Building Families on the Rock of Christ

Devotional

Day 1: Transformative Power of Faith

The story of Phil and Kay Robertson from "Duck Dynasty" serves as a powerful illustration of how faith in Jesus Christ can transform lives and marriages. Despite facing significant challenges, their commitment to faith and family demonstrates the hope and restoration that Jesus can bring. When individuals find themselves at rock bottom, they can take comfort in knowing that Jesus has the power to turn their lives around, just as He did for the Robertsons. This transformation is not just about overcoming difficulties but about centering one's life on Christ, which leads to profound change and renewal. [07:17]

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a challenging situation in your life. How can you invite Jesus into this situation to bring hope and transformation?

Day 2: Love as a Daily Choice

In marriage, love is more than just an emotion; it is a deliberate choice and action. Husbands are called to love their wives sacrificially, as Christ loved the church. This involves putting aside bitterness, embracing forgiveness, and leading by example in fostering a loving and respectful relationship. Such love requires daily commitment and effort, reflecting Christ's unconditional love for His people. By choosing to love in this way, couples can create a strong and enduring bond that withstands the trials of life. [11:52]

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her." (Ephesians 5:25, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a recent conflict or disagreement with your spouse or loved one. How can you choose to respond with sacrificial love and forgiveness today?

Day 3: Understanding Submission

Submission in marriage is about mutual respect and support, not inferiority. It reflects the order God established, where both husband and wife complement each other. Submission to God comes first, and it should never justify abuse or ungodly behavior. This understanding of submission fosters a harmonious partnership where both spouses work together in unity and love, honoring each other's strengths and roles. By prioritizing submission to God, couples can ensure that their relationship aligns with His will and purpose. [25:50]

"Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ." (Ephesians 5:21, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on your relationship with your spouse or a close friend. How can you practice mutual respect and support in your interactions today?

Day 4: Nurturing Godly Families

Parents play a crucial role in creating a godly environment for their children. This involves spending quality time, listening, and guiding them with love and discipline. Encouraging children to do chores helps instill confidence and competence, preparing them for a successful life. By nurturing a godly family, parents can help their children develop a strong foundation of faith and values that will guide them throughout their lives. This nurturing environment is essential for raising children who are respectful, responsible, and spiritually grounded. [36:43]

"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4, ESV)

Reflection: Think about your interactions with your children or younger family members. How can you intentionally create a nurturing and godly environment for them today?

Day 5: Engaging with God's Word

Regular engagement with the Bible is transformative. Reading scripture at least four times a week can significantly impact spiritual growth, helping individuals avoid sin and encouraging them to share their faith. This practice strengthens one's relationship with God and empowers believers to live out their faith in everyday life. By committing to regular Bible reading, individuals can deepen their understanding of God's Word and allow it to guide their thoughts, actions, and decisions. [41:26]

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalm 119:105, ESV)

Reflection: Consider your current Bible reading habits. How can you commit to engaging with God's Word more regularly this week?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound impact of building our families on the rock of Jesus Christ. We began by reflecting on the inspiring story of Phil and Kay Robertson from "Duck Dynasty," who exemplify how Christ can transform lives and marriages. Despite facing significant challenges, their commitment to faith and family serves as a testament to the power of Jesus to bring hope and restoration. If you find yourself at rock bottom, remember that Jesus can turn your life around just as He did for the Robertsons.

We delved into Paul's teachings in Colossians 3, focusing on the roles within a family. For husbands, the call is to love their wives with a sacrificial, unconditional love, akin to Christ's love for the church. This love is not merely an emotion but a daily choice, an action that requires putting aside bitterness and embracing forgiveness. We discussed the importance of cherishing and honoring our spouses, leading by example, and fostering a loving environment.

For wives, the concept of submission was addressed, emphasizing that it does not imply inferiority but rather a harmonious partnership. Submission is about mutual respect and support, reflecting the order God established in creation. It's crucial to understand that submission to God comes first, and it should never be used to justify abuse or ungodly behavior.

