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[0:00] Everybody, we're rejoicing with Rida and Sharon today because of their new baby, Uriah and Timothy.

[0:23] ! So this is what we're about this morning. So I want to turn with me to Joshua 24.

[0:35] Joshua 24. I'm glad to have Rida and Sharon's mum and dad here today as well. And uncle, I think. Not quite.

[0:47] Mum and dad and mum and dad. And friends as well here today to celebrate. So Joshua 24. And from verse 14.

[1:00] Joshua 24 verse 14. Now therefore fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and in truth. And put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood and in Egypt and serve ye the Lord.

[1:18] And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose ye this day whom ye will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell.

[1:33] But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. These parents today, Rida and Sharon, are wanting to dedicate their children to the Lord.

[1:46] And Jessica, Jonathan, Ethan and Elizabeth have already been dedicated. But Seth, Stephen and Uriah have yet to have that kind of commitment, that public declaration today. Now there's not something magical about this or something that's necessarily biblical as such as far as the ceremony goes.

[2:04] But the declaration is a biblical declaration, isn't it? As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. That's what it's about today. It's about the biblical commitment of this family under God.

[2:16] And it's a basic object lesson for all of us as God's people, and especially as families, of a Christ-honouring home. And I know from my experience and knowledge of Rida and Sharon that that is the case.

[2:28] It's a Christ-honouring home. And they're a testimony for God. And we thank God for them. And this is a graphic picture today of what a Christian family and what believing parents are about.

[2:39] About that solemn responsibility before the Lord. And the family is a divine institution that's ordained by God from the beginning of time. The home is a God-designed place.

[2:51] A place of honour. A place designed for honour unto Him. First and foremost, of honour, children to parents, of honour, of spouses to one another.

[3:01] A God-honouring home. A place for love and nurture. For discipline. For correction. For training and learning. As we are role models for our children.

[3:14] And we're taking time today to acknowledge God's gift. This little bundle of joy that God's given to this family, to these parents today. And at the birth of Uriah Timothy.

[3:25] So, as parents, we're entrusted children for our protection and care. And it's important that all parents recognise their responsibility, their obligation to God.

[3:38] And in God-honouring homes, children have the great advantage of seeing the truth live down. And God gives parents that responsibility before God. And we want to prayerfully ask that God will empower his family for the task ahead.

[3:53] For the charge they have. As parents, their desire would be to raise their children. To know and love the Lord Jesus. And that's a good desire, to be a godly parent. Joshua, in the Bible, was a godly father.

[4:07] He took his place. At the time, it was a time of compromise. A time of mixture. And Joshua challenged the people to make a decision.

[4:18] And he said, my decision is to serve the Lord. And not just me, but my house, my household. You know, some men will say today, I will not serve the Lord.

[4:29] I and my family will not serve the Lord. Some will neglect their duty. Let's be like Joshua in the Bible. He said, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

[4:40] We read of his dedication, it was on behalf of his family. And that's what these parents here today, what Sharon and Radar want to do today. To declare that publicly. To make that bold stand.

[4:52] And there's a line drawn in the sand in Joshua's day as he challenges the nation. He says, serve someone. Choose who you're going to serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

[5:05] He acknowledges his responsibility. He spoke for his family. He declared their intent. It's the Lord central in your home. As we're giving God praise today, we're giving God thanks today for this little one.

[5:19] And friends, just to wrap up, parents have an influence. We all have an influence. We're all leading our family in one direction or another. And of course, ultimately, it's for the little one, him or herself, to decide in time which path they will take.

[5:35] Whether they will ultimately trust Christ. And as godly parents, we may do our utmost and yet see it doesn't happen. But ultimately, it's in God's hands.

[5:46] It's his decision ultimately. But godly parents have that responsibility while they're in our charge to set the example, to prayerfully seek to influence them, to do our part and leave the rest to the Lord.

[5:59] And so, I just want to formalise this by just asking Sharon and Ruddair some questions to which they'll reply. And here's some questions here for Sharon and Ruddair.

[6:11] And let's just prayerfully think of our own commitment to the Lord too, as parents, as families today. Sharon and Ruddair, as parents, do you commit to faithfully participate in worship with your children?

[6:28] Will you teach your children the truths of God's word in your home? And will you seek to gently lead your children to personal faith in Christ?

[6:41] Amen. We give God glory for this family, don't we? Let's just pray for the whole family, but in particular today for Seth, Stephen and Uriah, but really for the whole family, the mums and dads and the grandmas and grandpas today.

[6:55] Now, it's great to see a godly heritage, isn't it? Yeah. Godly heritage, amen? Amen. You know, it's multi-generational. It's mothers and fathers, grandfathers and grandmothers today.

[7:08] And that's a blessing that, you know, I know there's godly heritage here. That's not always the case. And I know for many of us, it may not be the case. We may not have godly parents or godly grandparents.

[7:20] But thank God for this family today. We can pray for the whole family. Let's just do that, shall we? Heavenly Father, we thank you for Ruddair and Sharon, for this family, for this little one, Uriah, Lord, today.

[7:33] For the whole family, Lord, we commit each one, each child to you. We commit these parents to you. For these grandparents too, Lord. We thank you for the testimony that this is to your glory.

[7:44] And we give you all the praise and all the glory in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thank you.