Message

When the Spirit of God dwells within us, we are given new birth as God’s children, and new life (Romans 8:11). We are then free to greet God as Jesus did with the words, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 2:15). “Abba” means “daddy,” and is a term of endearment Jesus uses for his heavenly father. We also become heirs to NEW life in the kingdom now and forever. There is no real guarantee in life except that which comes from God – the promise of eternal life.

In Jesus day, a rabbi would address his congregation as “my children.” Age was not a consideration. You could be eight or 88 or any age in between. This was because all people are God’s children. The rabbi was shepherd of his flock and felt a real responsibility for those in his care, responding as a loving parent would. The early Christian church gathered for worship in the homes of its members, which may be why the early church was called “the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19).

The church today is commonly referred to as the family of God. All of us gathered here today are family, brothers and sisters. Church members care for one another in times of need. When there is a new birth, we celebrate together. In death, we mourn and weep with one another. Problems can and do arise in every family, and the church family is no exception.

We gather in small groups reminiscent of the early church meetings, sometimes in one another’s homes and occasionally in rooms here at church. This is where close relationships develop among us and bonds grow stronger and deeper. We tell our stories in a homey atmosphere of warmth, acceptance, and fellowship. It is a safe harbor for naming our failures and sharing our successes.

We share our faith experiences and are encouraged by the events in others’ lives. Jesus, our brother, is the tie that binds us to God and to one another. The Sacred circle we form symbolizes God’s love. It has no beginning, no middle, and no end. The circle is as eternal as God’s love and as our life in Christ.

In the Lord’s Prayer, both of the words “Our” and “Father” indicate a relationship. We are brothers and sisters of Christ and children of God, sharing the same father within a huge family. Both Jews and Gentiles, and all of humanity, are “fellow heirs, members of the same body, and share in the promise” (Ephesians 3:6).

When we understand how much God loves us, we act differently. I know you have all heard of self-fulfilling prophecies.

When a child is told that he or she is dumb, that’s how the child will feel, and eventually will become. When we are treated as lovable, valuable persons, we act differently. Love changes us.

In Ron Davis’ book, Mistreated, he relates the story of two Roman Catholic altar boys who had almost identical experiences. One boy was serving in Illinois and the other was serving in eastern Europe. While assisting the priest with holy communion, each boy accidentally spilled some wine from the chalice onto the floor.

In eastern Europe, the priest saw the purple stain on the floor and he saw red. He slapped the boy in the face, and said, “You clumsy oaf. Leave the altar right now. Your services are no longer needed here.”

In Illinois, the priest responded differently. “That’s okay, son. We all have an accident from time to time. You will be more careful and do better next time, I know. You will be a fine priest of God someday.”

The altar boy from Illinois was Fulton J. Sheen, Sheen grew up to become beloved bishop in the Roman Catholic tradition.

The altar boy from eastern Europe was Josip Bronz Tito. He grew up to become an atheist and the despotic dictator of Yugoslavia from 1943 to 1980.

I wonder if world history might have been different had that priest reacted toward young Tito with the love of God rather than from anger. Love can be a powerful force for good in this world.

We are God’s children, not because of anything we do, but simply because God loves us. As children of God, what we will be when Christ returns is yet to be revealed. As children of God, we live as Christ lived, walking in the light of God’s amazing grace. We will see God face-to-face in the last hour. And in between times, God abides in the community of faith, in fellowship with Christ, and with us. God is love. Walking in that love, we will live forever.

Pastoral Prayer

Holy God, you call us together. You promise to be with us. You are with us at work and at home, when we travel and relax.

Thank you for each person here, for family and friends, for brothers and sisters and parents, for mentors and teachers and grandparents.

Thank you for bringing us to this holy place, where we can see that we are loved, we are safe and we belong to you.

God of this day, the story of your love stretches from creation to Noah, from Moses to King David to the prophets. You shape our lives with the story of Jesus, born in a manger, walking on water, teaching love, showing forgiveness, and giving us new life.

As we have studied your biography in Scriptures, we have turned our lives toward your love, and written your commandments on our hearts.

We know that your love is for all: those who are happy and those who are sad. Be especially with those who are facing a new beginning, and those who face an ending, those who celebrate and those who struggle.Let your love shine, O God, in this place, and in every place, and hear us as we pray together the prayer Jesus taught us, saying:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.