John K. Jenkins Sr - The ABCs of Family - Part 2

A few weeks ago, I started this series on family, and part one, which I covered two weeks ago, was entitled «The ABCs of Family.» I’m going to pick up with part two. Tell your neighbor, «Today is part two.» Look at your neighbor and say, «Whatever you do, don’t fall asleep while the pastor is on.»

In part two, I’m going to revisit a little of what I covered two weeks ago. I want to thank the Health Ministry; they 've been here for three services, and we love how y 'all sit through these three sermons. I don’t know how you do it. I 'm preaching, and I’m trying to stay awake too. I 'm going to recap a little bit of what I covered and then give you more.

Now, today’s message is a narrative message. Somebody say «narrative.» I don 't have any specific points-well, I do have points, but I 'm not labeling them. Normally, when I talk to you, I say, «Here ' s point one, here 's point two, here 's point three.» I ' ve got a lot of points, but I didn’t number them, so just jot down whatever the Holy Spirit says to you. Go ahead and tell your neighbor, «Whatever the Spirit of the Lord says to you, write it down.»

Okay, Genesis chapter 2 is where I want to start. A couple of weeks ago, I talked about the ' A ' in the ABCs. I talked about Adam. God gave Adam an assignment -say «assignment.» That 's what the 'A' stands for. I mentioned to the single ladies last week, «Let me see where the single people are. Where are the single people at?» I said, «Don’t engage with a man who doesn’t know what his assignment is .» He should know what his life purpose is; until he does, he can’t figure out the purpose for his family.

So, I said you should have an assignment. I also mentioned-though I forget what I said because, you know, when you 're preaching two or three times, you forget what you said in previous services-but if I said it already, it’s okay. I 'm going to say it again. I’ve heard the choir sing that song many times. I’m not throwing shade; I 'm just stating that if y’all can sing «Giants» multiple times, I can preach the same sermon multiple times, right? If it 's worth saying the first time, it 's worth saying again.

I also mentioned that the assignment God gave Adam was to tend and keep the garden. That was his assignment. God placed him in the garden and told him to tend to it. The word «tend» means to serve, to work it. To «keep» the garden means to protect it. I think I told the single ladies: if you 're dating or courting someone, find out if they know what their assignment is. While you’re at it, see if they are tending to their mama or if their mama is tending to them. Oh, you better say it! Yeah, find out whose name the car is in that he’s driving.

I didn 't hear any amens on that point! So this is the crowd I’ve got to talk to. I want to know who 's paying the insurance on the car and in whose name the car is registered-amen? So, say «assignment.»

The 'B' in the ABCs stands for boundaries. Everybody should have boundaries. God gives us boundaries. God gave Adam boundaries. He said to Adam, «You can eat from all of these trees, but this tree here in the middle of the garden, leave that one alone.» He gave him some boundaries. Everybody should recognize that God gives us limitations and boundaries, and we must learn to respect and honor those boundaries.

In chapter 2-did I tell you to go to Genesis chapter 2? Did I mention Genesis chapter 2? The Lord God commanded the man, saying, «Of every tree of the garden, you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat. For in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die.» God gave Adam boundaries, and we all have restrictions and limitations. Then, I talked about a companion. The ' C ' in the ABCs stands for companion. God wants you to have a companion. It says in Genesis 2:18, «The Lord God said, 'It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him .'»

The fact is, God said it’s not good for a man to be alone. The word «alone» means that it 's not good for a man to be the chief of a city by himself. That 's an important point, because right after that, He created Eve and connected them together. God recognized that He never intended for a man to run the affairs of the world or of his family by himself, and men need to recognize that God never intended for you to make all the decisions without your spouse 's help. Amen? Thank all 15 of you for that amen!

That 's an important issue, because many families have men who don’t recognize that they need the help of their wives. I’m appreciative of the help from my wife.