Y O U R C H I L D ¡¥ S G R E A T E S T N E E D
¡§That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.¡¨
¡K ¡§You must be born again.¡¨
The Lord Jesus --- John 3:6,7 NIV
There once was an elderly woman who thought that getting a talking parrot would be great company. So she went to the pet store and picked out a parrot and cage. ¡§Does this one talk?¡¨ she asked. ¡§Oh, yes, Madame, he talks all the time.¡¨ So she bought the parrot and put the cage right near her rocking chair. But a week went by and the parrot wouldn¡¦t talk. So she went back to the pet store and told the owner of her problem. ¡§Buy him a ladder,¡¨ the owner said, ¡§Parrots like ladders.¡¨ She bought a ladder for the parrot, waited a week. But he still didn¡¦t talk. So she went back to the pet store: ¡§A mirror,¡¨ said the owner, ¡§Parrots like mirrors.¡¨ So she bought a mirror and waited a week. The parrot still didn¡¦t talk.
¡§A swing,¡¨ said the pet store owner, ¡§Parrots like swings¡¨¡K Another week went by and it still didn¡¦t talk. ¡§A bell, parrots like bells,¡¨ he said. So she bought the parrot a bell. Another week went by and the lady came into the store and was quite upset. ¡§What¡¦s wrong, Madame?¡¨ the owner asked. ¡§My parrot died,¡¨ she answered. ¡§That¡¦s awful,¡¨ said the store owner, ¡§Did he ever talk?¡¨ ¡§Yes. Just before he died he said, ¡§Aaaaawk! Hey Lady, Don¡¦t they have any food at that pet store?¡¨
What the ladder, the mirror, the swing and the bell were to the parrot so are some of the things we parents do for our kids. They are nice and might even be good, but they don¡¦t address the child¡¦s greatest need. We get caught up in all sorts of well intentioned stuff, activities, Christian programs, methodologies, and other things while often overlooking the most important and greatest need of the child. And those who make a living off these programs, books, etc. are diligent to keep us thinking parenting is very complex. It is not complex. I did not say it was easy, but it is not complex.
What the parrot needed was food. What your child needs is to be born again: salvation.
BIG IDEA: YOUR CHILD¡¦s GREATEST NEED IS SALVATION: ¡§To be born again¡¨
TRANS: Let¡¦s Look at ¡§the What¡¨, ¡§the Why¡¨ and ¡§the How to¡¨ ¡K of your child¡¦s greatest need.
1. The What: What Is Your Child¡¦s Greatest Need?
We said that need is --- salvation or to be born again
What does that mean?
Every child is born with the absolute need to experience the saving work of God.
John 3:6,7¡K Jesus was talking to the greatest Bible teacher of those times: Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a very religious and good person, raised in a good religious home, part of the Jewish community and Jewish heritage¡K you wouldn¡¦t find a better person¡K
But Jesus said to him¡K "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!" 5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water (physical birth) and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.:7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ’You must be born again.’
Born again = born from above / born of or by the Spirit
Bible teaches: We are all born with a sin problem
God created us to have an eternal and everlasting relationship with Him, but sin broke that relationship. Our sin (our guilty standing before God) separates us from God and eternal /everlasting life¡K(life of God)
Genesis 2:17 ¡§¡K but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die."
Romans 5:12 ¡§Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men¡K¡¨
Romans 5:18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men¡K
1 Corinthians 15:22 ¡§¡Kin Adam all die¡K¡¨
We also inherit and pass on to our own children a sinful nature: an inborn inclination toward evil.
Psalm 51:5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
ILL: Dentist and red stuff ¡K. Apple & worm¡K egg laid in blossom of the
apple/ present from birth
If you have been around evangelical churches then you have heard that more times than you can count.
But did you know that Jesus was teaching that we must experience two births to experience salvation?
A physical birth and a spiritual birth.
We each are made up of three parts¡¨ BODY, SOUL ANDSPIRIT
ƒá BODY „³ material part of who you are (physical parts, brain, arms, legs, --- our senses, physical systems, appearance¡K)
ƒá SOUL „³ (SELF--- who you are) the immaterial part of you (intellect, emotions, will, attitudes)
ƒá SPIRIT „³ part of us that connects with God / the part intended to relate to and with God. (¡¥spirit¡¦ used 3 ways: spirits (evil or good/angels), HS, human spirit--- the part that connects with God.
