Ministries of the Home
Ecclesiastes 3:1
Steve Miller Nov. 24, 2004
Introduction:
So many times we put the super-active people out in front. While they serve us as great examples, there are many Godly people who are not able to relate, because they are humbly working behind the scenes.
Sometimes people can become chronically ill or handicapped or otherwise must stay at home even becoming the caretaker of someone else.
Take for instance the story of John and Charles Wesley. They were very outgoing in their ministries. John was the founder of the Methodist movement and Charles was the celebrated composer who was probably the finest hymn-writer, musician and composer of all-time in England. His songs included such classics for Easter such as "Christ the Lord is Risen Today," for Christmas such as "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing,"
But behind the two awesome ministers was one especially gifted minister at home. Susannah Wesley was one of the most terrific mothers of all time. Susannah¡¦s father was a minister and she was born in England in 1669 as the youngest of twenty-five children! Susannah was married at 19 to Samuel Wesley, also a minister and, not to be outdone, she had nineteen children herself. Her husband was always gone for church meetings, planting, and revivals, so the responsibility of raising kids was hers. She always wanted to do big things for God and she did by humbly raising children to serve God.
With so many children, Susannah devised a way to spend time with them. She spent one hour each day praying for her 19 children. In addition, she took each child aside for a full hour every week to discuss spiritual matters. She also expected each child to be able to read the Book of Genesis by the time he or she was six years child.
Here at CG, we have numerous individuals just like this. I am afraid that they may feel as thought they rarely make a difference in the programs that we encourage. What is worse is that I believe many of us begin to think that God has forgotten us or that somehow, we don¡¦t serve the Lord as good as others.
Today, nearly 67 million Americans are over the age of fifty. American seniors now outnumber the entire population of Canada. And life expectancy has climbed to seventy-five years of age. It is just as Moses wrote in Psalm 90: Psalm 90:10 (NKJV)
The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years¡K
But God¡¦s word says that he loves everyone and has a place for everyone of us. He has a purpose for our lives and that that purpose is uniquely designed to each one¡¦s stage and circumstances of life.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV) says ¡§To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven¡¨
We are going to focus on the ministries of the home throughout Scripture.
1.) First, we will see that God places a priority on the home
God placed a priority on the home before we placed priority on the church building. And God still places the home at the top of the list for where ministry begins.
a.) Gods Word speaks to the home: The Ten Commandments were given in the context of the home and neighborhood. You know God didn¡¦t say things like, ¡§don¡¦t park on the grass.¡¨ He said things like ¡§honor father and mother.¡¨ ¡§Don¡¦t covet your neighbors stuff.¡¨ And don¡¦t cheat on your wife or husband.¡¨ All of them are were interpreted by Moses to be obeyed first at our own homes.
We are concerned about the ten commandments in court rooms and schools, but our first concern should be if the ten commandments are in our homes. No matter if you live alone or with a family, your home can be a place of integrity.
b.) God¡¦s love is revealed in homes. When God spoke creation into being he created a home environment. He chose to create man and woman for one another because loneliness is not good.
Relationships at home are used by God to tell how he cares for us. In the Song of Solomon we find that Jesus is described as a lover. And in Ephesians 5:25 it tells us husbands, to ¡§love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her.
The New Living Translations says Ephesians 5:31-32 (NLT)s the Scriptures say, ¡§A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.¡¨ 32 This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.
Our home lives can serve God by sharing Christ-like love with those we live with or our relationships will serve as a negative testimony for Christian homes.
c.) God¡¦s Church thrives in homes. In the upper room of a gentleman¡¦s home, the church was birthed. As the church grew in Jerusalem, Acts 2.42 tells us ¡§day by day the church continued with one mind¡Kbreaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart.¡¨
The book of Acts tells us many great stories of how the church grew in homes all over as the Apostles traveled. We learn of Dorcas who was well-loved seamstress in Joppa. We hear that Lydia, The first convert in Europe held prayer services. Remember the time when Paul was preaching and the guy fell out of the window asleep. They were meeting in homes. Or how about Priscilla and Aquila who led a home church in Corinth, Rome and Ephesus?
You may not have regular church meetings in your home, but the things of church should be found there often: prayer, Bible reading and studying; you should try to have people over to discuss or encourage, comfort and support one another.
The Lord has many good reasons and uses for the home. He places a priority on it. He also has a purpose for every home. No one is left from having purpose in this life. No life is not so precious that it doesn¡¦t serve God¡¦s will.
2.) The Second major point is that ¡§God has a purpose for every home.¡¨
a.) Christian education happens at home. Before the Romans began placing students in rows and columns, education happened in homes. Remember how the faith was handed down from Lois, to Eunice, and then to Timothy? Today, people educate in many different ways, but Christian education must always begin within the home.
Deuteronomy 6.4ff (NKJV)You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. Most of you do not have little ones around the house, but you have grandchildren or greats. You have a special place of influence in their hearts. How many of you can remember things your grandparents taught you?
It is never too late to teach others about walking with the Lord. "The older women likewise, that they ¡K admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers¡K" (Titus 2:3-5, NKJV)
b.) Christian charity begins at home. Perhaps you¡¦ve been caring for a spouse or a parent. Perhaps you¡¦re busy raising children. Or maybe you are helping others outside of your family. This kind of love¡Xwhich the KJV calls charity¡Xreally does begin at home. Jesus said "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one¡¦s life for his friends." (John 15:13, NKJV)
Sacrificial caregiving is a supreme kind of charity. As Paul was instructing Timothy about church life, he told them to be sure to care for widows indeed. But ¡§if any widow had children or grandchildren, he told Timothy to let the family first learn to practice piety in the regard to their aging parents. Paul said, ¡§let them make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God.¡¨
"But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." (1 Timothy 5:8, NKJV)
Conclusion:
So what are some of the ministries of the home.
ľ They are things like creating a home of Christian integrity.
ľ Building healthy relationships that represent well the love of Christ
ľ Developing habits that bring the things of Church into your home
ƒæ Being intentional about learning and teaching God¡¦s ways
ľ and sacrificing for one another as God sacrificed for us
If you practice these things, you will find that your home will be a blessed place and God will bring ministry opportunities to your doors.
God cares about each one of us. And I believe He has a special interest in those who find it difficult to leave the home. The ministries that can be done straight away from the home are the ministries that are most needed.
How many times did we see the care Jesus had for the sick. and how many times did we see the faith of the caretaker get involved? Think about the Centurian who cared for his servant, Jairus went to Jesus for his daughter. The friends let the lame man through the roof, The family of the man at the pool took him there each day for thirty-eight years.
God¡¦s word says that he loves everyone and has a place for everyone of us. He has a purpose for our lives and that that purpose is uniquely designed to each one¡¦s stage and circumstances of life.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV) says ¡§To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven¡¨
Love Christ through your ministries of the home today.
