7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" Matthew 7:71-11
God set the family as an example of His love and the trinity from the beginning.
"21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs[a] and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib[b] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man." Genesis 2:21-24
Back in Jesus' time unmarried sons would stay with family until marriage; and then marriage the husband was responsible for the family.
In the USA:
1860s -- 1 out of 34 marriages ended in divorce.
1900 -- 1 out of 5 marriages ended in divorce
Now -- 1 out of every 2. No difference between Christian and nonchristian marriages.
God knew Adam shouldn't be alone so He gave Adam Eve.
"God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”" Genesis 1:28
And then again in Genesis 9:7 God says the same thing:
"As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”" Genesis 9:7
God' purpose didn't change when He "reset" the world with Noah and Noah's family.
God calls whole families, not just individuals:
He called Abraham:
"So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there." Genesis 12:4-5
He called all of Abraham's ancestors!
The Role of Families:
1. Families are meant to stay together:
“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’[a] 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’[b]? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”" Matthew 19:4-6
They will become one flesh. What if everyone had to have their right arms cut off when they divorced??? There would be much fewer divorces.
People who don't have families suffer. The decision to come together in marriage shouldn't be taken lightly.
Children are a blessing from God.
"Children are a heritage from the Lord,
offspring a reward from him.
4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their opponents in court." Psalm 127:3-5
No birth is ever a mistake! God creates every life.
2. Christian Families are an evangelistic tool.
Tool for saving a lost world!
"Blessed are all who fear the Lord,
who walk in obedience to him.
2 You will eat the fruit of your labor;
blessings and prosperity will be yours.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.
4 Yes, this will be the blessing
for the man who fears the Lord." Psalm 128:1-4
3. Family is where we learn to love and nurture.
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[a] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself." Ephesians 5:25-28
"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”" John 13:35
4. Family is where we learn values and gain character.
"Start children off on the way they should go,
and even when they are old they will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6
"These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:6-9
"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise-- 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”[a] 4 Fathers,[b] do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." Ephesians 6:1-4
We learn forgiveness in the family -- how to ask for it and how to give it (so, human parents are ideal -- not perfect parents).
5. Our Family is meant to be an example of God's family.
How could God explaiin His love without the illustration of the family?
"While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”
48 He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”" Matthew 12:46-50
Christian famliies explain the concept of family to others.
"The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.[a] And by him we cry, “Abba,[b] Father.”" Romans 8;15
Nobody deserves salvation or God's love; but God will give both if we ask. He gives love no matter what. He will give salvation to anyone who asks.
"Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God."
John 1:12-13
We have a perfect Father!
9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" Matthew 7:71-11
God set the family as an example of His love and the trinity from the beginning.
"21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs[a] and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib[b] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man." Genesis 2:21-24
Back in Jesus' time unmarried sons would stay with family until marriage; and then marriage the husband was responsible for the family.
In the USA:
1860s -- 1 out of 34 marriages ended in divorce.
1900 -- 1 out of 5 marriages ended in divorce
Now -- 1 out of every 2. No difference between Christian and nonchristian marriages.
God knew Adam shouldn't be alone so He gave Adam Eve.
"God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”" Genesis 1:28
And then again in Genesis 9:7 God says the same thing:
"As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”" Genesis 9:7
God' purpose didn't change when He "reset" the world with Noah and Noah's family.
God calls whole families, not just individuals:
He called Abraham:
"So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there." Genesis 12:4-5
He called all of Abraham's ancestors!
The Role of Families:
1. Families are meant to stay together:
“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’[a] 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’[b]? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”" Matthew 19:4-6
They will become one flesh. What if everyone had to have their right arms cut off when they divorced??? There would be much fewer divorces.
People who don't have families suffer. The decision to come together in marriage shouldn't be taken lightly.
Children are a blessing from God.
"Children are a heritage from the Lord,
offspring a reward from him.
4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their opponents in court." Psalm 127:3-5
No birth is ever a mistake! God creates every life.
2. Christian Families are an evangelistic tool.
Tool for saving a lost world!
"Blessed are all who fear the Lord,
who walk in obedience to him.
2 You will eat the fruit of your labor;
blessings and prosperity will be yours.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.
4 Yes, this will be the blessing
for the man who fears the Lord." Psalm 128:1-4
3. Family is where we learn to love and nurture.
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[a] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself." Ephesians 5:25-28
"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”" John 13:35
4. Family is where we learn values and gain character.
"Start children off on the way they should go,
and even when they are old they will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6
"These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:6-9
"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise-- 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”[a] 4 Fathers,[b] do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." Ephesians 6:1-4
We learn forgiveness in the family -- how to ask for it and how to give it (so, human parents are ideal -- not perfect parents).
5. Our Family is meant to be an example of God's family.
How could God explaiin His love without the illustration of the family?
"While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”
48 He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”" Matthew 12:46-50
Christian famliies explain the concept of family to others.
"The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.[a] And by him we cry, “Abba,[b] Father.”" Romans 8;15
Nobody deserves salvation or God's love; but God will give both if we ask. He gives love no matter what. He will give salvation to anyone who asks.
"Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God."
John 1:12-13
We have a perfect Father!
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