PROBLEM= When each of us was born physically, when each of our children was born physically¡K this part of us/and our children (spirit) was born dead/ stillborn/ unable to function or connect with God.
Paul said: ¡§dead in your trespasses and sins¡¨ .. ¡§The wages of sin is death¡¨ ¡§all have sinned and fall short of the glory (or standards) of God¡¨. ILL: Dentist and red stuff ¡K. We were all born with our life line to God severed or broken. There was to be a spiritual umbilical cord between our spirit and God, but it is cut, dead due to sin/guilt from birth.
Because our spirits were dead at birth. Because it is through our spirit we can relate to or please God¡K because our natures were polluted or corrupted by sin, we were & are helpless to provide a remedy for our sin. Our children are born helpless to reach God because their human spirit is born dead and needs to be made alive by God.
Ephesians 2:1 ¡§And you were dead in your trespasses and sins¡K
Ephesians 2:4-9) But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, {5} even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), {6} and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, {7} so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. {8} For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; {9} not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.¡¨
Every child is born with the absolute need to experience the saving work of God.
What is God¡¦s saving work?
Redemption: The blood of Christ, death of God¡¦s Son, as payment for our sins.
Romans 5:8 ¡§ But God demonstrates His own love toward us,
in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.¡¨
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.¡¨
John 5:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me,
has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.¡¨
Every child is born with the absolute need to experience the saving work of God.
Saving Work = Christ¡¦s sacrificial substitutionary death on the cross (for you and your child)
As the only satisfactory payment for our sin.
How can each child/us Experience the saving work of God?
Jesus used the words: ¡§believe in Him¡¨ Jesus (Who He is (God) and what He has done (died & arose)
Whoever believes in Him¡K The Bible uses two terms to tell us how to experience the saving work of God:
¡§Believe¡¨ (verb) ¡§Faith¡¨ (noun)
¡§Believing in¡¨ / Faith (Faith that saves) involves three basic elements: Knowledge, acceptance and trust.
Knowledge of the Gospel message, Acceptance of the message as true, & trust in the message¡K
1. KNOWLEDGE: Know who Christ is and what He has done (paid for our sin)
„« His deity (God) John 20:31 (son of God)
„« His Humanity 1 John 4:2 (come in the flesh..)
„« His death & His Resurrection
2. ACCEPTANCE AS TRUE = words mean convinced of its truth
3. TRUST ¡V also means reliance upon or trust. Usually emphasized in NT by saying ¡§Believe in or on¡¨ i.e. ACTS 16:31 "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" "Believe in/on the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved¡K¡¨ [experience the saving work of God]
TRUST: REST ALL YOUR GUILT / SINS UPON JESUS¡K RELY ON HIM ALONE FOR FG¡K
ILL: Anthrax and 4 people
1st has no idea that Cipro save¡K
2nd understands Cipro save but not convinced
3rd understands Cipro save, convinced it true¡K doesn¡¦t want to trust the Cipro
4th understands, convinced its true, and chooses to trust the Cipro to save him.
Apply to Jesus and God¡¦s saving work: The Cross
WHICH ONE WILL LIVE? Saving faith Which one are you?
BIG IDEA: YOUR CHILD¡¦s GREATEST NEED IS SALVATION: ¡§To be born again¡¨ ¡K
to experience the saving work of God.
2. The Why: Why is this so important ?
When your child experiences the saving work of God, redemption, Important Changes take Place:
Let me touch on three;
(1) Your child is then guaranteed of going to heaven rather than hell.
John 5:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me,
has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.¡¨
John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies¡K¡¨
There¡¦s a new name written down in glory and it¡¦s the name of your child ¡V son your daughter¡K
Heaven is our home¡K our citizenship, our future.. not everyone goes there. Only those who have experienced the saving work of God.
Aside: ¡§What if my baby dies¡¨ ¡K. Bible teaches Deut 1:39 an age of accountability (truly understand right and wrong/gospel truths) Deu 1:39 And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad--they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it.
