1) Read 1 John 2:2 and memorize it together as a family
2) Propitiation means to satisfy the wrath of God against sin. How did Jesus accomplish this? What does this mean for the true believer?
3) Since Jesus is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world, does that mean the whole world is saved?
No, this passage refers to three different realities of Christ’s atoning work for us on the cross:
First, His work on the cross is universally sufficient. This means that all who come to Christ in repentance and faith will be forgiven. No one who repents of their sin will be turned away from Jesus.
Second, this verse speaks to the global intentionality of the cross. The first facet of this intentionality is that Jesus died to save people from every tribe, tongue, nation and people. When John says “the whole world” he is communicating that salvation is not only for the Jews. The second facet of this truth is that the “whole world” is going to be “saved”, there will be a new heaven and a new earth. The earth will be restored from the curse and the current world system will be redeemed because of the work of Christ.
Finally, this verse speaks to the definite application of the atonement. Jesus literally saves people and the wrath of God against individuals is actually satisfied because it was transferred to Christ on Calvary. Jesus did not die for the possibility that some might believe, he died for all those who the Father had given him.
4) Ask: Are there any specific sins that you have committed today that God may be angry about? Why is God angry at our sin? Who can remove this anger for us?
5) Pray prayers of confession and thanksgiving that Jesus has satisfied the wrath of God and because our joy can be complete.
For this weeks family worship time, take a moment to gather around the computer and check out www.commissionstories.com. On this site you will find inspiring stories from the mission field and can explore some of the amazing things God is doing around the world.
1) Read the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) and discuss the implications for your family.
2) Pray for the Israeli Arab Muslim People. This is the people group we have adopted at HABC. Ask the Lord to bless the efforts of Randy and Staci Green as they bring the good news to the IAM people. Pray for our mission team that is going to Israel in December!
3) Pray that God would raise up a team to go to Nicaragua in July. Ask that he would use us in mighty ways to bring spiritual transformation to the community there.
4) Begin praying as a family about who you will invite to our special Christmas service on Dec. 13th. Also discuss what you will give towards the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.
One of the key components of family discipleship is prayer. I realize you know this factually, but do you know this experientially. Is your home a place of prayer? When answering this question you first have to ask yourself, “Do I pray?” If the answer is no, then your home is not a place of prayer and your children will grow up in a home untouched by the power of God experienced through prayer.
It is a great tragedy that Christian homes are spiritual deserts, void of prayer. We may thank God for our food, but we rarely humble ourselves before the Lord with our wives and children. I do not need a survey or research project to know this for a fact. The reality is that the church has been rendered powerless by our prayerlessness. An unknown author once quipped, “Revival is not brought about by the prayers of the saints, revival IS WHEN THE CHURCH BEGINS TO PRAY!”
I believe the church will begin to pray when fathers begin to pray alone in the morning, with their wives, and with their children. What would God do with us if we realized our insufficiency and inadequacy to accomplish anything for Him, coming to him daily in prayer? This thought bring up an interesting point. Do you realize that the more mature we become in our faith, the more inadequate we feel to live the christian life and this leads directly to more prayer. Think on this, get inadequate, and pray.
1) Read Acts 17:22-34 and discuss the following questions as a family.
- Why do you think the Greeks built an altar to an unknown God?
- Has God made himself known to us? How?
- Why is it important to know that we are created by God?
- Naturalists believe that we are the product of blind chance and evolutionary processes, why is this a horrible lie?
- God commands all of us to repent, what does this mean?
2) Discuss this quote from “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.”
“It means,” said Aslan, “that though the Witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still which she did not know. Her knowledge only goes back to the dawn of time. But if she could have looked a little further back, into the stillness and darkness before Time dawned, she would have read there a different incantation. She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor’s stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backwards.”
3) Sing “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.”
- A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and pow’r are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal. - Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing,
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle. - And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us;
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him. - That word above all earthly pow’rs, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth;
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.
4) Pray
Before you get started reading this post take the time to read this article by J.C. Ryle concerning prayer. WARNING, this article is very convicting and it should be. I assume we all need a good kick in the pants when it comes to our practice of prayer and J.C. takes a sharp spiritual dagger and goes for the heart with this essay. The reason you need to read this first is that your home will not become a place of prayer if you are not a man or women who prays. This is just the truth and we all need to hear it.
The fact of the matter is that the American Evangelical Church has resorted to marketing and consumer driven approaches because the power of God has left the building, which I believe is largely due to a lack of prayer, both corporate and private. So, its not surprising that most of us don’t pray with our spouse, our children, and would much rather watch a PBS talk show than attend a prayer meeting at church. So please read the article I linked and then consider that your home must become a place of prayer which we can discuss tomorrow.
As I announced earlier I am going to write a series covering ten core competencies that are vital for families who desire to disciple their children in the home. Quite frankly, most evangelicals believe they disciple their children by bringing them to Sunday School and other church programs, but this is not the Bible’s idea for you parents out there. Biblical accounts make it clear that God demands parents to disciple their children. Consider Deuteronomy chapter 6:
4 “Hear, O Israel: d The Lord our God, the Lord is one. [2] 5 You e shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And f these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 g You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 h You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 i You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
By most accounts this is an clear and compelling command, “You shall teach them diligently to your children.” What shall you teach them? For the people of Israel they were to teach the law of God. Since Jesus is the fulfillment of all the law and prophets and due to the fact that we have 66 perfect books that are considered Scripture. And since Jesus said to make disciples, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded. You must teach your children all of the Scripture and you only have about a 15 year window to get the job done.
