Flood Church

Today just may be the freshest #FreshFaceFriday yet. Say hello to lil Miss Avery Hendricks (alongside Momma April and Poppa Bryan)!!! @april__hendricks @yobroham29 We are the Hendricks family- Bryan, April and our newest addition, baby Avery (born 12/1/20). We both work in Talent Acquisition, Bryan for Callaway golf and me in tech/software. We were married last year surrounded by our Flood friends and family. We have been attending Flood together for about 6 years and a part of many North County small groups and 2 Become 1. The Flood community has blessed us as singles, as a couple/newlyweds, and now as a family as we step into this new and exciting journey that God has blessed us with!

to be a witness? 1. We POINT to the fact that all that we are and all that we have has been given to us. 2. We POINT to the reality that we could not and (importantly) cannot make it on our own without Jesus. 3. We POINT to the MISSIONARY (Jesus!) while we are on mission. 4. We POINT to the One who brings HOPE in the midst of our darkness.... 5. We POINT to the presence of God in others’ lives and circumstances. 6. We help people to make sense of their desires by POINTING to the root of their desires. 7. BONUS: When asked questions we don’t answer right away, we say truthfully say something like, I don’t know the answer but I will talk to God about it and get back to you. Then we POINT ourselves to God, talk with God, listen and seek to get back to others about their questions... John 1:6-8 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. #SundayCallback

As the church, we are adopted sons (Gal. 4:4-7, Eph. 1:5, Rom. 8, etc). But what does this entail to the first century church? and therefore to us? During a time where emperor worship was arguably at its peak, the Roman Caesars are on the mind of the early Christians. This phrase "adoption into sonship" would almost automatically incept the relationship between Julius Caesar and his adopted son Tiberius who was Emperor during the time of Jesus. Paul is capturing their so...cial attention and imagination. Just as one heir became the next Caesar, these followers of Jesus also receive the full standing of God’s own Son, they collectively gain all the rights, privileges and responsibilities of the KING of kings, the ruler of the greatest Kingdom. We are adopted into God’s family. The call for us becomes creating space for others to experience a home in Jesus. Gal. 4:4-7 4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem (past tense) those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, Abba, Father. 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child (present reality); and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir (future hope).

The church is the Bride of Christ. Q: Do I need to be married to the church to be married to Jesus? A: We are married to Christ who is One with his Church. In other words, being married to Christ presupposes being a people (not a person) that is his bride. This bridal imagery is communal. This metaphor, which depicts the people of God, is carried throughout the Scriptures. When the apostle Paul quotes Genesis 2:24 in Ephesians 5:31, it is surprisingly not there to show t...hat husband and wife are one flesh (the author already demonstrates this truth in Eph. 5:28-29). Rather, the Holy Spirit is revealing that Christ and the church are one body (5:30). Herein lives the mystery, Gen. 2:24-- the 2 will become 1 flesh--is not primarily about the relationships of husbands to their wives but rather that of Christ and the church. Mind blown. Does God love you as an individual? Yes. Always. As a member of the church, you are God’s bride and beloved. Ephesians 5:31 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.[Gen. 2:24] 32 This is a profound mysterybut I am talking about Christ and the church. #sundaycallback

This quote has been a helpful call, stated and repeated these past few weeks. We are made in the image of God. Yet, we are not God. As God’s people, we have limits. As God’s sheep, we are vulnerable. Sheep belong to the Good Shepherd and keep close to Him. When threatened, sheep keep close to the shepherd AND huddle together. Relearn to huddle together. If we don’t move towards each other, the world and it’s evil powers will scatter us further and likely wound us. (John 10...:3-16) Yes, we have differences. This is true. The other truth is we belong in community. How do we come together in light of our differences? Let’s listen to the Good Shepherd and find our way back to one another. When we do this, we create space for others to experience the protection and provision of the Good Shepherd. John 10:14 I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me #sundaycallback