CHURCH AS FAMILY: Church as a forever family 5-17-26
INTRODUCTION
Church is family.
Church is a family of faith.
Church is a faithful family.
Church is a loving family.
Church is a forgiving family.
Church is a forever family.
Jenny Kelm has gone home. Kenwood has never known a day without Jenny until last Sunday.
The spring carries powerful reminders of the brevity of this life for my family (Paula’s dad and my dad passed 2 years ago).
John 14:1-4 NIV
““Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.””
John 14:1-4 NIV
Let us pray.
I. THIS IS NOT OUR HOME
Someone named, James Langdon Hill, once said, "Life Eternal! How shall I express my thought of it? It is not mere existence, however prolonged and free from annoyance. It is not the pleasures of the senses, however vivid. It is not peace. It is not happiness. It is not joy. But it is all these combined into one condition if spiritual perfection - one emotion of indescribable rapture - the peace after the storm has gone by, the soft repose after the grief is over, the joy of victory when the conflict is ended."
"Leaves of Gold," Revised Edition, edited by Clyde Francis Lytle, c1948: A.C. and D.G. Remley, published, Williamsport, Pennsylvania: The Coslett Publishing Company, p. 92.
In the 1938 Pulitzer Prize for Drama three-act play, "Our Town," written in 1937, by the late great American playwright and novelist, Thornton Niven Wilder (1897 - 1975), one of the characters says: "I don’t care what they say with their mouths - everybody knows that something is eternal. And it ain’t houses, and it ain’t names, and it ain’t earth, and it ain’t even stars...everybody knows in their bones that something is eternal, and that something has to do with human beings...There’s something way down deep that’s eternal in every human being."
"Life More Abundant," by Charles L. Allen, c1968 Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, LCCN 68-28432, pp. 149-154.
A. We cannot imagine what is next.
1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV
“However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—”
1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV
B. We are destined for a better place.
Revelation 21:1-4 NIV
“Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.””
Revelation 21:1-4 NIV
C. We are made for something more.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV
II. WE ARE BUILT FOR ETERNITY
Norma Lauby, of La Mesa, California, was browsing in the ladies’ department one day with her son who was just learning to read. Trying to read all the signs he could, he came upon one in the maternity department. “Look, Mom!” he said excitedly as he pointed at the sign. “They’re even making clothes for eternity now!” Norma Lauby, La Mesa, CA, “Heart to Heart,” Today’s Christian Woman.
A. We have eternity in our hearts.
Ecclesiastes 3:11-12 NIV
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.”
Ecclesiastes 3:11-12 NIV
B. We have a destiny awaiting us.
Genesis 25:7-8 NIV
“Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years. Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people.”
Genesis 25:7-8 NIV
C. Death is not the end.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NIV
“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NIV
Heaven Bound by Reverend David Roger’s
Walking through the storms of life
Facing all the strife
I realize that I am all alone
Facing the lighting and the crash of thunder
Oh How I wonder
Is there no hope of me ever going home
I was walking through the storm all alone.
Fear and despair all around
No hope could be found
And then a light within the storm did I see
Jesus Christ had come for me.
No longer am I alone
Now He faces my storms and I follow along
Now I walk on water for all to see
He has raised me above those sinking seas
Satan no longer has any control over me
Jesus has saved me and set me free
Hope has now been found
And now I am Heaven Bound
Thank you Jesus for setting me free
Thank you Jesus for saving a wretch like me.
Now I see eternity
Now I realize Heaven is for me
Thank you Jesus for saving me.
And even though my home is now far far away
And this old body is made of clay
I pray that my life will sway
At least just one to come this way.
Poem written by Rev. David Rogers, 1/16/2007.
III. WE AWAIT THE GREAT FAMILY REUNION
Family reunions - gathering with Paula’s family in Ohio, seeing mom next week, Paula’s, the Malone reunion,
A. The parable of the great banquet
Luke 14:15-24 NIV
“When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ “ ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’ ””
Luke 14:15-24 NIV
B. The parable of the wedding feast
Matthew 22:1-14 NIV
“Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless. “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are invited, but few are chosen.””
Matthew 22:1-14 NIV
C. The marriage supper of the Lamb
Revelation 19:6-9 NIV
“Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.””
Revelation 19:6-9 NIV
“Come And Dine”
By C.B. Widmeyer / S. H. Bolton
Jesus has a table spread
Where the saints of God are fed
He invites His chosen people
Come and dine
With His manna He doth feed
And supplies our every need
O 'tis sweet to sup with
Jesus all the time
Come and dine
The Master calleth
Come and dine
You may feast at Jesus' table
All the time
He who fed the multitude
Turned the water into wine
To the hungry calleth now
Come and dine
Soon the Lamb will take His bride
To be ever at His side
All the host of Heaven
Will assembled be
O 'twill be a glorious sight
All the saints in spotless white
And with Jesus they will
Feast eternally
Come and dine
The Master calleth
Come and dine
You may feast at Jesus' table
All the time
He who fed the multitude
Turned the water into wine
To the hungry calleth now
Come and dine
© Public Domain
CONCLUSION
This is not our home. We are built for eternity. We await the great family reunion!
2 Peter 3:13 NIV
“But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.”
2 Peter 3:13 NIV
INVITATION
It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word. You may want to follow Jesus. You may want to proclaim your faith. You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things). Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church. If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now. If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.
