Embracing Our Identity in God's Family This Easter
Summary
Welcome to this Easter Sunday celebration, a day where we gather to honor the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Today, we reflect on the profound significance of belonging to God's family and the transformative power of the cross and resurrection. As we gather, whether in person or online, we are reminded of the global reach of our community and the shared mission we have as followers of Christ.
The essence of Easter is not just the forgiveness of sins but the invitation to become part of God's family. Through Jesus' sacrifice, we are given the right to be called children of God. This identity is a gift, freely available to all who believe and accept it. The cross represents not only redemption and forgiveness but also the restoration of family. Jesus, even in his suffering, prioritized the creation of family, ensuring that his mother and his beloved disciple found solace in each other.
Family, both biological and spiritual, is a core value that we cherish. It is a place of belonging, healing, and wholeness. Yet, we acknowledge that for some, family can be a source of pain and unmet expectations. The cross offers hope for restoration and healing in these relationships, inviting us to experience the fullness of life in God's family.
As we transition from the cross to the resurrection, we are reminded of our mission. Just as Jesus was sent by the Father, we too are sent into the world. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live lives marked by forgiveness, peace, and joy. Our mission is to bear witness to the risen Christ, sharing the transformative power of his love with others.
Today, we are called to say "yes" to family and to being sent. This "yes" requires courage and surrender, inviting Jesus into our brokenness and allowing him to transform us. As we embrace our identity as children of God, we are equipped to participate in God's ongoing work, drawing others into the family of Christ.
Key Takeaways:
- Belonging to God's Family: Through Jesus' sacrifice, we are given the right to be called children of God. This identity is a gift, freely available to all who believe and accept it. It is an invitation to experience the fullness of life in God's family, where we find belonging, healing, and wholeness. [52:12]
- The Cross and Family Restoration: The cross represents not only redemption and forgiveness but also the restoration of family. Jesus, even in his suffering, prioritized the creation of family, ensuring that his mother and his beloved disciple found solace in each other. This act invites us to consider how the cross can restore and heal our own family relationships. [58:10]
- Empowered to Be Sent: Just as Jesus was sent by the Father, we too are sent into the world. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live lives marked by forgiveness, peace, and joy. Our mission is to bear witness to the risen Christ, sharing the transformative power of his love with others. [01:06:58]
- Saying "Yes" to Transformation: Embracing our identity as children of God requires courage and surrender. We are invited to say "yes" to family and to being sent, allowing Jesus into our brokenness and allowing him to transform us. This "yes" is a step towards experiencing the fullness of life in Christ. [01:09:40]
- Participating in God's Work: As members of God's family, we are equipped to participate in God's ongoing work, drawing others into the family of Christ. This mission is not a private endeavor but a call to engage with the world, sharing the love and forgiveness of Jesus with those around us. [01:17:14]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:45] - Introduction and Greetings
- [02:30] - Invitation to Evolve Church
- [05:15] - Generosity and Worship
- [10:00] - Vision Sunday Recap
- [15:30] - The Gift of Family
- [20:45] - Personal Family Story
- [25:00] - The Cross and Family Restoration
- [30:15] - Invitation to Belong to God's Family
- [35:00] - The Resurrection and Being Sent
- [40:30] - Empowered by the Holy Spirit
- [45:00] - Saying "Yes" to Transformation
- [50:00] - Participating in God's Work
- [55:00] - Closing Prayer and Invitation
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- John 1:12
- 1 John 3:1
- John 19:25-27
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Observation Questions:
1. According to John 1:12, what is the significance of believing and accepting Jesus in terms of our identity? [52:12]
2. In John 19:25-27, how does Jesus demonstrate the importance of family even during his crucifixion? [58:10]
3. What does 1 John 3:1 reveal about the nature of God's love and our identity as His children? [52:12]
4. How does the sermon describe the global reach and mission of the church community? [01:06:58]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of being called "children of God" in John 1:12 and 1 John 3:1 impact a believer's understanding of their identity and belonging? [52:12]
2. In what ways does Jesus' act of ensuring his mother and disciple find family in John 19:25-27 illustrate the restorative power of the cross? [58:10]
