The Godly Home

[0:00] Godly home. I know it can be a bit of a tender topic talking about families and marriage! and the home. We know that it isn't always how we'd like it to be.

[0:22] Thinking back for myself too, I can reflect on how I'd like to see things, I'd like to see that they were different from what they are, to be honest. When I think of my own children and their families and my grandchildren and how precious they are to me and how I'd like to see them in a different place from what they are, to be honest, tonight. I just pray for them. Pray for them all. Seek God and follow hard after Him as we all must in these days. The home, families. Families are important. From the dawn of time, God has designed the family as the basic building block of society. He's designed it that way. That's His will.

[1:16] That's His perfect will. And in Matthew 19 we see our Lord Jesus, He addresses those gathered and He said unto them, Have you not read that He which made them at the beginning of the beginning of the day? He made them male and female. And said for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife and they twain shall be one flesh.

[1:49] God's ultimate design isn't it? Families are important. You know we can have, as people we can have a very nice house but not have a home. Have a home. And a home is the people in it isn't it?

[2:06] That's what makes a home. It's the people in the home. In the house. What makes a family? There's a funny story about a company that someone started up in the US, in California.

[2:21] It's called Rent-A-Wife. And this company Rent-A-Wife has the desire to bring these casual helps into a home. To decorate a home. To make a home look nice. To balance the checkbooks.

[2:36] To run the errands of the home. Rent-A-Wife. Because we know the wife is so able to do such errands and duties. And this woman who's started this company, Rent-A-Wife, she's thinking about now Rent-A-Husband. You know someone who did all the odd jobs around the place that they're doing and looking after the garden and such. And also to start another company called Rent-A-Family.

[3:08] She says, we can do what any family does. For the Rent-A-Family, she's got her teenagers there and she says, we can do what any family does. We can come over and eat all the food.

[3:20] We just open the fridge and just eat it. We can turn on all the lights. And we can put hand prints on the walls and just drop things all over the carpet. You name it. We can take showers and leave the towels on the floor. And when clients are finished with Rent-A-Family, they just have to call Rent-A-Wife again. That's what families are like, isn't it? Families can be messy, can't they? Families can be messy. Families can be shaky. Families can be strong.

[3:51] It's been said that a nation is only as strong as the families that make up that nation. So how can we build strong? How can we build strong in the Lord? Have strong families? As with any building project, building a strong family, it's hard work. Have you ever been out on a building site? You know, people raising a sweat, working hard on their project. And let's look at this analogy, if you like, of building a home, building a family. And number one, first we see that we must follow the plan. To build a family, we must follow God's plan. God has set a blueprint for us as to what makes a home. And He has the best plan, the best design on what makes a family. He is the designer and builder. In the beginning, He made them male and male. No, well, we've got the wrong Bible. No. He made them female and female. No, He made them male and female. Man and woman. Marriage. God has set the blueprint. And we see that He is that one who set the design. In Psalm 127, verse 1. In part it says, except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it. Except the Lord build the house. God has set the plans for us to build our lives by. To build our families by. He has set the pattern clearly. He's outlined

[5:36] His plan, His blueprint on how we are to build our marriage, our children, our families, our homes. Marriage is God's plan. He's designed that a man and a woman marry and be a family.

[5:51] He's the one who defines what marriage is. And He defined it right there in Genesis. Marriage. A man and a woman to leave father and mother and to clean and be one. One flesh. One unit.

[6:05] God's best is this. That we have this stable, vibrant entity called marriage. And it starts with the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus is at the centre of the home. The strength, that plan, that best of God's will for us is that the Lord Jesus is there at the very centre of our home. He is the builder and the maker of a family. Question is, is the Lord Jesus in the home? That's a critical factor, isn't it? We know how hard it can be when one of the spouses is not following the Lord. And the tensions that come, the stresses and the tearing apart.

[6:52] The Lord Jesus wants to be in your home and mine. Our Lord Jesus came across a man, a short statue one day called Zacchaeus. And here was Zacchaeus. He saw the crowds. He couldn't get through. It was jam packed. The streets were pressed with all the people, the multitudes gathering.

[7:12] Looking for Jesus. And here was Zacchaeus, a bit shorter than everybody else, trying to peer through. And he decided, I'm going to climb up a tree to get a good view of the Lord Jesus.

