1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,720 If you didn't have time to do it this morning and turn it into us so that we can be praying 2 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:13,640 with you for your friends and relatives who do not know Christ and who you will be inviting 3 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:15,680 to the drama later in the month. 4 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:22,080 By the way, you can come and pray with people for those who are lost on Wednesday nights 5 00:00:22,080 --> 00:00:23,440 and Thursday mornings. 6 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:24,960 There are prayer meetings here at the church. 7 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:28,000 There's information about that in your bulletin this morning. 8 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:32,400 It's a wonderful prayer opportunity. 9 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:38,120 Well there was a puzzled wife who said to her husband, honey I got a letter from my mother 10 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:42,240 saying that she wasn't coming for the visit. 11 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:48,400 Didn't I ask you to write and invite her to come at her own convenience? 12 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:57,080 He said, well yes you did but I didn't know how to spell convenience so I put risk instead. 13 00:00:57,080 --> 00:01:03,960 As family relationships indeed put the family at risk and that's why as we conclude this 14 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:11,760 month of the family I want to talk this morning about building and strengthening family relationships. 15 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:17,280 The most important institution in the world is the family. 16 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:22,160 As go the families of a nation so goes that nation. 17 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:32,440 A wise government will do everything it possibly can to encourage and strengthen families. 18 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:39,880 Actually in doing so a government is looking after its own best interests. 19 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:48,720 The same is true of course of a husband and wife or mom and dad or parents and children. 20 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:55,440 When we build family relationships we're looking after our own best interests. 21 00:01:55,440 --> 00:02:03,640 To create and to sustain good internal relationships in the home is looking after everyone's vital 22 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:06,560 concerns. 23 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:11,400 It is true that family relationships take time. 24 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:15,400 That's the highest price commodity in the world today. 25 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:21,040 But the investment of that time in family relationships will pay dividends well into 26 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:23,520 the future. 27 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:27,560 Good relations in the family must be built. 28 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,280 They are not automatic. 29 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:33,000 They must be built. 30 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:37,960 And the work of that building belongs to everyone in the family. 31 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:44,320 On the text we're going to look at today really two full chapters of Scripture. 32 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:51,980 The apostle Paul writes to the Thessalonians as members of his spiritual family. 33 00:02:51,980 --> 00:02:59,080 He consolidates and builds his relationship with them and in doing so he provides a model 34 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:04,680 for us as to how to build our family relationships. 35 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:11,440 So I want to encourage you today to look at these six stones with me. 36 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:17,920 These are the stones that need to be placed into the foundation of your family structure 37 00:03:17,920 --> 00:03:23,680 and know that if you will take note of these and will work at them you're doing what pleases 38 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:32,480 God and you're doing what will bring you success in your family. 39 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:36,560 Stone number one is found in the first six verses of chapter two and it is the stone 40 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:39,720 of transparent living. 41 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:46,800 Notice that the apostle Paul says you yourselves know brethren that our coming to you was not 42 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:49,000 in vain. 43 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:55,520 Again in verse two he says as you know you know what took place and again in verse five 44 00:03:55,520 --> 00:04:04,280 he says and you know we came not with flattering speech nor with pretext for greed. 45 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:09,120 He underscores this by saying not only do you know what we were like but God knows. 46 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:16,840 He says God is witness that we did not seek glory from men either from you or from others 47 00:04:16,840 --> 00:04:22,640 even though as the apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority. 48 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:27,480 What Paul is reminding them of here is his transparent life among them. 49 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:30,960 He says you remember you know how we lived. 50 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:31,960 God is witness. 51 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:35,960 God knows how we lived. 