The current sermon series is Family Network. Sunday’s message was titled “The Beautiful Picture.” As such, I sat there and chuckled to myself for quite a while after Pastor Bart said, “Families are messy.” How is that a beautiful picture? Yet I believe both are true, families are a beautiful picture despite being real messy. The hope I have is in the eternal Father and the family we have for all eternity. When Jesus comes, the family will become perfect, a beautiful thing.
Pastor taught us that the beautiful picture comes into focus when members of the family actively work together; believe similarly, have the same purpose, and have the proper leadership. There is no ideal family, but there is a transformed family. As families work together in the kingdom, each individual in the family will be transformed and the family as an entity will be transformed from something messy to something beautiful.
Now, that isn’t always easy. As the old saying goes, every family always has a black sheep. But, just because they have a different color wool, doesn’t mean they stop being a sheep. The Father desires greatly to bring that one back into the family. Yes, the Good Shepherd will have to work doubly hard to find and bring back the lost sheep but as long as the remaining members of the family continue to pray, love, and bear a strong witness in their lives, there is hope. Our messy families will be transformed as we work together in the love of Christ to be like Jesus. Let’s move.
What is your challenge in transforming your messy family? What is your next step?
You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. -Ephesian 2:19-21
