Embracing Our Identity as God's Unified Family

Devotional

Day 1: Unity in Christ's Family

In Ephesians 3:14-19, Paul emphasizes the unity of believers as one family under God, transcending earthly divisions. This unity is not merely a theological concept but a lived reality, as believers are reconciled into one body, one temple, and one building, with Jesus as the cornerstone. The breaking down of dividing walls, particularly between Jews and Gentiles, is a testament to the reconciling work of Christ, bringing together all believers into one household of God. This oneness is a powerful expression of God's plan for His people, calling us to live in harmony and love with one another. [03:53]

Ephesians 2:14-16 (ESV): "For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility."

Reflection: Think of a relationship in your life where division exists. How can you actively work towards unity and reconciliation in that relationship today?

Day 2: Embracing Our Identity as God's Children

Being named by the Father as His children signifies a deep relationship and a call to reflect God's character. This identity is not just a title but a call to live in a way that honors our Father, embodying His love and grace. As children of God, we are called to imitate our Father, living in love, grace, and unity, and embodying the values of God's kingdom in our interactions with others. This identity challenges us to live out our faith authentically, recognizing the privilege and responsibility that comes with being named as His children. [08:13]

1 John 3:1-2 (ESV): "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is."

Reflection: In what ways can you reflect God's character in your daily interactions with others? Identify one specific action you can take today to embody His love and grace.

Day 3: Predestined for Adoption

Our identity as God's children was part of His eternal plan, predestined before the foundation of the world. This adoption through Jesus Christ is a profound expression of God's love and grace, calling us to live as His sons and daughters. Understanding this predestination helps us grasp the depth of God's love and the intentionality behind our relationship with Him. It invites us to live with confidence and purpose, knowing that we are part of God's divine plan and that our lives have meaning and significance in His kingdom. [09:04]

Ephesians 1:4-5 (ESV): "Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will."

Reflection: How does knowing you were predestined for adoption into God's family change your perspective on your life's purpose? What is one way you can live out this purpose today?

Day 4: Imitating Our Heavenly Father

As children of God, we are called to imitate our Father, reflecting His character in our lives. This involves living in love, grace, and unity, embodying the values of God's kingdom in our interactions with others. By imitating God, we become living testimonies of His love and grace, drawing others to Him through our actions and words. This call to imitation is both a privilege and a responsibility, challenging us to align our lives with God's character and to be His representatives in the world. [10:57]

Ephesians 5:1-2 (ESV): "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

Reflection: What specific aspect of God's character do you feel called to imitate more closely in your life? How can you begin to embody this characteristic in your actions and decisions today?

Day 5: Living Out Our Identity in Unity

Embracing our identity as God's family involves recognizing the privilege and responsibility that comes with being named as His children. It calls us to live in unity with fellow believers and to reflect God's character in all that we do. This unity is a testament to the reconciling work of Christ and a powerful witness to the world of God's love and grace. By living out our identity in unity, we demonstrate the transformative power of the gospel and invite others to experience the same love and grace that we have received. [11:41]

Colossians 3:12-14 (ESV): "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."

Reflection: How can you actively contribute to the unity of your church community? Identify one practical step you can take this week to foster unity and reflect God's love within your congregation.

Sermon Summary

In Ephesians 3:14-19, Paul offers a profound prayer for the church, emphasizing the unity and identity of believers as one family under God. This passage invites us to reflect on the significance of being part of God's family, a family that transcends earthly boundaries and includes both those in heaven and on earth. Paul underscores the importance of understanding our identity as children of God, a name given to us by the Father, which carries profound implications for how we live and interact with others.

The concept of the "whole family" is central to this passage. Paul uses the Greek term "pasa patria," which can be translated as "whole family" rather than "every family," to emphasize the unity and oneness of God's people. This unity is not just a theological concept but a lived reality, as believers are reconciled into one body, one temple, and one building, with Jesus as the cornerstone. This oneness is a testament to the breaking down of dividing walls, particularly between Jews and Gentiles, who are now fellow citizens and members of God's household.

Being named by the Father as His children is not a trivial matter. It signifies a deep relationship and a call to reflect God's character in our lives. This naming is rooted in God's eternal plan, predestined before the foundation of the world, to adopt us as His sons and daughters through Jesus Christ. As children of God, we are called to imitate our Father, embodying His love and grace in our interactions with others.

This passage challenges us to live out our identity as God's family, recognizing the privilege and responsibility that comes with being named as His children. It calls us to embrace our unity with fellow believers and to reflect God's character in all that we do, to the praise of His glorious grace.

Key Takeaways

1. Unity in God's Family: The concept of the "whole family" emphasizes the unity of believers as one body in Christ. This unity transcends earthly divisions, bringing together Jews and Gentiles into one household of God. This oneness is a powerful testament to the reconciling work of Christ. [03:53]
2. Identity as Children of God: Being named by the Father as His children signifies a deep relationship and a call to reflect God's character. This identity is not just a title but a call to live in a way that honors our Father, embodying His love and grace. [08:13]
3. Predestined for Adoption: Our identity as God's children was part of His eternal plan, predestined before the foundation of the world. This adoption through Jesus Christ is a profound expression of God's love and grace, calling us to live as His sons and daughters. [09:04]
4. Imitating the Father: As children of God, we are called to imitate our Father, reflecting His character in our lives. This involves living in love, grace, and unity, embodying the values of God's kingdom in our interactions with others. [10:57]
5. Living Out Our Identity: Embracing our identity as God's family involves recognizing the privilege and responsibility that comes with being named as His children. It calls us to live in unity with fellow believers and to reflect God's character in all that we do. [11:41]
** [11:41]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:15] - Introduction to Ephesians 3:14-19
[00:36] - The Concept of God's Family
[01:10] - Bearing the Name of Our Father
[01:41] - Translation of "Whole Family"
[02:24] - Contextual Understanding
[03:05] - Breaking Down Dividing Walls
[03:39] - One Household in Christ
[04:08] - The Whole Structure
[05:14] - The Oneness of the Family
[06:02] - Gentiles Grafted into Israel
[07:11] - Reconciled Across Centuries
[07:51] - The Significance of Being Named
[09:04] - Predestined for Adoption
[10:57] - Imitating Our Father

