Building Awesome Families Through Love and Service

 

Summary

In today's message, we explored the essential elements that contribute to building an awesome family. The foundation of a thriving family lies in meaningful conversations and leading by example. It's crucial to engage in discussions about important matters during everyday activities, such as relaxing at home, walking, or even during bedtime and breakfast. Criticism and comparison, however, are ineffective methods for fostering growth and change within a family. Criticizing focuses on the negative and reinforces what we don't want, while comparing undermines individuality and can be detrimental to relationships.

Instead, we should focus on promoting positive alternatives and encouraging repentance, which means starting to do good rather than merely stopping bad behavior. The Bible advises against scolding and nagging, as these actions can lead to resentment and anger. Instead, we should nurture our families with love and understanding, as highlighted in Ephesians 6:4 and Colossians 3.

A symbol of an awesome family is a raincoat, representing protection during life's storms. Families should be a source of support during emotional, financial, moral, and physical challenges. Ecclesiastes 4:9 reminds us that two are better than one, emphasizing the importance of having someone to lean on during tough times. Families should protect each other, especially during storms of change, harmful ideas, and rejection.

Change can be unsettling, particularly for children, and it's essential to provide support and guidance during these times. Harmful ideas, often perpetuated by media, can negatively impact young minds, and parents must protect their children's mental health. Rejection is a painful storm that everyone faces, and families should rally around each other, offering comfort and understanding.

Finally, awesome families serve God by serving others. They teach their children that life is not about them but about fulfilling a mission given by God. By modeling dedication, service, generosity, and prayer, families can leave a lasting legacy. As Joshua 24:15 states, "As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord." This commitment to serving God and others is what sets awesome families apart.

Key Takeaways:

1. Lead by Example and Conversation: Growth within a family is best achieved through positive examples and meaningful conversations. Criticism and comparison are ineffective and can harm relationships. Instead, focus on promoting positive alternatives and encouraging repentance, which means starting to do good. [00:10]

2. Protection During Life's Storms: Families should act as a raincoat, providing protection and support during emotional, financial, moral, and physical challenges. Ecclesiastes 4:9 emphasizes the importance of having someone to lean on during tough times. [07:28]

3. Navigating Change and Harmful Ideas: Change can be unsettling, especially for children, and families should provide support and guidance. Parents must also protect their children's mental health from harmful ideas perpetuated by media. [08:31]

4. Dealing with Rejection: Rejection is a painful storm that everyone faces. Families should rally around each other, offering comfort and understanding, as demonstrated by the story of Amy's rejection. [13:33]

5. Serving God by Serving Others: Awesome families teach their children that life is not about them but about fulfilling a mission given by God. By modeling dedication, service, generosity, and prayer, families can leave a lasting legacy. [18:01]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Importance of Conversations
- [00:40] - Ineffectiveness of Criticism
- [01:19] - The Power of Positive Alternatives
- [03:23] - Biblical Guidance on Parenting
- [04:04] - Dangers of Comparison
- [05:49] - Symbol of a Raincoat
- [06:29] - Facing Life's Storms
- [08:31] - Storms of Change
- [10:13] - Harmful Ideas and Media
- [13:33] - Storm of Rejection
- [17:44] - Serving God and Others
- [21:21] - Legacy of Service
- [22:36] - Commitment to Serve the Lord
- [23:22] - Prayer and Dedication

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Building an Awesome Family

Bible Reading:
1. Ephesians 6:4 - "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."
2. Ecclesiastes 4:9 - "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor."
3. Joshua 24:15 - "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

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Observation Questions:

1. According to the sermon, what are the two ineffective methods for fostering growth within a family? Why are they considered ineffective? [00:40]

2. What does the raincoat symbolize in the context of an awesome family, and how does it relate to the challenges families face? [06:08]

3. How does the sermon describe the role of families during the storm of rejection, and what example was given to illustrate this? [13:33]

4. What is the significance of serving God by serving others in the context of building an awesome family, as mentioned in the sermon? [18:01]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How might Ephesians 6:4 guide parents in their approach to discipline and nurturing their children? What are the potential consequences of ignoring this advice?

