STEP SEVEN

Get to Know the Family

Guess what? You’re not God’s only child! Your family isn’t the only family you have! Because God is your Father, you belong to a HUGE family. This family is one of God’s special gifts to you. Belief in Jesus, not blood or DNA, binds us together as a family.

We can’t just get to know God by ourselves, we need help! Throughout the Bible, God is continually referred to as our Father (Matthew 6:9). We get to know our spiritual Father through our brothers and sisters. They reflect attributes of him just like real brothers and sisters reflect different aspects of our parents. They relate to him in different ways than we do. Or, they may have known him for a longer time and can share about him, teaching us more about him than we have experienced.

God calls his family “the Church.” We think of churches as buildings, but the Bible’s concept of church is actually a group of people called a “body,” often referred to as a family.

BIBLE STUDY

Ephesians 2:12-22

…Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

(English Standard Version)

Hebrews 10:24-25

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

(English Standard Version)

ACTION STEP

Take Step Seven

1. First, pray. Ask your Father to bring some brothers and sisters into your life, and to lead you to a good church family.
2. Then, think. Do you know any other Christians in your life? Do you know of a good Bible-believing church? Are there any kids in your school who you know have God as their Father too?
3. Next, plan. Plan to take action to make a connection with one of your brothers and sisters. Ask the girl you know who loves Jesus to sit with you at lunch. Reach out to the guy you know who knows Jesus. Look up when the church you know of is having a service and plan to go.

We know it might take some courage, but you can do it! Reach out to a fellow Christian. They will be so encouraged to discover you are a family member! Take the first step in building a relationship with another believer in Jesus.