God Works Through Families

1 Chronicles 2:1-2 These were the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 

Jacob's sons, The Children of Israel (as his name would later be changed to on Peniel) 

The Old Testament is God's dealing with them in order to bring Jesus into the world.

The New Testament is God keeping His promise to do that and Jesus building His Church.

Here at the end of time it is God dealing with the children once more which will lead to their acceptance of His Word in both Testaments.

There is a reason beyond what our leaders know about Jerusalem and the nation of Israel why peace is elusive. All the terrorism is tied into this.

And the whole thing is a family feud over property rights!

The whole theme of Chronicles is to show the royal line of David through Judah and onto Jesus Christ.

When God sent Jesus it was to a family. Mary, His mother. Joseph, her espoused, both of the line of David. Son of David, son of Abraham. The second Adam.

According to the Word of God we are either children of God or children of the devil.

Yet... 

God works through families.

1. All Families Are Messed Up Due to Sin.

Jacob and Esau- Rebekah and Isaac

Favoritism

Deception  -Brian Williams

Struggle over the blessings of the firstborn

God had His Hand upon Jacob.

Genesis 28:13-15 There above it stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 

There are no perfect families, no perfect parents and no perfect kids. We aim for perfection but fall short. Yet God works out His plan.

2. Sometimes Painful Things Happen Within Families

Joseph and his brothers

Jacob deceived Isaac and now he is being deceived by his sons about Joseph.

Jacob got very low emotionally. 

Genesis 42:36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!” 

Jacob did not realize it but God was at work in his pain. He did not have a correct assessment of the situation.  So often as God works in families and through them we do not understand what He is doing. We see painful things and think, "Everything is against me!"

"All this can't really be happening to me!"

We seldom see what God is doing, how He is working all things together for our good, how His Hand is in all that happens.

If you are a child of God rest assured that there is nothing you are going through or going to go through where God is absent or not involved in working out His plan.

Years later in David, Jesse's son, God would work again around jealous brothers.

David and his brothers. 7th son, the family's shepherd. Anointed by Samuel

There was jealousy over this. They all passed before Samuel but none of them were the one. They had to send to the fields of Bethlehem for David who out there with the family flock.

1 Samuel 17:28-29 When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.” “Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?” 

God used David to kill Goliath and set Israel free from their arch enemy, the Philistines. He used Joseph to save the children of Israel in a time of famine and not only them but the whole world! 

Joseph had dreams God have given him. No one in his family understood at the time.  David had the anointing. Even his own family didn't see it. Jesus had a similar problem:

Mark 3:20-21, 31-35 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” 

On an earlier occasion  Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” Mark  6.4

God is at work, even when families don't see the anointed of God standing among them, even when they are looking right at him, eye to eye.

3. God Has Plans And Works His Will Out Through The Messes and Ones That Are Whole.

Messed up Ones Like Jacob's

God was sovereignly at work. 

Blessed Ones Like Timothy's

Timothy's heritage:

2 Timothy 1:5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 

Franklin Graham: Yesterday I went to see my father. He had a good week and was very alert. I shared with him some of our ministry plans for the coming year and that many people were praying for him. That was a great encouragement to him. My son Will and his son were also there--that was four generations of William Franklin Grahams in one room!

4. Jesus Is Building His Church, God's Family.

I will build my church- build means grow a family

all the persons forming one family, a household

the family of God, of the Christian Church

Two weeks ago Bettina's mom in Haiti

The Father is calling the prodigals.

He is calling those who never knew Him.

5. God Knows Exactly What He Is Doing! 

Trust His plan for your life. He will speak to you on this journey. He will watch over you.

His work through your family.

Families can inflict pain.

Families can instill values.

God will use both!

His work in you.