Embracing Christ's Lordship in Christian Family Life

Devotional

Day 1: The Lordship of Christ in the Home

The Lordship of Jesus Christ should be evident in how we conduct ourselves within our homes. This means that our actions and attitudes towards our family members should reflect our commitment to Christ. The home is the first place where our faith is tested and demonstrated. When we prioritize Christ's Lordship, it transforms our relationships and sets a foundation for a godly household. This principle extends beyond the family, influencing every area of our lives and contributing to a healthier society.

The breakdown of God's design for relationships often begins at home, leading to broader societal issues. By making Christ the center of our homes, we can address these issues at their root. Our homes should be places where love, respect, and godly principles are evident, reflecting the gospel in our daily interactions. This commitment to Christ's Lordship in the home is a powerful testimony to the world and a crucial step in living out our faith authentically.

Colossians 3:17 (ESV): "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Reflection: How can you make the Lordship of Christ more evident in your daily interactions with your family members today? What specific actions or attitudes need to change?

Day 2: Wives and Submission

Wives are called to submit to their husbands as is fitting in the Lord. This submission is not about losing rights or becoming subservient but about honoring God's design for marriage. It involves yielding in a way that supports and respects the husband's role while maintaining one's dignity and value. Submission in this context is a voluntary act of love and respect, reflecting the relationship between Christ and the church.

This teaching challenges cultural norms that often misinterpret submission as weakness or inferiority. Instead, it is a call to mutual respect and partnership within the marriage. Wives are encouraged to support their husbands in a way that honors God, fostering a harmonious and godly household. This submission is a powerful witness to the transformative power of the gospel in marriage.

Ephesians 5:22-24 (ESV): "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands."

Reflection: In what ways can you support and respect your spouse that honors God's design for marriage? How can you demonstrate this submission in a loving and dignified manner today?

Day 3: Husbands and Love

Husbands are commanded to love their wives sacrificially, as Christ loved the church. This love should be active, ongoing, and tailored to the unique needs of their wives. Harshness and domination are contrary to this command, and husbands must strive to nourish and cherish their wives. This sacrificial love is a reflection of Christ's love for the church, characterized by selflessness, care, and commitment.

Husbands are called to be leaders in their homes, but this leadership is defined by love and service, not control or authority. By loving their wives in this way, husbands create a nurturing and supportive environment that reflects the gospel. This love is not just a feeling but a daily choice to put their wives' needs above their own, demonstrating the transformative power of Christ's love in their marriage.

Ephesians 5:25-28 (ESV): "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself."

Reflection: How can you actively demonstrate sacrificial love to your spouse today? What specific actions can you take to nourish and cherish your wife in a way that reflects Christ's love for the church?

Day 4: Children and Obedience

Children are instructed to obey their parents in everything, as this pleases the Lord. This obedience is not conditional on the child's feelings or the parents' faith but is a direct command from God. Parents must set clear expectations and guide their children in making right decisions. Obedience in this context is a form of honoring God and recognizing the authority He has placed in the family structure.

This teaching emphasizes the importance of parental guidance and the role of children in maintaining a godly household. By obeying their parents, children learn to respect authority and develop a foundation for a life of faith and obedience to God. This principle also highlights the responsibility of parents to lead by example and create an environment where obedience is encouraged and valued.

Ephesians 6:1-3 (ESV): "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother' (this is the first commandment with a promise), 'that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.'"

Reflection: How can you encourage and support your children in their obedience to you and to God? What specific steps can you take to set clear expectations and guide them in making right decisions today?

Day 5: Parents and Provocation

Parents, particularly fathers, are warned not to provoke their children to anger, which can lead to discouragement and loss of spirit. Instead, they are to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, providing a loving and supportive environment that reflects the gospel. This teaching emphasizes the importance of positive and godly parenting, avoiding harshness and creating an atmosphere of encouragement and growth.

By nurturing their children in the ways of the Lord, parents help them develop a strong foundation of faith and character. This involves teaching, guiding, and modeling godly behavior, as well as providing emotional and spiritual support. Avoiding provocation means being mindful of the impact of words and actions on a child's spirit, fostering a relationship built on love, respect, and mutual understanding.

