ATTENTION: the sermon this morning reminded us of the Nobel Prize. You know from 1901 to 2021, only 58 women have won nobel prizes, and 800+ men have already won. In 2020, for the first time, the nobel prize in chemistry was won by two females. Usually it is shared by another male. So someone was interviewed and asked about the gender gap in the Nobel prize. He said, “I’m glad that we are seeing a change in this unfair society.” So this is what’s happening to our world today. Everything becomes an issue about gender roles. The world calls for ‘equality’. No one can truly define what a man is now. When you ask someone what a woman is, they don’t know. Because the world calls for such subjective idea of ‘equality.’ They say that gender is just a social construct. Women too, must lead. It is time now for women to be the leaders of their homes. The word ‘patriarchy’ now becomes a bad word. ..but really, what the world does, is to confuse everyone. You know, there is a need to return to the original design of God. There is a need to be reminded of The Blessedness of a Patriarchal Home. Turn with me to Genesis chapter 24, we have read verses 1 to 9 already. That is part of our message this afternoon. We will be reading verses 50 to 60; 50 to 60.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the Lord; we cannot speak to you bad or good. Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has spoken.” When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before the Lord. And the servant brought out jewelry of silver and of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments. And he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and they spent the night there. When they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my master.” Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.” But he said to them, “Do not delay me, since the Lord has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.” They said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.” And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.” So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,
“Our sister, may you become thousands of ten thousands, and may your offspring possess the gate of those who hate him!”
We read Genesis chapter 24 verses 1 to 9 in our Scripture Reading awhile ago and we saw the patriarch or the father Abraham. Where we see his involvement in the finding of a wife for Isaac. He was so involved that he tasked his servant to go to Haran and find a wife there and not in Canaan. And so the servant obeys Abraham. The servant goes to Haran, sees Rebekah. You know that it is the providence of God. He followed her in her home, and then the servant saw Laban, the brother of Rebekah. And then the servant narrates to Laban what happened how he met Rebekah. Basically, Laban narrated to, sorry, rather, so the servant the story to Laban just so Laban would understand and Bethuelm the father would understand that this thing comes from God, right..verse 50. And that’s what they said, verse 50 – both Laban, the brother, and Bethuel, the father acknowledged that it was the providence of God that the servant was there because of God. That God has allowed the servant to meet Rebekah. And then verse 51 – what was the decision of the father, Bethuel, plus the brother, Laban. He said, ‘Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has spoken.’ You see the blessing of the father, right? It is a common thing to ask for the blessing of the parents most specifically, the father. It is the father who gives away the woman. That is courtship. right. The woman us given by the father. And so the servant was so happy. The servant was so happy, he brought gifts, right.. and by the way, that is also a part of their custom, right..specifically in the Jewish wedding, it’s called the ‘dowry, dowry price…the bride price.’ They pay, right. Ganito rin dito. He gave gifts to the parents, even to Laban, and then the next morning, something happened, right. Nagbago ang ihip ng hangin. Verse 55 – her brother and her mother said, ‘Let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.”
The servant was alarmed. He told Laban not to delay, so Laban and his mother called Rebekah and let Rebekah decide on her own.right. Rebekah on the other hand, understood the purpose of God, that’s why she said, ‘I will go’ right..It is only by the grace of God that Rebekah understood this. But imagine if she didn’t, I mean, the parents just giving the decision to their daughter. That’s not the custom, although, meron nang pagpapayag that the, I mean, the day before, right..pumayag iyong tatay. So we see here a comparison. Verses 1 to 9 shows the patriarchy, the ruling of the father, father Abraham, and then verses 50 to 60, we see a fratriarchy, the leading of a brother, right..which was Laban. The father-ruled family, Abraham’s family, provided clear direction. Si Abraham ang nagbigay ng klarong direksiyon , ‘eto’ng gagawin natin, naiintindihan ko what’s happening now.’ It provided perpetuity to the promise of God; find a wife for my son, Isaac, while the brother-led family of Laban, I mean, they were confused. It was confusing, really. Laban was trying to delay Rebekah’s departure despite of the clarity of the providence of God. I mean, they themselves said: oh, that was, that’s from, that thing is from the Lord! And then natulog lang. Nakatanggap lang ng napakaraming mga gifts, ten days pa..right.. We see here a comparison of what God’s design really is..should be really. And that is my message this afternoon. God’s design for every family is to be father-led, father-ruled or husband-ruled. Again, God’s design for every family is to be father-ruled or husband-ruled. Ang pamumuno ng ama o ng asawang lalake sa bawat pamilya ay ang disenyo ng Panginoon.
