God's Plan for the Family

The following is the manuscript used in basis for the sermon given on September 15 at GracePointe Church.

 

Sermon Outline: “God’s Plan for the Family”

Good morning, Church. Wow it’s good to be back. As most of you know, last week I was not able to be here, and I am so grateful that Bodie Beaman not only came in at the last minute to preach, but out of 66 books of the Bible, God led Bodie to preach the same text of Scripture as I had two and three weeks prior from the book of Nehemiah.

Bodie didn’t know I had already preached out of Nehemiah. But he said this in his sermon, “If you have read Nehemiah, go back and read it again with this in mind. You may read the scripture in one season and then the next season you read it again and that same scripture will say something different to you. That's the Living Word of God. That's what I love about God because his Spirit speaks to us and His word speak to us differently in different seasons.”

So, what is God saying to GracePointe? We need to get out and rebuild the walls of protection around our church, our community, our country, and today, I want to talk about building a wall around our families.

The Government does not produce families. The government schools do not produce families. Only God produces families.

The Government is not the parent of families. If we ever get to the point where we call the Government “Mother Russia” or “Mother America” we have gone to communism. If we go and let society dictate what we as families should and should not do or be, then we’ve gone to socialism.

No, we are not communists. We are not socialists. And when it comes to families, God’s plan is not even a democracy. In the family, we don’t pledge allegiance to the republic for which it stands. God’s plan for the family is that we are to be a theocracy where God reigns and rules. The problem with the family is we are not following the rule, the reign of God, found in the Bible.

No, the government does not produce families, it’s not the parent of families, Government is the product of families. Our families are foundational to our church and to our state.

So, the title of the message today is God’s Plan for the Family. Turn with me to the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy, chapter 6.

Deuteronomy means the second reading of the law, given after the 40 years of wandering are about to be over. The people of God are about to go into the Promised Land. In chapter 5, Moses reminded them of what the ten commandments were.

Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Father God, open our ears this morning. This message is for us and for our children. We don’t know what is going on in this world, but you do, and you know the urgency of our times. We got to get this message, the Good News of the Gospel, out. More than that, we have to live it out ourselves. Let us be better listeners than Israel was; let us be better hearers than our parents were. Bring us to restore the walls of our family for our part of the wall. We pray this desperately in the name of Jesus. Amen.

THIS was the centerpiece of Deuteronomy, the second hearing of the Law, and the famous line is called the Shemah, which means hear or listen.

Moses says, “Listen, Hear Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord alone, and you shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, and with all of your might.” This became a very important daily prayer in Judaism, and it brings all of the themes of the book together.

So, the word “listen” or Shema in Hebrew, means much more than just to hear; its meaning includes responding to what you hear, or in English we would say obey.  It means to TAKE heed

I. The Command to Obey (Deuteronomy 6:1-3)

Notice this is not just a good Idea. This is not just a suggestion. It’s not a hopeful pep talk from a 120-year-old man who led Israel for the last 40 years.

These are commands. God wants His people to obey. They are about to be in battle of their lives and the previous generation did not leave much of a legacy of obedience for the future generation.

All of the people who were 20 years old and older had all died and now Moses would not be there to lead them. The next generation needed to take the lead.

FAMILIES: Do you hear? Are you listening?

In order for us to conquer the land, to possess the land, our families, our children and grandchildren, our future need to listen, to hear, and to do what God says.

Has anyone ever gone to IKEA? Have you ever bought a new gadget and right on top of the gadget is the instruction manual. How many of you love an instruction manual? You know what I don’t like about an instruction manual? I hate it when they put it in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, all on the same sheet or book.

But more than that, I hate not getting the instructions. If I don’t get the instructions, I’m calling the manufacturer. You see, if I get the instructions and I don’t follow it, that’s on me. But if I don’t get the instructions, that’s on the manufacturer.

Our families got the instructions. The people of Israel are getting the manual. Did you see that in verse 3. It’s not the government. It’s not the church or synagogue. It’s the families who are to be teaching our children and grandchildren to take over our land. We need to get serious. There is a great shaking coming. There is an impending battle is coming and our families need to get ready.