2. In what ways can Ecclesiastes 4:9 be applied to the dynamics within a family, especially during difficult times? How does this verse emphasize the importance of support?

3. How does the commitment expressed in Joshua 24:15 serve as a foundation for an awesome family? What does it mean for a family to serve the Lord together?

4. The sermon mentions the impact of harmful ideas on children. How can families actively protect their children from these influences while still engaging with the world? [10:13]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your family's current communication habits. How can you incorporate more meaningful conversations into your daily routine to foster growth and understanding? [00:10]

2. Think of a recent change or challenge your family has faced. How did your family act as a "raincoat" during this time, and what could you do differently in the future to provide better support? [08:31]

3. Identify a situation where criticism or comparison has negatively impacted your family relationships. How can you shift your focus to promoting positive alternatives and encouraging growth? [04:04]

4. Consider the harmful ideas that might be influencing your family. What practical steps can you take to protect your family's mental and spiritual health while still engaging with the world? [10:13]

5. Reflect on how your family currently serves others. What new opportunities can you explore to serve God by serving others, and how can you involve your children in this mission? [18:01]

6. How can you model generosity and service within your family? What specific actions can you take this week to demonstrate these values to your children? [20:27]

7. Think about a time when a family member faced rejection. How did your family respond, and what can you learn from that experience to better support each other in the future? [13:33]

Devotional

Day 1: Leading Through Conversations and Actions
Meaningful conversations and leading by example are the cornerstones of a thriving family. Engaging in discussions about important matters during everyday activities, such as relaxing at home, walking, or even during bedtime and breakfast, fosters growth and understanding. Criticism and comparison, however, are ineffective methods for fostering change within a family. Criticizing focuses on the negative and reinforces what we don't want, while comparing undermines individuality and can be detrimental to relationships. Instead, focus on promoting positive alternatives and encouraging repentance, which means starting to do good rather than merely stopping bad behavior. [00:10]

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (ESV): "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."

Reflection: Think of a recent conversation with a family member. How can you use it as an opportunity to lead by example and promote positive change?


Day 2: Family as a Shelter in Life's Storms
Families should act as a raincoat, providing protection and support during emotional, financial, moral, and physical challenges. Ecclesiastes 4:9 emphasizes the importance of having someone to lean on during tough times. A family that supports each other during life's storms becomes a source of strength and resilience. This protection is crucial, especially during storms of change, harmful ideas, and rejection. [07:28]

Isaiah 32:2 (ESV): "Each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land."

Reflection: Identify a current challenge you or a family member is facing. How can your family act as a shelter and support system during this time?


Day 3: Guiding Through Change and Guarding Against Harmful Ideas
Change can be unsettling, particularly for children, and it's essential to provide support and guidance during these times. Harmful ideas, often perpetuated by media, can negatively impact young minds, and parents must protect their children's mental health. By being vigilant and proactive, families can navigate these challenges together, ensuring that their children grow up with a strong foundation of values and beliefs. [08:31]

Proverbs 4:23 (ESV): "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life."

Reflection: Consider the media and ideas your family is exposed to daily. What steps can you take to guard your family's hearts and minds against harmful influences?


Day 4: Comforting Each Other in Rejection
Rejection is a painful storm that everyone faces. Families should rally around each other, offering comfort and understanding. By providing a safe space for each member to express their feelings and experiences, families can help each other heal and grow stronger. This support is vital in overcoming the emotional challenges that rejection brings. [13:33]

Psalm 34:18 (ESV): "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."

Reflection: Recall a time when you or a family member faced rejection. How can you offer comfort and understanding to someone experiencing rejection today?


