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We Are Family: Concept Document
July 2021
This is a series with the theme of unity in the Body of Christ. After the difficulties of 2020, it seems important to invite the church to come back together.
Jesus prayed for this unity in John 17: 20-23!
Using some awkward family situations in the Bible we can uncover several themes that are essential for unity. We might approach the scriptures by asking this question: What can the church learn from these awkward biblical family situations?
The themes for the weeks will be:
July 4 – Joseph sold as a slave. Forgiveness
Joseph has every right to hate and take revenge, by the standards of his day and ours. But instead, Joseph offers his brothers mercy and forgiveness. There is an awkward moment pending if Joseph decides for retribution, but instead he offers grace. If the church wants to know the unity Jesus prayed for, we will need to learn to offer mercy and forgiveness to others.
July 11 – Peter and Andrew. Influence
The first thing Peter does is find his brother Andrew and share the good news. It is Peter’s influence that is vital to Andrew. We have influence in the Body of Christ, and we must be aware that our words and actions sway the opinions of others. To be the church that Jesus calls us to be, we need to be faithful stewards of our influence.
July 18 – Jesus’ mother and brothers. Family of God.
Jesus shocks us when he declares that those who are a part of the family of God are more his family than his own mother and brothers. This is a challenging idea, but it demonstrates the power of relationships in the church and how important it is that those relationships honor God.
July 25 – James and John’s Mother’s request. Misunderstanding the Kingdom
James’ and John’s mom simply misunderstands Jesus’ kingdom. She imagines it as a place of power and position. Jesus isn’t about those things. It is easy for us to suffer from “kingdom confusion” in these days. Jesus' strong (and awkward) family interaction here reminds us of the importance of submission to the proper kingdom.
It might be fun to introduce the messages with a few “Awkward Family Photos” from the internet.
I think there is real potential here for some healing if we handle these messages appropriately. Obviously, we need to saturate this endeavor in prayer asking God for wisdom and guidance.
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KeywordsSermon, sermon help, unity, family, forgiveness, influence, misunderstanding, absolute devotion
Peer Reviewed?No
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