1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,210 you have your Bibles. Turn with me or you can 2 00:00:04,210 --> 00:00:08,000 look upon the screen. Ephesians chapter number 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:08,400 six, 4 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:12,870 verse number one. If you can believe this, we 5 00:00:12,870 --> 00:00:16,070 've actually come to the last chapter in Ephes 6 00:00:16,070 --> 00:00:16,400 ians. 7 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:18,300 I don't know how long we've been in Ephesians, 8 00:00:18,300 --> 00:00:20,080 but we've been here for a while and we've got 9 00:00:20,080 --> 00:00:23,360 a little ways to go yet. It's been such a 10 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:27,830 great epistle. It's so rich with theology and 11 00:00:27,830 --> 00:00:28,160 then 12 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:31,570 practical wisdom and we've been working our 13 00:00:31,570 --> 00:00:34,780 way through God's ordained design for the 14 00:00:34,780 --> 00:00:35,360 family 15 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:39,460 since verse 22 of chapter five. Do you 16 00:00:39,460 --> 00:00:42,470 remember Paul started with the wives and then 17 00:00:42,470 --> 00:00:43,200 he moved to 18 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:47,380 the husbands and we actually spent six sermons 19 00:00:47,380 --> 00:00:52,160 in total covering that ground. And next here 20 00:00:52,160 --> 00:00:52,560 in our 21 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:57,200 text, we move to the children and the parents. 22 00:00:57,200 --> 00:01:00,960 Now, I'm kind of speeding it up a little. What 23 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:01,120 I 24 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:04,530 decided to do was condense this section down 25 00:01:04,530 --> 00:01:07,560 into one sermon versus one to four, Lord 26 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:08,160 willing for 27 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:12,810 today. But before we begin, I will repeat the 28 00:01:12,810 --> 00:01:17,860 phrase that I think in plain language summar 29 00:01:17,860 --> 00:01:19,040 izes 30 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:23,110 all of Paul's writing in the area of Christian 31 00:01:23,110 --> 00:01:26,240 living. And that is the phrase that I often 32 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:26,640 use, 33 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:31,450 the gold standard. And we all understand what 34 00:01:31,450 --> 00:01:35,200 that means. And what we have once again before 35 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:35,440 us 36 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:39,970 today is the gold standard, biblically 37 00:01:39,970 --> 00:01:45,850 speaking for both children and parents and how 38 00:01:45,850 --> 00:01:46,480 they are to 39 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:51,170 behave. And also once again, I will start with 40 00:01:51,170 --> 00:02:00,080 this disclaimer. No one will be more convicted 41 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:06,920 from what I present to you today than me. No 42 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:12,640 one as the God ordained spiritual leader of my 43 00:02:12,640 --> 00:02:13,280 household 44 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:17,630 when when we were raising our children, 45 00:02:17,630 --> 00:02:21,680 Christian, I can I have no problem telling you 46 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:23,280 that I fell 47 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:27,230 woefully short of this gold standard for the 48 00:02:27,230 --> 00:02:31,210 family from the word of God on a regular basis 49 00:02:31,210 --> 00:02:31,280 . 50 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:35,410 Oh, that I could go back with what I know now. 51 00:02:35,410 --> 00:02:38,400 Things would be very different. 52 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:43,690 But I also think that if all parents are 53 00:02:43,690 --> 00:02:47,520 honest, all parents, once their children 54 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:48,480 become adults, 55 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:53,430 most likely feel exactly the same way. And it 56 00:02:53,430 --> 00:02:58,320 's not just because of the experience that 57 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:01,040 you gain over the years, you only get one 58 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:03,680 trial run at being a parent, right? 59 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:08,980 And just not because of the experience alone, 60 00:03:08,980 --> 00:03:11,440 you obviously feel when you get to the end 61 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:12,000 that you 62 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:13,980 could go back and do a better job, but 63 00:03:13,980 --> 00:03:19,240 particularly for Christians. It's your growth 64 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:20,000 spiritually 65 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:23,160 over the years, not only your increase in 66 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:26,320 spiritual knowledge, but also your growth 67 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:31,580 in sanctification over the years that really 68 00:03:31,580 --> 00:03:35,680 convicts you when you look back at the job 69 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:35,920 that 70 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:39,100 you did and comparing with what we're going to 71 00:03:39,100 --> 00:03:44,160 hear today. So parents, most of you in here, 72 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:47,430 all of you, I would say that our parents with 73 00:03:47,430 --> 00:03:51,600 adult children get ready to be uncomfortable 74 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:55,730 today. And so we'll begin with chapter six and 75 00:03:55,730 --> 00:03:59,840 verse one through four. I say that all the 76 00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:00,160 time, 77 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:04,160 don't I? I mean, that's why we stay so small. 78 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:10,160 Let's read together our text for today. 