IMPORTANT ELEMENTS IN THE HOME (2)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   Last week we began a study of the home.

 

B.   The home is of divine origin.  Too, it is the foundational unit of our society.

 

C.   The title of these first two lessons on the home are entitled:  “Important Elements in the Home.”  Last week we looked at two elements.

1.    Christ:  The Foundation:  Word, Walk, Worship, Work

2.    Parents:  The Guides 

 

D.   We closed that lesson asking some questions about how society would function without the home.

 

E.   In this lesson, we want to consider three more “Important Elements in the Home.”

 

I.             RULES:  Order

 

A.   Rules are an essential component of the home. 

1.    If there are no rules individuals in the home do not know how to function.

2.    If there are no rules individuals in the home do as they please.

3.    If there are no rules, chaos and confusion reign.

 

B.   There are two sets of rules that should be found in the home.

1.    The law of God

a.    God’s law legislates with both specific laws and general principles in the home.

b.    Specific laws:

1)    Husbands, love your wives… (Eph. 5:25).

2)    Wives, submit yourselves unto you own husbands…” (Eph. 5:23).

3)    Children, obey your parents in the Lord…” (Eph. 6:1).

c.    Principles: 

1)    …Provide things honest in the sight of all men (Rom.12:17).

2)    Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification (Rom. 15:2).

3)    And be ye kind one to another…” (Eph. 4:32)

2.    The commands of a father and mother

a.    The commands of parents are twofold:  written and unwritten.

b.    The parents’ commands deal with the home’s minutiae:  chores, friends, movement, school, freedoms/restrictions, curfews, schedules, etc.

c.    Interesting points:

1)    Children know the rules even when they are not written.

2)    Children often tell their friends about their house rules.

3)    Children from dysfunctional homes have very few rules.  If they go to places like a Children’s Home, the rules must be written down.

II.           DISCIPLE:  Training/Accountability

 

A.   Two types of discipline:

1.    When we use the word “discipline,” often think about punishment:  timeout, curfews, spankings, removing fun things.

2.    The word “discipline” is also defined as:  “an activity, exercise, or regimen that develops or improves a skill (Ex., Wednesday night Bible class).

 

B.   Parents are commanded to be involved in both types of discipline.

1.    Development

a.    Verses:

1)    Proverbs 22:6

 

Train up a child in the way he should go:  and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

 

2)    Ephesians 6:4

 

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath:  but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

 

b.    Development can involve numerous activities:  cooking, cleaning, studying, lawncare, maintenance, childcare, budgeting, etc.

c.    Development takes a lot of time.

Development takes involvement.

Development can take money.

Discipline can be very strict (Ex., The movie, “The Accountant,” Christian Wolff is put through harsh physical training including martial arts and combat techniques).

d.    Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus was a carpenter (Matt. 13:55).  Jesus, too, was a carpenter (Mark 6:3).  Joseph must have trained Jesus in the trade of carpentry.

2.    Punishment

a.    Verse (Prov. 22:15)

 

Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

 

b.    Punishment is used to correct behavior, but the behavior being corrected  often manifests itself in a form of rebellion to the training the parent is attempting to provide.

 

C.   In the discipline process, the child learns what it means to be accountable for his/her actions. 

1.    They are examined.

2.    They are corrected.

3.    They are rebuked.

4.    They are punished.

5.    NOTE:  It is never fun, but when children become adults, they are grateful.

III.         SECURITY:  Protection

 

A.   The last important element of the home we will discuss involves security.

 

B.   Security defined:

1.    Freedom from danger

2.    Precautions taken to protect from crime, attack, sabotage, etc.

3.    Synonyms:  assurance, guarantee

 

C.   Example:  Moses’ parents (Heb. 11:23)

 

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.

 

D.   Yes, children should feel protected in their homes from conception until they depart from the walls of their parents’ house.  But, the adults should feel secure in their homes as well.  To have this security, there must be other things found within the home.

1.    Trust

2.    Warmth

3.    Communication

4.    Acceptance

5.    Forgiveness

6.    Patience

 

E.   NOTE:  The most important things that the home should attempt to secure are the souls of all its members.

1.    Security from the evil one

2.    Protection from the evil one’s ministers

3.    Defense against temptation and sin

4.    Assurance of resurrection and eternal life

5.    This brings us full circle to the first point of these two series.  Christ MUST be in the home

a.    Acts 4:12

 

Neither is there salvation in any other:  for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

 

b.    Romans 7:24-25a

 

O wretched man that I am!  who shall deliver me from the body of this death?  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   Recently, I read this quote:  “You may not be able to control what happens in the world, but you can determine what happens within the four walls of your home.”

 

B.   Joshua understood this, and made this proclamation to Israel in Joshua 24:15.

 

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell:  but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

 

C.   We can make this same affirmation if…

1.    We make Christ the foundation of our homes.

2.    We have parents in our home providing the proper guidance to children.

3.    We have rules in the home that set forth order in the home.

4.    We practice both the discipline of training and the discipline of punishment.

5.    We do all we can do to provide safety and security to everyone in our homes.