Bring Them Up His Way Eph. 6: 4 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
Bring them up in the “nurture and admonition OF THE LORD”, not your way, his. I did it my way, I have many failures. God’s way is perfect [Ps.18:30]
Illustration – “Easter Lily”
- Ask a young couple to come to the front and hand them a lily
- God shows up and hands both of you a Lily
- No doubt that it is God’s and not yours
- He says he has a plan and a purpose for it
- He may give you one in perfect health, or one that is sick or damaged
- It has its own life (will), but you have a commandment [Eph.6:4]
- If it grows up to be a beautiful blooming lily, do you take all the glory?
- If it gradually becomes unlovely, do you take all the guilt?
- [Eph.6:4] speaks of responsibilities, not results.
- If you knew that it was God’s, you would be very diligent and delicate with it.
Two Key Factors
Be Diligent (steady application, constant effort, due attention)
Be Diligent to Teach them about God
- [Deu.6:6-9] “teach them diligently” God’s words
- [Deu4:9-10] “teach their children” Your personal testimony and fear of God
- [Job36:10] “discipline” Only found once in your Bible, first definition- to educate or instruct.
- You must be diligent to teach them about God if you are bringing them up His way.
Be Diligent to Teach them to Obey
- [Col.3:20] “all things…. well pleasing to the Lord”
- Total obedience of children is God’s way.
- [Heb.5:8] Jesus learned obedience!!
- [Jn.8:29] Father’s diligence, son’s obedience
- You must be diligent to teach them to Obey if you are bringing them up His way.
Practical Application
Authority Always Wins
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- A child should never learn that they can win (they learn what works)
- Exceptions, when you’re wrong- apologize, mercy given
- When you fail, not fatal, be diligent get back to winning.
- Don’t make or except excuses [Ex.32:21-24] Moses set him up to make excuses
- Only questions should be: What did you do? Did you know it was wrong?
- One trend of today is to empower your child by encouraging them to make their own choices, you are teaching them to choose their will over authority.
Disobedience Brings Pain
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- When the displeasure parents bring into the child’s life for disobedience is stronger than the pleasure that comes from the disobedience, then the disobedience will stop. (I find that it holds true in my adult life!)
- [Prov.22:15] speaks of the “rod of correction”, not punishment
- The goal is change not vengeance.
- Never in anger, [Prov.22:8] “the rod of his anger shall fail”
- [Prov.13:24] proves your love or lack thereof
- Every child is different, if you will be diligent to bring them up His way, He will be diligent to give you the wisdom to make the correct decisions.
- Illustration of 1 yr. old and diligence needed for correction, an hour spent to not allow the child’s will to win.
Be Delicate (tender, gentle)
- [Prov.29:21] Builds relationships
- [1 Thes.2:3-7] Paul new the value of gentleness
- No drill Sargent shouting commands, but a loving father
- [Ps.18:35] Makes things great (the sure mercies of David)
- [Rom. 2:4] “the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance”
- The goal is change, to develop a relationship where I would do nothing to break my father’s heart!
- Jesus Christ has never made me do anything by being angry, hardhearted, or mean.
- You must be delicate to bring them up His way.
Conclusion
[Prov.16:11] Must have Balance
Diligence can pull against Being delicate, we must work to balance these just as God does
We have been given a command to “bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord”, Doing it His way is not a suggestion.