The weekend of August 24th was a weekend of joy and delight!
Nearly 100 of my relatives and extended family members from across the United States gathered in Omaha to have a family reunion. "It was a grand and glorious time."
The family reunion was not only a time to get reacquainted with family members that we already knew, but it was an opportunity for us to meet new extended family members. My family reunion was a reunion of the Bobo family and the Danner family? The Danner family is from my mother's side of the family. It has been traced back to 1835 In South Carolina, and the history of the Danner family has been traced back even farther then this.
Our reunion was about discovery and connecting and building a family. It was an amazing time for all who attended. We laughed, and we shared personal stories of tragedy and triumph. We remembered the funny and the not so funny stories about others, and we discovered how we were connected to the relatives we met for the first time. It was a grand and glorious time!
The Bobo family is from my mother’s side of the family, and it originated from the Fulani tribe in the country of Nigeria. This fact was discovered when my cousin, Charlotte, had a DNA test, made famous by Oprah Winfrey and many others. The test has been proven to be 99% accurate. Wow! What a discovery! I can still recall my sense of awe as I stepped off a plane in 2000 when I went to Nigeria with a group from the Nebraska Annual Conference. As I looked around, I paused for a while -- taking in the moment and wondering if this was where it all began for me. And now, seven years later, I discover the answer is "Yes." I now know more about my genealogical roots. What an enlightening fact this is for me!
I will share more discoveries at a later date, but for now, I want to concentrate on family.
As I reflect on my weekend, I can't help but think how the Church is like Family.
1 Timothy 3:15, 5:1-8
The Church Is Family! That' is good news!
Now, did you read Timothy 3:15? "I am writing this message to you, so you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth." In this scripture verse, the word "household" is the term used for family.
Read 1 Timothy 5:4 "Children of widows should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family."
Read 1 Timothy 5:8. "If you do) not provide for your relatives, and especially for your immediate family, you have denied your faith and your family. Doing this is worse than being an unbeliever."
Two truths are obvious here. First, family matters! And second, the church is family!
There are other scripture readings where the Bible makes this same claim.
Ephesians 2:19-20 reads, "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household . . ." Here, we notice the use of the word "household" again.
Hebrews 2:11 contains an amazing statement. The passage is talking about the Son of God identifying with humanity and becoming a man who will die on the cross for us. "Both the one who makes us holy and those who are made holy are of the same family, and Jesus was not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters."
We are family on earth and in heaven. That's good news!
The church is family. We all have the same heavenly Father, and we are brothers and sisters in Christ. We also have family resemblances.
In our biological families, we may look like our parents. Of course, there are exceptions. Take my family, for example. I have four brothers and two sisters. None of us look exactly alike, but we have the same features. Some of us look like my father, while others look like my mother. I look a lot like my mother. The same is true of Idalene's and my three children. William, III looks like me, Jenna looks like Idalene, and Jamise resembles both of us.
At first glance, you might not think the church family resembles each other much, and externally that's true. We come from different races and different ethnic backgrounds. Some are tall, and some are short. Some have dark hair, and some have almost no hair. Our personalities are different, too. Some are outgoing, while others are more reserved. Some folks bubble over with energy, while others are more laid back.
We are all individuals, and we all have different characteristics. There are family resemblances though! Morally and spiritually, in our behaviors
and in our reactions to things around us, there are (or at least there should be) resemblances.
That's what the Bible is driving at when it says that God's plan is that we "be conformed to the likeness of His Son" (Romans 8:29) "and that your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5. We resemble one another because the same Spirit is trying to produce the same inner qualities in our lives--love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:26.
We are family. That's the good news. We are not alone. We have a big family that cares about one another. Our brothers and sisters are here to support and encourage us. When we are down, they lift us up. When we are discouraged, they cheer us up. When we hurt, they hurt. When we are honored, they share our joy. Our family includes older folks, from whom we can learn. And, there are younger folks who make us laugh, encourage us, and remind us that the family will live on, even when we cannot. That's good to know.
We are family, and we are all headed for a great family reunion some day. We are going to spend eternity loving the Father and getting better acquainted with one another. We will meet relatives we never knew we had. It will be a wonderful reunion when the family meets at our Father's house.
Aren't you glad we are part of the family--the family of God! Amen.
