The Family of God - Lynwood Smith

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

Revelation 22:18–19

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

Acts 11:26

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

Hebrews 10:25

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.

Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional

information, or you would like to receive a free Bible

correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at her

Church of Christ Bakersfield.com.

Our service times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and

Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us.

We would love for you to be our honored guest.