Sermon Cloud

 

Family Foundations

Psalm 127

INTRO: sitting near the western coastline of central Italy is the city of Pisa

--most famous landmark is the learning tower of Pisa

--it is actually the bell tower of the city’s cathedral

--lean nearly 4 degrees off vertical

1. Construction on the bell tower began in 1173

--took nearly 200 years to complete

--tower stands 186’ – as tall as an 8 story building

2. The “leaning” of the tower began shortly after construction...

--but they kept on building, adding in counterweights

--even today...many efforts to keep the lean from accelerating

Why does it lean?

--too much marble, stone, columns too narrow...?

--it all about what’s underneath

--city of Pisa not too far from coast...ground under city has marsh deposits, mixture of sand & silt, layered together with soft clay

 

**in other words....the ground wasn’t solid enough to be a proper foundation for the massive weight of the tower

3. Choosing foundations is important

--whether you’re building a massive tower.....

......or building a home or a family

SERIES: Family Foundations

--examine & explore biblical truths about building a home

4. Psalm 127 is our theme...consider it today

 

**if you want to build you family on firm foundation....

--listen to what the Bible says

--this Psalm describes 4 things you must do...

1. SPIRITUALIZE YOUR HOME

A. In order to have healthy homes, we must understand that it is a spiritual issue....

--don’t need to modernize our homes....spiritualize them!

(1) v. 1 Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it

Your home is to be His home

Your family is to be His family

Your work in raising your children....His work

(2) Unless you dedicate your home to God...

--you put Him first & foremost in each decision...

--your home is a spiritual work of God...

....you labor in vain who build it!

B. Two Spiritual Truths:

● God builds your home

(1) God doesn’t want merely to approve of your home....

--to bless your home....lead your home...

--God says He wants to BUILD your home!

*He’s not content just to be a guest

doesn’t desire simply to be present

If your home is going to be healthy, happy home...

If your home is going to be place where love / grace abound...

If your home is going to be a spiritual work of Lord Jesus..

**you must let the Lord build the house!

(2) word “builds” is a common Hebrew word

--used nearly 400x in OT

--what is interesting, however, are two words very similar...(Son – ben Daughter – Beth)

--similar to a play on words (like Sonshine)

means = the One who builds, blesses, & births your home...is God!

● God guards your home

(1) v. 1 ....unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain

 

--the “city” is nothing more than all our homes put together

--in order to ‘spiritualize’ you home....

--must let God build it......guard it

(2) ILL: home in Sylvania / roots grew through old sewage line / sewage backed up & seeped into the house

--many things of this world trying to seep into home

 

--your home is being constantly bombarded with the evil influences & wicked ideas of this world

(sewage seeping into your house)

--When we watch movies & TV shows glamorize sex outside of marriage & that make mockery of the things of God

--our children’s iPods are filled with hip hop songs with such vulgar lyrics that....

--our teenagers play salacious games of violence & evil on their Nintendo playstations & xBox 360...

--allow the internet to pour pornography into our living rooms & minds of our sons & daughters....

If there ever were a time when our homes were being bombarded with the filth, wickedness, evil of this world.......in that day right now

--commit your home to God

--dedicate your family to the Lord Jesus Christ

--fight for your children with the spiritual weapons of warfare

If you want healthy foundations in your home...

Proper foundations for your family...

--let the Lord build your house......let Lord guard your home !

2. PRIORITIZE YOUR HOME

A. This Psalms also speaks of the futility of wrong priorities

(1) v. 2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, for so He gives His beloved sleep

--at first glance, seems to be saying = no reason to get up early in the morning...

(2) The Point: keeping long hours....rising early / bed late

--does not accomplish what you think it does!

**most of us think = working long hours, carrying a heavy load is how we help / provide for our family....

**Bible says that is vain....not helping, but hurting!

When your priority is the long hours of the day......

--rising early / sitting up late...

--going, working, traveling, hustling, laboring...

--the deadline driven projects & cluttered schedules of our lives are not a blessing......

v. 2 says “the bread of sorrows...”

If your family does not have priority...

--if you’re not willing to put your family above your career

--if your home life takes a back seat to ball games, dance lessons, school activities, and over-crowded calendars...

.....will eat the bread of sorrows

**In other words....slow down! Most of us traveling way too fast

--when was last time you enjoy an evening at home w/ kids?

--when was last time you & spouse just took a walk...

B. Tale of Two Dads

(1) first was adult son of a church member

--energetic, charismatic,....

--lost his family

(2) second was a gifted dad, a member of a church I served

--worked with high school students, extracurricular

--saw at playground

**was the second dad the perfect parent? No...of course not

--but he altered his priorities...

--he put his family first.....did not eat the bread of sorrows

3. RECOGNIZE YOUR HOME

A. The Psalmist tells us to recognize our children for what they are

(1) v. 3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is His reward

(2) word “heritage” another common Hebrew word

--means “inheritance, heirloom”

--we joke: bunch of used paper back books & stack of southern gospel cassettes

**key difference....

this inheritance is not something we give our children.......

it is something that has been given to us !!

B. ILL: we may not have a family heirloom, but we do have some special possessions

--metal tray, mint condition $40 (big rust spot)

--special not because of price...because of person came from

*your children / family / home....a gift from God

--applies to all families...

--children / no children, young adult / senior adult

**your home is God’s gift to you!

Thank Him—Praise Him—Honor Him—Glorify Him!

**purpose of parent-child dedication services

Every Sunday ought to be a parent-child dedication Sunday

--recognize your family as a gift from God

--see it is a heritage from the Lord

4. HARMONIZE YOUR HOME

A. Proper Foundation comes only when our family life is consistent with teaching of God’s Word (must harmonize)

(1) Ps 128: 1 Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways

--notice that the blessedness comes from two things:

1. fearing the Lord

2. walking in His ways

Your family / my family must harmonize our daily lives with the unchanging spiritual truths of the Bible

 

(2) ILL: seems like everything we purchase comes with an owner’s manual

--keep in drawer

--vacuum cleaner, refrigerator, coffee maker, DVD player, ice maker, television, microwave, washing machine.....

--need a owner’s manual.....how to organize owner’s manuals

**owner’s manual for your home = Bible

B. Is you home in Harmony with God’s Word?

(1) do you make financial decision based upon God’s word...

...upon the standards of this world

 

choose what you watch on television according to God’s word

..acc to some exciting advertisement you saw

raise your children based upon what they say on The View, or Dr. Phil.....raise your children based upon the holy Word of God

(2) God’s Instructions: (Eph 5 – 6)

▪ Husband – love & serve your wives

▪ Wives – respect & follow your husbands

▪ Children – honor & obey your parents

▪ Parents – raise them in reverence to the Lord

Began by describing the leaning tower of Pisa

--the lean began more than 800 years ago...

--still haven’t been able to fix it

None of us have perfect families...

--some of our families are leaning more dramatically than others...

--but regardless of the issues your family is facing...

--the Lord Jesus Christ can make a difference

He may not give you a perfect home....give you a blessed Home

--a home filled with peace / joy

Honor the Lord Jesus is your home....in your marriage

--may the grace of almighty God be the firm foundation of your family....and of mine