the Church of the Lord is called a number of things, but one time
in the Bible, the church is called a family, and there's a
no more, a beautiful representation than that,
because God structured, the spiritual family after the his
physical family because he made them both, we read in the
scriptures where the record says for this, cause I bow my knees
onto To the father of our Lord. Jesus Christ of whom the whole
family in Heaven and Earth is named Ephesians, 3:14 15.
This is a wonderful analogy. Between the Earthly family and
the spiritual family ever well-regulated.
Family must have a head. And God made man, the head of
the physical family. The husband, the father is the
head of the physical family. Now, that's the way God made it
because that's the way God wanted it.
And that's the way it must be. If people are well-pleasing unto
our heavenly father, any time, that's not the case.
There will be problems and there'll be trouble.
But that's the way the lord has laid it out.
The Bible says, for the husband is the head of the wife even as
Christ is the head of the church and he is the savior of the body
and we also read where that Christ is the head of the
church, the spiritual family as a father is the head of the
physical family. When he says and hath put all
things under his feet and gave him to be here.
Head over all things to the church, which is his body.
The fullness of him, that filleth all in all.
Well, he is the head of the body, the church Colossians 1
and 18 of course, as I've said to begin with, it is understood
that the family here is the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, in the Earthly family, all authority and Power.
Is resided in the head, which is the husband.
He is the head, he has the authority, and that's the way it
should be. We find this interspersed
throughout the entire teachings of God's word.
And as I said any time that this father, abdicates his position
and let somebody else step in and become the dominating
influence in the family. You're going to see trouble,
you're going to have problems. Now, if you're guessing at what
I'm saying is God doesn't approve of a henpecked husband.
Because that is unscriptural and God doesn't approve of a man who
will allow a woman to him. Pick him, that's out of God's
order. And there will always be
trouble, all powered authority of then are vested in the head
of the family. Jesus said, all power or
authority in heaven is given unto me in heaven and earth.
The practice and conduct of the family by sin, be regulated by
the authority of the head of the family, which is Jesus Christ.
And we must look to him for all of our Doctrine for all of our
teaching, for all of our Direction, in spiritual things.
When we don't do that, we're going to have problems in the
church. And when people decide that this
looks good to me, this looks good to be and decides to attach
some things to the church or to the family that God didn't put,
their the head didn't put their, there's going to be trouble in
the church. Now, the Human family was
brought into existence by a miracle, Adam was first formed
miraculously. And so was his wife, And they
were created full grown. Full-grown adults.
Everything else that God created was full grown.
The day was full-grown. The birds were full grown.
The trees were full grown. That's the way God ordered it.
Now then after that, he said into law in tube ocean, the law
of reproduction and he said, let everything bring forth after his
kind. So after that everything brought
forth, then after his kind and There was no way of getting into
this world except by physical reproduction, God's birth law,
that's the way God said it up. There are no three or four ways
of getting into the world. There's just one way, that's my
birth. Now, then the spiritual family
was created by a miracle on the day of Pentecost, the church was
set up, which is God's family, and it was created full-grown.
And after that, then God said, into motion to law spiritual
reproduction, and every person has ever been born or ever come
into the church, Has been brought into the church by one
way, that's by spiritual birth. Just exactly like it is with the
physical family. So that's the way we have it
here. And in proof of this, we read in
John 3 and 3. He must be born again.
We're begotten by the word of God, of his own will begat.
He us with the word of Truth, John 1, James 1 and 18, being
born again, not of corruptible seed, but of Incorruptible by
the word of God which liveth and abideth forever.
First Peter 1 After being begotten by the word of God.
They in begotten, by the word of God, then we are children of
God. We are brought forth from the
watery grave of baptism and this very terminology and phraseology
is suggested in Romans 6 and 3 where it says know ye not that.
So many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized
into his death. Then in Galatians, 3:26 and 17,
we read far Year all the children of God, by faith in
Christ. In Jesus Christ, far as many of
you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ
those. I thin how we become children in
God's spiritual family. We don't come into the spiritual
family by somebody praying in the mourners Beach.
By somebody lifting up their hands and testifying that God is
ladies Ann's upon them we come into their by spiritual birth.
John 3 and 3. Now this is a preface to my
sermon tonight on the family. I want to talk to you.
Now, if my voice will hold up, how about some of the blessings,
which are vouchsafe to those of us who are in the family?
And this is only for the family. I'm thankful to be a member of
the family of God. I'm All that.
The great God of evident. Would look down upon a perv poor
person such as I and adopt me as his son as his child.
That's what remarkable. One of the blessings of the
family is that we were written in the family record.
