~ February 15, 2015 ~
Hand-Me-Downs & Keepsakes
in a Christian Family
Psalms 71:17-18 17) O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. 18) Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.
INTRO:
1. Every family has received and passed on materialistic hand-me-downs and keepsakes along the way.
2. Some of you have keepsakes and hand-me-downs that you treasure greatly that your mamas and dads gave to you that you would not trade them for anything.
3. However, there are some Christian hand-me-downs and keepsakes that some people have had the privilege of receiving from a spiritual family member who loved the Lord. Their words, their work, and their ways you would not depart with for nothing in this world.
4. Their little spiritual hand-me-downs and keepsakes helps you to walk inspirationally, spiritually, and faithfully with the Lord to this day.
5. Some here have never had the privilege of living in a Christian home and getting these little tidbits of spiritual knowledge and keepsakes.
6. There are multitudes of this generation that’s coming up now that will never have these spiritual hand-me-downs and these powerful keepsake treasures to cherish.
7. I’m talking about memories of their family members worshipping the Lord – shouting, testifying, and praising God!
8. Some will never have the memory of their mother or dad reading the Word of God with tears in their eyes as their voice quivered as they spoke God’s precious words and testified.
9. Some will never have the keepsake memory of someone in their family praying from the heart over the food they ate.
10. Some will never know what it’s like to see a mom or dad make a family altar and pray heaven down or sing a gospel song and shout the praises of God.
11. These kind of spiritual hand-me-downs and keepsakes are rare and very hard to find in this wicked day we’re living in.
**Since we have declared this day as Family Day, I wanted all your families to gather round the Master’s table, and I wanted to give you some spiritual hand-me-downs and keepsakes to help you along in this journey!
**Since today is family day, I hope you make the most of it. I hope you go eat with your family, but I also hope you pass on some spiritual hand-me-downs and keepsakes to your children and your grandchildren.
**These spiritual hand-me-downs and keepsakes are not materialistic. Instead, they are words of truth that your family will remember you saying and treasure your words for the rest of their lives.
**If you can’t think of any, let me give you a few to pass on in this message. By the way, only a Christian family member who has lived for God can pass these along.
I. TELL YOUR FAMILY ABOUT A FAITH
II Timothy 1:5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.
**There’s Three Types Of Faith Verse Five.
1. I See An Ancestral Faith.
It “Dwelt First In Thy Grandmother Lois”
2. I See An Active Faith.
“And Thy Mother Eunice”
3. I See An Accepted Faith.
“In Thee Also”
**Did your grandparents have a faith that is a keepsake in your memory bank?
**Did your mother and dad have a faith that is a keepsake in your memory bank?
**Do you have a faith that your kids and grandkids can treasure as a keepsake in their memories of you?
**You cannot get into heaven on the faith and salvation of your grandparents or the faith of your parents just like your kids and grandkids cannot get into heaven based on your faith and salvation! (Everybody has to have their own faith and salvation!)
**However, you can hand down a keepsake memory of your faith and salvation that would help persuade your kids and grandkids to put their faith in Christ and to live by faith!!
A. Hand Down a Keepsake Memory of Saving Faith!
**I want my family to know beyond all doubt that I have a faith that SAVED me!
B. Hand Down a Keepsake Memory of Serving Faith!
**I want my family to know that I served God by faith!
C. Hand Down a Keepsake Memory of Sharing Faith!
**Apostle Paul shared his faith with every leader, king, jailer, inmate, Jew, and Greek he came in contact with!!
**I want my family to know I shared my faith!
**Will your family have a keepsake in their memories of knowing you had a Saving Faith, a Serving Faith, and a Sharing Faith?
II. TELL YOUR FAMILY ABOUT A FIRE
A. Tell Your Family about a Hell Fire!
Isaiah 14:9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
**Pass on to your family that Hell is real and prepared for:
1. Worldly People
**Lovers of Worldly Movies, Worldly Music, and Worldly Minds (such as beer, ball, and babes!)
2 . Wicked People
**Wicked Assassins, Attackers, Assailants, and Addicts!
3 . Wonderful People
**Some of those wonderful people that are going to hell are in the church, in the community, in the congress, and in the courthouse!
4 . Without People
a. People Without the Savior
b. People Without the Spirit
c. People Without the Salvation
B. Tell Your Family about a Heavenly Fire!
Jeremiah said in 20:9, But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones
**Let your family see this fire – the fire in the Scripture, the fire in the Singing, the fire in the Sermon, the fire in the Shouting!!
**Hand it down and make it a keepsake memory that Mama and Daddy said and sang, “The only fire I’ll ever feel is burning in my heart!”
III. TELL YOUR FAMILY ABOUT A FOE
** The Bible tells us that the Devil is our Adversary.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
A. He Has A Method
**He wants to cause you to doubt God.
Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
B. He Has A Means
**He still uses the same tactics he has always used.
1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
C. He Has A Motive
**He hates God and the Child of God.
**He wants to see your life . . .
1. In Dishonor
2. In Disgrace
**Make sure you hand these truths down to your family and they have it in their minds as a keepsake that you always warned them about a foe called Satan!
IV. TELL YOUR FAMILY ABOUT A FRIEND
A. Jesus is a Friend that Cleanses
I John 1:9 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
B. Jesus is a Friend that Cares
I Peter 5:7 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
C. Jesus is a Friend that Comforts
Psalms 94:19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.
D. Jesus is a Friend that’s Close
Proverbs 18:24 there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
**Give your family the keepsakes of your personal testimonies of how He has cleansed you, cared for you, comforted you and how He is close to you!
V. TELL YOUR FAMILY ABOUT A FOUNDATION
1 Corinthians 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
A. This Foundation is the Blood!
Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
B. This Foundation is the Bible!
II Timothy 3:16-17 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
**It’s a foundation that will tell you about Life, Love, and the Lord!
**Hand down your worn-out, underlined, note-filled, tear- stained Bible to your children and grandchildren!
**It is the greatest keepsake you can give them!
VI. TELL YOUR FAMILY ABOUT A FUTURE
I Corinthians 2:9 9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
A. Heaven is a Place of Beauty
It’s beautiful because it’s a place of . . .
1. Numerous Splendors 2. No Sickness
3. No Sorrows 4. No Separations
B. Heaven is a Place of Blessings
It’s a blessing because that’s where . . .
1. The Savior Lives! 2. The Saved Live!
**Hand down to your children and grandchildren a testimony that your future has been reserved in heaven!!
**It’s the greatest keepsake your family could ever have!!
CLOSE
1. Today we have declared it to be Family Day – a day to be with your family in God’s house.
2. I hope you take advantage of this day and get with your family and eat and fellowship together.
3. However, while you’re together, will you hand down a testimony and a keepsake about your Faith? About a Fire? About a Foe? About a Friend? About a Foundation? About a Future?
4. I’m not just talking about parents and grandparents. Young people can leave their keepsake testimony as well!
5. Everybody will leave behind either a good testimony or a bad testimony. Make sure your hand-me-down testimony is a keepsake!
