Live up to the Family Name

We are all familiar with George Washington. Less are familiar with John Adams, our second President and his wife Abigail. Yet they probably influenced the country more than George, for George died without children. You see, our children and grandchildren influence the world around us even more than we do. Look at the influence that the Adams, a strong Christian family,  - no, I’m not talking about the Addams family – what John and Abigail Adams’ family had on America with the following descendants:

John Quincy Adams, a Congressman and 6^th President

George Washington Adams, a member of the Massachusetts legislature

Charles Adams, a lawyer

Thomas Boylston Adams, a legislator and judge

Charles Francis Adams, Sr, a Congressman and Ambassador to England. His sons John Quincy Adams II, a lawyer, Charles Francis Adams Jr, a brigadier-general in the Union Army during the Civil War and president of the Union Pacific Railroad, Henry Brooks Adams, an author, Brooks Adams, a historian.

Other members of the Adams family included Elihu Adams, a Revolutionary war soldier, Samual Adams, delegate to the Continental Congress and governor of Massachusetts, Samuel A Adams, a historian and CIA analyst, John Doneley Adams, a politician and lawyer, Thomas Boylston Adams, an executive and writer, Charles Francis Adams III, Secretary of the Navy, and a mayor, Charles Francis Adams IV, first president of Raytheon, George Caspar Adams, football coach at Harvard University.

Historians agree that while John Adams gave the family its pride, connections, and early wealth, it was Abigail who gave the family a strong Christian faith, requiring the children to uphold the highest standards of ethics and morals. This, then, was passed down through the years, indeed for over two and a half centuries. Whenever the country needed strong, moral and ethical leadership, whether in government or business, a member of the Adams family stepped forward.

Did you notice that one of the men, Samuel A Adams, was a CIA analyst. He worked during the 1950’s and 1960’s, and was the analyst who discovered that military intelligence had underestimated the number of Vietcong and North Vietnamese soldiers during the Vietnam war. He insisted the truth be known.

In modern America, there are families who are known for certain things outside of politics. In St Marys, the Shouldis/Reckard family always own the leading store in town. The Gerbers are a family of dentists. The Ingrams are farmers and coaches. The White family are lawyers. Here in Cedar Grove, the Archer family runs the restaurant. When we know the family, we know something about a person. Family makes a difference.

Ancient Rome had such families also. Although the Caesar family is most known, the family who provided most of the early emperors, the Bruti family was considered more noble. Around 700 BC, the small democratic city-state of Rome was taken over by a man who become the king of Rome. A member of the Bruti family killed this would-be dictator. In 44 BC, when Julius Caesar made changes that would make him the dictator, the emperor of Rome, his friend Brutus of the Bruti family organized his assassination by the senators in Rome. It was what the Bruti family did – they destroyed dictators.

The ancients understood this family issue better than we do with our emphasis upon the individual. Latin, the ancient language of the Romans, talks about the genius of the family. It doesn’t mean they are particularly smart – it is related to species and genus. In Latin, the genius of the family meant that a particular family had a certain spirit, a certain behavior, a certain shared, common way of dealing with the world. In ancient Rome, this was so important that your family name came first – your given name was secondary. You were Wilson, Fred instead of Fred Wilson, because everyone knew that you were first and foremost a Wilson and only secondarily were you Fred. We still now recognize this today, don’t we? In politics, we know something about the men and women in the family when a politician reminds us that they are a member of the Bush family, the Kennedy family, the Clinton family, the Moore family. So what values are we teaching to our family members, our children and our grandchildren?

In our reading from Paul’s letter to theEphesians, Paul has been writing to Christians who lived in the city of Ephesus, a Greek town in southwestern Turkey. He has been comparing the Christians to the Gentiles, the non-believers who live around them, and he has told them to follow what they have learned and been taught about the truth that is in Jesus. They were taught to put off their old self so they could be made new in the attitude of their minds, to put on a new self created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. We have been called to become the adopted children of God – and therefore we must take on the character of our new family, following our heavenly Father and our eldest brother in their ways. Regardless of what our birth family taught us, we must learn to live as a member of God’s family today. We must live up to the name we have been given – Christian.

Paul tells us “I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.” Most of us grew up living in the world, doing the things that are common in the world, a world ruled by Satan. A few people were blessed to grow up in strong Christian families, where the ways of the world were rejected and strong Christian values instilled. What is your family background? How are you moving to learn what God would have His children value and replicate?

I have known some of these devout Christian families. Father and mother both insisted upon a strong Christian upbringing for their children. These children then went and passed on this heritage to their children. And I’ve been blessed to be present when members of the third generation were sitting around discussing their favorite devotionals, their favorite Bible verses, their latest God-sightings. I’ve seen these families whose parents made sure that God was by far the first and most important thing in their lives. Their parents attended church regularly, made sure that their children saw and heard them praying daily, the family discussed sermons and scripture at mealtimes and in the evening. And the result was a family that followed God’s wishes even in later generations. The result was a family that made a difference on this earth – and eternally.

