Thought For The Week

In a thoughtful sermon delivered on a Sunday morning, the preacher, Mike, continued a series on family relationships, shifting focus from the natural, fleshly family to the spiritual family of God—the church. Building on a midweek lesson titled “Someone Needs Help By Someone,” Mike used Scripture to illuminate how believers enter God’s family, the nature of that family bond, and God’s eternal purpose in adopting us as His children.

Mike opened by thanking the Scripture reader, Roger, and noting the congregation’s flexibility when scheduled readers fall ill—a practical example of family members stepping in to help one another. This theme of mutual support set the stage for exploring both fleshly and spiritual families, though the morning message centered on the latter.

Central to the sermon was the truth that not everyone is automatically a child of God in the spiritual sense. While God created all humanity, spiritual sonship requires a deliberate response. Quoting John 1:12-13, Mike explained: “But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” This birth is spiritual, not physical.

Jesus clarified this to Nicodemus in John 3:3-5. When the Pharisee visited by night, Jesus declared, “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus, confused, asked if a man could enter his mother’s womb a second time. Jesus replied, “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” Mike stressed that this “birth of water and the Spirit” refers to baptism accompanied by faith, not natural childbirth as some claim.

The apostle Paul confirms this in Galatians 3:26-27: “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Baptism, therefore, is the moment believers are clothed with Christ and enter God’s family. Mike noted that while John 3:16 emphasizes belief for eternal life, it must be understood alongside verse 5’s requirement of water and Spirit—belief leads to obedient action, including baptism.

A striking illustration came from Matthew 12:48-50. While Jesus taught a crowd after healing a demon-possessed man and refuting the Pharisees’ accusation that He cast out demons by Beelzebub, His mother and brothers arrived seeking to speak with Him. Someone informed Jesus, but He responded, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” Stretching His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Jesus redefined family: spiritual obedience to God creates bonds surpassing even the closest blood ties. Doing the Father’s will makes us intimate members of Christ’s family—brothers, sisters, even “mother” in relational closeness.

Ephesians 1:3-5 provided deeper insight into God’s plan. Paul writes, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.”

Mike lingered on two words: “chose” and “adoption.” God chose believers in Christ before creation itself, predestining us for adoption. To illustrate, Mike shared a moving story aired on television (similar to tales in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series). An older biological son initially bullied his younger adopted brother. One day, the adopted boy returned from school dejected after a classmate cruelly said his birth mother discarded him “like trash.” The older brother, now compassionate, sat beside him and said, “Listen—my parents chose you, and my parents do not accept trash.”

This anecdote beautifully mirrored divine adoption. Though sin makes humanity appear worthless in earthly eyes, God sees us as precious. He chose us deliberately, not reluctantly, before the world began. When we obey the gospel, we are adopted into His family—not as second-class members, but as beloved sons and daughters receiving every spiritual blessing in Christ.

Mike connected this to Ephesians 3:14-15, where Paul prays to “the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.” The church bears Christ’s name—Christians—and forms a universal spiritual family uniting believers on earth with the redeemed in heaven.

Yet, no family is without challenges. Mike acknowledged that while the church is perfect from the divine perspective—purchased by Christ’s sinless blood and designed for holiness—its human members are imperfect. Personal opinions, selfish ways, and sin can create division. Still, because Jesus became sin for us though He knew no sin, and because His blood continually cleanses those walking in the light (1 John 1:7), there is no condemnation for those in Christ (Romans 8:1).

Mike closed with an invitation. For those not yet in God’s family, the path is clear: believe in Jesus, repent, be born again through baptism into Christ, and begin living according to the Father’s will. For those already adopted, the call is to cherish our spiritual siblings, work through problems with grace, and strive daily to please God. In both fleshly and spiritual families, love, obedience, and mutual help reflect the heart of our Heavenly Father who chose us in love before time began.

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In a recent sermon, the preacher, Mike, explored the profound concept of the spiritual family—the church—as distinct from our natural, fleshly families. Drawing from key Scriptures, he emphasized how believers become children of God and brothers and sisters in Christ.

Mike began by contrasting physical and spiritual birth. While all people are God’s creation, not all are His spiritual children. John 1:12-13 states that those who receive Christ and believe in His name are given the right to become children of God, born not of blood or human will, but of God. Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3-5 that one must be “born again” of water and the Spirit to enter the kingdom of God. This new birth occurs through faith and baptism, as Galatians 3:26-27 explains: “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ,” making us sons of God.

Turning to Matthew 12:48-50, Mike highlighted Jesus’ words when informed that His mother and brothers sought Him. Stretching His hand toward His disciples, Jesus declared, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Obedience to God’s will creates a deeper family bond than blood ties.

Ephesians 1:3-5 further reveals God’s eternal plan: He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world and predestined us for adoption as sons, according to His kind intention. Using a touching story of an adopted boy reassured that his parents “do not accept trash,” Mike illustrated that God deliberately chooses us as precious, not worthless.

The church, then, is God’s spiritual family, named after Christ (Ephesians 3:15). Though divine in design and perfect in purpose, it faces challenges because imperfect humans comprise it. Yet, as brothers and sisters in Christ, we are called to obey God’s will, support one another, and strive for holiness in this eternal family secured by Jesus’ sacrifice.

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