Turning to children, we highlighted the significance of obedience and the role of parents in nurturing a godly environment. Children are called to obey their parents, learning respect and responsibility. Parents, in turn, are encouraged to spend quality time with their children, listen to them, and guide them with love and discipline. The importance of chores was noted as a means to instill confidence and competence in children.

Finally, we emphasized the transformative power of engaging with God's Word. Reading the Bible at least four times a week can significantly impact our lives, helping us avoid sin and grow spiritually. We challenged everyone to commit to this practice, envisioning a church community strengthened by the Word of God.

Key Takeaways

1. Transformative Power of Faith: The story of Phil and Kay Robertson illustrates that no matter how dire our circumstances, Jesus can bring hope and transformation. Their journey from brokenness to a life centered on Christ serves as a powerful reminder that God can turn any situation around for His glory. [07:17]
2. Love as a Daily Choice: Love in marriage is more than an emotion; it is a deliberate choice and action. Husbands are called to love their wives sacrificially, as Christ loved the church. This involves putting aside bitterness, embracing forgiveness, and leading by example in fostering a loving and respectful relationship. [11:52]
3. Understanding Submission: Submission in marriage is about mutual respect and support, not inferiority. It reflects the order God established, where both husband and wife complement each other. Submission to God comes first, and it should never justify abuse or ungodly behavior. [25:50]
4. Nurturing Godly Families: Parents play a crucial role in creating a godly environment for their children. This involves spending quality time, listening, and guiding them with love and discipline. Encouraging children to do chores helps instill confidence and competence, preparing them for a successful life. [36:43]
5. Engaging with God's Word: Regular engagement with the Bible is transformative. Reading scripture at least four times a week can significantly impact our spiritual growth, helping us avoid sin and encouraging us to share our faith. This practice strengthens our relationship with God and empowers us to live out our faith. [41:26]
** [41:26]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:21] - Introduction to Family on the Rock
[02:46] - The Robertson Family Story
[04:19] - Phil Robertson's Transformation
[05:39] - Kay's Faith and Perseverance
[07:17] - Hope in Jesus for Families
[08:45] - Paul's Advice on Marriage
[10:16] - Love as a Choice
[11:52] - Forgiveness and Bitterness
[13:20] - Sacrificial Love
[14:53] - Agape Love
[16:30] - Christ's Example of Love
[18:05] - Communication in Marriage
[19:41] - Submission in Marriage
[21:09] - Biblical Context of Submission
[22:35] - Ezer Kenegdo: Helper and Support
[24:19] - Equality in Marriage
[25:50] - Submission to God First
[27:27] - Husbands' Responsibility
[29:03] - Marriage is for Life
[30:38] - Obedience and Blessings
[32:20] - Protecting Children and Marriage
[33:59] - Importance of a Praying Family
[35:28] - Strengthening Families
[36:43] - Encouragement and Discipline
[38:18] - Listening to Children
[39:44] - The Power of God's Word
[41:26] - The Power of Four
[43:04] - Commitment to Scripture Reading

