The Anatomy Of A Happy Home Series

The Anatomy of a Happy Home

Acts 10:1-8, 19-25

Introduction

Through today’s bible study we are going to see what the anatomy of a happy home is and that is important because the American home is in desperate need of repair. I believe statistics show that more than 50% of marriages end in divorce. That leads to single parent homes and homes with children from more than one family. And I recently heard that for the first time more American couples are living together than are married.

Many things have divided the home; divorce, working mothers, parents and children pursuing different interests, keeping up with the Jones’, families scattered across the country by their jobs, and the disgraceful way that families are depicted by the media. We are all concerned because we have children and grandchildren who must grow up and live with this depressing state of affairs.

The American home needs help; it needs God’s help. And I believe that the Bible is where we must go to find His help. The passage that we are going to study gives us a wonderful model for a Christian home. The Bible has some basic principles that apply regardless of the size of a family. When these principles are established, there will be good results.

Our scriptures for today clearly illustrate the conditions that are required for a healthy, happy home. Let’s read our text, from the New King James Bible.

1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,

2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.

3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!”

4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.

5 Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter.

6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.”

7 And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually.

8 So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.

Cornelius was not the only person who had a vision. The apostle Peter, who was in another city, also had a vision from God, and we are told:

19 While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you.

20 Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”

21 Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?”

22 And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.”

23 Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

24 And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends.

25 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.

There are three principles found in today’s scriptures which if followed will produce a happy home.

The first principle is: CORNELIUS WAS HEAD OF HIS HOME AND SET THE PATTERN FOR THE FAMILY.

As a gentile, Cornelius was an unlikely candidate to be a Christian, for up to this time we don’t have any record of anyone embracing the Christian faith except the Jewish people. But he is proof that God responds when someone genuinely desires salvation for his or her family. Cornelius is described as “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.” (v.2) He was a religious man, even though he had received very little of the light of the Gospel; he was no idolater, like most Gentiles were at this time. He believed in the one God, the creator of heaven and earth, and he had a dread of offending Him by sin. He practiced his faith before his family and he would not allow any idolaters under his roof. He saw to it that his family and servants served the Lord. He was a very charitable man, for we read that he gave gifts to the people; not asking what their religion was. We know that he was a praying man, for we read, He “prayed to God always.”