HOW TO HAVE A GODLY FAMILY!
By Ivan G. Casteel
Matthew 11:11; Luke 1:5-16
Mt 11:11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (KJV)
Lu 1:5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course,
9 According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. (KJV)
INTRODUCTION: There was about to be born to an older Jewish couple a boy who would change the course of Israel.
Young adults are required to do the most important job they will do at an age when they are not qualified to do so. That is to rear children and prepare them for the society they will face.
Jesus made a statement in Matt. 11:11, that is most astounding. Zacharias and Elizabeth had born unto them the greatest child ever born unto woman. Can you imagine the magnitude of that statement? Suppose you were credited with or responsible for rearing the world’s #1 kid? Amazing, isn’t it? They could have had a bumper sticker that said, “Proud Parents Of The Worlds Greatest Kid.”
I wish I could have located this father and mother early in my child rearing life so I could have asked them how they did such an accomplishment. The greatest expectation of any adult couple is to rear good, godly children. You can determine the success of any man and his wife by observing their children.
The world has a totally different definition of successful child rearing. A well-balanced child means the same number of positives as negatives. That’s dumb.
The world says that a high school graduate is not normal unless they have had at least one sexual experience. That’ s dumb.
The world system says that the child must be exposed to every type of experience that he will face in his lifetime so he can learn to cope with each experience. That’s dumb. Do we allow your children to play in a den of rattlesnakes to teach them survival? Of course not. Do we allow them to play with a loaded shotgun so they will learn how not to commit murder? That’s dumb also. Do we allow them to play in the center of the interstate highway so they will learn how to walk to school and not get hit by a car? That’s just as dumb as the system is.
In this passage in Luke’s gospel we see a family that was successful in marriage and raising a godly family. How did they do it? You make mental notes as we examine five very obvious reasons why this was an unusual family, yet a very godly family
I. BOTH PARENTS WERE SAVED Vs. 6
Lu 1:6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. (KJV)
A. Righteous Parents. How did they become righteous? Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Ro 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (KJV)
Righteousness comes to a person by believing on Him who is righteous. 2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (KJV) This husband and wife became biblically righteous because they followed the Bible formula for such.
1. Because they were righteous parents they would rear righteous children.
2. Ungodly parents rear ungodly children.
3. Disobedient parents rear disobedient children.
4. Righteous parents will rear a righteous and godly family.
It is practically impossible to produce godly children when the parents are unsaved. Whatever seed you plant in the ground, that seed will produce after its kind. Many homes are planting seed today that does nothing to produce godly homes – as a matter of fact the seed sown produces the opposite of godliness.
Listen to this illustration:
BEANS IN THE GROUND.
One day a father had sent his two sons to the field to plant beans. The sun was hot and the rows were long. After several hours of planting beans the boys became tired. One of them suggested that they dig a hole and put the remaining seed in the hole and go home as though they had finished the job. They did this. After a few days you know what happened the beans came up.
The father came to the boys and told them to go to the field with him. He took them to the place where they had buried the remaining seed and much to their surprise there was a large clump of beans growing. One boy said to the father, “Are you going to whip us?” Instead, the father kneeled down and begin to pray. His prayer was, “Father please help my boys to remember that where beans are planted, beans come up.”
You want to know why so many homes fail and families are ruined? Unsaved parents. Oh, they go to church. They know all the holy language. They work in various places of responsibility, but when it comes down to brass tacks, many of them are unsaved. I challenge Associated Press, UPI, or Gallup Pole to interview 100 Christian families that truly walk with God and follow Biblical principles. They won’t find one failure. I said, NOT ONE FAILURE. Not one child will be on dope. Not one of them will be on alcohol. Not one teenage pregnancy. It is impossible to follow God and fail at the same time. God’s plan works.
B. They Were Obedient In All Commandments Of God. There is a foolproof method in raising your family. Follow the commands of God. It’s not as easy as stated. The reason is, most teaching is done by example rather than words.
C. How Can You Teach Your Child To Be Honest When The Checkout Clerk Gives You Too Much Change And You Keep It?
D. How Can You Teach Your Child To Be Slow To Anger When You Shout At A Driver Of Another Car For Cutting In Front Of You?
E. How Can You Teach Your Child Not To Take God’s Name In Vain When You Use Four-Letter Words Yourself?
F. How Can You Expect Your Child Not To Be An Alcoholic When You Gorge Your Gluttonness Stomach? The Bible says there is no difference in an alcoholic, a murderer, and a glutton.
G. Now, Here’s The Clincher. How many parents are smokers and hope and pray their children don’t become smokers? Most kids get their first cigarette from mom or dad’s pack.
H. How Many Of You Want Your Children To Grow Up And Be Decent, Pure, And Godly Kids? You’d better control your television then. If you let them have a TV in their bedroom you are making a mistake. You can’t trust them. 99.9% of all TV is purposed to turn the children away from godly views and principles.
I. Many Parents Today Wouldn’t Accept A John The Baptist As A Son.
1. His diet - locust and wild honey.
2. His clothing - camel skin.
3. His desert culture.
4. His crudeness.
5. He wasn’t Mr. Personality or Best Dressed on Campus.
6. Jesus said, “There is none greater than John the Baptist.” Don’t forget your children are just what you have raised them to be.