Sermon Clips

1) "Phil and Kay are perfect examples of how Christ can take anyone and turn their lives around so that he gets all the glory for it. If you're here today, and you feel like you're at rock bottom, if your marriage is failing, if you feel like there's no hope for you, if your family is spiraling out of control, I want to tell you today, there is hope. There is hope in Jesus Christ. If Jesus can take Phil and Kay Robertson and turn their life around and bring them to the point where they are today, he can do the same thing for you this very morning. Jesus can transform your marriage and your family from being on the rocks to being on the rock of Jesus Christ." [07:17] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2) "Love is more than just an emotion. It is a choice that we make every single day. Love is more than an emotion. It is an everyday choice. Let's back up just a few verses in Colossians 3. But above all these things, put on love. Notice what Paul says here about love. He says, put on love. I'm tired of hearing, I can't help who I love, or I don't have the same feelings that I felt when I was younger. The phrase put on love implies action and choice. When you wake up in the morning, you put on your clothes. You don't have the same feelings that you had when you chose what clothes you will wear, and then you take the action of actually putting on your clothes. Thank the Lord that we all wore clothes today. It's action and it's choice that we put our clothes on. The same thing is here, is what Paul is saying here. Put on love. Action, choice, put on love." [11:52] (68 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3) "The ultimate display of love is seen through sacrifice. Sacrifice. You can tell how much someone loves you by how much they sacrifice for you. 1 John 3, 16, by this we know love because he laid down his life for us and we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. The same here applies to husbands and wives. Let me give you a little advice today. Number one, show your wife you love her by sacrificing for her, just like Christ sacrificed for you and for the church. Number two, be open and honest with her, speaking truth in love, never being harsh to her. Ephesians 4, 15, but speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ. Make it your plan to deal with any trouble as it arises." [18:05] (55 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4) "Marriage is for life. Our culture has degraded the image of marriage as it relates to Christ and the church beyond recognition. We as believers need to take back marriage for what it truly is. Let me give each and every one of us today, and perhaps everyone that's married, I want to give you a piece of advice. If you're going to be married shortly or someday, remember that marriage is for life. Remember this advice. Take the word divorce out of your vocabulary. It's not even a word that you utter in your house. Don't even say it. I counsel people all the time. Don't use this word in arguments. Don't let divorce be the nuclear bomb that you drop on your husband or your wife when you're arguing just to prove a point. Don't use it. Treat it like it's a bad word, a dirty word. Don't ever use that word. Don't use that word in your marriage." [29:03] (62 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5) "The first command in the Bible is to be fruitful and multiply. And the first institution that was ordained in the Bible is marriage. It's no coincidence that the primary and secondary way that Satan is attacking our families is through children and through marriage. He's attacking our culture through children and through marriage. He's attacking the world through children and through marriage. You see, the first two lines of a Satan are to attack through abortion and through our families, through our marriages. I want to be very clear on this point. Abortion is sinful, period. We as Christians need to stand firm in the face of the onslaught of satanic attack in this area. You can do something about this. You can talk to your friends about this very subject. You can do something at the ballot box about this as well. This is a very important subject. We need to protect our children." [32:20] (71 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6) "Children have the right to be raised in a godly environment, in a godly family. Children have this right, but they also have responsibilities. Colossians 3.20, children obey your parents in all things. This is well-pleasing to the Lord. You see, children who do not learn to obey their parents will grow up not obeying anyone. It's our job as parents to teach our children how to live in the real world. When children learn to obey their parents, they learn to live in the real world and be successful. You see, the breakdown in society reflects the breakdown in the home. If you could change one thing about our society, I would say, change how strong our families are. Start telling people to be one with their wife, to never get divorced. Dads, be the kind of dad that the Bible models. Stay with your family. Don't leave." [35:28] (65 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7) "I want to end the sermon today with the best advice that I can give you. I want to give you the best advice that I can give you. And that is to stay in the word. Stay in the word. The number one way to have a healthy marriage and a healthy family is by reading God's word. That's it. Read God's word. The Center for Bible Engagement did a study and found that reading the Bible once, twice, or three times a week had negligible impacts on the lives of people who were reading. However, when you look at the people who read the Bible four times a week, you see something significant happen. I call it the power of four. People who read scripture at least four times a week have better outcomes for avoiding sin in their lives. Alcoholism, 57% lower odds. Sex outside of marriage, 68% lower odds. Looking at pornography, 61% lower odds. Spiritual stagnation, 60% lower odds. Gambling, 74% lower odds. On the flip side, they see a rise in sharing faith with others, 228% higher odds. Discipling others, 231% higher odds. Memorizing scripture, 407% higher odds." [41:26] (85 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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