Sermon: “Parental Responsibilities” (part 1 of two parts)
Passage: Deut 6:6-9
- We have been talking about FAMILY and how it MATTERS
- Family is important
- Home brings security
- Choose you this day… (Josh 24:15)
- Today…parenting…at times I have failed miserably…but I also have done some things right
- Toughest job on earth…parent
- Maybe you weren’t raised in a healthy home…abusive…not caring…not loving
- But in Christ…new ball game (2 Cor 5:17, …new creation)
- So regardless how you were raised, challenge you to raise your children IAW God’s Standard…BIBLE
- We will look at our responsibilities to our children according to the STANDARD
- Look at Deut 6:6-9 / Pray
TRANS: First, I want us to see parents that our…
CHILDREN BELONG TO GOD
- Psa 127:3, “Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from Him.”
- Ezek 18:4, “All souls are mine, soul of the Father…soul of the son.”
- Children are entrusted to us as parents to raise…they do not belong to us
- They are a gift given to us by God
- Gen 33 Jacob and Esau reconciled, Esau asked who the children were
- Jacob replied in vs 5, “they are the children God has graciously given your servant”
- They belong to God but parents are held accountable (Turn to 1 Sam 3:13, 14)
- Remember the parable of the talents…(Expound) God expects us to be good stewards of ALL He gives us…even our children
TRANS: Knowing this parents, there are six key areas bible talks about in raising them up
1. Educate/Teach Them
- Turn to Galatians 4:1,2
- Parents, really Dads, are responsible for who teaches them
- In day care, public schools, etc…
- What to teach?
- Deut 6:6,7 says we are to teach God’s commandments
- Teach them to live life IAW God’s principles found in His word
- 2 Tim 2:15 “Study and show yourself approved…correctly handling God’s word”
- Teach them from a very young age to fear, to respect God and His Word
- And it doesn’t stop when they are grown
- Deut 31:31, “we are to teach our children to fear the Lord as long as we live”
- Tell them what God has taught you…shown you…what He is doing now
- Turn to Psalms 78:1-7
- Educate them about why you do things for God
- Exodus 13:8 Moses telling Israelites to educate children “On that day tell your son, ‘I do this because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.”
- Some of the best times…acting out bible stories
TRANS: Not only are we to educate and teach them but we are also called to…
2. Train Them
- Prov 22:6 is a promise given from God
- But did you know that with every promise God gives…there is a stipulation with it
- Just as in this passage TRAIN THEM IN THE WAY THEY SHOULD GO
- WEBSTER: “To coach in or accustom to a mode of behavior or performance” also “To cause to take a desired course or shape, as by manipulating” again “to focus or direct”
- In context to our verse “Coach in or accustom them in the way they should go”
- “Cause them to take the way they should go, as by manipulating”
- “Focus or direct them in the way they should go”
- If you are going to train your children, it is going to take time and effort
- What to train them up in?
2a. The Character of Christ (humble, meek, servant, wisdom, forgiveness, unselfish love, giving, etc…)
2b. To Be Obedient (quickly, happily, thoroughly)
- Eph 6:1, “Children obey your parents…for it’s right”
- Col 3:20 says when you do this, it pleases the Lord
- God desires obedience more than sacrifice
- If they can’t learn, they can’t be trained, can’t be coached or focused to obey parents, how can they obey God?
2c. To Be Respectful (yes/no sir/maam)
- Respect you as their parents (expound)
- Respect God and His word
- Respect others, those in authority over them, etc..
2d. Train in Their Gift (music, business, sports, nursing)
- Provide opportunities to operate, function in gift
TRANS: A major part of training your child in the Lord is not being afraid to…
3. Discipline Them (Restrain and Control them)
- Story of Mother in Commissary in Germany
- Remember in 1 Sam 3 Eli did not restrain his sons
- Also in 1 Kings 1:5-6, “Adonijah exalted himself saying he would be king…and his father never interfered with him asking him, “why do you behave this way?”
- Children must be retrained, controlled, and then when out of control, disciplined
- Proverbs is full of passages that talk of disciplining your children
Prov 13:24 “He who spares the rod hates his child but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.”
Prov 19:18 “Discipline your son while there is hope…do not be a willing party to his death.”
Prov 22:15 “Folly is bound in the heart of a child but the rod of discipline will drive it far away from him.”
Prov 23:13-14 “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death.” (death literally translated means “HELL”)
- Spank them lovingly…not in anger (I have failed at that some times)
CONCLUSION
- Parents children are a gift from God…they belong to Him
- But He expects us to be good stewards and raise up children in His ways
- We are responsible and will be held accountable in
1. Teaching/educating them
2. Training them up to go the right way (God’s stipulation to the promise)
3. Disciplining them when they go astray
- Next week we will conclude this message with last three responsibilities
4. Love them
5. Pray for them
6. Be the right example
- Pray
