Making Your Family a Blessing
“Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your blessings, see what God hath done.”
Each of us has been blessed beyond measure.
Our family should be one of our greatest blessings. God created the woman to be a blessing to man (Gen 2:18-15). “He who finds a wife finds a good thing” (Prov 18:22). Marriage should be held in honor (Heb 13:4).
Yet, to many the marriage is far from a blessing. Divorce rates are far too high. Unhappiness in marriage is far too high.
Tonight, we want to examine how we can make our family a blessing. We’ll talk primarily to the men. We’ll do so because men have the responsibility for making the family strong.
Men can make their family a blessing by providing—
Love
Husbands must love their wives.
The Old Testament contains examples of men who loved their wives. Isaac loved Rebekah (Gen 24:67). Jacob loved Rachel and worked fourteen years to marry her (Gen 29:20-30).
The New Testament instructs men to love their wives. Colossians 3:19. Ephesians 5:25-28. Jesus showed his love for the church by dying for her. Husbands must love their wives sacrificially. A husband must be willing to die for his wife. A husband must place his wife’s needs above his own.
Love is a decision. Many claim to love their spouse no longer. They no longer have warm feelings for her. They equate these feelings with love.
We need to decide to love our wives. We show this decision through our actions. Husbands, do you love your wives?
Headship
A husband’s headship is an important biblical principle. 1 Peter 3:1. Ephesians 5:22-24. Husbands are head of their wives just as Christ is head of the church. Therefore, Jesus is the example of how husbands are to be the head of their wives.
How does Jesus serve as head of the church? He earned the right to be the head of the church. He loved the church sacrificially and unconditionally. We husbands must earn the right to lead. He did what was in the church’s best interest. He saved the church; he had the Spirit inspire the Scriptures. We husbands need to do what is in our wife’s best interest.
Security
Wives need to know that their marriage is secure. The marriage is a covenant which needs to be honored (Mal 2:14). Divorce can only take place on the grounds of immorality (Matt 19:9). A husband is not to divorce his wife (1 Cor 7:11).
Divorce is far too common. In this nation, we can divorce for nearly any reason. Yet, Jesus said fornication was the only ground for divorce.
Wives need to know that their husbands are committed to marriage. She needs to know that he will not walk out on her. She needs to know that he will not divorce her.
Husbands, are your wives secure in their marriage?
Faithfulness
A wife has the right to know that her husband will have sexual relations with no one but her. Solomon instructed his son to be faithful (Prov 5:15-20). We dare not even look at another woman with the intent to lust (Matt 5:27-28). Because of sexual immorality, each person should have his or her own spouse (1 Cor 7:2).
Adultery is rather “popular” today. The media tell us that all men commit adultery. Adultery is sinful, and we dare not commit it.
Husbands, do your wives know you are faithful?
Honor
Husbands are to bestow honor on their wives (1 Pet 3:7). Husbands are to dwell with their wives with understanding—we are to understand what our wives need and seek to fulfill those needs. Husbands are to give their wives “honor.” The term for “honor” literally means “precious.” We should treat our wives as the precious humans they are.
Wives should be honored as having first place. Wives are to be honored more than parents (Matt 19:5). This provides an important principle—no human relationship should be more important than the relationship we have with our wives. The only relationship which should be more important is our relationship with God. Wives need to be honored above work, children, play, etc.
Husbands, are we honoring our wives?
Happiness
Under the Old Testament, a husband was to stay home for the first year of marriage and bring happiness to his wife (Deut 24:5).
Husbands, there are so many ways we can bring happiness to our wives.
Are you bringing your wife happiness?
Conclusion
Husbands can bring so much to their wives. Yet, if the husband is outside of Christ, he can’t do much. That man needs to determine to serve God (Josh 24:15).
Are you and your house serving God?
This sermon was originally preached by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr., at the Owingsville church of Christ in Owingsville, Kentucky.