79 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:16,230 "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for 80 00:04:16,230 --> 00:04:22,240 this is right. Honor your father and mother, 81 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:24,480 which is the first commandment with a promise, 82 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:28,400 so that it may be well with you and that you 83 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:28,560 may 84 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:32,030 live long on the earth. Fathers, do not 85 00:04:32,030 --> 00:04:35,720 provoke your children to anger, but bring them 86 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:36,400 up in the 87 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:41,640 discipline and instruction of the Lord." Now, 88 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:46,080 those verses are very succinct in their 89 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:46,560 content, 90 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:50,160 but at the same time, as often it happens in 91 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:54,240 the Word of God, they really cover everything 92 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:58,230 with this subject. And there are a lot of 93 00:04:58,230 --> 00:05:02,880 places that you and I can go to get really bad 94 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:04,000 advice 95 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:08,740 about how to lead a family. But I submit to 96 00:05:08,740 --> 00:05:14,080 you again that the best advice, the best 97 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:15,040 design and 98 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:18,710 instruction that exists for the family is 99 00:05:18,710 --> 00:05:22,740 again right here in Ephesians chapter five and 100 00:05:22,740 --> 00:05:23,120 six. 101 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:29,120 We all already know that for quite some time 102 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:34,590 in our culture, the family has been under 103 00:05:34,590 --> 00:05:34,960 assault, 104 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:39,940 horrific assault. Man are labeled as having a 105 00:05:39,940 --> 00:05:44,160 toxic masculinity and either we, as men, are 106 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:44,720 viewed 107 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:48,010 as a toxic patriarchy that has this 108 00:05:48,010 --> 00:05:52,750 destructive impact upon society or so often in 109 00:05:52,750 --> 00:05:54,080 our movies and 110 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:58,350 TV shows, the weak, shallow, doofus dad that 111 00:05:58,350 --> 00:06:01,760 you see that nobody respects and is constantly 112 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:02,320 made fun 113 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:05,730 of in our movies and television shows. And of 114 00:06:05,730 --> 00:06:09,200 course, that's on purpose in the framework of 115 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:09,520 this 116 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:13,330 continuous assault upon the family. And then 117 00:06:13,330 --> 00:06:16,480 there's leftist feminism rooted, of course, 118 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:20,460 and Marxism has all leftist ideology is and it 119 00:06:20,460 --> 00:06:23,920 cast women, all women as abused targets 120 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:27,740 of toxic masculinity and men are the oppress 121 00:06:27,740 --> 00:06:31,680 ors of women and all the women are oppressed in 122 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:32,320 that 123 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:35,270 system. And we are as men are all holding 124 00:06:35,270 --> 00:06:38,240 women back from their true fulfillment of 125 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:39,040 being the 126 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:42,030 girl boss in the corporate world. And because 127 00:06:42,030 --> 00:06:45,010 we keep all the women barefoot and pregnant at 128 00:06:45,010 --> 00:06:45,120 the 129 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:49,350 house. And of course, old slewfoot is always 130 00:06:49,350 --> 00:06:54,400 at work in the unseen realm, influencing our 131 00:06:54,400 --> 00:06:57,320 entertainment and these examples and a whole 132 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:00,080 lot of other examples that I could give you 133 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:00,400 here in 134 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:04,180 this in this relentless assault that is taking 135 00:07:04,180 --> 00:07:07,760 place against the traditional family in our 136 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:08,640 society. 137 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:11,400 Today, it's commonly held. Nobody needs to get 138 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:14,480 married unless they want to be. I mean, you 139 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:14,720 can 140 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:18,540 live together. You can just be single without 141 00:07:18,540 --> 00:07:22,420 any regard whatsoever for God's clear prohib 142 00:07:22,420 --> 00:07:23,040 ition 143 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:26,520 against sex outside of marriage is clear 144 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:29,920 teaching that he wants young men and women to 145 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:31,040 be married 146 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:33,840 and not to live together. And a woman finds 147 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:37,760 herself pregnant today. The majority report 148 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:40,890 married or not. And the child is viewed as an 149 00:07:40,890 --> 00:07:44,320 intrusion or hindrance to her personal freedom 150 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:44,320 . 