Building a Godly family – 1

Joke: There were two brothers, 8 and 9 years old, who were very mischievous. People all around used to blame them for any wrongdoing. The parents finally took them to their pastor. The pastor wanted to speak to the youngest one first. So the mother sent him into the pastor’s office. The pastor pointed his forefinger at the boy and asked, “Do you know where God is?” The boy looked under the desk, in the corners of the room, all around, but said nothing. Again, louder, the Minister pointed at the boy and asked, “Where is God?” Again the boy looked all around but said nothing. A third time, in a louder, firmer voice, the Minister leaned far across the desk and put his forefinger almost to the boy’s nose, and asked, “Where is God?” The boy panicked and ran out of the room. Finding his older brother, he dragged him out of the office and said, “We are in big trouble.” The older boy asked, “What do you mean, big trouble?” His brother replied, “God is missing and they think we did it!”

Well, the institution of family and its values are under attack these days. We can find alarmingly high rates of family breakdown; disobedient children, problems in husband-wife relationship etc. The only solution for families is God.

HF: Today we are going see how we can build a strong and happy family. We are also going to see some model families from the Bible.

Let’s turn to Acts 18 where we have the mention of the family of Aquila and Priscilla.

Acts 18:1-2 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome.

Now, Aquilla and Priscilla were living in Rome, Italy. The name Priscilla is a Roman name, and history tells us that she was from a prominent noble family living in Rome. Aquila is a Jewish name. So we can see that a young Roman girl fell in love with a young Jewish boy which resulted in marriage. Remember this was an unacceptable marriage relationship those days. The Jews and the Romans never gave each other in marriage because political and spiritual reasons.

In Rome a huge wave of anti-Jewish sentiments had swept in, and the Romans hated the Jews. Emperor Claudius issued an edict expelling all Jews out of Rome. Aquilla and Priscilla had no choice but to move out of Rome.

Now Corinth was a young developing city. It had social, cultural, and religious diversity. Aquallia and Priscilla moved to Corinth probably keeping in mind their acceptance in the society, as well as, opportunities for their profession. Apostle Paul had just moved in to Corinth from Athens then. It was like Paul came from the West to Corinth and Aquilla and Priscilla came from the east to Corinth.

Acts 18:3 Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Probably it was the search of profession and the similarity in profession they that brought them together. Paul used this opportunity to share the gospel with this family and soon they were saved.

1. A godly family is a saved family.

If you are trying to build a godly family, the foundation is that everyone in the family needs to be saved.

ILLUSTRATION

My father had a transferable job and I remember as a child moving from one city to another. We had to leave behind our church, surroundings, friends, and all social network start everything afresh. It’s always hard to have to pick up and move, especially when it’s moving away from the place where you have grown up. Once you move it takes a lot of time to get adjusted to the new city and its people.

This couple wasn’t choosing to move, they were being forced to leave! Aquila and Priscilla just newly moved to Corinth and I can understand was under a lot of pressure. They had to find a house, they had to establish their tent making business, they had to start everything new. They were under tremendous pressure. With the opportunity Paul got with this family, he shared the gospel with them. Aquila and Priscilla knew in their pressures of life, in their stress, in their loneliness only God could help them and knowing the truth they gave their lives to Jesus.

Many of you are in faith because God used someone like Paul in the nick of time when we were facing the pressures of life. It was God’s provision to draw us closer to him. We too have the responsibility to show Jesus Christ to the people who come in contact with us. Maybe you have missed an appointment or two last week where God brought someone into your life to share the gospel to.

A godly family is a saved family. Maybe you are coming to church but not yet saved, not baptized but if you want to raise a godly family you need to come closer to God. You cannot raise a godly family neither can you face the pressures of life without God and a very good church which builds you up spiritually. Pray for the salvation of your family.

2. A godly family is a serving family.

A family that is godly serves God. Look at Aquilla and Priscilla. Acts 18:18  Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Now that they are saved they are getting involved in the ministry, they are serving God in whatever way they can.

ILLUSTRATION

During World War II, England needed to increase its production of coal. Winston Churchill called together labor leaders to enlist their support. At the end of his presentation he asked them to picture in their minds a parade which would be held in public after the war.

First, he said, would come the sailors who had guarded the vital sea lanes. Then would come the soldiers who guarded the land. Then would come the pilots who protected their skies. Last of all, he said, would come a long line of sweat-stained, dark, tanned men in miner’s caps. Someone would cry from the crowd, ‘And where were you during the critical days of our struggle?’ And from ten thousand throats would come the answer, ‘We were deep in the earth with our faces to the coal.'”

Not all the jobs in a church are prominent and glamorous. But it is often the people with their “faces to the coal” who help the church accomplish its mission. You may not be good at singing or preaching, but God has given you some gift to serve God. You are welcome to use it for the glory of God here at City Harvest.

Acts 18: 24-26 24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

From the time they got saved, everything that you hear in the bible about Aquilla and Priscilla is that they are serving God together. They went with Paul to serve God in Syria, then they went on with him to Ephesus, they trained Apollos. They are doing everything they can to serve God.

Years later when Paul writes back to the church at Rome he is mentioning about the serving mentality of Aquilla and Priscilla. Romans 16:3-4 3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. 4 They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.

Once they were saved, they served God. Regardless of what our job is the same thing should happen to all our families. As a family we must serve God, help others, win souls for Jesus, and help people getting saved and grow in Christ. Serve one another.

