October 2: The Family of God

Intro

Last week in invited you to read Romans 8 this week. How many had a chance to do that? Wonderful. I am so glad for this morning we come to the third part of what I consider to be one of the most beautiful sections in the Bible.

You may remember some of the middle section from last week which I like to call “Life is suffering (coma)” Yes, life is full of suffering, but as we read “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing in the glory about to be revealed in us.” Yes, life is full of suffering. But there is a bigger yes, for God is full of glory and the good news is that God is willing to share it. Let us now listen to the word of this Lord.

Romans 8:28-37

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-- how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died-- more than that, who was raised to life-- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The way in…

If you could choose your family, what kind of family would you choose? This was the premise of what I think was a Dr. Seuss story. It begins with a man in the clouds speaking to a little baby asking him what family he wants to go to. Naturally, the boys first thought is that he be sent to a very wealthy family. But when the man shows him what life might look like in a mansion where you always get lost and get chased by lions, the boy reconsiders. The boy then asks to be part of a really talented family. But when the man shows him what life might look like in a crowd of over-achievers, the boy reconsiders. This goes on for a few scenarios through exotic families, adventurous families and even poor families until as one expects, just like goldilocks, the boy goes to a nice middle-class family that is just right.

What about us, if we could have chosen our family, what kind of family would we have chosen? Let me give you a couple of options this morning. The best way to do so in the time we have is through the eyes of a kindergartener.

The teacher hands out sheets of paper with crayons and markers then tells the kids to draw something for their parents. Once the kids get started she begins to walk around the room until she comes to Johnny.

Johnny’s family

Johnny comes from what you might call a good family. His father is a well respected lawyer in town. His mother is a former Miss Washington. His older brother is not only the star quarterback for the high school football team, but also an accomplished concert pianist. Johnny’s family is a great looking family. And yet, here is Johnny with his head in his hands and no marks on the paper. The teacher asks Johnny what is wrong to which he replies. “It won’t be good enough.” What do you mean she asks. “It won’t be good enough for my parents to like it.” And the teacher realizes that what Johnny is saying is “it won’t be good enough for my family to like me.’ I’m sure that’s not true, I’m sure your parents will love whatever you create, just do your best. And she leaves Johnny with a crayon in hand and a furrowed brow.

Mary’s Family

Just down the next aisle the teacher comes to Mary’s desk. The teacher knows that Mary’s family has had it rough over the last few years. Her father lost his job in construction and has been out of work for almost a year. Her mother is a waitress at Denny’s and often doesn’t get home til late. As a result, Mary is sometimes late for school and her hair often a mess. Mary’s older sister is struggling with depression because of a recent car accident that left a permanent scar on her face. Yes, things have been tough in Mary’s family. And yet, when the teacher looks at Mary’s paper, she can’t find a blank spot. It is covered in yellows, greens, blues and pinks. “Mary,’ the teacher says, “it looks like you have quite a piece of art work going there.” Without pausing Mary replies, “Yeah, my family really loves me, so I wanted to make something really pretty for them.”

Now I ask, were you given the choice. Which family would you choose? Billy’s, a well off and good looking group whose acceptance feels like it depends upon your success. Or would you choose Mary’s, a family with some struggles but one whose acceptance was in no way dependent upon how success you were? Listen again to the opening verses of our passage this morning.

God’s family

“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God,

who are called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family.”

When Paul says that all things work together for good we must remember what he’s speaking of when he says all things. Remember that just a few verses ago, Paul was talking about our present sufferings. Paul is reminding the Romans, that God’s will will be done, in spite of and perhaps more often through suffering. And then what does he do? He goes on to talk about family.

“For those he foreknew…” Have you ever stopped to listen the Psalm that we quoted in our call to worship; Psalm 139. What does it say about being known by God? “O Lord, you have searched me and you know me…” What does God know about us? When we sit and when we rise; when we go and when we come. Even the words on our tongues before we speak them, God knows. Not only that, even before we were born, God ‘knit us together in our mother’s womb.’ But it doesn’t stop there. God even knew us when our frames were hidden in the depths of the earth.’ That is even, before we were conceived. God knew us. It is a good thing to be known. And what God also knew is that we have a destiny.

