Family; A Witness to the World

 Family; A Witness to the World
Ephesians 5:8-21

I. Family gives:

     1. Identity
Ephesians 5:8
Galatians 3:26

     2. Instruction
Deuteronomy 6:6-7
Ephesians 5:19

     3. Example   
Colossians 3:21
Ephesians 5:18

~Your instruction is intimately tied to your example within the home. For if your child does not like your example, they will rarely if ever live by your words.

     4. Vision

~As a Christian, we must resist the temptation to separate family life and 
  church life.
~Discipleship Pathway

     5. Encouragement/hope

~We are together moving towards a common goal.

II. Our investment into family:

     1. Loving Discipline
         ~Rules and instruction should be simple, clear, reasonable, inflexible
Proverbs 22:15
Hebrews 12:7-8
         ~Faithfulness and Obedience

     2. Loving Time
         ~Quantity vs. Quality
         ~Addressing, Speaking
Ephesians 5:19
         ~Time is limited
Ephesians 5:16

     3. Loving Sacrifice

         ~Rearranging our schedules to glorify God.
            Alertness
            Intentionality
            Community

III. Response:

     1. Discern what the Lord’s will is.

Ephesians 5:10
Colossians 1:9

~Does the world see a family bent towards eternity? 

Faith Sheet

Transformation verse – Job 42:2 - “I know that You can do all things; no purpose of Yours can be stopped.”  

 # 1 - Reviewing This Past Sunday      
Family - A Witness to the World
Ephesians 5:8-21

1. Read Ephesians 5-6:4 and discuss the message with someone.
2. Take a moment to discuss how your family seeks to glorify God daily,
    weekly, monthly?
3. In which areas of your home life should you repent and ask for God’s
    strength to grow in?
4. Pray with your family, that through you, God would make the gospel
    known to the world.

#2 - Preparing for Next Sunday
Value of the Kingdom of God
Matthew 13:44-46

1. READ- Matthew 13:44-46 several times and ask the Lord to reveal
    Himself and His truth to you.
2. EXAMINE- Spend some time marking up your Bible or taking notes. Ask
    questions like: What are the similarities between the two parables? What
    are the differences? What are the truths Jesus is teaching in these
    parables?
3. APPLY- Apply the text to your own life. Be specific in your answers. Ask
    these types of questions:
    ~What does this text tell me about God?
    ~What does this text tell me about myself?
    ~How will I live differently because of what I just read? 
    ~Is there a command for me to obey, a warning to observe, a sin I must
      repent of, or something that leads me to give thanks?
4. PRAY- Pray through the passage and your application. Ask God to lead
    you to love Him, love others and to be intentional about making disciples
    by the power of the Holy Spirit.