Sabbath: Keys to Family Unity
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Read for This Week’s Study: Gen. 33:12-14, Ruth 1:16-18, John 17:21-26, Gal. 3:28, Eph. 2:11-22, Eph. 5:21-6:9.
Memory Text: “That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me” (John 17:21, NKJV).
Family life represents different seasons of life for different people. For the mother and father, the introduction of children in their lives represents a major change, one that will last their lifetimes. And for the offspring, of course, going from nonexistence to existence is, indeed, a major transition. Then, too, children go through the various stages of life until they leave home and, indeed, might have children of their own.
Yet whether as parents or children in a family, we all struggle with the same thing, and this is our sinful fallen natures, which can make unity in family life very challenging, to say the least.
Yes, in the body of Jesus Christ on the cross all humanity has been reconciled to God and to one another (Eph. 2:13-16, Col. 1:21-23), but on a daily practical level we must appropriate for ourselves the grace of Christ, which alone can make family unity a living experience for all who seek it in faith. This must be a daily experience in our lives. Fortunately, through the grace of Christ, it can be.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, May 18.
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Eph 4:22-32
In real life, family life is often not the kiss and make up stuff that TV shows nowadays. For so many families, behind closed doors there is painful conflict. It shouldn’t really be surprising, because every family is comprised of mere mortals — imperfect people. And imperfect people regularly have conflicts.
Every family needs to deal with conflict at some time and at some level. Married couples fight as they try to merge two individuals into one couple. Parents disagree about how they should raise their children. Children fight with each other and their parents because they don’t get their own way!
Every family needs to be equipped to resolve conflict when they arise. Paul in Book of Ephesians tries to deal with sorts of relationships...deals with how an individual can function as a part of a church, a marriage, a family, a workplace and even in society.
There would be conflicts but how to solve it needs the Hand of God!
The family begins with two different individuals getting together , unite and become one as the Biblical principle says, and Jesus made it very clear. Uniting the differences (male and female)produces a very uniquely profound, very fabric of society that holds it together. That is what Devil Satan aimed to destroy and he did. The individual persons are two separate churches, unite into a family which must function as a church and we have a church made up of individuals and families as a church congregation. The FAMILY is that which hold society(ies) together. Broken Families result because of outside/external influences. One individual must realize that in order to be fully aware, the self MUST BE TAMED from inside. Jesus applied another principle. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. Young King Solomon responded very positively applying the same principle to God's question: What shall I give give you first as the new king. Solomon wasted no time. Give me wisdom to rule over Your/my people because I am small. I do not the goings in and goings out. Wisdom of God/Knowledge of God is the PRIORITY. It is the first thing man/person must pursue. It is within the person.
The leopard and the antelope.
Once upon a time, there lived a leopard and an antelope. The two wild animals were great friends. One day they decided to be sharing whatever they had.
Whenever the antelope got the honey, it would call the leopard and they would eat together and the leopard did the same thing when it got the meat.
The friendship between the two animals was well praised among the wild animals but one small animal decided to destroy it.
One day when the leopard called the antelope the hare quickly answered and told the leopard, "I don't need your rotten meat and never call me again!" The leopard was very angry. When the antelope called the leopard, the hare did the same.
The two animals became enemies for a long time and the hare was very happy to have destroyed their friendship.
Finally, the two animals met, talked and decided to destroy the enemy within.
They made a plan on how to trap the enemy. The antelope would call while the leopard would hunt the enemy.
The hare was finally caught and this time the leopard made a call, " Antelope! Come and eat the meat of our enemy!"
This is how Satan destroys the unity in our families.
Great story!May I borrow it to tell the children at church? The adults will be listening also.
"As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend." (Proverbs 27:17) In the environment of any family, friction abounds. The secret to healthy sharpening is remaining friends the whole time recognizing each other a part of an important unit in God's eyes. Sadly, for far too many families, the friction consumes and separates.
The title of the Sabbath School lesson for Tuesday "Selfishness: Family Destroyer" does not seem to be appropriate and not consistent with the title for Lesson 7 "Keys to Family Unit." Just a suggestion, title for Tuesday could have been, "Lowliness or Humility-Mind of Jesus."
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