We're written in the in the Book of Life. somehow God has elected
to picture our system as being written in a book.
Now that's God's choosing. It's not mine.
I book of life. It's called I Lamb's Book of
Life. It's called I like to think that
God has a special detail over here.
A special Angel for this particular work.
Who keeps up with all of this? Hebrews 12 and 21.
We read to the general assembly and Church of the firstborn
which are written in heaven. Now a lot of folks, Tales be,
you think you've got to be a member of the church?
Well, I'll say this. It's only those who are members
of the church who are written in heaven.
Now, if you want to be written in heaven, you must be a member
of the church, which is of course the family.
In Luke 10 and 20. We read are rather interesting
account. The 71 out commissioned by the
Lord, And they came back all a flutter over.
The fact that they could perform Miracles, you know, we got a lot
of folks like that today. They think America's greatest
thing in the world. What it's not and Jesus proves
it's not They even had power over the evil spirits.
And they came back and said, Lord, even to evil spirits are
subject unto us in thy name And Jesus said, don't Rejoice about
this. I'm going to show you Greater
Works than that, your trade going to tread on scorpions But
rather Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.
Now, ladies and gentlemen, when Jesus said that he expressed to
us, the fact of the greatest principle in the world that I
can have my name written in heaven.
My name is not worth much down here in this world.
Your name is not worth very much and a lot of people doesn't even
know my name. But you know I can so live that
I can have my name on that Lamb's Book of Life in heaven
and that's greater than performing all the Miracles in
the world. That's greater than being John D
Rockefeller, or anybody else who's a millionaire.
Philippians 4 and 3. Paul said, help those women, who
labored with me in the gospel with Clement.
Also, and other my fellow laborers, whose names are in the
Book of Life. There are names are written and
over in Revelations 3 and 5. We read.
He that overcometh, the same Either overcometh are here and
whosoever. Rather was not found written in
the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire.
Now, that's an awesome scripture.
The word find the word found is found there.
Just passage to me that intrigues me just a little bit
found. Sounds like he's looking for
something. Now, won't it be a quite an
awesome thing to get there to judgment. and, The angel who
opens up the books. Looks and looks.
Thank you and looks. But he finally has to look up
and say, sir, your name is not found in the book.
One of that's going to be the most Dreadful day of our entire
life. To have our name in the Lamb's
Book of Life is greatest thing that can happen.
And I would say to all the young people who are achieving for
greatness in life, don't worry so much about getting your name
in the headlines on the records. Don't worry so much about
achieving down here you make certain that your name is in the
Book of Life, That's the greatest thing that you will
ever do. It really is.
We think the old song liar cared not for Treasures.
In either silver or gold. I would make sure of seven
heaven. I would enter the pole in the
book of that Kingdom with his page is.
So fair, tell me, tell me, Lord, Jesus is my name written there.
Also, we have this thought interspersed in our human ology,
all through our hymn book, the fact that our names are in
heaven. I remember an account 18 and 93.
When a man by the name of mr. William James Black was teaching
a Sunday School in the Methodist Church.
He had a little girl in his class name.
Bessie. He had found Bessie over beyond
the tracks either poor City, part of the city said, known
some broken steps on Old House. He was a social worker, so he
stopped to see about her condition.
She will malnourished poorly dressed and in a very poor
state, He asked her about coming to his Sunday school class.
And she said, she didn't have fitting clothes or the next
morning, a box of clothes were sitting there.
Are so ever since that time, She's been at church.
And when he called the role, she would always look up at him and
smile. At the road called.
But on this particular Sunday, he was on his way home walking
along the footpath and he was thinking.
Why wasn't little Bessie at church today?
Well, he learned later that she was very sick and would probably
never recover. He got to thinking within
himself. What James Black are you
prepared for that? Great roll Called Up Yonder.
So, he went home and sat down and he wrote the song, one that
Trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more and
the morning breaks Eternal bright and fair.
When the safety of our Shall Gather over on the others, your,
When the Roll is Called Up Yonder, I'll be there.
That's why he wrote that song. But, you know, there's a note
that I want to leave with you and that's this, your name can
be taken out of that book. Well, now that's not the
teaching of some people. Because some people say that,
what's your name is there'll always be there because you
can't fall from grace. There's no such thing.
And they argue, if you want, God's son, won't you always be
his son? Sure.
But listen God will take your name out of that book.
The record says, so why reading Revelation 22:18-19 whosoever
shall take away from the words of the prophecy of this book?
His part shall be taken out of the Lamb's Book of Life and the
things written in the book. Well, there's that possibility.
