Lesson Twelve

This is No Secret, Sisters
This devotion was presented at a ladies fellowship
where we exchanged names for a secret sister program.

 

Introduction:

For me, sisters have always been a unique and mysterious idea since I was raised with three brothers and never had the experience of a sister. I really did want one, so much so that when my youngest brother was born, I was devastated he would be Daniel Edward instead of Marilyn Christine as I had planned.

As a result of this "deprivation" in my life, I took care to observe my daughters in their roles as sisters... the bond and the strife, the sensitivity and the brutal honesty. Now, brothers are great, but they are cut from a different cloth... they punch and torment while sisters touch and hug... sometimes!

No one can love you or hurt you as a sister can. They serve as memory mirrors of the serious and silly parts of our lives such as the ugly couch which graced the living room for years or the way you had to stop three times and wave to Mom as you walked down the sidewalk to school.

It is also sobering to remember that with only a few minute changes in some chromosomes, and your sister would be you!

The term "secret sister" has much more meaning than you may realize; in fact, these women are our spiritual sisters. And as it is in physical families, so it is in your church family. We have a responsibility to care for, pray for and seek blessings for our sisters.

The whole idea is not for you to receive a blessing, but for you to be one. Let's begin by comparing physical sisterhood with the spiritual equivalent. 

I. Sisters have the same bloodline -

A. Obviously, the first requirement in physical sisterhood

B. The bond of spiritual sisterhood begins with the blood of Christ. (Rom. 5:8-9) 

II. Sisters have the same parents -

A. Physical sisters will feel that same basic instinct of attachment and connection to their parents.

B. Spiritual sisters also have common parents.
[1]. In ten of Paul's letters he calls God our Father.
[2]. (Gal. 4:26) tells us our mother is the new Jerusalem. 

III. Sisters have love for one another -

A. Physical sisters often give the other a kidney, a lung, etc. without thought for personal safety.

B. True test of spiritual "brotherhood" (and "sisterhood") can be found in (1 Jn. 3:14 and 4:20). D. L. Moody once said that it was no chore to love the whole world; the real problem came in loving my fellow church member! 

IV. Sisters have contentions, envy and strife -

A. Quarrels and strife often occur between physical sisters. I often had to break up "knock-down drag-outs" between my two girls; little girls can be pretty brutal!

B. The Bible gives us examples of sisters who had problems with each other.
[1]. Mary and Martha - (Lk. 10:38) Poor Martha was the original New Testament tattletale.
[2]. Rachel and Leah - (Gen. 30:8) This sounds like something you would witness on television!

C. We are repeatedly reminded in the Bible to avoid strife among ourselves.
[1]. Shark mentality - (Gal. 5:14-15)
[2]. Look where envying and strife originate - (Jas. 3:14-17). (Prov. 7:4) advises us to call wisdom our sister. 

V. Sisters have a bond of responsibility for one another -

A. Age and time do not change the link between sisters nor lessen the burden of responsibility. There is a saying that goes: "He's not heavy; he's my brother." We could certainly substitute the word sister there.

B. We're reminded of our responsibility to our spiritual family in (Jas. 2:14-16). This is a Tribulation passage doctrinally, but it surely has an application to us as well. 

VI. An example of a spiritual sister… Phebe - (Rom. 16:1-2)

The first indication of this woman's character is the fact that Paul apparently entrusted her to deliver his letter to the Romans. And then he went on to list her attributes.

[1]. Sister - This is a simple but affectionate designation for a member of the body of Christ.

[2]. Servant - In the early church more was made of service than office. Phebe wasn't a deaconess, a bishopette, or the associate pastor; she was a servant of the church!

[3]. Succourer - She was a helper or deliverer of many, particularly of the unprotected, despised and converts in need. She was a fighter in the battles of the oppressed, a help and relief when people were in want or difficulty. Don't wait to do some great thing; it may never come. Instead, do little things for the greater motive... the glory of God.

It appears Phebe also showed Paul hospitality... perhaps her home was a meeting place for those early believers. At any rate, she is certainly a great example of a spiritual sister... and she only has two verses! 

Conclusion:

The longer you are a Christian and a part of a church body, the stronger your ties to your spiritual sisters will become. (Matt. 12:48-50)

Because of the "blood link," your goals and motivations will often times be more closely tied to that of your spiritual sisters.

That spiritual bond may twist and bend and fray, but the tie is never broken. The goal: my sister and my friend.

 

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