Family The Image of Family

Family

The Image of Family

Family is the structure of mankind

You cannot enter into this world without a family

The definition of family has expanded to include the changes in culture

When we look at family we can see it has been plagued

With problems from the beginning

Every family is broken and you are one of the pieces

Do your part to bring the pieces back together

Start by increasing the Fruit of God’s Spirit in you

“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control”  

Remember image is where it all started

You were created in the image of God and our children are created in our image

Let’s get back to looking like the image of God

The Image of Family

Family is the structure of mankind.

You cannot enter into this world without a family.

The definition of family has expanded
to include the changes in culture.

When we look at family, we can see it has

been plagued with problems from the beginning.

So how should we look at family?

What is family?

From the beginning, God created a man…

A man in the image of God.

A man who was given the responsibility

to care for the Garden of God.

God said it is not good that man should be alone.

So God made a woman to help man with the

responsibilities of ruling over all God had created.

The woman was created out of the man’s side.

 This is the rightful place for the woman

and the man, walking side by side.

It is clear God spoke to the man and

the woman, both has access to God. 

But God required an order of leadership and

the greater responsibility fell on the man.

The man was to be the head in caring for

the responsibilities of God’s creation.

The woman was to submit to her husband, in this call

or responsibility, God gave the both of them.

God commanded Adam and Eve to be

fruitful and multiply in the earth.

And that they did, they had Cain and Abel.

 

The family unit was under attack from the start.

Adam and Eve were both deceived by Satan.

Cain killed Abel over God’s favor.

Cain wanted God’s favor but wanted it his way.

Abel pleased the Lord and found grace.

Two religious view of God’s Grace opened

the door for the horrible sin of murder.

 

 Adam at 130 years old had a son in

his own likeness named Seth. Genesis 5:3  

After Seth, Adam lived 800 years and

had other sons and daughters. Genesis 5:4

God designed family to be the reproduction of our own

image, just like God made man in the image of God.

Sadly, we have no example in

history of the perfect family.

The family has been under attack

from the time of the first family.

Taking care of the earth God created…

Fulfilling our responsibility of ruling over

the earth is the responsibility of the family.

When the family suffers, the world suffers.

The family today is suffering…

 The responsibility of ruling over the earth

has to start with rule in the family.

Let me define rule as governing

according to the Creator God’s design.

The values of our Creator produce…

 “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

Galatians 5:22-23

Our world is suffering the hatred that

filled Cain, is in the hearts of many.

Murder and mass murder is

filling the hearts of us all.

Passing of laws does

not change the heart.

We need a grass roots effort.

We need to strengthen the family.

We need to examine what we have been doing,

and not doing, to contribute to the broken family.

As parents, we need to take a hard look at

how much time we spend with our family

and time at school, social media and other

things have with our children.

As parents, we need to examine our values and

the values of those who have our children’s time.

It is hard to be a parent when

your values are being attacked.

Define your values and protect them.

Every family is broken and you are one of the pieces.

Do your part to bring the pieces back together.

Start by increasing the Fruit of God’s Spirit in you…

“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,

goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control”

  

Remember…

 Image is where it all started.

You were created in the image of God

and our children are created in our image.

 Let’s get back to looking like the image of God.

Scripture Reading

Genesis 2:20-25 NIV

But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

23 The man said,

"This is now bone of my bones

and flesh of my flesh;

she shall be called 'woman,'

for she was taken out of man."

24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

25 The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

Genesis 4:1-17 NIV

4:1 Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man." 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

6 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

9 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?"

"I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"

10 The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. 11 Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth."

13 Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."

15 But the LORD said to him, "Not so; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the LORD's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

17 Cain lay with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch.

Genesis 5:1-5 NIV

5:1 This is the written account of Adam's line.

When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them "man."

3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth. 4 After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 5 Altogether, Adam lived 930 years, and then he died.