Also, I read o one of the most unusual passages of scripture
that I know anything about. And that's in Exodus 32 33 and
32 This is when Moses was up on the mountain, talking to God.
And the people down in the valley or dancing around the
golden calf. God became so incensed over this
until he told Moses he was going to blot his name.
Block those people out. And Moses went up in the face of
God and plead for those people. And God changed his name change
his mind. Now let me read you what it
says. Here's Moses plea.
Yet. Now, if thou will forgive their
sin and their just a blank Just to Blake.
That didn't finish out the sentence.
So I said it was a sob in Moses voice.
He couldn't finish it, but it continues then and if not
blocked me, I pray thee out of thy book. but the Lord said unto
Moses whosoever has sinned, him, will I blot out of my book, what
he brought your name out, Yes, he about your name out. so, this
family record Will disinherit. You even as a physical father,
condition are his child and take his name out of the family
record. Next, one of the blessings of
being a child of the family is that when I, when one is Born
Into the family, he becomes an heir.
I'm here to everything there is in heaven.
Tonight, I don't own much. I never have on much.
But I want to tell you something, I'm an heir to
everything there is in glory tonight.
And you are too. Romans 8 and 17 says.
And if children then heirs Heirs of God and Joint heirs with
Christ, And I want you to note that that depends upon being a
child. I'm a millionaire tonight in
spiritual things. I have more wealth in this world
could ever dream of It Thrills me sometimes.
To know that some of us who don't have much down here, can
have something wonderful over there.
I've gone to nursing homes and see little sister's lying here
in the corner. In her younger days.
She took them communion to the church.
She baked the loaf. She kept the preacher.
But now she's reduced to the corner of a nursing home.
She just has stipulated income from the government just enough
to keep her there. That's pitiful to me, brother
Linwood. Before you leave, say, a prayer.
and I think, as destitute this little person is, But how
wonderful it is to know that this person right here.
Owns everything there is in heaven tonight.
And that Thrills me very much. I'm a millionaire, you know,
there's some things better than gold anyway.
Romans 8 and 18 says for I reckoned to the sufferings of
this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory
that shall be revealed in us, and I'm thankful for that.
As a child of God, I have a Heavenly home.
Over Yonder. Paul said in the third chapter
of, forget now, Colossians He said if ye then be risen with
Christ seek those things which are above those colossian.
People were having a hard time. Some of them were being killed
for the cause of Christ. and he said, he said you seek those
things which are above well, one of those things is an earth is a
Heavenly home. Of course, we will speak more
about later on. Next, when one becomes a child
of God, he takes a name of the family.
Sure that says it should be. That's normal.
We do that in the physical home. We do that in the spiritual
home. It seems a little unusual that
people could religiously believe.
That we can have all these different names and be a member
of the same family. No, that doesn't sound right?
That doesn't sound right at all but we all have one name.
In Acts 11:26. And Records says the disciples
were called Christians first in Antioch.
Well, that's our name, the name Christian.
Because that name encompasses the name of Christ.
And he makes the difference. He's the one that validates Our
Lives. He's the one that validates.
The Good Deeds. I do.
The prayer that I pray, I concluded by saying in Jesus
name. You know, we're living in a day
when Jesus is being downgraded. When I started preaching a long
time ago, I don't guess that was a person in Lincoln County,
Mississippi, who didn't believe in Jesus?
Now, you could recommend with the hay rake.
It's stylish now to question, Jesus.
Well, people were back in that day.
Jesus said, one time he believe in God believe.
Also in me, but they wouldn't. They don't today Muslims and
other Oriental doctrines are taking the place of Jesus.
I like what Billy Graham. Son, said.
One time I kind of like that fellow anyway.
He shoots his mouth off and says, what do you think's?
That's more. His daddy would do a lot of
times. But he told some people who were
saying all, we all believe in the same.
God Allah and Jehovah where R is.
Yes God he said, no, it isn't. My God, sent his son down here
to save the world. And that's right and that son's
name was Jesus and he makes all the difference in the world and
when I become a child of God, I take that name and I wear that
name and like I said, he's not stylish to do that today.
In lots of places. I remember when those Towers
were destroyed in New York and they had a big meeting over at
Presbyterian Church which they called the Cathedral of America,
which is not, it just a Presbyterian Church.
Well, they had all these various religious divine's there.
Talking and telling the people of America, this that and the
other there were saying their prayers, not one of them close
their prayers in the name of Jesus.
Only did Billy Graham, do that. And I'll have to say that to his
credit. And some colored preacher from
the south. Well.
We've got a fight on our hands. And when we make the confession,
I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
That's a very important thing. We run up our flag for Christ.