52 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:39,480 His life had nothing to hide. 53 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:44,120 His life was an open book before them. 54 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:50,240 Family relationships are built upon transparent living. 55 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:57,320 Family relationships are strong when there is openness among the members of the family. 56 00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:05,920 When there is genuineness and honesty about the struggles and the successes of life. 57 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:12,120 When I talk about transparent living I'm not talking about being brutal and vicious in 58 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:19,280 honesty with your spouse or with your loved ones. 59 00:05:19,280 --> 00:05:25,440 Sometimes people have the idea that being transparent is being mean to people. 60 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,960 That is not the case. 61 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:35,320 Transparent living that is godly does not attack others. 62 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:39,360 What I'm talking about in transparent living is what Paul is referring to. 63 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:49,960 A humble, loving honesty that gives evidence of inner integrity and which also is unashamed 64 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:55,880 to acknowledge personal struggles and failure. 65 00:05:55,880 --> 00:06:00,680 Paul very candidly tells them of the persecution that he felt and as we'll get into the chapter 66 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:06,560 you'll see that he's very open about his feelings for them. 67 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:11,160 He allows them to see the deepest part of him. 68 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:15,680 When you and I can do that in our families. 69 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:22,640 When we can pull back the curtains and allow those who are closest to us see the real us 70 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:25,520 it will strengthen our family relationships. 71 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:29,040 This is an important foundation stone. 72 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:34,800 In his book, Dropping Your Guard, Charles Swindall writes in the introduction, okay everybody 73 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:36,200 masks off. 74 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:41,920 There are times he says I want to stand up and make that announcement. 75 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:44,680 I've never done it you understand but I've been tempted. 76 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:47,240 Can you imagine the reaction? 77 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:52,200 It would be a scary thing for most folks especially those who've learned that survival comes a 78 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:56,560 lot easier behind a mask. 79 00:06:56,560 --> 00:06:58,480 There's a mask for whatever the occasion. 80 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:00,520 Have you noticed? 81 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:05,920 No matter how you really feel regardless of the truth if you become skilled at hiding 82 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:12,500 behind your guard you don't have to hassle all the things that come with full disclosure. 83 00:07:12,500 --> 00:07:14,920 You feel safe. 84 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:21,080 What you lack in honesty you make up for in pseudo security. 85 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:25,400 If you wear an I'm tough mask you don't have to worry about admitting how weak and frightened 86 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:28,160 you actually are. 87 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:34,120 If you keep your I'm holy mask in place you never need to bother with people wondering 88 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:37,120 if you struggle with spirituality. 89 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:44,120 Furthermore the I'm cool because I've got it all together mask comes in handy if you 90 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:50,360 resist stuff like hard questions, vulnerable admissions, straight talk. 91 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:56,800 Another familiar front is the I'm able to handle all this pain and pressure mask. 92 00:07:56,800 --> 00:08:01,520 No tears, not even a frown or hint of bewilderment is revealed. 93 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:06,880 That one helps when you're surrounded by super pious folks who are impressed with answers 94 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:14,600 like oh I'm fine or I'm just claiming the victory accompanied by eyelids and half mask 95 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:17,560 and a nice appropriate smile. 96 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:22,340 There are even intellectual and scholarly masks that protect you from having to face 97 00:08:22,340 --> 00:08:24,240 the practical nitty gritty. 98 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:29,160 There's just one major difficulty in this mask wearing game. 99 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:33,600 It isn't real. 100 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:38,120 We all have masks that we develop in life and what we're talking about now is getting 101 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:47,320 the masks off and learning in our families first to allow others to see the truth and 102 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:51,040 the depths of who we are. 103 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:56,800 How much does your wife really know about you? 104 00:08:56,800 --> 00:09:01,160 How much do your children understand the struggles that you've had in your marriage and how you've 105 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:05,640 worked through them? 106 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:12,080 Whether it's husband and wife, mom and dad, parents and children, all of us need to discard 107 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:21,000 the pretense that we easily fall into because a strong family must be built with an open 108 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:27,040 openness to each other. 