Nothing Like Family

by Apr 26, 2020Family, Sermon

As the family goes, so goes the culture. The idea of family is deeply rooted in our lives. We were born for family; it’s in our blood. And the idea of family is rooted in the heart of God. It’s more than an illustration. Family is a reality for anyone related to God. Yes, God’s family and your family are filled with challenges. But family invites a powerful connection of love and joy.

Discussion Questions

Take a few minutes to describe the family you grew up in. What was it like? Describe the relational dynamic. Can you think of ways you experienced love in your family? What were some of the dysfunctions that characterized your family (we all have them)?

What kind of family life did Adam and Eve, Noah, and David experience? Why are so many of the biblical examples of family usually bad examples?

The idea of family was birthed in the heart of God. How does the trinity point to a kind of family community?

Read Genesis 12:1-3. What did God tell Abram? How would God work through Abram to change families (Gen. 12:3)?

What is the “family in heaven and earth” that is referenced in Ephesians 3:14-15? How are believers inseparably connected as a family in an enormous plan of God? Describe the affinity you feel with other members of the family of God.

What does it mean that we are a family at LifePoint Church? How do you feel “proud of” and “inspired by” our family?

Sometimes it’s easier to live Christianly with those who are outside of our own family. What if we applied the scriptural attitudes of love toward our own household? Read Romans 12:9-18 with an eye toward applying these verses to those you are related to. With which of your relatives do you feel pushback in your spirit when you think about extending this kind of grace? What does it look like for you to love them?

Further Reading

Leaving a Lasting Legacy

Think deeply about why you’re alive and you’ll eventually conclude that you want to make a difference—a contribution through the one life you have. That longing is called legacy. It’s the desire to influence others now so that your influence lives beyond you. What if...

Adoption

Adoption brings up mixed emotions. The term “adopted” can be used to show affection or insult. Our understanding of adoption comes from our picture of family. Many times we have a picture of family that limits our understanding of the truth of adoption. In this...

A Good Old Age

Family involves many times and seasons of life. Our roles within our family change, but each role and each season is part of God's plan for family. If we're fortunate, one day we'll find ourselves in the last season - Old Age. While this is a season some of us would...

Parenting

We’ve all had parents. They’re responsible for at least some part of shaping how we got to where we are today. And our different kinds of experiences with parents have affected our thoughts on parenting. But what if we could broaden our idea of what it means to be a...

In Sickness and in Health

It’s rare to find a really great marriage. Maybe that’s because it doesn’t take long for marriage to be put to the test by the harsh realities of life. In marriage, we’re together in sickness and in health. God designed marriage as a gift. And it’s easy to lose sight...