WEBVTT 00:00:03.629 --> 00:00:08.169 Today we continue in the following sermon from 00:00:08.169 --> 00:00:11.970 last week on nurturing and training children 00:00:11.970 --> 00:00:16.449 in Christian faith and practice. We're going 00:00:16.449 --> 00:00:22.230 to look today or begin with Psalm 78 verses 1 00:00:22.230 --> 00:00:25.850 through 8. You can turn there in their scriptures. 00:00:26.070 --> 00:00:33.829 Psalm 78 is quite a long psalm. The Works of 00:00:33.829 --> 00:00:39.549 God and the Failures of His People for 72 verses. 00:00:40.109 --> 00:00:42.450 But we're going to look at the beginning because 00:00:42.450 --> 00:00:48.090 this introduction is a key to developing the 00:00:48.090 --> 00:00:50.369 subject that I'm going to be looking at today. 00:00:51.969 --> 00:00:55.890 Hear the word of the Lord. Give ear, O my people, 00:00:55.950 --> 00:01:00.289 to my law. Incline your ears to the words of 00:01:00.289 --> 00:01:03.520 my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable. 00:01:03.780 --> 00:01:06.959 I will utter dark sayings of old, which we have 00:01:06.959 --> 00:01:09.400 heard and known and our fathers have told us. 00:01:09.980 --> 00:01:13.859 We will not hide them from their children, telling 00:01:13.859 --> 00:01:17.079 to the generation to come the praises of the 00:01:17.079 --> 00:01:20.000 Lord and his strength and his wonderful works 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:23.299 that he has done. For he established a testimony 00:01:23.299 --> 00:01:26.480 in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which 00:01:26.480 --> 00:01:29.459 he commanded our fathers, that they should make 00:01:29.459 --> 00:01:32.939 them known to their children, that the generation 00:01:32.939 --> 00:01:36.079 to come might know them, the children who would 00:01:36.079 --> 00:01:39.519 be born, that they may arise and declare them 00:01:39.519 --> 00:01:43.340 to their children, that they may set their hope 00:01:43.340 --> 00:01:48.459 in God and not forget the works of God, but keep 00:01:48.459 --> 00:01:54.879 his word. And may not be like their fathers, 00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:59.219 a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation 00:01:59.219 --> 00:02:02.579 that did not set its heart right and whose spirit 00:02:02.579 --> 00:02:07.159 was not faithful to God. Let's pray. Fathers, 00:02:07.159 --> 00:02:09.379 we come into this subject today. Lord, I pray 00:02:09.379 --> 00:02:11.800 that you would again open my mouth with your 00:02:11.800 --> 00:02:14.919 words, Lord, that you would inspire me, Lord, 00:02:14.960 --> 00:02:16.919 through the Holy Spirit to be able to declare 00:02:16.919 --> 00:02:20.340 your word accurately and faithfully. We pray 00:02:20.340 --> 00:02:22.219 that you would open up our hearts to receive 00:02:22.219 --> 00:02:25.759 it, Lord. Change us, O God, where we need changed. 00:02:26.479 --> 00:02:28.340 Encourage us, Lord, where we need encouraged. 00:02:28.800 --> 00:02:31.639 And in everything, we pray that your people would 00:02:31.639 --> 00:02:34.759 be edified and that you would be glorified. We 00:02:34.759 --> 00:02:39.879 ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. A few weeks ago, 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:44.199 we considered the truth that God calls the children... 00:02:44.729 --> 00:02:48.210 of at least one Christian parent as holy children, 00:02:48.509 --> 00:02:51.349 saints of God. This is in 1 Corinthians chapter 00:02:51.349 --> 00:02:55.110 7, which we've been going through. Paul says 00:02:55.110 --> 00:02:58.550 they are not unclean, but set apart and considered 00:02:58.550 --> 00:03:02.669 to be saints of the Lord. Then last week I followed 00:03:02.669 --> 00:03:05.909 with a sermon on how to disciple these children 00:03:05.909 --> 00:03:10.270 who belong to God. How we as parents are to love 00:03:10.270 --> 00:03:13.530 them, modeling the father as he loves his son 00:03:13.530 --> 00:03:17.189 Jesus, And as God loves us, for God is love. 00:03:17.750 --> 00:03:21.210 The directive given to parents then is to bring 00:03:21.210 --> 00:03:23.430 them up in the nurture and admonition of the 00:03:23.430 --> 00:03:26.729 Lord, which is the way Paul describes the discipleship 00:03:26.729 --> 00:03:32.389 process in Ephesians 6, verse 4. And you fathers 00:03:32.389 --> 00:03:37.550 do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring 00:03:37.550 --> 00:03:41.629 them up in the nurture or the training and the 00:03:41.629 --> 00:03:45.919 admonition of the Lord. Now, as I said last week, 00:03:45.979 --> 00:03:49.360 we're speaking here to a broad audience. There 00:03:49.360 --> 00:03:51.580 are some of us whose childbearing years are long 00:03:51.580 --> 00:03:54.219 gone. Some of us are grandparents. Some of us 00:03:54.219 --> 00:03:57.000 are single. And there's also a good number of 00:03:57.000 --> 00:03:59.400 us who are in the midst of the childbearing years. 00:03:59.819 --> 00:04:03.340 But it's still good for all of us because we 00:04:03.340 --> 00:04:06.900 are also called to help each other. Just as we 00:04:06.900 --> 00:04:10.439 promise in the baptismal promise. to love, care, 00:04:10.479 --> 00:04:13.939 and to support these parents as they raise their 00:04:13.939 --> 00:04:16.379 young children. So this is something good for 00:04:16.379 --> 00:04:20.439 us all to hear, even if we are not in the middle 00:04:20.439 --> 00:04:25.120 of childbearing years. Now our premise is that 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:28.360 raising covenant children is a high and a holy 00:04:28.360 --> 00:04:31.860 calling, for we are commanded to love these children 00:04:31.860 --> 00:04:35.560 and to nurture them in the gospel and under the 00:04:35.560 --> 00:04:39.730 lordship of Jesus Christ. And by God's grace, 00:04:40.029 --> 00:04:45.529 by God's grace, with his help, we can then raise 00:04:45.529 --> 00:04:51.329 a generation that hopes in him, that keeps his 00:04:51.329 --> 00:04:55.509 commandments, and that, as Psalm 78 says, declares 00:04:55.509 --> 00:04:59.649 his praises to the next generation and to their 00:04:59.649 --> 00:05:03.990 children as well. Now on this subject, the great 00:05:03.990 --> 00:05:06.689 preacher Martin Lloyd -Jones observed, said, 00:05:07.420 --> 00:05:11.259 It is very interesting to observe in the long 00:05:11.259 --> 00:05:14.600 history of the Christian church how this particular 00:05:14.600 --> 00:05:18.019 matter, the one of which we are speaking, always 00:05:18.019 --> 00:05:22.959 reappears and receives great prominence at every 00:05:22.959 --> 00:05:28.660 period of revival and reawakening. Interesting 00:05:28.660 --> 00:05:31.740 how that happens. In other words, when the Spirit 00:05:31.740 --> 00:05:36.139 of God works in a mighty way in His people, This 00:05:36.139 --> 00:05:40.000 subject comes again to the hearts of the people 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:44.680 to pass on to their children and to disciple 00:05:44.680 --> 00:05:48.319 them. He continues, the Protestant reformers 00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:51.040 were concerned about it and the instruction of 00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:54.699 children in moral and spiritual matters was given 00:05:54.699 --> 00:05:58.180 great prominence. Now there are several other 00:05:58.180 --> 00:06:00.519 directives given in God's word that expand this 00:06:00.519 --> 00:06:03.579 responsibility. And today I want to look at three 00:06:03.579 --> 00:06:06.759 more. responsibilities that are given to parents 00:06:06.759 --> 00:06:10.259 in addition to loving them and nurturing them 00:06:10.259 --> 00:06:14.139 we are also to teach them to train them and to 00:06:14.139 --> 00:06:16.500 correct and discipline them now there's a lot 00:06:16.500 --> 00:06:18.980 of overlap between these but i'm breaking this 00:06:18.980 --> 00:06:21.839 out just to for us to be able to really get in 00:06:21.839 --> 00:06:26.660 and and understand this truth all of this of 00:06:26.660 --> 00:06:31.160 course is discipleship all of these that is love 00:06:31.160 --> 00:06:35.379 nurture teach train and correction. They're part 00:06:35.379 --> 00:06:38.459 of the covenantal responsibilities that we have. 00:06:38.680 --> 00:06:42.579 And it flows out of God's covenant with us as 00:06:42.579 --> 00:06:45.899 he has saved us, washed us clean and sanctified 00:06:45.899 --> 00:06:50.000 us and blessed us with children as a heritage 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:54.100 and a reward. You're raising little Christians. 00:06:54.920 --> 00:06:57.839 They are God's covenant children who are your 00:06:57.839 --> 00:07:00.920 brothers and sisters in Christ. And God has given 00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:04.240 you the responsibility, parents, of laboring 00:07:04.240 --> 00:07:07.740 in the Lord to see that Christ is formed in them. 00:07:08.660 --> 00:07:11.680 We see that in Galatians chapter 4, verse 29. 00:07:12.500 --> 00:07:16.480 We read of Timothy, who was a disciple. He was 00:07:16.480 --> 00:07:19.379 the son of a Jewish woman who believed, but whose 00:07:19.379 --> 00:07:22.139 father was a Greek, understood to be an unbeliever. 00:07:22.459 --> 00:07:26.279 Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1 as a dear 00:07:26.279 --> 00:07:29.500 and beloved son. And he says, I call to remembrance 00:07:29.500 --> 00:07:34.740 the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt 00:07:34.740 --> 00:07:39.139 first in your grandmother Lois and your mother 00:07:39.139 --> 00:07:44.519 Eunice. And I am persuaded is in you also. See 00:07:44.519 --> 00:07:47.779 the multi -generational vision there, even in 00:07:47.779 --> 00:07:51.459 the case of an unbelieving father. Because we 00:07:51.459 --> 00:07:54.060 don't hear really nothing more of Timothy. But 00:07:54.060 --> 00:07:58.360 of Timothy's father. He was the son of this woman 00:07:58.360 --> 00:08:00.879 who believed and of a grandmother who believed. 00:08:01.180 --> 00:08:03.500 And he says, Paul says that, Therefore I remind 00:08:03.500 --> 00:08:06.519 you to stir up the gift of God which is in you 00:08:06.519 --> 00:08:09.740 through the laying on of my hands. May the Lord 00:08:09.740 --> 00:08:14.379 give his church hundreds and thousands more like 00:08:14.379 --> 00:08:19.379 this. Yea, even millions. of people like Timothy 00:08:19.379 --> 00:08:22.779 who have been discipled by their parents and 00:08:22.779 --> 00:08:26.399 by their grandparents, that they are faithful 00:08:26.399 --> 00:08:31.060 ministers, servants of the Lord in whatever capacity 00:08:31.060 --> 00:08:33.879 the Lord gives them. And by ministers there, 00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:36.539 I don't just mean somebody standing in the pulpit. 00:08:36.580 --> 00:08:40.220 I am talking about whatever God gives in the 00:08:40.220 --> 00:08:45.440 gifts of ministry in every sphere of life. May 00:08:45.440 --> 00:08:47.620 the Lord give us many more. And so to this end, 00:08:47.679 --> 00:08:51.179 let us consider three additional points of discipleship. 00:08:51.419 --> 00:08:56.320 The first is to teach your children. And for 00:08:56.320 --> 00:08:58.799 this, we turn to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 00:08:58.799 --> 00:09:03.580 6, verse 6 and 7. And these words which I command 00:09:03.580 --> 00:09:09.519 you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:13.360 them diligently to your children and shall talk 00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:16.529 of them. When you sit in your house, when you 00:09:16.529 --> 00:09:19.669 walk by the way, when you lie down, and when 00:09:19.669 --> 00:09:23.669 you rise up. Now in the prior verses to this 00:09:23.669 --> 00:09:27.970 passage, the initial opening of the Great Shema, 00:09:28.149 --> 00:09:30.490 which is the central confession of faith in the 00:09:30.490 --> 00:09:33.350 book of Deuteronomy, Moses reminds the children 00:09:33.350 --> 00:09:37.590 of Israel that the Lord is one God. He says, 00:09:37.590 --> 00:09:40.029 Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is 00:09:40.029 --> 00:09:42.610 one. And then he proceeds with the central command, 00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:46.299 Which is the command that Jesus says is the first 00:09:46.299 --> 00:09:48.460 and greatest command in the whole of scripture. 00:09:48.879 --> 00:09:51.580 You shall love the Lord your God with all your 00:09:51.580 --> 00:09:54.440 heart, with all your soul, and with all your 00:09:54.440 --> 00:09:56.799 strength. And these words which I command you 00:09:56.799 --> 00:10:01.059 today shall be in your heart. Your heart, your 00:10:01.059 --> 00:10:04.879 soul, and your strength. From the very beginning, 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:12.620 God desires worship, love, and obedience to him. 00:10:13.129 --> 00:10:17.169 From the heart. That is the innermost being. 00:10:17.289 --> 00:10:20.509 The thoughts and the desires of the heart. To 00:10:20.509 --> 00:10:23.889 love and to worship and to obey with all the 00:10:23.889 --> 00:10:28.009 strength that lies within us. The worship of 00:10:28.009 --> 00:10:33.090 God was never about performance, mindless duty, 00:10:33.350 --> 00:10:38.669 or rote obedience. He commands that it come from 00:10:38.669 --> 00:10:44.370 our heart, our soul, our mind. And with all of 00:10:44.370 --> 00:10:47.590 our strength. The rich liturgies. The worship 00:10:47.590 --> 00:10:50.409 practices. And obedience to the laws of God in 00:10:50.409 --> 00:10:53.389 the scripture. Are to be from the heart. And 00:10:53.389 --> 00:10:55.309 this should be the desire of every Christian 00:10:55.309 --> 00:10:58.789 parent. To teach your children. Yes. Be an example 00:10:58.789 --> 00:11:02.049 to teach them. How to worship. How to join in 00:11:02.049 --> 00:11:05.009 the Lord's prayer. Or to list the apostles creed. 00:11:05.009 --> 00:11:07.909 And sing the Gloria Patri or Sanctus. And shout 00:11:07.909 --> 00:11:12.279 out Psalm 134. Behold bless the Lord. But it's 00:11:12.279 --> 00:11:14.919 also from within that that they would have a 00:11:14.919 --> 00:11:18.980 fervent love for God. That they would love Him. 00:11:19.120 --> 00:11:22.139 And from that love would come reverent worship. 00:11:22.799 --> 00:11:25.980 Worship that comes from the heart, the mind, 00:11:25.980 --> 00:11:28.879 and the soul that continues on through the teen 00:11:28.879 --> 00:11:32.399 years and on into adulthood. That is the desire 00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:36.539 of God. It's not just do this, do this, do this. 00:11:36.600 --> 00:11:40.200 No, it's got to spring from a deep love and conviction 00:11:40.200 --> 00:11:43.059 within the heart. So with that as a foundation, 00:11:43.379 --> 00:11:46.220 then the instruction and command then comes in 00:11:46.220 --> 00:11:49.139 verse 7 of Deuteronomy 6. He says, you shall 00:11:49.139 --> 00:11:52.799 teach them diligently to your children. Now, 00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:56.240 teach them diligently is actually one Hebrew 00:11:56.240 --> 00:12:01.919 word. It means to whet, to sharpen, to teach 00:12:01.919 --> 00:12:07.000 incisively, even to pierce. So it's not just 00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:10.870 didactic teaching, it's to sharpen them. to make 00:12:10.870 --> 00:12:14.490 them aware, to teach them in that way. And this, 00:12:14.509 --> 00:12:18.190 of course, requires frequent repetition, putting 00:12:18.190 --> 00:12:20.370 in the hearts and minds of your children so that 00:12:20.370 --> 00:12:23.529 they are sharp and ready and well taught. There's 00:12:23.529 --> 00:12:26.330 a good reason why children are likened to arrows 00:12:26.330 --> 00:12:30.259 in light of this. In Psalm 127, verse 4 and 5, 00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:34.500 like arrows are in the hand of a warrior, so 00:12:34.500 --> 00:12:37.980 are the children of one's youth. Happy is the 00:12:37.980 --> 00:12:40.960 man who has his quiver full of them. They shall 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:43.240 not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies 00:12:43.240 --> 00:12:46.720 in the gates. So again, we see this whole picture 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:51.379 of parents sharpening, whetting, teaching their 00:12:51.379 --> 00:12:56.159 children so that they are faithful arrows. In 00:12:56.159 --> 00:12:59.240 the hands of a warrior or like that. This is 00:12:59.240 --> 00:13:03.179 the command of Deuteronomy. And preparing them 00:13:03.179 --> 00:13:07.799 to be arrows or weapons of warfare requires teaching 00:13:07.799 --> 00:13:11.120 them diligently. Parents, you are to instruct 00:13:11.120 --> 00:13:15.840 your children in God's word. God's word lives 00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:18.659 forever. It is the incorruptible seed of life. 00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:21.580 The word of God will always retain its power. 00:13:22.090 --> 00:13:24.809 But if you're to teach well, John Calvin says, 00:13:25.009 --> 00:13:28.429 then you must go to the trouble of being instructed 00:13:28.429 --> 00:13:32.909 in God's word in order to do your duty. In other 00:13:32.909 --> 00:13:34.950 words, if you're going to teach it, you have 00:13:34.950 --> 00:13:37.960 to be being... taught or living in it yourself 00:13:37.960 --> 00:13:40.940 being taught by reading the word of god or by 00:13:40.940 --> 00:13:44.039 hearing god's preaching the hearing other preaching 00:13:44.039 --> 00:13:47.500 or or to be instructed by wise teachers if you 00:13:47.500 --> 00:13:50.559 do not take great care to read and meditate on 00:13:50.559 --> 00:13:53.000 the word then you will not be able to teach well 00:13:53.549 --> 00:13:55.850 And this instruction, by the way, and teaching 00:13:55.850 --> 00:13:59.289 should come from both parents, father and mother. 00:13:59.730 --> 00:14:03.090 Proverbs 1 verse 8. My son, hear the instruction 00:14:03.090 --> 00:14:06.289 of your father and do not forsake the law of 00:14:06.289 --> 00:14:11.570 your mother. So it comes from both. And so if 00:14:11.570 --> 00:14:14.129 we're going to teach our children God's word, 00:14:14.389 --> 00:14:17.750 then we ourselves must be taught in the word. 00:14:17.929 --> 00:14:22.240 And that is a personal. vibrant relationship 00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:25.720 with the lord and the study of his word in whatever 00:14:25.720 --> 00:14:28.980 way that we are able different people learn in 00:14:28.980 --> 00:14:31.159 different ways some of it might come through 00:14:31.159 --> 00:14:33.620 reading some from listening to sermons some from 00:14:33.620 --> 00:14:36.919 reading articles some from reading thick theological 00:14:36.919 --> 00:14:40.120 or heavier books there's all sorts of different 00:14:40.120 --> 00:14:42.299 ways sometimes it comes in the form of story 00:14:43.070 --> 00:14:46.289 There are some great teachers who can powerfully 00:14:46.289 --> 00:14:49.210 use story to illustrate it. Sometimes it comes 00:14:49.210 --> 00:14:51.570 from listening to something versus reading it 00:14:51.570 --> 00:14:54.809 yourself. But in all of this, simply the desire 00:14:54.809 --> 00:14:58.629 here, what is expressed is that we need to receive 00:14:58.629 --> 00:15:02.629 in order to teach. We need to be in the word. 00:15:03.669 --> 00:15:07.399 Now what does this teaching consist of? It speaks 00:15:07.399 --> 00:15:10.840 of talking to our children about God's holy words, 00:15:11.139 --> 00:15:14.659 his commandments, his precepts, his principles, 00:15:14.899 --> 00:15:19.419 his stories, and his history, woven together, 00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:23.580 and this is very important, with the gospel and 00:15:23.580 --> 00:15:27.279 with grace. Because the word of God is not just 00:15:27.279 --> 00:15:30.740 a series of principles. It's not just a collection 00:15:30.740 --> 00:15:34.399 of pithy sayings. No, it is the powerful word 00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:37.379 of God that is sharp. It's sharp like a sword 00:15:37.379 --> 00:15:40.159 and it reaches into the innermost heart of the 00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:43.399 being. And so in order to teach the word of God, 00:15:43.539 --> 00:15:47.600 then we must include together with it the whole 00:15:47.600 --> 00:15:50.720 story of the gospel and of grace and the power 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:55.429 of God to change people's lives. The word of 00:15:55.429 --> 00:15:58.409 God to your children will not make them new just 00:15:58.409 --> 00:16:02.570 in and of itself. You must have the gospel with 00:16:02.570 --> 00:16:07.529 it. The gospel underlies the principles and the 00:16:07.529 --> 00:16:10.269 precepts and the laws and all of these things. 00:16:10.330 --> 00:16:13.730 And it takes and it pierces the heart. So it 00:16:13.730 --> 00:16:19.110 must be the gospel and grace woven together with 00:16:19.110 --> 00:16:21.710 the law, the commandments, the precepts, the 00:16:21.710 --> 00:16:26.100 principles and the stories. Again, Psalm 78 verse 00:16:26.100 --> 00:16:29.360 4, which we read, we will not hide them from 00:16:29.360 --> 00:16:32.000 our children, telling the generation to come 00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:34.460 the praises of the Lord that they may set their 00:16:34.460 --> 00:16:39.159 hope in God. Another way of teaching is for you 00:16:39.159 --> 00:16:42.500 fathers to lead your children in family worship 00:16:42.500 --> 00:16:44.980 or to lead your family, your household in family 00:16:44.980 --> 00:16:48.559 worship. Read a short passage of scripture. Explain 00:16:48.559 --> 00:16:51.139 it. Discuss it with your children as appropriate. 00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:53.879 And then pray together. And this is going to 00:16:53.879 --> 00:16:56.019 look different if your children are really young 00:16:56.019 --> 00:16:58.799 versus when they get older. There might be more 00:16:58.799 --> 00:17:01.779 interaction or you get a little bit deeper. If 00:17:01.779 --> 00:17:04.500 your children are really young, sometimes it's 00:17:04.500 --> 00:17:07.259 just a couple of verses, something that they 00:17:07.259 --> 00:17:11.220 can understand from it. And then you sing. and 00:17:11.220 --> 00:17:14.799 pray with them, and there you have it. Some way 00:17:14.799 --> 00:17:19.380 of discipleship with your children. If you have 00:17:19.380 --> 00:17:21.880 difficulty with this, there are wonderful aids 00:17:21.880 --> 00:17:26.640 that help. Pastor Kevin Swanson has some great 00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:29.839 guides for many of the books of the Bible at 00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:32.880 generations .org, where he just takes it and 00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:35.460 again just provides a concise outline of the 00:17:35.460 --> 00:17:38.319 passage, a few points from it. It can be very 00:17:38.319 --> 00:17:41.380 helpful in family worship. reformation heritage 00:17:41.380 --> 00:17:44.759 books also has a family bible worship guide again 00:17:44.759 --> 00:17:47.779 kind of in the same way and that is on every 00:17:47.779 --> 00:17:50.519 chapter of the bible when your children are very 00:17:50.519 --> 00:17:53.099 young keep it simple give them one or two concepts 00:17:53.099 --> 00:17:56.700 but however you do it teach your children to 00:17:56.700 --> 00:17:59.900 love and to worship god and to love his word 00:17:59.900 --> 00:18:05.400 furthermore if we are to teach them then the 00:18:05.400 --> 00:18:10.890 education of christian children must be a Christian 00:18:10.890 --> 00:18:15.230 education. The education of your children must 00:18:15.230 --> 00:18:19.789 be a Christian education. Two hours on a Sunday 00:18:19.789 --> 00:18:23.349 morning, while absolutely vital, will not suffice 00:18:23.349 --> 00:18:25.910 to bring up your children to nurture and train 00:18:25.910 --> 00:18:29.630 them in Christian faith and practice. Why should 00:18:29.630 --> 00:18:32.700 our children drink deeply? At the fountain of 00:18:32.700 --> 00:18:35.500 atheistic and worldly teaching about the origins 00:18:35.500 --> 00:18:38.759 of the world or of the humanistic and rationalistic 00:18:38.759 --> 00:18:41.279 methods of understanding God's world that we 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:44.420 live in or of science with false premises or 00:18:44.420 --> 00:18:47.400 of history distorted by enlightenment assumptions 00:18:47.400 --> 00:18:51.019 or social studies shaped by the claim that all 00:18:51.019 --> 00:18:53.900 cultures are equal and that woke or multicultural 00:18:53.900 --> 00:18:57.019 ideologies are the measure of truth. How can 00:18:57.019 --> 00:18:59.819 we expect to raise Christian children when they're 00:18:59.819 --> 00:19:02.029 sitting in that for four or five days a week 00:19:02.029 --> 00:19:03.950 and then we just supplement with going to church 00:19:03.950 --> 00:19:06.750 on Sunday now yes we need to have family worship 00:19:06.750 --> 00:19:09.849 that is also a help but children need a Christian 00:19:09.849 --> 00:19:13.970 education when the glories of the created universe 00:19:13.970 --> 00:19:16.829 are taught and the beauty and the glory of the 00:19:16.829 --> 00:19:20.130 earth or the incredible complexity of the human 00:19:20.130 --> 00:19:24.170 body or even the order of mathematics we should 00:19:24.170 --> 00:19:29.380 be led to worship to praise our God and to understand 00:19:29.380 --> 00:19:34.680 it according to his will, his ways, and his word. 00:19:34.880 --> 00:19:38.680 We should be led by all of these wonderful subjects 00:19:38.680 --> 00:19:43.799 to adore the God who created all of these things. 00:19:44.039 --> 00:19:48.880 The children of the covenant belong to God. They 00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:53.460 are not... to be discipled primarily by a system 00:19:53.460 --> 00:19:59.039 that ignores him or even worse, that denies him. 00:19:59.519 --> 00:20:02.779 This is one of the reasons why, looking into 00:20:02.779 --> 00:20:05.599 the future, it is our desire and hope to have 00:20:05.599 --> 00:20:09.500 a Christian school in this town someday. Now, 00:20:09.500 --> 00:20:11.819 homeschooling is also part of it. There's various 00:20:11.819 --> 00:20:15.599 ways of education, but a Christian school is 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:24.700 certainly part or one of the ways. Number five, 00:20:24.819 --> 00:20:28.420 teach them the history of the works of God in 00:20:28.420 --> 00:20:31.339 the world. So teach them. We're looking all just 00:20:31.339 --> 00:20:33.740 fleshing out this, what it is to teach them. 00:20:34.259 --> 00:20:37.079 This should include world history, ancient history, 00:20:37.220 --> 00:20:40.619 church history, and even the history of our nation. 00:20:41.019 --> 00:20:44.339 This includes... teaching the bad parts too, 00:20:44.440 --> 00:20:47.279 just like the Bible does. The times when the 00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:49.880 worship of God was forsaken and the people were 00:20:49.880 --> 00:20:53.680 disobedient. Consider this passage from Psalm 00:20:53.680 --> 00:20:56.200 48, and I'm going to get to it in just a moment. 00:20:57.700 --> 00:21:00.279 But as we read this Psalm, we need to read it 00:21:00.279 --> 00:21:02.779 in light of the passage from Hebrews chapter 00:21:02.779 --> 00:21:06.119 12, which speaks to the Christian church. It 00:21:06.119 --> 00:21:10.000 says, but you have come to Mount Zion and to 00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:12.640 the city of the living God. the heavenly Jerusalem. 00:21:13.079 --> 00:21:16.660 So when you hear the word Zion in this psalm, 00:21:16.660 --> 00:21:20.099 think of the dwelling place of God by the Spirit 00:21:20.099 --> 00:21:22.859 with his people, both Old and New Testament, 00:21:23.059 --> 00:21:25.539 is the center of true worship and the assembly 00:21:25.539 --> 00:21:29.019 of God's people. Now hear these words. Excuse 00:21:29.019 --> 00:21:39.359 me. The smoke is... Walk about Zion and go all 00:21:39.359 --> 00:21:44.839 about her. count her towers, mark well her bulwarks, 00:21:44.940 --> 00:21:49.200 consider her palaces, that you may tell it to 00:21:49.200 --> 00:21:52.759 the generation following. For this is our God, 00:21:52.839 --> 00:21:56.339 our God forever and ever. He will be our guide 00:21:56.339 --> 00:22:01.480 even to death. Psalm 48, 12 to 14. Let's unpack 00:22:01.480 --> 00:22:04.240 this a little bit in light of the teaching, because 00:22:04.240 --> 00:22:06.920 the teaching is in here. We are to tell it to 00:22:06.920 --> 00:22:08.960 the next generation, the generation following. 00:22:10.190 --> 00:22:13.670 So walk about her, count her towers. This means 00:22:13.670 --> 00:22:17.230 to review the work of God in the ages past. He 00:22:17.230 --> 00:22:22.730 says to mark her bulwarks well. That is the buttresses 00:22:22.730 --> 00:22:27.750 of faith and truth through the ages that have 00:22:27.750 --> 00:22:31.470 kept and guarded the word of God. Paul tells 00:22:31.470 --> 00:22:35.710 Timothy, I write so that you may know how you 00:22:35.710 --> 00:22:39.190 ought to conduct yourself in the house of God. 00:22:40.109 --> 00:22:43.950 Which is the church of the living God, the pillar 00:22:43.950 --> 00:22:49.369 and the ground of the truth. So we're looking 00:22:49.369 --> 00:22:53.670 here at pillars, grounding, bulwarks, buttresses. 00:22:53.910 --> 00:22:57.430 These are all great foundational principles. 00:22:57.910 --> 00:23:01.390 The principles of the word of God. Thus teach 00:23:01.390 --> 00:23:03.829 your children or find teachers that can tell 00:23:03.829 --> 00:23:07.630 them about the importance of the word. That can 00:23:07.630 --> 00:23:12.079 flesh it out. but also in historically the importance 00:23:12.079 --> 00:23:14.799 of the early creeds and the controversies that 00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:18.259 surrounded them or the solid confessions of faith 00:23:18.259 --> 00:23:21.700 that were born in times of great difficulty and 00:23:21.700 --> 00:23:24.480 of doctrinal differences that brought together 00:23:24.480 --> 00:23:27.720 a good and faithful summary of biblical doctrine. 00:23:27.900 --> 00:23:31.700 Tell them about the renewals and the true revivals 00:23:31.700 --> 00:23:35.079 that stood against apostasy and false doctrine 00:23:35.079 --> 00:23:39.359 and apathetic living. Regale your children with 00:23:39.359 --> 00:23:42.480 the stories of Athanasius. who stood against 00:23:42.480 --> 00:23:45.880 the false teaching of Arianism, or Boniface, 00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:48.980 the English missionary, who went to the dark 00:23:48.980 --> 00:23:52.740 and pagan Germanic tribes, and he chopped down 00:23:52.740 --> 00:23:55.500 that big tree that was considered their idol, 00:23:55.640 --> 00:23:58.000 and then he broke up it into little branches 00:23:58.000 --> 00:24:01.099 and told them to go home and rejoice in the birth 00:24:01.099 --> 00:24:03.740 of the Lord Jesus Christ on the earth, which 00:24:03.740 --> 00:24:06.440 is the beginning of many of the festivities of 00:24:06.440 --> 00:24:09.039 Christmas that we have in the greenery. That 00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:12.720 was Boniface. Or of Polycarp, the aged bishop 00:24:12.720 --> 00:24:17.019 who would not recant his faith in the time of 00:24:17.019 --> 00:24:20.039 ancient Rome and was then martyred for his faith. 00:24:20.220 --> 00:24:25.700 Or Perpetua, the one whose nursing daughter was 00:24:25.700 --> 00:24:29.180 torn away from her breast and she was slaughtered 00:24:29.180 --> 00:24:33.259 and killed because of her faith in Christ. Or 00:24:33.259 --> 00:24:36.519 of the stories of King Alfred the Great. That 00:24:36.519 --> 00:24:39.259 great Christian king of the Anglo -Saxons who 00:24:39.259 --> 00:24:42.700 defeated the Viking invaders. He promoted Christian 00:24:42.700 --> 00:24:45.799 education. He helped to set up schools so that 00:24:45.799 --> 00:24:49.279 the young could learn. And he created a fair 00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:53.819 and just law code based on the Bible. This was 00:24:53.819 --> 00:24:58.480 in the 800s. I could go on and on. Count her 00:24:58.480 --> 00:25:02.970 towers. Mark her well, her bulwarks. There are 00:25:02.970 --> 00:25:06.009 great resources that will teach and tell some 00:25:06.009 --> 00:25:07.890 of these stories that your children can listen 00:25:07.890 --> 00:25:11.190 to or that you can read and then tell them. As 00:25:11.190 --> 00:25:13.309 I have mentioned before, Pastor George Grant 00:25:13.309 --> 00:25:17.029 is a tremendous resource for many stories. If 00:25:17.029 --> 00:25:20.470 you go to georgegrant .net, his humanities courses 00:25:20.470 --> 00:25:24.990 are just amazing and great for history on antiquity 00:25:24.990 --> 00:25:27.829 or modernity or American culture and Christendom. 00:25:28.369 --> 00:25:31.910 But then also we consider her palaces. That is 00:25:31.910 --> 00:25:35.059 the great and notable deeds of God. The incredible 00:25:35.059 --> 00:25:38.319 exodus from Egypt and the miraculous deliverance, 00:25:38.359 --> 00:25:41.559 the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving 00:25:41.559 --> 00:25:44.660 of the law, the service of God, and the promises 00:25:44.660 --> 00:25:48.079 as Paul recounts in Romans 9 verse 4. They're 00:25:48.079 --> 00:25:50.740 the glories of Christ and of his ordinances and 00:25:50.740 --> 00:25:54.420 his church. The flowering of art and science 00:25:54.420 --> 00:25:57.359 and architecture and political and spiritual 00:25:57.359 --> 00:26:00.960 freedom and the glorious culture that came because 00:26:00.960 --> 00:26:03.500 of the Christian faith and the worship of God. 00:26:04.359 --> 00:26:08.279 There is so much. And sometimes our mind can 00:26:08.279 --> 00:26:10.880 get boggled with all that is available. Just 00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:14.380 start with a few. Tell your children. Pass on 00:26:14.380 --> 00:26:18.799 the works of God. Tell it to them. Because this 00:26:18.799 --> 00:26:22.920 is how the next generation knows. Tell them the 00:26:22.920 --> 00:26:28.220 great works of God in your own life. Those of 00:26:28.220 --> 00:26:31.140 your remembrance. Or those of your grandfather 00:26:31.140 --> 00:26:36.009 or your father. A few years ago, I learned more 00:26:36.009 --> 00:26:41.369 of the story of my great -great -grandfather 00:26:41.369 --> 00:26:47.549 who was on his deathbed and somebody came. He 00:26:47.549 --> 00:26:51.069 did not know the Lord. He was raised Amish, but 00:26:51.069 --> 00:26:54.750 he did not have saving faith. And a preacher 00:26:54.750 --> 00:26:58.130 came to minister to him on his deathbed and was 00:26:58.130 --> 00:27:01.890 preaching the gospel to him. And my grandfather, 00:27:03.039 --> 00:27:05.980 was listening on the other side of the door. 00:27:06.359 --> 00:27:08.779 This preacher may have never known this. I don't 00:27:08.779 --> 00:27:12.339 know. And through that, the Lord saved him, and 00:27:12.339 --> 00:27:16.039 it affected our whole family. I stand here. I 00:27:16.039 --> 00:27:18.640 stand here today by the grace of God, yes, but 00:27:18.640 --> 00:27:21.440 by the grace of God working in that man who went 00:27:21.440 --> 00:27:24.359 and ministered to my great -grandfather, my great 00:27:24.359 --> 00:27:27.980 -great -grandfather. What an amazing thing. These 00:27:27.980 --> 00:27:30.140 are stories that need to be told. They need to 00:27:30.140 --> 00:27:34.210 be passed on. To the next generation. Because 00:27:34.210 --> 00:27:38.430 your God is also their God. And he is their God. 00:27:38.630 --> 00:27:41.250 And he will be your guide. And he will be their 00:27:41.250 --> 00:27:47.869 guide forever. Teach your children. Number two. 00:27:48.569 --> 00:27:53.130 Train your children. Proverbs 22 verse 6. Train 00:27:53.130 --> 00:27:55.089 up a child in the way he should go. And when 00:27:55.089 --> 00:27:58.369 he is old he will not depart from it. A child 00:27:58.369 --> 00:28:01.700 left to himself brings shame to his mother. Proverbs 00:28:01.700 --> 00:28:05.900 29 verse 15 and Ephesians 6 verse 4. Bring them 00:28:05.900 --> 00:28:08.440 up in the training and the admonition of the 00:28:08.440 --> 00:28:13.279 Lord. Parents, you have been given a great opportunity 00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:16.680 before God. Not only do you have offspring, that 00:28:16.680 --> 00:28:18.940 is your flesh and blood, and the creation of 00:28:18.940 --> 00:28:21.900 eternal souls that have come into being by the 00:28:21.900 --> 00:28:25.220 grace and the mercy of God through the act of 00:28:25.220 --> 00:28:29.339 knowing each other in a physical way. Let me 00:28:29.339 --> 00:28:31.759 just repeat that. This is such an incredible 00:28:31.759 --> 00:28:36.500 truth. Husband and wife come together in the 00:28:36.500 --> 00:28:40.660 way that God has created them. And the creation 00:28:40.660 --> 00:28:45.059 of eternal souls come into being by the grace 00:28:45.059 --> 00:28:51.619 and mercy of God through this act. Mothers, you 00:28:51.619 --> 00:28:53.700 went through nine months of nourishing that little 00:28:53.700 --> 00:28:57.309 one then in your womb. And during the pain, of 00:28:57.309 --> 00:29:01.930 the bodily changes, of how things change for 00:29:01.930 --> 00:29:06.210 you, and then the pain of childbirth. And now 00:29:06.210 --> 00:29:12.190 God has charged you, fathers and mothers, with 00:29:12.190 --> 00:29:14.670 the overwhelming responsibility and opportunity 00:29:14.670 --> 00:29:19.690 to take that eternal soul and to train your child 00:29:19.690 --> 00:29:25.440 in the way that he or she should go. To train 00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:27.980 up is to dedicate, is to inaugurate, is to bring 00:29:27.980 --> 00:29:31.299 up. It is to teach and to form by practice. And 00:29:31.299 --> 00:29:33.640 thus it is closely related to my earlier point. 00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:37.519 God instructs you to form your children by instruction 00:29:37.519 --> 00:29:41.039 and practice. And you train them for glory. Both 00:29:41.039 --> 00:29:44.019 in this life, both glory in this life and the 00:29:44.019 --> 00:29:46.640 glory of the world to come. This is the work 00:29:46.640 --> 00:29:49.119 of God and his mercy that you may rejoice and 00:29:49.119 --> 00:29:52.440 be glad. And as you train, let this prayer of 00:29:52.440 --> 00:29:56.279 Moses from Psalm 90. Verse 14 to 17, be your 00:29:56.279 --> 00:30:00.279 prayer. Oh, satisfy us early with your mercy 00:30:00.279 --> 00:30:03.380 that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 00:30:03.819 --> 00:30:07.420 Make us glad according to the days in which you 00:30:07.420 --> 00:30:10.279 have afflicted us, the years in which we have 00:30:10.279 --> 00:30:13.640 seen evil. Let your work appear to your servants 00:30:13.640 --> 00:30:17.079 and your glory to their children and let the 00:30:17.079 --> 00:30:20.740 beauty of the Lord our God be upon us and establish 00:30:20.740 --> 00:30:23.779 the work of our hands for us. Yes, establish 00:30:23.779 --> 00:30:28.319 the work of our hands. Lord, let your work appear 00:30:28.319 --> 00:30:32.279 to your servants and your glory to their children. 00:30:32.579 --> 00:30:35.619 Because of God's work through you and in you, 00:30:35.740 --> 00:30:39.119 then children's children are the crown of old 00:30:39.119 --> 00:30:42.420 men and the glory of children is their father. 00:30:42.539 --> 00:30:46.119 Proverbs 17, verse 6. Training involves the whole 00:30:46.119 --> 00:30:49.720 person. It is the character, the affections, 00:30:49.720 --> 00:30:52.339 the attitudes, the motivations, and the actions. 00:30:53.039 --> 00:30:55.480 Matthew Henry says to train up a child, train 00:30:55.480 --> 00:30:58.200 up children in that age of vanity to keep them 00:30:58.200 --> 00:31:01.079 from the sins and the snares of it. In that learning 00:31:01.079 --> 00:31:03.400 age to prepare them for what they are designed 00:31:03.400 --> 00:31:07.380 for. Catechize them. Initiate them. Keep them 00:31:07.380 --> 00:31:10.039 under discipline. Train them as soldiers who 00:31:10.039 --> 00:31:12.579 are taught to handle their arms, to keep rank, 00:31:12.720 --> 00:31:15.579 and observe the word of command. Train them up, 00:31:15.619 --> 00:31:18.430 not in the way that they would go on the bias 00:31:18.430 --> 00:31:20.309 of their corrupt hearts would draw them aside 00:31:20.309 --> 00:31:23.529 but in the way they should go the way in which 00:31:23.529 --> 00:31:27.589 if you love them you would have them go john 00:31:27.589 --> 00:31:30.230 gill further adds train up a child in the way 00:31:30.230 --> 00:31:34.230 he should go as abraham trained up his children 00:31:34.230 --> 00:31:36.950 and those born in his house in the way of the 00:31:36.950 --> 00:31:40.089 lord in the paths of justice and judgment which 00:31:40.089 --> 00:31:42.569 are the ways in which they should go and which 00:31:42.569 --> 00:31:46.470 would be to their profit and advantage This is 00:31:46.470 --> 00:31:52.369 in Genesis chapter 14 and verse 14. This is the 00:31:52.369 --> 00:31:56.430 duty of parents and masters in all ages. To bring 00:31:56.430 --> 00:31:58.490 up those under their care and the nurture and 00:31:58.490 --> 00:32:01.170 the admonition of the Lord. Now this training 00:32:01.170 --> 00:32:05.049 should start at a very young age. Surrounding 00:32:05.049 --> 00:32:07.690 your children with love and care. You also start 00:32:07.690 --> 00:32:10.170 teaching them what your word means when you say 00:32:10.170 --> 00:32:14.940 no. No. You don't wait till they're five or six 00:32:14.940 --> 00:32:18.640 to start telling them no. No, at a young age, 00:32:18.740 --> 00:32:21.980 sometimes even a nursing child will start exercising 00:32:21.980 --> 00:32:24.599 their will against you, perhaps by arching their 00:32:24.599 --> 00:32:28.319 back or biting or other such things, and you 00:32:28.319 --> 00:32:32.000 can look them in the eye and say, No. Affirm 00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:35.400 no. When your child starts crawling and reaches 00:32:35.400 --> 00:32:37.839 for things that are not good, like a hot wood 00:32:37.839 --> 00:32:40.299 stove, for example, don't just remove them from 00:32:40.299 --> 00:32:42.839 the premise, but show them the item. Tell them 00:32:42.839 --> 00:32:45.599 that this is a no -no. Maybe even flicking their 00:32:45.599 --> 00:32:48.039 hand if they continue reaching for it, that in 00:32:48.039 --> 00:32:52.400 some way they associate, oh, mom said no, dad 00:32:52.400 --> 00:32:55.759 said no. This is important. This is training. 00:32:56.410 --> 00:32:59.390 It must happen. It teaches them in a loving way 00:32:59.390 --> 00:33:02.710 that mother or father are to be obeyed and there 00:33:02.710 --> 00:33:06.630 are limits to what they can do. And this training, 00:33:06.710 --> 00:33:10.829 of course, as I began this, it requires obedience 00:33:10.829 --> 00:33:14.410 from them. But as you require obedience, you 00:33:14.410 --> 00:33:17.490 also point them to Jesus as you teach them to 00:33:17.490 --> 00:33:21.990 obey. Why? Because Jesus is our example. We teach 00:33:21.990 --> 00:33:25.430 them to obey like Jesus who was subject to Mary 00:33:25.430 --> 00:33:28.789 and Joseph. Luke 2 verse 51. Then he went down 00:33:28.789 --> 00:33:30.750 with them and came to Nazareth and was subject 00:33:30.750 --> 00:33:34.250 to them. Hebrews describes his obedience saying 00:33:34.250 --> 00:33:37.089 of Jesus who in the days of his flesh when he 00:33:37.089 --> 00:33:39.730 had offered up prayers and supplications with 00:33:39.730 --> 00:33:42.269 vehement cries and tears to him who was able 00:33:42.269 --> 00:33:44.630 to save him from death and was heard because 00:33:44.630 --> 00:33:48.069 of his godly fear though he was a son. yet he 00:33:48.069 --> 00:33:52.130 learned obedience by the things that he suffered. 00:33:53.250 --> 00:33:56.269 Jesus always did the will of the Father in heaven, 00:33:56.410 --> 00:33:59.509 and in this he is both our Savior and our example. 00:33:59.890 --> 00:34:02.750 So this obedience we need to teach to our children, 00:34:02.829 --> 00:34:06.529 that they are to obey right away and with a cheerful 00:34:06.529 --> 00:34:09.360 attitude. And if you have to threaten or count 00:34:09.360 --> 00:34:12.159 to ten before your children obey you, then it's 00:34:12.159 --> 00:34:14.500 not obedience from the heart, but it's out of 00:34:14.500 --> 00:34:17.460 fear of punishment or the loss of reward or something. 00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:20.440 You can teach and train your children to obey 00:34:20.440 --> 00:34:23.380 you right away and with a cheerful attitude. 00:34:23.639 --> 00:34:27.579 But you've got to work at it. It's hard work 00:34:27.579 --> 00:34:31.039 for this and paying attention. And of course, 00:34:31.079 --> 00:34:34.559 this all must be surrounded with love. You can 00:34:34.559 --> 00:34:37.059 teach them to use good manners, to say thank 00:34:37.059 --> 00:34:39.960 you or please and to be grateful. Train them 00:34:39.960 --> 00:34:42.599 to have and maintain a cheerful heart, to be 00:34:42.599 --> 00:34:45.199 able to change their attitude and to show respect 00:34:45.199 --> 00:34:48.119 to whom it is due. Again, this requires diligence, 00:34:48.340 --> 00:34:53.000 application and your time and attention. It requires 00:34:53.000 --> 00:34:56.949 also... that you govern your own attitudes, your 00:34:56.949 --> 00:34:59.789 own manners, and your own affections. Because 00:34:59.789 --> 00:35:03.329 if you are ungoverned, your children also will 00:35:03.329 --> 00:35:07.110 be, because they will imitate you. In all your 00:35:07.110 --> 00:35:10.429 training, though, let it not be too perfectionistic 00:35:10.429 --> 00:35:14.849 or demanding. Your children will make mistakes. 00:35:15.730 --> 00:35:20.070 Love them. Laugh with them. Let your relationship 00:35:20.070 --> 00:35:24.300 with them be warm. and not based on their performance. 00:35:24.719 --> 00:35:29.159 Let the aroma of your household be that of the 00:35:29.159 --> 00:35:33.519 fruits of the Holy Spirit at work in you as parents 00:35:33.519 --> 00:35:36.400 and in your children. What are the fruits of 00:35:36.400 --> 00:35:41.019 the Spirit in the household? It is an aroma of 00:35:41.019 --> 00:35:48.440 love, of joy, of peace, of long -suffering, of 00:35:48.440 --> 00:35:54.889 kindness, of goodness. of faithfulness and gentleness 00:35:54.889 --> 00:35:58.710 and self -control. These are the fruits of the 00:35:58.710 --> 00:36:02.010 Spirit, and we need these in our own lives, but 00:36:02.010 --> 00:36:04.170 we need to also demonstrate them to our children 00:36:04.170 --> 00:36:07.269 so that they might learn them as well as the 00:36:07.269 --> 00:36:10.429 Spirit works in them. Surround your training 00:36:10.429 --> 00:36:15.670 by love and affection. Hear the wise words of 00:36:15.670 --> 00:36:18.730 Bishop J .C. Ryle on this subject. He says, Train 00:36:18.730 --> 00:36:21.050 up your child with all tenderness, affection, 00:36:21.409 --> 00:36:24.429 and patience. Love should be the silver thread 00:36:24.429 --> 00:36:28.030 that runs through all your conduct. Kindness, 00:36:28.030 --> 00:36:30.510 gentleness, long -suffering, forbearance, patience, 00:36:30.769 --> 00:36:33.769 sympathy, a willingness to enter into childish 00:36:33.769 --> 00:36:37.130 troubles, and a readiness to take part in childish 00:36:37.130 --> 00:36:42.469 joys. These are the cords by which a child may 00:36:42.469 --> 00:36:46.989 be led most easily. These are the clues you must 00:36:46.989 --> 00:36:49.769 follow if you would find the way to his heart. 00:36:50.309 --> 00:36:52.969 Children's minds are cast in much the same mold 00:36:52.969 --> 00:36:56.309 as our own. Sternness and severity of manner 00:36:56.309 --> 00:37:00.360 chill them. and throw them back. It shuts up 00:37:00.360 --> 00:37:04.539 their hearts. Let them see that you have an affectionate 00:37:04.539 --> 00:37:07.980 feeling toward them, that you really desire us 00:37:07.980 --> 00:37:11.340 to make them happy and do them good, and that 00:37:11.340 --> 00:37:14.000 if you punish them, it is intended for their 00:37:14.000 --> 00:37:17.369 profit. and that, like the pelican, you would 00:37:17.369 --> 00:37:19.750 give your heart's blood to nourish their souls. 00:37:19.969 --> 00:37:23.269 They must be wooed with kindness if their attention 00:37:23.269 --> 00:37:28.050 is ever to be won. Love is one grand secret of 00:37:28.050 --> 00:37:31.750 successful training. Anger and harshness may 00:37:31.750 --> 00:37:34.590 frighten, but they will not persuade the child 00:37:34.590 --> 00:37:37.289 that you are right. If he sees you often out 00:37:37.289 --> 00:37:40.989 of temper, you will soon cease to have his respect. 00:37:41.610 --> 00:37:45.179 End quote. But what amazing and wonderful words 00:37:45.179 --> 00:37:50.400 the venerable bishop writes. J .C. Ryle. Number 00:37:50.400 --> 00:37:52.780 three, correct and discipline your children. 00:37:54.639 --> 00:37:58.099 Proverbs 3, verse 11 and 12. My son, do not despise 00:37:58.099 --> 00:38:00.280 the chastening of the Lord. For whom the Lord 00:38:00.280 --> 00:38:04.219 loves, he corrects. Proverbs 29, 15, the rod 00:38:04.219 --> 00:38:06.760 and rebuke give wisdom, but a child left to himself 00:38:06.760 --> 00:38:10.039 brings shames to his mother. Proverbs 13, 24, 00:38:10.579 --> 00:38:14.619 he who spares his rod hates his son, but he who 00:38:14.619 --> 00:38:18.179 loves him disciplines him promptly. Proverbs 00:38:18.179 --> 00:38:21.719 3, verse 12, for whom the Lord loves, he corrects, 00:38:21.719 --> 00:38:24.519 just as the father of the son in whom he delights. 00:38:25.480 --> 00:38:28.860 And Hebrews 12, 5 to 7. Whom the Lord loves, 00:38:28.880 --> 00:38:31.820 he chastens. Now no chastening seems to be joyful 00:38:31.820 --> 00:38:35.119 for the present, but painful. Nevertheless, afterward 00:38:35.119 --> 00:38:37.179 it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness. 00:38:38.559 --> 00:38:40.820 The scripture is full of guidance and the need 00:38:40.820 --> 00:38:42.860 to use correction and discipline in the training 00:38:42.860 --> 00:38:45.219 and formation of children. And not only children, 00:38:45.400 --> 00:38:48.320 but for all of us. Because of our sinful and 00:38:48.320 --> 00:38:50.480 stubborn hearts, teaching and admonishing is 00:38:50.480 --> 00:38:53.559 not always enough. Sometimes we need a corrective. 00:38:53.960 --> 00:38:56.239 A chastening that is understood and it drives 00:38:56.239 --> 00:38:58.900 away foolishness. For adults, of course, this 00:38:58.900 --> 00:39:00.900 looks very differently than it does for young 00:39:00.900 --> 00:39:04.980 children. But God, sometimes, as one of my pastors 00:39:04.980 --> 00:39:07.199 used to say, sometimes God needs to spank us. 00:39:07.420 --> 00:39:10.480 And he does through circumstances or through 00:39:10.480 --> 00:39:13.599 experiencing the consequences of our own actions. 00:39:14.300 --> 00:39:20.440 But for our children, Proverbs and Psalms speak 00:39:20.440 --> 00:39:23.559 much of this foolishness foolishness is bound 00:39:23.559 --> 00:39:25.820 up in the heart of a child but the rod of correction 00:39:25.820 --> 00:39:29.360 drives it far from him indeed we are by nature 00:39:29.360 --> 00:39:33.500 the children of wrath and left to ourselves we 00:39:33.500 --> 00:39:36.500 conduct ourselves in the lust of the flesh fulfilling 00:39:36.500 --> 00:39:39.280 the desires of the flesh and of the mind. Ephesians 00:39:39.280 --> 00:39:43.739 2, verse 3. A child less to himself or to herself 00:39:43.739 --> 00:39:47.119 will be a child of ruin. This is not to say that 00:39:47.119 --> 00:39:48.900 the grace of God cannot accomplish something 00:39:48.900 --> 00:39:51.400 great. It can, but there will be much hardship. 00:39:51.960 --> 00:39:56.239 But the fact is that God has entrusted us as 00:39:56.239 --> 00:40:00.519 parents to give them correction and to bring 00:40:00.519 --> 00:40:06.500 chastisement at times. Correction begins with 00:40:06.500 --> 00:40:10.480 clear words and expectations. A child needs to 00:40:10.480 --> 00:40:13.519 understand, first of all, what the expectations 00:40:13.519 --> 00:40:16.960 and rules are. You cannot punish or discipline 00:40:16.960 --> 00:40:20.539 if you have not made it clear what the expectations 00:40:20.539 --> 00:40:24.719 are, what the law is. These cannot be arbitrary 00:40:24.719 --> 00:40:28.039 or changing parameters like the shifting hills 00:40:28.039 --> 00:40:31.949 of sand. And then when the child disobeys, the 00:40:31.949 --> 00:40:34.429 correction or the discipline needs to be commensurate 00:40:34.429 --> 00:40:37.469 with the offense. Lying is a much greater offense 00:40:37.469 --> 00:40:40.469 than being grumpy. Sometimes a child needs to 00:40:40.469 --> 00:40:43.010 be sent to their room and told to come out when 00:40:43.010 --> 00:40:46.090 they've changed their attitude. We need wisdom 00:40:46.090 --> 00:40:50.010 in all of this. When I lied as a boy, my parents 00:40:50.010 --> 00:40:54.130 would put soap in my mouth. And it tasted absolutely 00:40:54.130 --> 00:40:59.030 horrible. I learned very quickly not to lie because 00:40:59.030 --> 00:41:01.889 of the consequence of soap in my mouth. It taught 00:41:01.889 --> 00:41:05.050 me very quickly to control my tongue. But while 00:41:05.050 --> 00:41:07.650 correction and discipline is not the only use 00:41:07.650 --> 00:41:11.409 of corporal discipline, it is not only the use 00:41:11.409 --> 00:41:14.230 of a rod or a paddle in a spanking, but it does 00:41:14.230 --> 00:41:18.139 include it. God's way of training includes the 00:41:18.139 --> 00:41:21.400 use of corrective discipline that will sharpen 00:41:21.400 --> 00:41:24.480 the mind and bring the child's attention to the 00:41:24.480 --> 00:41:28.880 matter. But when this is done, parents, you must 00:41:28.880 --> 00:41:33.960 be self -controlled, not cruel, harsh, angry, 00:41:34.219 --> 00:41:37.460 or unreasonable. If you're angry or frustrated, 00:41:37.780 --> 00:41:42.699 wait. Get your heart settled first and then work 00:41:42.699 --> 00:41:46.690 with your child. in the disobedience. And accompany 00:41:46.690 --> 00:41:50.889 the session of discipline with prayer, with love, 00:41:50.949 --> 00:41:56.070 and with forgiveness. With forgiveness. Done 00:41:56.070 --> 00:41:58.230 rightly, this will bring wisdom to the child. 00:41:58.389 --> 00:42:00.869 It will show them love and it will yield the 00:42:00.869 --> 00:42:03.369 peaceable fruit of righteousness. If you're unsure 00:42:03.369 --> 00:42:05.869 of some of the practical aspects, which I'm not 00:42:05.869 --> 00:42:08.329 going to get into in this sermon, feel free to 00:42:08.329 --> 00:42:10.489 ask parents who have successfully trained or 00:42:10.489 --> 00:42:13.150 raised their children or who have wisdom in this 00:42:13.150 --> 00:42:17.929 matter. But correction and discipline are a necessary 00:42:17.929 --> 00:42:22.150 part of bringing up and raising God's covenant 00:42:22.150 --> 00:42:25.260 children that he has given to us. Finally, a 00:42:25.260 --> 00:42:28.179 few more practical applications as we bring this 00:42:28.179 --> 00:42:31.039 to a close. One is, parents, be very careful 00:42:31.039 --> 00:42:35.400 with technology, particularly smartphones, tablets, 00:42:35.679 --> 00:42:38.099 and other media that's connected to the Internet. 