109 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:31,960 Transparent living is followed by tender compassion in verses 7 to 12. 110 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:39,560 Paul here uses two analogies to illustrate this quality of tender compassion in his life 111 00:09:39,560 --> 00:09:42,240 for his spiritual children. 112 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:49,480 The first analogy is that of a nursing mother, one who gives of herself devotedly to her 113 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:51,480 young. 114 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:59,120 Notice he says in verse 7, we prove to be gentle among you as a nursing mother, tenderly 115 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:03,000 caring for her own children. 116 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:07,560 Notice that phrase, tenderly caring. 117 00:10:07,560 --> 00:10:14,760 Verse 8, having a fond affection, that's a term that would be found in the nursery of 118 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:17,600 the New Testament days. 119 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:23,280 In the end of verse 8, you became very dear to us. 120 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:29,680 Paul is not afraid to allow this feminine quality to come through in him, that of being 121 00:10:29,680 --> 00:10:38,400 motherly, of caring deeply and nurturing his young. 122 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:44,880 That's one side of tender compassion that needs to be built into a family. 123 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:49,600 The other side is that of a coaching father, which Paul goes on to talk about. 124 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:55,680 He says in verse 11, just as you know, how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring 125 00:10:55,680 --> 00:11:01,760 each one of you as a father would his own children. 126 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:06,400 So now Paul puts on his masculine side and he says, we were like a coaching father to 127 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:07,400 you. 128 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:19,680 And he uses three terms, exhorting means to call alongside of for admonition, for counsel. 129 00:11:19,680 --> 00:11:25,000 It's the word that would be used for the coach who calls the player out of the game to sit 130 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:33,720 on the bench for a moment while he explains to him what went wrong in that last play. 131 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:39,040 He also uses the word encouraging, which means to come up alongside and to say a word of 132 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:43,600 encouragement, give the pat on the rear end and send him back in. 133 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:53,240 The final word is imploring and here it means to urge, to appeal to. 134 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:55,680 I suppose Bobby Knight would be the example of that. 135 00:11:55,680 --> 00:11:57,560 No, not really. 136 00:11:57,560 --> 00:12:00,400 Not that kind of appealing. 137 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:06,840 Tender compassion, like a coaching father who genuinely deeply cares for his children. 138 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:11,760 Therefore he's there to coach and to guide them through life. 139 00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:20,040 With similar tender care and loyal compassion, family members build strongly into one another's 140 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:22,040 lives. 141 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:32,040 We need to flee that modern self-centered penchant to put others down. 142 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:40,280 We see this all the time, don't we, on the sitcoms, on television? 143 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:44,520 Family members putting down other family members for a laugh from the audience. 144 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:50,840 And we smile and we giggle and laugh and somehow we pick that up in our own homes, our own 145 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:52,400 families. 146 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:57,000 And we use put downs in our families. 147 00:12:57,000 --> 00:12:59,600 No, no, no, no. 148 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:06,760 Make put downs off base for your family. 149 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:13,840 Rather let there be a tender compassion for each other. 150 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:18,720 Sometimes we get into habits of attacking other's successes. 151 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:20,960 We don't do that. 152 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:22,920 You think you're so good? 153 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:27,800 Here's what I did. 154 00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:35,160 Or we ridicule the inadequacies of others in our families. 155 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:38,640 These things have no place in a Christian family. 156 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:44,760 We need to seek to build our families with language like Paul uses here, language of 157 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:47,360 tender compassion. 158 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:54,320 Paul goes on then to give them an image of themselves, to generate within them great 159 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:55,320 encouragement. 