God-Empowered Families - Part 3 - The Christian home – Keys to a happy Family life

Victory Christian Centre, Hutt City, New Zealand

Outline: https://bit.ly/3kQXMS2
Subtitle: The Christian home – Keys to a happy Family life

Our current focus is on "God in the Family", or "God-Empowered Families".

• The basic building block of any society or nation is the family unit

• If the family unit is strong then the nation will be strong

• If the family unit is broken down, the nation will be broken down also

• The seeds of family breakdown are many times sown in people's lives during their childhood, through:

  • Observing & adopting dysfunctional family dynamics
  • Lack of proper child training & wrong child training

1. Jesus came to bring Grace & Truth to Individuals and to Families

John 1:14,17 (NKJV) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father , full of grace and truth. 17 __For the law was given through Moses, but _ grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. _

The Bible is divided into two major parts or time periods.

• The Old Testament (O.T.)
• The New Testament (N.T.)

A broad summary of the main theme of each of these two periods:

• O.T. – The Law (an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth)
• N.T. – Grace and truth (loving forgiveness)

John 1:14,17 (LB) And _ Christ _ became a human being and lived here on earth among us and _ was full of loving forgiveness and truth . … 17 _For Moses gave us only _ the Law with its rigid demands and merciless justice, _ while _ Jesus Christ brought us loving forgiveness as well. _

• If we claim "Christian home status" for our homes, we have to be like Christ who was full of grace & loving forgiveness and truth
• Any home that is operated on the basis of loving forgiveness and truth will be a happy home
• Any home that is operated on the basis of "the Law with its rigid demands and merciless justice" will be an unhappy home

Colossians 1:27 (NET) God wanted to make known to them the glorious riches of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is _ Christ in you _, the hope of glory.

Once we are born again, Christ is in us, and we have the grace and ability to operate like Christ did, with loving forgiveness.

Matthew 5:38–39 (NKJV) You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' _ 39 _ But I tell you _ _not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

• The message here is: Do not retaliate!
• Retaliation is based on a "merciless justice" premise and belongs to the pre-Christ era
• In the N.T., the emphasis has moved from judging others to judging ourselves

Luke 6:37 (NLT)_ Do not judge others , and you will not be judged._ _ Do not condemn others , or it will all come back against you . Forgive others , and you will be forgiven._

1 Corinthians 11:31 (NKJV)For if we would _ judge ourselves _, we would not be judged.

Colossians 4:6 (NKJV) _ Let your speech always be with grace _, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

Do not operate out of resentment, rejection or unforgiveness.

1. The Biblical Family

Our aim as Christian families is not to be "modern families", but "biblical families".

Sometimes people think that any version or any variation of family philosophy will do … but in reality, only Bible Methods can produce Bible Results.

To claim "Biblical Family Status" for our families, we need to build and pattern our families after the truth of God's Word.

• Jesus came to bring not only grace, but also truth (John 1:17)
• Grace along will not produce a biblical family
• We need both "Grace" and "Truth" to build a Biblical Family

1. The Biblical Husband

Ephesians 5:25 (NKJV)Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her.

Colossians 3:19 (NLT)Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.

• The biblical husband is a praying man
• He lives by the Word of God and models a godly lifestyle to his family
• He is a servant leader who lays down his life for his wife & his family
• He honours his wife as a co-heir of the grace of life so that His prayers aren't hindered
• He seeks God's will for his life and for his family
• He fosters the presence of God in his home

1 Chronicles 13:14 (NET) The ark of God remained in Obed-Edom's house for three months; _ the Lord blessed Obed-Edom's family and everything that belonged to him. _

The ark of God primarily represents the presence of God. Specifically, it contained:

• Two tablets with the 10 Commandments (the Word of God) Deut.10:2
• A pot of manna (supernatural sustenance ) Deut. 8:3
• Aaron's rod that budded (confirming Aarons priesthood & leadership)

1. The Biblical Wife

Ephesians 5:22–24 (NKJV)Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. _ 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body._ _ 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything._

The sequence of submission to God & His ordained authority is as follows:

• Christ submits to Father God (1 Corinthians 15:24,28)

• The church submits to Christ (Ephesians 5:24)

• The husband submits to Christ (Ephesians 5:25)

• The wife submits to her husband & to Christ (Ephesians 5:22–24)

• The children submit to their father and mother (Colossians 3:20)

The more the whole family is submitted to God and His ordained authority structure, the happier and fulfilled each member of the family will be.

1. Biblical Children

Colossians 3:20 (NKJV)Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.

1. God sets the Solitary in Families
   Outline: https://bit.ly/3kQXMS2

Psalm 68:6 (NKJV)_ God sets the solitary in families ; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity …_

Many people are quite solitary (alone) as far as their natural family is concerned.

In that case, their church family becomes more than just a spiritual family – the church becomes like an adopted family to them so they can experience the blessing of having fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters etc.

Mark 10:29–30 (NKJV)So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, _ 30 _ who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children _ _and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.