[7:24] To peer above that swirling crowd. He climbed up a tree. Pretty radical thing to do, wasn't it? Here was Zacchaeus. And in Luke 19, we read the story where it says that when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and he saw him. And he said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must abide at thy house. Zacchaeus, come down, make haste, for today I must abide at thy house. And Zacchaeus, it says he made haste and came down and received him joyfully.

[8:02] He jumped down out of that tree and he couldn't get quick enough to the Lord Jesus and to receive him joyfully. Verse 6. Do we want Jesus in our home? Do we want Jesus in our house? Will we make haste and joyfully receive him? That is the critical factor that we commit wholeheartedly to apply Bible principles to guide our home, our marriages, our families. To commit to Christ to be there in our home. To receive him joyfully.

[8:36] To find him. To find him. To find him and to do his will together as a family. Will we invite Christ into our home as a permanent resident there? As Mary and Martha did in Luke 10, 38. The context then is how verse 38, now he came to pass as they went, that he entered into a certain village. And it says that a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. Martha and Mary were there, Lazarus, and they opened the doors of their home and they invited and received the Lord Jesus into their home. Again, Christ in the centre of the home. We must stand on the scriptures and spiritual truth and invite Jesus into your home. Many change challenges face us as people in this world today. To the challenges that face us as we strive as we prayfully seek to build a Godly family. Firstly, follow God's plan. Secondly, be sure to set a Godly foundation. A good building means a solid foundation. And this is the most important aspect as to what are we building upon? Is it the shaky foundation of sand? Of man's making?

[10:01] The shifting sands of man's philosophies? Or is it on the unalterable, sure and solid truth? We see our Lord paint a picture of this in Matthew 7 as he told the parable from verse 24.

[10:17] He paints this contrasting picture between these two extremes. Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended, and the flood came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not. Why? For it was founded upon a rock.

[10:44] We know in the context he tells the story of the foolish man who built his house on the sand. Imagine going down to the beach and trying to build your house there on the sand. Crazy idea.

[10:55] But the wise man built his house on the sand. But the wise man built his house on the solid rock. And his foundations were strong, grounded, firmly planted, strengthened, and firmly locked into the rock.

[11:08] And the Lord Jesus says that the wise one of whom he speaks here is the one who hears this word and puts it into action and does it. Does what the Lord Jesus says. What about you and me? Will we hear, will we listen to the word of God? What God has told us, his love letter, his instructions, you know, B-I-B-L-E, basic instructions before leaving earth.

[11:31] He's given us everything here in this book, within the cover of this book, is his truth for life. And when the floods come, and the rains pelt against our homes, will it stand strong?

[11:43] If it's locked into the rock, it will. The strength that comes as we have this bond is unbreakable. It is founded on the word of God and faith. This is what makes a family strong.

[11:58] And as we play together, pray together, we pray for our families, as we share the word with our families, strength will come there. Strength will come there. Be encouraged in this regard to speak of the word in your home.

[12:13] Speak it. Receive it. Study it. Meditate on it. Memorise it. Hide it in your heart. And teach the word to your children. This is what we are urged to do in the scriptures we read in Deuteronomy 6, where we read how the children of Israel were instructed to receive the word, to teach the word, to carry the word, to write the words of scripture on the doorposts and lintels, to write the word of God, as it were, on the very walls and the places where they lived, the homes that they lived in.

[12:47] As we read in Deuteronomy 6, verse 4 to 9. This is one of the most elementary and vital scriptures that the people of Israel, the children of Israel, were to commit to their minds.

[13:02] And it says, verse 4 in part, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently.

[13:16] Sorry, I missed a bit there. Love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

[13:28] And then it goes on. And these words which... Oh, sorry, I've done it. My apologies are getting mixed up.

[13:38] And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart. And verse 7, And thou shalt teach them, how? Diligently. Teach them, how? Tell thou diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them, when thou sittest in thy house.

[13:53] Now this is a real vital scripture for parents, isn't it? Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children. Try to make that happen in your home.

[14:07] That you'll open the scriptures, you'll share the scriptures. I know that our daughter has got some devotions, that are written in the language of her little children.

[14:22] And they're by her bedside. Their bedsides. And little devotional, so that your children get in the habit of opening the Bible. Getting some daily Bible reading.

[14:33] Getting some daily feeding from God's Word. And as parents, you can use the scriptures to communicate to your children. When you have those opportunities, talk of them, when thou sittest in thine house.

