Kingdom Living for the Family.Family
Kingdom Living for the Family
Pastor E. Keith Hassell
“Family”
I. Family is God’s Idea
A. God is the original Father
B. God has a family
1. Ephesians 3:14-15 (NKJV) “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,”
C. God instituted the first human family
1. Genesis 1:26-27 (NKJV) “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
2. Genesis 2:18-25 God created woman and formed the first marriage
D. God intended to expand His kingdom in the earth through the family
1. Genesis 1:28 “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’”
II. The Family in Crisis
A. Families today are falling apart
B. Families of Christians are subject to the same divorce rate, strife, unfaithfulness, selfishness, rebellion, and sin as non-Christian families. This ought not to be so!
C. The family has become so dysfunctional that our culture is redefining the family!
D. Satan is using the family to extend his kingdom in the earth
E. What is the problem? If we call ourselves Christians but pattern our families after those in our culture, we will reap the same consequences and results.
F. We must return to God’s plan for the family.
III. Kingdom Living—God’s family plan
A. What does kingdom living look like?
1. Romans 14:17 (NKJV) “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
B. “Righteousness” or weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth?
C. “Peace” or turmoil, conflict, and confusion?
D. “Joy” or discontent, unhappiness, and hurt?
IV. Kingdom living takes determination
A. Matthew 11:12 (NKJV) “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.”
B. Those who enter the kingdom must overcome the world, the flesh and the devil
V. Family Living in the Kingdom
A. The kingdom of God has a government
1. King
2. Authority
3. Government
4. Spiritual laws
B. Kingdom living means submitting to God’s government
C. Kingdom living means reflecting God’s divine order in the family
1. 1 Corinthians 11:3 (NKJV) “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.”
a Christ is the head of every man
b The man is the head of a woman
c God is the head of Christ
2. Ephesians 5:22-6:2
a The husband’s headship (Ephesians 5:23)
b The wife’s submission (Ephesians 5:22)
c The children’s obedience and honor (Ephesians 6:1-2)
D. Kingdom living means extending God’s kingdom through the family
VI. Embracing Kingdom Living
A. Acknowledge that your family is to be an extension of God’s kingdom
B. Repent of anything in your family that is not in God’s divine order
C. Commit yourself to God’s plan for your family
D. Submit yourself under proper headship
1. Men must submit under the headship of Christ
2. Wives must submit under the headship of their husband
3. Children must obey and honor their parents
E. Determine to overcome every obstacle that resists God’s kingdom order
F. Expect God’s righteousness, peace and joy to enter your family