Discipleship of Farming: The Family

Hello Friends,

I hope you are doing well! Did any of you experience a sugar comma after going trick-or-treating last week? I didn’t experience a sugar comma, but I can certainly tell you that I did eat a lot of candy…and I didn’t even go trick-or-treating. What kind of candy did you receive the most of? Did you get your favorite candy? I guess now, it’s time to start planning for next year!

Today, I want to talk to you about “family.” Did you know you have a family? Do you know that you belong to a family on earth and to an even bigger family in heaven? Family is important! Your family might consist of you and your mom and dad, or just your mom or just your day, and in your family you might have siblings. Some families even consist of grandparents. And some families may include their pets. “Families” can mean different things to different people. What doe family mean to you?

Family is so important to our livelihood that even Jesus talks about family. Jesus says, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother” (Mark 3:33-35 [NIV]).

What is a family? One definition I found in the dictionary said a family is “A group consisting of parents and children living together in a household.” That is, no doubt, one way to define a family, but a family can be much more than that, can’t it? A family can be any group that is brought together by common interests, beliefs, and love for one another. One of the best examples of this kind of family is the Church. The Church is a family bound together by love for God, their Heavenly Father, and for one another. There is a song written by Bill and Gloria Gaither that describes the Church as the family of God.

“The Family of God”

I’m so glad I’m a part of the Family of God,
I’ve been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
For I’m part of the family,
The Family of God.

You will notice we say “brother and sister” ’round here,
It’s because we’re a family and these are so near;
When one has a heartache, we all share the tears,
And rejoice in each victory in this family so dear.

In our Bible lesson today, Jesus was together with his disciples in a house. When Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived at the house, they sent someone inside to look for him. They told Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” Jesus looked around at the people seated around him and answered, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Did Jesus love his real mother and brothers? Of course he did, but he also realized that he had another family. It was a family made up of those who loved his Heavenly Father and wanted to do his will. You and I love our families, but we also have a wonderful family of faith made up of brothers and sisters who love God and love one another. It is wonderful to be a part of “The Family of God.” You are part of God’s family–a family of love, acceptance, and unity. A family that is always there for you. A family that supports you. A family that helps you when you are in trouble. A family that will love you unconditionally. Our family on earth does the same thing, but there is something extra special about being in the family of God. What does being in God’s family mean to you?

Let us Pray: Heavenly Father, we thank you for our families and we thank you for our brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Your Friend, Holy Spirit!

This lesson came from https://sermons4kids.com/sermons/we-are-family