Welcome To The Family
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series IV, Cycle A
He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. (vv. 5--6)
Mike and Wendy DeMoss walked down the aisle for the first time as husband and wife. Of course they were elated. After months of planning, they were finally married. All that was left was celebrating with their friends and family who had gathered to join in their celebration. They stepped outside the church with the rest of the wedding party behind them.
A few moments later all of the guests made their way out. Friends and family were eager to greet the young newlyweds. They all flocked to them to offer words of joy and congratulations. Wendy's grandmother, Velma, exited the church. She looked diligently for the tall and handsome groom with dark hair and a cheerful smile. She wanted to meet the man who had made her granddaughter so happy. She located young Mr. DeMoss and went directly to him. Her arms were outstretched as she approached him. Then she threw her arms around him with a warm grandmotherly hug, and said, "Welcome to the family!"
The young man was shocked. See, she hadn't hugged the young groom and welcomed him into the family. She had hugged and welcomed Mike's twin brother. He thought he was merely attending his brother's wedding and he gets adopted into the family. Even though he insisted he was not the new family member, he had been accepted into Velma's family circle anyway. The fact that he wasn't the groom was irrelevant. As far as Velma was concerned, once you're in, you're in forever. She was not going to exclude her new grandson's brother from the family just because of a mistaken identity.
Of course, Mike's brother had no claim on the family. He wasn't born into it and didn't even marry into it. But he was loved into it. That's how God works with us. We have no claim on the faith family, and yet, God adopts us anyway. God's grace comes to us through Christ and brings us into the family. Loving arms are wrapped around us, and a voice says, "Welcome to the family!"
Mike and Wendy DeMoss walked down the aisle for the first time as husband and wife. Of course they were elated. After months of planning, they were finally married. All that was left was celebrating with their friends and family who had gathered to join in their celebration. They stepped outside the church with the rest of the wedding party behind them.
A few moments later all of the guests made their way out. Friends and family were eager to greet the young newlyweds. They all flocked to them to offer words of joy and congratulations. Wendy's grandmother, Velma, exited the church. She looked diligently for the tall and handsome groom with dark hair and a cheerful smile. She wanted to meet the man who had made her granddaughter so happy. She located young Mr. DeMoss and went directly to him. Her arms were outstretched as she approached him. Then she threw her arms around him with a warm grandmotherly hug, and said, "Welcome to the family!"
The young man was shocked. See, she hadn't hugged the young groom and welcomed him into the family. She had hugged and welcomed Mike's twin brother. He thought he was merely attending his brother's wedding and he gets adopted into the family. Even though he insisted he was not the new family member, he had been accepted into Velma's family circle anyway. The fact that he wasn't the groom was irrelevant. As far as Velma was concerned, once you're in, you're in forever. She was not going to exclude her new grandson's brother from the family just because of a mistaken identity.
Of course, Mike's brother had no claim on the family. He wasn't born into it and didn't even marry into it. But he was loved into it. That's how God works with us. We have no claim on the faith family, and yet, God adopts us anyway. God's grace comes to us through Christ and brings us into the family. Loving arms are wrapped around us, and a voice says, "Welcome to the family!"
