The last few happenings have talked about Faith and Family.
Today I want to talk about our Christian Family-The Family of God. Our Father is God and we are His children.
Our Brae Road Family is one of the very important parts of our family’s lives. In fact our Christian family includes people who have been part of our lives for over 60 years. Over the last 80+ years of our lives our Christian/Church family has been one of the mainstays of our lives. Jesus addressed God as Father and the early Church addressed its members as adelphoi (greek), which means brothers and sisters. We have enjoyed the best relationships with our church family. In fact it has always been our rule that if we moved the first thing we did was seek out a bible believing church to worship in which gave us instant friends. I’ll always remember when we moved to Lake Cowichan in 1975 we went to the little Baptist Church in Honeymoon Bay and a family invited us home for lunch which has led to a long term relationship which still exists even though we don’t live real close together anymore. The Gaither song “The Family of God” expresses the sentiment perfectly.
The Bible used family language when talking about fellow believers. Paul often used family terms when he wrote to churches and individuals.
Ephesians 2:19
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.
Our family can certainly say that. One of the things I appreciate is, there are a variety of opinions around matters both within our Christian beliefs as well as outside. These could cause, but have not caused problems within the Family. Particularly since our views on our Salvation and related matters are in sync. We are all individuals as persons but as Born Again Christians we should be one in our Salvation as laid out in scripture. A Christian Love for everyone.
Believers, therefore, are members of God’s household or God’s family which makes each one of us a member of a family larger than the one we were born into. So I ask the question.
How important is your church family to you?
Do you consider it as valuable as the blood relationships in your primary family?
So much depends on your views and we find the close relationship of Christians often gives us strength and comfort as we worship together, pray & study the bible together. We often experience the joys or the ills of life whenever one of our assembly family both near and far suffer or find joy in an event or situation. We hear of the missionaries’ successes and difficulties, Christians in other assemblies with blessings and difficulties and feel the pain and joy as these situations are shared with fellow believers.
Hebrews 10:24
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works
Our assembly family can mentor, shepherd, disciple and help to draw us closer to God and one another.
Romans 12:10
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.
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.
Our scripture gives us clear and certain guidelines as to how we treat one another as believers. My family cherishes the relationships we have within our assembly and with other Christians outside our Brae Road Family. I trust you all do.
As was pointed out by Mark this past Sunday
Galatians 3:29
And if ye be Christ’s then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the Promise. Praise the Lord. Amen!
Services
When: Sunday Sep 10, 2023 09:00 am Breaking of Bread 10:15 am Fellowship Time 11:00 am Family Bible Hour
Speaker: Mike Millard
Sermon title: “The transforming Power of God’s Love”
Bible Ref: 1 John 4: 7-21
Chapel Update
Air conditioning is fully installed. Thermostats will be fine tuned to ensure good cooling in the summer and heat in the winter.
Just waiting on the contractor to give us the quote on the redo of the front yard of the chapel.