151 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:48,640 Will just kill the baby. Just snuff out its 152 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:51,920 life in the womb. The overturning of Roe 153 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:52,960 versus Wade. 154 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:57,410 As you know, turn the issue of baby murder 155 00:07:57,410 --> 00:08:00,560 back to the states and in 10 states, 156 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:03,760 including the District of Columbia, right now, 157 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:08,560 a woman can legally murder her baby right up 158 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:12,810 to the moment of natural birth. Now, all 159 00:08:12,810 --> 00:08:15,920 abortion, when you really think of what takes 160 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:16,400 place in an 161 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:18,660 abortion, which they don't like to think about 162 00:08:18,660 --> 00:08:22,370 on the other side over there at all, is just 163 00:08:22,370 --> 00:08:23,280 absolutely 164 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:26,200 barbaric, right? And especially trying to 165 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:28,800 think about up to the moment of birth and in 166 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:29,440 our state, 167 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:32,430 while performing an abortion now is illegal, 168 00:08:32,430 --> 00:08:35,360 which is great, except in the case where the 169 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:37,610 life of the mother is at risk. That's the law 170 00:08:37,610 --> 00:08:41,520 in Louisiana. That law does not include 171 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:44,600 killing a mother killing her baby with an 172 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:49,840 abortion pill at home. That is not part of the 173 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:51,120 law. That 174 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:55,480 is legal. And as a result, that has made more 175 00:08:55,480 --> 00:09:00,160 abortions occurring now in our state, in the 176 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:02,870 bathrooms and living rooms or wherever in the 177 00:09:02,870 --> 00:09:05,600 home of women who are killing their baby more 178 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:08,420 than ever before. So you see the problem now 179 00:09:08,420 --> 00:09:14,080 there, right? But in this morally upside down 180 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:18,410 society, while the the pro-choice crowd 181 00:09:18,410 --> 00:09:23,260 actually views our pro-life position as being 182 00:09:23,260 --> 00:09:24,480 immoral, 183 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:30,600 they say our position is immoral for pro-life. 184 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:36,730 If I were to set up and advertise a puppy 185 00:09:36,730 --> 00:09:37,360 abortion 186 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:39,810 meal in this building right here on Hooper 187 00:09:39,810 --> 00:09:42,740 Road, the leftist would be lined up outside to 188 00:09:42,740 --> 00:09:43,280 riot 189 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:46,050 my place of business here in this building. No 190 00:09:46,050 --> 00:09:48,880 question. So all of this, as well as other 191 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:49,280 issues, 192 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:52,490 like what children are being indoctrinated 193 00:09:52,490 --> 00:09:54,560 into in our public school systems and 194 00:09:54,560 --> 00:09:55,920 universities and 195 00:09:55,920 --> 00:10:00,050 the whole demonic realm of transgenderism and 196 00:10:00,050 --> 00:10:03,760 its continual desire to deceive our children, 197 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:08,620 make it clear that really and truly the only 198 00:10:08,620 --> 00:10:12,880 real hope for the family in our society here 199 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:13,680 in America 200 00:10:13,680 --> 00:10:17,300 is to return to the Word of God and His design 201 00:10:17,300 --> 00:10:21,760 for this relationship between children and 202 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:22,320 parents. 203 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:29,030 Psalm 127 verse 3 says this, "Behold, children 204 00:10:29,030 --> 00:10:32,000 are a gift from the Lord." 205 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:35,800 In Mark 10 you may remember when the disciples 206 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:39,200 were rebuking people who were trying to bring 207 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:39,520 their 208 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:42,920 children to Jesus. It says in verse 14, "But 209 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:46,800 when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said 210 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:47,200 to them, 211 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:50,650 'Permit the children to come to me. Do not h 212 00:10:50,650 --> 00:10:53,760 inder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to 213 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:54,480 such 214 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:58,290 as these.'" So I quote those verses because 215 00:10:58,290 --> 00:11:02,880 that's where we have to start. We have to 216 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:04,720 start in with 217 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:10,450 how God views children. They are gifts from 218 00:11:10,450 --> 00:11:15,030 Him and parents are given this tremendous 219 00:11:15,030 --> 00:11:16,400 responsibility 220 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:19,500 to be good stewards of God's gift that 221 00:11:19,500 --> 00:11:23,120 children are. That's why it says toward the 222 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:23,680 end of verse 223 00:11:23,680 --> 00:11:26,540 four here in our text, look at it at the end, 224 00:11:26,540 --> 00:11:29,550 "Bring them up in the discipline and 225 00:11:29,550 --> 00:11:30,960 instruction 226 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:34,910 of the Lord." So let's look first at the duty 227 00:11:34,910 --> 00:11:39,040 of the children in verse one. Look again with 228 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:39,520 me, 229 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:44,080 verse one, "Children obey your parents in the 230 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:49,360 Lord for this is right." Now the Greek word 231 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:49,600 for 232 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:52,990 children here refers to children who are old 233 00:11:52,990 --> 00:11:57,200 enough to understand obedience and acting in 234 00:11:57,200 --> 00:11:57,360 an 235 00:11:57,360 --> 00:11:59,800 obedient way in honor of their parents. Let's 236 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:02,720 not talk about little babies. There's a 237 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:03,200 different 238 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:07,420 Greek word for infants. This is small children 239 00:12:07,420 --> 00:12:10,640 all the way up through teenage time before 240 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:10,880 they 241 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:12,580 start their adult life. That's who we're 242 00:12:12,580 --> 00:12:14,200 talking about here. Then they have two 243 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:15,360 commands. Verse one, 244 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:21,560 "Obey your parents in the Lord." Verse two, "H 245 00:12:21,560 --> 00:12:25,360 onor, honor your father and mother." 