II. Not only is some commands of God that need to be obeyed, there is a commitment than that needs to be made and that is LOVE.

God’s plan for the family is that we understand that the Lord Our God is ONE. Now we know that God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit all three of these are ONE, right?

When for the family, the HUSBAND, the WIFE needs to be under the LORDSHIP of God in a holy reflection of the TRIUNE God. Look at your sermon notes.

Do you see our PURPOSE STATEMENT?

Our purpose is to glorify the Triune God through fulfilling the Great Commandment and the Great Commission

The plan for the family is for the family to reflect the triune God. Three in One. One in Three. I did a marriage this summer for my daughter, and I said that the purpose of a marriage is to procreate, but even more important than that it is to provide and protect, but even more important than that we are to be a parable, a picture to the world of what Jesus Christ is to the Bride the church.

God is looking primarily to the men to be a parable a picture to the world of what God is to us. Yes, we have the instructions but the instructions are based in the language of LOVE.

We got the instructions, we have the commandments, but if we are not reading them in the language of love, we are never going to put this IKEA furniture of family and society together.

Men it starts with you. There are FAR too many examples of men who do not step up to the plate and being the godly leaders in their family. Moses looked to the men to love their God and love their wives.

Men, God looks to you to be the spiritual leader. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 11, verse 2 Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. ³ But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

Men, the families are not under the authority of the pastor. MEN, you are under Christ. If you want your wives and families to get under your headship, then you need to get under the headship of Jesus Christ, who is under the headship of God the Father.

It doesn’t say the head of every man is the pastor. The Pastor is not the head of the family. God is. And under the Father is Jesus, who is called the WORD. The Revelation of God. And men, Do you know what the most recurring command for the man is in relation to the family.

To love his wife as Christ loved the church.

Men does Christ love the church? How much? Enough to die for her?  Enough to live for her? Men Love you wives by first loving God with all your heart Soul and Strength.

Not your jobs. Not your gaming. Not the finances. Not sports. LOVE YOUR WIVES. To Live and Die to yourselves for her.

It’s a commandment. It’s a commitment.

Encourage the congregation to love God with all their heart, soul, and strength.

III. Thirdly, it’s a commandment, it’s a commitment, but it is also a continuation that needs to be laid for future generations.

 (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)

Verses 6-9: Look at this: The Bible is the inerrant infallible and inspired word of God, and it tells us that it’s not the church’s job to teach the next generation. It’s the Dad’s job and not just to little johnny when he’s three years old. It’s all the way until he’s a dad himself.

We have way too many Dads and Moms who stop being parents to are training their adult children to Love God with all their heart soul mind and strength.

We have to continue to the next generation.  Do you know when we fumble the ball? It’s when they are little, we don’t show them. It’s not telling. Telling is not teaching. And Listening is not learning. We have to show them how to love God. How to love our neighbors. How to love the lost to bring them the great commission.

I feel for Moses. He’s at the endzone. It’s the fourth quarter. It’s the final countdown. And he wants the people to go into the promised land.

We have to continue this on to the next generation. It is not the church. It’s the family. The dads and Moms to convey the importance of instilling God’s commandments in the hearts of children.

Teach diligently, talk about them at home and on the road, bind them as symbols.

I want to ask you. How are you showing and incorporating Loving God, loving your neighbors, loving the lost in your lives.

Finally let’s look Commands that need to be obeyed, the Commitment that needs to be made in Love, the Continuation that needs to be laid for the future generations, but church hear Moses, Hear the word of the Lord. Let’s look at the consequences when the commands are disobeyed.

Do you want to really mess up a child? Do you know what is the worst thing for a child and really for us if we don’t follow God’s plan for the family?

Deuteronomy 6:10-12: Warning against forgetting God in times of prosperity. Remember God’s deliverance and blessings.  Encourage gratitude and remembrance of God’s faithfulness. Every Wednesday night we start off with praises to the Lord.

Verses 13-19: Avoid idolatry and remain faithful to God. Serve God alone and avoid the gods of surrounding nations. There are modern-day idols and how to stay faithful.