Keys to a Successful Family
Eph. 6:1-4
Intro.:
A. You know sometimes I think we hear words but then have a tendency to never take it from our brains down to our heart! One of those words that we hear but sometimes don’t digest is John 3:16, For God so loved the World that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.
God loves you – He really does.
So much that He gave us Jesus Christ
So much that He wants us to believe, trust in Him and have eternal life!
Think about that for a moment….
(Focusing on the kids) – Do you know how special you are? Do you know how much the Lord loves you?
Ps. 8; “Why are people important to you? Why do you take care of people? You made them a little lower than angels and crowned them with glory and honor.”
Ps. 139:14-16; “I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What you have done is wonderful…. You saw my bones being formed as I took shape in my mother’s body. … You saw my body as it was formed. All the days planned for me were written in your book before I was one day old.” NCV
Not only that but we learn that Jesus wants YOU to come to Him,
Mark 10:13-16; Jesus took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.
Luke 17:1-2 “Things that cause people to sin will happen, but t how terrible for the person who causes them to happen. It would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large stone around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to sin.”
B. Another aspect of Jesus’ love for you, is that Life is like a SEA. There are challenges, there are storms you will face, there are outside forces (like waves and swells) that try to pressure you, as well as currents that try to lead you away.
So God cares and loves you so much – you mean so, so, so very much that He wanted to Provide you with a Safe Environment - called the FAMILY!
- The greatest need with people is not Sin it was loneliness, GEN. 2:18-25 God is not just concerned about sin in your life, He is concerned with your loneliness too.
- God’s Idea/Plan/Pattern for the Family is very clear: A man, Woman united in the Covenant of Marriage and the children born to them.
C. The Family is like a Boat in the Sea of Life!
- It’s your Boat.
- It’s to be your safety zone for life.
- a Place for you to learn about Life Issues: like Responsibility, Communication, Emotional stability, Security, and God’s purpose is for you to Learn about HIM!
The Big Question though is Who is going to be the Captain of the Family – the Boat? The Parent? YOU?
The Answer: needs to be Jesus Christ as LORD (that is what Lord really means: ruler, master – Captain)
Parents: if you really think that you can lead your kids to everything they need and all that they need to become – you’re kidding yourself! You need help and Jesus wants to Help – He wants to be with you, guide you, bless you, give you wisdom!
Hey students: are you going to be the Captain of the Family Boat? You really want all that responsibility of caring, providing, leading and being accountable to the Lord? As you get older, as a Teen, you may think you want to be Captain.
The Truth: both you parents and kids; Jesus is the Only Qualified Captain there is for a Family!
C. Besides making Jesus Lord – Captain – of our Families - how can we become a Successful, Safe, Fulfilled Family that is prepared to meet the Challenges in the SEA of Life?
How can we build in within our families the Hope and Promises of Eternal Life that are offered to each of us through Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord?
READ Our Passage – Eph. 6:1-4
Body:
A. Families Need Godly Parents to set examples for their children.
We learned last week that Hannah was a Model Mother why? She Prayed for son, set an example and Worshiped the Lord, and Dedicated Samuel to the Lord.
Dt. 6, Prov. 22:8
Parents in this Sea of Life there are Lies – waves that are crushing our families today:
Lie #1: A Parent’s role is to Provide for their children! That is a Half Truth and a half truth is still untruth.
The Truth is that as parents you are called not only to provide for your children physically but also emotionally and Spiritually.
Lie #2: Teens are Influenced more by Peers than Parents! False – statistics today show that even if a Teen won’t admit they are still looking for Approval, Acceptance, Affirmation, even Affection from YOU as their parents!
Lie #3: Kids should make their own choices in life when comes to Spiritual decisions! WRONG. Actually they will make their own choices – but what a lie we a lot parents have bought into.
I’m 46 years old – I will tell my kids what I have learned in life. The things I’ve learned about people. The things I have learned from my own mistakes. The things I have learned in school. The things I have learned emotionally, intellectually – but then when it comes to a decision about life and death; eternity – ALL OF A SUDDEN I AM GOING TO TELL MY KIDS, IN ALL MY YEARS, I DON’T KNOW A THING ABOUT WHAT IS RIGHT OR WRONG SPIRITUALLY!
Where did that idea come from?
If we truly want the best for our kids, shouldn’t we at least seek to know what is Spiritually Right and Wrong?
Don’t buy the lies – Successful Families Need Godly Parents to set an example for their children!
