04/05/18 - John 1

April 5, 2018 – John 1

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, He gave the right to become children of God.  John 1:12

He is ready to welcome us into His family if we choose to come INTO His authority.

Archie Bunker was a character of the old sitcom “All in the Family”.  He presumed to be the authority of the house, but found himself struggling to maintain control.  Often his wife or kids worked out the situation to challenge his authority or rules, and by making it Archie’s idea, overcame his authority.

Who’s the true authority in your home?

Some might say the father.  With the mantle of leadership put on his shoulders by God, and often his physical presence, the man of the house would be a logical choice.  Sometimes it appears that way, especially if he is good at making logical arguments, or providing the family income, or physically imposing his will. 

Some might argue the mother is.  She may not always be the most physically intimidating, but her ability to influence everyone and push the right buttons would make her a likely candidate.  Someone once said the husband is the head, but the wife is the ‘neck’ and can turn the head any way she wants.  That has the appearance of true authority in the home.

Then some might suggest the kids.  After all, a baby seems to get all the attention and can demand their way in a single cry.  Or in some homes, the kids have learned how to work the parents or manipulate the situation to get whatever they want.  Then some teens have grown up into strong controllers by their attitudes and behavior, making an outsider see them as the authority.

Of course, there is always the argument that God is the authority, but it would be hard to tell that in many homes.

I might suggest that none of those are the case alone.  Instead, the true authority is not found in the first names of the family lineage --- I would suggest it is in the last name.  True authority is defined by what the FAMILY defines the rules to be.  Whether one is the head, or the neck, or the heart, or even the big toe, it’s the BODY that has authority over itself.  And for most families, it is the structure of the family that dictates the authority.

John describes Jesus in the first chapter of his Gospel as the light of the world, but then turns and says that Jesus is the root of the family.  But accepting Jesus doesn’t take away our identity, it simply changes it to be part of the family name!  So the authority is in the family.  That includes God the Father, and Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit’s Presence, along with all of the believers who have come into the family.  It’s the authority of the family that now is our true authority.  The family decides the code.

But that doesn’t mean we can outvote God on decisions.  It means we are a part of the family when we support the family structure.  We aren’t just given a name, we are given a ‘right’ – a heritage – an honor.  Being a part of God’s family brings purpose, responsibilities, expectations, obedience … all things that are part of healthy families because they carry the Last Name of the family!

You are now part of God’s Family, and the authority is in the family.  Celebrate that great gift and enjoy the privileges of living with an All-Powerful God, but also enjoy the responsibilities and expectations.  Support your family, and follow the family code.  It’s All In the Family.