Family Worship

There is one spiritual discipline that Christians in the past used to take more serious that most Christians fail to practice anymore. That discipline is family worship.

The fact that it is not practiced anymore shows!

Imagine if you never teach your children how to brush their teeth. What would happen? Their teeth would fall out, right?

Imagine you never teach your children how to bathe themselves, cook, clean, do any of the things that are necessary for us to function in society. If you fail to teach these things, your children will struggle in life and will have to learn them from somewhere. Often they learn the wrong way and develop bad habits that set them up for failure in life.

For some reason today, parents believe that it is not their job to disciple their kids spiritually and teach them how to walk with God. The fruit of these failures can be seen in any church in America.

How serious does God take family worship? Is it really that big of a deal for us to neglect this discipline and what about where we have a household with no children or a non-traditional household? How should family worship look there?

We are going to go back to one of the most foundational passages in the Bible that answers these questions. Turn with me to Deut. 6 this morning and let’s look at vv.1-9 together.

Deuteronomy 6:1–9 ESV

1 “Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, 2 that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. 4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

1. God's Commands are for us to Know (v.1)

2. God's Commands are for us to Teach (v.1, 4-9)

Deuteronomy 6:1 ESV

1 “Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it,

God commanded that His people not only know what His commandments said but that they should teach them as well.

It has been proven that one of the best ways to learn something is to teach it to someone else.

Deuteronomy 6:4–9 ESV

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

God commands His people to instruct their children in the Law so that they would also know how to follow Him.

God gives them a command to bind the word on their foreheads and hands and write them on the doorposts of their homes.

There are two ways the Israelites followed this command, though some thought of it as a more figurative command to just be diligent to teach their children God’s commands.

Phylacteries - small leather boxes with Scripture inside

Think of it as a string tied around the finger to remind you of something

Mezuzah - a box on the door frame with Scripture inside

Usually this passage or one of the similar ones

Fathers were given the responsibility to make sure this command was followed

This is a command, not a suggestion

This is a requirement for spiritual leaders in God’s house (1 Tim. 3)

Dad’s will be held accountable for their obedience

no family is perfect

Mothers or other family members should take it up when the dad will not or cannot (2 Tim. 1 - Timothy’s mother and grandmother)

2 Timothy 1:5 ESV

5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

2 Timothy 3:15 ESV

15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Application

You cannot outsource this job to the Church or anyone else!

You have more time and influence with your children than anyone else

You are going to have to say no to some good things and put the phone down to do this

How can you practice binding Scripture to your head and arms in a symbolic way? What are some ways you can keep Scripture before you?

How can you make Scripture a regular part of your home life?

Devotions and resources

Mistakes to Avoid

Don’t get over spiritual, especially when you have not done this before

Admit your failures to your children and let them know why you want to start new practices

Don’t try to be a seminary professor. If you don’t do anything but read the Scripture to begin with, that is better than nothing.

Read a chapter a day and discuss it.

Sing together. We sing God’s Word

3. God's Commands are for us to Obey (v.1-3)

Notice how many times the phrases related to obedience occur

Deuteronomy 6:1–3 ESV

1 “Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, 2 that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

Do, fear the Lord, keep, be careful to do

It’s not enough to know the Word, we have to obey it and follow it

Conclusion

Jesus was the ultimate example of an obedient Son.

Jesus also demonstrated how we are to teach our children by how He led the Disciples.

The ultimate goal of family discipleship is to teach us to love God, glorify God, and enjoy Him forever.