Introduction: How often do we hear that a factor of why we have a breaking society today is because families are not rightly employing their children in useful labor that in turn creates a close-knit unit? It turns out, not very often. But in the beginning, God had a plan that was practiced by Adam and Eve, and by the children of Israel that could keep these families in a perfect order with heaven and spread God’s messages to the masses. Today we are going to be looking throughout scripture to see the examples we have of a family business and what God’s original plan was for His children in being able to to express themselves in this world as well as to carry on the mission of Christ and His kingdom for eternity.
1 When God created mankind, where did He place them? Genesis 2:8, Genesis 2:15
Note: To the dwellers in Eden was committed the care of the garden, “to dress it and to keep it.” Their business was not wearisome, but pleasant and invigorating. God appointed labor as a blessing to man, to occupy his mind, to strengthen his body, and to develop his faculties. In mental and physical activity Adam found one of the highest pleasures of his holy existence. And when, as a result of his disobedience, he was driven from his beautiful home, and forced to struggle with a stubborn soil to gain his daily bread, that very labor, although widely different from his pleasant occupation in the garden, was a safeguard against temptation and a source of happiness. Those who regard business as a curse, attended though it be with weariness and pain, are cherishing an error. In the first commandment of God to man, we see God’s original plan for mankind. Genesis 1:28 “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion…” The word fruitful means to be productive, to create, to be a producer. God is teaching us a principle to be not just consumers of businesses but to be producers in life and the marketplace.
2 When God’s children start family businesses who are they engaged in business with? Luke 2:49
Note: Every business God’s children create is a family business with our Heavenly Father. The reason why Jesus often referred to the kingdom of God as being like a business continually throughout the gospels is because the kingdom of God is a family business. Mat 13:45-46 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” What is a merchantman? A salesman. Jesus is representing Himself and God’s kingdom as a salesman who owns a business. Jesus often uses examples of family businesses to describe the acceptance of the gospel. In Revelation 3:18 we see Jesus again represented as the heavenly salesman saying “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich…” As Evangelistic Entrepreneurs, we, like Christ, bring heavenly solutions to earthly problems.
3 What benefit do children receive when they are trained up in a family business? Proverbs 22:6
Note: The Hebrews had been instructed of God, by His servant Moses, to train up their children to industrious habits. Those people were therefore led to look upon idleness as a great sin, and their children were all required to learn some trade [which was often their family business] by which, if necessary, they could gain a livelihood. Those who neglected to do this were regarded as departing from the instruction of the Lord. Work was considered elevating in its nature, and the children were taught to combine religion and business. (See Romans 12:11) In the time of Christ, the Jews, though wealthy, still followed their ancient practice. (See Acts 18:3) Having a family business helps to employ children and keep them from being idle. In many homes without a family business the following command is sadly disregarded, “this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10. The sin of Sodom was “pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness” (Ezekiel 16:49) Imagine how many children now rebellious would be productive, helpful, and diligent soldiers of Christ today if they were given meaningful labor in their family businesses. I believe the proper training of our children includes involving them in a family business.
4 Was it uncommon for families to own businesses in the New Testament? Matthew 4:19-21 (opens in new tab due to long verse)
Note: How many children today grow up without their father’s influence active in their lives? How many youth may have had a father who was physically present but mentally absent? Or financially providing but his job forced him to work at a great distance from the home? Having a family business allows for children to be trained alongside their fathers and mothers. Family business provides for not just quality time but a quantity of quality time with your children or future children. It was thus that Jesus, our Example, was raised in the carpenter shop while working along side Joseph in the family business. (Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3) It was common in Jesus’ day for children to be working in the family business by age 5 years old and up.
5 Why would God still create the Earth and mankind after knowing all the difficulty, trouble, and heartache that would happen? Genesis 1:1
Note: One of the main reasons why God still created the heavens and the earth, is because He is a creator and likewise creative. That means it is His nature to create. God created everything as an expression of His creativity. Likewise, God created us in His image (see Genesis 1:26). Which means He created you to create things. And the things He designed you to create are to be an expression of your creativity. God put a different aspect or facet of His creativity inside all of us. Then as we build businesses, we are expressing that creativity that God put inside of us. Business is our God-given vehicle for creation. Having a family business is God’s way for families to create as a family. Business is creating value for someone other than ourselves, and letting those other people pay us for the value we’ve created. Business is a good idea because business is a God idea.