I’ve also seen those who live in the futility of their thinking, as Paul would say. I’ve been around families who first and foremost discuss for hours the next WVU football and basketball seasons, who discuss the neighbors, the men and women at work, the antics of their neighbor’s cat. They can tell me everything there is to know about this year’s Ford and Chevy trucks, the characters of a particular soap opera, the special characteristics of this manager, that manager, this teacher, that principal. But they do not see God walking in their lives, they cannot hear God shouting at them to pay attention to what is important, they cannot recognize that God is trying to get them to focus upon where they will be in 50 or a hundred years, for they are doing little except playing Candy Crush Saga on their phones or gossiping about how terrible their lives are.

Paul would say to them – and us – “That is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. “ Most people, even today, have gone to Vacation Bible School and Sunday School. But, unfortunately, as a friend of mine asked me the other day, “Why is it that most Christians are taught 6^th grade Christianity instead of College-level Christianity?” Few people want to go deep, to study, to learn more than the basics. Most people stop when they “believe in God”, the simple existence of a god – but we never take time to put in the hours to understand what our God asks of us. After all, we care deeply about what our family thinks of us, what our co-workers and employers think about us. But what they think of us won’t matter in a couple hundred years, possibly in as little as twenty years. What God thinks of us will matter even in ten thousand years. And so we will start up our weekly Bible Study again on Tuesday evenings at 7 pm after Labor Day. We will begin in the Book of Joshua, studying the history of the Holy Land as the Bible tells it.

Paul teaches us more about our new, Christian family identity. He says, “You were taught to put off your old self which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires.” We are being corrupted, we are being rusted, decayed, turned into rot. The world around us has hired some of the highest paid minds in the world to develop advertisements, entertainment, games, gadgets, and distractions which have no other purpose than to take our minds off of the most important things – Jesus, God, Holy Spirit, and what they ask us to do in this world until we move to the next world. That is what Paul means by deceitful desires – those desires that the world suggests are important – iPhones, cars, vacations, travel, beautiful faces and bodies. The world’s desires are deceitful, for they never give us lasting fulfillment – they promise but do not give us the joy, the security, the love we are looking for.

My wife Saundra has a beautiful artistic touch. She loves beautiful things, beautiful furniture, beautiful homes. But she has stopped watching HGTV because she has found that all that channel does is stir “deceitful desires”, a desire to live in a beautiful home in Hawaii, a want for expensive décor, a dissatisfaction with the beauty that is around us. So she has followed Paul’s advice to “be made new in the attitude of her mind and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” It is better to create beauty and enjoy the beauty that God gives us, than to desire beauty that can only be had through material wealth. My son Andy, who has recently moved fifteen miles south of Elkins, sent a text the other day which read something like this, “You know, I’m blessed to live in a place people pay thousands of dollars to visit for a week a year.”

You see, we were not created to consume as the world would tell us. We were created to create beauty and righteousness and holiness.

Paul tells us that “We are to be made new in the attitude of our minds, and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

To all who listen, it is apparent to me that we of this generation have been given a great gift. God sent COVID came to us and stopped us from living the dead lives we had been traveling upon. Some God took directly to Heaven; to the rest of us, God has given a great chance to start again, walking upon the living path of holiness, leaving behind the world that was before, leaving behind the meaningless things that Satan gave us as toys to distract us from eternal life, putting down the worthless pursuit of wealth, of ambition, of stuff that will decay quickly, so that we might live closer to God, walking with Jesus, listening to the Holy Spirit, and changing the world back toward what God planned in Eden.

Many will go back to the old ways of death and competition. But for those who will listen to the Holy Spirit, a new way beckons. What do you need to change about your life that will draw you closer to God, will give you joy, will make your life more beautiful and worthwhile? Will you walk upon this new holy path to a beautiful future with Christ?

Paul tells us the way: “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.” This, you see, is how we develop righteousness and holiness with each other. We must speak to our neighbors. I read an article the other day that reported upon studies of people who spoke to strangers. Both the people and the strangers reported great happiness that came from these conversations. For people like to be noticed, to be treated as people instead of human-looking robots, to be humans instead of just decorations on the street which people walk by. Speak to strangers and make friends, giving yourself joy and spreading joy in the process.

But what about those in the world who destroy, people who destroy those who are creative, people who make fun of goodness, people who are always biting and cutting and making digs at us? Paul has advice regarding these people for us also.

“In your anger do not sin”: How do we do this? Anger is under our control. In particular, our reactions are under our control. We can return a biting comment with a nice complement, we answer a putdown with a lift up for the other. Where people would tear us down we lift them up so they eventually will feel foolish tearing down the only person who treats them well. And eventually, even those who are slow and have trouble noticing things will notice the difference. Mind you – it may take decades for them to come around. But we are fighting for eternal souls – ten years is nothing in the race we are running, in the battle we are fighting. “Stranger Danger” is advice for three-year-olds in a large, faceless city – it is not Christian advice for adults in a medium-sized town who would know joy.

