A Sunday Morning Sermon

Oakdale Church of Christ

Hebrews 13:4

Intro: God has established the family as His first institution on earth. Gen. 2

 (1) Because marriage is of God, it is worthy of my most noble aspirations and commitments, including my commitment to moral purity, marital fidelity, and Christ-like love for each family member.

 (2) Because marriage is a picture of Christ’s faithfulness to His bride, the Church, and because the family is a picture of the Father’s faithfulness to His children, we need to honor the Lord by being faithful and pure.

  1. MORAL PURITY STARTS WITH RESOLVE

 Daniel 1:8 “But Daniel purposed in his heart”

  1. A kingly decree is the foundation upon which this resolve is based. v. 3,4
  2. The world is the field upon which this resolve will be battled. v. 5
  3. The spirit of the world today makes being unfaithful an easy thing. Satan is at work destroying homes.
  4. MORAL PURITY IS STRENGTHENED BY RESOURCEFULNESS. v. 8-14

“Therefore he requested…that he might not defile himself.”

  1. Daniel makes an appeal. v. 8-10
  2. SO, appealing to God each day to be delivered from evil will keep one faithful in marriage.
  3. Daniel took specific action. v. 11,12
  4. Gen. 39:12 Joseph ran from the wicked wife of Potiphar.
  5. Daniel and the other three established a system of accountability. v. 13,14
  6. This is a good thing in the world in which we live. Be accountable to someone other than your spouse.

 III. MORAL PURITY IS FILLED WITH REWARDS. v. 15-21

“And Daniel had understanding…and continued even to the first year of Cyrus.”

  1. There is the inner reward. Proverbs 28:1 “The wicked flee when no man pur- sueth; but the righteous are bold as a lion.”
  2. SO, marriage partners faithful to each other have the reward of a clear conscience, sweet and unbroken communion and fellowship.
  3. There is the sure reward. Psalms 24:3-5
  4. One can “stand in the holy place” with joy, not fear.
  5. There is the influence reward. Daniel 1:19,20
  6. One solid life is of more value than many sermons. People see and are influenced by our lives. Romans 14:7 “No man liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself.”

POINT: When parents can show their children by the power of their influence in living a pure moral life, their testimony is an example for the children to follow.

            AMERICA NEEDS HOMES WHERE MORAL PURITY IS THE NORM !!!

-Danny Broussard lives in Cheneyville, LA and preaches for the Oakdale Church of Christ