Day 5: Serving God by Serving Others
Awesome families teach their children that life is not about them but about fulfilling a mission given by God. By modeling dedication, service, generosity, and prayer, families can leave a lasting legacy. This commitment to serving God and others is what sets awesome families apart. As Joshua 24:15 states, "As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord." [18:01]

1 Peter 4:10 (ESV): "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."

Reflection: Reflect on a way your family can serve others in your community this week. How can this act of service help fulfill your family's mission to serve God?

Quotes

"God says you need to talk about the things that are important at home when you're relaxing when you're on vacation when you're having a walk you need to do it at bedtime conversations you need to do breakfast conversations he said if you're not doing this you're never going to have an awesome family you're going to have an average family so by example and by conversations are the two ways we help each other grow you can help your wife your husband grow through example and through conversation." [00:00:01]

"Criticizing we think that being critical of someone will actually help them grow it has never ever ever worked nagging doesn't work condemning doesn't work criticizing and complaining doesn't work it is totally ineffective in helping a person change why because when you criticize you're focusing on what you don't want rather than what you do want." [00:00:36]

"Not through criticism look at what the Bible says Ephesians 6:4 to parents don't keep on scolding and nagging your children doesn't work making them angry and resentful instead bring them up with the loving training and teaching of the Lord another verse in the Bible Colossians chapter 3 it says specifically to Dad says Dad don't be so hard on your kids you drive them to resentment." [00:03:19]

"Anytime you compare anybody to anybody else you've made a major mistake in life why because everybody's unique everybody's different there's nobody in the world like you so you are incomparable and the Bible tells us not to compare you should never compare your wife to anybody else you should never compare compare your husband to anybody else." [00:04:08]

"Awesome families protect each other awesome families protect each other because in a storm you need support Ecclesiastes 4:9 says this two are better than one and if one of them falls down the other can help him up but if someone is alone and Falls it's just too bad just you know it's just too bad because there's no one there to help him up." [00:07:34]

"Change is a storm in life it's like a big bump in the road you're just going down the road smoothly and all of a sudden a major change happens boom and it throws your car out of line and change can be upsetting particularly to kids kids don't like change it's a storm of life and we need a family to be around them when there's a a major or even a minor change." [00:08:35]

"Harmful ideas all around our little kids are being bombarded with harmful ideas by the time a child gets to to be 18 years old they have amassed 18,000 hours of Television viewing and they have seen thousands and thousands of murders by the time they're 18 years old and if they're playing video games it's tens of thousands of murders." [00:10:17]

"Rejection and this is the storm all of us faced at some point in life and it's the most painful storm of all when we feel betrayed or when we feel rejected and and when your children are rejected or when your husband or your wife feel rejection at work the family needs to Rally around and be there as a raincoat in the storms of life." [00:13:27]

"Awesome families teach their kids it's not about you you're not the center of the universe awesome families teach their kids you were made by God for a mission I am the man that I am today first of all because of my parents and my parents instilled in me certain values to care about other people you know my signature Rick Warren hug where do you think I learned that not in school I learned it from watching my parents." [00:17:52]

"Awesome families model dedication model service model generosity and model prayer that's what awesome families do average families don't do those things awesome families do by the way are you modeling generosity for your kids are you keep teaching your kids to be selfish or unselfish are you Mo if you if they see you giving then they're going to become givers if they see you being generous they're going to be generous." [00:20:17]

"Awesome families are not perfect families but they are intentional they they become Awesome by choice and you don't you're not an awesome family by accident you become an awesome family by making choices making decisions making commitments and even making sacrifices and my challenge you to today is to say you know what no matter what stage I am in my family's life I'm going to make the rest of it the best of it." [00:21:44]

"Choose today whom you will serve you're going to serve yourself you're going to serve Society you're going to serve values choose money you're going to serve money choose today whom you will serve Joshua says but as for me and my family we're going to serve the Lord okay I don't care what other families do me and my family we're going to serve the Lord." [00:22:36]

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Transcript
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