Scripture reading: Romans 12:9-12

Do we disappoint the world?

Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.”

Zechariah 8:233 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’ ”

The church is the family of God! Romans 12:10 NKJV “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another” The church is the family of God!

Ephesians 3:14, 15 “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named”

Do we realize that we are the family of God?

“brother” and “sister” They are descriptions of who we are! What did Jesus teach? “brother” and “sister” are not titles we wear! They are descriptions of who we are! Mark 3:34, 35 And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God is my brother and my sister and mother.”

Mark 10:28-30 Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Think of what it could do: It could cure the empty church problem

2. Do we act like we are the family of God?

“Be kindly affectionate A special word in the original Romans 12:10 “Be kindly affectionate with brotherly love” A special word in the original that means family love!

This kind of love magnifies the good Philippians 2:3 NIV “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”

This kind of love is longsuffering with faults 1 Corinthians 13:4 “Love suffers long.” Verse 7 “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things”

Romans 12:10 “in honor preferring one another” Luke 22:24-26 A dispute arose, as to which of them was the greatest. And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them . . . but not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest and the leader as one who serves.”