Families that Follow Jesus, Week 6 - June 7, 2026

Jun 07, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Unseen Guest at Every Meal

A home where Christ’s presence permeates daily rhythms begins with recognizing Him as the silent listener to every conversation. Like the cross-stitched sign declaring Christ as head of the house, families must anchor their identity in His lordship. This means surrendering control of decisions, conflicts, and priorities to Jesus’ authority. When meals, chores, and downtime become sacred spaces to acknowledge His nearness, ordinary moments become encounters with the divine. Welcoming Christ isn’t about perfection but positioning Him as the gravitational center of home life. [45:05]

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:4–5, ESV)

Reflection: What mundane routine in your home—meals, commutes, bedtime—could become a deliberate moment to acknowledge Christ’s presence? How might surrendering one practical decision to His leadership this week shift your family’s atmosphere?

Day 2: Sharpening Arrows in the Hands of a Warrior

Discipleship at home resembles a whetstone steadily shaping a blade. Parents aren’t called to perfect their children but to repeatedly expose them to God’s truth through shared Bible reading, prayer, and vulnerable conversations. Like arrows being polished for flight, children absorb how parents handle stress, extend forgiveness, and prioritize worship. This intentional sharpening prepares them to hit God’s targets—not worldly success—when released into adulthood. [59:12]

“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.” (Deuteronomy 6:7, ESV)

Reflection: What one spiritual practice (prayer, Scripture memory, serving others) could you model imperfectly but consistently this week? How might your children’s view of God shift if they saw you relying on Him in a current struggle?

Day 3: When Life Becomes the Classroom

Faith isn’t compartmentalized to church services but woven into car rides, chore lists, and ball games. Jesus taught disciples by involving them in healing the sick and feeding crowds, not just synagogue lectures. Parents replicate this by explaining why they tithe during bill-paying, praying aloud over a child’s friendship struggle, or turning a sibling argument into a lesson on grace. Everyday moments become holy ground when saturated with gospel intentionality. [01:02:50]

“And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’” (Matthew 4:19, ESV)

Reflection: What ordinary task or errand this week could become a “field trip” to demonstrate trusting Jesus? How might you involve your children in problem-solving a real-life issue using biblical principles?

Day 4: Failing Forward with the Game-Winning Shot

Mistakes in parenting—lost tempers, missed opportunities, inconsistent discipline—aren’t final failures but chances to model repentance. Like Michael Jordan’s missed shots leading to growth, families thrive when parents admit flaws and lean on Christ’s redemption. A dad apologizing for harsh words or a mom asking forgiveness for distractedness teaches more about grace than any sermon. Brokenness becomes a bridge to dependence on the Perfect Parent. [01:06:29]

“For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.” (Proverbs 24:16, ESV)

Reflection: What recent parenting misstep could you humbly address with your children this week? How might your vulnerability strengthen their trust in Christ’s sufficiency over your perfection?

Day 5: 936 Weeks on the Countdown Clock

The countdown from a child’s birth to graduation—936 weeks—ticks relentlessly. This urgency isn’t meant to paralyze but to clarify priorities. Will screen time or Scripture shape their memories? Will family devotions be rescheduled for sports, or protected as sacred? Each week is a deposit in their spiritual legacy. The goal isn’t to cram in more activities but to saturate fleeting moments with reminders of Christ’s supremacy. [50:49]

“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12, ESV)

Reflection: What non-urgent but time-consuming activity could you limit this week to create space for intentional discipleship? How might viewing your family calendar through the lens of eternity adjust your priorities?

Sermon Summary

Luke names the turning point: “Martha welcomed him into her house.” That single verb sets the aim. True hospitality to Jesus is not a polite nod but a rolled-out welcome mat that receives him “under one’s roof” and under one’s care. Zacchaeus lived it. Rahab lived it. A Pharisee did not. Jesus can be in the house and still not be welcomed. The call is simple and searching: is Jesus welcome here, not as a guest who takes part, but as Lord who takes over.

