Restoring Family Foundations for a Stronger Society

 

Summary

In reflecting on the challenges faced with the cracks on my bedroom wall, I realized that the issue was not merely superficial but rooted in a deeper problem—a shifting foundation. This analogy serves as a powerful metaphor for the state of our society today. We see various "cracks" in our social, economic, and relational structures, but these are merely symptoms of a more profound issue: the breakdown of the family unit. The family is the foundational structure of society, and its disintegration leads to the crumbling of the broader culture. Just as a skyscraper's height is determined by the depth of its foundation, the strength of a society is determined by the stability of its families.

God's original design for the family, as outlined in Genesis, was to reflect His image and exercise dominion on Earth. The family was created to mirror the unity and diversity of the Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. However, today's society often redefines family for personal happiness and fulfillment, neglecting its divine purpose. This shift has led to a social definition of family rather than a theological one, undermining its role in society.

The enemy's strategy, as seen in the Garden of Eden, was to remove the relational aspect of God, reducing Him to a mere concept rather than a Lord to be obeyed. This has led to chaos replacing order, as people seek self-discovery over divine revelation. Just as I learned the importance of following the bicycle maker's instructions, we must adhere to the Family Maker's design to experience family as intended.

The story of The Three Little Pigs illustrates the importance of building with strong materials. A family built on God's principles will withstand the attacks of the enemy, just as the brick house withstood the wolf's huffing and puffing. It's time to redefine family according to God's blueprint, allowing it to fulfill its purpose of dominion and reflecting God's image on Earth.

Key Takeaways:

- The cracks in society are symptoms of a deeper issue: the breakdown of the family unit. Just as a shifting foundation causes cracks in a wall, a weak family structure leads to societal instability. Strengthening the family is essential for a stable society. [01:26]

- God's original design for the family was to reflect His image and exercise dominion on Earth. This divine purpose goes beyond personal happiness and fulfillment, calling families to mirror the unity and diversity of the Triune God. [04:30]

- The enemy's strategy is to remove the relational aspect of God, reducing Him to a mere concept rather than a Lord to be obeyed. This leads to chaos replacing order, as people prioritize self-discovery over divine revelation. [08:20]

- Just as following the bicycle maker's instructions led to success, adhering to the Family Maker's design allows families to function as intended. God's blueprint for family provides the foundation for a fulfilling and stable family life. [09:48]

- The story of The Three Little Pigs illustrates the importance of building with strong materials. A family built on God's principles will withstand the attacks of the enemy, just as the brick house withstood the wolf's huffing and puffing. [12:09]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:34] - The Cracks on the Wall
[01:13] - Shifting Foundations
[01:44] - Society's Crumbling State
[02:17] - The Family as Society's Foundation
[03:05] - God's Original Design for Family
[04:15] - Redefining Family's Purpose
[05:27] - Theological vs. Social Definition of Family
[06:04] - God's Authority in Family
[07:26] - The Enemy's Strategy
[08:35] - Revelation vs. Self-Discovery
[09:32] - Following the Maker's Instructions
[10:21] - Experiencing Family as Intended
[10:53] - The Three Little Pigs Story
[12:09] - Building with Strong Materials
[12:26] - Defining Family God's Way

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. Genesis 1:26-28 - "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.' So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.'"

2. Genesis 2:15-18 - "Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, 'Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.' And the Lord God said, 'It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.'"

#### Observation Questions
1. What was the deeper issue behind the cracks on the pastor's bedroom wall, and how does this relate to the state of society today? [01:13]
2. According to Genesis 1:26-28, what was God's original purpose for creating the family?
3. How does the story of The Three Little Pigs illustrate the importance of building a family on strong materials? [12:09]
4. What strategy did the enemy use in the Garden of Eden to disrupt the relationship between God and humanity? [08:00]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the breakdown of the family unit contribute to societal instability, according to the sermon? [02:03]
2. In what ways does redefining the family for personal happiness undermine its divine purpose? [04:15]
3. How does the concept of dominion in Genesis 1:26-28 relate to the role of families in society today?
4. What does it mean to live by divine revelation rather than self-discovery, and how does this apply to family life? [08:48]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own family structure. Are there any "cracks" that might indicate a deeper foundational issue? How can you address these? [01:13]
2. How can your family better reflect the unity and diversity of the Triune God as described in Genesis 1:26-28?
3. In what ways can you ensure that your family is built on strong, godly principles, similar to the brick house in The Three Little Pigs story? [12:09]
4. How can you prioritize God's design for family over societal definitions that focus on personal happiness? [04:15]
5. What steps can you take to ensure that God is not just a concept in your family but the Lord who is obeyed and revered? [08:00]
6. Identify one area in your family life where you have relied on self-discovery rather than God's revelation. How can you shift this focus? [08:48]
7. How can you actively participate in fulfilling the purpose of dominion and reflecting God's image within your family and community?

Devotional

Day 1: The Foundation of Society Lies in Family Stability
The cracks we observe in society are not isolated issues but symptoms of a deeper problem: the breakdown of the family unit. Just as a building's structural integrity depends on a solid foundation, the stability of society relies on the strength of its families. When families are weak or fragmented, societal structures begin to crumble, leading to widespread instability. Strengthening the family is essential for a stable society, as it serves as the foundational building block upon which all other social structures are built. [01:26]

Isaiah 58:12 (ESV): "And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in."

Reflection: Consider the current state of your family relationships. What is one practical step you can take today to strengthen these bonds and contribute to a more stable family foundation?


