Enjoying Family Life!

SERMON OUTLINE:

(1). The Foundation of the home (127: 1-2)

(2). The way to view children in the home (127: 3-5).

(3). The importance of guiding children in the home (128: 1-2).

(4). The legacy when children depart the home (128: 4-6)

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience.

• As she raised a glass of water,

• Everyone expected the old "half empty or half full" question.

• Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: "How heavy is this glass of water?"

• Well, people were keen to answer, and the answers ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

• When folks had all answered,

• Then the psychologist replied,

"The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

She continued,

"The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything."

• TRANSITION: Family life can be stressful.

• We can all have the same size families, but our stress levels may differ considerably,

• These two Psalm will give us some good advice regarding family life,

• And maybe it will help reduce those stress levels as well!

Note:

• These two Psalms (127 & 128) fit together like a hand in a glove.

• Both of them have to do with living life in the home.

Just scan through over them and you will see that!

• Psalm 127 verse 1:

• Refers to building a house.

• Psalm 127 verse 3-5:

• Mentions children.

• Psalm 128 verse 3:

• Pictures a wife.

• Psalm 128 verse 3:

• Pictures a wife the home and children again.

• Psalm 128 verse 6:

• Even traces the progression of time to one’s grandchildren.

• And with that theme in mind I would suggest that Psalm 128 verse 6:

• Teaches or at least hints at a nation’s strength comes from a strong family unit.

• A crumbling family life is one of the signs of a crumbling culture.

(1). The Foundation of the home (127: 1-2)

“Unless the Lord builds the house,

the builders labour in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

the guards stand watch in vain.

2 In vain you rise early

and stay up late,

toiling for food to eat –

for he grants sleep to a those he loves.”

ILL:

• If you are Scottish, you might recognise the words from verse 1,

• It is the motto of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland,

• It appears on the crest,

• And is affixed to the city's official documents.

• In Latin it says, 'Nisi Dominus frustra’

• Which means; "Without the Lord it is in vain".

• But sadly, how many in that city will be ignoring the advice this Psalm gives?

Note: There are two major ideas in these two verses:

• FIRST: The Lord must be central in our homes.

• SECOND: The Lord must be centre of our life and work.

FIRST: The Lord must be central in our homes.

• Twice the Psalmist uses the words, ‘Unless the Lord’

• That is his way of highlighting & underscoring that fact to us!

• Now obviously this is symbolic and not literal,

• God is not talking about a hammer and nails to build with,

• He is not talking about holding a weapon to guard and protect a city.

• The idea is clear and simple,

• God must be the foundation to any home, if that home is to stand firm.

• Foundations are always unseen but essential!

• He must be the trusted unseen guardian of a city,

• If that city wants to consider itself safe.

Notice Twice in these verses we have the words, ‘in vain’

• These verses point out the folly of building and guarding a home or a city,

• In our own strength alone.

• The folly of just relying on our own abilities & resources to get the job done.

• In fact, the words "in vain" appear first in the Hebrew text.

• Emphasising the emptiness of it all.

• "In vain they labour who build".

• "In vain the watchmen keeps awake".