Welcome to the family

Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." (NIV)John 4:10

We all love to receive gifts. The joy of a gift lies in the fact that they cost us nothing and also show that someone loves us.

God demonstrates his love to us, by sending Jesus to bring us into a relationship with him. Jesus is the best and most precious gift you will ever receive. The fact is, He is the one gift you can not afford to miss.

When you received Jesus you received the life of God (John 1:4-5). The life of God is like a light shinning in the darkness showing you the way. Jesus is the way. The only way.

Receiving Jesus is similar to being born. When you were born into this world you inherited a family. This family would have included a mother, father and maybe brothers and sister.

In like manner when you received Jesus you were "born again" spiritually into the family of God (1 Peter 1:23). Again you have inherited a family - the family of God (Ephesians 3:14-15).

The family of God consists of people of different tongues and tribes who all have one thing in common - Jesus. They have all at one time or another received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

The family of God is so large that it has to be divided up into different churches or fellowships. We have numerous churches and fellowships in the world today.

Not everyone who goes to church or fellowship belongs to the family of God. Just like not everyone who goes to hospital is sick. People go to hospital for various reasons (e.g. some go for visiting)

In like manner people go to church for various reasons (e.g. to meet friends). It is only when your going to church or fellowship is a product of knowing God (or being born again) that you are part of the family of God.