The enemy pitches a counterfeit plan: don’t try this at home. Outsource discipleship. Find the right program and hope it sticks. The fruit is tragic. A 3,000 vs 40 reality unmasks it: a home has thousands of hours of formative influence; a church has a few dozen. Add a ticking clock of 936 weeks from birth to graduation, and urgency comes into focus. God’s design is not don’t try it at home but bring it home.

Deuteronomy 6 makes the welcome mat practical. First, the Shema decides who is in charge. Yahweh is one. The Lord comes to rule, not ride shotgun. In marriage, that order lands on the ground as husbands and wives arrange themselves under Christ, the true head. And before any home can follow Jesus, a person must be born again. Salvation is the first welcome.

Second, love becomes the center. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.” The bullseye is not cars, careers, or zip codes. The target is sons and daughters who know, love, and serve Jesus. To aim there, parents must model there.

Third, instruction must be intentional. “Teach them diligently” sketches the sound of steel on stone, a blade drawn again and again along the sharpener of the Word. Children are arrows in a warrior’s hand, shaped to fly true. A Christ-centered home prays for salvation, opens Scripture where kids can see it, covers decisions in prayer, celebrates spiritual victories, sings worship, sets holy boundaries, and keeps what dishonors Jesus outside because he is welcome inside.

Fourth, formation rides on teachable moments. Moses names the rhythms: when you sit, walk, lie down, and rise. Jesus turned life into a classroom and never rang the bell. Discipleship is often more caught than taught. A father teaching fishing, a teenager learning to drive, the tangle and retie after a bad cast, the confession after a short fuse, the stubborn work of real conversation in a room full of glowing screens all become lanes where grace travels. The invitation lands where it began: is Jesus welcome as Lord and leader in the life, the marriage, and the family.

Key Takeaways

1. Martha’s welcome defines true hospitality True welcome receives Jesus under the roof and under authority. Presence is not the same as possession; Jesus can be in a room yet not received as Lord. The question that searches a life and a household is simple: is he a guest or the one who takes over. A Pharisee hosted him; Martha welcomed him. [43:33]
2. Outsourced discipleship breaks God’s design Programs help, but they cannot replace parents. Forty church hours a year will never outwork three thousand household hours of modeling and conversation. When formation is exported, faith becomes thin; when it is brought home, roots go deep and last through the wobble years. God’s plan is bring it home, not don’t try this at home. [49:40]
3. The Shema puts Jesus in charge “The Lord is one” settles the leadership question in a house. Jesus is not invited to ride shotgun; he comes to drive, to command, to decide. Submission in marriage and family is not about pecking order but about getting under the true Head so the whole unit can fight the right battles the right way. [53:12]
4. Love becomes the target and metric Deuteronomy makes love the center, not achievement, income, or status. A parent’s best story is not a résumé line but a child whose affections are captured by Christ. To aim children at that target, parents must love him first and most, because love is learned by proximity and imitation. [57:50]
5. Diligent, daily instruction forms arrows “Teach them diligently” sounds like steel on stone, the Word shaping a life stroke by stroke. Teachable moments hide in car rides, mealtimes, apologies, and even failures that become lessons in grace. Life-on-life forms reflexes books cannot, because Christianity is often more caught than taught. [62:50]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[39:06] - Families That Follow Jesus
[39:39] - Martha welcomes Jesus home
[42:38] - The Greek word “hupodokoma”
[43:33] - Presence vs welcome in a house
[45:26] - Christ is head of this house
[45:51] - The enemy’s “don’t try this at home”
[49:40] - The 3,000 vs 40 principle
[50:49] - Countdown: 936 weeks to launch
[51:48] - Turning to Deuteronomy 6
[52:29] - Hear, O Israel: who is in charge
[53:12] - Not to take part, to take over
[54:22] - Submission under Christ’s command
[56:23] - Loving God with all
[57:50] - The real target for children
[59:12] - Teach them diligently
[60:02] - Sharpening blades and shaping arrows
[61:30] - What a Word-shaped home practices
[62:50] - Teachable moments in daily rhythms
[63:39] - Life as Jesus’ always-on classroom
[65:45] - Learning through tangles and failure
[67:50] - Fighting isolation, keeping conversation
[68:53] - Repentance and forgiveness at home
[69:18] - Is Jesus welcome here
[79:07] - Not a guest, the commanding officer
[79:31] - Amen and dismissal

