The Mystery of the Family

Happy Sabbath! So good to see all of you. Wonderful rain, wasn't it, today? Surprising! I didn't expect us to have the rain we're getting today, but it is certainly welcome, and this summer will be, especially, something we'll be thankful that we've received. When we look at American culture, it seems that we look at what's happening, particularly with the media that is all around us. And things are, as scientists say, evolving. People are evolving into what we don't know. But I remember when I was a kid growing up, we used to watch programs on television like Leave It to Beaver, and other programs that are around and even today are being shown on television.

But I want you to think about the fact that we have evolved from Leave It to Beaver to Modern Family. You know, watch Modern Family. I hope that you don't. On television, in fact, when I see it advertised, it makes me sick. But we've evolved from Leave It to Beaver to Modern Family, and from Father Knows Best, which was, again, a very popular program, to Father Knows Nothing. Essentially, that's what the television is today, that basically the Father's been made into a complete buffoon who knows nothing.

And oftentimes, of course, the wife is the one that is sort of outsmarting her husband on every front. Or, you know, even sometimes the wife and the husband are being outsmarted by the children. The children are more knowledgeable, have more understanding than the parents. You know, one of the great mysteries, brethren, that has been hid from the world is the fact that God is building a family. And we are, as we've said many times here in the Oakland area and around the world, for that matter, the church is the kingdom of God in embryo.

And that means, brethren, we are the family of God, which is going to rule with Christ when His kingdom is set up when the millennium begins. And we're privileged to be members of God's family with our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ, who is our elder brother.

Let's notice over here in Mark, Chapter 10, just to begin the message here this afternoon. But in Mark, Chapter 10, and verse 29, we'll break into the thought, but it says, So Jesus answered and said, Assuredly I say to you, He said, There is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or fathers or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the Gospels, who shall not receive a hundredfold now at this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, He says, with persecution and in the age to come eternal life. Think about the fact that the family of God has fathers and mothers and brothers and sisters, and maybe we could go on to say even uncles and aunts, that you have all parts of a family, and that we are members of that family even now, brethren.

Again, it's an astounding thing to think about. That not only do we have that now, even though sometimes when you come into the church, you may actually have family that disowns you. But Christ was reassuring His disciples, you're not giving up anything. You're going to have a big family now, and you're going to have the same thing in the world tomorrow, plus you're going to receive eternal life. And so that was an astounding thing to establish as a truth, and that truth has been hid from the foundation of the world. In order for a family to function, though, each member of the family has to perform a function, a role.

And no family, brethren, will survive unless all are working together as a cohesive unity that is going to produce, again, the proper effect that we want in terms of what a family is. No, we're living in it again at a time where the family, frankly, is almost misfit anymore. It's bedlam. It's confusion. But again, one of the mysteries of the Bible is that God is a family, and how God intended each family member to function. Well, brethren, how should the family function? What are the duties of each member of the family that God has given to those or to his physical family?

And how does it relate to the spiritual family? Because it does relate. The two relate to one another. We know that Jesus Christ is our elder brother. We know that our Father in heaven has that role of Dad. And we know, in fact, also that the Church is the mother of us all. And so again, you have these analogies that are in the Bible that shows that the family God intended was to function.

And God intends us to fulfill our respective roles in our families. So what are those roles and what are the responsibilities that each of us have, brethren, in the family? And mainly also, brethren, we'll talk about and we will see how we should be functioning when it comes to our role in the spiritual family as well.

I think the first thing to talk about is what is a husband's and father's responsibility? Like I say, the father has been turned into a buffoon in the family. And God certainly never, ever intended that to be the case, what has evolved in our society. Let's go over to Ephesians 5 over here. It shows the role, first and foremost, of the husband.

Over in Ephesians 5, of course, these scriptures deal with marriage itself and the roles that each respective member of the marriage team has. But in Ephesians 5 and verse 25, we'll begin there. Paul says, husbands love your wives. It's amazing that you have to command a man to love his own wife. But that's what we find within the Bible. I think it was David Berry who once said, The thing that women need to remember about men is down really deep, deep inside of him, he shallow.

And I think sometimes we evidence it by having to be commanded to love our own wives. But it says, And it says, And so nobody hates themselves, even though some people try to sell you on the fact they hate themselves. Nobody really hates themselves. Even sometimes when people are selfish, and I think can progress to the point where they're hurting themselves, they may be crying out for something, but they don't hate themselves. That aspect of it is just simply not there. There's another aspect of it that needs to be understood. But going on in verse 31, and it says, So God expected two people to become one, to work together as a team in unity.

