God's ultimate purpose     3/2000

Dear Church,

Here's the headline: GOD IS EXPANDING HIS FAMILY...HE WANTS YOU TO HELP!

Some theologians use the term "redemptive history" to explain what God has been doing throughout Scripture. He has been redeeming (ransoming, buying back) a people for Himself. The word "redemptive" speaks of God's activity or process. Another way to talk of this would focus on the result or objective of His activity. We would then talk about "family formation history" because this is God's ultimate goal. In some ways I like this term better than "redemptive history" because it keeps us focused on where God is going.

For instance, in Gal 4:4-6 Paul tells us, 'But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father."' The goal of redemption is the creation of a family. To say it another way, the motivation of God's heart is for sons (and daughters) who will call Him "Abba" ... "Pappa"...."Daddy".

We are all fond of quoting Rom 8:28: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." However, it is in v. 29 that we are told what his "purpose" is. "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." God is working in all things to form a family of children who are like Jesus in their relationship with the Father.

"Family formation history" gives the framework for all that Jesus did. His primary focus during the three years of his ministry was his relationship with a group (a family?) of twelve men. The primary themes of his teaching with his disciples concerned His Father. (Do a word search in the Gospels of God as Father. I count 43 times in Matthew alone. More than that in John.) When they wanted to learn to pray he taught them to say, "Our Father..." (Mt. 6:9). When he talked about the future, he said that he was going to His Father's house to prepare a place for them (Jn. 14:2) In describing his ministry he said that he only did what he saw His Father doing (Jn. 5:19). The main focus of his life was to model and teach family to 12 men. The purpose of his death was to redeem/ransom them (and us) from the kingdom of darkness into the His kingdom (family). (Col 1:13-14)

After Jesus trained His disciples, He instructed them to do the same thing - make disciples (Mt. 28:19-20). That is, he commissioned them to the work of "family forming". How were they to do that? Just like Jesus did it! (Luke 6:40: "A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.") How did Jesus do it? He gathered 12 men and taught them about his Dad and began to "do" family. In a large family, the older children take on some of the parenting responsibilities. Jesus, as the oldest son, "parented" His disciples. Then He told his disciples to go and do the same thing with some others.

What does this have to do with us? Certainly God's heart for creating a family is still the same. He is still redeeming men and women and adopting them into his family. He is still concerned that they be discipled/trained/parented so that they grow up to look like the Oldest Brother. Also, in our day He is doing a new (old) thing... in many places around the world He is returning the church to the home. (The home being the very best place to learn "family"!)

 Love you all,

John