How To Build A Strong Home Series

Home Improvement Series

How To Build A Strong Home

1 Peter 3:1-7

ALL OF US HERE THIS MORNING WANT TO HAVE STRONG HOMES. HOMES THAT WILL SURVIVE THE STORMS OF LIFE. HOME THAT WILL SURVIVE THE ATTACKS OF THE ENEMY. HOMES THAT WILL SURVIVE THE PRESSURES AND DEMANDS OF THE WORLD. IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE HOMES LIKE THIS WE MUST HAVE A STRONG, STURDY AND UNSHAKABLE FOUNDATION. THAT FOUNDATION IS NOTHING OTHER THAN GOD’S WORD. GOD’S WORD HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIMES AND HAS PROVEN TO BE A STRONG AND STURDY FOUNDATION ON WHICH WE CAN BUILD STRONG HOMES.

IN OUR SCRIPTURE TODAY BROTHER PETER IS WRITING TO HUSBANDS AND WIVES ON HOW TO LIVE AND CONDUCT THEIR LIVES IN RELATION WITH EACH OTHER. STRONG HOMES BEGIN WITH STRONG MARRIAGES. FIRST OF ALL I FEEL THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE NEED TO KNOW.

THE TIME OF PETER’S WRITING. IN PETER’S TIME WOMEN WERE THOUGHT OF ON THE SAME LEVEL AS THE HOUSE HOLD PET. THE MEN OF PETER’S TIME WERE INFLUENCED BY THE ROMAN CULTURE. THE ROLE OF THE WOMAN WAS PRIMARILY TO COOK, CLEAN HOUSE AND HAVE BABIES. APART FROM THESE ROLES SHE WAS THOUGHT OF AS BEING INFERIOR TO MAN AND NOT IMPORTANT. SHE WAS NOT GIVEN THE RESPECT AND HONOR THAT GOD HAD ORDAINED THAT SHE HAVE.

THE SECOND THING WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS, PETER WAS ADDRESSING A PROBLEM IN THE CHURCH. THE ACTIONS AND ATTITUDES OF THESE MEN AND WOMEN TOWARD EACH WERE ANYTHING BUT GODLY. THEY WERE NO DOUBT BRINGING SHAME ON THE CHURCH AND DISGRACING THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. PETER BY THE INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY GHOST WAS CORRECTING THE PROBLEM. PETER IS NOT SUGGESTING THAT BY SUBMITTING TO HER HUSBAND THAT THE WIFE IS INFERIOR TO HER HUSBAND. IN THE EYES OF GOD WE ARE ALL EQUAL AS FAR AS OUR EXISTENCE IS CONCERNED. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE HOME THERE HAS TO BE A PRESCRIBED ORDER. THERE AS TO BE A CHAIN OF COMMAND OR SOME ONE THAT IS IN CHARGE WHO WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO GOD FOR THE FAMILY. GOD HAS ORDAINED THE MAN TO BE THE HEAD, THE LEADER, AND THE AUTHORITY IN THE HOME.

THIRD I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THAT PETER UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE MAY BE A CHANCE THAT THESE BELIEVING HUSBANDS AND WIVES MAY HAVE A SPOUSE THAT IS NOT SAVED OR A CHRISTIAN. PETER IS BASICALLY SAYING THAT, " I KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE A SPOUSE THAT IS AN UNBELIEVER. SO LET ME TELL YOU HOW TO LIVE IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU CAN KEEP PEACE IN YOUR HOME AN AT THE SAME TIME LEAD YOUR SPOUSE TO CHRIST ". PETER REALIZED THAT WE SELDOM TALK OR ARGUE PEOPLE INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. WE LOVE, PRAY AND INFLUENCE THEM BY HOLY AND RIGHTEOUS LIVING. THIS ALLOWS THE SPIRIT OF GOD TO MINISTER THROUGH US WHILE AT THE SAME TIME DRAW THEM TO HIMSELF.

THE FORTH THING I WANT YOU TO NOTICE AND UNDERLINE IN YOUR BIBLE IS THE WORD, " LIKEWISE ". YOU WILL FIND THAT WORD MENTIONED TWO TIMES IN THESE SCRIPTURES. ONCE IN VERSE 1 AND ONCE IN VERSE 7. THE WORD LIKEWISE MEANS, IN THE SAME WAY. IN OTHER WORDS WHAT I HAVE SAID BEFORE APPLIES TO YOU AS WELL. I BELIEVE THAT WHAT GOD SAYS TO THE WIVES AND HUSBANDS CAN ALSO APPLY TO OUR HOMES AS WELL.

THE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS:

THREE TYPES OF BUILDING MATERIAL. 1. STRAW 2. WOOD 3. BRICK

I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU 5 BRICKS THAT WE CAN USE TO BUILD STRONG FAMILIES.

I. BRICK #1 BEHAVIOR

1 PETER 3:1-2

AS WE LOOK AT EACH ONE OF THESE BRICKS WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT EACH BRICK IS MADE UP OF CERTAIN INGREDIENTS. IF ONE OR MORE OF THE INGREDIENTS IS LEFT OUT IT WILL TAKE AWAY FROM THE QUALITY AND STRENGTH OF THE BRICK.

BEHAVIOR HAS TO DO WITH THE WAY WE LIVE OUR LIVES FROM DAY TO DAY. WE MUST BE CONSISTENT IN THE WAY THAT WE LIVE OUR LIVES. SO MANY PEOPLE ARE INCONSISTENT IN THE WAY THEY LIVE FROM ONE DAY TO THE NEXT. ONE DAY THEY ARE UP THE NEXT DAY THEY ARE DOWN. ONE DAY THEY ARE IN AND THE NEXT DAY THEY ARE OUT. THAT IS THE WAY WE ARE IN OUR HOMES. ONE DAY WE FOLLOW GOD’S PLAN FOR THE FAMILY AND THE NEXT DAY WE DON’T.

I KNOW THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD THE SAYING: I HAD RATHER SEE A SERMON ANY DAY THAN HEAR ONE. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS. OR I CAN’T HEAR WHAT YOU ARE SAYING BECAUSE YOUR ACTIONS ARE SCREAMING AT ME.

IT’S A WELL KNOWN FACT THAT OUR WALK IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS OUR TALK. WE MUST LIVE WHAT WE PREACH.