What Are Your Children Inheriting ?
Proverbs 13:22 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
Joke: After weeks of getting the cold shoulder from his wife, an unhappy husband finally confronted her. "Admit it, Linda," he said, "The only reason you married me is because my grandfather left me $10 million." "Don’t be ridiculous!" she shot back. "I don’t care who left it to you."
Solomon knew a lot about wealth. He was one of the most wealthiest men of all time. He also had a lot of wisdom. Read the book of Ecc written also by Solomon and you will see that he came to the conclusion that there are some things which are much more valuable than silver, gold, and things. He shares with us in Ecc 12:13 what they are........Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
This morning’s subject is "What Are Your Children Inheriting ?"
Have you seen the bumper sticker........"We’re out spending our children’s inheritance ?"
You might say.........well.........the children’s inheritance will depend upon how much we have left !
The inheriting that I’m speaking of this morning is not what you leave to them after you’re gone.....such as money, material possessions or real estate...........the inheriting that I speak of is what they are inheriting from you right now ! What they are inheriting from us right now is far more important than any amount of money, property or anything else that we could give them. Those things are temporal...........the inheriting than I’m speaking of is eternal.
Illust. Moving mother to nursing home
Everyday........bit by bit, piece by piece our children are inheriting things from us that we mold the way they believe, behave, and think. The things that we are passing along to them, passing down to them is molding them !
What are our children, grandchildren inheriting from us ?
I. Children Will Inherit Your Principles.
Illust. First graders were asked to draw a picture of God in their Sunday School class. Their finished products contained some interesting theology. One kid had God depicted in the form of a brightly colored rainbow. Another presented Him as an old man coming out of the clouds. An intense little boy drew God with a remarkable resemblance to Superman. The best snapshot came from a little girl. She said, "I didn’t know what God looked like, so I just drew a picture of my daddy."
When our children look at us, do they see any of God in us ?
Deut 6:6-9 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates !
a. We Need To Teach Our Children About Religion.
When I speak of religion here.......I’m speaking of the one true undefiled religion which is belief in the God of the Bible.
* Note-Before we can properly, and adequately teach our children about the Lord, and his word....the words must first of be in our own hearts !
Don’t expect your children to believe something that you don’t !
Don’t expect your children to be obedient if you’re not !
Illust. We are outraged that prayer, and bible reading is not allowed in the schools......
But, are we teaching our children, and praying with our children within the walls of our own homes !
Illust. We were angry, and shocked that The Ten Commandments were removed from the court of Judge Roy Moore in Ala, and relegated to the closet...........but do we have the word of God posted in our homes.......and more importantly is it written within our heart......and are we inscribing it upon the hearts of our children ?
Illust. One man, Max Jukes, did not believe in religion and married a girl of the same opinion. From this union came 1,026 descendants. Studies showed that 300 died prematurely; 100 were sent to the penitentiary; 190 sold themselves to vice; 100 were drunkards,; and the family cost the state of New York $1,100,00.00!
2. Another man, Jonathan Edwards, believed in God and in his Christian training and married a girl of like character. From that union 729 descendants were studied and they discovered that 300 were preachers, 65 were college professors, 13 were university presidents; 6 authors; 3 U.S. Congressmen and 1 was vice president of the United States.
b. We Need To Teach Them About Relationships.
The institution of marriage.
The importance of the family.
c. We Need To Teach Them About Responsibility.
People today have become experts at playing the "blame game". Everyone it seems wants to blame someone or something else for their problems.
We must teach our children to be responsible........and to assume responsibility for their own actions..........We must all appear before the judgment...............After this the judgment
II. Children Will Inherit Your Priorities.
Joke: Two children were heard discussing their parents. The first said, "I’m really worried. Dad slaves away at his job so that I have everything I need, so I’ll be able to go to college some day. Mom works hard washing and ironing, cleaning up after me, taking care of me when I am sick, driving me everywhere I want to go. They spend every day of their lives working for me. But I’m worried." His friend asked, "What have you got to worry about?’ The first little guy replied, "I’m afraid they’re going to try to escape some day."
a. The Priority of Truth.
Where do our priorities lie ? Where are our treasures ?
Matt 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and wehre thieves do not break through nor steal.
