This week I am starting a series on the Christian home.  I emphasize the word “Christian” because a Christian home will be different than a non-Christian home.

              It will be obvious that one of the major marks of a Christian home will be the presence of Christians.  You cannot have a Christian home without Christians.  You can have something that looks like a Christian home, acts like a Christian home, but it will not be a Christian home unless Christians live there.

              Second, a Christian home is not only a home where Christian live, but a home where Christ lives as well. 

              In the area of the family, it might be that Christ is as important in your home as He is in the home of the non-believer.  In practical terms, his influence in your speech, your priorities, your actions, your goals, your vision for the future may be non-existent.  You are building your home without Christ.

              But a Christian home not only has Christians in it, but Christ holds a place of preeminence.  He is important and his teachings guide your home.

              You might ask, “What if I am a Christian and my spouse is not?  Is it a Christian home? 

An interesting verse is given in 1 Corinthians 7, right in the midst of a section on divorce and remarriage. 

“13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.” 1 Corinthians 7:13, 14, NIV.

The word “sanctified” means “set apart.”  The presence of a Christian in a home means that the presence of Christ is in that home to the degree that the Christian is following Christ and that sets the home apart from any other home where Christ is not present.

This is why the church tackles this issue.  Matthew 28:18-20 says,

“18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.””

              Within this passage we see the purpose statement of the Palermo Christian Church.  Our purpose is to glorify God through worship, edification and evangelism.

              Our worship, edification and evangelism should be both personal and corporate.  We should worship God on our own, build up believers when we meet them, and constantly seek to reach people for Christ.

              The worship part of this comes in verse 18.  All authority is given to Jesus.  God has a high opinion of Jesus if he gave him all authority.  So, out of respect for him, we are to give him control over us.  This is worship, showing honor to Jesus Christ by bowing down to him.

              The evangelism part comes in verse 19-20.  The Greek literally has, “As you go, make disciples of all nations…” This is introducing people to Jesus and encouraging them to follow Him.  Those who say “yes” we say, “Bury the old life in baptism…rise into a new life in Christ.”

              And then edification comes as we teach people to obey all that Jesus commanded.  This is why the church has Bible studies, small groups, preaching services, Sunday school, youth groups, etc.  It is because our task is to teach people to obey all Jesus commanded.

              So this is why we will take time to deal with the Christian home.  If Christ is leading your home, he is the authority in your home, and you will be concerned as a family that each member of your family is a Christian and you will be teaching your family to obey Jesus.

              Matthew 7:21 shows us the significance of this.

“21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

The one who does the will of the Father is the only one who will enter the kingdom of heaven.  That is clear. 

How important, than, is it for you and I to have a Christian home, where people are Christians who are seeking to do the will of God?

What is the will of the Father?

“40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”” John 6:40, NIV.

“12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. …” John 14:12.

So our faith will lead to obedience.  Christ’s presence in our homes will lead to doing what Christ is doing.

“22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”

The people described in verses 22-23 were people who did stuff.  But they didn’t do “the will of my Father who is in heaven.”  They majored in the public and in the spectacular.  But they never knew the Lord.  That is what verse 23 says.

So in our day many may say, “I attended church on Sunday, I put money in the offering plate, I listened to the sermon.  I worshipped with lifting of hands and enthusiasm.  I attended a lot of good seminars and read many good books on the Christian life.  Look at all I did!”

Instead, we find that what is important is hearing what Jesus said and putting it into practice.

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.””

Notice that there are two houses here.  Both were built.  And both stood.

I hear people tell me, I am not a Christian and my house is stable.  My kids are as good as anyone else’s.  I don’t need Christ. 

First, though you may not realize it, you may have stumbled on to Biblical truths about the home without even knowing that they were in the Bible.  You have a good home because of the grace of God. 

Second, the house on the sand stood until it got rough.  It stayed strong through good weather.  Minor storms did not affect it.  But when it got really rough, when the foundation was attacked, the house on the stand fell.  And it fell hard.

When we build our homes on the teachings of Jesus, those teachings become a foundation that helps us make it through the storms of life.  The more we trust Jesus in the hard times, the stronger the foundation for our lives.

I want to encourage you to commit to a Christian home.  I want you to come to church prepared to take notes, to meditate on the messages, to make changes as God shows them to you.

Some of you are single.  You are single because you are never married or single because you are widowed or divorced. 

Single people can learn as they listen to these principles by looking at how they were brought up and identifying changes that God might have them make if they become part of a new home.

Those who were previously married can support married couples by affirming the truths of God’s word with them.  I hope there will be a lot of discussions about the Christian home in the weeks ahead.  And I hope that Christians will affirm God’s word with one another.

Finally, I want to encourage you to consider the principle of maximum exposure.

The principle of maximum exposure says that the more exposure you have to something, the more interest you will have in that subject and the more you will be apt to make it a part of your life.

So if you are going to be a disciple of Jesus and you are going to learn to obey and you are going to move your family towards becoming a Christian family, start increasing your exposure to spiritual things.

Listen to Christian music, read your Bible, attend church more regularly, attend Sunday school, get involved with a small group, attend youth group, go to Christian seminars, read Christian books, connect with and serve other Christians, join the church, get involved in ministry, expose yourself as much and as often as you can to the things of the spirit of God.

There may be a family here that is on the edge.  This series could be a family saver for you.  New families can get a good foundation by understanding the teachings of the Bible.  Some of your homes are spiritually dry.  Add the water of the word and watch things grow. 

Selah, think on it.