[14:45] And then, and when thou walkest by the way. And when thou lightest down. And when thou risest up. So, in other words, all the time. Whenever you get the opportunity.

[14:56] And then it says, And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frumplers before, between thine eyes. So, it's saying there, as the Hebrew people still exercise this, where they write these words of scripture, and they tie them to their arm.

[15:12] They write them on instruments that they hang on their head. And so, there is that truth that they take this scripture very seriously.

[15:24] And then it says in verse 9, And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. And we know that Hebrew people, even nowadays, take a verse of scripture, and put it in a capsule, and tie it onto their entryways, to their homes, around the doorposts of their home.

[15:49] And, as a witness, that they regard this scripture. And, of course, we can do that physically, but even more so, to do that spiritually. So, have these scriptures live in us, and in our homes, and that we pass them on to our children.

[16:05] God helping us. So, we'll have that foundation, that right foundation, as we build our home on Christ, and His word. And the Lord Jesus, and His word, are the sure foundation, on which we can build our lives.

[16:20] In 1 Corinthians 3, verse 11, it says, for other foundation, can no man lay, than that is laid, which is, Jesus Christ. The sure foundation, for life, is to have a life, founded on Christ, to know Jesus, as our Saviour, to know Him, as our Lord, to know that rock, sword, sure foundation, for living.

[16:45] And, to follow these, Bible instructions, about relationships, about family, about marriage. If we are to build a, biblical home, a godly family, we need, a godly plan, a godly foundation, and number three, thirdly, a godly structure.

[17:03] God wants, us to have a godly structure. We see, a builder, building a home, needs a plan, a blueprint. They need to lay, the foundation, and then, comes the structure.

[17:14] And so too, in the Christian home, for a home to be, well constructed, it needs a strong structure. And the godly family, brothers and sisters, it needs a godly structure.

[17:25] God's given us, the structure. He's given us, the order. The most important, things in your house, are the people, someone has said. You know, we can look at our homes, and see, the finery, and the, the, the fittings, and the furnishings, but, the most important thing, in, your house, are the people.

[17:49] It's about the people, isn't it? And God set a design, and a structure, for the family unit, for us to follow, a framework, for us to build, a home, a framework, a structure, for the husband, the wife, for the father, the mother, for the children, for the parents.

[18:06] And God has, designed it that way. For a husband, and wife, to stick together. He's joined them together. He's designed, that we be cemented, glued together, that we stick together.

[18:17] Now we know, it doesn't always happen, as God, wills it to. People fail, marriages fail. It's a sad reality, we sometimes can't repair that.

[18:32] Sometimes it's scrambled eggs, and we acknowledge that, and it's, it's tough, and painful for people. We acknowledge that. And I feel for those, in these situations. Sometimes it's irreparable, to put it all back together, what's been destroyed.

[18:47] But, God's design, in the ultimate, as we, seek him, for the ultimate, for our future, for our present, is that we stick together, husband, wife, for better, for worse, through all things.

[19:01] And may we work, to build up, such a home, a godly home. And God commands us, that we be builders, of such a home. Proverbs 14, 1, it says, Every wise woman, buildeth her house, but the furthest, plucketh it down, with her hands.

[19:17] Let's rather be, in the first part, of that verse, amen? So be such a one, that builds a house, that builds our home, that builds our, God glorifying, family, our marriage, that structure, that blesses God, and blesses, one another.

[19:33] It speaks of the husband, in his role, in Ephesians 5, 25, it says, Husbands, love your wives, even as, Christ also loved, the church, and gave himself for it.

[19:49] Husbands, love, with Christ's love, how great a love, is that? Such a love. And the duties, of a husband, are manifold, in that love, that's expressed, self-sacrificial love, a love that goes, beyond, not necessarily, reciprocal at times, but a self-sacrificial love, a love that goes, beyond, expectations, to honour her, your wife, to understand her, to treasure her, to provide for her, to support for her, and the husband, must live up, to his godly responsibility, to be the head, of his wife, as Christ is the head, of the church.

[20:31] Now some might take this, and misapply it, when it says that, the husband is the head, of the wife, as Christ is the head, of the church, he is not, as a tyrant, or a dictator, that his wife, is under his thumb, in such a fashion, but leading with love, and with humility, as a servant leader, in godly leadership, with godly headship, for the spiritual well-being, of his home, and such is the call, to husbands tonight, to take that, primary responsibility, to protect, to provide, for his family, to nourish, to cherish, his wife.