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

Reflection: How can you create a more nurturing and supportive environment for your children today? What specific actions can you take to avoid provoking them to anger and instead encourage their growth in the Lord?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today's message focused on the profound implications of the Lordship of Jesus Christ within the Christian household. The central theme is that members of a Christian family should seek to please the Lord in how they respond to and treat one another. This teaching is deeply rooted in the gospel and extends beyond the family to influence every area of our lives. The home is the primary place where the breakdown of God's design for relationships often begins, leading to broader societal issues.

The sermon emphasized the roles of wives, husbands, children, and parents within the Christian home. Wives are called to submit to their husbands as is fitting in the Lord, but this submission does not imply servitude or loss of rights. Instead, it is about yielding in a way that honors God's design. Husbands are commanded to love their wives and not be harsh with them, reflecting Christ's sacrificial love for the church. This love should be active, ongoing, and tailored to the unique needs of their wives.

Children are instructed to obey their parents in everything, as this pleases the Lord. This obedience is not conditional on the child's feelings or the parents' faith but is a direct command from God. Parents, particularly fathers, are warned not to provoke their children to anger, which can lead to discouragement and loss of spirit. Instead, they are to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

The message also addressed the broader cultural issues affecting these relationships, such as passive male leadership and the rise of dominant women in relationships. It called for a return to biblical principles, urging men to take responsibility and women to yield in a godly manner. The ultimate goal is to create households that serve the Lord, reflecting the gospel in their daily lives.

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Key Takeaways

1. The Lordship of Christ in the Home: The Lordship of Jesus Christ should be evident in how we conduct ourselves within our homes. This means that our actions and attitudes towards our family members should reflect our commitment to Christ. The home is the first place where our faith is tested and demonstrated. [30:01]
2. Wives and Submission: Wives are called to submit to their husbands as is fitting in the Lord. This submission is not about losing rights or becoming subservient but about honoring God's design for marriage. It involves yielding in a way that supports and respects the husband's role while maintaining one's dignity and value. [33:30]
3. Husbands and Love: Husbands are commanded to love their wives sacrificially, as Christ loved the church. This love should be active, ongoing, and tailored to the unique needs of their wives. Harshness and domination are contrary to this command, and husbands must strive to nourish and cherish their wives. [45:57]
4. Children and Obedience: Children are instructed to obey their parents in everything, as this pleases the Lord. This obedience is not conditional on the child's feelings or the parents' faith but is a direct command from God. Parents must set clear expectations and guide their children in making right decisions. [49:59]
5. Parents and Provocation: Parents, particularly fathers, are warned not to provoke their children to anger, which can lead to discouragement and loss of spirit. Instead, they are to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, providing a loving and supportive environment that reflects the gospel. [56:38]
### [56:38]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[30:01] - The Lordship of Christ in the Home
[33:30] - Wives and Submission
[45:57] - Husbands and Love
[49:59] - Children and Obedience
[56:38] - Parents and Provocation
[72:35] - Conclusion and Benediction

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

According to Colossians 3:18-21, what specific instructions are given to wives, husbands, children, and fathers? How do these roles contribute to a Christian household? [30:01]
In Ephesians 5:21-25, what is the basis for the mutual submission among believers, and how does this apply to the relationship between husbands and wives? [33:30]
What does the sermon suggest is the primary place where the breakdown of God's design for relationships often begins? [31:45]
How does the sermon describe the cultural issues affecting relationships within the home, particularly regarding male leadership and female dominance? [36:53]

Interpretation Questions

How does the concept of the Lordship of Christ influence the way family members should treat one another according to the sermon? [30:01]
What does it mean for wives to submit to their husbands "as is fitting in the Lord," and how does this differ from cultural or societal expectations? [33:30]
How is the command for husbands to love their wives sacrificially, as Christ loved the church, practically applied in daily life? [45:57]
Why is it important for parents, especially fathers, not to provoke their children to anger, and what are the potential consequences of failing to heed this instruction? [56:38]

Application Questions

Reflect on your own household. How can you ensure that the Lordship of Christ is evident in your daily interactions with family members? What specific changes might you need to make? [30:01]
For wives: How can you practice submission in a way that honors God's design without feeling like you are losing your rights or becoming subservient? For husbands: How can you show sacrificial love to your wife in a way that meets her unique needs? [33:30] [45:57]
Parents, consider your approach to discipline. Are there ways in which you might be provoking your children to anger? How can you create a more nurturing and supportive environment that reflects the gospel? [56:38]
Children and young adults, how can you better obey and honor your parents in a way that pleases the Lord? What steps can you take to improve your relationship with them? [49:59]
How can single individuals apply the principles of mutual submission and sacrificial love in their relationships with friends, family, and the church community? [30:01]
Reflect on the cultural issues mentioned in the sermon, such as passive male leadership and dominant women in relationships. How can you address these issues in your own life and community in a way that aligns with biblical principles? [36:53]
Think about a specific area in your family life where you struggle to reflect the gospel. What practical steps can you take this week to address this issue and bring your household more in line with God's design? [30:01]