ILLUSTRATION

In an earlier century village, there was a large boulder in the middle of the road. Traveler after traveler walked past the boulder, veering off the side of the road to get around it. All the while, they were shaking their head and muttering, “Someone should get that big thing out of the way. What an inconvenience!”

Finally, a man came along and, seeing the boulder, took a branch from a tree and pried the boulder enough to get it rolling and rolled it off to the side of the road. Lying underneath the rock, he found a small bag with a note. The note read as follows: “The King of this land is looking for a minister to serve others. Thank you for being a true servant of the kingdom. Many have passed this way and complained because of the state of the problem and spoken of what ought to be done. But you have taken the responsibility upon yourself to serve the kingdom instead. You are appointed as the minister of service in the kingdom. Report to the King immediately.”

I wonder what “bags of gold” we’re missing each day, simply because we don’t bother to get involved in serving our heavenly King. Serve God.

Serve God with your family. Remember, it does not happen only with the husband, neither does it happen only with the wife. If you want to serve God, God expects you to involve your family into serving God.

I praise God for many volunteers that we have at City Harvest. You are one of the key for the growth of this church. Other than your work you spend you time for serving one another in the house of God. God bless you.

Let me exhort you saints of God, you may have a businesses, you may have jobs, you maybe a student, or God would have placed you in whatever profession but apart from whatever you do one of your main purposes in your life is to serve God.

If you want to raise a godly family help them to serve God. Get them involved in the church and its ministry, take time off and share the gospel to others, bring others along with you to church because a godly family is a serving family.

3. A godly family is a worshipping family.

In Romans 16 Paul is greeting Aquilla and Priscilla and further greeting the church that met at their house. Romans 16:3-5 3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. 5 Greet also the church in their house.

Now Aquilla and Priscilla had a church going on in their house. They had worship happening right in their home.

Remember we are talking about the first century church. The church never had any buildings then but met in houses. It was only in the 3rd Century that churches had own buildings. Aquilla and Priscilla also opened their house for a house church.

ILLUSTRATION

We remember the time when City Harvest started at our house in HBR Layout. Our house was open every time for visitors. Worship and prayer was happening everyday. Almost all the activities that happen here now happened at our house. It was a house devoted to worship.

Now that we meet here at this building we cannot have this level of worship going on at our house but we still continue keep the presence of God. We pray and worship together. Even though Sunday services are not happening we continue worship as a family.

A godly family is a worshipping family. We need to spend time in prayer, worship, and devotions as a family. Your home is your first church. Our highest priority is our own marriage, our own children, and our own homes worshipping God. God expects us to worship Him in our homes.

Have daily family prayers. If you want to raise a godly family read the Bible together, explain what you read to your children, intercede together, pray together.

The key to build great churches is to build godly homes and godly families. At City Harvest we are building family of families for Christ. Even if you do not have a family out there we have a family in here and in the process we build the Kingdom of God. Family is the core of God’s plan. Do not neglect your families.

A look at some ideal families of the Bible.

Look at the family of Joshua. See what Joshua said: Joshua 24:15 But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. God expects the entire family to serve God.

The family of the Philippian jailer. When the Philippian Jailer asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Acts 16:31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved —you and your household.

The entire family is God’s plan. See what happened a few verses later. Acts 16:32-33 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. When the presence of God came the entire family got saved and baptized.

Acts 16:34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. See the joy that came into the family when salvation came. They were cooking together, serving together, there was great joy within the family. All they did they did together.

Look at the family of John the Baptist. Luke 1:11-16 11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.

See God spoke to the father regarding his family. We have a godly father in here. God also dealt with Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth. Luke 1:41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

See God talking to the father again. Luke 1:67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied.

Look how the son grew in the Lord: Luke 1:80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

We have a Godly family in here where God spoke to the father, mother, and son. All the members of the family were growing in the Sprit of God. This is how God intends families to be. He wants to talk to us individually as well as collectively as a family.

ILLUSTRATION

It is said that the relationship between a husband, wife and God is like a triangle. How many corners does a triangle have? Three. The top corner is the place of God with the husband and wife equally placed in the bottom corner. The more they are close to God the more they draw close to one another.

Now I told you God deals with families – Father, mother, and children. What if one spouse is still a nonbeliever? What if you are a single parent? Do not worry, God can still help you to raise a godly family. The father of Timothy was in all probability not a believer. Scholars say he was Greek whereas Timothy’s mother Eunice was a Jew. The father never believed in God, it was a marriage out of the covenant. Yet the mother brought Timothy in godly principles and we know from the Bible that at his young age Timothy became a minister of the Lord.

2 Timothy 1:5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. This single believer mother raised a godly child. So it is possible to raise a godly family even if you are a single parent.

I praise God for the godly heritage of Timothy. It has been passed on to three generations now.

CONCLUSION

Maybe you are sitting here as a family, God can make you family a godly family. Maybe you are a single parent, you are facing a lot of pressures in life. God will enable you to rise a godly heritage. Or Maybe you are single today, your family maybe far or maybe not be in faith. God is faithful and he can give you a godly spouse and raise a godly family through you.

The key is salvation, service, and worship. Whatever your condition today hold on to your salvation, do everything you can to serve God, maintain godliness and worship in your life and home, God will bless you and use you.