VIDEO RECORDING OF THIS SERMON
AUDIO RECORDING OF THIS SERMON
When the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” in Acts 16:30, they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house,” Acts 16:31. And, indeed, “all that were in his house,” Acts 16:32-33 were saved that night.
Often, it’s true that, when the Lord saves a person, other family members get saved, as well. So, we need to be aware of a few things affecting the salvation of our siblings, children, parents, etc. And thy house can be saved through your relationship to God:
If you’ll let God do with you what he wants – Gen 45:5-8 – When Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, he said, “God did send me before you to preserve life.” In Gen 50:10 Joseph said, “ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good.” The circumstances that God used to get Joseph to Egypt were harsh, to say the least.
Joseph was a dreamer and God gave him the ability to interpret dreams, He had to know the interpretation of his dreams in Gen 37:5-10. Being sold into slavery by his brothers and then being imprisoned on the false accusation of Potiphar’s wife had to be the furthest things from his mind. Yet, it is through these two events, coupled with the butler’s three-day incarceration and Pharaoh’s dreams, that Joseph ended up the second ruler in Egypt.
When we pray for the salvation of our families, we often pray, “Lord, do to them whatever it takes to get them saved or right with you.” But have you ever considered that God might have to do something to you to get them to turn to God?
If Joseph had fretted over the expectation of his dreams the entire time he was in slavery and prison, he would have never been able to preserve his family. We often think, because we are saved, we deserve special treatment and that our family members are the ones who must go through some trouble to turn to God. That’s not necessarily so. Let God do with you what he wants, and thy house might be saved.
If you’ll be more concerned for their souls than anything else – Jos 2:9-13 – Rahab’s family was spared in the fall of Jericho because she was more concerned with saving their lives than she was with saving her possessions. I realize that Rahab’s plea was urgent because of the imminent danger in Jericho. I also know that we don’t feel like our families are in immediate danger. We spend too much time with our families “jabbering,” as Bro Dickman used to say. We need to be more concerned for their souls than we are. Consider Paul’s burden for his kinsmen in Rom 9:1-3. We need to be preeminently concerned for their souls when we are with our families so that we don’t let opportunities to preach the gospel flitter away. Be more concerned for the souls of your family members and thy house might be saved.
If you’ll do what God wants you to do – Jn 7:5, Acts 1:14 – Jesus’ family finally came around but not till later. However, Jesus never veered from what God wanted him to do in order to try to reach them. So often, we veer from what God wants us to do, trying to convince our families, principally our children, to do what God wants them to do. It’s like you get sidetracked with your attention on them instead of on the Lord. Keep doing what God wants you to do. They may take years to come around. Jesus kept on pleasing his Father and eventually his brethren followed him. They had someone to follow who was following God. You keep doing what God wants you to do and thy house might be saved.
If they’ll do what God wants them to do – Gen 19:12-14 – Lot’s family had the opportunity to escape the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Though he was living in a wicked place, he was righteous and godly, 2 Pet 2:6-9. In other words, his family had a godly man they could follow. Yet, when he went to them to warn them to save their lives, “he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.” Consequently, they died in the the brimstone and fire. You can only do so much for your family. They are the ones who must decide whether to believe or not believe. And thy house will be saved if they do what God wants them to do, which is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Conclusion: from the scriptures, we have seen four things that are very important to consider when you pray for thy house to be saved. Let God do with you what he wants, be more concerned for their souls than anything else, keep doing what God wants you to do, and remember that thy house will be saved if they’ll also do what God wants them to do.