of all, he compares salvation to adoption. This is not just adoption of a random person, but a slave that has gone from slavery to inheriting everything that the Father has. The ideas are important in that context as well. It was from slavery to inheritance that salvation is mirroring. It is not JUST adoption the way that we understand it. It is an adoption that ends in inheritance of all things.
From here, Paul encourages the readers to see that they can become like him. He is inviting the listener to have what he has. He compels them to no longer be enslaved to the things that keep them from not experiencing the fullness of that relationship. He thinks that it is foolish for them to desire to be enslaved to what they have been delivered from because of their adoption. Paul thinks this familial language is important to grasp and so he draws their attention to it again.
What is it that Paul is trying to show the reader they are free from?
What is it Paul is trying to show the reader they are now free to?
How does this all apply to your life today?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
Day 3
Read 1 Timothy 3
I don’t think I have ever read this passage in the context of the family ideas that Paul is trying to express, until recently. I have always read 1 Timothy one chapter at a time and over a long period, so the cohesion in thought never resonated with me. That means that I would read these lists with the understanding that Paul is trying to give a list of qualifications. That is what Paul is trying to do, but it is not all that Paul is trying to do. He is establishing the leadership in the church with these qualifications, but he is not trying to establish the corporate ideas that we tend to mix in with that. He uses the family as a point of reference. Because leading people is different from bossing people. Bossing people accomplishes a task and is what the corporate world does. It is task driven. Leading people is more like what should happen in a family. There is not a task so much as community. That is why those that take on titles in the church need to be measured up against their family situations. An abusive, loud, and belittling man that doesn’t treat his wife correctly and is way too harsh on his kids, should really not have a place in the leading of the family of God. All of those characteristics are not the way that God, our Father, treats us.
Notice how Paul ends this section. His goal is stated clearly. He desires that people know how to act in the household of God. He makes sure that you too see the thing called the church from the view of the family dynamic.
Point out all of the parts in these passages that are making references to the family.
What specifically does this teach you about the church and its function?
How is a church not like a corporate entity and how have we messed that up in the American church?
How does this become your prayer today?
I don’t think I have ever read this passage in the context of the family ideas that Paul is trying to express, until recently. I have always read 1 Timothy one chapter at a time and over a long period, so the cohesion in thought never resonated with me. That means that I would read these lists with the understanding that Paul is trying to give a list of qualifications. That is what Paul is trying to do, but it is not all that Paul is trying to do. He is establishing the leadership in the church with these qualifications, but he is not trying to establish the corporate ideas that we tend to mix in with that. He uses the family as a point of reference. Because leading people is different from bossing people. Bossing people accomplishes a task and is what the corporate world does. It is task driven. Leading people is more like what should happen in a family. There is not a task so much as community. That is why those that take on titles in the church need to be measured up against their family situations. An abusive, loud, and belittling man that doesn’t treat his wife correctly and is way too harsh on his kids, should really not have a place in the leading of the family of God. All of those characteristics are not the way that God, our Father, treats us.
Notice how Paul ends this section. His goal is stated clearly. He desires that people know how to act in the household of God. He makes sure that you too see the thing called the church from the view of the family dynamic.
Point out all of the parts in these passages that are making references to the family.
What specifically does this teach you about the church and its function?
How is a church not like a corporate entity and how have we messed that up in the American church?
How does this become your prayer today?
Day 4
Read Luke 15:11-32
This is a famous story. It is one about a father and these two brothers. If you do not know how to interpret this story, God is the Father and you are one of the two brothers. One of the brothers goes out and ruins his life, his inheritance, and hits rock bottom, only to find himself hoping that there is a chance to make his way back home. God is the Father, so there is a chance. If you are reading this as a father, you get that feeling and you are not struggling too much with the idea that Jesus is trying to present.
Back home, when the table was set and the party was planned for the wayward brother, the “good” brother found himself jealous and finding it not fair that his sibling was being welcomed back. The father seemed to be having this all backwards. This is a story about how a family functions. Some of us have not just heard this story, but we have experienced some level of this in reality. To keep going with our theme for the week, isn’t it interesting that Jesus tells this story with the family? That is the best place to understand jealousy, celebrations, strong emotions when one leaves, and the embrace of a father that cares deeply. Jesus could have told it other ways. But this one seems to be the best suited for explaining this whole family of God thing.
Where have you experienced this story in your life before?
How is this story like your salvation experience?
How does this study today become part of your prayer?
This is a famous story. It is one about a father and these two brothers. If you do not know how to interpret this story, God is the Father and you are one of the two brothers. One of the brothers goes out and ruins his life, his inheritance, and hits rock bottom, only to find himself hoping that there is a chance to make his way back home. God is the Father, so there is a chance. If you are reading this as a father, you get that feeling and you are not struggling too much with the idea that Jesus is trying to present.
Back home, when the table was set and the party was planned for the wayward brother, the “good” brother found himself jealous and finding it not fair that his sibling was being welcomed back. The father seemed to be having this all backwards. This is a story about how a family functions. Some of us have not just heard this story, but we have experienced some level of this in reality. To keep going with our theme for the week, isn’t it interesting that Jesus tells this story with the family? That is the best place to understand jealousy, celebrations, strong emotions when one leaves, and the embrace of a father that cares deeply. Jesus could have told it other ways. But this one seems to be the best suited for explaining this whole family of God thing.
Where have you experienced this story in your life before?
How is this story like your salvation experience?
How does this study today become part of your prayer?
Day 5
Read Deuteronomy 6:4-25
Imagine your family gathered around for this conversation. Maybe it happens in the church. Or imagine you are at home sitting on the couch and your family has called one of those family meetings. The message is not to one person in particular, but everyone feels a version of responsibility for what is being said. This is not one person that needs to hear this. This is about everyone being on the same page. That is why the history that is brought up is so important. You have to know where you have been to understand where you are going. If you forget where you have been, you will now have a clue how to go where you are going. I challenge you to take these verses, and regardless of what state your family finds itself in: split up, grown up, together, or dysfunctional, come up with a mission and a focus for your family.
How does this become part of your prayer today?
Imagine your family gathered around for this conversation. Maybe it happens in the church. Or imagine you are at home sitting on the couch and your family has called one of those family meetings. The message is not to one person in particular, but everyone feels a version of responsibility for what is being said. This is not one person that needs to hear this. This is about everyone being on the same page. That is why the history that is brought up is so important. You have to know where you have been to understand where you are going. If you forget where you have been, you will now have a clue how to go where you are going. I challenge you to take these verses, and regardless of what state your family finds itself in: split up, grown up, together, or dysfunctional, come up with a mission and a focus for your family.
How does this become part of your prayer today?
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