Most of the homes today would be embarrassed to have a John the Baptist in their home.
Most children are exact replicas of the home. They turn out exactly as they are raised. David’s children did what they saw their father do in the home. He committed adultery, so the children rose up against decency and what was right. One son raped a sister. Absalom, an older son killed the one who did the raping. These were all children of the greatest king that ever lived. Where did they get their rebellion – from their home.
II. BOTH PARENTS WERE FAITHFUL IN THEIR DUTY TO GOD Vs. 8-9.
Lu 1:8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course,
9 According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. (KJV)
A. Zacharias’ Duty — To Burn Incense In The Temple. Vs. 9.
1. He was performing that duty. Vs. 8.
B. So Many Young People Never Amount To Anything For God Because They Have Observed Mom And Dad’s Unfaithfulness In God’s Work.
1. If some of you had to get to heaven through your devotion to God’s work, you would be hopeless.
2. I see people dragging in here at 10:15, when they should have been here at 9:45.
3. I see S/S rooms empty of a teacher or a bus without a regular driver.
4. I see pews empty that should be occupied.
5. I see tithing envelopes with $5 in them that should have $50 or $60. You teach your children faithfulness by the same degree you are faithful.
6. If you aren’t faithful to tithe, your child won’t be.
7. If you aren’t faithful in attendance in S/S and church, your kids won’t be.
8. If you badmouth the leadership, your kids will do the same.
9. If you aren’t faithful in family altar time, your kids won’t be.
John the Baptist was what he was because of what his parents were, they were faithful to serve God righteously.
Every problem with the younger generation would be solved if parents would accept Bible responsibility and then perform it faithfully.
III. THEY FOLLOWED THE WILL OF GOD WHEN IT WAS CONTRARY TO THEIR PEERS Vs. 13, 59, 60, 63.
Lu 1:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
Lu 1:59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
Lu 1:60 And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
Lu 1:63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. (KJV)
A. Jewish Tradition. Tradition was very important to the Jews.
1. Sons were named after their father.
2. There was no one named John before this time.
B. Criticism Didn’t Deter Them.
1. Zacharias was a priest.
2. He was breaking tradition.
3. The Lord said, “Thou shalt call his name John”, verse 13.
C. They Could Have Compromised And Called Him Zacharias John.
D. They Weren’t Influenced By Social Pressures.
IV. BOTH PARENTS WERE OBEDIENT TO GOD 1:18-20; 63-64.
Lu 1:18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
Lu 1:63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.
64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. (KJV)
This is closely related to the last point, yet it is different.
A. Zacharias Was Stricken Dumb Because Of His Unbelief In The Word Of The Lord. Vs. 18-20. Unbelief brought dumbness.
Do you remember earlier in this message that I mentioned how dumb most of our society is in the matter of raising children? Remember that? Do you want to know where that dumbness comes from? The same place it did with Zacharias. Failure to believe the Word of God. I realize the dumbness that Zacharias suffered was the inability to speak, but the same principle will carry on down to any other level of dumbness. America is dumb today because America has tried to succeed in the principles of the home apart from the Word of God. You won’t have a godly home a part from Bible principles.
B. His Dumbness Was Lifted When He Obeyed The Word Of God. Vs. 63-64. Lu 1:63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.
64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. (KJV)
We as parents must be obedient to God in rearing our children.
Prov. 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
We must teach, train, and instill principles, standards, doctrine, and righteousness in our children.
Notice Vs. 80. His growing up was no accident. It was because a godly training course was adopted by his parents.
V. BOTH PARENTS WERE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT Luke 1:41, 67.
Lu 1:41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
Lu 1:67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, (KJV)
A. Friend, This Is Not Optional. Eph. 5:18 Says, “. . . .Be Filled With The Spirit.”
This is not a conviction. It is a command.
B. Being Filled With The Spirit Is Necessary For Doing God’s Work.
To attempt to do ANYTHING for the Lord without the fullness of the Holy Spirit is a sin of breaking a commandment.
C. The Number One Failure In Christian Homes Today Is Not Allowing The Holy Spirit To Control The Lives Of The Parents. A spirit-controlled situation eliminates mistakes and failures.
Spirit filled parents won’t abuse their children.
Spirit filled parents won’t mis-treat their children.
Spirit filled parents won’t intentionally lead their children wrong.
Spirit filled parents will love their children, and show affection for them.
Spirit filled parents would eliminate most of the delinquent problems of today.
D. The Responsibility Is Too Great To Try To Do It Without God’s Guidance.
E. What Should You Do? Luke 11:13; If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much mare shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?”
1. Admit your mistakes.
2. Begin a family devotion if you don’t have one.
3. Make all decisions based on Bible principles and teachings. If you don’t know what the Bible says about certain things, then seek help from the staff.
4. Be faithful in all parts of the church life.
5. If you are not saved, get saved. I promise you if you will do this, your home and your children will turn out right.
INVITATION:
BETH HAVEN BAPTIST CHURCH MINISTRIES
PO BOX 891523
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73189-1523
405-691-8701
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