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The Family Table

“All peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” — Genesis 12:3

  Genesis 12:3

Many years ago a man received a message from God, and God basically adopted this man. Later God gave him the name Abraham, which means “father of many.” And yet Abraham had no children. Then God promised to bless Abraham with many children, and somehow, in some way, through Abraham’s family, God would bless all the peoples of the earth.

God stayed true to his promises to bless the world’s peoples through Abraham, even though Abraham’s descendants were quite dysfunctional. And God surprised everyone by keeping his promises through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, a descendant of Abraham. It turns out that Jesus was the Savior not only for God’s adopted people but also for all other peoples as well. And by faith, by trusting in Jesus, people from all nations, tribes, and languages can be adopted into God’s family.

So when we come to the Lord’s table, it is a family table. Just as we do not get to choose our families and all our relatives, there may well be people in our church family whom we might not have chosen. But God chose them—and us—to be a part of his family together. So we belong to God but also to each other. And at this family table there is grace.

Father, thank you for ­accepting us into your family. Just as you have received us in grace, help us do the same for one another. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Bible References

12 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;

23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

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