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Luke 10:38 (ESV)
“Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.”

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (ESV)
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 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 up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Observation Questions

The Greek word hupodechomai (translated “welcomed” in Luke 10:38) means to receive someone “under one’s roof” or care. How does this differ from simply allowing Jesus to be present in a home? [43:33]
Deuteronomy 6:4 begins with “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” What does this declaration clarify about who is in charge of a household? [53:12]
The sermon contrasts “3,000 vs. 40” hours of formative influence. What do these numbers represent, and why does this comparison matter for families? [49:40]
What specific daily rhythms does Deuteronomy 6:7 highlight as opportunities for teaching children about God?

Interpretation Questions

Why might “outsourced discipleship” (relying solely on church programs) fail to produce lasting faith in children, according to the sermon’s argument? [47:13]
How does the metaphor of children as “arrows in a warrior’s hand” (Psalm 127:4) connect to the idea of intentional, diligent instruction in Deuteronomy 6? [01:00:02]
The sermon states, “Jesus can be in the house and still not be welcomed.” What does this look like practically in a family or individual’s life? [43:33]
Why is loving God “with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength” described as the “target” for families rather than achievements or status? [57:50]

Application Questions

In what specific area of your home (e.g., entertainment choices, conflict resolution, daily routines) might Jesus currently feel like a “guest” rather than the “commanding officer”? What would it look like to surrender that area to Him? [55:32]
Identify one “teachable moment” from your week (e.g., a car ride, mealtime, or conflict). How could you intentionally connect it to God’s truth or character? [01:02:50]
The sermon warns against letting screens isolate family members. What is one practical step you could take this week to foster face-to-face conversations about faith or life? [01:07:50]
If “love is learned by proximity and imitation,” how are you actively modeling wholehearted love for God in ways others in your home can see? [57:50]
Reflect on the “936 weeks” countdown. What is one habit or tradition you could start (or strengthen) to maximize your remaining time of influence with your children or others? [50:49]
When have you seen a failure or “tangle” in your family life become a teachable moment about grace? How can you create space for honest conversations about mistakes? [01:05:45]

Sermon Clips

37s

#FamilyLoveForJesus

“How's your love life? How's your love for the Lord Jesus Christ this morning? Are you red hot for Jesus? Has there ever been a time when you were closer to the Lord Jesus than you are this morning? Because as we think about rolling out the welcome mat for Jesus, we must be reminded that the goal of our families is to see children and grandchildren and great grandchildren love the Lord Jesus Christ with all their heart, their soul, their mind and strength. Amen?”

53s

#IntentionalFaithTraining

“In order to be a family that rolls out the carpet, we must provide intentional instruction. We must provide intentional instruction. Watch this. Raising families that love Jesus doesn't happen by accident. Look at the word of God. Verse seven. And the I'm sorry. Verse six. And you And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart and you shall teach them diligently to your children. You shall teach them diligently to your children. The word teach there is crucial. The word teach there is a is a picture of a of a knife continually going over a sharpener that's getting sharper and sharper and sharper.”

37s

#ScriptureSharpensKids

“And the sharpener, Millbrook, is the word of God. The the sharpener that is referred to here is is God's word. And so, as our as the the the word of God goes over and over, it sharpens and it shapes, it forms and it fashions. That's why the bible says that like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children in our youth. Because our role as parents is to That they may be sharpened, that they may be shaped, that they may be formed, that may be fashioned by the word of God so that they hit the target that God intends them to hit.”

