DEEPLY ROOTED FAMILY LIFE
TEXT: DEUTERONOMY 11:1,18-25
Dr. David L. Sampson
An example of a family deeply rooted in Christ will include:
• striving to make Jesus the center point of the home.
• putting God first in all aspects of decision-making,
• not compromising His Word for anything else,
• exemplifying Christian values like love and humility.
• being intentional about spending quality time together as a family,
• setting aside time to pray and read the Bible together,
• sharing in meaningful conversations and activities that promote spiritual growth,
• and expressing gratitude for the blessings God has bestowed upon them.
I.
THE CHARACTER OF GOD
1. To
Verse 19 says: “And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”
2. To
Verse16-17 “Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; And then the LORD’S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.”
3. Where the
Deuteronomy 11:22-25 For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him; Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves. Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours… There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the LORD your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you.
II.
THE CAUSE OF CHRIST
Three times in Deuteronomy, God gives the same command:
• De 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
• De 11:1 Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.
• De 19:9 If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in his ways…”
• Matthew 22:37-38 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.
Let me tell you how precious your children are.
• You cannot take your wealth to heaven.
• You cannot take your house to heaven.
• You cannot take your retirement plan to heaven.
• But you CAN take your family to Heaven with you if you win them to Christ!
The Christian home is the most important institution in the world. That does not minimize the position of the church and state; they also have been ordained of God. But He places the home first—in time as well as in importance. It is the foundation upon which all other institutions are built; upon it, the church and state will either stand or fall. What the homes are, the churches and schools are—and the government will be. Every place where there has been a neglect of home responsibility, there eventually has been a crumbling of the nation.
—Wesley L. Gustafson —(from Heartwarming Bible Illustrations, 1998 by AMG International, Inc.