[21:10] What are the duties, of a father? Eli was one, who failed to discipline, there was a breakdown, of the structure, in Eli's family, it says of him, that, his sons, made themselves vile, and he restrained, them not.

[21:24] Eli's sons, got into all sorts, of mischief, and Eli, did nothing, to restrain them. And the context, of 1 Samuel 3, 13 and 14, speaks of judgment, that God, will judge his house, for the iniquity.

[21:44] It says in Proverbs 13, 24, he that spareth his rod, hated his son, but he that loveth his son, chasteneth him, betimes, which means, promptly, or early.

[21:57] If you love your child, you'll chasten them, you'll discipline them, promptly. If you spare your rod, you hate your son, there's need for discipline.

[22:11] Of course, again, some can take this, to an extreme, where they're thrashing, their child. No, it's, loving discipline, correction, chastening, in love, with the right heart.

[22:27] And so, this is the responsibility, fathers, mothers, to discipline our children, to bring them up. Man is charged, with being a provider, in 1 Timothy 5, verse 8. It falls on the man, to provide for their own, especially for their own house.

[22:43] If he does not, he's denied the faith, he's worse than an infidel. There's a, responsibility, that falls on the man's shoulders, to provide for his own.

[22:55] And, notice that, love is like the roof, that fits on top of this structure, that we're talking about. 1 Peter 4, verse 8, it says, above all things, have fervent charity, among yourselves, for charity covereth, shall cover, the multitude of sins.

[23:13] Have fervent charity, fervent love, among yourselves. Love never fails. Now, 1 Corinthians 13, is a scripture often read, in wedding times, love.

[23:26] God's kind of love. The duties of a wife, are spelled out too. In Ephesians 5, 22, wives, submit yourselves unto, your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

[23:38] That's pretty strong, isn't it? You know, I've had some say, oh, there's no way I can apply that scripture, you don't know my husband. And, you know, there's some husbands like that.

[23:50] I know there's one woman, that was telling me, you know, she was beaten up, by her husband. Let's face it, this happens in Australia, in this community, where we live. God doesn't expect, women to put up with that, to be beaten.

[24:10] Submit here, is the sense of subordinate, obey, respect. But, the other side of the coin, is that the man, is to exercise loving authority.

[24:22] The context is, if husbands love, wives submit. The authority, of the godly husband, is a loving authority. And the wife, is to love her husband too.

[24:34] And to act with faithfulness. It says in Titus 2, verse 4 through 5. Of the wife, that they may teach, the young children, to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, or in other words, modest, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God, be not blasphemed.

[24:55] There's a call there to, wives, to, exercise these godly, character traits, to, be sober, to love your husbands, to love your children, to be discreet, chaste, in other words, have that godly heart, to be a homemaker, keeper at home, good, obedient.

[25:20] A homemaker, it's got the sense of, managing the household affairs. Really, it's the wife, who's the manager, not the man. The wife is to manage, the household affairs, the keeper at home, she keeps it under control, she manages, the everyday, day by day, of the home.

[25:39] That's, God's plan, and purpose. And then we see the duty of parents, and of children. It says, children, Colossians 3, verse 20 to 21, children, obey your parents, in all things, for this is well pleasing, unto the Lord.

[25:56] And fathers, provide not your children, to anger, unless they be discouraged. And the light scripture in Ephesus, talks about the parents, bringing up their children, in the fear and admonition, that nurture, that admonition, of the Lord.

[26:11] We're called to bring, a spiritual training. You know, the home is meant to be, a training place, for young people, to see the godly example, modelled by their mums and dads.

[26:22] The loving authority, and the loving discipline, of parents. It's been said truly, that if children are rebellious, in the home, they will probably be, rebellious in society.

[26:35] What do we see today? Children running the streets, late at night. Children, young teenagers, going wild, at parties, and out of control.

[26:48] A lawlessness, that prevails. And why is that? A lot of the folk, is at the home level. It's at the feet, of the parents.

[27:00] And it's under parents, where children, are supposed to be, trained to become, members of society. It's not up to the school. I wouldn't put any faith, in what the schools, want to teach your children, or mine, or my grandchildren.

[27:15] No sir. I wouldn't, I wouldn't count on the schools, to teach your children. It's up to us, isn't it? Mums and dads. We're building lives.