246 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:30,850 "Obey and honor those two go together." "Obed 247 00:12:30,850 --> 00:12:36,560 ience is an action, honor is an attitude." 248 00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:39,840 And this is a part of God's moral law in the 249 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:43,860 Ten Commandments. Look into Exodus 20 verse 12 250 00:12:43,860 --> 00:12:44,000 . 251 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:49,210 "Honor your father and your mother." I mean 252 00:12:49,210 --> 00:12:53,840 this is necessary even for societal stability. 253 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:54,320 I mean 254 00:12:54,320 --> 00:12:58,180 God is so serious about this that later in the 255 00:12:58,180 --> 00:13:02,160 book of Exodus he prescribes the death penalty 256 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:05,460 for disobedience to parents. Look with me in 257 00:13:05,460 --> 00:13:09,920 Exodus 20 verses 15 and 17. Disrespect for 258 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:10,480 parents in 259 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:14,350 both a physical and verbal way was a capital 260 00:13:14,350 --> 00:13:19,030 offense. Verse 15, "He who strikes his father 261 00:13:19,030 --> 00:13:19,600 or mother 262 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:24,350 shall surely be put to death." Verse 17, "He 263 00:13:24,350 --> 00:13:28,400 who curses his father or mother shall surely 264 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:29,360 be put 265 00:13:29,360 --> 00:13:32,920 to death." And that's because God knows that 266 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:36,080 children like this are a devastation when they 267 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:38,630 get older to any society. Now the book of Pro 268 00:13:38,630 --> 00:13:41,120 verbs gives us a lot of wisdom in this area. 269 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:41,360 Look at 270 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:45,090 Proverbs verse chapter 1 verse 8, "Hear my son 271 00:13:45,090 --> 00:13:50,640 , your father's instruction, and do not forsake 272 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:50,800 your 273 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:53,680 mother's teaching." That's a command right 274 00:13:53,680 --> 00:13:57,430 there. Proverbs chapter 4 verses 1 to 2, "Hear 275 00:13:57,430 --> 00:13:58,560 , O sons, 276 00:13:58,560 --> 00:14:01,210 the instruction of a father, and give 277 00:14:01,210 --> 00:14:04,000 attention that you may give understanding." 278 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:05,280 Verse 2, "For I 279 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:08,790 give you sound teaching, do not abandon my 280 00:14:08,790 --> 00:14:12,720 instruction." There are many more like that 281 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:17,260 in the Proverbs and in every one of them the 282 00:14:17,260 --> 00:14:21,840 parent is in the position of commander. 283 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:25,680 That's the parent's responsibility and the 284 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:30,480 children are in the position of obedience. Now 285 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:36,090 as everybody here well knows, that is a very 286 00:14:36,090 --> 00:14:39,760 challenging reality for everyone involved, 287 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:43,830 both the children and the parents. Luke 288 00:14:43,830 --> 00:14:49,840 chapter 2 verse 52 is always very fascinating 289 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:52,720 to think about 290 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:56,300 how it actually worked out with Jesus because 291 00:14:56,300 --> 00:14:59,040 we don't get really any detail and what I'm 292 00:14:59,040 --> 00:14:59,360 talking 293 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:03,410 about here. Look there in verse 52 of Luke 2, 294 00:15:03,410 --> 00:15:06,750 "And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and st 295 00:15:06,750 --> 00:15:07,440 ature 296 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:10,360 in favor with God and men." And I want to tell 297 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:13,760 Luke, can you give me a little more detail 298 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:14,000 there 299 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:15,960 buddy on what all that worked right? But we 300 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:18,000 don't get that just because God only wants you 301 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:18,320 to know 302 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:24,640 that right there. But that was without sin, 303 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:29,620 perfectly righteous as a man, a God man, but 304 00:15:29,620 --> 00:15:30,720 still clear 305 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:33,960 that he needed to increase in wisdom, increase 306 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:37,000 in stature, increase in favor with God and men 307 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:37,280 . Now 308 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:39,230 I won't go all into all the speculations and 309 00:15:39,230 --> 00:15:41,920 different theories on all of that, but I give 310 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:42,080 you 311 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:45,720 that verse to show you that that is a great 312 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:50,480 guideline right there as four categories in 313 00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:50,960 which 314 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:55,020 children develop. Think about it, wisdom is 315 00:15:55,020 --> 00:16:01,050 mental, stature is physical, favor with men is 316 00:16:01,050 --> 00:16:01,520 social, 317 00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:08,670 and favor with God is spiritual. Now of course 318 00:16:08,670 --> 00:16:12,720 our children are not like Jesus, the sinless 319 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:12,960 Son 320 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:18,780 of God. We have to take on into our homes 321 00:16:18,780 --> 00:16:26,460 these little fallen reprobates