The Home

Reading: 

Matt 19:3-8 (NLT)

Gen 2:18, 3: 8-13 (NLT)

1 Tim: 3:1-7, 11-13 (MSG)

Matt 19:3-8 (NLT)

19 3 Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?” 4 “Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’[a]” 5 And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’[b] 6 Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” 7 “Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?”[c] they asked. 8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended.

Gen 2:18 (NLT)

2 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”

Gen 3: 8-13 (NLT)

3 8 When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” 11 “Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.” 13 Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?” “The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.”

1Tim 3:1-7(MSG)

3 1-7 -If anyone wants to provide leadership in the church, good! But there are preconditions:

A leader must be well-thought-of,

committed to his wife,

cool and collected,

accessible, and hospitable.

He must know what he’s talking about,

not be over fond of wine,

not pushy but gentle,

not thin-skinned,

not money-hungry.

He must handle his own affairs well,

attentive to his own children and having their respect. For if someone is unable to handle his own affairs, how can he take care of God’s church?

He must not be a new believer, lest the position go to his head and the devil trip him up.

Outsiders must think well of him, or else the devil will figure out a way to lure him into his trap.

1Tim 3:11-13(MSG)

No exceptions are to be made for women—same qualifications:

serious, (dignified TV)

dependable,

not sharp-tongued (backstabbing gossips TV),

not overfond of wine.

Servants in the church are to be committed to their spouses, attentive to their own children, and diligent in looking after their own affairs. Those who do this servant work will come to be highly respected, a real credit to this Jesus-faith.

Opening

What is the home? – Gen 18: 19 - For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

God had great intentions when he built this home, he wanted fellowship, he wanted to raise Godly offspring, he wanted to replenish the earth in his exact image and likeness but unfortunately that was not to be because man fell. Thank God for Jesus who redeemed us from the curse of the law.

Adam and Eve, the first married couple put together by God himself, after creation were given specific instructions by God to obey. You will think that by doing so they would surely obey but no they did not. They disobeyed, they sinned and their actions according to Rom 5:12 caused death and sin to spread to everyone. In other words they became contaminated species.

Adam lost his location because he harkened to the voice of his wife who fed him contaminated food. 

Of all the questions God asked, two caught my attention;

Vs 8 to Adam “……where are you?”

Vs 13 And to the woman “…………what have you done?”

A wise woman builds her home but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands! What are we doing in our homes too? And for the men, this man lost his location because he was not quick to hear God’s word, rather he harkened to the voice of his wife.

The world system believes marriage is a private affair but for Christians you and I understand that our home is not a private matter, particularly if we have to consider Rom 8:19.

The world system constantly does not see the home as a prerequisite for any high office but really the home is what pre qualifies a man for service. Your home is a serious consideration in qualification for ministry. Our home is where God has to check in order to certify us for ministry.

It is in the home that we are tested and we are our true self, until then, you and I remain, Ladies and Gentlemen. We can therefore say that the home is the laboratory where the Christian experience is being worked out without hypocrisy. (The home, God’s refinery - Gbile Akanni) Therefore, if you fail to pass the test at home, you are unlikely to pass the test of managing a position of leadership, leading others to Christ.

Some of us are very good and helpful in managing or restoring other people’s home whilst ours suffer at the expense.

You will say I am stating the obvious but I have seen homes I thought were built on the foundation of the Gospel torn apart and I am wondering what is going on here? Christians, Senior Leaders, many of them no less than 20 years in marriage and in a particular case, a couple who had journeyed with the Lord for over 40 years, a home of 30 years crumbling from a flimsy reason as I had a dream! The wife who actually knew Jesus before the husband, herself a senior pastor convinced her husband to leave the main church and start theirs, a decision, the husband later regretted. She subsequently asked her husband of 30 years to leave the family home, otherwise, she will call the police on him because she had a dream….she used her own hands to tear down her own home…. Clearly the enemy has done this. They both now run a church independent of each other, although part of his prayer point is for God to restore his home. Our brother could never have imagined his wife could ever have considered walking out on him, knowing that she is a believer, more so, a Pastor. He is now over 60 years old and lives alone. Another case, after 21 years of marriage and recovering from Cancer, she accuses her husband of witchcraft, without no quarrel, she carefully over a period of time sought help from the council who gave her a 4 bedroom house which she furnished with her husband’s money as she is not working and on the day moved out before he got back from work, she took nothing from his house not even her own car. She also banned him from visiting. Together they have raised 4 lovely children, 1 of which gained admission to Imperial College for Medicine and the daughter Law, now what happens to the lives of these children, who are they to emulate?. My brethren, the days are evil, the serpent is still in the business of deceiving brethren up till today if we give him audience. That is why Bible enjoins us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling and that he that thinks he stands should take heed lest he falls.

Bible also enjoins couples to submit themselves one to another in the fear of God Eph 5:21.  However, we see instances where wives are struggling to submit to their own husbands, rather, wives are now finding it easy to walk out on their marriages. The fact is the husband is the head of his wife just like Christ is the head of the church, he is the saviour of his body the church. Eph 5:23.

We are disciples, occupying one office or the other as co-labourers in his vineyard. Our desire is to win souls, therefore, we are all expected to meet these conditions otherwise there is a consequence. The soul that sinneth he shall die. And according to the book of Mal 2: 13-16 – the prayer of an unrighteous man will go unanswered. Prov 15:8 says the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight. We cannot afford to get it wrong, the Lord is counting on us to live correctly and to show forth his glory.

God is still looking for a man.

Men like Abraham who was a friend of God. God could entrust serious matters in his care. Abraham’s focus was to look for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Women like Sarah who obeyed her husband unreservedly and called him lord.

Women like Lois who raised Grandchildren like Timothy?

Women like Esther whose actions saved her nation?

Youths like Mary of Galilee? Who was chosen amongst all women to bring forth the Messiah?

What will be said about me? Don’t emulate Adam & Eve, Emulate the last Adam (Jesus Christ) the pattern King.

Let us consider our ways, and examine our conduct, to know where we need to make amends. The harvest is white! There is no time for misbehaving when God is counting on us, to use us to show forth his Glory. We cannot afford to allow these things contaminate our lives. Join forces together with your husband and your children to destroy the works of satan and the only way you will succeed is to be in right standing with God but if your life is filled with dead works then we are all in trouble.

PRAYERS

• Lord, rid the body of Christ of Divorce. Lord, heal every hardened heart and grant them the Grace to forgive their spouses, to avoid any contamination by dead works lurking around in any home, so our prayers will not go unanswered.

• Help us to submit one to another in the fear of God; don’t let us walk & work independent of each other. We need each other in the kingdom labour, it is not good for man to be alone! One shall chase a thousand but two shall put 10,000 to flight. Can you do it alone?

• Lord, we pray for oneness in homes, the spirit of agreement. Amos 3 says can two walk together except they be agreed? Matt 12 says a house divided against itself cannot stand! Eccl 4 says two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor; If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

• Lord, Let my home receive your approval. There are some homes with unbelieving spouses and/or children. Let us cry unto God for the Salvation of these loved ones? And for those who have already come to the knowledge of God, let us pray for growth and development in all matters that pertain to life and Godliness to ensure we all fulfil destiny.

• Help me build a home that meets your acceptance