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "Members of a Christian household distinctly seek to please the Lord and how they respond to and treat one another. This is a particular Christian teaching that is tied directly to the gospel. This is a particular teaching that is about how you have to pay the debt of our Lifścią Two of the main elements that we talked about in this message are about God's design of things." (24 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "The impact of this teaching bleeds into every area of our lives. But there is a particular teaching here that our confession as Christians that Jesus is Lord must be manifested in our actual daily lives and especially in our homes." (22 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "A marriage is a picture of the gospel. From the husband and the wife, they are both to give evidence of distinct things about Christ and together they are to be a picture of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Just as Christ submitted to the father's will and laid down his life and set us free from sin and death to him caring for us now his own, his children." (23 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "You can be a godly wife. You can be a godly husband. You can be an obedient child. You can be a parent who raises your kids in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. You can. But here's what so many of you are going to do. You're going to say, but you don't understand my past. You don't understand mine. And me bringing my past out here and laid it in front of you is not going to help any of us. Here's what you need to understand about me. Christ transformed me. And if anyone is in Christ, he's a new creation. And if he's transformed you, you can." (57 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. He's the Lord. That's what this is about. He's the Lord. We will serve the Lord. That same choice is for all of us. And ultimately, it is Christ whom we serve." (24 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "Wives, submit to your husbands as is fitting in the Lord. The word submit means to yield to or to show deference to. It's a command. It does not mean to be servile or to be in menial bondage, to yield to. If you look at the parallel passage in Ephesians chapter 5, which might be good to just hold your place there, it's just a few pages to your left. Before he gets into the husband-wife relationship, Paul writes in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit these words, verse 21, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. So everybody look up here and hear me. Submission is the part, is a part of the life of every Christian. No, men don't get an exception here. I'll say it very bluntly. Husbands don't get an exception clause here." (59 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Christian husband sees his wife as a fellow heir of grace, not as a lesser individual to rule over. He sees himself with a responsibility. I'll come to that in a moment. Abuse number two, women who refuse to yield to the Lord and submit. We all have to admit that we live in a culture where the script has been flipped now for about 50 years. We are now reaping the end result of that societally. While I agree that much of what happened in the last 50 to 60 years was a right response to a patriarchal, abusive manner, it has now got turned to where women are often the most dominant in relationships. And I'm not just talking about marriage. This is fitting its right in the Lord. So my sisters, this is where you got to start." (74 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. So not only is abuse unacceptable, harshness is unacceptable. Do not be harsh with them. Do not be marked by strong resentment or a bitterness. This is a command. Now, I've got to ask here, where does this come from? Pastorally, you end up, the vast majority of counseling I end up in has to do with marriages. And when a man is being harsh with his wife, it comes from multiple places. The first one, I think the primary one, is that when a man sees his wife in the way of what he wants, she's not giving him what he wants. That could be from something very practical to something ungodly. When he sees her as a means to an end and he doesn't get his end, it becomes harsh." (84 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "The majority of young people that have walked away from the faith from this local church did so because of the duplicity of their parents. Show up here, lead, teach, but at home they were something a hundred percent different. I want to, I want to, if some of you are living that way right now, and you're sitting there on the same row with your parents who are living in duplicity, your parents do not determine your relationship with Jesus. They don't. Jesus Christ is the one who laid down his life for you. He's the one who saved you. You follow him regardless of what they do. But parents, God have mercy that you proclaim one thing and do the exact opposite in your house." (48 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Every parent in this room is discipling their children. Every one of you. Hear me out. You are all discipling your children in what is important to you. And if you are what is important to you, you're discipling them to live the same way, to live to what's important to them. If are what's important to you or whatever else, education, that's what's important to you. You are raising disciples. Even a neglectful parent is discipling. What are you communicating to your kids? Or let me ask the so what this way. Is our household pleasing the Lord and how we respond to and treat one another?" (45 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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