that first come 322 00:16:26,460 --> 00:16:26,960 to us 323 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:30,930 disguised as cute little babies. That's the 324 00:16:30,930 --> 00:16:34,080 disguise, and they have to grow. 325 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:39,040 They have to grow mentally, physically, 326 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:44,640 socially, and spiritually, and we have to care 327 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:45,040 for them 328 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:49,020 and develop them in all four of those primary 329 00:16:49,020 --> 00:16:51,970 categories. We have to teach them how to think 330 00:16:51,970 --> 00:16:52,080 , 331 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:55,470 we have to teach them how to work, we have to 332 00:16:55,470 --> 00:16:57,980 teach them how to relate and interact with 333 00:16:57,980 --> 00:16:58,240 other 334 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:01,720 people, and we have to teach them how to 335 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:07,900 relate to God. We prepare them and we work 336 00:17:07,900 --> 00:17:08,880 hard to make 337 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:12,080 a place for them in this world, in this 338 00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:15,920 instruction that we give in this area. This is 339 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:17,200 our responsibility 340 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:21,180 with these good gifts from God that children 341 00:17:21,180 --> 00:17:24,110 are, and as Christians we have a 342 00:17:24,110 --> 00:17:26,160 responsibility to our 343 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:31,130 children to see them for exactly what they are 344 00:17:31,130 --> 00:17:37,520 , just like us. Naturally simple, in need of 345 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:37,760 the 346 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:41,060 gospel, as well as in need of the kind of 347 00:17:41,060 --> 00:17:44,480 development that biblical parenting is 348 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:46,000 designed by God right 349 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:49,810 here in these verses to provide. Parents have 350 00:17:49,810 --> 00:17:53,680 a responsibility to teach their children to be 351 00:17:53,680 --> 00:17:58,730 obedient. Look at Colossians 3 verse 20 says 352 00:17:58,730 --> 00:18:03,200 this, "Children, be obedient to your parents 353 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:07,970 in all things, for this is well pleasing to 354 00:18:07,970 --> 00:18:13,600 the Lord." Now to be obedient, that's what we 355 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:14,640 call a 356 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:18,140 present imperative. What that means is this, 357 00:18:18,140 --> 00:18:24,160 keep on doing this, keep on obeying. The hard 358 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:24,800 part is 359 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:29,470 it's the parent's job to teach the children to 360 00:18:29,470 --> 00:18:32,800 listen and not only to listen but to submit 361 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:37,690 to what you say, and that's not easy because 362 00:18:37,690 --> 00:18:41,920 they are all naturally wired as a result of 363 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:42,400 the fall, 364 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:47,190 natural condition to do what? The opposite of 365 00:18:47,190 --> 00:18:51,200 listening and submitting to what we say, just 366 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:54,530 as we were when we were children to varying 367 00:18:54,530 --> 00:19:01,200 degrees and levels. It's really a whole lot 368 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:01,600 easier 369 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:06,660 to just let the kids run wild, and 370 00:19:06,660 --> 00:19:09,250 unfortunately that's what a lot of parents, 371 00:19:09,250 --> 00:19:10,000 especially here in 372 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:14,020 our day, do, and the results later are the 373 00:19:14,020 --> 00:19:17,600 results of the adults that we see in our 374 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:19,440 society that now 375 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:24,060 today are causing so much trouble. But most of 376 00:19:24,060 --> 00:19:28,670 all, why? Why do we do this? We'll go back to 377 00:19:28,670 --> 00:19:29,200 Ephesians 378 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:35,830 6-1. "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, 379 00:19:35,830 --> 00:19:41,100 for this is right." Do you know that that's 380 00:19:41,100 --> 00:19:41,520 the best 381 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:44,480 answer that you can ever give your child or 382 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:47,760 your grandchild when your child says, or your 383 00:19:47,760 --> 00:19:48,400 grandchild 384 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:52,250 says for most of us in here, why do I have to 385 00:19:52,250 --> 00:19:56,120 do that? Why do I have to do this? Because it 386 00:19:56,120 --> 00:19:56,560 's right, 387 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:02,640 huh? In every case, it's either right or it's 388 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:06,240 wrong, full stop. Pretty simple. When you do 389 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:06,560 that, 390 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:09,750 you are teaching them that there are absolutes 391 00:20:09,750 --> 00:20:13,840 in this world. You don't need to give a 392 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:16,880 philosophical defense of any behavior that you 393 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:19,680 require if it's consistent with the word of 394 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:22,620 God. Let the liberals and the leftists give 395 00:20:22,620 --> 00:20:25,760 all those reasons. And having your children 396 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:28,080 obey those 397 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:31,200 things is consistent with the word of God. 398 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:35,680 Most of our culture, as you well know, doesn't 399 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:36,000 believe 400 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:39,780 in absolutes. And that's what's being fed to 401 00:20:39,780 --> 00:20:44,420 our kids continuously in media, online, public 402 00:20:44,420 --> 00:20:44,720 school 403 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:47,990 system, universities all across our country. 