Now what kind of father-rule are we referring to? That’s my first point, Patriarchal succession. And ano ang dapat ang hindi natin gayahin? That’s my second point, Paternal subordination.
Let’s consider the first point, Patriarchal Succession. Remember, God promised Abraham many descendants who will live in the Promise Land, in Canaan. And so since Abraham had faith in God, Abraham had faith in the promise of God, Abraham assures that God’s promise of descendants and the land will continue. Ina-assure ni Abraham, na, okay, eto iyong promise ng Panginoon, magpapatuloy ito. Magpapatuloy ang aming occupation of the land of promise. Magpapatuloy, magiging totoo ang sinasabi ng Panginoon na promise na dadami ang descendants ko, ano ang gagawin ko? Maghahanap ako ng asawa for my son. That’s what Abraham did, right. He was so involved in the succession of his line, of the continuity of the Promise of God. And as the head of the family, he was so involved. He makes such decisions to direct his entire family… ‘oh, hindi pwedeng hindi siya papayag na hindi siya titira ng Canaan huh. Kapag walang pumayag na babalik dito, huwag na, You’re from your oath, servant, right’ And this is also how every family should be – father-ruled, husband-ruled. Ruled in a way that the father, or husband is so involved that the promise of God continues in his family. Of course Abraham was like this because he believed in the promise of God na maraming descendants. He believed in the promise that the land will be given to them so it led him to act on it by finding Rebekah.Same with us, brethren, same with us, friends, who believe in the promise of God. Kapareho tayo na naniniwala tayo sa promise ng Panginoon. However, we’re not referring to the promise of having many descendants, that is not promising us na magkakaroon tayo ng maraming descendants. However, it’s not a promise referring to the promised land. God is not promising that we will own the land of the Philippines forever. Hindi po ganoon. Rather, the promise of God of salvation in Jesus Christ. Iyon ang promise. Do we believe that promise? Do we believe that we are saved by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone? That our sins are forgiven by Him? That our sins have been paid for by the blood of Christ? If we believe that, then we must make sure that the proclamation of this good news must continue also in our homes. And fathers must assume such responsibility just as Abraham assumed that responsibility and was so involved in the direction of his family. Ganoon din ang mga ama. Ganoon din ang mga asawang lalaki. Mas dapat sobrang involved tayo sa ating mga pamilya. Dapat nagp-perpetuate ang gospel proclamation sa inyong mga tahanan. Again, if you believe in that promise of God. But if you don’t, if you don’t believe that, that promise of God that there is salvation in Jesus Christ, if you do not believe such, know that we are all deserving of the wrath of God because of our sins. And apart from God’s provision of salvation in the Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, we will receive such wrath, such eternal wrath. But by His grace, by His grace, He gave us Jesus Christ who lived a sinless life and died on the cross on our behalf. If you don’t believe that, ang call ko sa inyo ngayon is to believe it. Because it is true that you are a sinner just like all of us. Kung naniniwala ka na oo nga, sinuway ko nga ang batas ng Panginoon. Totoo nga, oh yes, totoong tayo ay makasalanan. At ang kasalanan ay may kabayaran. Eto’y kamatayan..second death to be specific. And that is eternity outside of the presence of God. Kung naniniwala ka by just reading the decalogue awhile ago, and you remember your sins by reading it, na oo nga totoo na makasalanan ako. Sasabihin ko rin sa iyo na totoo rin ang kabayaran niyan, totoo rin ang kabayaran niyan. Sasabihin ko rin, totoo rin ang kaligtasan. Totoo rin ang kaligtasan na ibinibigay sa atin ng Panginoon, na ino-offer ng Panginoon ngayon sa iyo. Tumalikod ka sa iyong kasalanan at maniwala ka sa Kaniyang provision, na ang Panginoong Hesus lamang ang kayang magligtas sa iyong kasalanan..hindi mo kaya, hindi mo kaya. And if you are a Christian, you are called to make sure that the gospel message extends to the next generation. Gaya ni Abraham, he made sure that the promise extends to the next generations. Now if you are a Christian father, you are called to make sure that the gospel message is known in your household.