“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined…” I feel the need to pause at this word because it is so often attached to Presbyterians and because it carries so much baggage. Predestination is the belief that God has chosen some people for life and salvation. Some people infer that this must also mean that God has chosen some people for death and destruction. Theologians both ivory tower and arm chair types, have debated this ad naseum for centuries. I have a simple way out of this dilemma. I say yes, I believe God knows me and has predestined me for salvation. But I believe the same is true of you and you and you and them and those people as well as everyone else. God has a destiny of glory for all of us. The only question is this, “Will we collaborate or will we resist?’ But before you answer, listen to the destiny God is drawing us toward?

“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.” We are destined to be conformed, the greek word here is summorfous (sum-morphos). Sum means together and morphos means form, shape or body. To transform is to change to another form. To conform is to form together with. And who are we being formed with? The son. Jesus. And what is it Paul says about Jesus? He is the ‘…firstborn within a large family.’ It is like Jesus is our big brother who we want to be like. He is the one we look up to and some day hope to emulate. Is this a destiny you desire, the form of Jesus? If given the choice, is this a family you would choose? Before you answer, you should know something about this son whose form we are destined to take. It has its downside.

The struggle of the form of Christ (cross)

Take a look at some of the words in the rest of this chapter. Hardship… distress… persecution…famine…nakedness…peril…sword… These words don’t exactly feel warm and fuzzy. God never promised us life would be easy, in fact he said the opposite, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of things about you because of me…” “Those who wish to follow me must deny themselves, pick up their cross and follow me…” Despite what the television evangelists will tell you, following Jesus does not lead to a nice suit, a new car and a 6000 square foot home.

We know from the Psalm that Dave read that suffering has always been a part of the story of God’s people. In Psalm 44 we hear the cry of a people who’ve heard all the stories of how God showed up in the past and saved their ancestors. But now, in the present, God seems so distant. In fact, God appears to be asleep. Asleep while we face death all day long, led like sheep to the slaughter. These are the words of a people undergoing real suffering. And it is interesting, because we hear them again from the pen of Paul. At the conclusion of his list he re-utters the words of this Psalmist “for your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted a sheep to be slaughtered.” Would you still choose this family? Knowing life in this family would be filled with hardship, distress, persecution and peril, would you still choose it? Before you answer, perhaps you should hear the other side.

Life

“It is Christ Jesus, who died…” Yes, the one whom we are being conformed to, he did die. And not only did he die, he was shamed and mocked and crucified. Yes, it is true that the one we are being conformed to died in such a way, but here is the great genius of God and the beauty of Christ. Instead of being bad news, this is good news. For what happened next? “It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.” And so, if Christ Jesus died and we are being conformed to him it does mean we will die, but what does it also mean? It means we will rise and we will stand before god and when we fall on our face in terror and fear at the majesty of God as every other person who glimpsed God did. Jesus will stand beside us, lift us up and say, “Arise, there is no need to be afraid for you are with family.”

Where can I find this family?

And perhaps I should end the message there, in front of God with Jesus in the Kingdom of Heaven. But we are not there, we are here and if I were you, I’d be asking, “Where can I find that kind of family here, now?” Can I find it in my own family? No, our families, as good as they may be will always fall short. Can I find it in friends? I am sad to say that even our friends will fall short of the fellowship of God. Can I find it at work? No, work may provide a paycheck, but it will not be the family of God. Can I find it in country? People will die for the country, and yet, as much as we may love it, it is not the country of God. Okay, I know where you’re going. You’re leading us here, to the church. Can I find the family of God at church? And to that I must say ‘no’ as well. The church, try is as might is not the family of God. This is why people so often leave church. Its not because the church failed, the church is always failing. Rather I think it is because people expect it to be the family of God and we are a poor reflection. We will always fall short. Why do you think we do the prayer of confession every week? If neither our blood family, our friends, our work, our country, or even our church are the family of God, then where will we find it? The opposite is also true.

Is God’s family absent from our biological family? Is God’s family absent from our friends, our work, our country or even our church? What does the psalmist say? Where can I go from your presence? Where can I flee from your sight? No place is exactly God’s family, but no place is absent of it either. This is such good news we don’t even know what to do with it. And so the task is to seek and find where God is and then join in.

The way out…

Which family would you choose? Johnny’s, one where love is only given after success. Or Mary’s, one where love is given that leads us to strive for success? The bad news is this, we don’t get to choose our family. The good news is this, God has already chosen us for his family. And can anything separate us from the love that is in this family?

NO! Paul writes, in all these things (these persecutions, hardships and distress) we are more than conquerors, more than victorious, more than Super Bowl champs, but not because of what we’ve done, but through him who loved us. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come nor powers, nor height nor depth nor anything else in all of creation can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”