And you know what it does say here in verse 31, In other words, brethren, a man has to grow up. I think what they say today is he has to man up, doesn't he? He has to man up. And the Bible is saying he needs to go and form his family, a new family. And he needs to put his wife above himself. That's the message that we're reading right here. He puts his own wife above himself and above his parents, even.

You know, we love our parents very much so, but our wives should come first, you know, ahead of our parents and all else. And of course, only individual or being that should be superior would be God himself. I'm not going to go to it, but in Colossians 3 verse 19, it says, You know, in the New Revised Standard Version, it says, Don't we be harsh with them or never treat them harshly? Of course, we see that happen sometimes, you know, with some men who have this idea in mind that, well, you know, you don't hear this word very much anymore.

I'm macho, you know, and she will listen to me. I'm in charge here. Well, the man takes that posture, is going to drive his wife away from him and not, you know, affect her in the way maybe that he thinks he's going to affect her. No, God expects, again, a husband to love his wife more than himself. In 1 Peter chapter 3, let's notice over here, and we've heard scriptures expounded here and elucidated more in the past regarding specific parts of this particular verse. But in verse 7 it says, Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding. Again, don't be that shallow-minded man, but have a little bit of understanding.

And we do have a lot to understand about women, men. We really do. I think it was Milton Burrell who said, The problem with life is by the time you can read a woman like a book, your library card is expired. But, you know, we have to, again, dwell with our mates with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, as being heirs together of the grace of life that your prayers may not be hindered. So God wants us to, again, relate to our wives as a co-heir.

He's going to be in the kingdom of God as well, and we're working together in tandem as one toward the kingdom of God. And God wants us to, again, honor the weaker vessel. And again, it's been, like you say, clarified that weaker vessel doesn't mean she's weak. It means that it's a more delicate vase or vessel, and, you know, the analogy being more valuable because it is of a higher quality. You know, if we, again, see the physical analogy of it. Therefore, it should be prized more highly.

In fact, some scriptures actually talk about, again, in fact, this particular word, honor, comes from the Greek word, time, time, which means these things, it means to value, it means to highly esteem, and, of course, tine in what it says in the scripture, as a co-heir. In other words, something more expensive, more valuable that you would want to take care of. But someone who is a participant in a common goal of seeking salvation.

And if a man doesn't honor his own wife, he doesn't really even respect himself. You know, that is so important for us to get, young men, particularly. Get that. If you don't honor the woman that you marry, you don't respect yourself. So be very, very careful, loving toward your wife. Be thankful that God has given you a woman that you can have a marriage with.

She may love you more than anybody else on the face of the earth, at least she should. And you ought to be thankful that somebody on this earth loves you in that way, in that manner. You know, I know a man who has, I think, a right image of himself realizes that if he finds a woman like that, he's hit the jackpot.

Because he knows he does not deserve that kind of love and that kind of dedication. So again, husbands, you have a role. We have a role to perform. Let's look at another aspect of what a man's role is, and that of being a father. Like I say, fathers have been made into buffoons. I know we joke about, you know, people, fathers and mothers, for that matter. But the father is a very important person in a family. Very valuable person. In fact, the reason why there's so many problems in families in this country right now today and around the world is because the father is absent.

He's gone. In so many ways, it seems like society tries to fill that vacuum, but usually it's the wrong thing they fill it with. 2 Corinthians 12 and verse 14. 2 Corinthians 12 and verse 14. It says now for the third time Paul says he's coming, you know, to the Corinthians. He says, now for the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be burdensome to you, for I do not seek yours. I'm not looking after your stuff. I don't want to garner your stuff, but you. I'm concerned about you, Paul is saying to the Corinthians, because he uses this principle here.

He says, for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. See, this is the natural order of things here. That the father takes care of the children and not vice versa.

I know we used to joke with our sons, okay, when you get older, you build yourself a mansion, we would like to have one of the wings of that particular mansion. I would joke with our boys and tell them, and I will be in your refrigerator 24 hours a day, with the door open all the time. But, you know, I am elated to be able to do the things we've been able to do for our children, and we wish we could do a whole lot more.

