Firing The Kid Ceo Series

Total Family Makeover Series

Firing the Kid CEO

Hebrews 12:9-10

February 20, 2005 First Baptist, Chester Mike Fogerson, Speaker

Philip Yancey tells about an African safari he was on where he saw an old momma giraffe taking care of her offspring. Shortly after he was born, she went over & kicked her offspring, & it looked like she was really hurting her baby. Then she did it again.

Each time, the little giraffe would get up on his wobbly legs & try to walk. Still she continued kicking him. Finally, he got up pretty rapidly & ran away from her kicks.

Phil turned to his guide & asked, "Why does the mother giraffe do that?" The guide answered, "The only defense the giraffe has is its ability to get up quickly & to out run its predator. If it can’t do that, it will soon die."

Yancey said that while it looked like it was a cruel thing, it was really the most loving thing the mother could do for her offspring. And sometimes discipline is the same way.

9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. -Heb 12:9-10 (NASB)

ETS: The author of Hebrews explained the purpose of parental discipline to early believers.

ESS: Discipline is a natural extension of godly parents’ love for their children.

OBJ: I hope my parents will pattern their disciplining techniques after scriptural principles.

PQ: What can you do differently to be a better parent?

UW: Understandings

TS: Let’s look at two understandings that can help good parents become godly parents that fire the kid CEO.

I. Godly parents understand their limitations in disciplining. For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them Heb 12:10a (NASB)

A. The author of Hebrews was blunt about the limitations of the discipline of the parents (esp. father)

A. "For they disciplined us for a short time"

* They only had a small portion of their child’s life in which to teach/instruct/train how to act, obey, respect.

B. "...as seemed best to them."

* Implication is that Dad did what he thought was the best; which didn’t necessarily mean it was. It was the best...to them.

C. There is an apostolic expectation that kids were to respect their parents’ (esp. fathers) efforts.

* V. 9a ...we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them Heb 12:9 (NASB)

* If Jr. and Sissy didn’t respect Mom and Dad...deep weeds. For as he thinks within himself, so he is. Prov 23:7 (NASB)

* Part of how discipline is received is the child’s receptivity to discipline, parents, authority, obedient.

B. Moms/Dads (talking about limitations) discipline is always for a reason/season.

a. Reason= Jr./Sissy had to have disrespected/disobeyed.

Season= Since I moved out of the house, my dad has not grounded me one time. I’m 34 and the time for discipline from my daddy is over (Prov. 22:6, John 14:6a Jesus said...I am the way).

b. The heart of discipline has two purposes:

1. To teach respect of authority (kids who don’t learn this typically become useless adults).

2. To teach obedience to your commands (careful=want to instill respect, not resentment. Fathers, do not nag your children. If you are too hard to please, they may want to stop trying. Col 3:21 (NCV)(IL) Calvin-hunker when I raised my voice.

3. All we can do is the best we can do while we can do it. Don’t break their spirit). Lake- It’s alright dad, accidents happen.

C. Helium Balloon:

a The balloon has been entrusted to us. (Kids) And our goal is one day to let that balloon go.

(Hold up a Helium filled Balloon)

When a child is first born we hold unto them very tightly, protecting their every thought and movement. But, as time goes on, and our child begins to naturally mature, as a healthy parent we must be willing to loosen our grip.

Note: (@ this point I will hold unto the end of a balloon where it is knotted and wave it slightly).

At first our Child is given very little freedom! As parents we stay very close to them. We want to have strong influence in their lives. We want to protect them.

However, Little by little, step by step, year after year, as the child continues to mature and to display more responsibility, it is the healthy parent’s responsibility to keep on loosening our grip more and more. Note: (I will slowly let out the string)

Eventually their comes a time in every parent’s life when we our jobs are complete and we must let go completely of our children and entrust them into God’s care!