Malinaw iyan sabi ni Paul sa Ephesians chapter 6 verse 4. Sabi niya – Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. I mean kakatapos lang niya sabihin sa kaniyang letter to the church of Ephesus after niya sabihin ‘Wives, submit to your husbands, for they are the head of the family just as Christ is the head of the family just as the church submits to the, to Christ; so to the wives must submit to the husband. Kakatapos lang din niya sabihin na husband, love your wives as Christ loves the church for He gave Himself up for her. After niyang sabihin ito, sinabi rin niya, children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. And then fathers, wow, siningle-out ang fathers ni Paul. Of course it didn’t mean ‘oh, mothers, alis ka muna huh. Wala kang papel dito fathers lang ito. No, of course not.’ First Timothy chapter 2 tells us He calls out the women to reclaim the blessedness of their roles at home by making sure that their children grow having self-control, love and faith. So Paul wasn’t saying, oh mothers can, should not bring them, bring the children up in the knowledge of the Lord, no! But He singles out the fathers here! Kasi ang context nito, sinasabi Niya, una, the husband is the head of the wife, by implication, the husband is the head of the entire family. It means that the father must make sure that there is a bringing up in saving knowledge of God intheir homes. It doesn’t need, it doesn’t mean that the husband must do the homeschooling. It doesn’t mean that the husband must always, ah, must be the only one na magtuturo sa kanyang anak, no. But he has to make sure that that is happening in their home. Fathers, bring them up in the saving knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Sinabi rin ni Paul dito that children can be provoked, yes, in many ways. Provoking involves failure of parental guidance by the father. So see, the point is that ensuring that the gospel continues to the next generation is a ministry primarily given to parents, must be headed by the father, the husband. In fact, it’s not the church. Yes, we do have such responsibility to make sure that the gospel extends to the next generation, that is true. But primarily? That is given to the parents, to the fathers. Supplement lamang ang mga sabbath schools, ang mga Sunday schools sa mga church. We should not think na ‘okay, uma-attend naman ang aking mga anak sa kids’ Sabbath school, that’s fine..meron na siyang, ah, atleast narinig na niya ang gospel for the rest of the week’..no! Hindi po mga kapatid. Ito po ay ministry na ibinigay specifically sa mga parents. And of course we can say na ‘paano natin gagawin iyon. Of course, we apply, for example Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 4 onwards. That when you sit, make sure that the child knows that the Lord is one, that the gospel is the way to salvation. When you sit down, when you rise, ibig sabihin, ilagay mo pa sa door post iyan. Sinasabi dun sa Deuteronomy chapter 6 whatever you do at home, make sure that the gospel is lived out. That the child can see the gospel in the four corners of your home. But let me share to you the best way to proclaim the gospel to your children. And let us also extend that being the call is for the fathers and husband ruling in their home. Let us also extend this also to your wives, to your entire family. The best way to proclaim the gospel to them, to your children, even to your wife, to the entire family is worship. It is worship! To bring them to worship is to bring them to God! To bring them to worship is to assure that they will hear the gospel! And most importantly, to bring them to worship is to witness to them a gospel- centered, gospel-centered church-involved life. That’s what you’re telling the next generation. This is gonna be our life anak. We’re gonna be your parents who have church life. ‘Ganito ang ating magiging buhay, anak.’ That is how, that is the best way to proclaim the gospel to your entire family. You know, when you want to children to learn how to swim, where do we bring them? Pwede sa bed..practice, pag water bed, tama ba? Water bed? Ayun, water bed. But really, saan mo sila papupuntahin? Sa swimming pool or sa beach. When you want them to learn basketball, papupuntahin mo ba sila sa volleyball court? Of course sa basketball court. When you want them to learn the gospel, you bring them to a place where the gospel is preached..where you are so sure that the gospel will be preached. So challenge ko sa lahat, specifically sa ating parents, maraming parents, maraming married couples. Parents, especially fathers, especially husbands, see to it that your family worships the Lord! See to it that your family does not miss worship! Husbands, see to it that your wife worships the Lord; in fact that’s your primary task, primary role as a husband. Love your wife as Christ loves the church and then Pauls us anong klaseng pagmamahal iyon. It’s a transforming love, it’s a sanctifying love. It’s a love that changes them. And they can be changed by the Word of God, by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. See to it that your children attend worship! Again, this falls ultimately on the responsibility of the husbands, of the fathers, who are given the authority to lead their homes. And you know, we become a hindrance to this when fathers or husbands do not heed to the call of God to worship Him. Kung tayo mismo, do not expect your wife or even your children to worship God. Kung tayo din ay nagkakaprublema dito kapatid, kaibigan, we will become hindrance to them. It’s like we are the ones who are stopping the children to come to Christ. Whereas Christ was saying, ‘oh let the children come to me’..and there you are stopping the children. What’s the difference? Ganun tayo if we ourselves do not worship the Lord. We become so busy, we think that there are more important things to do. We become busy doing these ‘important’ things, that when children come to us, the children, para sa atin, sila iyong hindrance doon sa mga ginagawa natin. In Tagalog, minsan napaparamdam natin baka ‘no? istorbo. Whereas, in fact, sila yung misyon! Sila yung misyon! Wag natin iyon kakalimutan kapatid. Of course not everyone may have a Christian father. Not everyone here may have a christian husband, not everyone may have a husband, not everyone is married. But as church members, you witness also to young kids in the church too. Singles who want to be married soon at gustong magkaroon ng pamilya, gustong magkaroon ng anak, ngayon pa lang, value the worship gathering. Make it something, something na hindi mahirap na transition from being a single to now being married…your own worship. Because it’s something that you have been doing the rest of your life. And then now, there is a change of lifestyle, you’re now married. Patuloy ang pagsamba mo sa Panginoon. Alam ko na maraming I think ikakasal next year. 2023 is the year, right? The year of ano ba? Of marriage? weddings? So ikaw ay nagp-pray na ikakasal, remember if you are the head of the family, you have been given this wonderful, this great authority from God lo lead your family to Christ.