Day 2: Reflecting God's Image Through Family
God's original design for the family was to reflect His image and exercise dominion on Earth. This divine purpose transcends personal happiness and fulfillment, calling families to mirror the unity and diversity of the Triune God. In today's society, the family is often redefined to suit individual desires, neglecting its theological significance. By understanding and embracing the family’s divine purpose, we can align our lives with God's intentions and contribute to a society that reflects His glory. [04:30]

Ephesians 3:14-15 (ESV): "For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named."

Reflection: How does your family currently reflect the image of God? What changes can you make to better align your family with God's original design?


Day 3: The Enemy's Strategy to Disrupt Divine Order
The enemy's strategy, as seen in the Garden of Eden, is to remove the relational aspect of God, reducing Him to a mere concept rather than a Lord to be obeyed. This shift leads to chaos replacing order, as people prioritize self-discovery over divine revelation. By recognizing this strategy, we can resist the temptation to redefine God and instead embrace His authority in our lives, restoring order and purpose to our families and society. [08:20]

2 Corinthians 11:3 (ESV): "But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ."

Reflection: In what ways have you allowed self-discovery to take precedence over divine revelation in your life? How can you realign your priorities to embrace God's authority?


Day 4: Adhering to the Family Maker's Design
Just as following the bicycle maker's instructions led to success, adhering to the Family Maker's design allows families to function as intended. God's blueprint for family provides the foundation for a fulfilling and stable family life. By understanding and implementing His design, we can experience the fullness of family life as God intended, leading to stronger relationships and a more stable society. [09:48]

Proverbs 24:3-4 (ESV): "By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches."

Reflection: Are there areas in your family life where you have strayed from God's design? What steps can you take to realign with His blueprint for family?


Day 5: Building with Strong Materials
The story of The Three Little Pigs illustrates the importance of building with strong materials. A family built on God's principles will withstand the attacks of the enemy, just as the brick house withstood the wolf's huffing and puffing. By choosing to build our families on the solid foundation of God's Word, we can ensure that they remain strong and resilient in the face of life's challenges. [12:09]

Matthew 7:24-25 (ESV): "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock."

Reflection: What "materials" are you currently using to build your family? How can you incorporate more of God's principles to ensure a strong and lasting foundation?

Quotes


The cracks reappeared I called him back uh and ask him why this is so he couldn't answer but he redid it and I was satisfied but it wasn't much longer that the crack reappeared this time with his nieces nephews uncles aunts and cousins I had a family of cracks on my wall. [00:00:34]

The new painter said yeah there's a crack on your wall but that's not your problem he says your problem is you have a shifting Foundation the foundation of your house is moving and what you see on the wall are symptoms of a much deeper problem unless you fix your foundation you will forever be doing patchwork work on your walls. [00:01:13]

I'm sure most people agree today that Society is crumbling they all kind of cracks social cracks economic cracks relational cracks crack cracks uh there is an chaotic environment taking place in our world today with husbands and wives and children and parents divorces and even the redefinition of the family. [00:01:44]

The breakdown of the family is the single basic reason for the disintegration of society and of culture if we don't solidify the foundation of the family the nation will forever be doing Patchwork as one philosopher put it The Saga of a nation is The Saga of its families written large. [00:02:17]

God created family for the purpose of dominion now today that purpose has been redefined family is for personal happiness personal fulfillment and sure that is a part of family but I would like to suggest to you there's a bigger Kingdom Purpose for family God's Kingdom Agenda purpose for family is Dominion to mirror him in history. [00:04:15]

It is because we have become satisfied with a social definition of family rather than a theological and spiritual definition of family that we have the undermining of family in society your family in mine was created for the purpose of replicating God in history so that if people wanted to see what the Triune God looks like they would only have to look at the way a family functions under his authority. [00:05:27]

When God created Family he created it to be ruled by him family is God's idea so it's kind of hard to have what God had in mind if you dismiss God out of the meaning and definition of what he created that's why when God created the particular individuals who would make up family he started by establishing his authority. [00:06:04]

When he added Lord he was adding a relational concept to the power name Elohim and that is Yahweh Yahweh is a word that establishes God as ruler or master in his relationship with mankind so when he creates just the Earth and everything related to the Earth apart from man he's the power God Elohim but when he wants to relate to his creation he's the Lord God. [00:07:26]

What happened when the enemy showed up was he left the name of Lord off of his discussion with man and woman and simply kept the name God he says hath God said in Genesis chapter 3 keep your religion just don't keep your relationship and don't let God be the master and that's how it is today people want God they don't want the Lord God. [00:08:35]

Guess what the marriage maker the Family Maker knows more about marriage and family than you do so he doesn't want you to eat out of your own knowledge to figure this out he wants you to live by what he has revealed and when you understand your role in the family and live it for the king and his kingdom allowing happiness and all the joys that come with family to be the fruit not the root of why family exists. [00:09:32]

The story of The Three Little Pigs it's the story of three pigs who uh build a house and this house was under attack by the big bad wolf big bad wolf came to house number one and when the big bad wolf came to house number one it said um uh let me in or I'm going to huff and puff and blow your house down. [00:10:53]

It's time for us to define the family God's way the family exists to exercise dominion and to mirror God on Earth as he is in heaven when you give it any other definition you are on your own when you operate by that definition you living and existing and having family in accordance with God's Kingdom Agenda and when you have family that way the enemy will not be able to blow your house down. [00:12:26]

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Transcript
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