6 What two types of people have the longest war in history been waged between? Isaiah 14:12-14 (opens in new tab due to long verse)
Note: There is a great war taking place between two types of people: makers and takers. Ultimately God is the ultimate maker and Satan is the ultimate taker. This war is between God and Satan. God created everything, including Satan. Satan wanted to take God’s glory. Satan wanted to take over God’s throne in heaven and was thrown down to earth. (see Revelation 12:7-9 – opens in new tab due to long verse) Then he wanted to take over the garden of Eden. He wanted to take over the earth that God had delegated to man the authority over. Satan is the ultimate taker and God is the Ultimate Maker. The more like God we are, the more we will be a maker. The more like Satan we are, the more we will be a taker. Having a family business allows us to make value and make solutions that will enhance other people’s lives. There will always be two types of people on earth. Those who are looking for opportunities to make for others and those who are looking for ways to take from others. Makers ask the question “How can I make and out give more than anyone else expects?” While takers ask the question, “How can I take the most while giving the least possible?”
7 What does God command us to do with our time? Ephesians 5:15-17
Note: The word redeem means to buy back or to buy up. It also means to rescue from loss and to improve opportunity of. The Scripture tells us to buy back our time, rescue our time from loss and improve the opportunity of our time. Your time is infinitely more valuable than your money. We can’t buy back our time, rescue it from loss and improve our opportunities while we have a job. In fact, having a job is the exact opposite of buying back our time. You’re actually selling your time not buying it back. You’re actually giving your time to someone else who owns a business to use so it’s no longer yours. You’re doing the exact opposite of redeeming your time. The Scripture tells us to buy back our time, rescue from loss, improve opportunity, because the days are evil. That word evil doesn’t mean evil, like the devil is evil. It means evil, like difficult in nature. The Scripture is telling us to buy back our time, rescue it from loss, and improve our opportunity, because life is hard. What does God mean life is hard? He means people that you love are going to get sick. If you don’t have a business, you’re not going to be able to go visit them. Why? “I don’t have enough time, I don’t have enough money.” It means people who you love might be in trouble who live a long way from you. It means people that you love are going to need help, and you won’t be able to help them because you don’t have anything to help them with.
8 Why is the desire to only make enough money to provide for myself and my family among the most selfish desires that we could have? Philippians 2:4-5
Note: The whole idea of “I don’t really even want to have abundance. I just want to make enough to be comfortable.” is one of the most selfish ideas and selfish concepts that any person could believe. Because the mind of Christ is not “looking after His own things” but “after the things of others”. If we had the mind of Christ we would be saying, “I don’t want to just make enough for me to be comfortable. Through my family business, I want to make enough to help provide for the employment and support of other people and families to become comfortable.”
9 Why is God so concerned with His children having a family business? Leviticus 25:23
Note: When God brought the children of Israel into the promised land, the thing He gave to all of them, is a plot of land. Why? It was the economic infrastructure of the world that was based on agriculture back then. When He gave them the land, He was literally giving them a family business on which to raise crops or to raise cattle. If you don’t have a family business, and you’re asking for God to bless you, you’re asking Him to bless something that doesn’t exist. When a father died, he would leave his land to his children (Proverbs 13:22). Like the command in Leviticus 25:23 “The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine…” God’s saying, I’m going to bless you with this family business so you’ll be able to bless your children with it. But I’m not giving it to you to sell. Because ultimately, your business is my business. “The land is mine” forever. The land is associated with the business back in the agricultural age.
10 What will happen to God’s blessings if His children don’t own a business but choose to rather work for the world? Genesis 39:5
Note: Remember when Joseph was in Potiphar’s house? Potiphar’s house was blessed because Joseph was in it (Genesis 39:2-5 – opens in new tab due to long verse). Joseph didn’t have his own house or family business for God to bless. So God blessed Potiphar’s business because Joseph was working in it. (Genesis 39:11) When Joseph was in the prison, the prison was blessed because of Joseph (Genesis 39:22-23 – opens in new tab due to long verse). Joseph was the Prime Minister of Egypt. Egypt was blessed because of Joseph (Genesis 41:39-43 – opens in new tab due to long verse). Likewise, if you don’t have a business, then God can bless the person’s business, who you work for and He can to give your blessing to them. God blesses His own creativity, and God blesses His own people, because people are made in His own image. (Genesis 1:28) God even blesses people who are not His people. Matthew 5:45 says, God “maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” God even blesses people who are not His people, simply because they are made in His image. Even though they don’t obey Him, consciously or willfully. Everybody who follows God’s laws, even those who think they’re fighting against Him, receives a blessing in proportion to their obedience to His laws. By having a family business whether you’re professing to be God’s child or not, you are literally allowing yourself to have something that God now can bless on your behalf. Jacob’s blessing also was transferred to Laban’s business because Jacob didn’t have his own business. Genesis 30:27-30 – opens in new tab due to long verse. It wasn’t until immediately after Jacob started His own family business (Genesis 30:30) with his sons (Genesis 30:35-36 – opens in new tab due to long verse) that Jacob now had something God could and did start blessing exceedingly (Genesis 30:43).
In Light of God’s Word…
Is it your desire to live out God’s original plan for His children in your current or future family?
Is it your decision to begin preparing a vision and begin the journey of laying down a foundation for your family business?
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