160 00:13:55,320 --> 00:14:02,080 He says in verse 12, God has called you to His kingdom and His glory. 161 00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:06,520 Do you see what he's doing for his family? 162 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:11,280 He's building them up with his words. 163 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:20,480 He's giving them a positive image, something to look forward to, a glimpse of destiny as 164 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:30,800 he tenderly, compassionately nurtures them as a nursing mother and a coaching father. 165 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:38,880 What an important stone this is in the family of tender compassion for one another. 166 00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:42,480 The third stone is that of mutual experiences. 167 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:49,040 Now in verses 13 through 16, Paul tells about this. 168 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:55,200 He reminds them of their faith in Christ which had brought persecution. 169 00:14:55,200 --> 00:15:02,280 And he says in verse 14, you brethren became imitators of the churches of God in Christ 170 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:05,240 Jesus that are in Judea. 171 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:13,920 For you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen like they 172 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:15,920 did. 173 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:21,760 Paul is pointing here to mutual experiences in the family. 174 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:26,760 Back in chapter 1 and verse 6, he tells them, you became imitators of us and of the Lord 175 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:33,240 having received the word in much tribulation and in the joy of the Holy Spirit. 176 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:37,000 And so not only does he point down to the churches in Judea, but he says, you remember 177 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:43,480 when we came to you, there was a lot of trouble in Thessalonica. 178 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:45,320 And you became imitators of us too. 179 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:50,680 What he's saying here is, look, we're a family and there are things that we together mutually 180 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:52,920 experience. 181 00:15:52,920 --> 00:15:57,480 What is this doing for them as they read these words? 182 00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:01,320 It is building strength. 183 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:07,720 You see, there's a wonderful sense of camaraderie that comes when you know you are doing things 184 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:09,560 together. 185 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:16,120 It provides a sense of oneness, not only trials as here, but good, positive experiences as 186 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:18,520 well. 187 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:25,720 Families grow strong through the same kind of thing by doing things together. 188 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:29,040 I'll guarantee you this brother and sister who stood up here and sang this morning will 189 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:32,520 never forget that. 190 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:39,120 Because I don't forget when I was the age of Lydia, I think, when I sang with my brother 191 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:43,880 in a group of about eight people. 192 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:47,200 And I can almost tell you the name of the song, but the title doesn't come to me right 193 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:53,280 now, but it's talking about Friends with Jesus. 194 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:59,120 You see, when you do things together, it builds ministry. 195 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:04,880 There are some families here that are going to the Word of Life church in order to minister 196 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:05,880 together. 197 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:10,160 There are other families that go down to the mission in St. Paul and do things together. 198 00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:15,240 Some go to the Marie Sandbix Center occasionally, do things together. 199 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:16,720 Those are all positive. 200 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:22,840 Mutual experiences build strong family relationships. 201 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:23,840 This can be that. 202 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:28,360 At least once you get there. 203 00:17:28,360 --> 00:17:35,400 Visiting a sick friend, taking the kids to a funeral. 204 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:39,120 Boy, that raises all kinds of questions. 205 00:17:39,120 --> 00:17:40,960 They're important. 206 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:45,360 Prayer times, special events. 207 00:17:45,360 --> 00:17:48,280 You understand my point, don't you? 208 00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:52,880 One of the stones that you can put into the foundation of your family that will build strong 209 00:17:52,880 --> 00:18:00,480 relationships is the stone of mutual experiences. 210 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:05,040 There's a fourth stone found at the end of chapter 2 where Paul expresses his affection 211 00:18:05,040 --> 00:18:07,440 for them. 212 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:16,440 Here Paul heaps words of emotion and fondness and affection on his spiritual children. 213 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:19,320 You want to build strong families? 