The Family of God

With Rev. Jay Watson,

Good afternoon, for those of you who don’t know who I am my name is Jay Watson I am the CFO here at Crosswinds International Ministry. I’m not the one you usually see here in the pulpit when Brother Ron’s not teaching or preaching so be please be patient with me as I read from my set of notes. I only use the notes so I stay on track and not deviate from what the Holy Spirit wants me to tell you today.

LET’S GET STARTED!!!

Title for the message today is going to be.                                                                                                                                                                                                                        ”The family of God”

After Ron had his heart surgery and saw he wasn’t going to be able get back into the pulpit as quick as he thought he ask brother David , brother Brian and myself to fill the pulpit in his absent. His word to us was that he wanted us to center our preaching and teaching around the subject of “family” because that is what we are here at Crosswinds, we are a family.

For the last couple of weeks brother David has been teaching  on the subject of the “Kingdom of God”. Here is what the definition of the word “kingdom” is from the Webster’s dictionary, a country, state, or a territory ruled by a king or queen. I believe that it should read A FAMILY ruled by Almighty God

When I asked the Holy Spirit what he wanted me to speak on today he took me to the book of Matthew. In the first chapter of the Book of Matthew we see the family tree of Jesus. ( note: there are 14 generations (one generation is 35 years, so 14 generations is 490 years) from Abraham to David another 14 generations (35 years) from David to the Babylonian exile and yet another 14 generations (35 years) from the Babylonian exile to the birth of Jesus). That’s Roughly 1470 years or 42 generations.

There were lots of Old Testament prophetic words that were being established during those 42 generational spans of God’s family.

Matthew being the first book of The New Testament gives us testament of “Jesus” as he starts his public ministry .

Just a little more History from the book of Matthew:

The book tells us of his birth,

The book of tells us about his family tree of Jesus,

The book tells how king Herod and the high priest and religious scholars of the times tried to destroy him and then how he escaped those attempts by being the family of GOD.

It tells of John the baptizer and how he was preaching in the desert, saying “Change your Life, God’s Kingdom (family) is here”.

It tells of how prophecy was fulfilled when John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River and how the Holy Spirit came on him and the heavens opened up and the voice of God spoke out “This is my Son, chosen and marked by love, delight of my life”.

The book tells of how Jesus knowing he was going to be tested by the devil fasted 40 days and nights in preparation for that test.  In every test he beat the devil by telling him that” it was written”. In other words beat it devil, God’s Kingdom (family) is here”.

Now this brings me to the message for today.

When Jesus got word that John had been put into jail, Jesus moved from his hometown of Nazareth to the shore line of lake Galilee. He picked up where John left off and was preaching “change your life God’s Kingdom (or family) is here. Now while walking on the shore line he finds two sets of brothers who were fishermen. They were Simon (later called Peter) and Andrew.

Then came the brothers James and John. (all fishermen with no clue what was going on or what they were about to experience). From there they traveled all over Galilee preaching and teaching about God’s Kingdom (family).

Jesus healed people with all manner of diseases whether mental, emotional or physical. The word got out that this was happening and people came from all over to see what was going on.

This is what I asked the Holy Spirit to show me. How do I know if someone is a really a member of God’s Kingdom or a part of the family.

Let us look at Matthew chapter 5 verses 1 through 12. I will be reading from the amplified bible and then from the message bible for clarity.

(Amp) chapter 5 verses 1-2 When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions (these were his disciples not the whole crowd). This is what he said:

(Mess) chapter 5 verses-1&2 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and when He was seated, His [a]disciples came to Him.  2 Then He began to teach them, saying,

(Amp) verse 3- “Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are the poor in spirit [those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever].

(Mess) verse 3- “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

Conclusion: The Poor in Spirit.

1. “To be poor in spirit is to have a humble opinion of

ourselves; to be sensible that we are sinners, and have no

righteousness of our own; to be willing to be saved only by

the rich grace and mercy of God”. The opposite of “poor in spirit” would be “proud of heart,”

(Amp)verse 4- “Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are those who mourn [over their sins and repent], for they will be comforted [when the burden of sin is lifted].

