JD - Family Starts with Me

Nathan Jones

Love Your Family • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

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Transcript

Introduction

Good Morning Church, My name is Josh

And I’m Honoured Privileged to be sharing this morning

This morning I’m going to be continue on the theme of “LOVE your Family.” and I’m Going to be sharing a message that says Family starts with me which I pray will encourage you as its encouraged me.

LETS PRAY

This morning this message is going to be based around this scripture

Main Scripture

But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.”

Joshua 24:15 NLT

The background around the scripture.

Joshua was not really offering the Israelites a choice between serving God and following the lifeless gods of the Amorites, in whose land they were living.

Having carefully reiterated the entire history of the nation in their ears, and having reminded them how God had brought them out of Egyptian bondage, fought for them in many battles, on both sides of the Jordan and provided all they needed to sustain life and godliness,

Joshua simply stated the obvious choice, they should all make by setting an example "...but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

The commitment Joshua made before the company, was designed to encourage everyone to make the right choice - to consciously reject the false gods of the Amorites and commit to obeying and trusting the true and living God of Israel.

[PAUSE]

The people were obviously impacted by what Joshua was saying, because they replied as one, "We will certainly not abandon the Lord to worship other gods."

If we look our lives right now church there are some similarities we can identify with.

We live in a world where it’s so easy to be connected to so many different things with the aid of Facebook, Instagram, the radio, new papers and one that might some people TIK TOK.

[PAUSE and Look at people with side eye]

There are so many things we are and can be connect too now. And sometime because we are in this life with everything around us, we can lose or forgot who our faith/trust is in and that is JESUS.

That is why it is important for us to remind our self of what of bible and what Joshua spoke over the people.

…But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.”

And that what we’ll be looking at this morning and asking ourselves the question.

What does having this strong resolve do for us as individuals?

MT: Family Starts with Me

Point 1

My Strong foundation

Ps Rachel spoke a message a couple of weeks ago about having a strong foundation. If you remember that message she spoke about the man/woman who build their life on sand and the man/woman who build their life on the strong foundation.

She had the shovel up on stage.

Was it just me or was anyone else impressed on how she balance the shovel of the stage.

It’s important for us church to build our life on Christ. How can we have that strong resolve that Joshua had if our foundation isn’t on Jesus.

I love looking at the life of Paul and the change he had.

4 In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. 5 We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. 6 We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love.

2 Corinthians 6:4-6 NLT

The title of this passage in the NLT says Paul’s Hardship. When you think about who Paul was before Jesus enter his heart you can’t help but see that he’s build his life on God and because of this his life was transformed.

He is able to endure all things with Jesus. Because he started journey with Jesus where he allowed him to transform from the inside out.

Having a firm foundation isn’t just a one-time event, it’s a journey we’ve got to allow ourselves to go on.

I’ve been reading this book by Peter Scazzero called Emotionally Healthy Discipleship – Moving from shallow Christianity to Deep Transformation

In the beginning of his book he talks about moving from the traditional discipleship model which to transformative discipleship.

📷

What I found is that when I continually add on to my foundation in Jesus there is a level of confidence, faith and trust that continues to grow.

Which helps me have that strong resolve that Joshua talks about in the scripture

As for me first I will serve the lord.

When we have that resolve that transforming relationship it can flow through our family.

Which brings me to my second point

Point 2

Salvation comes

The story of Paul and Silas in Prison

When they were worshipping and the chains broke off

I don’t know about you but if we were in prison and the chains broke off I’m sure the first thing most of us would do including myself is get up and go

I mean we even see it in movies these days if chains break off the prisoner are getting out of there

Imagine us in the prison sing together

Break every chain

Loki escaping Thor

In that time when you are a prison guard and prisoners escape on your watch you are dead like actually.

In that moment the prison guard was about to take his own life and Paul yelled out to him don’t kill yourself we are all here.

The prison guard was saved and he asked what must I do to be saved and his entire household was saved after.

Prison guard impacted

He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.

Acts 16:34

We are the open door God can use to speak to our family

Paul and Silas in Prison

God didn’t just save the prison Guard but he saved his family

Once we believe in Jesus we are an open door for God. Because of me

The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.

Genesis 7:1 NIV

Gods plan was not only to save Noah but his whole family.

Because of that one person there’s the entire family is saved. I’m not saying that they have salvation now because you have it what I’m saying is that it is so much easier for them to be saved because you are saved.

There is now an open door for God to do something amazing.

It’s not only just Salvation that comes but healing comes as well

Point 3

Healing comes

There are so many instances in the bible where people have been healed because of someone else praying for them.

Blood family: Father asking for healing for his son

Community family: Mates who brought their friend down a roof to be healed.

There are so many testimony even in this room were either you have been healed because of family praying for you. Or even you’ve believe for a family member to be healed.

This isn’t just with the our blood family but with our church family.

It’s amazing what God can do for us as individuals because of our faith for the situation we may be facing.

It’s also amazing to see what God can do when we lift up our faith for a family member.

I Look at the different praise reports we hear even at church here.

And I’m encourage by the faith that come in this place when we pray for the pray request.

Lets be people that say

As for me and my family we will serve the lord.

And

As for me and my church family we will serve the lord.

Conclusion

As I wrap this message up

I just want remind you all of the point we spoke about

1. Strong Foundation

2. Salvation Comes

3. Healing comes

I’m Just going to read that scripture from Joshua 24:15 again but this time when I get to that last put as for me and my family why don’t all read it together.

Main Scripture

Joshua 24:15 NLT

Salvation call

To start the process of building our foundation so we can have the same resolution Joshua had in the scripture