Title: Romans 12:9-13 Blessed Family
Content Romans 12:9-13
The family is the most precious community that God has given to this earth. Before God established a church on this earth, He first established a family. That's why family is so important to our lives. The heart of the family is the couple. God created the first man, Adam, and it was not good to see him alone, so he made Eve as a helper, and the two became a couple. When a couple is happy, a family can be truly happy. Husbands love their wives, but love their wives devotingly as Christ loved the church and gave their bodies, and when wives follow their husbands but follow Christ as the church follows Christ, the family will be truly happy.
And God gave children as a gift of God for the happiness of our family. As I said on Children's Sunday, children are a gift that God has given to our family as a blessing. When we truly accept the children God has given us as gifts from God, that family will become a truly happy family.
Now, to put it back together, it was said that a couple is a gift and a child is a gift. Then, isn't a family composed of a married couple and their children really a community made up of God's blessings? Of course, it should be a happy community. But what about the truth? How many people think that their families are happy? I don't know the statistics of our country, but if you look at the statistics of American households, it is said that about 80% of households are not happy. I don't know, but I think that our country's households have similar numbers. If the family given by happiness is not happy, what is the cause?
In a nutshell, our family is living without happiness because we live outside the laws of God's Word.
Today's verse tells us the way to make our family a happy family God has given us. I think you can find it through these words. Of course, this cannot be seen as a summary of all God's words for family happiness. And I think that the primary teaching of today's text is not limited to the family. However, whether it is a message to several saints or to the church, I think it is also applicable to the family of the saints. If we live according to these words, I think that individuals who live like that will be happy, families who live like that will be happy, and groups that live like that will be happy. If that is the case, I think it is something that we, who are interested in family happiness, should also pay attention to.
, hate evil and become a family belonging to good.
Verse 9 says, “Love does not lie; hate evil and be of the good.” Think about it, everyone. Would the family be happy if it harbored evil in it? If there is distrust and hatred towards each other, deceit and lies, can that family be a happy family? If the husband does not trust his wife, the wife does not trust the husband, the parents do not trust their children, and the children do not trust their parents, they may be eating under the same roof, but they cannot have a happy family anymore. When evil is thoroughly excluded and the family belongs to good, that family can become a happy family.
If you want a really happy family, I hope that husbands will be able to see their wives, wives as their husbands, and parents as their children, and children as their parents, from a new perspective of goodness in Christ.
, it should be a family where we love brothers and be kind to each other.
In verse 10, the first half, it says, “Love brothers and be kind to one another.” A family in which brotherly friendship is broken will never be a happy family. If brothers and sisters are not friendly to each other, how much more rotten inside the parents who see it? Parents play an absolutely vital role in helping siblings grow up fraternally. You should never be biased. When raising children, there are children who look better and there are children who look more sagging. That's when it really matters. If you keep praising the children who look good, and giving them a cup of tea, asking why you are not as good as anyone else, you end up building a wall between your children, and it prevents them from becoming friendly brothers. When we keep instilling the awareness that 'you are all our precious children', we will become fraternal brothers.
, it should be a family where respect comes first.
In the second half of verse 10, it says, “Let us honor one another first.” Homes are so close that raising each other is the most fragile scene. Therefore, there are cases where the words are reckless. However, as you get closer, you should refrain from speaking profanity to each other's personalities. You can talk to each other casually. However, you can have a happy family only if you refrain from using words that insult the other person's personality. A truly happy family can be achieved not only by refraining from blasphemy, but by raising and respecting each other first as in today's message. If the husband respects the wife's words, the wife respects the husband's words, and the parent-child relationship can respect each other's words, then the family can definitely be a happy family.
If you say something wrong and have a nail in the other person's chest, you need to sincerely apologize. There are a lot of words that can seriously hurt the other person even if I said it unintentionally. Remember that the more hurtful words accumulate, the more the happiness of the family will be destroyed.
, should be diligent and not lazy.
The first half of verse 11 says, “Do not be sluggish in diligence.” When a family member is lazy, the happiness of the family is bound to suffer. There is nothing in the world that goes well with being lazy. As the saying goes, "The early bird eats the worm first." If you are lazy and lazy and want happiness, it is a delusion; It may seem like happiness, but in the end, like drugs, it will destroy him and his family. Happiness is paired with a diligent individual and a diligent family.
Do you really want happiness in your family? I hope you buy hard. If the husband works hard outside, the wife takes care of and takes care of the family, and the children study hard, the family will be truly happy.
, it should be a family that serves the Lord with zeal.
The second half of verse 11 says, “Serve the Lord with zeal.” The source of all happiness lies in God. So, the most important condition for happiness is serving the Lord. Serving is not serving lightly, but serving with zeal.
We can take the families of Aquila and Priscilla as families that were diligent, not lazy, and served the Lord with zeal.
, it should be a family that rejoices in hope.
The first half of verse 12 says, “Rejoice in hope.” A family where there is hope and can be happy is a truly blessed family. Hope is the ability to make the future what it is today. A family in which this hope and this vision are certain will become a family that does not miss out on happiness.
In particular, regarding their children, parents need to keep telling their children that they always instill dreams, instill visions, and pray like that. It is self-evident that a family with a dream is happier than a family without a dream.
, it must become a family that endures in the midst of tribulation.
In the middle of verse 12, it says, “Be patient in tribulation.” There is no family without tribulation. What really matters is how you face that tribulation. Being patient can keep you happy. They complain and grumble, and their happiness will be buried with them as well.
cf.) wife of Job, wife of Luther
, it should be a family that always puts effort into prayer.
Looking at the second half of verse 12, it says, “Always put forth effort in prayer.” A family that prays is a happy family. why? Yes, because God is with you.
, it should be a home that supplies the needs of the saints.
The first half of verse 13 says, “Provide the needs of the saints.” This verse refers to helping others a lot with material things. A family that helps others is a happy family. Do you want to be home? Or do you want to be a home recipient? But do you actually like to give, or do you prefer to receive? When you keep giving, you become a family of giving, and when you keep receiving, you become a family of receiving. Happiness is in a giving family. I hope you are a family that gives and gives a lot.
This filial piety tour went really well with grace and ended well as so many saints did not spare their own like the early Jerusalem church and put them out in front of the church. how is it? After giving well, isn't it both grace and strength?
Happiness is not in receiving, but in giving. I wish you all a giving and happy family.
When we talk about the blessed family in the Bible, it is the family that does not fall out, that is, the family of the centurion. What was the secret to Cornelius's family happiness? It was in prayer and salvation.
, It should be a family that strives to provide hospitality.
In the second half of verse 13, it says, “Be diligent in hospitality.”
Abraham said he would unknowingly treat strangers, but he ended up treating angels, and in the end he received great blessings. It is remembered that serving one little boy was serving the Lord.
The great blessing of 3 John verse 2 was also given to Mr. Gaius, who excelled in hospitality.
I told you the 10 commandments of family happiness. I pray in the name of the Lord that you and your family will be truly happy by obeying these words and living.