(Mess)verse 4- “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

Conclusion: . THEY “MOURN”…

1. But do so in a specific sense: over one’s own spiritual

poverty, one’ sinfulness

2. Like David did after his adultery with Bathsheba –
3. Note the relationship between these first two characteristics
4. Unless one is first “poor in spirit”
5. They will not “mourn” over their spiritual poverty.

(Amp)verse 5- “Blessed [inwardly peaceful, spiritually secure, worthy of respect] are the [b]gentle [the kind-hearted, the sweet-spirited, the self-controlled], for they will inherit the earth.

(Mess)verse 5- “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.

Conclusion:  THEY ARE “MEEK”…

1. This means gentle, easy to be entreated
2. They would rather suffer injury than inflict it
3. Not out of weakness, but out of humility, realizing one’s

own poverty of spirit, one’s own sinfulness

2. A good example of meekness is Moses
3. He was certainly not a weak or timid man –
4. But when personally attacked, he was very humble –

(Amp)verse 6- “Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied.

(Mess)verse 6- “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.

Conclusion:”HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS”…

1. They look for the righteousness which will meet:
2. Their spiritual poverty
3. Their mourning over the same
4. To “hunger and thirst” suggests not a half-hearted search, but one exemplified by.

(Amp) verse 7-“Blessed [content, sheltered by God’s promises] are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

(Mess) verse 7- “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.

Conclusion:  THEY ARE “MERCIFUL”…

1. Loving towards those in misery (e.g., the “Good Samaritan”)
2. Possessing a forgiving spirit toward those who sin against

them

3. Jesus stressed this characteristic on several occasions…
4. This virtue grows “out of our personal experience of the mercy of God.

(Amp) verse 8- “Blessed [anticipating God’s presence, spiritually mature] are the pure in heart [those with integrity, moral courage, and godly character], for they will see God.

(Mess) verse 8- “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

Conclusion: THEY ARE “PURE IN HEART”…

1. Defined as “singleness of heart, the honesty which has no

hidden motive, no selfish interest, and is true and open in

all things.

2. Refers to one who is sincere, honest, without hypocrisy
3. That such a quality is necessary to see God.

(Amp) verse 9- “Blessed [spiritually calm with life-joy in God’s favor] are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they will [express His character and] be called the sons of God.

(Mess) verse 9- “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.

Conclusion:  THEY ARE “PURE IN HEART”…

1. Defined as “singleness of heart, the honesty which has no

hidden motive, no selfish interest, and is true and open in

all things.

2. Refers to one who is sincere, honest, without hypocrisy
3. That such a quality is necessary to see God.

(Amp) verse 10- “Blessed [comforted by inner peace and God’s love] are those who are persecuted for [c]doing that which is morally right, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever].

(Mess) verse 10- “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.

Conclusion:  THEY ARE “PERSECUTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS’ SAKE”..

1. “Who have allowed themselves to be persecuted, or have endured persecution.
2. “The idea is that they did not flee from it but willingly

submitted to it when it came to them.

1. Reviled or reproached
2. Persecuted
3. Slandered falsely

— All for Jesus’ sake

3. That such persecution would often afflict those who are

citizens of the kingdom.

(Amp) verses 11-12- “Blessed [morally courageous and spiritually alive with life-joy in God’s goodness] are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil things against you because of [your association with] Me.  12 Be glad and exceedingly joyful, for your reward in heaven is great

(Mess) verses 11-12- “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.

CONCLUSION:

1. Such are the characteristics of those who will be citizens of the kingdom (family) of heaven:
2. Those that are poor in spirit (realizing their sinfulness)
3. Those that mourn (for their sins)
4. Those that are meek (gentle toward God and others)
5. Those that hunger and thirst for righteousness (which they

desperately need)

1. Those that are merciful (for they know they need mercy)
2. Those that are pure in heart (seeking to please God with

singleness of heart)

1. Those that are peacemakers (making peace with others, having found peace with God).
2. Those that are persecuted for the kingdom of heaven (misunderstood by the proud and arrogant who are still in their sins).

These Eight graces, all inter-related and working together produce the right kind of character for the family or kingdom of God.

These characteristics are known as the Beatitudes from the book of Matthew chapter 5 verses 1 through 12. I believe that they should be characteristics of what God’s family or God’s Kingdom should look like.

Thank you and God Bless you from Crosswinds international ministries.