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Ephesians 3:14-19

Observation Questions:

What does Paul mean by referring to believers as a "whole family" in Ephesians 3:15? How does this concept differ from "every family"? [01:41]
According to the sermon, why is it significant that believers are named by the Father? What implications does this have for our identity? [07:51]
How does the sermon describe the unity between Jews and Gentiles as part of God's family? What historical barriers does this unity overcome? [03:24]
What role does Jesus play in the unity and identity of believers as described in the sermon? [04:08]

Interpretation Questions:

How does understanding our identity as children of God influence the way we interact with others, according to the sermon? [01:10]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that being part of God's family is both a privilege and a responsibility? How should this affect our daily lives? [11:41]
The sermon mentions that our adoption as God's children was predestined. How does this concept of predestination impact our understanding of God's love and grace? [09:04]
What does it mean to imitate the Father, and how can this be practically applied in our lives as believers? [10:57]

Application Questions:

Reflect on your own life: How do you currently perceive your identity as a child of God? Are there areas where you struggle to embrace this identity fully? [08:13]
Consider the unity of believers as described in the sermon. Are there any divisions or barriers in your own church or community that need to be addressed? How can you contribute to breaking them down? [03:53]
The sermon emphasizes the importance of reflecting God's character. Identify one specific way you can embody God's love and grace in your interactions this week. [10:57]
How does the concept of being predestined for adoption change your perspective on your relationship with God? What steps can you take to deepen this relationship? [09:04]
Think about a time when you felt disconnected from the church community. What actions can you take to strengthen your sense of belonging within God's family? [11:41]
The sermon calls us to live out our identity as God's family. What practical steps can you take to live in unity with fellow believers, especially those who are different from you? [03:39]
Reflect on the idea of imitating the Father. What specific aspect of God's character do you feel called to develop in your life, and how will you pursue this growth? [10:57]

Sermon Clips

For this reason I bow my knees before the father, from whom that is from the father, from whom the whole family in heaven and on earth is named. We'll stop right there so father as we ponder why Paul spoke of the group of people to whom he's writing as a family and all of them in heaven and on earth as the whole family. [00:15:40]

Oh God make these things so powerfully deep in our heart that they shape us the way we think about people about ourselves, the way we feel the way we speak the way we act, so that we are good representatives of our father as the family from whom he is named pray this in Jesus name, amen. [00:66:57]

The context seems to me to make it totally fitting, grammatically pasa patria could mean every family and it could mean whole family now I know I'm pulling rank on you there because many of you don't have access to Greek you say well, I'll take your word for it but let me go ahead because there are a lot of you who do check me out on these things and I'm so glad you do. [01:09:84]

The aim of Paul was to show that the dividing wall had been broken down and Jew and Gentile the far off and the near have been reconciled to God in one body and one spirit, so you're no longer strangers you're no longer aliens you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God one household not many families one household. [03:04:88]

This is what we expect we expect him to say the whole family because that's been the emphasis of the entire text that he has created one new family built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets Jesus himself being the cornerstone of the one building in whom the whole structure and I put the Greek here because you can see pasa okadame is the same structure as pasa patria here whole family. [03:31:92]

Gentiles are now being grafted in to the abrahamic covenant so that every true Jew so just think Moses, think Elijah, think Abraham and on and on take Sarah I think all these great saints they are in heaven this family now is all true Jews true real Israel gentiles included Jews included reconciled in one body one temple one building and one whole family right across the centuries. [06:35:04]

I am bowing my knees to the father who has given his name to the family the very first and most obvious meaning is our name is children of God don't confuse the world by calling everybody in the world children of God that's not the way the bible thinks we have been brought into a family of God we are all created by God we're not all children of God with God as our father. [07:46:96]

This was planned from the foundation of the world God predestined us for adoption to himself in other words before we ever existed or the universe ever came into being God had destined that his family would be created he's predestining us for adoption to himself as sons and it all comes about through Jesus Christ by Jew and Gentile being reconciled to God. [09:06:40]

Our name is children of God and it comes from father father means children father gives name to children children of God that has been planned before the foundation of the world and it has implications for our character naming in the bible is not whimsical names are given like abram becomes abraham so that he's the father of many people because he means people. [09:58:72]

The father gives us his name so that we will share in his character and this is not surprising then to find in chapter 5 verse 1 therefore be imitators of God as loved children you see the reasoning God is your father that's why he calls him children and therefore we imitate our father because the father loves us so our prayer goes to the father. [10:43:92]

Paul is praying to a father for a family a whole family across the centuries and he's praying for this aspect of the family the family is named for the father which means they're children of God and in naming us he means for us to share in his character and so we aim to imitate him and that will be possible if this comes true. [11:19:52]

The family is named for the father which means they're children of God and in naming us he means for us to share in his character and so we aim to imitate him and that will be possible if this comes true. [11:41:00]

Ask a question about this sermon

Desiring God This sermon · AI assistant

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?