-
Samuel Taylor Coleridge Instructs An Athiest ...
Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 14, 2009 (message contributor)
Samuel Taylor Coleridge Instructs an Athiest About How To Raise Children Properly Using the Garden as an Analogy
Fellow parents, let’s have our homes so full of the Word of God that our children can’t help but see and hear it wherever they go and whatever they do. The bottom line is this: We are to make God real to our kids.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge once had a dinner guest who was an atheist. During the meal his guest expounded the virtues of freedom of choice and how religion prevented people from being truly free. He was especially upset with how parents train their children in the faith, claiming that kids should be free to believe what they want without any outside influence from their parents.
After dinner, Coleridge got up and asked his friend to come outside with him to take a look at his garden. Coleridge was known as an expert gardener so his guest was expecting to see beautiful flowers, sculpted shrubbery and flowering plants. Instead, he saw weeds everywhere and out-of-control vines and general disorder. Everything was overgrown. The atheist look puzzled and said, “This is your garden? What happened?” Coleridge responded, “Well, I just took your advice. I wouldn’t want to impose myself upon these young vines – I just let them grow like they wanted to.”
Parents, what kind of garden are you growing in your home?
From a sermon by Brian Bill, Parenting Priorities, 11/15/2009
Related Sermon Illustrations
-
Spurgeon (1) Wrote, " I Think I May Say To Every ... PRO
Contributed by Michael Raisbeck on Jul 18, 2003
Spurgeon (1) wrote, " I think I may say to every person whom I am addressing,-If you are yourself saved, the work is but half done until you are employed to bring others to Christ. You are as yet but half formed in the image of your Lord. You have not attained to the full development of the ...read more
-
For Love Of Jim
Contributed by Bruce Howell on Feb 5, 2005
For Love of Jim Jim and Jack were the best of friends. Devoted. Inseparable. So when Jim lost both his legs in a railroad accident, Jack did everything he could to help. At first Jim was certain his career with the railroad was finished.. Then the company gave him another job¨Csignalman. ...read more
-
Adrian Rogers: And Idol Is Anything You Love ... PRO
Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Sep 28, 2002
ADRIAN ROGERS: And idol is anything you love more, fear more, value more or serve more than you do ...read more
-
Calm The Storm, Calm Your Heart PRO
Contributed by Christian Cheong on Mar 15, 2005
CALM THE STORM, CALM YOUR HEART One pastor’s wife was very afraid to take flights. Husband asks her to pray. Fear was controlling her. "Let Him know you’re afraid of flying, and God will help you." Over time, she overcame the fear. One day, she was flying with her friend through a ...read more
-
I Will Never Forget The Day That Joe Thiesman ... PRO
Contributed by David Yarbrough on Apr 8, 2003
I will never forget the day that Joe Thiesman broke his leg. Not that I’ve never seen a broken leg before. You want to know why I won’t forget it, because the NFL played it over and over and over… Now instant replay is a great thing, but there are some things that don’t need to be played quite ...read more
Related Sermons
-
"A Home Where Children Thrive" Series
Contributed by Elvis Burrows on Jun 17, 2013
Children's Day sermon encouraging Parents and Guardians to stay committed and focused to the task of child rearing. The challenge was for parents to do all that they can to raise their children in a manner that pleases God.
-
"The Tween Age Jesus"
Contributed by Bruce Lee on Jan 14, 2016
Being a teenager is not easy. Parents and family are important. Lord help us to grow in your timing.
-
Mothers Day
Contributed by Stephen Sheane on Jul 4, 2021
Mrs Zebedee wanted her kids to be part, participating and powerfully used in the kingdom.
-
Raising A Godly Generation
Contributed by Esther Collins on Aug 2, 2020
This is a sermon about the importance of passing on our faith in Jesus to the next generation - our children and grand-children.
-
Father's Day - Duct Tape
Contributed by Danny Pinksen on Jun 28, 2007
This sermon is about godly/biblical alternatives to fixing life’s problems for fathers.