Thanksgiving belongs to the family

But those who won't care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.

Introduction

Good morning Southpointe: We are in part 3 of our Family Chat series. Last week we ask you to make your family value list. And to memorize and I hope and believing you did just that.

This week we are headed into the Thanksgiving holiday, we are going to sit around a table and pray and eat and have long conversation with family members.

And let’s get real we are going to watch a lot of football and basketball.

This is my favor time of the year, because of the fact it is family time. I really do love family time.

I pick the title because of my love for my family. I want to play off the word thanksgiving this morning and give you my definition of Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving- thanks being given.

So to clarify the title this morning: Thanks being given belongs to the family.

So I want to go into this a little deeper, I am one of think we should be thankful for our family.

But being thankful is more than just in words. I am thankful for Connie, I am thankful for Karissa, I am thankful for Ashley, I am thankful for Leslie, I am thankful for Cody, I am thankful for Michael, I am thankful for Kaylee, I am thankful for Dash, I am thankful for Lincoln. I am thankful for Dad, I am thankful for Mom, and the list go on and on.

We could write out a declaration and etch it in stone and it would still just be words.

Being thankful is more than just saying it, it is live it.

And your actions will show if thanks is being given to the family.

In this chapter — Apostle Paul is describing what a Christian family should be, Apostle Paul was saying that a Christian family should be self-supporting as possible. He insisted that children and grandchildren take care of the widows in their family.

But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God.

Apostle Paul was laying out some family responsibility. Look at verse 14:

So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them.

He told them that where younger to go find someone else and start a new family and take care of your own house.

But He get a little deeper and harder:

Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: "Those unwilling to work will not get to eat."

Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people's business.

We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living.

Almost everyone has relatives, family of some kind. Family relationships are so important in God’s eyes.

Apostle Paul said that a person who neglects his or her family responsibilities has denied the faith.

So a big question this morning are you thanks giving to your family?

Because it is more than just words, it is your actions that tell the story.

Are you doing your part to meet the needs of those included in your family circle?

So to examine this if we are really given thanks or we just giving words then we want to look at a family member.

In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.

If you will notice something about King David here, King David had duty to go out to war which what the kings normally do and David make a choice not to do the right thing.

David abandoned his purpose by staying home from war.

If we are thankful for our family then we will not abandon our purpose. We will fight the battles. We will stay stedfast to the calling that God has put upon us in our roles of the family.

LORD, we show our trust in You by obeying Your laws; our heart's desire is to glorify Your name.

Whether we are the priest of our home, mother, son, or daughter, we are to trust Him. We do this by obeying His laws, His Word and our heart’s desire should be to bring glory to His Holy name.

If you are thankful for your family, then seek to being a devoted child of God, one that follow after the Word of God and one who’s heart is continually seeking to bring glory to God.

David focused on his own desires and when temptation came, David looked into it instead of turning away from it.

Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her.

David sinned deliberately and then tried to cover up his sin by deceiving other.

Then it keep getting worst, David committed murder to continue the cover up.

David could have chosen to stop and turn from evil at any stage along the way. But once sin gets started, it is difficult to stop.

Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.

These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

You see, the deeper the mess, the less we want to admit having caused it.

If we could understand that it is much easier to stop sliding down a hill when you are near the top than when you are halfway down.

The best solution is to stop sin before it starts.

David looked from the top of the roof of the palace, he saw a beautiful woman bathing and he was filled with lust.

David should have left the roof and fled from temptation, instead he entertained the temptation. And the results was devastating.

David’s sin was exposed and the consequences of David’s sin was far-reaching affected his family.

From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah's wife to be your own.

"This is what the LORD says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view.

You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel."

The results were unreal:

a.Murder was a constant threat in his family

b.His household rebelled against him.

c.His wives were given to another in public view.

d.His first child by Bathsheba died.

If David had known the painful consequences of his sin, he might not have pursued the pleasures of the moment.

Because David wasn’t doing his role in the family then it didn’t just cause him but it cause his family. So my question again Are you thanks giving to your family.

If you are thankful for your family led them to things of God. David confessed and repented of his sin.

Then David confessed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "Yes, but the LORD has forgiven you, and you won't die for this sin.

The consequences of David’s sin was irreversible.

Now this is what I want you to understand, we are not held guilty or punished for the sin of our parents. But understand this the atmosphere/ the example that you set for your family is so important.

But he did what was evil in the LORD's sight and followed the example of his father, continuing the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit.

Instead, he followed the example of the kings of Israel, even sacrificing his own son in the fire.

He followed the example of his father, worshiping the same idols his father had worshiped.

He did what was pleasing in the LORD's sight and followed the example of his ancestor David. He did not turn away from doing what was right.

My life is an example to many, because You have been my strength and protection.

That is what I want my life to be an example to many, that being especially my family. I want them to see God strength and protection in me.

This is the deal, there is forgiveness for us when we sin.

David during this incident wrote which give us valuable insight into his character and it does offer hope.

Have mercy on me, O God, because of Your unfailing love. Because of Your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.

Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.

For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night.

Against You, and You alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in Your sight. You will be proved right in what You say, and Your judgment against me is just.

Oh, give me back my joy again; You have broken me—now let me rejoice.

Don't keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt.

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.

Do not banish me from Your presence, and don't take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and make me willing to obey You.

My deals is I know that my life and my actions affect my family. Because I am thankful for my family then I want to be thanksgiving to them.

I am willing to give my life, my desires, my wants, my selfishness, my lust, over to God, so they can see the glory of God in me. I want to do my role in my family.

Are you thankful for your family?