404 00:20:47,990 --> 00:20:50,710 What are they teaching? You can believe 405 00:20:50,710 --> 00:20:51,520 anything you 406 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:54,270 want. You can believe any religion you want. 407 00:20:54,270 --> 00:20:56,610 You don't even have to believe in God. It 408 00:20:56,610 --> 00:20:56,800 doesn't 409 00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:01,730 matter. That is your truth and you're entitled 410 00:21:01,730 --> 00:21:06,400 to it. You can define right and wrong in a way 411 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:06,800 that 412 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:10,740 you want to. And that's how you get so many 413 00:21:10,740 --> 00:21:15,120 people now in our day who say, hey, Christians 414 00:21:15,120 --> 00:21:15,120 , 415 00:21:15,120 --> 00:21:17,720 if you oppose homosexual marriage, transgender 416 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:20,000 ism and the murder of the unborn, you're imm 417 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:20,400 oral. 418 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:23,490 It's immoral to think that way, those thoughts 419 00:21:23,490 --> 00:21:28,080 and those positions that you have. To say that 420 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:28,080 , 421 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:33,320 they say that because why? They have created 422 00:21:33,320 --> 00:21:38,160 their own definition of what morality is. 423 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:40,780 And it's not according to what the word of God 424 00:21:40,780 --> 00:21:44,400 says. When people come at me, let's say, look, 425 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:47,910 I'm not judging you. I don't have any right to 426 00:21:47,910 --> 00:21:52,080 judge you. I'm giving you what the word of God 427 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:52,400 says. 428 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:56,430 God is judging you from his word. I'm simply 429 00:21:56,430 --> 00:21:58,720 telling you that I believe this book is his 430 00:21:58,720 --> 00:21:59,040 word 431 00:21:59,040 --> 00:22:02,560 and I'm simply telling you what he says. You 432 00:22:02,560 --> 00:22:06,640 say to your kid, you're doing this 433 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:14,230 because it's right. God said this is right 434 00:22:14,230 --> 00:22:18,960 because God is the one who defines morality 435 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:21,670 and because God is the one who decides what is 436 00:22:21,670 --> 00:22:24,080 right and wrong and not you and not me. 437 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:30,150 Psalm 119.75 says this, I know, oh, Lord, that 438 00:22:30,150 --> 00:22:33,760 your judgments are what? Righteous. 439 00:22:33,760 --> 00:22:36,560 Why are they righteous? They're righteous 440 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:38,240 because they come from him 441 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:42,020 because he is perfectly righteous. So children 442 00:22:42,020 --> 00:22:45,680 are to obey righteous commands from God that 443 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:49,420 are passed on through their parents. Now, is 444 00:22:49,420 --> 00:22:52,560 there ever a time when they are not to obey 445 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:53,280 their parents? 446 00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:57,060 Well, sure. Can you imagine? I never thought 447 00:22:57,060 --> 00:23:00,320 about this until I did this study. Can you 448 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:00,800 imagine, 449 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:04,540 especially in the early church days, how many 450 00:23:04,540 --> 00:23:08,320 Jewish children were absolutely forbidden by 451 00:23:08,320 --> 00:23:08,480 their 452 00:23:08,480 --> 00:23:11,940 parents to believe in Jesus as the church was 453 00:23:11,940 --> 00:23:15,680 getting started? Just forbidden. Even if they 454 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:19,360 saw him do miracles, it still happens today. 455 00:23:19,360 --> 00:23:22,700 How about Muslim children? Absolutely 456 00:23:22,700 --> 00:23:23,920 forbidden 457 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:26,340 to believe in Christ according to Scripture 458 00:23:26,340 --> 00:23:27,840 alone by their parents. 459 00:23:27,840 --> 00:23:30,210 That's where the break has to come in 460 00:23:30,210 --> 00:23:33,500 obedience, right? In fact, Jesus said in 461 00:23:33,500 --> 00:23:35,200 Matthew 10.37, 462 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:38,960 "He who loves father or mother more than me is 463 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:43,840 not worthy of me." At what point do you make 464 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:44,000 the 465 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:46,260 break when your father and mother forbid you 466 00:23:46,260 --> 00:23:48,560 to do what God commands, when your father and 467 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:49,120 mother 468 00:23:49,120 --> 00:23:51,600 forbid you to come to Christ on his terms of 469 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:54,320 repentance and faith? Notice again, verse one, 470 00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:58,230 children obey your parents in the Lord. 471 00:23:58,230 --> 00:24:01,840 Children who obey their parents in the Lord 472 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:02,160 because 473 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:04,390 they are in the Lord. Just like with the 474 00:24:04,390 --> 00:24:07,280 government, children are not to obey parents 475 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:07,840 when they are 476 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:10,450 directly defying the commandments of Scripture 477 00:24:10,450 --> 00:24:14,080 . And then look at verse two. It starts out, 478 00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:18,860 honor your father and mother. That is the 479 00:24:18,860 --> 00:24:23,040 attitude that corresponds to the act of 480 00:24:23,040 --> 00:24:23,920 obedience. It's 481 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:28,310 not reluctant. It's not rebellious. It's not 482 00:24:28,310 --> 00:24:32,640 unwilling. It is with honor. The Greek word 483 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:36,180 actually there can be used of awe and respect. 