3. The sermon mentions being "empowered to be sent" by the Holy Spirit. How does this empowerment relate to the mission of sharing Christ's love with others? [01:06:58]
4. What does it mean to say "yes" to transformation and being sent, as discussed in the sermon? How does this relate to the believer's journey of faith? [01:09:40]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own sense of belonging. How does knowing you are a child of God influence your relationships with others? [52:12]
2. Consider a family relationship that may need healing or restoration. How can the example of Jesus on the cross inspire you to take steps toward reconciliation? [58:10]
3. The sermon emphasizes the importance of saying "yes" to being sent. What is one area in your life where you feel called to share the love of Christ, and what steps can you take to act on that calling? [01:06:58]
4. How can you invite Jesus into areas of brokenness in your life, allowing Him to transform you? What practical steps can you take to surrender these areas to Him? [01:09:40]
5. Identify a specific way you can participate in God's ongoing work in your community. How can you draw others into the family of Christ through your actions and words? [01:17:14]
6. Reflect on a time when you felt sent or empowered by the Holy Spirit. How did that experience impact your faith journey, and how can you seek similar opportunities in the future? [01:06:58]
7. What does it mean for you personally to say "yes" to family and being sent? How can you cultivate a deeper sense of courage and surrender in your daily walk with Christ? [01:09:40]
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing Our Identity as God's Children
Through Jesus' sacrifice, believers are invited to become part of God's family, gaining the right to be called children of God. This identity is not earned but is a gift freely available to all who believe and accept it. Being part of God's family means experiencing the fullness of life, where belonging, healing, and wholeness are found. It is an invitation to live in the reality of being loved and accepted by God, which transforms how we see ourselves and others. [52:12]
"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:12-13, ESV)
Reflection: How does knowing you are a child of God change the way you view your daily challenges and interactions with others today?
Day 2: The Cross as a Source of Family Restoration
The cross of Christ is not only a symbol of redemption and forgiveness but also of family restoration. Jesus, even in his suffering, prioritized the creation of family, ensuring that his mother and his beloved disciple found solace in each other. This act invites us to consider how the cross can restore and heal our own family relationships. It offers hope for those who have experienced pain and unmet expectations in their families, inviting them to find healing and wholeness in God's family. [58:10]
"Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!" (Psalm 133:1-2, ESV)
Reflection: Is there a family relationship in your life that needs healing? How can you invite Jesus into that situation today to begin the process of restoration?
Day 3: Empowered by the Holy Spirit to Be Sent
Just as Jesus was sent by the Father, believers are also sent into the world, empowered by the Holy Spirit to live lives marked by forgiveness, peace, and joy. This mission is to bear witness to the risen Christ, sharing the transformative power of his love with others. Being sent is not just a task but a way of life, where every interaction becomes an opportunity to reflect Christ's love and grace. [01:06:58]
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8, ESV)
Reflection: Who is someone in your life that you can share the love and peace of Christ with today? What practical step can you take to reach out to them?
Day 4: Courageously Saying "Yes" to Transformation
Embracing our identity as children of God requires courage and surrender. Believers are invited to say "yes" to family and to being sent, allowing Jesus into their brokenness and allowing him to transform them. This "yes" is a step towards experiencing the fullness of life in Christ, where transformation is not just a one-time event but an ongoing journey of becoming more like Jesus. [01:09:40]
"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to surrender to Jesus for transformation? What would taking a step of courage in that area look like today?
Day 5: Participating in God's Ongoing Work
As members of God's family, believers are equipped to participate in God's ongoing work, drawing others into the family of Christ. This mission is not a private endeavor but a call to engage with the world, sharing the love and forgiveness of Jesus with those around them. It is an invitation to be part of something greater than themselves, where their lives become a testimony of God's grace and love. [01:17:14]
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)
Reflection: How can you actively participate in God's work today? What is one specific action you can take to share God's love with someone in your community?