And we let everybody know that we believe in him.
When I become a member of the family, I have brothers and
sisters, spiritual brothers, and sisters. 1st Timothy 5 1 & 2.
The record says rebuke, not an elder but intreat him as a
father. and the younger men as Brethren, the Elder women as
mothers, the younger as sisters with all purity, This is the
closest relationship there is in this world.
We people gathered in this house tonight.
Farm the closest relationship there is in this world.
You didn't choose who your mother was going to be.
You didn't choose who your brother or your sister was going
to be physically but you chose new your spiritual family was
going to be and tonight you're closer to me than my own brother
would be. Because we're all one and we've
been made one by the blood of Christ.
And when that blood streamed down his side that was the
Fulfillment of everything in the past from the night that Abraham
told that God told Abraham and his seed would bless the world
till then. And that has Charles told her
said in his great song, his blood hath made us one We're all
alike. We're all one.
In my preaching, the gospel through the years.
I've seen some people be baptized who were not too strong
start with in But later on, they began to go stronger.
As a stronger and learn more. Understand more.
And become involved in more things.
And after a while sometimes they'd say to me you know
Linwood Since I've learned what I learned.
Those people down there to church.
Are closer to me than my own family.
My family is not a member of the church.
They don't understand me. I can't talk to them.
But those people down there are the closest to me, of any people
in the world, and that's right. That's the way it should be.
And if it's not that way, there's something wrong in that
Congregation. Of course, I've seen some
congregations that was cold as an iceberg, and they didn't seem
to cherish their relationship. Europe.
But that's the way it's supposed to be and that's the way it
should be. You know, Earthly homes.
Sometimes, we have our little family, get-togethers, we come
by for Mama's birthday, or Thanksgiving.
And we all gather around Mama's table and we all are together at
the house. But On Sunday.
That's the big day when we all gather together around the
Lord's table. And our brothers with us the
elder brother and we're all one. We all partake of the same blow.
We drink of the same cup. And somebody's not there.
We want to know where is that child, you know, back home.
I was raised in a large family. We had to beat you something
down the family a table. And if that seat was empty,
somebody wanted to know. Where is that child?
Go see about that child. Well, that's the way it is in
the physical family are in spiritual family.
If that child is not present, we need to know about him.
And see where he is. One by one though, down here, in
this world, our brothers and sisters leave us and they passed
on over. One by one.
And they are gathering on the other Shore.
But one day somehow someway, I don't know, I think more about
it than I used to. But someday we're going together
there. And we're going to all be
together and that's going to be our big family reunions down
South. We have lots of re family
reunions We have lots of church, homecomings.
Still do. I preached over in Alabama at 14
for 25 years. Well, when we get to Glory,
we're going to all have a big homecoming.
And won't that be something? I think that's what Paul was
talking about. Hebrews 10:25 not forsaking the
assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is.
That's what we do down here in the physical family, when we're
going to gather together over there too. and, Our homecoming
is going to be, you know, just for the family.
Just for the family. First, Peter 3 and 4 says this
blessed. Be the God, and father of our
Lord, Jesus Christ. Which according to His abundant
Mercy, has begotten us. Again, unto a lively Hope by the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance.
Listen Incorruptible, undefiled. And that fadeth not away.
Listen, reserved. In heaven for you.
We got some Heavenly reservations.
Do you have yours? Do you have your reservation for
glory land? I hope you do.
Since I've been preaching the gospel, I preached many, many
funerals. I appreciate all kinds of
funerals, I preach them, some kind of a highfalutin funerals
where they put on the dog, you know, it's a then I preach some
poor funerals. Some of the poorest things you
ever saw. but when we get to Glory, we're going to all be
one. And it'll be a big homecoming.
There are family reunions A lot of things down here, the family
is not allowed to partake off. But over there.
As we sing the song Heaven will surely be worth it all.
And as we look with gladsome eyes at that, Holy City, I think
across the door could be written the words.
Reserved for the family. He needs families.
I preached, I used to walk off head of the casket and up here
somewhere would be a sign on a beach.
It would say, reserved for the family.
Well, over there, all these spiritual blessings are going to
be too reserved for the family. Tonight, are you in the family?
Are you a member of the family? I want a quietly insist that you
really, it evaluate this matter and think about it if you wants
been in the family, come back home tonight, get things
together. Make up your mind and serve the
Lord. We're going to give the
invitation now and if you haven't obeyed the gospel, you
know, the play. And I'm sure I think we're all
Christians share tonight. but if you fail, somewhere in the
trying, Come back home. We thank you for listening to
our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans.
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