484 00:24:36,180 --> 00:24:39,280 And then next, look in verse two, Paul says, 485 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:42,640 "Which is the first commandment with a promise 486 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:47,230 ." This is the fifth of the Ten Commandments. 487 00:24:47,230 --> 00:24:48,080 The 488 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:50,380 first four, as you know, have to do with our 489 00:24:50,380 --> 00:24:52,960 relationship to God. The last six have to do 490 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:55,170 with our relationship to each other. And this 491 00:24:55,170 --> 00:24:57,040 fifth one is unique because he says, 492 00:24:57,040 --> 00:25:00,250 "It's the first one with a promise." And what 493 00:25:00,250 --> 00:25:03,120 's the promise? Look next in verse three, 494 00:25:03,120 --> 00:25:06,550 "So that it may be well with you children, and 495 00:25:06,550 --> 00:25:09,680 that you may live long on the earth." 496 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:13,470 Look, this is in the Ten Commandments that God 497 00:25:13,470 --> 00:25:18,240 wrote in stone on Mount Sinai. So do you think 498 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:24,010 that God is serious about this? Of course, 499 00:25:24,010 --> 00:25:27,840 this obedience is not natural. As I said, all 500 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:28,240 people 501 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:32,530 are born reprobates, rebellious towards God 502 00:25:32,530 --> 00:25:36,560 with a fallen nature. So how do we then get 503 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:37,120 these little 504 00:25:37,120 --> 00:25:38,930 reprobates to honor their father and their 505 00:25:38,930 --> 00:25:43,200 mother? Well, that's the hard part. You have 506 00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:43,920 to develop 507 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:49,840 that. Look at Proverbs three, verse 11 and 12. 508 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:54,720 It says, "My son, do not reject the discipline 509 00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:58,550 of the Lord, or loathe his reproof, for whom 510 00:25:58,550 --> 00:26:03,440 the Lord loves, he reproves, even as a father 511 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:06,560 corrects the son in whom he delights." Now, 512 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:09,220 big picture, that verse there for all 513 00:26:09,220 --> 00:26:09,920 believers, 514 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:12,730 when we get out of line in the Christian life, 515 00:26:12,730 --> 00:26:15,920 God disciplines us. He reproves us, 516 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:20,710 and he does it, listen carefully, not out of 517 00:26:20,710 --> 00:26:25,120 wrath against us, because Jesus took upon 518 00:26:25,120 --> 00:26:25,920 himself 519 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:29,310 every ounce of wrath that we deserve as a 520 00:26:29,310 --> 00:26:33,280 substitute on the cross. So keep your thinking 521 00:26:33,280 --> 00:26:36,300 straight. No, when God disciplines believers, 522 00:26:36,300 --> 00:26:38,880 it's not because of wrath, it's because he 523 00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:39,360 loves us. 524 00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:42,960 That's what this verse says. Just like the 525 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:46,640 same reason for why we discipline our kids, 526 00:26:46,640 --> 00:26:50,750 because we love them. The proper motive for 527 00:26:50,750 --> 00:26:54,800 discipline is love, because you want what's 528 00:26:54,800 --> 00:26:58,960 best for them. And what's best for them is to 529 00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:03,390 act right, according to God's word, just like 530 00:27:03,390 --> 00:27:04,080 for us 531 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:07,700 as Christians. God knows what's best for me 532 00:27:07,700 --> 00:27:12,090 and you, Christian. He knows what's best for 533 00:27:12,090 --> 00:27:12,560 us 534 00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:15,910 is when we are living life at a spiritually 535 00:27:15,910 --> 00:27:19,760 high level. He knows that what is best for us 536 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:20,080 is when 537 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:23,320 we are walking after the Spirit, in the Spirit 538 00:27:23,320 --> 00:27:26,670 , and not after the flesh. And when we are not 539 00:27:26,670 --> 00:27:26,960 living 540 00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:30,970 that way, and we get out of line with that, he 541 00:27:30,970 --> 00:27:33,920 knows that is not what is best for us in the 542 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:34,320 Christian 543 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:38,270 life. And because he loves us, he wants what's 544 00:27:38,270 --> 00:27:41,440 best for us and he disciplines us. We're going 545 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:43,820 to read that later. They were getting so out 546 00:27:43,820 --> 00:27:46,160 of line in the church at Corinth, we read at 547 00:27:46,160 --> 00:27:46,400 every 548 00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:49,040 Lord's Supper that the Bible was clear. 549 00:27:49,040 --> 00:27:52,050 Because of your craziness in the Lord's Supper 550 00:27:52,050 --> 00:27:52,480 and how 551 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:55,040 you're acting so disobediently, many of you 552 00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:57,520 are sick. That's the chastening. They were 553 00:27:57,520 --> 00:27:58,080 physically 554 00:27:58,080 --> 00:27:59,860 ill and some of you died. He just took you 555 00:27:59,860 --> 00:28:01,760 right out. Just took you right out because you 556 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:01,920 couldn't 557 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:05,100 handle it. You just couldn't handle it anymore 558 00:28:05,100 --> 00:28:09,680 . Proverbs 10, 13 gets real specific. "On the 559 00:28:09,680 --> 00:28:10,000 lips 560 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:13,990 of the discerning wisdom is found, but a rod 561 00:28:13,990 --> 00:28:18,300 is for the back of him who lacks understanding 562 00:28:18,300 --> 00:28:18,880 ." 