What is family worship? (Click the arrow to the left)
As Christians, particularly Christian men, we are responsible to lead our households with strength and resolve in the ways of Christ. Leading our families in devotions and family worship is one way to lead our families, raising our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, Jesus Christ (cf. Deuteronomy 6:7; Ephesians 6:4).
In my house, we do morning and evenings. In the morning after we eat breakfast together, we all have our quiet times. We read our Bibles seperately and journal what we see. In the evenings before bed, we talk about what we saw in our morning Bible reading, I share my insight from my own devotional time, we ask questions from the New City Catechism, we sing a couple worship songs together, and then we pray as a family. Family worship doesn’t have to look like this. It may look different for every household, but I want to invite you to join me in leading our families well. Every weekday on this blog, I want to provide a guide for fathers to lead their families in some form of family worship. If your household doesn’t have a father, I believe the responsibility falls to the mother. Design a routine that works for your family, but be intentional about leading in the only way that matters instead of getting too caught up with the affairs of this world. Every Christian man is the pastor of his home. I believe the most important thing we can do for our children is (1) lead them in the home and (2) be faithful to the church as a family. As the family goes, so goes the nation. Our job as pastors to our family matters.
John 6:1-15
1 After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias).
2 A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the asigns which He was performing on those who were sick.
3 Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples.
4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near.
5 Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, *said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?”
6 This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do.
7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.”
8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, *said to Him,
9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?”
10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11 Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted.
12 When they were filled, He *said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.”
13 So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.
14 Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
15 So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.
Jesus miraculously fed the five thousand. I understand there are some people who make this a story of inspiration. The boy shared his meal, which inspired others to share and retrieve more food. By the end, twelve baskets were left over. But, I believe this to be a miracle. I believe Jesus actually multiplied the bread and fish. In verse 6, Jesus takes credit for what He is about to do. Jesus would be the one to do it. After the leftovers were gathered, the men who saw the sign Jesus did believed He was the prophet who is to come into the world.
“The prophet,” is very specific. The people were expecting the prophet to come into the world. My question is simple… What prophet were they expecting? In Deuteronomy 18:15 and following, God promised to raise up a prophet like Moses. I believe in Deuteronomy, God was referring to all the prophets because there was a warning for them to only speak God’s words. At this point, there hasn’t been a prophet like Moses since Malachi’s death 400 years prior. Now there is a man miraculously feeding people like manna from Heaven (Exodus 16:1ff). Because of the miracles, the people believe Jesus is the next prophet according to God’s promise through Moses. This is one reason Jesus always said things like, “I do not speak my own words, but the words of Him who sent Me.” Jesus was the next prophet to Israel, to the Jews. He was different from all the previous prophets. He was the last and perpetual prophet. There have been no new prophets since Jesus because Jesus was raised to life and remains in that office.
Today’s question from the New City Catechism:
Q- Why was it necessary for Christ, the Redeemer, to die?
A- Christ died willingly in our place to deliver us from the power and penalty of sin and bring us back to God.
Colossians 1:21-22 says,
21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,
22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—
Have a question about today’s devotional?
Alex Southern Baptist Chapel 
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