Josh. 24:15

[By Ron Halbrook]

• Introduction

1. Josh. 24:15 Leadership depends 1st on spiritual attitude, condition, & role

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15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

• Introduction2. If we succeed in other areas but fail in spiritual leadership, we fail in our first responsibility.3. If we fall short in temporal goals but succeed in spiritual leadership, we succeed in God’s sight!

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• Introduction4. God makes men into spiritual leaders if we are willing:

God made man responsible to lead the family Moral & spiritual leadership grows out of loving God & our fellow man How can we become moral & spiritual leaders in the home?

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III. How Can We Become Moral & Spiritual Leaders in the Home? B. How Does a Man Grow in Leading His Wife?

Eph. 5:28-31 He leads his wife in prayer

Eph. 5:28-31 He leads his wife in prayer

28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

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III. How Can We Become Moral & Spiritual Leaders in the Home? B. How Does a Man Grow in Leading His Wife?

1 Pet. 2:1-3; Eph. 5:23 He leads his wife in Bible reading & study

1 Pet. 2:1-3; Eph. 5:23 He leads his wife in Bible reading & study

1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

Christ teaches the church God’s will

A husband teaches his wife God’s will

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III. How Can We Become Moral & Spiritual Leaders in the Home? B. How Does a Man Grow in Leading His Wife?

1 Pet. 3:7 He treats her in a godly manner: show respect, affection, & gratitude

1 Pet. 3:7 He treats her in a godly manner: show respect, affection, & gratitude

7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

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III. How Can We Become Moral & Spiritual Leaders in the Home? B. How Does a Man Grow in Leading His Wife?

Eph. 5:28-31; 1 Pet. 3:7 He communicates: opening his heart to her & listening to her heart

Eph. 5:28-31; 1 Pet. 3:7 He communicates: opening his heart to her & listening to her heart

28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

Eph. 5:28-31; 1 Pet. 3:7 He communicates: opening his heart to her & listening to her heart

III. How Can We Become Moral & Spiritual Leaders in the Home? B. How Does a Man Grow in Leading His Wife?

Heb. 13:4 Sexual fidelity & purity help him lead by building trust, security, & respect

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4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

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III. How Can We Become Moral & Spiritual Leaders in the Home? B. How Does a Man Grow in Leading His Wife?

His skill in leading the family unit impacts the wife

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III. How Can We Become Moral & Spiritual Leaders in the Home? C. How Does a Man Grow in Leading His Children?

Eph. 6:4 He leads his children in prayer

4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

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III. How Can We Become Moral & Spiritual Leaders in the Home? C. How Does a Man Grow in Leading His Children?

1 Pet. 2:1-3; Eph. 6:4 He leads them in Bible reading & study

1 Pet. 2:1-3; Eph. 6:4 He leads them in Bible reading & study

1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

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III. How Can We Become Moral & Spiritual Leaders in the Home? C. How Does a Man Grow in Leading His Children?

Acts 17:11; Eph. 6:4 He helps them prepare for their Bible class lessons

Acts 17:11; Eph. 6:4 He helps them prepare for their Bible class lessons

11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Why DoChildren Go

To Bible Class

Unprepared

???

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III. How Can We Become Moral & Spiritual Leaders in the Home? C. How Does a Man Grow in Leading His Children?

Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:21 He treats them in a godly way by showing respect, affection, & gratitude

Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:21 He treats them in a godly way by showing respect, affection, & gratitude

21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

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III. How Can We Become Moral & Spiritual Leaders in the Home? C. How Does a Man Grow in Leading His Children?

Eph. 6:4 He communicates: opening his heart to them & listening to their hearts

4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

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III. How Can We Become Moral & Spiritual Leaders in the Home? C. How Does a Man Grow in Leading His Children?

Eph. 6:4; Heb. 13:4 He provides their sex ed with God in the picture

Eph. 6:4; Heb. 13:4 He provides their sex ed with God in the picture

4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

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III. How Can We Become Moral & Spiritual Leaders in the Home? C. How Does a Man Grow in Leading His Children?

Eph. 6:4; Heb. 12:6-11 He provides discipline: balanced & consistent

4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Eph. 6:4; Heb. 12:6-11 He provides discipline: balanced & consistent

6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Eph. 6:4; Heb. 12:6-11 He provides discipline: balanced & consistent

9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

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III. How Can We Become Moral & Spiritual Leaders in the Home? C. How Does a Man Grow in Leading His Children?

He teaches them to give as we prosper cheerfully Eph. 4:28; 6:4 He teaches we make a living

by honesty & diligence, then we give to God

Eph. 4:28; 6:4 He teaches we make a living by honesty & diligence, then we give to God

28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

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III. How Can We Become Moral & Spiritual Leaders in the Home? C. How Does a Man Grow in Leading His Children?

He teaches them to give as we prosper cheerfully 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:7 He teaches we

worship God by giving as we prosper cheerfully

1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:7 He teaches we worship God by giving as we prosper cheerfully

2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

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III. How Can We Become Moral & Spiritual Leaders in the Home? C. How Does a Man Grow in Leading His Children?

His skill in leading the family unit impacts the children

• Invitation

1. Josh. 24:15 Leadership depends 1st on spiritual attitude, condition, & role

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15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

• Invitation2. If we succeed in other areas but fail in spiritual leadership, we fail in our first responsibility.3. If we fall short in temporal goals but succeed in spiritual leadership, we succeed in God’s sight!

36

• Invitation4. God makes men into spiritual leaders if we are willing:

God made man responsible to lead the family Moral & spiritual leadership grows out of loving God & our fellow man How can we become moral & spiritual leaders in the home?

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• Invitation5. All of us can be faithful children in God’s family:

Gal. 3:26-27 Enter by obedient faith

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26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

• Invitation5. All of us can be faithful children in God’s family:

Acts 8:22 Restored if repent, confess, & pray

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22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.