But our goal, again, is to lay up for our children as much as we can. And, you know, I think that's in a man to want to do that, not only for his children, but his grandchildren. See, it's not the other way around. And the first and foremost person in the family unit is the father. He has that role, that responsibility. Let's go to 1 Timothy chapter 5 over here.

1 Timothy chapter 5. By the way, I wasn't joking about being in the refrigerator all the time. I used to love to tell our boys that because they were in the refrigerator all the time. You ever try to feed three teenagers? I mean, it's like you might as well buy yourself a warehouse, you know, full of food. Because you're going to need it. 1 Timothy chapter 5 and verse 8. It says, if anyone, he's talking about a man here in this case, does not provide for his own, especially for those of his household, he has denied to faith is worse than an infidel or an unbeliever, as it says here in the King James.

The Greek, by the way, for infidel means he's untrustworthy. And, brethren, if we're untrustworthy in doing that, fulfilling that role as fathers in this life, this physical life that God has given to us, and we're not providing for our family doing our best to support them and do what we can to put the food on the table and do what we can to do the other things, the amenities of life, you know, how are we going to be trustworthy in the Kingdom?

No one, when we're under Jesus Christ, we've got responsibilities. So this is a very important part of a Christian man, of being a man. Frankly, this is a part of what it means to man up as well. So God wants us, again, to really understand that role, men, that we have and that responsibility that we have. Barnes notes, by the way, let's go to Ephesians 6 and verse 4 first. Ephesians 6 and verse 4. Paul says, And you fathers do not provoke your children to wrath.

And it says, But bring them up in the training and the admonition of the Lord. But Barnes notes in talking about, again, the father's role, and what the Greek says here, the word training, by the way, means that the dad is there for training. In other words, in the physical act of training, he's around. He's watching after. He is admonishing. It's like over there in Deuteronomy 6, when your kids get up and rise up or go to bed, you're there, you're telling them, you're teaching them, you're guiding them, you're setting the example for them all the time. And also, when it goes on to say, Barnes notes says that he's there with acts of chastening when it's needed. And not only that, that he is bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, that he's training them by word. He's looking into the Scriptures and giving them instruction through the Word of God. We live in a world now where it seems like parents just shove everything off on the school system. And look at what has happened to generations of young people. Frankly, I think a lot of parents don't even know what their kids think. Maybe they're not aware of even what their kids are being taught at school. They just expect the schools to do it. But God says, no, you have that duty. You have that responsibility. And, fathers, we have that role and that responsibility. Over in Colossians 3, verse 21, you don't need to turn there. But it says, fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

And Barnes says, lest by your continually finding fault with them, they should lose all courage and despair of ever pleasing you. And you know, that, of course, can put a mark on a child if he thinks nothing they can do can please their father, their dad. You know, we, of course, as fathers, need to, again, have understanding, like dwelling with our wives. We need to have understanding. We need to do the same with our children. Try to understand them. Remember what it was like for you. Remember those things that your father, your mother, did or did not do for you. And make it different.

Make it different in a better way for your children when you have children. If you don't have children, make sure you, again, change that vicious cycle that oftentimes happens in families. Hebrews 12. Let's go to Hebrews 12. Now, father has a role. Father has a responsibility. Hebrews 12, down in verse 9 here. But Paul, once again, expresses it. Furthermore, we have had human fathers or physical fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect.

And, you know, to this day, I pay my dad respect because he wouldn't put up with a lot of stuff. He wasn't a perfect father. I'm not saying that. But, you know, when he had six sons and two daughters, or three daughters, I'm sorry, they had a pretty heavy job, mom and dad did. But he taught us that, look, you don't backtalk. You better keep a humble attitude. You won't get away with it. You just won't get away with it.

But on the other hand, he was a wonderful father in the sense that he did a lot of things with us, which I look back and I wonder, where did he find the time to do it? You got six boys and three daughters. Where do you find the time to spend time with all of them? I remember when I was a little boy. I mean, I used to go... I remember it was in... we lived in Platte City, I believe it was either Missouri or Kansas. I can't remember where Platte City is anymore.

But going squirrel hunting with my father very early in the morning, falling asleep in the front of pickup. We had an old 60-mile... it was new that time, a 60-mile pickup. And he'd take me out with him, just me. And I'd have that 22. I don't know. I think I was in the second grade. And he was teaching me how to shoot squirrels. Sometimes squirrels can be squirrely. If you know what I mean, some of you have ever...

of course, we don't eat them any in the church, I understand that. I did back then. I was carnal. You'll understand I was in the second grade. I didn't know any better. But anyway, you know, you try to shoot a squirrel, I'll tell you. He's smarter than you are. You think, oh, there he is right there. We're going to get him. He'll move on to the other side of the tree. That's what we mean, a squirrel is squirrely.

