Carrying The Family Name

Aug 6, 2023 | by Jake Pickens | series: (All)


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From a historic perspective it’s fascinating to think of ourselves as the people of time who are between Christ’s first coming and his second. When we read through the Bible from a top down perspective we see that God has been at work through the ages and eras of time. From the great flood, to the land of Canaan, to the exile of Israel, we see God’s hand at work throughout the scripture – culminating in the coming of his Son, Jesus. But now, Jesus has ascended, the Bible is completed, and we don’t get the benefit of that lofty perspective to see the big picture. As people of faith, we know that He is at work, but what are the details…how is he at work?

Believe it or not, the Bible does give us answers to these types of questions. We find them throughout the New Testament letters, particularly from the Apostle Paul who gives his job description in Ephesians 3:

“Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.”
The administration that Paul is trying to make plain is the inner working of the Church, which is God’s family born from his spirit and founded on the good news of Jesus Christ. It is a simple idea really, when you come to know Jesus you are invited into his family. Family has culture, it has framework, it has network. Paul used his letter to the Church at Corinth to inform God’s people how they ought to conduct themselves in these times between Jesus coming again. You can think of it like learning how to carry the family name. What are the boundaries of our family culture, how should we walk and talk, more specifically (1 Corinthians 12) what is our contribution to the family structure and mission? Paul makes it clear that what God is doing, he’s doing through people. If you are a child of God’s, he has specifically gifted you for the work he is doing in the world.