CHILDREN’S DEDICATION SERVICE
COLOSSIANS 4:5
JULY 6, 2003
Parkersburg Baptist Church
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6
Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Eph. 6:1-4
THERE ARE MANY SCRIPTURES THAT SPEAK DIRECTLY TO PARENTS AND CHILDREN. WE ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH “SPARE THE ROD, SPOIL THE CHILD”.
HE THAT SPARETH HIS ROD, HATETH HIS SON. PROV. 13:24; CHASTEN THY SON WHILE THERE IS HOPE. PROV. 19:18
FATHERS, PROVOKE NOT YOUR CHILDREN TO WRATH, LEST THEY BE DISCOURAGED. COL. 3:21
I FOUND A VERSE OF SCRIPTURE THOUGH, THAT HAS TOUCHED MY HEART WHILE PREPARING FOR THIS MESSAGE. IF IS PROBABLY NOT AS FAMILIAR AS THOSE WE HAVE JUST READ.
I DO BELIEVE, HOWEVER, THAT IT HAS GREAT APPLICATION TO PARENTS. BUT NOT ONLY PARENTS, BUT IN FACT EVERY CHRISTIAN. IT CONCERNS OUR BEHAVIOR.
NOW BEFORE WE LOOK AT THIS VERSE, I WANT US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALL CLEAR ON A FEW THINGS.
FIRST, ARE CHILDREN BORN INTO THE WORLD, FULLY CAPABLE TO SURVIVE ON THEIR OWN? NO!
SECOND, OTHER THAN INSTINCT, CAN WE SAY THAT CHILDREN ARE BORN VOID OF ANY KNOWLEDGE CONCERNING GOOD AND EVIL? YES!
THIRD, DO CHILDREN HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DO EVERYTHING, THAT WILL HELP THEM TO SURVIVE PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, AND SPIRITUALLY? YES!
FOURTH, WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS IT TO TRAIN/TEACH CHILDREN HOW TO LIVE AND TO SURVIVE? PARENTS!
FIFTH, HOW DO CHILDREN LEARN? WHAT IS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE NOTICE ABOUT BABIES, BESIDE HOW CUTE THEY ARE? ISN’T IT HOW ALERT THEY ARE?
YOU KNOW WHAT, WHETHER WE REALIZE IT OR NOT, THEY STAY ALERT FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. THEY ARE ALWAYS WATCHING AND LEARNING.
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE JUST STOPPED LEARNING? HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW EVERYTHING THERE IS TO LEARN? NOW THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU MAY BE TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN.
I MEAN THEY LEARN BY WATCHING AND IMITATING THEIR PARENTS AND GUESS WHAT CHRISTIANS, THEY LEARN BY WATCHING AND IMITATING THOSE AROUND THEM.
EVERYTHING A PARENT DOES A CHILD IS WATCHING. CHARLIE COMBING HAIR, SNEEZING, SHAVING, ETC. ETC.
CHILDREN ARE BORN WITHOUT WISDOM. THEY GAIN KNOWLEDGE BY WATCHING AND IMITATING. WHEN THEY USE THE KNOWLEDGE THEY HAVE LEARNED, THEN THAT IS WISDOM.
DID YOU GET WHAT I JUST SAID? KNOWLEDGE IS NOTHING MORE THAN ACCUMULATED INFORMATION. WHEN YOU BEGIN TO USE THE INFORMATION OR KNOWLEDGE IN THE MANNER IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE USED, THEN THAT IS WISDOM.
NOW TURN WITH ME TO COLOSSIANS 4:5—LET’S READ TOGETHER WHAT GOD’S WORD SAYS ABOUT WISDOM.
WALK IN WISDOM TOWARD THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT—NOW WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE THIS IS TELLING US?
THE WORD WALK HERE IS TALKING ABOUT OUR CONDUCT. HOW WE ACT, PLAY, AND DO BUSINESS. HOW WE TREAT OTHERS; HOW WE CARRY OURSELVES. IN ESSENCE, HOW WE LIVE.
NOW WHAT DO YOU THINK, IN WISDOM MEANS? I BELIEVE IT MEANS “IN CHRIST” OR “CHRISTLIKE”.
THIS VERSE COULD READ, WALK IN CHRIST OR ACT CHRISTLIKE; PLAY CHRISTLIKE; DO BUSINESS CHRISTLIKE; TREAT OTHERS CHRISTLIKE; CARRY YOURSELF CHRISTLIKE; LIVE CHRISTLIKE.
NOW TOWARD THOSE WITHOUT---WITHOUT WHAT? WITHOUT CHRIST. ALL THOSE AROUND YOU, INCLUDING YOUR CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY YOUR CHILDREN.
BE THE CHRISTIAN EXAMPLE THAT CHRIST MEANT YOU TO BE.
PARENTS, CHRISTIANS, CHILDREN LEARN BY IMITATING WHAT THEY SEE. IF YOU TALK THE TALK, THEN YOU MUST WALK THE WALK.
PORTRAY CHRIST, (BE CHRISTLIKE) IN EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
THAT IS WHAT THIS DEDICATION SERVICE IS REALLY ABOUT. IT IS ABOUT THESE PARENTS COMING THIS MORNING BEFORE GOD AND HIS CHURCH TO COMMIT THEMSELVES TO BE DEDICATED CHRISTIAN EXAMPLES FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
AND THE CHURCH AS A WITNESS, MUST IN ITSELF BE A DEDICATED CHRISTIAN EXAMPLE FOR THESE CHILDREN AS WELL.
PLEDGING BEFORE GOD AND MAN THAT THEY WILL WALK IN WISDOM TOWARD THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT.