But anyway, you know, we as God's people need to understand that the husband, again, has a responsibility. The dad has a responsibility to correct us. And we respect them for it. Now, I would imagine every generation has thought, well, my dad, you know, he wouldn't put up a lot of that stuff. I felt that way about my father. And it says, shall we not, much more, verse 9, going on, more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live.

You're talking about having the opportunity of living eternally and, frankly, have life now as well. Going on here, it says, for they and thee, for a few days chasten us, as seen best to them. But he, for our prophet, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now, no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful and nevertheless afterward, it eels the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. And then he says here, therefore strengthen the hands which hang down and the feeble knees. What I imagine Paul was thinking here is sometimes when a little boy or girl is punished for whatever reason, you know how they can cry and whimper?

They go on and on and on and on. It's amazing. Such pain, such turmoil. And even when it calms down, it's got...

You hear a little more whimper. And so Paul is saying here, therefore strengthen the hands which hang down and the feeble knees. You know, you buck up in other words. Be tough. He means that too, as of course spiritually speaking. Not easy to go through. I've been through some spankings before in the church. And you feel like that, don't you? Sort of whimpering. It's amazing to have a grown man sort of whimpering over what has just happened to him. But it does tend to humble you, doesn't it? And you learn lessons from it. You really do. But God wants us to get that from a spiritual perspective. But again, he as a father is going to have to correct us. And sometimes the correction must be pretty severe. But oftentimes it is just a stern talking to. It may not be, again, involve getting a whipping, as they say. But it may be just a matter of setting somebody straight. And sometimes, frankly, I remember as a kid coming up, I wanted the lecture more than I wanted the whipping rather than the lecture. Because the lecture sometimes is harder to endure. But discipline is necessary whether we're a physical or spiritual father. But again, if we do get punished, we have to ourselves man up. And because those hurt feelings will go away, we'll realize how important, again, what we went through was. Solomon said, he who spares his rod hates his son. Of course, by that we're not talking about just corporal punishment. We're talking about discipline here, verbal mostly. But he who loves him disciplines him promptly. He takes care of it. Solomon also said, because punishment is not immediate, the hearts of the sons of man are fully set to do evil. If discipline doesn't come right away, sometimes people can have the idea that I must be doing okay. But no correction, brethren, is pleasant. But the results of ignoring problems in children are far worse later on. You can have a whole lot of problems later in their life if they are not disciplined in the right way, in the right manner. I will add that. The father has to do it in the right way in the right manner. Because that can also produce problems in a wrong manner. Everything we do as God's people has to always be in balance. Now, let's move on to another role in the family. That's the father's role of a husband and a dad. But what are the responsibilities of a wife and a mother? Let's go back to Ephesians 5, verse 22.

It says, Now, that's a dirty word right there, that word, submit. And if I was in some areas that you'd have tomatoes being thrown up this way. But it does say, why submit to your own husbands? As to the Lord, as we would submit to Jesus Christ, who is our Master and our Lord, this is what we ought to do. You know, in regard to the relationship in a marriage. And going on, For the husband is the head of the wife. As also, Christ is the head of the church.

And He is the Savior of the body. And it says, And so, here we see, in fact, that word, submit, can be rendered subordinate. Subordinate. They subordinate themselves, but I want you to read this carefully, what it says here, not to all men. It doesn't say, you know, submit yourself to all men. That Paul is very clearly saying, submit yourself to your own husbands. In other words, not a husband putting his wife under his thumb. That's not what it says. It says, in fact, that the wife voluntarily subordinates herself to her husband, her own husband. You know, so God wants us to get that point.

It comes from the wife, in other words. It's not the husband, you know, doing this with his wife. It's the wife finding. It is the wife finding someone she loves herself more than anybody on the face of the earth.

So much so that she marries, you know, her husband, and she subordinates herself to him and him alone. Because she loves him so much. She cares for him so much. You know, over in Colossians 3 and verse 18, I'm going to just read to you from the American Standard version here. It says, wives be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting to the Lord. As is fitting to the Lord.

