Blessing The World Through Family

This Sunday I dug into the story of Joseph, which is one of the lengthier narratives in the Bible with all kinds of connections to themes and stories throughout the rest of scripture. If you wish you were a little more familiar with the main figures and stories of Genesis and how they fit together take the 8 minutes to watch this excellent illustrated summary from the Bible Project:

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/25a64b_f90a74d88e4b4746bcfd8ef8872b1179/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

One important theme brought out in this video, and one I refer back to periodically as a preacher, is that God chose to bless the world and enact his plan of redemption through a family. Abram, who became Abraham, was chosen to have a specially blessed relationship with God so that "all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

This comes about through Abraham's family line, from him to Isaac to Jacob to Jacob's sons, including Joseph as well as Judah. Judah is redeemed through Joseph's testing and his eventual descendent is Jesus.

They eventually become a nation, Israel, but in the end we're still talking about a family that God blessed in order to bless the world and make himself known to the peoples of the world to rescue them from sin and its deadly corruption of God's good creation.

God didn't pick a group of people to conquer the world and rule it - Israel was never a major power like Egypt or Babylon. God chose a family of people to live by faith as an example that would spread across the world. And it worked! Jesus came from that family and no spiritual "way" or religion has spread farther or had greater influence than what Jesus inspired and the Holy Spirit empowered.

So bless your family and trust God.

I know that the state of the world is frightening - we've got three of horsemen of the apocalypse running loose at the moment and adding war to pestilence and death is likely to unleash famine to complete the set.

Four and counting...

We read the news and live some of it out ourselves. More and more people can't afford basic necessities as their prices rise. And as we start to emerge from the worst of the pandemic in Canada many of us are coming back to things that have languished - businesses, hobbies, community organizations, and - yes - churches.

So what is there to do? Bless your family and trust God.

I'm using family broadly here - the Biblical family that started with Abraham grew into a whole nation. But let's start with immediate family, in whatever stage yours is in. How can you bless them? Healthy, happy families defined by Christ-like love and service bless the world. You don't have to figure out how they'll bless the world, you bless your family and trust God to use that.

Enjoy and strengthen your marriage. Adore your kids and model good things for them. Respect and support your parents. Love and encourage your siblings and extended family. This is your greatest and most important ministry. (Consider 1st Timothy 5:4 - "But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.")

Remember also that, as Christians, God has given us another family, the spiritual family that is His Church and the body of the local church that we belong to. Churches are part of God's plan to bless the world. We can do that through outreach and evangelism and meeting practical needs in our communities. But our witness will never be very strong if we don't begin with blessing our church family. There are too many people out there who have already heard of Jesus and have even belonged to churches at one time but experienced deep disappointment, hurt, abuse, or rejection at the hands of unhealthy church families.

I spend a certain amount of time thinking and planning and wondering about what it means to rebuild from our COVID-19 experience and write the next chapter of the life of our church. Plans and programs have their place. But they are far less important than the individual decisions our church family members will make about whether or not to re-engage and come seeking to bless their spiritual family here. They determine whether or not this next season will be one of joy and gratitude, whether or not we will overflow with grace and love for one another as we re-connect, and whether or not we come with a desire to serve each other for our mutual good.

You are invited to fully belong to a family that God has given to us to bless us, and the world. Let's give some thought to that and what it means for us.

Galatians 6:9-10 says: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

That's the word I have for today, church: bless your family and trust God with the rest.

If you want to listen to a deep dive into Joseph's story and how it is built on themes that resonate through the Bible you can listen to this podcast on the second half of Joseph's story in Genesis. Click here to go to check that out. This is also produced by The Bible Project, who are doing some of the best public theology and accessible Bible teaching around in my opinion.

Wednesday Devotional:

Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the whole earth. (Psalm 96:1)

I call with my whole heart; answer me, O Lord, that I may keep your statutes. (Psalm 119:145)

Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; you are worthy of praise; glory to you.

Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name; we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you in the splendour of your temple; on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.

Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you, beholding the depths; in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.

Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; we will praise you and highly exalt you forever.

Righteousness shall go before him, and peace shall be a pathway for his feet. (Psalm 85:13)

O Israel, trust in the Lord; he is their help and their shield.

O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord; he is their help and their shield.

You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; he is their help and their shield.

The Lord has been mindful of us, and he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron;

He will bless those who fear the Lord, both small and great together.

(Psalm 115:9-13)

Almighty God, whose Son our Saviour Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illuminated by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

*From Phyllis Tickle's The Divine Hours