[27:25] Our marriage, our family. What are we building it on? On a short, firm, solid foundation, or on shaky? Shifting sands.

[27:38] What does the word say? Love your spouse. What makes a home? The people in it. Communication, consistency, commitment, love, harmony, peace, grace, forgiveness, warmth, joy.

[27:55] Just to recap, what makes, for strong families. Let's just recap, where we've travelled tonight. We need to follow, number one, God's plan. God's blueprint. It's marriage.

[28:06] Marriage is God's plan. Not some, take it or leave it. Easy come, easy go. When I feel like it, when I don't.

[28:18] Marriage, marriage, it's God's plan. He which made them at the beginning, made them what? Male and female. Male and female. God's plan for the home, is marriage.

[28:30] And that it be Christ-centered. That it will be like Zacchaeus. It will be like Martha and Mary. We'll receive the Lord Jesus into our home. That our home be Christ-centered.

[28:42] Will you receive the Lord Jesus into your home? You know, some like to display that part that says, Christ is the head of this home. Christ is the head of this house. He's the unseen guest at the table.

[28:55] And he hears every conversation. And some like to display scriptures around their homes. To be a witness. When someone walks into your home, I saw someone, they had it in their porch.

[29:08] Before they even walk into the home, they had a scripture hanging there. And he says it scares off the JWs. But, you know, they just have some scriptures hanging up. To say, I identify with this book.

[29:21] With this truth. With this Lord. And he's mine. And I am his. And I'm not ashamed. God's plan for the home is to be Christ-centered.

[29:33] As the Lord Jesus is the head of your home. Secondly, we saw the foundation to make strong families. We also need God's foundation. May we build a firm biblical foundation.

[29:46] May we be a wise builder. Or we would be like the crackpot. Who built his house on the sand. Don't do that with your life. Don't do that. Hear the word of God.

[29:57] It says, These words which I command thee shall be in thine heart. Put it into your heart. I know there's some zealots here who love to memorize the word of God.

[30:08] And I thank God for them. It's a witness to me. How I need to put God's word into my heart. Let's do that. Make it a commitment. Hear the word.

[30:22] Keep the word. These words which I command thee shall be in thine heart. And it says, No other foundation can anyone lay.

[30:33] But that which is laid. Christ. He's the sure foundation for life. For your family. For your home. No other foundation. It's our faith in Christ. That will hold us sure.

[30:45] And steady. No matter what. The storms assail. We will be strong. And thirdly we see. To make strong families. We need a structure. A godly structure.

[30:55] For a home to be well constructed. It needs a strong structure. You know. The building inspector comes. And he measures things up. And he checks. Is it in accordance with the plan?

[31:07] We've had some friend of mine. The council did that to him. And they said you've got to pull it down. And rebuild it. You know. It's not in accordance with the regulations.

[31:18] It's not in accord with the. What do they call it? The council bylaws. Or building code. Yeah. You don't comply with the building code. Do you comply with the building code?

[31:31] The structure. Must be. In accordance with this framework. And. God helping us. We can. Make a fresh start. You might say.

[31:41] Preacher. I know. My situation isn't. Really how it. Ought to be. We can go back to the. Structure. Get back to the.

[31:53] Biblical truths. Get back to the biblical roles. For husbands and wives. For mums and dads and children. Biblical roles.

[32:04] And we can know that biblical love. That covers it all. Fervent love. Above all. Fervent charity. It covers a multitude of sins.

[32:15] People fail. In marriages. Don't they? Love covers a multitude of sins. Wow. 1 Corinthians 13.

[32:26] Love isn't it? And we see that love. That biblical love. In loving discipline. Not. Not a. A harsh. Unmeasured discipline. But a loving discipline.

[32:38] Because we want to nurture. And grow our children. To be strong. And follow our Lord. And God. To be vibrant Christians. So we want to guide them. And shape them. And direct them.

[32:49] And lovingly lead them. And that loving authority. Of a man. Who's not some kind of despot. Who's not some kind of ogre. Jumping on people.

[33:01] And provoking his children to wrath. Or being hateful towards his wife. But that it's an authority.

[33:12] That's exercised within that. Loving framework. That loving structure. It says. Accept the Lord. Build the house. They that labour.

[33:23] In vain. That building. Let us pray. Let us pray.