ASSEMBLIES OF GOD ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR February 11, 2024

Memory Verse: Joshua 24:16 – As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord, (KJV).

God blesses the family that lives by His Word.

Lesson Bible Text:

Joshua 24:14-24; Psalm 127:1-7; 128:5-6.

What evidence do we have that God values the family? His Word offers so many examples of His care and concern – from Genesis account of creation, in which God gave life to a husband and wife and commanded them to have children, to Revelation’s description of the return of Christ for His Church in language reminiscent of a wedding celebration.

The narratives spanning these books include a wealth of stories about people’s everyday lives and the way in which they related to one another. Father, mothers, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, and a host of cousins, in-laws, and other relatives all interact in the pages of Scripture. Their lives are recorded to provide guidance for our own.

God does not just offer His Word as a guidebook for family living, however, and expect us to do all the reading and application for ourselves. He desires to be our Partner in building our marriages and raising our children. When His participation is sought, healthy families are built. God not only values the family; He invests Himself in it.

A. Example Of Righteousness – Joshua 24:14-15

B. Response Of Commitment – Joshua 24:16-18,24

2. GOD BUILDS THE HOME

A. Don’t Try It Alone – Psalm 127:1-2

B. Trust In God – Psalm 127:3-5.

3. GOD BLESSES THE HOME

A. Rewards Of Faithfulness – Psalm 128:1-4

B. Impacting Our World – Psalm 128:5-6.

Joshua 24:14-18,24

In Joshua 24:1-13, Joshua reviewed God’s protection and provision for His people. Over the years, God has proven Himself faithful and able to keep to His promises over our lives as His children whom He loves unconditional. Joshua called the people for a deep and a true commitment. This entails serving the Lord in sincerity and truth. Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve–Joshua presented the Israelites with a clear choice. Serve God or serve idols. Obey God or not.

They could not serve two masters. They could not keep one foot in God’s kingdom and one foot in the worldd. Today we are called to make the same choice. If Joshua was here today, he may say the same thing to you, “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.”Will you serve God or this world? Will you serve God or pleasure or money or parents? Nobody can make this decision for you. If you come from a Christian family, you must still decide to follow the Lord yourself. Joshua’s own commitment to God is clear in his statement of determination to serve the Lord regardless of the path Israel might choose. We can choose to serve the Lord even if those around us do not.

There will be peer pressure and obstacles on the way, no one else can force you to make decisions. No one can make you turn away from God. We have a personal responsibility to make the decision to obey God no matter what anyone else does, says, or thinks.

The people respond affirmatively to Joshua’s challenge. They make it sound as if it was a foregone conclusion that they would abandon any other gods and serve God exclusively, but that is hardly the case. They have been unfaithful in the past, and we know that they will be unfaithful in the future–but for the moment they have decided to commit to the Lord. In all the rebellion attitudes of the Israelites, God never abandoned or gave up on them.

On the same note, His grace is always sufficient in our sinful lives at whatever time we opened to Him. As parents, we must never give up on any of our child who refuses to harken to God’s Word. Let’s keep praying for them and believe God that one day they will declare like the Israelites: “God forbid that we should forsake the LORD.” The people agreed that, it was the Lord Himself who brought them and their fathers out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before their eyes.

They recount how God protected them on their entire journey and among all the nations through which they traveled. In all of this, they declared their commitment to serve the Lord, because He is their God.

Psalm 127:1-5

God is the divine builder of every home. The first thing we must do is to have the right relationship with the Master builder. God has the blueprint, the architectural plan and the right antidote to all challenges in our home. The Psalmist identifies God as the indispensable of our home. We can not build a successful and God-fearing home without Him. As parents, we are like builders, but we can’t build our home without the chief builder- the chief corner stone.

In our efforts to build a wonderful home of our dream, may we not neglect the effort of God’s work and blessings. When we build a relationship without God, we build to fail at the end. The parents are like watchmen watching over the children and every member of the family that God handed over to them. Note that in the business of raising children you are not alone, you are not supposed to be alone, you are supposed to work with the Lord. Are you actually walking with God in your home as you raise your children? Whenever you see things that are wrong in the life of your spouse or children, talk to the Lord for wisdom to redirect their steps.

May we not be parents or members of a family that will neglect the effect of God’s works and blessings in Jesus Matchless Name. Amen!

In a society that increasingly views children as burdens or inconvenient disruptions rather than treasures to be appreciated and desired, the idea that children are a blessing sent from God is counter-cultural. Solomon said children are “a heritage” and “reward” from the Lord.

Note that an inheritance is not the fruit of a person’s own labour, but is rather a gift from a loving father. So children are gifts from our loving Father. Children are not the fruit of chance, but rather the “fruit of the womb” from God, a gift of providence. All children–whether biological or adopted, whether born to believers or non-believers–are gifts of God’s grace, goodness, and kindness. You can’t be the parent God wants you to be if you don’t see the children He has given to you the way He sees them.

Children are meant to bless and bring joy. They are tokens of God’s lovingkindness. They are not a burden or penalty; they are an outpouring of God’s favor. Happy are the parents who have this blessings from God. The key to this blessings from God is our total trust in Him. As Christian parents, whether we have numerous or few number of children, if they are raised to fear God, they will grow up to be a support to us and a blessing to the society. May we continue to be parents that trust God in the nurture and growth of our children in Jesus Name. Amen!

Psalm 128:1-6

Psalm 128 focuses on home and the family. This is important because the family is the foundation for everything else in society. We can see how the Psalmist paints the picture of a happy home and presents the home as the centre of God’s blessing. Who doesn’t want a happy home? Happy and god-fearing homes are an essential part of building God’s kingdom here on earth. Parents who want to experience God’s Blessings in their home need to be consistently obedient.

“Blessed are all who fear the Lord.” To fear the Lord does not mean to be afraid of God so that you run away from Him. Rather it means to be in awe of God’s majesty so that you approach Him with great reverence and respect. It means you take God seriously, and you put Him first in your life. When a husband who fears the Lord plays his part to model godly character before the family members; the home will be happy and flourish, the wife will be like a fruitful vine, while the children will be like olive trees that will not fail to bring forth fruit in due time. We shall receive the rewards of faithfulness only when we live to obey Him.

Christian family bears a heavy responsibility as a ministry team representing Christ to a lost world. For us to impact the world around us, we must turn to Jesus. Trust Him. Fear Him. Obey Him. The blessings of God that we will continue to experience everyday is not just for us alone.

We must become a blessing to others around us. Personal and national well-being are the result of homes where God is feared. “The Lord bless you from Zion.” Zion is the heavenly sanctuary where God sits enthroned in glory.

He that fears the Lord will enjoy the the blessings of God all the days and beyond the days of his life. The godly man lives to have a fruitful legacy, not a fancy lifestyle. Proverbs 13:22 says, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.” The successful and wonderful home that we desire begins with us. May we continue to build god-fearing homes in our society that will surely stand the test of time to counter the ungodly world lifestyles.

God is always interested in the physical and spiritual growth of our families. His Word is our wonderful guide. We and our families will be blessed when we constantly fear and obey His Word.

Remain blessed as you join us in our Sunday school both online and at any Assemblies Of God Church close to you as we study together under the Feet of the Master.

Share your contribution and as well ask your question from the lesson.

Shalom!