You know, certainly in terms of what God wants and desire, he makes that very clear. But again, what is fitting for a woman to do? Sometimes that's where the questions come up. What is fitting to do with regard to her relationship with her husband? You know, if a woman again loves this man that she calls her husband so much, rather, that she decided to tie the knot with him and to get married to him, you know, it allows her to have an attitude of, look, I'm on your team.

We're working together here. I've heard it say that love is what causes two people to sit in the middle of a bench when there's a lot of room on either side. People loving each other, who are willing to submit to each other. Not only, and of course, the Bible says the man should submit to his wife, too.

And not only do we submit to our wives, but we submit to all people, to one degree or another. Of course, there's a limitation on that, isn't there? Let's go over to 1 Peter chapter 3. 1 Peter chapter 3. 1 Peter chapter 3 over here, and just the first two verses. It says, wives likewise be submissive. Again, it puts it this way, your own husbands. And here is the goal, that even if some do not obey the word, they without a word may be won by the conduct of their wives.

So this is what a Christian woman is doing. She's being submissive to her husband. It says, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied, it says, by fear or respect. Again, that word, fear, a bit archaic for us. But respect for a husband. Love and respect for a husband. Again, it works both ways. Rather. Would you want ladies to be married to a man you don't respect? Well, nor would a man want to be married to a woman he doesn't respect. I would think that would be something that would be just entirely a part of any relationship between two people.

But win the husbands by holy conduct as a Christian woman. And I'll go even so far as to say, brethren, also, even if two people are in the church, they're both in the church. They both have the same knowledge. A wife can influence her husband to be more righteous. And of course, a husband can do that as well with his wife. She can do so by her conduct, by her attitude. Also, brethren, I will say this as well, that older women within the church have a duty to teach younger women this principle within marriage. These principles. But unfortunately, sometimes people are so corrupted in this world that we live in that you don't necessarily have the guarantee that older women are going to counsel in the right way, in the right manner.

I hope, again, those are more experienced among the womanhood of the church. It would give young women the instructions that Peter is giving here to be submissive to your husband, to love your husband. And to set an example. Of course, there is a time when someone also has to listen if there's a problem within the marriage.

An older woman can give counsel about those kinds of things, or certainly recommend they go and talk to the ministry about it, if there's a severe problem that is there. But again, to strive to encourage young ladies within the church to conduct themselves always in a Christian manner. Okay, so that is what a wife's role is, according to Scripture. How about a mother's role? How about a mother's role? Let's go to Titus. Over the book of Titus here, Paul says an awful lot, doesn't he, about family?

In a way, we have a microcosm by reading what we read within Scripture of how Paul pastored a church. Of course, he had quite a number of churches that he had to take responsibility over. Sometimes we have men that have got four or five churches, though, these days, that they have to watch over. But in Titus 2 and verse 4, well, let's read verse 3 as well. The older women, likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given too much wine, teachers of good things, that they admonish the young women to love their husbands and to love their children.

That's what the older women in the church have a role to do, that they should love their husbands and that they should love their children. And to do all that they can for their children, just as the father, again, has a great big responsibility. A mother has a very big responsibility. I still do believe that the father should be the greatest sacrificer of the family, though.

He should be the one that should be laying his life on the line more, in fact, than his wife does. Now, again, this is not the limit of what the mother does or what the wife does, but the husband, again, needs to take that responsibility and to fulfill his role. But this is how God's society is going to function in the world tomorrow. Mothers are going to be taught to love their husbands and to love their children and to instruct them in God's way of life as well.

Again, the world out there is just full of wrong concepts and wrong ideas. You watch television anymore, or watch a movie. Everything's wrong. It's upside down and backwards.

This world again, and it's getting worse, like I expressed to the elders prior to service, I wonder what our kids are going to face in the future. I'll tell you, sometimes you wonder the way our government promotes people with alternative lifestyles, and I will put it that way. I'm talking about the homosexual community and transsexuals and all the rest, but you wonder again what the future is going to bring. What it's going to be like. It can only get worse, I'll tell you. Let's go to Romans 1. Again, we live in a world that is going the opposite way than God's way of life.

The family is being destroyed. And it's like almost the state is stepping in to the role that parents once had. It's amazing, though, how people surrendered that role, that responsibility. Let's go to Romans 1, verse 28. It says, "...and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge..." They didn't hang on to God's knowledge. I'm talking about, again, the world that we live in. "...God gave them over to a debased mind.

