Proverbs 24:3-5 (NIV): By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.

1. God Created Family

Genesis 1:26-28 (NIV): 26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and overall the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Genesis 2:18-24 (NIV): The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” 19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 23 The man said,“This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” 24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

Purpose of Family

Reflection

Replicate

Rule

2. Sin Redefined Family

Genesis 3:20-21 (NLT): 20 Then the man—Adam—named his wife Eve, because she would be the mother of all who live. 21 And the LORD God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife.

Three Common Roles Orphans May Assume

The Victim

The Persecutor

The Rescuer

Personality Types of the Orphan

The Showoff

The People Pleaser

The Timid

The Isolationist

The Fighter

The Moralist

3. Jesus Restored Family

Ephesians 2:19 (NLT): So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.

Ephesians 3:15 (NIV): For this reason I kneel before the Father,  15  from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.

-      We are Born into a FAMILY of Unconditional Love

Romans 5:8 (NLT): But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

1 John 4:9-10 (NLT): 9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

-      We are Adopted into a FAMILY of Unmerited Favor

Ephesians 1:5 (NLT): God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

Galatians 4:4-7 (NLT): But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.

-      We are Transferred into a FAMILY of Unearned Blessings

Colossians 1:13 (NLT): For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,

Romans 8:14-17 (NLT): 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.