The Family You Choose
Romans 12:10-BE DEVOTED TO ONE ANOTHER IN BROTHERLY LOVE.
As I thought about ways we can show we are devoted to one another in love, four ideas came to my mind.
- Show Up-Hebrews 10:25 and Acts 2:42
Hebrews 10:25 talks about making it a regular habit to meet together, to make church attendance a priority. Acts 2:42 talks about how the early church was devoted (there’s that word again). They were devoted to meeting together for teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer. In fact, it was far more than once a week. It was a daily occurrence. It was the desire of their heart, because of their love for one another, and because of their allegiance to Christ as a body of believers, that they would meet and meet and meet some more. Their love for being together was an indicator of their love for one another.When you make being here a priority, you are not only showing a desire to worship and grow in your walk with Christ, but you are communicating value and love for one another. You can’t truly become part of something by just visiting or engaging once in a while. The more you engage, the more you will be involved, invested, and the more you will know and love one another. When you come to church, you are inadvertently saying, “It is important that I not only worship God, but that I meet with you as well.” When you show up, you express you understand that we are better together than we are out on our own. - Share Up-Acts 2:44, Galatians 6:10 and I John 3:16-17
Acts 2:43-44 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.Notice when it was that miracles were flowing. Many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles when all of the believers were together and shared what they had in common.Galatians 6:10 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Obviously, we are to be kind and generous with all people, but there is an elevated responsibility we have to the family of God.
Giving to the ministry, pooling our financial resources, is what is enabling us to expand our reach to this community. It isn’t about the number, the amount that you give, but it is about wanting to be part of the family effort that brings joy to your life and mine. When you choose a spiritual family, you choose a family with which to share life and to share resources which shows we are devoted in love to one another.
- Shoulder Up-Ephesians 4:16
Ephesians 4:16 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.In healthy families, each person realizes in order for the family to function well, every person has to help out. It isn’t one person’s responsibility to cook, to clean, to care for the family. As children grow, they need to learn to accept more and more responsibility. Each person has gifts and talents and strength with which to contribute to the family’s success. If you are part of the family, we need you to do your part. We show we are devoted in love to one another when we don’t expect other family members to do all of the work. - Shore Up-Galatians 6:2, James 1:27To shore something up is to make sure it is well-supported, to make sure there aren’t holes in it, gaps in it that could cause it to become unstable and fall apart.
Galatians 6:2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.
James 1:27 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
In a healthy family, members check up on each other from time to time. When you notice someone has gone missing that is the moment God is calling you to check on them. How can you come alongside someone who is struggling? We need every family member to show love and support to others in the congregation.
Wow, Pastor Melissa. Sounds like you are asking a lot of us. God is, and it really isn’t a lot. He is really just asking us to act like His children, like His family. There is a big difference between attending church and being a part of a church family. God is calling us to be family. Do you attend Teays Valley Church of God or are you devoted in love to the people who have also chosen this family?
Can you show up, share up, shoulder up, and shore up the family in here at TVCOG?