To do those things which are not fitting. Being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness, they are whispers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, and vendors of evil things. Disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful, who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice those things are deserving of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them." I mean, Paul let it loose, didn't he?

On the society, brethren. It's worse now than it was when Paul lived. Things out there in the world are worse now than what the apostles had to go through. And since man has rejected God, he's rejected the right formula, the proper formula for the family, and consequently, brethren, the truth about family is hidden from the world, from humanity.

It's a dark mystery to this world. And it seems that few really get it. Just a few in this world really get it. Now, I'm not saying, again, that that's true of everybody. I think there are certain people, even though they might not be a part of God's church, who maybe have a better concept of what family is. I'm not saying they understand everything. We don't understand everything with regards to that ourselves in the church.

So we have to face that reality. We're growing. I think the church has grown a great deal in its understanding, frankly, the last 20 years or more. But going on here, let's go to Titus chapter 2. Titus chapter 2 and verse 3 down to verse 5. Well, I guess we already read that, but let's look at verse 4. Speaking again about the older women, that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children. Verse 5, to be discreet, chase, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

By our conduct, sometimes, we blaspheme God in His word. Again, we live in a different world. When I grew up, it was very uncommon for a mother not to be at home when the kids got home. I think it's just totally flip-flop now. It's very unusual for kids to come home and find their mother there.

I realize that sometimes in this world, it takes two incomes to survive. Some areas, it is that way. The concepts that Paul is talking about here, a lot of younger people might even think they're, you know, archaic.

But, brethren, these are just as true today as they were when Paul wrote them down for the churches during that time, that it was to be taught within the church. In the context, again, of young widows, over in 1 Timothy 5 and verse 14, Paul says this, Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully. Paul is saying that if a woman is widowed at a younger age, she should get married and have a family.

So, brethren, to manage the household is the primary responsibility of the wife and the mother to take care of the home. I know that things have changed a good deal in our society. And, of course, she can involve herself in Proverbs 31 responsibilities as well. But the role that we see within the Bible, at least, is that the woman is to have that responsibility over the household. And, you know, a woman, I gave a message to our ladies club, ladies friendship circle, and talked about the power of influence. A woman has a great opportunity to influence in a very powerful way. She may not be the head of the family, but let's face it, fellas, the real head of the family is, even though we say it's the father, is the mother. You know, but her power is influence. The hand that rocks the cradle, as has been said, rules the world. Because her example can influence in such a powerful, potent way. When Paul was talking about Timothy, Timothy was one of his prized students, considered him a son, as a matter of fact. No, Paul pointed out that his mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois, were such faithful women. And Paul told Timothy, which I know is in you too, Timothy, that he was conveyed that trustworthiness, that faithfulness. And sometimes there were responsibilities that Paul would only send Timothy because he was the only one that could be trusted to do what needed to be done in different areas. And again, that faithfulness and trustworthiness on the part of Timothy, you know, Paul said it's because of Lois and Eunice. That you have this. The reason why he says this is because Timothy's dad was a Greek. So therefore, he probably wasn't a believer. On the other hand, his mother was a Jew. You know, they were Jewish. And she, of course, was a believer and his grandmother was a believer as well. But they provided the spiritual leadership. So a woman has a very high responsibility. And we know that a woman does well. You know, her children will rise up and praise her. And I know that, brethren, very often mothers, you know, sometimes children will pass by a Father's Day. But very few caring children, I think most care, will pass up Mother's Day. They want to send something to Mom. Now, mind you, I'm not saying it's right to pass up the dad. But, I mean, we like something coming this way too, you know. But you just don't pass up in giving something to your mother. You know, and I think most sons who, you know, as you get older, you realize how much your mother did for you. How much she cared for you. And, of course, your father too. But, I mean, it's almost natural to feel that way towards your mother, I think, more than your father. How about duties of children? The role of the children. Yeah, all of us have roles, like I said. This is a family. And all of us have roles, brethren. I'm not going to go to these verses, but in Ephesians 6 and verse 1, it says, Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Again, it's the natural order of things.

It's what God intended.

Colossians 3, verse 20 says, Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Obey your parents in all things. Be submissive to them. They're looking out after your welfare. They care for you. Over in Ephesians, let's do turn to Ephesians 6 and verse 2. Ephesians 6 and verse 2.