214 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:25,480 Then learn to express your affection to the ones that you love. 215 00:18:25,480 --> 00:18:31,360 It is a deep sorrow when I am counseling someone and they acknowledge to me in the course 216 00:18:31,360 --> 00:18:39,560 of the counseling, well, I knew my father loved me but he never said so. 217 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:52,040 Do you know how painful that is yet for an adult to have to admit? 218 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:55,800 Learn to express affection for your children. 219 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:57,840 I mean tell them with your mouth. 220 00:18:57,840 --> 00:18:59,440 Let them hear the words. 221 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:02,240 Say, well, they know I love them. 222 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:04,040 Tell them. 223 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:06,520 Tell them that you love them. 224 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:13,360 Notice that Paul says, what is our hope, our joy, our crown of exaltation? 225 00:19:13,360 --> 00:19:16,760 Isn't it you? 226 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:23,560 He says you are our glory and our joy. 227 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:26,360 Paul has already expressed his deep affection for them. 228 00:19:26,360 --> 00:19:34,520 In other words, you can't tell somebody that you love them too many times. 229 00:19:34,520 --> 00:19:37,240 Don't ever assume that they know it. 230 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:42,680 They need to hear it from your mouth. 231 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:50,680 Those kinds of words created a treasury of emotional warmth and strength in the life 232 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:53,920 of your family. 233 00:19:53,920 --> 00:20:02,880 That storehouse of affection within the heart provides an emotional surplus that can be 234 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:10,280 drawn on throughout life in moments of crisis. 235 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:13,480 And so express your affection. 236 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:18,400 Never underestimate the power of words that are loving. 237 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:25,560 The security and worth that you build into your family through your expressed affection 238 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:29,880 are valuable beyond price. 239 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:37,360 Everything can ever replace that affection that you will express to your family. 240 00:20:37,360 --> 00:20:44,720 Oh, what strength that will build into your home. 241 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:49,240 There's a fifth stone in the foundation of a strong family that we want to note in chapter 242 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:50,240 3. 243 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:56,280 It is the stone of demonstrated sacrifice. 244 00:20:56,280 --> 00:21:02,360 Paul says, when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left alone at Athens 245 00:21:02,360 --> 00:21:09,400 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's fellow worker in the gospel, to strengthen 246 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:14,120 and encourage you as do your faith. 247 00:21:14,120 --> 00:21:18,760 Paul wants them to know that he has sacrificed and sent Timothy to them. 248 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:20,880 They knew it. 249 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:22,520 But he uses strong language. 250 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:31,960 He says, we thought it was better for us to be abandoned in Athens so that Timothy could 251 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:35,400 come and look after your welfare. 252 00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:40,960 He is telling them of the sacrifice that has been demonstrated for them, how they must 253 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:43,680 have appreciated this. 254 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:50,680 It spoke volumes to them of Paul's deep concern for them. 255 00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:57,240 He wanted to build them, to establish and strengthen them as his spiritual family. 256 00:21:57,240 --> 00:21:58,280 And they responded. 257 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:00,040 They responded with love. 258 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:06,680 The cords between Paul and the Thessalonians were drawn even more tightly as he expresses 259 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:14,280 in the verses that follow because of this demonstrated sacrifice. 260 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:23,120 There are a few things that build attachment, loyalty, devotion and the like, like an act 261 00:22:23,120 --> 00:22:33,120 of demonstrated self-sacrifice and depriving oneself for others. 262 00:22:33,120 --> 00:22:41,640 I could remember when I was a little boy, when food was sometimes a little short on 263 00:22:41,640 --> 00:22:51,320 the table and suddenly my mother wasn't very hungry anymore. 264 00:22:51,320 --> 00:23:00,800 She was willing to sacrifice food for the sake of her overly hungry little boys who 265 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:04,440 didn't need all of it. 266 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:13,120 But I don't need to tell you what that did in terms of our depth of love for her. 267 00:23:13,120 --> 00:23:20,680 You see, when your loved ones see you giving up something for his or her benefit, that 268 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:31,000 will produce a depth of strength in your family that will last through the storms that come 269 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:36,640 later in relationships. 270 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:42,320 There's a final stone that I want to look at in this verses 9 through 13. 