Quotes
``"More than that, it's why Jesus went to the cross. It's why we celebrate Easter. There's this complete redemptive work that Jesus accomplished when he said yes to being crucified. Forgiveness of sin, absolutely. Redemption, being made whole, yes. The old version, the sin nature of me, dying and a new me, being raised to life in Christ, yes. And the right to family, absolutely. It's why Jesus said yes and hung his life in the balance between you and the Father." [01:01:06] (35 seconds)
"And when we anchor our faith to the full reason why Christ stepped out of that tomb so that you would belong to family in Christ, you would experience the redemptive, powerful work of being saved and set free and forgiven and made whole. For his spirit joins with our spirit to affirm we're God's children. And so I can't help but wonder if the cross can restore and heal and redeem what you and I believe to be true about family today." [01:03:19] (36 seconds)
"But I wonder if the cross can restore and heal and make new and make whole and bring freedom to family for some of us in the room today. Because belonging to God's family can bring freedom. It can bring healing. It can bring life, real life. And so I want to invite you to come with me for a moment. Come with me to the foot of the cross. I want you to imagine yourself there on the top of the skull, Golgotha's Hill. Three crosses. Two criminals and one king." [01:05:02] (44 seconds)
"In the midst of Christ's agony and suffering, he could have looked inward. He could have looked at the injustice. He could have stared with contempt and scorn at the religious leaders who saw fit to those nails being hammered into his hands. But in the middle of his suffering, his priorities shifted. He wanted to make sure that no one got left out. No one. He turns his eyes on those he loves and places the lonely into family. Mom, here's your son. Friend, here's your mother." [01:12:13] (39 seconds)
"And when you read the whole chapter, when you read all of Hebrews 12, you'll discover that verse 2 sits right on the threshold of you and I discovering how to learn to live disciplined as children of God. And so maybe, just maybe, us learning to walk in the freedom of being called sons and daughters was the joy. Maybe, just maybe, the family initiative is why he said yes to being stretched out and tortured and crucified. Consider this your invitation to belong to family." [01:15:03] (37 seconds)
"Again, he said, peace be with you as the Father has sent me, so I'm sending you, and then he breathed on them. Receive the Holy Spirit. Live out this forgiveness everywhere you go. You know, before Jesus went to the cross, he fell to his knees and prayed, Father, just as you've sent me, I'm sending them. I give myself as a holy sacrifice so they can be made holy by your truth. You belong to family." [01:22:01] (36 seconds)
"And because of your new worth, your new identity as children of God, as sons and daughters, you've been equipped and empowered and entrusted and given authority to be sent out as a part of the work that God's still doing in people's lives. And have you said yes? Have you said yes to family? Have you said yes to being one of the ones that's been sent? Jesus says, I'm sending you out from locked, closed off spaces in your heart." [01:24:34] (35 seconds)
"See, when Jesus invites us into family, he never leaves us as he finds us. He's faithful to renew and to restore and to heal and to transform everything in us. And then to send us out to take a part in that same work for other people to encounter family in Christ. And he models selfless sacrifice while hanging on the cross in the dead center bullseye of Jesus' own pain and suffering. He fixes his gaze on others and says yes to placing lonely into family." [01:27:05] (42 seconds)
"And then because the tomb is empty, he steps into my fear and your fear, into my brokenness and your shame and our grief. And he invites us to receive his peace, receive his welcome, receive his wholeness, receive his freedom, receive his joy. And to say yes to be in a part of those whom he is sending out. Would you stand to your feet? What yes is required from you today? In a quiet moment between you and the Lord, what yes does King Jesus want to be Lord over in your life today?" [01:29:21] (40 seconds)
"Some of you want to say yes today to allowing Jesus into your shame, into your brokenness, into your sin. And in so doing, you're saying yes to family. You're being what we call as Christians, born again. Born once more. Born into new life. Born into spiritual family where the Father, the Lord of heaven and earth sees you, knows you, invites you to come in close. He's not far removed. He's not a distant God. He's right here. Right now." [01:36:26] (40 seconds)
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