"What Every Young Person Should Know"

U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris

CP Walker, Taegu, South Korea

BIG IDEA: YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT THE MINISTRY

OF PARENTING ISN’T EASY TO LEARN.

REFERENCES: Proverbs 1:8-10 (MSG) Pay close attention, friend, to what your father tells you; never forget what you learned at your mother’s knee. Wear their counsel like flowers in your hair, like rings on your fingers. Dear friend, if bad companions tempt you, don’t go along with them; Proverbs 22:6 (KJV) Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it; Psalms 139; Matthew 19:13-14 (KJV) If we want Jesus to bless and pray for our children ... we must bring them to him. (...; Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.; Ephesians 6:1-3 (GW) Children obey your parents because you are Christians ...

I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: PROVERBS 1:8-10 (msg)

II. READ THE PERICOPE: PROVERBS 1:8-10 (msg)

III. READ THE TEXT: PROVERBS 1:8-10 (MSG) (Pay close attention, friend, to what your father tells you; never forget what you learned at your mother’s knee. Wear their counsel like flowers in your hair, like rings on your fingers. Dear friend, if bad companions tempt you, don’t go along with them)

IV. PURPOSE: TO TEACH THE HEARERS TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THEIR PARENTS AS THEY TRY TO PREPARE THEM FOR LIFE CHALLENGES.

V. SERMONIC THEME: “What Every Young Person Should Know”

VI. Protaganist: Young Christians (7-21)

VII. INTRODUCTION: ... As most of you know, this year our theme is “Young People Spiritually Alive in 2005”. Recently, in my reading about the problem of rising crime rates as it reflects upon young people, I came across a report that was written many years ago by the Minnesota Crime Commission, which I thought I would share with you. The report reads:

Every baby starts life as a little savage. He is completely selfish and self-centered.

He wants what he wants when he wants it -- his bottle, his mother’s attention, his playmate’s toy, his uncle’s watch. Deny him these once, and he seethes with rage and aggressiveness which would be murderous were he not so helpless.

He is dirty, he has no morals, no knowledge, no skills. This means that all children -- not just certain children, all children -- are born delinquent.

If permitted to continue in the self-centered world of his infancy, given free rein to his impulsive actions to satisfy his wants, every child would grow up a criminal -- a thief, a killer, or a rapist.

In other words, this passage agrees with the Bible which says: in ... Proverbs 22:15 (KJV)... Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. Children are going to be children. But it’s our Ministry to them as their parents to prepare them to live independent of us in the future. And I’m not quite sure that we’re doing a GOOD JOB of preparing our children.

If there’s anyTHING as parents THAT WE NEED TO TEACH OUR children, today more than ever before, it’s how to handle FAILURE and GUILT instead of how TO CONDEMN one another.

As I’ve said in the past, As Christian parents, it is our ministry to our children to train them up in the way that they "SHOULD GO" Proverbs 22:6 (KJV) ... for God ...

**********************TAKE 5 BEATS*********************

MOVE 1: The problem lies in the fact that this ISN’T EASY TO DO.

a. THE MINISTRY OF PARENTING ISN’T AN EASY TASK.

b. One of the problems with PARENTING ... is that ... we don’t always KNOW (as parents) what we’re suppose to teach our CHILDREN.

c. For instance, As parents, we need to KNOW HOW TO EFFECTIVELY HANDLE FAILURE and GUILT ... OURSELVES ... instead of CONDEMNING FELLOW PARENTS ... BEFORE WE CAN REALLY TEACH OUR CHILDREN HOW TO ....

d. Once we’re learned HOW TO HANDLE FAILURE AND GUILT IN OUR OWN LIVES ... IT BECOMES EASIER TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN TO DO THE SAME.

**********************TAKE 5 BEATS*****************

MOVE 2: THE MINISTRY OF PARENTING ISN’T AN EASY TASK.

a. Another problem in the MINISTRY OF PARENTING is to KNOW WHEN TO APPLY CONFRONTATION, and when to apply AFFIRMATION.

b. ... AND IT’S NOT EASY. FOR SOME PARENTS, IT TAKES YEARS TO LEARN ... WHILE OTHERS NEVER REALLY LEARN IT WHEN THEY NEEDED IT.

c. In fact, at times, I’m not sure if I should GO TO MY CHILDREN WITH A FIRM AND STRONG COMMAND OF CONFRONTATION or if I SHOULD BE AFFIRMING through FORGIVING AND UNDERSTANDING ...