BIG POINT
Be really in touch with our family
GOD’S WORD
Children, obey your parents as believers in the Lord. Obey them because it’s the right thing to do. Scripture says, “Honor your father and mother.” That is the first commandment that has a promise. “Then things will go well with you. You will live a long time on the earth.” Fathers, don’t make your children angry. Instead, train them and teach them the ways of the Lord as you raise them.
Ephesians 6:1-4 NIRV
MEMORY VERSE
Honour your father and your mother.
Matthew 19:19
TEACHING
# ALL FAMILIES ARE DIFFERENT
Families can be big or small, extended or compact, together in one place, or scattered throughout. All families are different. Just as God created each one of us as unique and wonderful individual human beings, so did he make it so that every family is also unique and wonderful and individual.
# NO FAMILY IS PERFECT
And so being different and individual, no family is perfect. There is no family that exists that you can point to and say, “That is a perfect family.” Families can sometimes disappoint you. Have you ever cried because of something that happened in your family? Or because of something someone in your family did to you? Families can be fun, but they can also be frustrating for sure.
# GOD GAVE US OUR FAMILIES
But even though it can be difficult we love them anyway. Our right response to our families, no matter what, is love. Because God gave us our families. He is the one who gave your mom and dad, and your siblings if you have them, and all of the rest of the people in your family.
# GOD LOVES FAMILIES
God loves families. He created them after all. Let’s see in the Bible where God showed us some remarkable families through the years:
- # The First Family – “The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”” Genesis 2:18 NIRV
- # Noah’s Family – “”But I will make my covenant with you. You will enter the ark. Your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives will enter it with you.” Genesis 6:18 NIRV
- # Abraham’s Family – Genesis 11
- # Isaac’s Family – Genesis 25
- # Jacob’s Family – Genesis 29
When God created man and woman, He charged them to have children and multiply; He commanded them to form a family. Throughout the Bible, He uses fathers and mothers and other familial relationships as He shows His love for us.
# JESUS WAS PART OF A FAMILY
And let’s not forget, the best example of all. When Jesus came here on earth, He chose to be part of a family. He came through Mother Mary and Father Joseph, born in a manger if you will recall. Before anything else, He chose to be part of a family.
# GOD APPOINTS FAMILIES
This is what God wants for us as well — to be part of happy, healthy families. He just loves us so much. This is the way that He wants us to have the first taste of the love He can give. Our mother’s gentle hands, our father’s firm foundation, our brothers and sisters — all of them are a reminder that God’s love is real in our lives, something we can truly encounter and experience even at our earliest age.
# OUR FAMILY IS OUR FIRST CHURCH
So then, our family is the first “church” we experience. It becomes our earliest example of how we should be when we are out in the world. Our parents leading, the way they pray and worship and read the Bible, show us how good Christians should be. We may see our family members serving in the church, and so we also learn how important it is to give back. Our families allow us to be an extension of God’s love by giving us an opportunity, right in our own home, to act on the love that God teaches us to have.
# SHOW LOVE TO YOUR FAMILY
That’s why we should never pass up an opportunity to show our family that love. Our family is the first people that we meet, and because of that, they are usually the first group of people that we lose touch with. I get it. It’s almost a natural progression. As we grow older, we think we know more, and the outside world just seems more appealing, more cool and fun to be with instead of our families. Fortunately, we are children of God, and we know better.
# KNOW YOUR FAMILY’S LOVE LANGUAGE
Loving people is easier when you know each other’s love language preference. Is it words of affirmation? Acts of service? Do they prefer gifts over touch? Or do they rank quality time as the most important of all? No matter what it is, know it for every member of your family, and make sure to act on it.
Here are some foolproof ways of making sure that we never lose our connection with our families no matter what:
- # Eat meals together (talk to each other)
- # Celebrate together (milestones, achievements, etc)
- # Pray together (most important)
Do you still have family members who don’t know Jesus? I’ll give you a few seconds to think; this is very important. Today, we will pray about two things:
1: That your family will be a closely knit family with Jesus at the center, and that God will give you the courage to lead prayers during your family time.
2: That the people in your family who still don’t know God will do so, and that God will give you the courage to share His love and His Words with them.
Are you ready? Let’s go.