271 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:44,880 It perhaps is the crowning stone. 272 00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:48,480 Perhaps is the most important stone that we've talked about. 273 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:52,840 And it's the stone of thankful prayer. 274 00:23:52,840 --> 00:24:02,080 You see, nothing builds relationship like prayer, like praying together or praying for 275 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:04,640 one another. 276 00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:13,040 What this last stone does is to put God right in the heart of the family. 277 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:20,600 You can't build a truly strong family without God being there. 278 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:24,280 You can have a good family. 279 00:24:24,280 --> 00:24:29,240 You can have a family that will make it through the storms of life and have good relationship. 280 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:35,200 But if you want to have the strongest possible family, God has to be there right in the center 281 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:37,640 of it all. 282 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:42,920 And here he puts God right where he belongs. 283 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:48,680 Paul's prayer exudes with thankfulness to God for his children. 284 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:57,160 If your kids ever heard you pray and say, Father God, I thank you for my kids. 285 00:24:57,160 --> 00:25:02,520 Hear what that does for them? 286 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:08,600 And then he moves into petition on their behalf. 287 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:11,920 He says that his deep desire is that we may see your face. 288 00:25:11,920 --> 00:25:17,600 And so he prays, may the Lord direct our way to you. 289 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:22,320 He says my deep desire is that we may come and complete what is lacking in your faith. 290 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:30,720 And so he prays, may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another. 291 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:31,920 It is an old statement. 292 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:36,720 I remember when I was a kid and probably the oldest person here would remember when you 293 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:40,960 were a kid, the family that prays together what? 294 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:46,440 Stays together. 295 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:50,400 Does your family pray together? 296 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:56,800 Do you pray for one another? 297 00:25:56,800 --> 00:26:00,140 When you're a little girl or your little boy comes running home and there's been a problem 298 00:26:00,140 --> 00:26:07,520 on the playground or at school, obviously you try to comfort, you try to find out what's 299 00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:09,440 going on, you try to give advice. 300 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:11,480 Have you ever thought about praying at that moment? 301 00:26:11,480 --> 00:26:21,400 Say honey, let's just ask Jesus to help you with this. 302 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:26,920 Were your children seeing dad or mom come home from work and they've had a bad day? 303 00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:30,400 Have you ever gone over and hugged your mom or your dad and said, I want to just pray 304 00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:33,240 for you right now? 305 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:42,240 Did Jesus will strengthen you and help you after this tough day you've had? 306 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:43,240 Thankful prayer. 307 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:47,520 Oh, what a strong element this is in a family. 308 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:52,600 How it will build your family. 309 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:56,840 These foundation stones are essential. 310 00:26:56,840 --> 00:27:02,440 The relationships in your family will be enduring despite the trials, the tests that they will 311 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:05,880 pass through, they will endure. 312 00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:12,840 It really requires everybody in the family to work at it. 313 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:14,360 One person can't do it alone. 314 00:27:14,360 --> 00:27:16,560 Mom can't be the only one. 315 00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:19,640 Dad can't be the only one. 316 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:22,760 It takes mom and dad. 317 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:24,680 It takes parent and child. 318 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:32,040 It takes everybody who's in that home working together to build the strongest possible family. 319 00:27:32,040 --> 00:27:41,560 That's why I want to appeal to you, husbands and wives, to appeal to you, moms and dads 320 00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:50,000 and children, to covenant in your heart today to do your part in building strong family relationships 321 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:51,760 in your home. 322 00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:57,440 Because you see there are so many pressures in our world today seeking to break your family 323 00:27:57,440 --> 00:27:59,920 apart. 324 00:27:59,920 --> 00:28:05,600 Some of you have experienced that and you know the heartache and the trauma that comes 325 00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:14,880 when the home is ripped apart and you're living with some of the results of it. 326 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:22,520 Yet God can help you if your home has been ripped to make that home the happiest place 327 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:26,920 it can be under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. 