You know, in the time of the Puritans, sobrang pinahalagahan nila ang family worship, mga kapatid, as in sobra. And they were in a time na talagang persecuted sila. Na may mga time na bawal sila na mag-meet. That urged them na mas lalo talagang dalhin ang worship sa kani-kanilang mga tahanan, mag family worship, ‘no? Ang tanong ko, kailangan bang dumating tayo sa ganoon? Kailangan ba dumating tayo sa ganung pamumuhay? Alam niyo, iyong panahon ng mga Puritans kagaya nina Richard Baxter, they worship in the morning and of the Lord’s day, and then ang next worship nila? vesper, gabi! Nasaan sila nang hapon? Nasa kaniyang mga tahanan. Iyong iba nagfe-fellowship. Wala sa Black Scoop. Sila ay nasa kanilang mga tahanan at nagfa-family worship ng hapon. Bakit? Bakit? Kasi mayroon silang heart for the next generation, for their children. Ganoon na lamang that they really want their children to know, to hear and most importantly to believe in the gospel. If you are a parent and I know that you are praying for your children, I know..kung talagang pinagp-pray natin ang ating mga anak, anong gagawin natin to make sure that they’re dwelling in the Word of God? Worship with them, bring them to church. Parents, house your heart for the kids. Fathers, husbands, do you, kayo mismo, do you diligently worship God? Are we being good witnesses to the young generation? Or are we the ones discouraging them to worship God? Iyon ang masakit kung tayo pa mismo ang nagiging cause ng ating pamilya. You know, this is the blessedness of a patriarchal home, of a father-led home. God designed it in a way that the parents, specifically fathers, must look to Christ’s compassion, Christ’s love and bring their children to that knowledge of love to Christ. Binigyan specifically ng Panginoon ng headship ang ama, ang asawang lalaki to make sure that that happens. Oh yes, there will be struggles, there will be struggles, of course. Hindi iyon madali. That’s why the call is for the husbands to always focus on the true Head , of the Head of the church, look to Jesus Christ, and see what He is like. See His Headship. How does He give directions to the church. Fino-force ba Niya, or does He teach them, does He feed them with His Word? Look to our Lord and SaviourJesus Christ. He leads with authority, and yet with love.
The headship of Abraham is not the only headship we see in this chapter. There are two fathers in the story. We see another father in verses 50 to 60. Second point, our last point is Paternal Subordination.
Many times it was emphasized in this chapter that Rebekah was the daughter of Bethuel. And then in verse 50, we see Bethuel, the father of Rebekah, together with Laban recognizing that it was the providence of God that led the servant and Rebekah to meet. Sabi Nilan ni Bethuel at ni Laban, the brother, ‘Rebekah is before you, take her and go.’ Ayan huh, mayroon nang word ang father “go” okay. The servant was so happy, and as a custom he provided gifts. Verse 53, sabi doon to Laban, the brother and to the mother. After makuha yung “yes’ yung “go” ni tatay, after noon, binigay yoong regalo kay Laban tsaka doon sa nanay. Kinabukasan, after lang natulog, Laban and the mother retracted the decision. They were now asking Rebekah to stay for at least ten days. While Rebekah ended up deciding for herself for she too recognized that this is the providence of God. I think again, we have an obvious problem here.