Paul over here says this in Ephesians 6 and verse 2 and I believe 3. It says, Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise. And all of us, again, have to do that, no matter how old we may be. That it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.

And so children have a responsibility to honor their parents. It doesn't actually say that parents need to be honorable for a child to be honoring their parents.

Sometimes parents aren't honorable. Sometimes you can have a parent that just does a lousy job.

But the same thing. I've seen parents who, frankly, in my opinion, have done a lousy job with their kids. But nonetheless, their kids love them and pay respect for them.

And that is amazing to me when I see that. It's not, again, the natural thing you see in the world. It means God's Spirit is working with their minds if they have that attitude about themselves. So we honor them. And when we get older, we pitch in and try to help them out when they get older.

We're watching after them. Again, that first Timothy 5 we read about over there.

So this is a duty, again, that children have. And there will come a time, I know, that it seems like it is a long way off. If you were 12 years old, you know, that you've got maybe nine years or whatever. How many years it is you're going to remain home? There will come a time where you're going to have to be on your own.

Because, like my father always told me, when I'm under his roof, I follow his rules. When you're able to have your own roof, then you can set the rules under that condition. And hopefully, though, you'll be submissive. You won't have an attitude of wanting to do your own thing. You know, frankly, even when you get older, you know, you're going to have an attitude of wanting to relate your parents in a very respectful manner. Because they wouldn't ask you to do something if it was bad for you. At least, that naturally would be the inclination if a parent has any scruples at all. Okay, what about the role of singles in the church? Do we have single people in the church of God? Let's go to 1 Corinthians 7 over here. All have a responsibility, again, within the family. 1 Corinthians 7.

You know, the instruction, of course, that involves all of us is, without question, all of us obey the commandments of God. All of us are striving to become like Jesus Christ. But there are specific things we have to keep in mind with regard to being a single. 1 Corinthians 7 and down in verse 32, talking about somebody who is single, it says, But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord. And hopefully, again, if our minds are directed toward God, that is the case. Paul, by the way, wasn't married, and he could focus entirely on the work of God. He was one of the most focused ministers, probably, in the church at that particular time. How he may please the Lord, but he who is married cares for the things of the world. How he may please his wife. So the message here, brethren, is that somebody who is unmarried can be more focused on the calling that they have. And again, if they've got their mind geared right in the right way. And then he goes on to say, there is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world. How she may please her husband. In verse 35, Of course, it was because of the current distress that was going on in the world that he was about to instruct those who are single, those things that follow. But if any man thinks he's behaving impurely with his virgin, if she's past the flower of youth, and thus it must be, let him do what he wishes. He does not sin, let them marry. We talk about singles again, and there may come a time in the future. Well, frankly, marriage is out of the question. I mean, if we are headlong into the tribulation in the future, and things can be so difficult, the last thing you're probably going to want to think about is getting married. You know, you want to get out of harm's way. But he goes on to say, Paul is talking about, again, it's better to remain single. Again, it's because of the distress that they were going through at that particular time. So then, he who gives her in marriage does well, but he who does not give her in marriage does better. A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives, but if her husband dies, she's at liberty to be married to whom she wishes. And here we have instructions. This is only in the Lord. And so, a woman, a single person, certainly if we have distressing times, as we shall in the future, if she feels compelled to get married, or he feels compelled to get married, it's fine. Paul is saying, you're not sinning by doing so, but he's saying here, only in the Lord.

And what he means is in the church.

So, you know, if you marry, you should be marrying in the church. So, as a single, use your freedom as a single to increase service to God.

Use your freedom to not be selfish, but use your extra time and your freedom to serve, to help others. Don't begrudge others who may not have as much time to do what you would be able to do, because some do have more responsibility. They've got a family, they've got children, they've got a husband or a wife to watch over, to take care of. But as a single person, use your time again to serve God in a greater way. And if you intend to marry, marry in the Lord. Marry within the church. You know, the Bible clearly says in 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 14 through 17 that we are not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers.

And, you know, Paul talks about that. You can read it there in 1 Corinthians 6 and verse 14 through 17. And as we've always taught within the church, brethren, dating leads to marriage. So don't even date in the world. You date in the world, you're probably going to marry in the world. And marrying in the world is fraught with all kinds of problems, I'll tell you.

I don't know how many times, though, I've had a young lady or a man come, well, he's not in the church, but...