Matt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Mark 8:36 What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ?
b. The Priority of Togetherness
There are many things which are having a negative impact upon the children of our day.......but none more than the breakdown of the family structure, and unwed pregnancies.
We need to pass down to our children the importance of the family, and being together !
c. The Priority of Time.
Children spell love......t-i-m-e.
How much time do we spend with our children ?
Heard it said........not quantity but quality.........try that argument with your boss ! Tell him that you’re going to give him 1 quality hour of work today.......and see how long you have a job !
Song: Cats In The Cradle (Harry Chapin)
Song: My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin’ ’fore I knew it, and as he grewHe’d say, "I’m gonna be like you, Dad"
"You know I’m gonna be like you"
And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little Boy Blue and the Man on the Moon
"When you comin’ home, Dad?"
"I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then"
"You know we’ll have a good time then"
My son turned ten just the other day
He said, "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let’s play"
"Can you teach me to throw?"
I said, "Not today, I got a lot to do"
He said, "That’s ok"
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said, "I’m gonna be like him, yeah"
"You know I’m gonna be like him"
And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little Boy Blue and the Man on the Moon
"When you comin’ home, Dad?"
"I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then"
"You know we’ll have a good time then"
Well, he came home from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
"Son, I’m proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head and then said with a smile
"What I’d really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys"
"See you later, can I have them please?"
And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little Boy Blue and the Man on the Moon
"When you comin’ home, Son?"
"I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then"
"You know we’ll have a good time then"
I’ve long since retired, my son’s moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, "I’d like to see you if you don’t mind"
He said, "I’d love to, Dad, if I can find the time"
"You see my new job’s a hassle and kids have the flu"
"But it’s sure nice talking to you, Dad"
"It’s been sure nice talking to you"
And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He’d grown up just like me
Yeah, my boy was just like me
And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little Boy Blue and the Man on the Moon
"When you comin’ home, Son?"
"I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then"
"You know we’ll have a good time then"
III. Children Will Inherit Your Practices.
Illust. The bus was packed on a hot summer afternoon in Pheonix Arizona. The traffic was heavy, and the passengers were impatient. Soon a man became irate that he was going to be late for a meeting, and started cursing. As he passed the driver to exit the bus at his stop, the bus driver said to him......."Sir, you’ve left something behind" The man turned to look back. The driver continued....."You left behind a bad impression !"
What kind of impressions are we leaving on, and with our children by our actions/attitudes ?
Illust. Hannah’s driving
They are inheriting our practices everyday !
It is foolish to think that we can live one way, and expect our children to live another !
If we attend church, more than likely our children will.........
If we pray, more than likely that our children will...........
However........if we curse, lie, steal.........more than likely our children will
If we drink..........more than likely our children will
Stats.......Children of alcoholics are 4 times more likely to become alcoholics than non-alcoholics
Illust. While at the park one day, a woman sat down next to a man on a bench near a playground. "That’s my son over there," she said, pointing to a little boy in a red sweater who was gliding down the slide.
"He’s a fine looking boy," the man said. "That’s my son on the swing in the blue sweater." Then, looking at his watch, he called to his son. "What do you say we go, Todd?"
Todd pleaded, "Just five more minutes, Dad. Please? Just five more minutes." The man nodded and Todd continued to swing to his heart’s content.
Minutes passed and the father stood and called again to his son. "Time to go now?"
Again Todd pleaded, "Five more minutes, Dad. Just five more minutes." The man smiled and said, "Okay."
"My, you certainly are a patient father," the woman responded.
The man smiled and then said, "My older son Tommy was killed by a drunk driver last year while he was riding his bike near here. I never spent much time with Tommy and now I’d give anything for just five more minutes with him. I’ve vowed not to make the same mistake with Todd. He thinks he has five more minutes to swing. The truth is . . . I get five more minutes to watch him play."
In closing this morning........reflect for a moment on your relationship with your children. How is it ? What are they inheriting from you ? Is your faith the way that you would like to pass it along to your children ? How bout your priorities ? And how bout your practices ? Would you be pleased, and proud to see your children practicing what you practice ?
If you’re unsaved, the most significant thing that you can do is get things right with God
If you’re saved, the most significant thing that you can do is continue to follow Christ
If you are backslidden the most significant thing you can do is get back to where you need to be.