Someone’s missing. Someone’s missing. The father of Rebekah was missing. Bethuel’s missing. In fact, he allowed his son Laban and even his wife, to make such decisions for the family. And by the way marriage
was, and IS a major decision. So again, there’s a comparison here. Abraham who knew that his authority is from God, became so involved being a father. Well obviously Bethuel deserted. This is why we must understand that headship comes from God. Abraham understood it. That’swhy he invloved himself. He knew that his authority is not something that he earned, his authority was something that was given, delegated by God Himself. Obviously, Betuel did not understand that. Again, this is why we must understand that headship comes from God. And true headship, true headship happens when a father, when a husband leads on God’s behalf to provide direction for the family. The man is NOT there to implement his own laws, his own ideas of authority.
The man is there in behalf of God. The woman is there to submit to the husband’s authority yes, but it’s an authority that comes from God. This means that if the husband subordinates, that if the husband resigns from his role, it’s not that he’s just resigning from an arbitrary authority, rather he’s not heeding, he’s not exercising, he’s not implementing God’s authority. And this also means that if a wife disrespects, or takes that authority, she’s not really trying to dethrone the husband. It’s God whom she is trying to dethrone. This is why it is so important that the head of the family must assume headship. He must direct. He must make decisions, but no, it doesn’t mean that he has all wisdom, let me just be clear. Pag ang lalaki ay ikinasal sa kaniyang asawang babae, yes, authority, pak! Meron na kaagad. But wisdom, oh no! Authority does not equate to having all wisdom, right. It means that the husband must also accept counsel. It could be that the wife may have more wisdom. But that does not negate the fact that the husband has authority to direct and make decisions. Proverbs 12:15 – The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. Yes even a man, who is the head of the family, who has the authority from God. He can indeed in his headship, he can delegate things to his wife, that’s true. Hindi ibig sabihin na okay, dahil fathers, bring them up, bring your children up in the knowledge of Christ, okay, sige, ako na lagi ang magtuturo sa kanya, sa mga anak natin everyday, ako na ang mag ho-homeschool..hindi ibig sabihin ganoon. The husband’s headship means that he can definitely delegatenthings to his wife. He doesn’t need to do everything. But he must oversee everything. And what he shouldn’t delegate is his authority. That’s what happened. And most importantly you must, the head must mirror the headship of our Lord and Savioiur Jesus Christ, which is not an overbearing authority. It is not a loveless authority, but a godly one. A sacrificial one. A loving authority. Ephesians 5 – after Paul tells us the husband, that the headship of the husband is patterned from Christ’s headship, he immediately says that it is a kind of headship that seeks the good of the wife and family. That sanctifies the wife and the family, just as Christ sought the good of His own, just as Christ sanctifies His own. That is the headship of Christ that every head of the family, father, husband must imitate. It is the headship of Christ. If you are a father, if you are a husband, you have been given such authority. And you must understand that such headship is in behalf of God. Dineligate sa iyo iyan ng Panginoon. Kaya hindi mo dapat, hindi ka dapat mag-abdicate sa iyong role na i-delegate mo pati ang iyong authority na Iyan sa iyong asawa or worse, sa iyong anak. If you have a job now, and one day you decided, ‘okay, I’ll will be there, papasok ako ng office,” but you’re not gonna do your job. But you’re there. It’s the same thing when a father, when a husband deserts from his headship. He may be there, and yet not assume responsibility. Challenge ko sa ating mga fathers and husbands, do not desert your headship, rather assume your God- given responsibility by loving your family. When I say desert, I’m not talking about divorce, I’m not talking about separation, those extreme forms of desertion. I’m talking about abdicating from your role as the head. And let us remember that imitating the headship of Christ is not separate from imitating the love of Christ. Kasi, kung nakikita natin na pwedeng ipaghiwalay iyon, then that’s the problem. And that’s the usual problem. But we assume headship and yet without love. Without love at all. Kaya nga sinigurado ni Paul, you are the head, you are responsible of your family, sa direksiyon ng iyong pamilya, katulad ng headship ni Christ and then husbands, love your wives as Christ loves the church. Beware of sin that destroys the headship and the love at home. Without love, you will be an authoritarian. Iyon ang prublema, yung sin, walang pagmamahal. Sabi ni William Gouge sa kaniyang book na Building a Godly Home, he said, and I quote, “Where this lack of love is, no duty can be performed well. They that think of love as having little importance show that there is little or no love of God in them at all” Medyo mabigat yung kaniyang sinasabi. If we are patterning the headship..if we think that we are exercising the authority of Christ in our homes, and yet, we’re not loving in a way that Christ loves the church, feeding them with the Word, making sure that the gospel permeates in the household, then we’re not really doing the headship of Christ. It’s not really, it’s not really the love na katulad ng love ng Panginoon na sinasabi ni William Gouge. We can’t separate that. It should be a loving headship, aa loving authority. First Peter chapter 3, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way. Live with your wives in an understanding way knowing that they are weaker vessels. Scriptures recognise that the women are the weaker vessels. Weaker in a sense emotionally, right. I mean even in physical strength. Mostly, that’s how God designed it to be. And so the husband shouldn’t just show na siya ay may awtoridad sa kaniyang tahanan. Rather live with their wives in an understanding way, loving the wives as Christ loves the church.