30s

#FaithByExample

“But think about it for a minute how Jesus did it. For Jesus, life was his classroom and class was always in session. He didn't sit the disciples down and be like, you know what? Let's let's have a seminar today. Let's have a bible study. Let's have a program about how to do this. They just followed him around for three years and after following him around for three years they saw what it looked like. Christianity is so much more caught than it is taught.”

38s

#JesusFirstInHome

“So, ask us this morning, myself included. Is Jesus Christ Lord and leader of your home? Is He in the driver's seat? Is He as the key to making every decision? Is He at the center of your marriage? Is He at the center of your parenting? Is He at the center of your home? Is He the Lord of your life? Have you asked Jesus to do what only He has the power to do in your life by being changed from the inside out and being born again? Have you rolled out the welcome mat of salvation for Jesus?”

37s

#FaithOverStatus

“Watch this. The goal of our homes matters not about what kind of cars our kids drive. What kind of career they end up having so we can brag about it at the country club. They're a doctor. They're a lawyer. That's the wrong question. Do they love Jesus? Tell me about their love for Jesus. Not what neighborhood they live in. Not how successful they are. The target on the wall Millbrook is a child that knows, loves and serves Jesus Christ with all their heart, mind, soul and strength. That's the goal. That's the target.”

27s

#LetJesusLead

“And if we wanna watch this. If we wanna roll out the welcome mat for Jesus Christ we have to decide that when we welcome Him into our house, we're not welcoming Him in to take part, we're welcoming Him in to take over. I want you to think about that for a minute. The Lord's not invited into our homes in order to sit in the passenger seat and go where we want. When we invite the Lord into our home, He is called to be our Lord and the leader of our home. Amen?”

28s

#EveryWeekCounts

“You say, what does that mean pastor? Nine hundred and thirty six is the number of weeks you have when your child is born before they graduate. Six hundred and seventy six if your child is in five year old kindergarten, you've got six hundred and seventy six weeks before they graduate. Two hundred and sixty if your child is 13, you've got two hundred and sixty weeks. If your child's a senior in high school, rising senior like my son is, you've got fifty two weeks left.”

31s

#ParentsDiscipleshipFirst

“But the but Satan wants us to adopt this don't try it at home strategy. You're not qualified. If your kid needs to come, your kid comes to you and wants to be born again, find a professional. Find a pastor. Find somebody that's got a degree to disciple your children. When what we see in the word of God is instead of don't try this at home, what we see in the word of God is bring it home. The bring it home is the is the plan of God.”

37s

#HomeIsPrimaryMinistry

“I love Rhett Nelson but it's not Rhett Nelson's job to disciple my children. It it it's not a drop a drop off or a drive by strategy. I'll drop them off for an hour each week in youth group and and they'll they'll come to know love and serve Jesus. That was never God's plan. God's plan was always that the discipleship happen in the home by mom and dad or grandparents in the family and that the church always come aside as an assistance, as a support to what is already happening in the home. Amen?”

35s

#DontOutsourceFaith

“Speaking to the influence of the home. You know, the church on average has about forty hours per week to invest in teenagers and children through ministries. You say, well how about fifty two? Well, the average attendee attends more like three times a month as to four times a month. And so, have about forty hours to invest in in children that come here through our ministries. The average parent has over three thousand hours each year.”

38s

#KeepConversationsOpen

“What does it look like in the home pastor? What does it look like to to for the word of God to to sharpen? It's a home where the salvation of our children and grandchildren is the biggest decision in their life. It's a home where we pray for the salvation of our children often and share the Gospel regularly. It's a home where children come downstairs and catch their moms and dads studying the Word of God. It's a home where Bible verses are posted around the home but specifically ones that are used to live a victorious Christian life.”