Paul tells us “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” You know, the best way to overcome our anger with others is to let our anger turn to pity. Look at the nasty, spiteful person with pity because you have a calmness inside that they do not have. For we have the advantage of knowing that we shall live forever – while the man with road rage, the woman who is so upset with the grocery store, the troublemaker who is always complaining – they think they have to win today – we know that we win in the end. So have pity upon them instead of anger. We will look back in five hundred years and laugh at their intensity over such trivial matters. That is the peace of Christ working wonders as our eternal, Christ-given perspective takes hold.

Paul tells us that “Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.” We share so others will see the calmness and joy in our souls, our understanding that dollars and food and clothing and cars and phones and other stuff are just stuff that decays – but eternity is made of relationships and love and peace.

Years ago, my son and I stopped in town to walk to a store. I left the windows down with my Bible laying in the back seat. He asked, “Dad, shouldn’t you roll up the windows and lock the doors? Someone might steal your Bible.” I said, “If someone steals my Bible, they probably need it more than I do. Relax.” He is now a pastor who is generous with time and money.

Paul tells us “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Oh no! Paul is getting personal with us, isn’t he? Does your speech build others up or tear others down? Most people know that if you gossip about others, you will gossip about the person you are talking to. So when you speak, think a few times about how to phrase things – if you are speaking to the person in front of you, build them up, focus upon what they are doing right – do not focus upon what they’ve just done wrong – they know. This particularly applies to teenagers and young adults. Point out what they are doing right – and they will do more of it and eventually run out of time to do the wrong things.

If you speak of others not present, speak in such a way that those not present will be grateful when word gets back to them. Build others up, particularly those who attend or lead this church. Remember that other people are always watching and listening – particularly children and people who are watching to see if you as a Christian behave as Christ has asked us to behave. And, of course, you and I know that we try to improve, but sometimes the world comes out of us and we say the wrong thing.  

Paul reminds us not to grieve the Holy Spirit – do what the Spirit asks, do not oppose the Spirit. Paul continues: “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Perhaps this is the most important. While we would love to all become perfect, never saying an unkind word, never making a mistake, never hurting another, we must remember that each of us does make mistakes. And so, when someone says something mean, something unkind, when someone hurts another in this body of Christ, we simply turn to each other and say, “I guess he’s having a bad day. Let’s forgive him and pray for him.” And that, my Christian friends, is how we handle things because our heavenly Father has forgiven us far more often than we have to forgive each other.

We remember that Jesus said to forgive each other seventy times seven times, for that is what is meant to be kind and compassionate to each other, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave us. This, my friends, is probably the key way in which we Christians should differ from the people of the world around us – we know we should forgive, while others are pride-filled because they never forgive. And so we shall be forgiven by God, while those who do not forgive will not be forgiven. Forgive all people, especially those of the body of Christ, for they are trying to improve. Forgive those outside the body, for they often don’t know a better way.

This is what it means to be adopted sons and daughters of God, members of the family. This is how we live up to the genius of our family, the spirit of the Christian family.

In your small family, Mom, Dad, children, it will help if you will decide what your family is all about. My family is about spreading the Gospel to others. Some of my children are very much following this idea, like how Andy is a pastor. Others are quieter about it, like our daughter Jessie quietly shares sermons with her friends and coworkers. Yet all understand that we are about the business of God. What is the mission of your family?

The head of the family sets the tone for this. Grandfathers, you set the tone for the children about what is important. Fathers and mothers, you also set that tone. If you attend church every Sunday and bring the children, they will decide that church and God are important. If you go to church once a month, but make it to the campsite every Sunday, they will decide that camping is most important. By your actions you set the tone – you teach your children what is important. Is it football or the Gospel? Is it fishing or mowing your lawn? Fathers, Grandfathers, mothers, grandmothers – you are teaching the younger generation today by your words – but more so by your actions.

Perhaps you have never or rarely been to church. Now is the time that you can set an example for your family. This is the year when you can show them what is critical. For what you do is more important than what you say.

We believe that our attention towards God is most important, for when we reach old age, when our bodies wear out, when we close our eyes for the last time, the Mountaineers won’t be able to help us, our fishing tackle won’t give us eternal life, our lawn mowers won’t be there to carry us into Heaven. All that will count is whether or not we have a personal relationship with the Son of God. All that will count is whether or not we have spent enough time with Jesus that He looks at us and says, “Glad to see you. Come home to me.”

Amen.

Response Hymn – I Need Thee Every Hour 397

Benediction: May God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit fill you and guide you this week, that you may do the will of God. Be blessed!

Closing Song – TakeTime to be Holy 395