One of my favorite features of being a part of an energetic church is the fellowship we experience after we come together. And, to be honest, in those moments after we meet in small groups or other events, one in every of my predominant pleasures is sweet food!
Of course, it isn’t just in regards to the food itself; that is what eating together brings. Eating meals gives a bunch of individuals something physical to do (which itself is unifying).
It gives us something to enjoy together, which helps us construct positive feelings and even memories, disarms us so we are able to lower our guard, and acts as an ice breaker to facilitate casual conversation.
Most importantly, having a meal with other Christians makes us for just a few moments more of the family God intended for us as we benefit from the food that can hopefully end in greater fellowship in the long run.
Because in the event you know what it’s wish to be in a healthy church, or in the event you know the church model that the New Testament gives us, you may know that the church really is sort of a family.
I used to be reminded of this reality recently after I was talking to a missionary friend of mine. Describing his church within the South American mission field, he happily described a bunch of people that cared for one another, showed affection for one another, and who really desired to be together.
Not only did Jesus want the church to be like this, he began it exactly like a family!
1. Remember that Jesus valued family
He was born right into a family with parents and siblings and lived with and took part in that family for many of his life. After all, he loved his family a lot that with one in every of his last breaths, hanging on the cross, he made sure that his mother could be taken care of (John 19:26-27).
Jesus also taught in regards to the importance of family and marriage (the inspiration of the family). One of his hottest teachings will be present in Mark 10:6-9 when Jesus declared that:
But Jesus didn’t just teach in regards to the importance of family and marriage; he actively supported it to the purpose that his first public appearance (following his somewhat public baptism, in fact) was at a marriage he attended along with his mother and disciples, and where he performed his first miracle.
And Jesus wasn’t only a witness at the marriage—he even got involved “refreshments” (Jana 2).
But then, in the identical passage where Jesus entrusted his disciple John with the responsibility of taking good care of his mother, we get a touch of the form of family relationship that Jesus also had along with his disciple, since the author uses the phrase “the disciple he loved (Jana 19).
This is because Jesus did not only concentrate on caring for his physical family, but principally welcomed all of his followers and treated them like family.
Mark tells the story that when Jesus was ministering to a crowd and a few people told him that his mother and brothers were outside, he replied:
Finally, the church “family” doesn’t end here on earth.
Heaven can be like a family
Another necessary detail of Jesus‘ The Last Supper with the disciples in Matthew 26 we mentioned earlier that Jesus promised that ultimately, after this present earth and heaven is claimed and done, he’ll sit down again along with his followers and eat a meal.
But this time there can be little doubt and betrayal! John prophesied within the book of Revelation: “Let us rejoice and be glad and provides him glory, for the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready” (Revelation 19:7).
We get the impression from Luke that when Jesus comes back for his “servants” (Church), that “he’ll dress for his servants and make them sit at table, after which he’ll come and serve them” (Luke 12:37).
What a lovely thought that Jesus will again serve us who’ve served him. But it won’t be because he “he owes us something, but because we may have nothing to supply Jesus who has every part.
Then the identical Jesus will welcome his children to the New Heaven and New Earth that he has “prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (again—family and marriage photo) (Revelation 21:1-4).
One author he summed all of it up by saying that the final word goal “God‘His work and mission was and still is a reconciled, intimate relationship with the people, their children and the Church.“
Church Is family, not by blood but by the Spirit.
If more people saw the church as a family with its fellowship and its shortcomings, there could be fewer leaving it. If more pastors and church leaders viewed their church as a family, fewer would treat it as a job or make the most of it.
If more church members viewed the church as a family, fewer would outsource one another’s care to a pastor or deacon or to a paid worker to minister to one another.
Christian, let’s go one step further and do not expect our church to act like a family, but to do the perfect we are able to.
For further reading:
What is the meaning of the Body of Christ?
What is the importance of getting a spiritual family?
Image credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/RyanJLane
[mailpoet_form id="1"]
