Now we live in the times when our traditional homes are under attack. Healthy home and healthy family are closely connected with healthy marriage.
Our key verses for this sermon are as follows:
3 Through [skillful and godly] wisdom a house [a life, a home, a family] is built,
And by understanding it is established [on a sound and good foundation],
4 And by knowledge its rooms are filled
With all precious and pleasant riches (Proverbs 24:3-4, AMP).
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Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it (Proverbs 22:6, NLT).
Official definition of home is a place where one lives permanently especially as a member of family or household.
What the Bible says about home?
If you follow the contemporary media or even public education there is pressure and attacks. Attacks started by secular humanism, followed by the feminism and homosexual movements. The media is presenting broken home, broken families as a norm. We can hear more often same-sex marriage, open marriage, polygamy than traditional marriage. There isn’t even any TV show nowadays that contains a healthy home.
The major problem could be self-centeredness. People are told that they are “number one” or that they have to look for “number one” partner.
Many enter the marriage and start families with selfish attitude. No relationship can exist peacefully and lovingly with selfish participants.
Home is not the house but my wife and my children are. God ordained the institution of marriage and it’s obviously not the first choice by thousands if young people.
The wise of this world say that marriage as a monogamy in the present days is outdated and old-fashioned. They also say that the truth is relative, and everyone should fight for their own.
“God has given us a blueprint for successful home.”
The best thing we can do as Christians is to defend a home against its many attackers is to demonstrate what God intended for a home to be.
It could be confusing sometimes whom we should listen to considering that nowadays there are so many ideas and inventions but we need to remember to trust the Bible.
The Bible specifically outlines God’s original design for the home and family. As long as we live according to His will, we can avoid world’s less perfect lifestyle and live in His perfect peace.
We should not be involved only in sorting out our differences in our marriage but primary to see Christ in new way. If you see Christ in a new way, you stop all the quarrels in your home.
“Make the Word of God the final authority in your home.”
How can the problems we might have at home be solved in Kingdom’s mindset? Is our mindset godly? When we seek first the kingdom of God, we can expect the promise of abundance.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33, NIV).
We need to exalt God in our home, Christ-likeness in our home. Your children are watching and they will copy you.
“Establish godly values in your home.”
Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value (Proverbs 31:11, NIV)
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She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come (Proverbs 31:25, NIV)
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9 Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife. 10 The wicked crave evil; their neighbors get no mercy from them. 11 When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom; by paying attention to the wise they get knowledge.
12 The Righteous One takes note of the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin. 13 Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered. 14 A gift given in secret soothes anger, and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.
15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers. 16 Whoever strays from the path of prudence comes to rest in the company of the dead. 17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich. 18 The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the unfaithful for the upright. 19 Better to live in a desert (Proverbs 21:9-19).
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28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 29 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” (Proverbs 31:28-29, NIV)
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25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body.
31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband (Ephesians 5:25-33, NIV).
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May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth (Proverbs 5:18, NIV).
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For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all your paths (Proverbs 5:21, NIV).
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For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior (Ephesians 5:23, NIV).
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Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her… (Ephesians 5:25, NIV).
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After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— (Ephesians 5:29, NIV).
“Guard the name and reputation of your family. ”
A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold (Proverbs 22:1, NIV).
“As a family we need to be accountable to one another. ”
“As a family we need to practice forgiveness. ”
Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends (Proverbs 17:9, NIV).
“Practice reverence ”
“Practice honesty”
“Commit all your plans to the Lord”
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans (Proverbs 16:3, NIV).
“Practice contentment”
“Communicate with each other”
Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a ruling rightly given (Proverbs 25:11, NIV).
“Scriptures for children”
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it (Proverbs 22:6, NIV).
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Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: (Proverbs 31:28, NIV).
Short summary of how to build a healthy family and home:
Love one another and God
Administer discipline with love and care
Practice stability which provides security in standards and morals
Be the example in our world that encourages deep faith in God
Be the kind of family that praises God first in all of His decisions.
