Dear First Pres,
I hope you were able to be with your church this last Sunday. I felt the presence of the Lord very distinctly in both services. But one of the most powerful things of my morning happened during the Education Hour.
One of the great offerings during the Education Hour right now is a class called R.A.P. No, it’s not an analysis of Kanye West’s new release. It’s an opportunity to Reflect, Apply and Pray together around the Bible passage that is being preached. If you’re not already connected in another way during the Education Hour, I really encourage you to join this class in The Commons.
On Sunday we were engaged in a RAP on Mark 3:20-35. One of the most important parts of the text is the way that Jesus redefines family. It’s not that biological family becomes unimportant, but Jesus looks at those who are sitting around him, submitting their lives to Him as His disciples, and He says, “Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:35) Jesus creates a new family - not based on ethnic identity or shared DNA. Jesus’ new family are those who put themselves at His feet and do His will.
The reason that hit me so hard during the RAP class is because at the table were people for whom that really matters. Included in the group were a brand new family to our church who just moved from PA. None of their biological family is in CA. Another person in the group is currently discerning God’s call to go with her young family to a foreign land, far from her biological family, to make Christ known. Another person in the group came to CA with her husband three years ago which meant leaving all her biological family on the opposite side of the country. Another person in the group was single with no children.
As I sat there and considered what Jesus was saying about His new family while listening to the group discuss how important it was to them to find a sense of family in the Body of Christ, I was deeply convicted. We, First Pres, need to do our absolute best to live into this newly defined family of Jesus.
One of the beautiful things about our church is that we have generations of biological families who are worshipping together in our midst. I love that about our church. But perhaps, even more beautiful is when we cross those biological lines and act as the family of God - a family on mission together with Jesus - a family that is expanding and growing - a family that represents Kingdom reconciliation across ethnic and economic barriers - a family who truly lives in community together as brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, mothers and fathers - a family united in Christ and His mission for the world. So, may the Holy Spirit help us to love each other with extraordinary hospitality so that we might be Christ’s family together.
Blessings,
Jeremy Vaccaro
P.S. This coming Sunday I’ll be doing my best to explain one of the most difficult passages in Mark to interpret as we continue in our series called “Crazy Talk.” See you then.
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