Training Kingdom Kids

TRAINING KINGDOM KIDS

PROVERBS 22:6

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

INTRODUCTION: Jesus taught the importance of children. He said that the children who came to Him were pictures of those who are citizens of His kingdom. In Matthew 18:3-4 "(Jesus) said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." The directive to the citizen of the kingdom of God is "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." The pursuit of the kingdom should be the organizing principle of every follower of Christ. Christian parents are called to embrace this pursuit as they train their children to be Kingdom Kids.

I. The Primary Responsibility for training Kingdom Kids lies with the Parents.

A. It is neither the state’s nor society’s responsibility to train our children.

B. There is an the African proverb, "It takes a village to raise a child" While a community may have an impact or influence on a child, it takes godly parents who step up to their God-given responsibility to train kingdom kids.

C. Deuteronomy 6:4-7 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And you shall love the LORD thy God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words, which I command you this day, shall be in your heart: And you shall teach them diligently unto your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up."

D. Ephesians 6:4 “And, you fathers provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

E. The school will teach children how to read, but the environment of the home must teach them what to read. The school can teach them how to think, but the home must teach them what to believe. – Charles A. Wells

II. Training is an ongoing, never-ending Process.

A. Parenting is a 24-hour a day, 7 day a week, 365 days a year task. It extends from the cradle to adulthood.

B. Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

C. A public school survey in Maryland showed that parents spent an average of 15 minutes a week in "meaningful dialogue" with their children--children who are left to glean whatever values they can from peers and TV. Senator Dan Coates, Imprimis, Vol 20, #9, Sept, 1991

D. Deuteronomy 6:7 "…you shall teach them diligently unto your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up."

III. All Training must grounded in Absolute Truth – the Word of God.

A. Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

B. 2 Timothy 3:15-17 "And that from a child you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

C. A man started out through a forest so thickly covered with trees that one day he could not see the sun or sky. After traveling for a long time he knew it was getting night time, so started for what he thought was home. He was so certain that his direction was right that he did not look at his compass. But when he did look at it, he was surprised to find that he was going west when he thought he was going east. He was so sure he was right that he started to throw his compass away. Then he thought, "You have never told me an untruth, and I’ll trust you now." He followed the compass and came out right. We, too, have a compass that will never tell us an untruth. It in God’s Word --the Bible. If we always follow it we will be safe, even though we think we are right. If it tells us some thing different, then let us follow what it says, for that is the only safe thing. --Gospel Herald