CHURCH AS FAMILY 4-12-26
INTRODUCTION
The Church Today
Our role in culture is shifting
Basic understanding of truth is changing
Attendance is changing
Models of church are changing
The church must always be faithful in the time it is, not another time.
Small groups v. Bible School
VBS v. day camp
Church camp v. home instruction
Worship bands v. acapella
The reality of the church is no different.
The church is not:
* An ark for the saving of a select few.
* A ferryboat to take effortless passengers to the shores of heaven.
* A life insurance company, with no obligation on policy holders except the payment of a small annual premium.
* A social set, welcoming certain people and excluding others from its fellowship.
* A Sunday pleasure club for the providing of pleasant occupation on the day of rest.
The church is:
* A lifeboat for the rescue of sin-wrecked and perishing souls.
* A family, in which love and service are expected from each member to each member.
* An organized community, with constant activities and continual growth and development.
* A company of believers who have found the one way of life and obey the one Lord of life.
* A union of those who love for the benefit of those who suffer.
* A center of social worship, in which the spiritual life of each is helped by the spiritual life of his fellow.
* The representative -- the "body" -- of Jesus Christ on the earth, reflecting his spirit and controlled by his will.
Charles R. Swindoll, Sermon Central, December 13, 2004.
Ephesians 2:1-22 NIV
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”
Ephesians 2:1-22 NIV
1 Timothy 3:15-16 GW
“in case I’m delayed. I want you to know how people who are members of God’s family must live. God’s family is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. The mystery that gives us our reverence for God is acknowledged to be great: He appeared in his human nature, was approved by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was announced throughout the nations, was believed in the world, and was taken to heaven in glory.”
1 Timothy 3:15-16 GW
We are brought into the Kingdom by birth (Israel) or adoption (Gentile), there is no other way.
Romans 15:7 NIV
“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”
Romans 15:7 NIV
Looking at the church for the next few weeks. Today we are going to look at Kenwood as family.
I. CHURCH AS FAMILY
A. New Life, New Family
B. Family as we are
Most of our friends have 2-4 children. We wanted 3-5. Wanting to be what we are not will not help us become what we wanted.
C. Family as God intended
Fred Sigle, preaching minister at Garfield Christian Church in Indianapolis tells about Mark Knutson. On August 28, 1993, he was diagnosed with an extremely aggressive form of cancer. When diagnosed, he was already in the late stages and was only given a short time to live.
Mark's biggest worries were not for himself but only for his wife and two children. Who would take care of them? Would there be people to love and support them throughout his ordeal?
By September 19, his worries were taken care of. The Knutson family heard noise outside, opened the window, and saw that the street was filled with Christian friends from their church. After completely encircling the house, all of the friends joined hands and prayed for Mark and his family. They let the Knutson family know they were loved.
Mark was too ill to receive visitors but the show of love continued. These Christians continued their public display of love throughout through the next six weeks. During that time, not a day went by in which 2-20 people gathered in the corner of the yard to pray for the Knutsons. Because Mark was so sick, they kept a prayer register on the back porch so that Mark would know who had been there.
These Christians did more than pray. Many faithfully sent cards of encouragement. Some helped with transportation and other needs for the Knutson children. The Knutson's said, "We truly felt a hedge of love encircling our home."
Mark fought valiantly but in November of the same year, he succumbed to the cancer. Mark passed away knowing that his wife and children were loved and taken care of by their church family. Not only did this six-week display of Christian love affect the Knutsons, their neighbors were influenced in a positive way. Several neighbor families witnessing the love of Christ in action obeyed the Gospel.
Michael Luke, “The Essential Practices of the New Testament Church”, 10/2/2011.
II. FAMILY AS GOD'S INTENTION
Matthew 25:14-30 NIV
““Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. “ ‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”
Matthew 25:14-30 NIV
A. Big or little we are His
B. God uses small and weak
C. Faith as our defining characteristic.
Strong Small Churches
The bigger a church grows, the worse it becomes both in quality and in its capability to reach new people. This surprising finding comes out of a Germany -based Institute of Church Development study of churches worldwide. In churches with attendance of less than 100, 31% of the people practice their spiritual gifts to help their church grow vs. only 17% in those over 1,000. In all areas except one, the quality decreases with the size of the church. That area is more inspiring worship services. Smaller churches are stronger in each of the other 7 characteristics measured; empowering leadership, gift-oriented ministry, passionate spirituality, functional structures, holistic small groups, need-oriented evangelism, and loving relationships. More megachurches are needed because they have opportunities others don’t have, but even more strategic is celebrating and multiplying small churches.
BuildingChurchLeaders.com, Sermon Central, 6/8/06.
III. ACCEPTANCE OF WHAT WE ARE
A. Can Kenwood be what God wants us to be, right now?
Comments
We need to be younger.
We need to be . . .
Comparison
B. What are we missing because we think we should be something else?
C. Who does God want us to reach?
D. It's easier to say we can't than believe that we can.
"To reach people that no one is reaching you have to do things that no one is doing?"
Craig Groeschel
CONCLUSION
“The Church”
“You don’t have to agree with me today.
You don’t have to like me and what I have to say.
You can go home ANGRY, but I really hope that you can
See that I LOVE YOU, and that’s why I’ve shown you God’s plan.
It’s a CHURCH, a group of BELIEVERS, that honor and glorify JESUS
It’s NOT the PEWS, the PULPIT or the BUILDING,
NO FOLKS, it’s YOU, IT’S ME, it’s US.
And so let’s live out each day of our LIFE,
In the way that we NOW KNOW
So that others will look at us and SEE JESUS,
and by that, HIS LOVE to them SHOW.”
Mitchell Leonard, Sermon Central, January 16, 2026
We are family! Pittsburgh Pirates 1979 won 98 games, NL title and 5th World Series
I have been blessed to be a part of no less than 7 churches that were family to me and my family. A much greater miracle than the comradery of a successful baseball team.
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.
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