But, usually, what's interesting, of course, is most is the reason I give. Oh, she believes in God. Well, that may very well be, but you know, and I know, just believing God's not enough.

Just because you believe in God doesn't mean that you will ever understand the truth. You'll ever understand the gospel? You'll ever understand, in fact, what marriage is supposed to be? So, again, dating in the world is fraught with all kinds of problems.

I spoke to a young lady this past week. She called me up, and not a part of the church, but... She's very emotional when I was speaking to her. She had gone on to a website. I don't know if some of you have heard of Christian Mingle. And anyway, she, of course, herself said she's a Christian. And she went on Christian Mingle, and she was able to find a person she thought would be the kind of person that she should date. And she began to develop this relationship with this fellow. I mean, she said he was unbelievable. Very smooth-talking, debonair, handsome, young man. He was, in fact, very active in his church. He was involved in actually giving sermons at the church where he was. Well, you know, so she got very attached to him. But this young lady was apparently pretty...very straight-laced in terms of her morals, her ideas of what marriage was about. And anyway, it came to a point where the man that she thought that she could end up marrying... totally, he says, look, he says, you're just too chaste for me.

And she said, he said, I've got to be honest with you. He said, I am a sexual addict. And he said, the truth of the matter is, I just look on Christian Mingle to look for innocent young women. And anyway, you know the rest of the story here. But she was just...I mean, she was just totally destroyed by this young man who preyed on young ladies on Christian Mingle, of all places. Amazing! But that's what's out there. That's the kind of sick behavior that is in the world out there, brethren.

So, brethren, watch for the dangers of being single. Watch, I would say, even in the church. Be careful. Be very careful. I know a number of years ago we had a young lady that went to a cruise, and this was something that apparently, I don't know who coordinated it, but a lot of the members of the church, of the United Church of God, attended this particular cruise. And there was a young man that was on the cruise, claimed to be a part of the Church of God as well. And the same scenario I'm talking about here happened to this particular young lady. So be careful. Be careful. When somebody says, well, he believes in God, or he believes in the Lord... If you were this young lady I talked to, by the way, she would have said you wouldn't... She said, you would be amazed by this man. And I said, well, let me tell you this. You're very lucky. Very fortunate. And I said, you just leave him right in the rearview mirror of your life, and you don't even look back. And she said, well, maybe I can change him. And I said, no, no, don't even... don't even give it a thought. You know, this man is as he is. You leave him again behind. Again, brethren, watch these dangers in the world. And, you know, it's more difficult than you think to even find somebody in the church.

But, you know, God's the one that gives a wife to a man and a husband to a wife. A future wife, I should say.

Remember, though, brethren, all of us have roles in the church. All of us have responsibilities in the church. Remember, you are in the family of God, which is the church. God has called you to function within the family. We are one body as the church. We are a family with mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters and children.

You know, when I came into the field ministry, my wife and I, back in 1974, we were sent up to Harrisburg. And the pastor I was sent to work with, he and his wife had three little boys.

You know that when we arrived up there, you know who I was to those little boys? Uncle Jim.

And my wife was Aunt Joan, of course, because we looked upon the field ministry as a family.

So we are family, brethren. We really are family within the church. You know, God wants us to, again, to realize that we all have roles within the family. And the one that has the preeminent role is the Father in heaven and Jesus Christ.

And, brethren, if we are not willing to put God first, we are to seek God first and His righteousness, if we don't do that, we're not His disciples. But if we do that, brethren, if we put God first, God will give us all those things we desire. Sometimes we might have to wait for those things that we desire, but God will give it to us. God's providence, brethren, will help provide for our family's needs. As a church, whether we're talking about the spiritual family of God or the physical families that we have, we need to strive, brethren, to be better fathers and mothers, parents, spouses, and children by following the example of Jesus Christ. The mystery of the family is a wonderful blessing if it's done as God intended it to be. A husband and a wife are to love each other, they are to respect each other, they are to work together as a team.

Parents who are supposed to love and discipline their children, and children are to honor and obey their parents. If we can function, brethren, in our physical families, as God instructed us to within the Scriptures, we will function as God intended us to in the spiritual family. We're one day going to be ruling with Jesus Christ in the world tomorrow. And we are going to be fitting in to a family that's going to rule over the entire earth. And you know, in our physical families, we are preparing for that role right now. So let's make sure, again, that we are performing our respective roles within the family that God has given us.