Have you come
to Christ
for adoption ?
His Good News is that we can be adopted into God's Family and have our sins forgiven. As we receive God's forgiveness, we are given strength to turn from sin and follow Jesus like His apostles and the early Church did. Has the Holy Spirit led you to receive Christ's sacrifice (atonement) for your sins? Have you believed that Jesus truly is the way, the truth, and the life? Have you received Him?
joining
the Household
of Faith
Ask God to save you.
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and thou shalt be saved,
and thine house." Acts 16:32
the church
our larger
family
Parents who know Jesus will raise their children as members of God's family. They promise before God and the Church to teach their covenant children the ways of faith and to learn to love, know, and serve the God who gave them life. The Holy Spirit enables children to understand and receive the gospel which speaks daily healing for their weaknesses, failures, and sins. This "salvation", as our parents came to know it, is not just a decision to join a church or a desire to become more spiritual. God views our being yoked with Jesus as a life-long communion with him. Jesus said, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Mt. 11:28-30).
god's church disciples
"in Christ" living
When we receive Jesus into our lives, we become His. We are adopted into the family of God. Our bodies are declared "temples" of the Holy Spirit and his work sanctifies or makes us holy as we learn to follow his guidance into all truth. Then our households become places of His love and grace as we live for God, for one another, and for His Kingdom.
mary & Joseph's family
reflect a godly household
Mary and the members of her family depended upon carpentry toil for their livelihood before and after Joseph's death. Jesus was considered the eldest son. He was careful to follow Joseph's training and example. He helped steward their household like Joseph had. So as they worked together, he taught them both in the shop and by regular attendance at the synagogue. Jesus was known in the synagogue for his understanding and teachings from the books of Moses, the Psalms, and the prophetic Scriptures.
God placed Jesus in this household. His faithfulness in the carpenter's shop was shown in the quality of the tables, chairs, and farm yokes they made. G. Campbell Morgan asserts that this was a significant part of pleasing his heavenly Father and preparing for his cross work. God's family is brought together in peace through the blood Jesus shed on the cross. That is why taking communion and remembering our Savior, as His blood bought family, is so important.
During one of their yearly trips to Jerusalem for Passover, Mary and Joseph left to return to Nazareth not realizing that Jesus, who was twelve, was not with them. This troubled them and they returned to Jerusalem. "After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers." When asked 'why' by his mother, Jesus replied, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" Though Mary did not understand this reply at the time, " she treasured up all these things in her heart" (Luke 2:41-52).
We hope our children, like Jesus, will want to be in their heavenly Father's house. The blessings of the Father come through receiving God's Word. The Holy Spirit helped Jesus to increase in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man. Like Jesus, our children are not lost when they are found in our Father's house. It is good for them to listen, to ask questions, to understand the Scriptures, and to find God's answers and will for their lives. Little is said in the gospels about family interaction so when answering the question, "who are your mother or brother or sister?", Jesus answered, "Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother" (Mark 3:32-35).