So, I will ask you the question again: Is the spiritual growth of your children a priority? The temptation is for everyone to say, “Yeah.” But if you are going to be truthful you probably would not be so quick to give a Sunday school response. How long has it been since you opened a Bible and read it to your kids? How long has it been since you sat your children down and discussed with them their spiritual condition? When was the last time you explained the good news to your family? All of these questions are important and each of these items demand your attention. If the spiritual growth of your home is a priority you will make time for these things. You will bring your children to church, but you will also make Christ the center of your home every single day of the week.
You might ask, “Where do I start?” or “How do I do this thing?” Here are a few suggestions:
1) You have to grow spiritually yourself. Set aside at least 1 hour of uninterrupted time early in the morning to read your Bible, take notes, and pray.
2) Eat Together. Often for me the best time for my family to read the Bible together is after our evening meal together. This doesn’t have to last more than 15min. You can simply read the Bible, pray together, and sing a song. Just do it! Every week I post a family worship guide on this blog. You can use that as a template to get started.
3) Spend time with each child at bedtime. This is a great opportunity to talk to them about the Lord, to pray with them and over them, and to share the gospel with them every single day. I urge you not to waste these precious moments with your children.
4) Don’t miss the spontaneous teaching opportunities during the day. I will discuss this more later on.
Do you realize the time and effort that goes into sports, drama, music lessons, education, video games, and other activities is all wasted if we fail to disciple our children? What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and yet lost his soul? Be careful, lest the spiritual growth of your children is forgotten.
This guide is for you to use for a devotion personally, as a couple, or as a family. I will be posting a sermon-based family worship guide each Sunday.
Read 2 Peter 1:5-9 and discuss these questions:
1) Read 2 Peter 1:5-9 and ask: What Christ-like qualities does Peter want every believer to demonstrate?
2) The quality of virtue means excellence. What does it mean for us to live with excellence? Can a person live with excellence without a relationship with Jesus?
3) What does it mean to grow in knowledge? How do Christians grow in knowledge? Why is this important?
4) Explain the idea of brotherly affection (that as Christians we have a genuine love, affection, and concern for other believers). Why is it important for believers to love one another? (Read John 13:34-35)
5) What is the difference in this passage between brotherly affection and love? (Brotherly affection flows from our common status as believers, while love flows from the character of God and is to be manifested to the world – this question will work best with teens because it is more abstract). How can we demonstrate the love of God as a family to the world?
6) Can we grow in these qualities simply be trying harder to be a better person? Read 2 Peter 1:3: What do we need in order to grow in godliness?
Sing Trust and Obey by John Stammis
When we walk with the Lord in the light of his word, what a glory he sheds on our way! While we do his good will, he abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey. Refrain: Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. 2. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share, but our toil he doth richly repay; not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross, but is blest if we trust and obey. (Refrain) 3. But we never can prove the delights of his love until all on the altar we lay; for the favor he shows, for the joy he bestows, are for them who will trust and obey. (Refrain) 4. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at his feet, or we'll walk by his side in the way; what he says we will do, where he sends we will go; never fear, only trust and obey. (Refrain)
Pray as a family. Spend some time praying specifically that God would increase these qualities in your lives.
Use the comment section to let me know how you used these questions and if they were helfpful!
I am in Louisville, KY today preparing to defend my doctoral project on family discipleship. One aspect of this defense is to share what I have learned through my studies. So I am going to share with you some of my reflections concerning family discipleship and its impact on the local church.
Consider this fact from Smith and Denton’s research on teenage spirituality – 52% of conservative protestant teenagers hold to a form of religious pluralism and 64% of teens in this same demographic do not equate being spiritual with attending a congregation. Now, it does not take long to do the math. We are raising a generation that does not see the essential value of either the gospel or the local church.
The root problems are multi-faceted, but one glaring issue is that parents are not discussing spiritual matters with their children on a regular basis. Only 19% of teens in conservative protestant homes discussed spiritual matters on a daily basis….this means that there is rarely prayer, bible study, talking about God, or any other spiritual topic. In other words, evangelicals are experiencing God in a vacuum that has no connection with everyday life. Such a disconnected reality may suit parents just fine, but it is sending a devastating message to their young people. Christianity is disposable because it is not essential. What is essential….sports, good grades, a college education, a bigger house, technology, etc.
How do we combat this problem in the local church? We have to call families back to the simplicity of discipleship. The church has been built upon the twin idols of pragmatism and consumerism, those pillars must be knocked down and the church must reconstruct itself around the simple idea of equipping Christians to be followers of Christ rather than consumers of “Christian” programming.
Dr. Timothy Paul Jones developed ten core competencies that help identify some simple aspects of disciple that need focus and attention. I studied these core competencies in my research and will be discussing each one over the next several days here at The Shepherd’s Staff. Please join me in the discussion and we can formulate some simple strategies together.
I have been a listener of Christian music since I was a five year boy jammin to Russ Taff and the Imperials on my Father’s eight track player. The Christian music industry has come a long way since those days. But often, it seems that CCM industry artists just cannot find much depth in their lyrics. There is a rising genre that is gaining momentum that I call reformed rap/hip-hop. Christian rap has been on the scene for some time, but these new and talented reformed rappers have taken both their art form and its lyrical potency to a different level. Inspired by Piper, Washer, Owen, Edwards, and MacArthur, these guys pound out the doctrines of the atonement, mortification, election, perseverance, and many more. You will have to learn to listen closely, but once you grab the words they will bless your socks off.
These mini-sermons on MP3 truly challenge, motivate, and uplift the soul. To be honest, rap is not my favorite form of music, but I can’t turn it off because of the edification of their message. So if you need a spiritual adrenaline injected into your music line-up check out artists such as Lecrae, Trip Lee, Tedashi, Katalyst, and Flame. You might be surprised at how spiritually blessed you will be after you digest the rhymes.
Take a listen to this track by Katalyst and Lecrae and let me know what you think! “I GOT PROOF”