David: (his baby died) the child cannot come to me but one day I will go to him¡K
Jesus¡K only way to enter the kingdom of heaven is to become like a little child.
I believe that little children are covered by the blood of Christ and grace of God until his or her soul is able to understand and in God¡¦s grace respond to the Gospel of God¡K.
And when your child trusts in Jesus as savior he/she is guaranteed heaven rather than hell.
(2) Your child is then given a new power for living: God rather than self¡K
Your child¡¦s human spirit was made alive by the power of God (Eph 2:4,5)
Your child was given a new nature¡K a redeemed nature¡K.
Your child was freed from the power of sin to enslaved him or her¡K (Romans 6:1-4)
ILL: Sin Management vs. supernatural make over: transformation
God is not into sin management/ anger management/ mood management¡K
Romans 6:, Gal 2:20, Romans 12: 1,2 transformed (changed from within by the renewing of your mind¡K)
Addictions: anger, rage, alcohol, spending, eating,¡K management will not last / tranformation will
Your child is now indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God¡K. Sealed for the day of redemption¡K
Holy Spirit now connects with your child¡¦s spirit and teaches, guides, convicts, brings joy, love, peace, understanding, abilities the child did not have before salvation¡K.
LISTEN! This means you now have an allie within your child and God¡¦s presence in your child. Now you can use the word o God and the child¡¦s relationship with God to help them grow up in tune with God.
Eph 6:4 ¡§Train them up in the instruction and admonition of the Lord..¡¨ God will use the Scriptures you have already fed them to help them¡K
ILL: Psalm 95¡K
(3) Your child is then given a new identity: Redeemed rather than Condemned
2 Corinthians 5:17 ¡§Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away;
behold, all things have become new.¡¨
Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs;
Your child is not impossible, bad, a loser or a failure: but Your child is now: God¡¦s child, Christ¡¦s friend, justified (declared righteous or pardoned),united with Christ, has been bought with a price and belongs to God, is a saint, a member of Christ¡¦s body the church, has direct access to God through the Holy Spirit and prayer, has been redeemed and forgiven of all his or her sins, is complete in Christ, free forever from condemnation, is assured that all things work together for good in his or her life, cannot be separated from the love of God, has been anointed and sealed and established by God, is assured that God will finish in him/her what He has started, is a citizen of heaven, has been given the of power, love and a sound mind; can find grace and mercy in time of need; has been born again, is the salt and light of the world, is a branch of the true vine¡K a channel of Christ¡¦s life, has been chosen and appointed to bear fruit for God, is a witness for Jesus, is God¡¦s temple today, is a minister of reconciliation, can do all things through Christ who strengthens him/her, can approach God with freedom and confidence; is God¡¦s workmanship¡K.
Your child does not need good self-esteem. Your child now has Christ esteem¡K.
3. The ¡§How To¡¨: How Do I Meet My Child¡¦s Greatest Need?
How do you as a parent help your child experience the saving work of God?
(1) Be Saved ¡K You cannot lead your child into a relationship with God you do not have
Your child¡¦s greatest need is also your greatest need.
(2) Love God ¡K if you love me you will obey me
(3) Pray ¡K pray for your child¡¦s salvation. Pray every day for your child¡¦s salvation. You do not have the power to save your child. You cannot make them accept Christ. You have no power to make them alive¡K GOD DOES¡K.
(4) Model ¡K Proverbs 22:6 ¡§train up¡¨ ¡K. Create a thirst in your child for the things of God
Your life as a parent, father, mother, husband, wife¡K magnet that draws them to wanting Christ.
Some of God¡¦s people are selling their children¡¦s souls for a bottle of beer, a filthy movie or an unethical income¡K
(5) Talk ¡K Talk to them about how God is working your life¡K ups and downs, ¡K They have perfect parents so don¡¦t pretend to be one: be authentic
(6) Teach¡K about the things of God, the word of God, who Jesus is and what Jesus has done for them. Tell them they need to trust in Christ as their savior to be forgiven of sin and to go to heaven.
(7) Ask --- them to trust in Christ¡K help them express it in prayer if they are ready. Continue to do all of the above, helping them have the assurance that they are saved, once and for all. As they grow help them define their faith and own it for themselves.
IT IS TIME TO DO BUSINESS WITH GOD:
