The Bible Speaks to Children

(The Godly Family, Pt. 4)

 

FILING INFORMATION:

1999037

Subject: godly family; parenting; children

Preached Originally: 06/27/99 – Rapid City, SD

 

Introduction

A.    Series on Godly family continues.

1.    Talked about God’s design for marriage.

2.    Talked about the role of the husband/wife in marriage.

3.    Talked about the job that parents have to raise their children up in a spiritual way.

B.    Wish to discuss today the responsibility that Children have in the home.

1.     young folks: you may have thought that you were going to be passed over in this series.

2.     While husbands/wives need to love/cherish one another…

3.     While parents need to train/love/discipline their children…

4.     YOU children….(those of you still living under your parents roof – those of you still living under their authority.)  YOU have a responsibility to the family as well.

C.   Heard young people claim:

1.    I don’t know how to talk to my parents.

2.    They don’t take time to listen to my side…all they do is jump on me.

3.    They don’t care about my problems…& don’t want to be bothered with me.

4.    The above sometimes used as excuse for improper behavior.

D.   Young people….if you want to be happy…

1.    if you want your parents to be happy…

2.    if you want your relationship with them to be good & you want your home the way that God would have it…

3.    they you need to/must realize that you have a responsibility to the home as well.

4.    Are YOU contributing to a healthy environment at home?

 

I.  Children MUST realize their place in the home.

A.             KEY:  YOU are the CHILD….THEY are the PARENT.  Remember…your place in the home!

1.    Look to Ex. 20:12

a)    first 4 commands deal w/reverence toward God.

b)    V. 3, 4, 7,8

c)    After one gets his relationship with God in order…the first step is for one to realize his need to respect the authority of the home.

2.    Notice word honor in v. 12.  Children…you must understand they you are to honor your parents.

a)    you are the child & they are the parent.

b)    What they say….goes.

1)    even if it’s stupid…

2)    even if it goes against what you/your friends think.

c)    Are you honoring your parents?  It’s your God-given responsibility to do so!

3.    Honor defined…

a)     Webster – high respect as to someone’s worth or rank.  Official dignity, to hold someone in public esteem, to give credit, fame, glory, etc.

b)     Strongs – to advance, boast, bring up, exceed, lift up, magnify, deserve honor….SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE YOUR PARENTS.

c)     parents…deserve honor…simply because they are your parents.

1)    They brought you into the world

2)    They provide for your basic needs

3)    They love/protect you from danger

4)    They go out of their way to help you.

d)     parents deserve your honor…because God has placed them over you!

4.    If you have obeyed gospel…you under greater responsibility!

a)    Rom. 13:7 – honor is to be found everywhere.

5.    Some might say…they don’t deserve my honor…

a)      in some cases – whom parents’ are guiding as they should – might have a point to certain extent.

b)      STILL OBLIGATED TO HONOR THEM… if you want to be God’s kind of child in the home!

c)       David…Saul & treatment w/honor/respect.

1)    1 Sam. 26:11 – after 2nd opportunity to kill Saul

2)    he honored someone who in no way deserved it.

B.            Eph. 6:1-2

1.    Ex. 20:12’s contents repeated here.

2.    6:4 comes from Deut. 5:16.

3.    6:1 – when obey parents…this is the right thing to do!

4.    Again…think on the necessity of honor & your responsibility.  Honor present when???

a)    bad manners exhibited?

b)    Show disrespect for elders (those older than you in general?)

c)    Contradict/talk back to parents….You don’t know as much as you think you do!

C.            Need to realize that you are a servant of the household!  You don’t run the show and you don’t call the shots.

D.            That = job of your parents…remember…they = parent you = child.

E.            Eph. 6:2 – HS says…that honoring father/mother is first commandment with promise.  How?

1.    God knew if children did not honor parents – they would not honor Him.  How can one honor God w/o honoring parents?

2.    God knew the if they would not honor Him they would not live by His law – which would cause them not to live long on the land they have been promised.

3.    Why did Israel lose the possession of the land & their identify as a nation?  Because of children who did not honor God’s law – which starts by honoring one’s parents.

a)    Isa. 30:1; 8-9

 

II.  Parents MUST cultivate an attitude of respect/honor.

A.    Just as wives will often be a godly responder if the husband is striving to be a Christ like husband in the marriage relationship…

1.    so children will usually respond w/honor if the parents are doing their part.

2.    Parents YOU have a role to play in this as well.

B.    Parents…YOU need to remember that YOU are the PARENT and THEY are the CHILD.

1.    What is it…that parents afraid to offend/upset their kids today?

2.    If I do this,…they’ll be sooo unhappy…they’ll be mad at me.  Psychologists teach this kind of non-judgmental actions w/parent to child.

3.    When you enforce discipline & instill in them a sense of honor/reverence to you – you won’t permanently damage the child…it’ll make them better!  ENOUGH of the psycho-babble…

C.   What does the Bible say?

1.    Prov. 30:17 – self explanatory…

2.    Lev. 19:3 – revere – KJV says fear.

a)    fear/revering here = to respect.

b)    Have you brought/are you bringing up your child to fear – have a healthy dose of respect of – for you?

D.   Do you let them talk back w/o any regard?

1.    Do they respect you in their speech?

2.    Are you working to conform their attitude?

3.    Brent Hunter: discipline their attitude & the behavior will take care of itself.

E.    Why is it important of making the child understand the importance of honoring the parent?

1.    honoring parents = foundation of society.

2.    If kids won’t honor you…why expect them to honor:

a)    teachers

b)    policeman

c)    even their marriage vows?

3.    Ever known a vandal or a juvenile delinquent who honored his parents?

4.    If children not taught to honor parents (whom they know/see) how can one expect them to honor God (whom they can’t see)

F.    Parents…make sure you promote an atmosphere by which the child will honor you.

 

III.  In OT – Failure to honor parents = capital offense.

A.    Refer to Deut. 21:18-21; Ex. 21:17; Mt. 15:4

1.    aahhhhhh…that’s too harsh!

2.    Here context talking about willful defiance.  Young people…have you ever willfully defied your parents???

a)    not only serious before parents – serious before God!

B.    How can I dishonor my parents?

1.    Deut. 21:18-20 – by being stubborn.

a)    failure to heed plain instruction from parents. 

b)    Doesn’t matter if it something you don’t want to do.

2.    Deut. 27:16 – by utilizing a lack of respect.

a)    ever talk back in a smart fashion?

b)    Ever degrade your parents around others?

3.    Prov. 15:20 – by despising your mother

a)    demonstrating a total disregard for feelings, instructions

b)    pushing her buttons/ provoking her.

4.    Prov. 30:11-14 – cursing father

a)    full of generation of people like that today.

5.    Micah 7:6 – by creating strife in household.

a)    got to have it your way – right NOW!

b)    If you…you content to cause as much pain/discomfort as possible until parent finally gives in.

c)    Don’t have to be teenagers to do this.

6.    Mk. 7:10-12 – failure to provide for them.

a)     this applies to all of us.  We have responsibility to be there & take care of their need – when they can’t do so for themselves.

b)     Too many content to dump parents into N home & forget about them.

7.    2 Tim. 3:2 – by disobedience

8.    Ex. 21:15 – by physically striking them

C.   What does this mean?

1.    a lack of honor; a lack of complying w/what one reads in Eph. 6:1-3 is SERIOUS.13 yrs old & above? 

2.    Under Jewish law…you would have been held accountable for your actions & subject to death penalty!

D.   Dishonoring your parents ultimately shows your lack of respect/honor for God!  IT IS A SERIOUS INFRACTION.

E.    How are you doing?

 

Conclusion

A.     In our lesson we have not wanted to focus upon technical obedience but one’s attitude toward his parents.

B.     Parents…it is our responsibility to teach.  If they don’t learn it from us, who will they learn it from?

1.    true respect can’t be demanded…but earned!

C.    Children:  How are you doing?

1.    have you obeyed gospel?

2.    If you obeyed gospel….are you living faithfully?

D.  I N V I T A T I O N