328 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:34,240 All is not lost even though there's been something that's happened that's tragic. 329 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:38,360 What are you contributing to your family? 330 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:44,520 Is your family stronger because of some contribution that you made this last week because of some 331 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:51,680 stone that you put in place? 332 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:57,800 Our family has gone from six to four in the last year. 333 00:28:57,800 --> 00:29:02,480 It's a wonderful time of life. 334 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:10,480 Somehow I thought the food budget would be less. 335 00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:16,080 And we've been through these trials with our kids that happened in most teenagers' lives. 336 00:29:16,080 --> 00:29:25,960 It's been a wonderful thing to see that relationship has endured despite my mistakes as a dad and 337 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:31,200 the times when I have blown it. 338 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:40,720 And I have more times than I like to think about, especially with the older ones. 339 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:50,120 To the extent that we have successfully put these stones in place, our family is strong. 340 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:55,960 Our daughter and her husband left for Phoenix to live there on Friday. 341 00:29:55,960 --> 00:30:00,840 It's been a sad weekend around our home, I'll tell you. 342 00:30:00,840 --> 00:30:06,600 I know she's been married for nine months or whatever it's been, but they've lived close 343 00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:07,600 by. 344 00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:12,120 They're not there anymore. 345 00:30:12,120 --> 00:30:13,840 And we miss them. 346 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:19,720 But you know, it's been wonderful that we've missed them because there were times a few 347 00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:24,520 years ago when I didn't think I would ever miss her. 348 00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:32,640 But the relationship has been there. 349 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:36,640 Our son is away at college. 350 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:44,280 I was hanging on by my nails waiting for the day he would go to college and be gone. 351 00:30:44,280 --> 00:30:48,080 I can hardly wait for him to come home, and now he's going to Phoenix instead of coming 352 00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:49,080 home at break. 353 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:54,800 I can't imagine why. 354 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:59,480 What I'm saying to you this morning is that we need to build strong relationships in our 355 00:30:59,480 --> 00:31:00,480 home. 356 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:03,720 And these are six stones that need to be put in place. 357 00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:07,800 I want to exhort and encourage you to make it a high priority in your life, to look at 358 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:14,480 these stones, to follow the model that Paul gives to us here, and let your home be strong. 359 00:31:14,480 --> 00:31:20,200 Let not only your life, but your home be a temple, be a sanctuary of God. 360 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:27,080 Let it be built up that it may endure the terrible storms that are present in our culture 361 00:31:27,080 --> 00:31:32,000 fighting, wearing down families. 362 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:38,400 May your home be a temple to God that will endure into eternity. 363 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:39,400 Let's pray. 364 00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:48,080 Father God, I pray that you will do in our hearts what needs to be done, where there 365 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:53,640 needs to be a fresh commitment to the family, where there needs to be repentance of failure, 366 00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:59,200 where there needs to be a devotion that's renewed, where there needs to be a willingness 367 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:11,520 to humble whatever the need is, do it we pray, that we may build our homes strongly to last 368 00:32:11,520 --> 00:32:17,600 the storms of life, and may they be a sanctuary and a temple of God. 369 00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:19,600 Amen. 370 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:24,680 Before we go this morning, let's sing that chorus that Lord would prepare us to be sanctuaries 371 00:32:24,680 --> 00:32:30,680 as we leave here, as we seek to strengthen our homes by His word. 372 00:32:30,680 --> 00:32:50,680 Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary, good and holy, bright and true, where thanks be to 373 00:32:50,680 --> 00:33:05,520 God, I will be a sanctuary. 374 00:33:05,520 --> 00:33:06,520 Let's stand together. 375 00:33:06,520 --> 00:33:29,520 Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary, good and holy, bright and true, where thanks be to 376 00:33:29,520 --> 00:33:46,720 God, I will be a sanctuary. 377 00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:54,520 And now Lord, I pray that you by your spirit will indeed fulfill that prayer, and walk in 378 00:33:54,520 --> 00:34:02,400 us and live in us and reveal yourself in us, transform our lives, that as we walk in the 379 00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:11,240 world, as we build our homes, the Lord Jesus Christ will be glorified and lifted up. 380 00:34:11,240 --> 00:34:13,680 In His name we pray. 381 00:34:13,680 --> 00:34:30,720 Amen. 382 00:34:30,720 --> 00:34:51,680 Amen.