Family Matters
05/14/08
We celebrated mother’s day this past Sunday and I began
a six week series entitled “Family Matters”. This
series will look at various aspects of family life and
God’s desire for us as we relate to one another in our
families. It seems that families continue to face
challenges and stresses that threaten to undermine
them. These stresses and challenges are not new.
The truth is there have never been perfect families. Eugene Peterson makes the following observations about families in the Bible: “A search of Scripture turns up one rather surprising truth: there are no exemplary families. Not a single family is portrayed in Scripture in such a way so as to evoke admiration in us. There are many family stories, there is considerable reference to family life, and there is sound counsel to guide the growth of families, but not a single model family for anyone to look up to in either awe or envy.
Adam and Eve no sooner are out of the garden than their children get in a fight. Shem, Ham, and Japheth are forced to devise a strategy to hide their father's drunken shame. Jacob and Esau are bitter rivals and sow seeds of discord that bear centuries of bitter harvest. Joseph and his brothers emphasize the themes of sibling rivalry and parental bungling. Jesse's sons, brave and loyal in service of their country, are capricious and cruel to their youngest brother. David is unfortunate in both wives and children — he is a man after God's own heart and Israel's greatest king, but he cannot manage his own household.
Even in the family of Jesus, where we might expect something different, there is exposition of the same theme. The picture in Mark, chapter three, strikes us as typical rather than exceptional: Jesus is active, healing the sick, comforting the distressed, and fulfilling his calling as Messiah. His mother and brothers are outside trying to get him to come home, quite sure that he is crazy. Jesus' family criticizes and does not appreciate. It misunderstands and does not comprehend.
The biblical material consistently portrays the family not as a Norman Rockwell group, beaming in gratitude around a Thanksgiving turkey, but as a series of broken relationships in need of redemption…”
Over the next several weeks we will consider how God wants to work in your life and in your family relationships. Join us as we take God’s counsel and begin to see how God’s truths can shape your family relationships.
The truth is there have never been perfect families. Eugene Peterson makes the following observations about families in the Bible: “A search of Scripture turns up one rather surprising truth: there are no exemplary families. Not a single family is portrayed in Scripture in such a way so as to evoke admiration in us. There are many family stories, there is considerable reference to family life, and there is sound counsel to guide the growth of families, but not a single model family for anyone to look up to in either awe or envy.
Adam and Eve no sooner are out of the garden than their children get in a fight. Shem, Ham, and Japheth are forced to devise a strategy to hide their father's drunken shame. Jacob and Esau are bitter rivals and sow seeds of discord that bear centuries of bitter harvest. Joseph and his brothers emphasize the themes of sibling rivalry and parental bungling. Jesse's sons, brave and loyal in service of their country, are capricious and cruel to their youngest brother. David is unfortunate in both wives and children — he is a man after God's own heart and Israel's greatest king, but he cannot manage his own household.
Even in the family of Jesus, where we might expect something different, there is exposition of the same theme. The picture in Mark, chapter three, strikes us as typical rather than exceptional: Jesus is active, healing the sick, comforting the distressed, and fulfilling his calling as Messiah. His mother and brothers are outside trying to get him to come home, quite sure that he is crazy. Jesus' family criticizes and does not appreciate. It misunderstands and does not comprehend.
The biblical material consistently portrays the family not as a Norman Rockwell group, beaming in gratitude around a Thanksgiving turkey, but as a series of broken relationships in need of redemption…”
Over the next several weeks we will consider how God wants to work in your life and in your family relationships. Join us as we take God’s counsel and begin to see how God’s truths can shape your family relationships.
Sunday is Coming
03/08/08
Most of you have heard, or at least heard about, the sermon called, It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Coming. Tony Campolo shares part of this message originally given by his preaching mentor. The original sermon went something like this...
“It’s Friday. Jesus has been arrested in the garden where he is praying. But Sunday’s coming. “It’s Friday. The disciples have all abandoned their master. Peter denies that he knows the Lord. But Sunday’s coming. “It’s Friday. Jesus is beaten, mocked and ridiculed by the Roman soldiers. But Sunday’s coming.”
And on it goes: “It’s Friday. Jesus is in the tomb. Heaven is silent. Satan is laughing because he thinks he’s won. But Sunday’s coming.” For some of you, it’s been Friday for a long time. You’ve had some struggles that have drained you. You’ve lost some battles. You’ve experienced disappointment and pain. Remember, though, it’s only Friday. Sunday’s coming.
The angel said to the women on Easter morning: “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” Then they remembered his words. (Luke 24:5-8)
You may feel like you have been stuck on Friday for a long time. It may seem like forever to you. Life has been one storm after another. But I want you to remember that while it may be Friday today, it may have felt like Friday forever – but Sunday’s coming.
God is at work behind the scenes. It may seem like Friday, when the smell of death is in the air, but Sunday’s coming.
Easter says that death and the enemy do not have the final word. God has the final say. Jesus is alive. Turn to Christ and you discover he is your refuge in the storm, he is the one who resurrects a dead marriage, he is the one who gives you strength to endure, he is the one who gives you peace and calms your fears. It may be Friday but Sunday’s coming.
Dr. Phil