The Christian Home Part 2
Colossians 3
REFLECTION: We recently looked at the Characteristics of a Christian Home. By comparing our homes and hearts with the blueprint of God’s word, we can see areas that need some “Home Improvement.”
DIRECTION: Now we are going to focus on the specific roles and responsibilities the different members of a Christian Family are to fulfill in the development and design of God’s plan.
Part 2: THE CHARACTERS OF A CHRISTIAN HOME Vs 18-21
The home is God’s primary training ground for relationships.
1. THE ROLE OF THE WIFE She should cultivate attitudes of:
A. SUBMITION: (hupotasso: Line up under)
1) The Church is her example. Eph. 5:24 "Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing."
2) She is mentioned first in every list of family Responsibilities. (Eph. 5:22-24; 1 Pet 3:1-6)
a) Her submission is related more to her relationship with the Lord than her relationship with her husband.
(See 1 Peter 3:1,2) “As is fit in the Lord” Co. 3:18
> You cannot be submissive to Christ and not be submissive to your husband.
b) Every time she fails to follow her husband she is out from under God’s protection. She is sending a message to the kids: “Rebel, Rebel, Rebel.”
3) Submission is not natural: It requires the Grace of God.
4) This instruction is to the wife. It is not addressed to the Husband.
It is not: “Husbands, make your wives submit…”
Sad is the home where the hen crows and the rooster is silent.
Spanish Proverb
B. AFFECTION Titus 2:4
"That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,"
1) Toward their Husbands. “Love their Husbands…”
The word love here is the Greek word philandros: meaning fondness or affectionate.
2) Toward their children. “Love their children.”
The word love here is the Greek word philoteknos (fil-ot'-ek-nos) meaning maternal love.
3) Notice in both cases that such love can be taught. It is not always natural.
C. INSTRUCTION. “teachers of good things…” Titus 2:3
1) The Mother is the Primary Teacher of her children. (EVERY CHILD IS HOME SCHOOLED!)
2 Tim 3:14,15 “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
2. THE ROLE OF THE HUSBAND
A. THE HUSBAND IS TO LOVE: (agapao: Sacrificial love) Vs 19
1) CHRIST is our example: (Eph. 5:22-32)
a) Unconditional love “as Christ loved the church”
b) Sacrificial love: “and gave himself for it”
c) Purposeful love: “that he might sanctify and cleanse it…”
d) Ultimately rewarding: “that he might present it unto himself a glorious church.”
> This is not natural: Men are Naturally Selfish. It too requires the Grace of God.
2) Our WIVES are our instructors: “Dwell with them according to knowledge…” 1 Peter 3:7
B. THE HUSBAND IS TO LEAD.
Eph. 5:23 "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church." (Eph 5:23)
Gen. 18:19 "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon
Abraham that which he hath spoken of him."
1) You cannot be a good leader unless you are a good follower.
"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." (1 Cor 11:1)
NOTE: This comes before verse 3: “The head of the woman is the man…”
C. THE HUSBAND IS TO LABOR. 1 Tim. 5:8
"But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith,”
3. THE ROLE OF THE CHILDREN.
A. CHILDREN ARE TO OBEY THEIR PARENTS Vs 20 Eph 6:1-3
"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth."
1) Obedience deals with their actions:
B. CHILDREN ARE TO HONOR THEIR PARENTS.
1) Honor deals with their attitudes:
“The voice of parents is the voice of God, for to their children they are heaven's lieutenants.”
William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
"Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right." (Proverbs 20:11)
C. THIS ALSO REQUIRES TRAINING AND GRACE TO FULFIL.
FLEXIBILITY AND FOUNDATION
The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is built directly over the San Andreas fault:
It is built to sway some twenty feet at the center of its one-mile suspension span. The secret to its durability is its flexibility that enables this sway, but that is not all. By design, every part of the bridge -- its concrete roadway, its steel railings, its cross beams -- is inevitably related from one welded joint to the other up through the vast cable system to two great towers and two great land anchor piers. The towers bear most of the weight, and they are deeply imbedded into the rock foundation beneath the sea. In other words, the bridge is totally preoccupied with its foundation. This is its secret! Flexibility and Foundation.
That's like a family: A mom and dad, twin towers of strength providing the family with a great foundation, bending at times to keep family members together.
DESTRUCTION OF SOCIETY
Sociologist and historian Carle Zimmerman, in his 1947 book Family and Civilization, recorded his keen observations as he compared the disintegration of various cultures with the parallel decline of family life in those cultures. Eight specific patterns of domestic behavior typified the downward spiral of each culture Zimmerman studied.
* Marriage loses its sacredness; is frequently broken by divorce.
* Traditional meaning of the marriage ceremony is lost.
* Feminist movements abound.
* Increased public disrespect for parents and authority in general.
* Acceleration of juvenile delinquency, promiscuity, and rebellion.
* Refusal of people with traditional marriages to accept family responsibilities.
* Growing desire for and acceptance of adultery.
* Increasing interest in and spread of sexual perversions and sex-related crimes.
JONOTHAN EDWARD’S LEGACY:
Does it really matter that much: good Christian parents, good Christian homes? I turn to the most revealing proof of which I know -- Jonathan Edwards and Max Jukes. Jonathan Edwards was an outstanding Christian. A researcher followed up his descendants. He learned that out of his 1,394 descendants came 13 college presidents, 65 professors, 60 prominent lawyers, 32 noted authors, 90 physicians, 200 ministers of the Gospel, and 300 good farmers.
Max Jukes was the very antithesis of Mr. Edwards, for he was very notorious as a crook without principle or character. The life histories of 903 of his offspring showed he spawned 300 delinquents, 145 confirmed drunkards, 90 prostitutes, 285 had "evil disease", and over 100 spent an average of 13 years in prison. It was estimated that the crimes and care of that one family cost the state of New York over one million dollars -- while Jonathan Edwards never cost the government a single penny -- instead making contributions of incalculable worth.
A HOUSE FOR OUR HOME
A reporter came to a fire one day where a house was steadily burning down to the ground. He noticed that there was a little lad standing by with his mom and dad. The reporter said, "Son, it looks like you don't have a home any more." The little boy answered courageously, "We have a home--we just don't have a house to put it in."
