A couple was celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. Over the years they had raised a brood of 10 children and were blessed with 22 grandchildren.

When asked the secret for staying together all that time, the wife replied, "Many years ago we made a promise to each other: the first one to pack up and leave has to take all the kids."

A May 1 Baptist Press article reports that a new study says young children of churchgoing parents fare better behaviorally, emotionally and cognitively than do children of parents who never attend church. In fact, the more often the parents attend, the better off the kids are.

The study by sociologist John P. Bartkowski and a team of researchers at Mississippi State University examined data from the nationwide Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, which evaluated first-graders by interviewing parents and teachers. . . . Examining the ECLS data, Bartkowski and his team concluded it is "quite clear" that religious attendance impacts children positively. His research -- which claims to be a "first of its kind" study on the subject using "nationally representative data" -- will be published in the journal Social Science Research.

"[R]eligion does seem to be good for young children," the study says. "The religious attendance of parents and a cohesive religious environment in the home yields significant benefits for children's behavioral, emotional, and cognitive development, and such outcomes are most pronounced when both partners attend services frequently."

It is good that your children are here today.

Malachi 2:13-15 give us an insight, one that I had never seen before so clearly spoken. In the Garden of Eden, God made man and woman and the two became one flesh.

Why did God do that, make the two become one?

Malachi 2 tells us why.

“13 Another thing you do: You flood the LORD’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. 14 You ask, “Why?” It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. 15 Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.” Malachi 2:13-15, NIV.

The purpose of marriage is for the children. God wanted unity in the marriage to provide a way for children to be born and nurtured in a godly environment.

This is one reason why so many Christians are against the redefinition of marriage. In America, marriage has changed from a nurturing unit for children to a place where individuals have their needs met. We praise families that are small and put down families that are large. We do not believe that children are a gift from God, or at least third, fourth and fifth children. Our large families are small by yesteryears figures. A family with five children is considered huge where in the past families of ten and twenty children were not unheard of.

God’s purpose in marriage was to have godly offspring. Many Christian parents echo John’s attitude towards his spiritual children when he said, “4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” 3 John 1:4, NIV.

If you want to build unity in your home, husbands and wives should go home and put this verse on the refrigerator. “And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring…” This is why it is important for parents to get along, this is why your marriage is so important, this is why the home exists in part is to glorify God by raising godly children.

Young people, you who are children in the home, play a large role in the unity of the home. The Bible is written at an adult level, but the teachings in the Bible are for everyone.

Because the Bible is written at an adult level, we are somewhat surprised to see that Paul writes to children in Ephesians 6.

“1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honour your father and mother”--which is the first commandment with a promise-- 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” 4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:1-4, NIV.

God wants your home to be a together home. If you remember, the will of God is that everything be brought together under Jesus Christ. So you have a part to play in this in the unity of the family.

Jesus is the head of the home. God wants your parents to work together.

Here is where your part comes in. God wants you to obey your parents in the Lord.

First, God wants you to obey your parents. Don’t play one against another. Don’t try to make them give you two answers. You are to obey your parents. If Mom says “Yes” don’t go to Dad to see if he will say “No.”

Your ability to obey your parents pleases God. But you don’t have to obey everything. You only need to obey in the Lord. So if your parents ask you to lie, don’t do it. If they ask you to steal, don’t do it. If what they ask is sin, don’t do it.

Second, God wants you to honor your parents. Life is better if you do. This idea of honoring is a heart issue. It’s not just putting up with your parents, its trying to live in a way that will honor them.

Obedience is a big part of this. When adults see children running in church or in the store, they think, “Why don’t the parents make them slow down?” When a child sasses his mother, people will say, “Why does she tolerate that?” Your behavior is blamed on your parents.

But when you are polite or respectful and obedient, you honor your parents. People will say what great kids as well as what great parents.

Third, God wants men involved. Mothers are not mentioned in this passage directly. But the spiritual training is given to the fathers to do. You can teach your children to do chores, to do homework, to do sports. But this passage says that if you do not bring up the children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, you are not doing your job. Why? Because God wants godly offspring.

Children, when you obey and honor your parents and fathers, when you bring your children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, your home will be more unified and Christ will be glorified in your home.