36s

#FailForwardInParenting

“It's a home where big decisions are covered in prayer. It's a home where spiritual victories are celebrated. It's a home where worship music is welcomed. It's a home that is covered in prayer. Praying for your spouse and with your spouse and for your kids and with your kids. It's a home where things that dishonor the Lord are not welcome. That music, that show, that website, that friendship, that language, that attitude, that habit, they're not welcome in this place because Jesus is. Just a few ideas.”

31s

#BoldGospelLeadership

“It means we've gotta have ongoing conversations with our family. Shall talk of them. You have to you have to communicate. And listen parents, I don't know much about parenting, promise you, But what I have learned is that communication is important at every age. And the point where kids don't wanna communicate is the time when you need to force communication even more. Am I right? Get interested in things that they're interested in, even if you're not interested. And build those relationships and keep those lines of communication open.”

36s

#LeadWithJesus

“But that but that's how we learn, isn't it? Sometimes we learn by making a mess of something and failing in something. And then through our failures, God teaches us how to do it better. The great Michael Jordan said about failure. I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost 300 games. 26 times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and I missed. I failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed. I want you to think about that in your parenting.”

62s

#ChooseToWelcomeJesus

“As long as I am the pastor at Millbrook Baptist Church, I commit to you as a pastor to the precious people of God. I will preach the word of God boldly, unapologetically, and the full counsel of our God. I will not be swayed. I will not be swayed by the opinions of man. Because I don't report to man. I report to God. As one that must give an account to one whose name is Jesus. Father, you're welcome in this place. You're welcome in our lives. You're welcome in our homes. You're welcome in our marriages. You're welcome in every aspect.”

43s

#WelcomeChristHome

“In order to see that, we've gotta model that. Amen? We gotta decide who's in charge and then we've gotta be in love. We've gotta love Jesus more than anything that this world has to offer. You know, I say this all the time. But if we have Jesus, we have everything. If we don't have Jesus, we really don't have anything. He is everything. He says when he's lifted up, he'll draw all men to himself. Make sure that's the target on your wall. Your kid may or may not be the next LeBron James.”

47s

#IsJesusWelcome

“The guests weren't necessarily very welcomed. And you guys, I was planning on preaching thirty eight through forty two this morning and the Lord just stopped me in this verse. And I I want you If you would just focus just for a moment on that one word welcomed. Some translations say opened. But I I really like the word welcomed. The Greek word there is hupodokoma which means receiving one under one's roof or taking under one's care. But the the main idea is to put out the welcome mat. That Jesus was welcome in this home.”

43s

#LiveAndCoachFaith

“Man, I I God, I wanna be a home where we roll out the welcome mat for you. I wanna see our kids come to know, love and serve you more than anything else in this life. I want them to grow up to be the the young men and the young women that God has called, created and commissioned them to be. Man, let's pray for our home. Let's pray over and for our family this morning. Maybe you've got a prodigal that's child or grandchild that's not where you want them to be and you shouldn't come and pray for them this morning.”

39s

#GodlyHouseholdOrder

“So here here's what I wanna close with this morning. I tried to be super practical and I tried to do everything that God has asked of me this morning, But I really want you to think about this. This is you and the Lord this morning. Are you rolling out the welcome mat for Jesus Christ? Are you Is the welcome mat of your life open for Jesus Christ? Christ? Individually. Individually. Man, I've been born again. I've been changed from the inside out. Jesus is welcome as the Lord and leader of my life. Or this morning, man, I need to do that.”

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Families that Follow Jesus, Week 6 - June 7, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Unseen Guest at Every Meal

Day 2: Sharpening Arrows in the Hands of a Warrior

Day 3: When Life Becomes the Classroom

Day 4: Failing Forward with the Game-Winning Shot

Day 5: 936 Weeks on the Countdown Clock

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Families that Follow Jesus, Week 6 - June 7, 2026

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