Family Issues

Family Issues Teacher’s Manual Family Issues Contents The First Family Lesson 1 – The First Family……………………………………..3-7 Lesson 2 – The Restoration of the Home……………………....8-11 Marriage Issues Lesson 3 – The Covenant of Marriage……………………….12-18 Lesson 4 – Role Relationships in Marriage………………….19-26 Lesson 5 – Loving as Christ Loved…………………………...27-32 Lesson 6 – Communication in Marriage……………………..32-37 Lesson 7 – Resolving Conflict in Marriage…………………..38-44 Lesson 8 – Ingredients of a Successful Marriage……………45-51 Lesson 9 – Sex in Marriage……………………………...........52-59 Lesson 10 – Maintaining First Love in Marriage…………...60-66 Child Rearing Issues Lesson 11 – Parental Responsibilities………………………...67-74 Lesson 12 – The Value of Children…………………………...75-82 Lesson 13-14 – Child Discipline……………………………... 83-95 Lesson 15 – The Atmosphere of the Home……………….....96-104 Lesson 16 – Developing the Spiritual Life of the Home…..105-109 Lesson 17 – Guiding Your Children to Destiny…………...110-115 Lesson 18 – Keys to Successful Family Life……………….116-123 Other Family-Related Issues Lesson 19-20 – Christian Principles of Dating…………….124-133 Lesson 21 – Divorce, Remarriage and Reconciliation…….134-141 Lesson 22 – The Blended Family…………………………...142-148 Lesson 23 – Grand Parenting……………………………….149-153 Lesson 24 – The Ministry of the Family…………………....154-158 Family Issues © Bill Scheidler 2 Teacher’s Manual Lesson 1 The First Family I. Why is it so important to place an emphasis on marriage and the family? A. Because the family is and always will be the basic building block of society. If the family collapses, society collapses. B. Because God places a high value on the family. We want to value what God values. God is into this thing called “family.” He designed it, created it and wants to use it for His glory. C. Because as the family goes, so goes the church. The church is God’s instrument in the earth to fulfill His eternal purpose. The church is made up of people and families. If the families are not powerful, the church will not be powerful. D. Because the modern world is trying to redefine the family. The traditional concept of family that corresponds to the biblical concept of family is “the group comprising a husband and wife and their dependent children, constituting a fundamental unit in the organization of society.” It is this definition that is under attack in today’s world. The following quotes are from U.S. News and World Report, May 9, 1983 (nearly 25 years ago) defining what the family will look like in 2033. “On a spring afternoon, half a century from today, the Joneses are gathering to sing ’Happy Birthday’ to Junior. There’s Dad and his third wife, Mom and her second husband, Junior’s two half brothers from his father’s first marriage, his six step sisters from his mother’s spouses previous unions, 100 year old Great- Grandpa, all of Junior’s current ‘Grandparents,’ assorted aunts, uncles-in-laws and step-cousins. While one robot scoops up the gift wrapping and another blows out the candles, Junior makes a wish…that he didn’t have so many relatives.” The article goes on to say that… “Relationships then will be in a confusing tangle as a result of people living longer and changing mates to suit the seasons of their life. Serial marriages, a growing trend even now, will be a normal and planned-for part of adulthood. Tomorrow’s children will grow up with several sets of parents and an assortment of half and step siblings.” “Over the next five decades, experts say, society will redefine its concept of the family. Through the pattern of divorce and remarriage, a whole network of kinship will arise. There will be double sets of grandparents, aunts, uncles and brothers and sisters, as well as former in-laws and ex-spouses—all of them making up the new divorce-extended family.” Family Issues © Bill Scheidler 3 Teacher’s Manual “Although these family networks will be larger, ‘natural families’ will be smaller as couples decide to have fewer children—or, no children at all…Beyond the traditional unit of Mom, Pop and the kids, sociologists see a growth of nonfamily- type households—group marriages, gay parents, unmarried couples, communes of close friends, and a growing number of single parents.” E. Because cultural forces (inspired by the devil) are undermining the success of the family. 1. The busyness of our lifestyles 2. The focus on materialism (things are more important than relationships) 3. The excessive divorce rate 4. The proliferation of electronic entertainment (a high-tech/low-touch society) 5. The dual income culture 6. The TV model of family 7. The educational system and its lack of absolutes 8. The culture of comfort that wants everything the easy way 9. The overall selfishness of the individual 10. The “rights” movements that empower children (children feel that the family should be run by “democracy”) 11. The debt society (indebtedness makes us slaves to the debt) 12. The context of the last days (II Tim. 3:1-5). You should also know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control; they will be cruel and have no interest in what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act as if they are religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. You must stay away from people like that. –NLT II. What is the foundation for the first family? The foundation for the first family is God Himself (Eph. 3:14-15). For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named… A. The pattern for the first family is found in the Godhead—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 1. The Father reveals the nature of true fatherhood (Deut. 32:6; Ps. 68:4-6; 103:13; Pro. 3:12; Is. 64:8; Mal. 2:10; I Cor. 1:3). But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand. Isaiah 64:8 Family Issues © Bill Scheidler 4 Teacher’s Manual Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I Corinthians 1:3 2. The Son reveals the nature of true sonship (Ps. 2:7; Is. 7:14; 9:6; Mt. 3:17; John 1:14, 18; 3:16; 17:1-7). Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 3. The Holy Spirit reveals the “feminine” side of God. While all of the persons of the Godhead are always referred to in the masculine gender, there is no question that the Holy Spirit bears many of the attributes of motherhood. a. The Holy Spirit brooded over the face of the earth much like a mother hen would brood over her chicks (Gen. 1:2). The earth was without form and an empty waste, and darkness was upon the face of the very great deep. The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters. –AMP b. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter much like the mother who comforts her young (Is. 66:12-13; John 16:7). I will comfort you there as a child is comforted by its mother. Isaiah 66:13 c. The Holy Spirit is the gentle, dove-like member of the Godhead (Mt. 3:16, Compare Song 6:9). d. The Holy Spirit is the one who gives birth to spiritual young (John 3:5, 6, 8). e. The Holy Spirit is the one who brings forth the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). B. The vision for an extended family was found in the heart of the Father (Gen. 1:26- 28). The first time that the Bible says that “it is not good for a man to be alone,” it was God talking to Adam (Gen. 2:18). God had a desire for extended relationship. 1. God desired offspring in His image. 2. God desired His offspring to reproduce to fill up the earth. 3. God desired that His offspring would reach a place of maturity to reflect His character and nature. 4. God desired to have an intimate relationship and communion with His offspring. Family Issues © Bill Scheidler 5 Teacher’s Manual 5. God desired that His offspring would enter into a God-like function of ruling and reigning. 6. God desired that His offspring would eventually qualify as a bride for the Eternal Son of God. III. What did the first family on earth look like? A. God began by creating the man (Gen. 2:7-8; I Tim. 2:13). Along with that, God created a desire in man for the woman. For God made Adam first, and afterward he made Eve. I Timothy 2:13 B. God created the woman from the man (Gen. 2:20-23; I Cor. 11:9). The Hebrew word for woman literally means “from man.” And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.

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