Danger Signals of a Disintegrating Family

1
Danger Signals of a Disintegrating Family

• 1 Samuel Chapters 1-4
• Introduction to Family Matters
• March 1, 2009

2
Meet the Family

• The Father Eli
• The Natural Sons Hophni Phinehas
• The Adopted Son Samuel

3
Observe the Activity

• Sins of the Sons
• 222 Open Immorality
• 313 A father that does not restrain them
• We will see this morning that this story, the
  sin, the response, the result, all parallel our
  society today, and the role of our church in it

4
Warnings

• Public Report 224
• Unnamed Prophet 227, 30-34
• God to Samuel 311-12
• Samuel to Eli 315-18

5
Response of the Father

• Mild Verbal Slap on the Hand 223-24
• Honored His Sons Over God 229
• Passive Fatalism to Samuels Prophecy 318
• If Eli Had Been Obedient Deut 2118-21

6
Signs of Domestic Disintegration

• Preoccupation with his profession to the
  exclusion of his familys needs
• Refusal to face the severity of his sons
  lifestyle
• Failure to respond correctly to the warnings
• Condoning the wrong, thereby becoming a part of
  the problem

7
Family MattersThe Broken Window Theory

• If a broken window is left unrepaired, soon all
  windows will be knocked out.
• New York Police Chief William Bratton and Mayor
  Rudolph Guiliani in 1990s
• Precinct 75, most dangerous in America, homicides
  dropped from 129 to 47
• Family Matters is McKnights attempt to repair
  some broken windows