00:42:39.519 --> 00:42:43.239 It's a tool, like power tools are tools in the 00:42:43.239 --> 00:42:46.199 shop, but don't turn a three -year -old loose 00:42:46.199 --> 00:42:50.239 with a drill. It's a tool. Do not turn children 00:42:50.239 --> 00:42:52.539 loose with it until they are mature enough to 00:42:52.539 --> 00:42:56.119 use it well. They can be like drugs, and they 00:42:56.119 --> 00:42:58.840 should wait until they are mature enough to handle 00:42:58.840 --> 00:43:02.239 them responsibly as tools, and even then, they're 00:43:02.239 --> 00:43:05.280 safeguards to be able to help. I just encourage 00:43:05.280 --> 00:43:07.960 you, don't babysit your children with a screen. 00:43:09.019 --> 00:43:12.420 It's not good for it at all, and many bad things 00:43:12.420 --> 00:43:17.199 can happen. Secondly, in an application, use 00:43:17.199 --> 00:43:20.820 creativity. Train, but do not stifle. Oppressive 00:43:20.820 --> 00:43:23.960 control can drive creativity underground, only 00:43:23.960 --> 00:43:27.039 for it to emerge later in harmful ways. Encourage 00:43:27.039 --> 00:43:30.900 godly creativity and channel it rightly, but 00:43:30.900 --> 00:43:34.280 you need to allow creativity to flourish in your 00:43:34.280 --> 00:43:38.800 children. And then I came across these... This 00:43:38.800 --> 00:43:41.000 wonderful thing. John Bunyan's General Duties 00:43:41.000 --> 00:43:43.099 of Parents to Children. Thought they were so 00:43:43.099 --> 00:43:45.460 good and I wanted to share them with you. Be 00:43:45.460 --> 00:43:48.659 a pattern and a model. Your life must not contradict 00:43:48.659 --> 00:43:51.820 your teaching. Instruct them diligently in the 00:43:51.820 --> 00:43:53.880 principles of the Christian religion. This is 00:43:53.880 --> 00:43:56.139 the author of Pilgrim's Progress. Bring them 00:43:56.139 --> 00:43:58.119 up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 00:43:58.219 --> 00:44:01.599 Ephesians 6 .4. Correct them with wisdom, love, 00:44:01.739 --> 00:44:05.619 and consistency and not in passion. Pray for 00:44:05.619 --> 00:44:08.559 them. continually and i should have said i alluded 00:44:08.559 --> 00:44:10.599 to it before but i should have made it a point 00:44:10.599 --> 00:44:14.760 pray for your children pray earnestly often and 00:44:14.760 --> 00:44:17.639 urgently for your children that christ would 00:44:17.639 --> 00:44:21.579 be formed in them keep them from all from evil 00:44:21.579 --> 00:44:24.559 company and worldly snares and provide for their 00:44:24.559 --> 00:44:28.360 bodies while prioritizing their souls and teach 00:44:28.360 --> 00:44:31.739 them both by precept and example that the fear 00:44:31.739 --> 00:44:36.269 of the lord is the beginning of wisdom And finally, 00:44:36.289 --> 00:44:39.929 I want to address this, and that is failure. 00:44:40.750 --> 00:44:44.510 What if you failed? Some of what I preached about 00:44:44.510 --> 00:44:50.150 today has been our experience, but I also see 00:44:50.150 --> 00:44:54.889 many areas where I missed it, where I failed, 00:44:54.929 --> 00:44:58.210 and I acknowledge how much better I could have 00:44:58.210 --> 00:45:01.210 done. Now, thankfully, there's much good teaching 00:45:01.210 --> 00:45:04.150 available, many better resources now than there 00:45:04.150 --> 00:45:08.159 was before, 30, 35 years ago. And I praise the 00:45:08.159 --> 00:45:12.199 Lord for this. But nevertheless, there is grace 00:45:12.199 --> 00:45:16.139 from the Lord for the forgiveness of sins. And 00:45:16.139 --> 00:45:18.380 the power of the Holy Spirit to work in a way 00:45:18.380 --> 00:45:21.760 that is far above what we can ask or think. So 00:45:21.760 --> 00:45:23.400 if you're looking back and you think, oh, if 00:45:23.400 --> 00:45:25.880 I just would have known this. Oh, if I just would 00:45:25.880 --> 00:45:28.840 have done this differently. Yes, we can certainly 00:45:28.840 --> 00:45:32.079 do that. I mean, we look back and we can remember 00:45:32.079 --> 00:45:34.159 and it should just drive us to the Lord and say, 00:45:34.219 --> 00:45:38.000 Lord, have mercy. And please remediate this in 00:45:38.000 --> 00:45:40.000 the life of our children or grandchildren or 00:45:40.000 --> 00:45:44.510 whatever it may be the case. But there is forgiveness 00:45:44.510 --> 00:45:48.309 of sins and we thank God for that. And while 00:45:48.309 --> 00:45:51.329 there are consequences, sometimes God in his 00:45:51.329 --> 00:45:55.389 mercy and his grace mitigates even those consequences. 00:45:55.789 --> 00:45:59.590 He does it many times. And for this, we are grateful. 00:45:59.809 --> 00:46:03.130 And one of the greatest examples of that in the 00:46:03.130 --> 00:46:05.809 scriptures, I've mentioned this some time ago, 00:46:05.849 --> 00:46:08.210 but I'm going to bring it again here today. And 00:46:08.210 --> 00:46:12.079 that is with the sons and the grandsons. Of Samuel 00:46:12.079 --> 00:46:16.000 the prophet. Samuel the prophet. Samuel was a 00:46:16.000 --> 00:46:19.119 faithful judge. He had a heart after God. He 00:46:19.119 --> 00:46:22.900 walked with God. But he was gone a lot. He had 00:46:22.900 --> 00:46:24.980 to travel the length of Israel. And he had various 00:46:24.980 --> 00:46:30.059 places that he was set up. And his sons grew 00:46:30.059 --> 00:46:33.699 up to be not like him. They took bribes. They 00:46:33.699 --> 00:46:39.460 were corrupt. Became corrupt judges. But he had 00:46:39.460 --> 00:46:43.380 a grandson. and the grandson records his actions. 00:46:43.619 --> 00:46:48.000 His grandson was named Heman. Heman was one of 00:46:48.000 --> 00:46:52.179 the chief musicians appointed by King David to 00:46:52.179 --> 00:46:55.440 lead the worship and the service of song before 00:46:55.440 --> 00:46:58.900 the tabernacle and then later in the temple. 00:46:59.019 --> 00:47:04.500 Heman was the son of Joel. His dad took bribes. 00:47:04.539 --> 00:47:07.659 He was not right. His grandfather was a very 00:47:07.659 --> 00:47:13.539 godly man. And Heman directed a group of singers 00:47:13.539 --> 00:47:16.679 and musicians along with Asaph and Ethan or Juduthin. 00:47:16.699 --> 00:47:23.139 And Heman had 14 sons and 3 daughters. 14 sons 00:47:23.139 --> 00:47:26.940 and 3 daughters. What happened to them? All of 00:47:26.940 --> 00:47:30.849 them served. In musical ministry. Underneath 00:47:30.849 --> 00:47:34.210 his direction. In the temple of the Lord. In 00:47:34.210 --> 00:47:36.550 the house of the Lord. This is in 1 Chronicles 00:47:36.550 --> 00:47:40.090 chapter 25. Heman himself is credited with authoring 00:47:40.090 --> 00:47:43.650 Psalm 88. And he is called the king seer. This 00:47:43.650 --> 00:47:47.050 lineage then shows a redemptive arc. While Samuel's 00:47:47.050 --> 00:47:49.980 sons fell short. His grandson Heman became a 00:47:49.980 --> 00:47:52.579 faithful servant who led Israel in worship and 00:47:52.579 --> 00:47:55.840 his descendants continued in that role. Samuel's 00:47:55.840 --> 00:47:58.179 influence or prayers may have borne fruit in 00:47:58.179 --> 00:48:01.260 the next generation despite his son's failures. 00:48:01.659 --> 00:48:04.780 And I say this not to excuse failure, but to 00:48:04.780 --> 00:48:07.840 show the grace and the mercy and the blessing 00:48:07.840 --> 00:48:14.719 of God. It thrills me to read that account. And 00:48:14.719 --> 00:48:17.420 so, dear church, may your household be like the 00:48:17.420 --> 00:48:20.760 man described in Psalm 112. Praise the Lord. 00:48:20.960 --> 00:48:24.039 Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights 00:48:24.039 --> 00:48:26.559 greatly in his commandments. His descendants 00:48:26.559 --> 00:48:29.460 will be mighty on earth. The generation of the 00:48:29.460 --> 00:48:32.780 upright will be blessed. We are so grateful for 00:48:32.780 --> 00:48:36.199 the forgiveness of sin and for the bringing of 00:48:36.199 --> 00:48:39.420 new life to the dead and for stirring within 00:48:39.420 --> 00:48:42.780 our own hearts and blessing. our children and 00:48:42.780 --> 00:48:45.519 our grandchildren and our great -grandchildren. 00:48:45.679 --> 00:48:50.780 This is our desire for all of us, that our descendants 00:48:50.780 --> 00:48:53.659 would be mighty on earth and the generation of 00:48:53.659 --> 00:48:56.099 the upright would be blessed. Let's pray.