1. Greatest Command? Mark 12
2. Jesus' response: Deuteronomy 6.4-9 + Leviticus 19.10
3. Love God -- in and out; Show and Tell
I. Home Schooling (Teaching Children)
[The arrival of children affects life
A mother's Clothing
* 1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your doctor
confirms your pregnancy.
* 2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
* 3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.
The Babies Clothing
* 1st baby: You pre-wash your newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them,
and fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.
* 2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.
* 3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?
Pacifier
* 1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you take it home and wash and boil it.
* 2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with juice from the baby's bottle.
* 3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.
At Home
* 1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
* 2nd baby: You spend a bit of every day watching to be sure your older
child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
* 3rd baby: You spend a part of everyday hiding from the children.
A. Children are Holy Gifts from God
Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Psalm 127.3
1. The first commandment recorded in scripture -- be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1.28)
2. Dedication of children to God, doing the best we can do
B. Society is a harsh place for children --
1. [My freedoms as a child; compared to today
2. Educational system that leaves God out in word and practice -- children disciplined for silent prayer; chewing a pop-tart in the shape of a pistol [Idaho is being considered off limits because if you turn it sideways it looks like a gun]
3. Moral breakdown of the culture -- Homosexuality is accepted as an alternative regardless of God's position
4. Mocking biblical lifestyle -- "Clinging to guns and bible"
C. We can Pass on the baton of faith to children; it involves
1. Building Relationships -- Spending Time
a. [Harry Chapin: "Cat's in the Cradle"
I'm gonna' be like you, Dad; You know I'm gonna be like you.
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me, He'd grown up just like me, My boy was just like me
b. Quality and Quantity Time
2. Being Responsible -- Live Your Faith
a. "Don't do as I do, do as I say."
b. Not sinless perfection but consistency
c. Model the life before them -- making disciples begins at home
1) If we want our sons to love their wives as Christ loved the church -- Dads, model it
2) If we want our daughters to love their husbands, Moms model it (in scriptural bounds)
3) If we want our children to practice morality -- turn off immoral TV, etc.
4) If we want our children to pray -- parents pray; study; serve; etc.
3. Bringing Repetition -- Teach Diligently (with repetition)
[In 1800, President T. Jefferson commissioned a national survey to determine the level of literacy in America. The survey found that more than 97% of Americans could read and write. The stated reason was that American fathers practiced daily bible reading with their children around the breakfast table.
a. Fathers used to work with their sons on the farm or in family businesses
b. Mothers used to work with daughters in the home
c. Each would have time to talk and teach their children
d. Today we have a different world -- find creative ways to connect with children and ultimately teach them who God is and how to love Him
II. Tefillin
A. Composition of the Tefillin:
Straps/Four-Chambered Boxes containing these scriptures:
Deuteronomy 6.4-9; Deuteronomy 11.13-21; Exodus 13.1-10; Exodus13.11-16
B. One Part Was Worn on the Head (Keep God & Word on Mind)
1. Between Eyes -- Exodus 13.9
And it shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth. For with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt.
a. Lives are dictated by memory or lack of
1) [ Have you ever been part of the great "Here-after"? You get up from your chair, go into the next room and ask, "What am I here after?"
2) God urges us to remember -- Ecclesiastes 12.1; Lord's Supper
b. Eyes can help or hurt by what we "see"
1) Can cause us to live in the here and now -- 10 spies; forbidden fruit
2) OR, we can look beyond to Yeshua (Jesus) -- Hebrews 12.1
2. On Our Minds
a. Renew Minds via word -- Romans 12.1-2
b. Symbol of revitalizing minds
c. Symbol of Torah Study
d. Symbolizes thoughts on the kingdom of God
C. One Part was Worn on the Arm (Action is required)
Danger of Tefillin -- Outward Only -- Trust in article rather than God
George Faull noted in one of his newsletters how easy it is to fall into this kind of thinking. He said he'd heard that if you ate a Snickers Candy bar (that's filled with calories) but then you drank a diet cola (with no calories)... the diet cola canceled out the calories of the candy bar.
Faull went on to say that there are many Christians who reason that way about their faith.
* Telling lies is cancelled out by attending church.
* Being an abusive spouse can be balanced out by teaching Sunday School.
* Immoral behavior can be canceled out by giving a gift (sizable gift) to the church.
* Gossip is canceled when you give a check to support a missionary.
* When you refuse to forgiven an enemy you can cancel that out by being kind to the poor.
* If you hate someone who's done you wrong... you cancel that out by loving Jesus.
* If you're a mean spirited and critical person... you can cancel that by your love of worship
Silly isn't it? But there are people who do things like that. They'll put their faith in little boxes that they touch once in a while to assure themselves they're being religious. But in the meantime, they dishonor the Jesus they say they love.
III. Mezuzah
A. A Symbol Designating the House as a Holy Place -- a Reminder to the Residents
B. A Symbol Designating the House as a Holy Place -- a Declaration to those Outside
1. Faith is critical
2. Faith is internal and external in practice
3. [Karl Marx
Back in the 1800's there was a young man who had a profound sense of admiration for his father. His father saw to it that the life of the family revolved around the religious practices of their faith. In his teen years, however, the boy's family was forced to move to another town in Germany. The life of the community revolved around the Lutheran church; all the best people belonged to it. Suddenly, the father announced to the family that they were going to abandon their Jewish traditions and join the Lutheran church. When the stunned family asked why, they father explained that it would be good for his business.
The youngster was bewildered and confused. His deep disappointment soon gave way to anger and a kind of intense bitterness that plagued him through his life. ("Developing the Leader Within You" by John Maxwell)
He became a parasite on society, a heavy drinker, an adulterer (he never even went to his wife's funeral) and two of his children committed suicide. He himself died bankrupt and in despair.
He accomplished nothing of any lasting significance with his life... except for one book that he wrote. It was entitled "Das Kapital". In it he declared that "religion is the opiate of the people".
The man was Karl Marx. And his book "Das Kapital" became the foundation of communism, and led to the destruction of countless lives.
