Building Better Families

As we wrap up Genesis 26 today I want you to ask yourself this question: What would make my family better?

My family would be better if _____________________________.

Think about:

Where arguments tend to occur

What causes stress in your home

What small things could be done to improve quality of life.

Genesis 26:6–11 ESV

6 So Isaac settled in Gerar. 7 When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he feared to say, “My wife,” thinking, “lest the men of the place should kill me because of Rebekah,” because she was attractive in appearance. 8 When he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out of a window and saw Isaac laughing with Rebekah his wife. 9 So Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Behold, she is your wife. How then could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to him, “Because I thought, ‘Lest I die because of her.’ ” 10 Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.” 11 So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, “Whoever touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”

Familiar story that mirrors Gen 12 and Gen 20

We can easily exclude our spouses from our day-to-day experiences, but this is not what it is to be “one flesh.”

Illustration: Keeping information private vs sharing day in and day out.

Building better families means having better conversation.

For husbands & fathers - patience and love (give your undivided attention)

For wives & mothers - encourage and uplift

For students - respect and subordination

How did Isaac fail? How did Abimelech correct?

Now look to the end of the chapter:

Genesis 26:34–35 ESV

34 When Esau was forty years old, he took Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite to be his wife, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite, 35 and they made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah.

Building better families means having better marriages.

See 2 Cor 6 (not about marriage, but applicable)

2 Corinthians 6:14–15 ESV

14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?

See 1 Cor 6-7

1 Corinthians 7:2 ESV

2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.

Marriages are good for the holiness of their members

1 Corinthians 7:10–11 ESV

10 To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband 11 (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife.

Marriages are meant to be approached as unbreakable oaths

Message to those who are single

Message for unequally yoked marriages

Message for discordant marriages

I can build a better family by being obedient to Christ.