How can we build our homes on Jesus, our Rock?

In my devotion last week I mentioned a comment from Bible Class where a member of the class had noted that, “The foundation of our society is crumbling.” Some people might question that assertion. “Really? What do you mean society is crumbling?” Well, on Oct. 1 we witnessed in horror as a man in Las Vegas shot and wounded over 600 people, according to the last count I saw. On Nov. 6 a man entered First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, and shot worshipers, killing 26. This past week, on Tuesday, Nov. 14, a man in California killed four people, wounding nearly a dozen, as he tried, but was prevented from, attacking a school. That is evidence to me that our culture is changing for the worse.

My wife, Kathy, commented, “Obviously, something is different that all these shootings are happening.” Please consider recent past history. The Pledge of Allegiance was adopted by Congress in 1942, and in 1954 the words, “one nation, under God,” were added. Is the Pledge of Allegiance even spoken in schools these days? Our national motto found on currency is, “In God we trust.” This motto was adopted by the U.S. Congress in 1956. Ignoring for a moment the arguments about Church and State, these actions show that 50-60 years ago the people of the United States held dearly to faith as the foundation for their lives. Most would say our country stood on a Judeao-Christian ethic. But, for many reasons, today public faith is often dis-allowed or rejected. When the soul of a nation rejects the guidance of God who created and who saved us, we should not be surprised when our culture falls apart.

Changing a culture so that it is once again healthy is a big job for an individual, or for a small group of individuals. God can accomplish such a change, and He does answer prayer. But, there are other areas where we can be more effective, and in fact, areas where we are more needed. When our culture is falling apart, it is even more important that we build our homes and families on Jesus, our Rock.

Please don’t think this is a new idea. Throughout Scripture God calls people to live their faith and to teach this faith to children. In Proverbs 22:6, for example, God’s wisdom teaches us, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (See also Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 11:18-22, Proverbs, 22:15). Through Paul, God instructs parents, specifically fathers, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4) Throughout time God has called for homes to be built on faith in His love, and for parents to teach children about Him.

How can we build our homes on Jesus, our Rock? I saw recently where the pastor of King of Kings Lutheran in Wasilla suggested, on this 500^th anniversary of the beginning of the Reformation, that we need to continue the Reformation, or start a new one. I hear God saying that this Reformation, or revival even, needs to start in our homes. The Scripture reading usually read on Reformation Sunday is John 8:31-32. Here Jesus calls disciples of all time, saying, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." We build homes on Jesus by holding to Jesus’ teachings.

So, how do we hold to Jesus’ teaching in order to build our homes on Jesus? First, we cannot just speak our faith in words. We need to live our faith in actions. In 1983, when I became pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Jacksonville, Florida, I visited the homes of members. One home I visited had two recently confirmed daughters who were not attending worship. The dad said, “I’m not sure why they don’t attend church anymore. I dropped them off at church every week.” I asked him, “Did you attend yourself?” “Well, no” he answered “But I dropped them off.” Faith is taught best when it is “caught,” In other words, parents need to set an example for children. Wives and husbands need to set an example for each other. When one roommate is regular in worship, it influences the roommate who may not have an active faith. So, in order for parents to teach children to have Jesus as their Rock, parents need to live this reality. Regular worship by parents teaches children the importance of God for our lives. Regular attendance in SundaySchool and Bible Class by one spouse, influences the other spouse. We build our homes on Jesus, our Rock, when we don’t just speak our faith, but live it. And, it is never too late to start.

If you read the Bible verses above, we learn that faith is spoken not just in the place of worship, but also in the home. We hold to Jesus’ teaching when we read His word and have devotional time in our homes. We hold to Jesus’ teaching when we pray individually and together in our homes. When we allow the wisdom and love of God to speak to us in our homes, through His Word and prayer, this helps build our homes on Jesus.

Faith is not just private, either. When our children and spouses and the members of our homes see us living our faith through lives of honesty and integrity in our community, that example teaches faith in Jesus, and builds our homes. When our children and spouses and the members of our homes see us willing to witness to God’s love with gentle and respectful words of faith, that example also teaches faith in Jesus, and builds our homes.

There is no guarantee that when we live and teach God’s law and His love that our children or spouses or others will necessarily take that faith as their own. But, it is guaranteed that if we do not live our faith in words and actions, the members of our households are less likely to know Jesus and build their lives on Him.

We can debate whether or not the foundation of our society is crumbling. But it is obvious, now more than in the recent past, that we need to build our homes on Jesus, our Rock. The job of reforming our culture may seem too big. But, we know that it is vital that we not only speak, but live our faith in our homes. "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Jonathan Rockey is the pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer.