Family Sunday

The world is fast. The speed of the world is taking its toll on families. Love for each other is less. There is no commitment for long term relationships. Families are breaking. When problems arise children are made to take sides with either parent. Parents are busy earning money that children may have a good life. They have the money but children are lost. When children are wrong they are not taught what is right. Parents don’t like to be told that their children are wrong. Hence we are seeing an undisciplined generation grow.  In the general the outside world says you can’t speak to those who are born after the 80’s. It sad that these problems are found even in Christian homes. Hence in this back drop the church has set apart a Sunday for Christian homes.

It is in this backdrop that we are called to meditate on the theme Discipleship a total commitment – Christian Homes. 

This morning we will reflect on the family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus. Through this family we will draw some insights which I believe will help Christian families to be disciples for Christ.

In a home very specially a Christian home every member has a role to play.

First the role of a husband and father - Joseph. Mathew 1:19. Joseph was a righteous man. One who observes divine and human laws. One who is just in the eyes of God.

In Joseph we see one who gave importance to God and his will rather than what was in his mind. V24 says he did what the angel of the Lord said. His idea of divorce changed once he had a vision. Here we see that divorce is not God’s will. Under certain conditions the law of Moses permitted divorce. Paul tells us in 1 Cor 7: 11 a husband must not divorce his wife.

Today for the slightest thing divorce has become the solution. But obedience to God and yielding to his will helps us overcome every situation. God’s will for the family is that they live together.

Mathew 2:13, 14, 19 – 21. Once again we see an obedient Joseph. Joseph could have scolded God. He could have said if only I had divorced Mary I could have saved myself from all this trouble. His obedience was key to the future of his child. Joseph went through so much so that what was said in the scriptures about Jesus will be fulfilled.

As a husband who was obedient to Gods will he cared for his family and he provided protection for them. Husbands and fathers. You are the head of the house just as Jesus is the head of the church. His qualities should be seen in you.

Second we see the role of the mother and wife – Mary. As a mother she too was obedient to the word of God. Being a woman in a man’s world her decision to give her consent to the will of God to have a child was a very progressive decision. Her words "I am the Lords servant" says so much about her. Wives / mothers are called to dedicate their lives as Mary did for God’s will to be fulfilled in their lives.

Bringing up children in the ways of God is a joint responsibility. As parents they gave importance to the law. Luke 2:22, 39. This is the role of parents for their children. If I were to ask all the parents seated today are you bringing up your children in the way of God’s law I wonder if all the hands will go up. And so when they were obedient to the law and were fulfilling we see that even Jesus was obedient to them. obedience cannot be forced or ordered. It is earned. Children always follow in the way of their parents.

Parents if your children are telling lies, if they are disobedient, if their behavior is bad, if they don’t know the bible, then you have to first question your relationship with God. You have to ask the question, are we as parents obedient to the word of God. When children see God fearing parents they become obedient. However if parents justify what their children do then they will be burdened for the rest of their lives.

The third role is the role of children. It is very unfortunate that we don’t have Jesus’ childhood experience in the bible. But from Jesus’ childhood we know two things.

One he knew what God’s will was for his life Luke 2:49. As a child he was very clear of his future. He had an aim and a goal in life. This is lacking in the life of children and young people today. Therefore many are studying for the sake of studying, and after that they say find me any job. Children it is upto you to know what you want to do with yourselves.

This is one thing I speak with children when I visit homes. Asking them what they want to do and encouraging them to study or work in the line that they like. Parents should help children identify what they want to do in the future and guide them in that way. We see 2:51 says Mary treasured all these thing in her heart. She did not try to change Jesus’ future. Today parents force their children to do what they like. We see more and more children being forced to fulfill what parents could not achieve. That will only ruin a child’s life.

The second he gave first preference for God’s things. He was eager to learn. So we see him seated among the teachers and listening to them and asking them questions. Children / young people should give the first most place to the study of God’s word. Only when we listen we will know what God’s will for us is. I was very encouraged yesterday at the lively debate we had. It was a struggle. But to see our young people argue their point with broad minded thinking and rational was very positive.

The third was obedience to his parents. 2:51. To be obedient is to be subject to a person. To submit to one's control; to yield to one's admonition or advice: absolutely. When you are obedient you grow in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man. 

Friends, God has a purpose for the life of every individual in the family. It is upto each other to help fulfill that purpose. As parents you ought to know what God’s will is for your children rather is rather than forcing too much on them. only if every individual is right with God the family will be right with God. If the family is right with God the church will be right with God. If the church is right with God we can have an impact on society.

Husbands, wives, fathers, mothers and children love one another and clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ so that as families you will be true disciples of Jesus Christ.