We need the help of the Lord. We need the Docking Station of the CHURCH to build us up, Train us, so that we can connect with the True Captain Jesus and find help in being a Godly Example to our Children!
B. Families Need Children taking their Responsibility.
Though your Parents have a huge responsibility - The Lord teaches us that you have a Responsibility in the Family too.
What Responsibilities do you have a Child in the Family Boat?
1. Obey your Parents in the Lord, for this Right, vs. 1
This simply means; Do what your Parents tell you to do! Don’t make them ask 2, 3, 10 times. Don’t ignore them.
This is pleasing to the Lord - this is the Right thing to do.
We learn how to do things and how to take Responsibility when as we learn to do what our Parents ask us to do.
Now, Parents are to ask you to do things that are in the Lord – not against the Lord. So clean your room, take out the trash, do your homework, etc. I think the Lord would approve of those things. If they ask you to participate in something that God says is Wrong: drugs, lieing, stealing, etc.
2. Honor your parents, vs. 2.
Honor literally means “to lay it on them.” To weigh them down with Respect and prestige. I.E. You place upon them great worth and value.
I know a lot of parents that are “Weighed Down” but it is not with always with respect, value, and great worth. It is more like they are weighed down with hurt, worry, and concern!
But YOU CAN Change that by Honoring Your Parents.
The Gift of Honor, by Gary Smalley and John Trent record some of the ways that Parents said they would feel Honored by their children:
- Give them a card or letter other than on Mother’s or Father’s Day.
- Record and tell your parents some specific things that they have done for you in the past.
- Hug your parents when you greet them.
- Do your chores without them asking you to do. Maybe even do some extra chores.
- Have compassion by helping others in need.
- Ask your parents for advice.
- Tell your parents the truth.
- Pray for our Parents.
- Spend some time with them
- Care for them when they are sick.
3. Don’t buy the lies.
A. Lie #1; Parents don’t know anything! Wrong they have a lot of experience and wisdom from life. Think about it – How do the TV shows or movies that you watch or even music that you listen to, portray Parents?
B. Lie #2; TV – especially Reality TV, Movies, are real life.
C. Lie #3; You have to experience things for yourself to know what is right or wrong! You don’t have to experience to know – learn from others, look at the results.
If you follow the Lies rather than the Wisdom of God through the Bible, you will make wrong decisions and DisHonor your Parents!
You want a Successful, Safe, Satisfying Life – Obey and Honor your Parents!
Conclusion:
A. I’ve been on Fishing Boats a couple times. I served a Navy Ship – Aircraft Carrier – 68 days no land, 5 days on shore and then back out for 62 more days.
But one of my favorite boats was a White Water Raft on the American River for two days.
- We had a Captain for our boat
- We had instruction on the boat
- Each one of us had our place, and we had to work together.
- It was sometimes scary as we faced Rapids that were bigger than our boat. We got wet but in order to get though it all, to stay alive – we took Responsibility and made it.
That’s What Families are like: A Boat!
We need Jesus as our Captain to lead us.
We need to learn about life.
We need to work together and stick together.
We need to take our Responsibilities in the Family.
And Sometimes life might get us Wet but we won’t Drown.
Jesus on Boats with Disciples sometimes Calmed the Storms that they faced in life; Sometimes He called them to walk with Him through the Storms; but He was always there for them!
And Jesus wants to be Captain of YOUR Family Boat!
B. Is Jesus Lord – Your Captain Dad? Mom? Child?
Salvation in Jesus is not just about Eternal Life it is about Life Now – and Mom, Dad’s, Kids, we need Jesus as our Captain of our Lives and Families to be the BEST!
Follow me in a prayer from your heart right now.
C. Parents – How can you be the Honorable Parent for our Children?
- Commit yourself to the Lord.
- Set a better example for your children.
- Demonstrate and teach them Truth.
- Attend Church – Docking station for your Family Boat.
- Pray for your kids.
- Tell them your sorry when you make a mistake.
D. Kids – How can you Obey and Honor Your Parents?
- Place great value on your relationship with them
- take the initiative to improve your relationship.
- Obey them until you’re established as an adult.
- Thanking them for what they have done right for you.
- Thank them for the sacrifices they have made for you.
- Praise them for the legacy they pass on to you.
- See them through the eyes of Christ with understanding and compassion.
- Forgive them as Christ forgives you!
Let me Pray for you, and your family today as you make some decisions to make your Family Successful, Safe, and fulfilled – for a long life in all the Promises of God?
Respond with the Sheet in your bulletins.
