051808 - Building A Christian Home

BUILDING A CHRISTIAN HOME

TEXT: PSALM 127:1

Exegetical Proposition: The Christian home is essential to an orderly, productive, and safe society.

Theological Proposition: The Christian home is essential to an orderly, productive, and safe society.

Homiletical Proposition: The way we build our homes determines the orderliness, productivity, and safety of our society.

Interrogative: What kind of hoe are you building?

Key Word: Home

Sunday Morning, May 18

Title: Building a Christian Home

Text: “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain” (Ps. 127:1).

Introduction

In our society there are four basic institutions: the state, the school, the church, and the home. Of these four, the home is of supreme importance.

The home has a profound influence on the state, school, and church whether it is Christian or unchristian. When the home is genuinely Christian, the church can wield a spiritual impact on society and culture, the school can do the best possible job of stimulating the intellect, and the state is most secure from foreign invasion as well as from inward deterioration.

Because of the profound influence of the Christian home for good and because of the alarmingly high percentage of marriage failures, we need to discover the sources of strength and do all that we can to insure the success of marriage and family life.

One does not accidentally build a Christian home. R. E. Luccock has said:

In the experience of millions, the inheritance received from a Christian home is the richest endowment of our lives. Many young men and women now in high school and college will go out to lives of distinguished public and professional service. But none will render any greater service than the young person who goes out to make a home that will be a strong fortress and a shining glory for other lives, some of them yet unborn.”

What kind of a home are you building?

I.            In building a Christian home, a proper location should be chosen.

A.       Near to the church.

B.       Close to the school.

C.       As safe as possible. Moral dangers are often far greater than physical dangers.

II.            A solid foundation must be laid if one is to build a home that will last.

A number of different items go into a building’s foundation: brick and steel, mortar and stone. A number of ingredients go into the foundation of a Christian home.

A.       Active faith in God. It is a terrible thing to shut God out of the lives of little children. “And thou shalt teach [God’s words] diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walk-est by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up” (Deut. 6:7).

B.       Delight in the Bible as the Word of God (Ps. 1).

C.       Active participation in the worship and work of the church (Heb. 10:24–25).

D.       Family worship as a part of the normal routine of living.

III.            A Christian home needs a number of different rooms.

The houses in which we live have many different rooms. You will find bedrooms, bathrooms, dining rooms, dens, living rooms, family rooms, closets, utility rooms, storage rooms, attics, storm cellars, and garages. Each of these rooms serves a function.

In the Christian home, there are a number of rooms you should have if you would achieve success.

A.       A Christian home has a room called “gratitude.” This room should be used by the entire family.

1.  Gratitude releases joy.

2.  Gratitude inspires.

3.  Gratitude creates a sense of personal satisfaction.

4.  Gratitude makes hardships easier.

B.       A Christian home has a room called “forgiveness.” “Let not the sun go down upon your wrath” (Eph. 4:26).

C.       The Christian home has a room called “sharing.”

1.  “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2).

2.  Share responsibilities

3.  Share Joy

D.       The Christian home has a room called “courtship.”

1.  Romantic love should continue.

2.  Courtship encompasses all of the kind actions that take place between a couple preceding to marriage. An attitude of persistent goodwill must continue if husband and wife are to be happy and if they are to provide an atmosphere of affection for children.

E.        The Christian home has a room called “helpfulness.”

1.  Parents help each other.

2.  Parents help children.

3.  Children help parents.

IV.            The construction of the Christian home begins in the moment of spiritual dedication.

A.       Jesus will come into your home as he came into the home of Zacchaeus, bringing salvation if you will permit him to do so (Luke 19:5).

B.       Jesus will come into your home as a friend, as he did in the case of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, if he is welcome (John 11).

Conclusion

Like Joshua, make a decision and declare from the heart, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15).