So how about us? Husbands, fathers, when a wife struggles with unsubmissiveness and that will happen, that will happen. When a wife struggles with unsubmissiveness, should the head of the home shout? Speak louder? Get bigger? So that the wife would understand submissiveness? Para maintindihan nila kung sino talaga ang head ng tahanan na ito? Should the husband (eto yung other extreme), should the husband then desert from his authority and surrender if a wife struggles with unsubmissiveness? ‘Sige bahala na..ipagp-pray ko na lang. Ganun ba? No. The blessedness of a patriarchal home is that the husbands are called to love the wife like Christ despite of the unsubmissiveness of the people of God. And by the grace of God, your love for your wife, God may use it, may use such love to showcase the gospel at home. Iyon ang kagandahan ng patriarchal home, when the family is lead by the husband and by the father, it perfectly fits, it perfectly pictures the gospel to your home. But if you’re struggling with heaadship, brother, remember Jesus Christ who assumed His headship. Remember Jesus Christ who assumed responsibility by loving His bride.
And most importantly, Jesus Christ who did not desert His headship. Remember Him who will never desert His headship. Jesus Christ gives godly directions in His Word, the head of the family must give Christ’s directions as well. Just as Christ gave Himself up for the Bride, the head of the family must give himself up too. Must love his wife, and his family. If you struggle with this, return to the gospel, and stand firm in having a patriarchal home. If you’re a single man, pray..pray and see the common standard in the Scriptures. Understand the headship of Christ, being a single man, pray that if God will sit. Study Ephesians 5, be counseled, be with married men in the church. Fellowship with them, learn from them. If you’re getting ready to be married next year, if you’re a single woman, pray, read Proverbs 31, Ephesians 5, 1Peter 3, 1Timothy 2. Read the Scriptures. Be with older women, Titus 2 discipleship. It is older women who disciples the younger women, teaching them to be submissive to their husbands. Be with the church. Let us be a church that cultivates and that promotes headship in the family, promotes godly submission for wives in the family. Let us be that kind of church.
The gospel brings to mind the beautiful design of a patriarchal home. This is why it is so important that we continue preaching the gospel every Sunday, every Lord’s day because pag-uwi natin sa bahay, iyon ang maa-apply natin heh. The husband will love his wife more and the wife will submit to the husband more. The love grows, the submission grows, just as we are fed continously of the gospel. It brings to mind the beautiful design of a patriarchal home because Jesus Christ Himself is the Head who governs God’s house with godly authority and love. All fathers and husbands then, must look to God for He is the primary standard of godly fathering and holy husbanding.
Let us pray.
Great God and gracious Father, thank you Lord for this great opportunity to be reminded of what Your design is for every home. Thank you Lord that father, the father leading the husband their homes in a Christ-like way is a ..Your design oh Lord for us to see the gospel better. Lord, I pray that You would enable the husbands in this church, the fathers in this church to always look to Christ and see their good, great example of leadership, of headship. Lord, I pray for the wives here. I pray that they would also look to the gospel. See the submission of the church. And better see the better and perfect submission of Christ to the Father so that they can also submit to their husbands. Lord, I pray for the single men and women of this church. I pray Lord that they will not forget these Scripture verses. That they will always be reminded of these passages. Lord, if You, if it is Your will for them to be married oh Lord, I pray that such passages will remain in their hearts. That they will always look to the gospel and see that heavenly pattern that You have given all of us. And Lord, save our children. Lord, may You grant repentance and faith. Lord, enable the parents to minister to their children, bring them to worship every Lord’s day but also be with them in their home, preach the gospel to them, not just in words but also in deeds. And so Lord, we praise You for Your goodness and grace and mercy in our lives. We pray all these in Jesus’ Name, amen.