Family
About this series
In some senses nothing has changed - the church is still the church, with the same values, the same vision and the same people. Yet, so much has changed - we are now onsite and online, people are still going through a historic event and church life will never be quite the same again. A series on the church is therefore very timely and will hopefully remind people of the unchangeable nature of the church as well as envisioning people for what has changed. We’re framing this series of Sunday talks around eight terms used in the New Testament to describe the church - people, family, community, temple, unity, body, disciples, witnesses. These are the words the New Testament uses to describe the Spirit-empowered people of God and these are key elements for how we want to build Citygate.
About this talk
Scripture: Hebrews 2:5-18
The most common word the New Testament writers use (over 100 times) to refer to fellow Christians is "brothers” (meaning “brothers and sisters"). Because God is our Father, all his children are therefore siblings in his family. Being a child of God, his son (or daughter) is the primary mark of our new identity as God’s adopted children. Jesus, the perfect Son, is the way we enter the family and the model for relationships in the family. This radically affects how we see ourselves, God’s people collectively and each individual we are in the family with. For Jesus not to be ashamed to call us brothers and sisters is a remarkable thing. What does it mean, in practice, to be family? What does it not mean (some of the unbiblical ideas we may have)? What does it mean to people from different cultural backgrounds?
If you have any questions about this talk, want to find out more about Citygate Church, or want to know more about what it means to be a Christian, please fill in our online Connect form at citygate.church/connect.
Watch it here
Audio only
Talk summary
Questions for Life Groups
The questions below have been created for our Life Groups to facilitate discussion around this talk.
Read together Hebrews 2:5-18 and Ephesians 1:3-5, Ephesians 2:19-22.
Family
Church is not like a family it is a family, if we are followers of Christ then Jesus is our older brother and we are children of God together. Do you have a physical brother? Had you thought of Jesus in this way before, as your big brother? In what ways is Jesus the best brother of all? What does it mean to you to be part of Gods family?
Gathering
There are many legitimate reasons at present (during the COVID-19 pandemic) that can prevent us from gathering together. Russ was encouraging us as in scripture Hebrews 10:24 & 25 to make every effort to gather where possible. Even if you cannot commit to coming onsite to Citygate (shielding/isolating/health reasons etc) are there other ways you can gather with your spiritual family? Are there others within our Citygate family that you could encourage to keep gathering?
Growing
Look at Ephesians 4:11-13.
Russ spoke about serving. Serving creates a wonderful environment for growth and maturity, particularly growing in love, love of our Father means loving his children, one another. Are you currently able, and therefore using your gifts to bless and love the church? We need people to help us with our children's work as we look to start that up again in November, could you help? To get people in and out of the building safely and according to current guidelines for both our morning meeting, and from November, our evening meetings, we need extra help on our welcome team, could you help there? Russ also spoke about family bringing challenge, in love. Who are you doing life with, are you real and vulnerable with 1 or 2 others? Are you open to receiving challenge from those you trust in order that you might grow in your likeness to Jesus?
Going
Russ spoke about how our adoption of Southbourne and our launch of an evening meeting is about going, creating more space and more opportunity to reach others and invite others in to hear and know God's love and God's family for themselves. Are you struggling with the ways that we are 'going'? How can we encourage one another to see these as positive gospel opportunities? Talk together about opportunities you've had to show love to others during this season. What other opportunities could there be for you, either individually or as a group, to reach out and show love to others during the next few months?
Prayer
Pray for each other for a greater revelation from the Holy Spirit of Gods love for each of us.
Pray for more people to sign up to serving at Citygate.
Pray for the Southbourne site and the growing church there.
Pray for Hannah Agus as she re-groups our children's work in the current challenges around COVID-19.
Pray about the opportunities to love and bless others that you have talked about during your time together.