TODAY THESE PARENTS ARE COMMITTING THEMSELVES TO A DAUNTING TASK. THEIR CHILDREN HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED TO THEM BY GOD. IF THEY STAY FAITHFUL TO HIM, THEN THEY WILL SUCCEED IN THE TASK BEFORE THEM. AND THIS GOES NOT JUST FOR THOSE PARTICIPATING THIS MORNING, IT GOES FOR EVERY CHRISTIAN HERE.
STAY FAITHFUL TO GOD, WALK IN WISDOM, BE CHRISTLIKE, AND YOU WILL SUCCEED IN THE TASK THAT GOD HAS BEFORE YOU.
BUT IT TAKES REAL COMMITMENT. NOT JUST AN OUTWARD SYMBOL AS THIS SERVICE IS, BUT AN INWARD COMMITMENT. IT IS A CHANGE OF HEART, IT IS A COVENANT WITH GOD.
IT WILL TAKE A LOT OF HARD WORK. IT WILL TAKE A LOT OF PRAYER. IT WILL TAKE A LOT OF COURAGE, STRENGTH, AND PATIENCE. IT WILL TAKE A LOT OF LOVE. BUT WITH REAL COMMITMENT—WITH TRUE DEDICATION—IT CAN BE DONE.
I CHALLENGE EVERY CHRISTIAN HERE THIS MORNING TO LIVE WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN FRONT OF ALL ESPECIALLY CHILDREN.
PARENTS, LIVE WHAT YOU BELIEVE.
IF YOU BELIEVE CHRIST ANSWERS PRAYER, THEN BE AN EXAMPLE, GIVE HIM SOMETHING TO ANSWER. PRAY WITHOUT CEASING.
IF YOU BELIEVE CHRIST WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU—THEN RELY ON HIM INSTEAD OF SELF.
IF YOU BELIEVE GOD’S WORD GIVES CHRISTIANS DIRECTION—READ IT INSTEAD OF DR. SPOCKS LATEST BOOK.
IF YOU BELIEVE THAT SUNDAY SCHOOL IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE CHURCH AND GOOD FOR YOUR KIDS—THEN BE HERE TO SUPPORT IT YOURSELF.
IF YOU BELIEVE THAT CHURCH ATTENDANCE IS WHAT A CHRISTIAN SHOULD DO—THEN BE HERE ON SUNDAY AND WEDNESDAY TO BE FED BY GOD’S WORD.
IF YOU BELIEVE THAT CHRISTIANS SHOULD OBEY THEY LAW—THEN SLOW DOWN AND STOP SPEEDING.
IF YOU BELIEVE THAT BAD MOUTHING SOMEONE IS WRONG—THEN BLESS THE ONE THAT CUT YOU OFF IN TRAFFIC.
IF SOMEONE HAS OFFENDED YOU—FORGIVE THEM AND MOVE ON.
YOUR CHILDREN AND OTHER NON-CHRISTIANS, AND OTHER CHRISTIANS ARE ALWAYS WATCHING YOU. WALK IN WISDOM.
NOW THE SECOND HALF OF THIS VERSE IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE FIRST. “REDEEMING THE TIME”. NOW WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE PAUL WAS MEANING HERE WITH THE PHRASE, “REDEEMING THE TIME”?
THIS VERSE HAS IN IT TWO COMMANDS FOR EVERY CHRISTIAN.
WE HAVE ALREADY ESTABLISHED THE FIRST AS BE CHRISTLIKE. THE SECOND IS USE EVERY OPPORTUNITY.
THIS VERSE SAYS, BE CHRISTLIKE TO THOSE WITHOUT CHRIST, USE EVERY OPPORTUNITY.
CHRISTIANS USE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO PORTRAY CHRIST TO A LOST AND DYING WORLD.
PARENTS—USE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE DEDICATED CHRISTIAN EXAMPLE FOR YOUR KIDS—BECAUSE YOU KNOW SOMETHING?
I HAVE SAID IT MANY TIMES, WE CHRISTIANS ARE THE ONLY BIBLE THAT SOME LOST PEOPLE SEE. AND I HATE TO TELL YOU THIS—BUT YOUR CHILD IS BORN LOST.
YOUR CHILD IS BORN WITHOUT CHRIST—PARENTS, YOU ARE YOUR CHILD’S BIBLE. ARE YOU THE GENUINE ARTICLE. OR ARE YOU A VERSION THAT HAS OMITTED DOCTRINES AND STATUTES THAT MAKE CHRISTIANITY WHAT YOU WANT IT TO BE, AND NOT WHAT GOD INTENDED IT TO BE?
CHECK ALL YOUR MORALS AND EVERY STEP YOU MAKE, AGAINST GOD’S HOLY WORD.
THE BIBLE IS A CHRISTIANS ROAD MAP, AND UNTIL YOUR CHILD ACCEPTS CHRIST AS LORD AND SAVIOR, YOU MUST BE THE GUIDE.
EVERY CHRISTIAN IN THIS CHURCH—IS SOMEONE’S GUIDE. WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT, PEOPLE—CHILDREN, ARE WATCHING YOU. WALK IN WISDOM—SO YOU DON’T SEND THEM DOWN THE PATH OF DESTRUCTION.
BE A ROAD BLOCK ON THE ROAD TO HELL WITH YOUR CHRISTLIKE EXAMPLE. USE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO SPREAD THE LOVE OF JESUS THROUGH YOUR LIFE.
BE CHRISTLIKE TOWARD THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT CHRIST, USING EVERY OPPORTUNITY.