563 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:24,000 What is that? Corporal punishment. And back is 564 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:27,760 literally the backside. Now, 565 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:31,740 just as an aside, that needs to be rightly 566 00:28:31,740 --> 00:28:36,000 done. You never whip a kid in anger, 567 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:38,060 in the heat of the moment, and just jerk them 568 00:28:38,060 --> 00:28:41,440 up and whip them. No, you have to be wise 569 00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:41,920 about how 570 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:45,340 you do it if you want the best result of the 571 00:28:45,340 --> 00:28:48,250 pain that the whipping calls for. Take them to 572 00:28:48,250 --> 00:28:49,120 the side, 573 00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:51,610 explain to them, this is what you did. This is 574 00:28:51,610 --> 00:28:53,920 why you're getting this punishment of the 575 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:54,640 whipping. 576 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:57,500 We used to use the wood spoon, the flat wood 577 00:28:57,500 --> 00:28:59,920 spoon. And there was a saying, my kids will 578 00:28:59,920 --> 00:29:00,240 tell you 579 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:02,830 right now, they remember today, wood to skin. 580 00:29:02,830 --> 00:29:04,800 Wood to skin. If I said, hey, there's going to 581 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:05,120 be some 582 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:07,980 wood to skin here, if you all don't settle 583 00:29:07,980 --> 00:29:11,280 down. Hey, they knew. Shoe, shoe works. 584 00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:12,480 Anything that can 585 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:16,760 be used on the backside. But kids need weapons 586 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:21,440 . They do. That's exactly what this means. They 587 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:21,680 need 588 00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:25,200 weapons. Looking at, I love Proverbs 19, 18. 589 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:29,760 Look what it says. Discipline your son while 590 00:29:29,760 --> 00:29:30,240 there is 591 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:33,970 still hope, while there is hope, and do not 592 00:29:33,970 --> 00:29:37,040 desire his death. So there's a choice. 593 00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:42,140 You can discipline your son or desire his 594 00:29:42,140 --> 00:29:45,120 death. If you don't discipline your son, 595 00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:49,270 I'm telling you he is headed for disaster as 596 00:29:49,270 --> 00:29:52,960 an adult and eventually death, of course. 597 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:55,540 While there is still hope, wow, what a phrase. 598 00:29:55,540 --> 00:29:57,040 You know what that means? 599 00:29:57,040 --> 00:30:00,400 That refers to the short window of time that 600 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:04,320 you have with that child. I think back to my 601 00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:05,200 children's 602 00:30:05,200 --> 00:30:07,980 kindergarten to 12th grade now. And it just 603 00:30:07,980 --> 00:30:11,760 went by in a flash. You don't get them for 604 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:12,320 very long. 605 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:16,700 But the reason for this discipline is Proverbs 606 00:30:16,700 --> 00:30:17,840 22, 15. 607 00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:21,650 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a 608 00:30:21,650 --> 00:30:25,840 child. Now, we have to admit sometimes that 609 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:26,960 foolishness 610 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:29,620 is funny, right? And we laugh. I'm telling you 611 00:30:29,620 --> 00:30:32,000 , there's a never-ending source of comedy and 612 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:35,180 entertainment at my home when my grandchildren 613 00:30:35,180 --> 00:30:37,950 are at my home. And we laugh because it is 614 00:30:37,950 --> 00:30:38,640 funny. 615 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:43,200 But sometimes it's not, right? And that's why 616 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:45,040 it says next in this verse, 617 00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:49,680 the rod of discipline will remove it far from 618 00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:52,480 him, that foolishness. It'll get that foolish 619 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:52,960 ness out. 620 00:30:52,960 --> 00:30:57,340 But let's be real. For most of us, I would, 621 00:30:57,340 --> 00:31:00,000 dare I say, all of us in this room who have 622 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:00,480 had 623 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:04,700 children, that time period has passed for us. 624 00:31:04,700 --> 00:31:08,480 I mean, we've all, all of our children have 625 00:31:08,480 --> 00:31:08,800 run 626 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:12,230 into adulthood. But what you can do with the 627 00:31:12,230 --> 00:31:14,960 information you're getting today 628 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:18,800 is pass down the biblical reality for your 629 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:21,920 kids who have kids, your grandkids or friends 630 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:22,400 of yours 631 00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:27,150 who have kids, that the rod, the rod will 632 00:31:27,150 --> 00:31:32,160 remove that natural foolishness from a child. 633 00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:32,720 That's God's 634 00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:36,920 word. That's God's instruction. They need to 635 00:31:36,920 --> 00:31:41,040 associate pain with misbehavior. That's God's 636 00:31:41,040 --> 00:31:41,280 way. 637 00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:44,100 I'm not making this up. This is what the word 638 00:31:44,100 --> 00:31:46,720 of God is saying over and over. Look at Pro 639 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:47,760 verbs 23, 640 00:31:47,760 --> 00:31:50,150 13. This is the one I really like. I wasn't 641 00:31:50,150 --> 00:31:52,000 referring to that one. This is the one I 642 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:52,480 really like. 643 00:31:52,480 --> 00:31:58,030 So do not hold back discipline from the child. 644 00:31:58,030 --> 00:32:00,800 Although you strike him with the rod, he will 645 00:32:00,800 --> 00:32:04,390 not die. This is for weak parents who are 646 00:32:04,390 --> 00:32:07,600 worried about being too vis, physically 647 00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:08,480 violent with their 648 00:32:08,480 --> 00:32:10,960 kid. They bought into this therapist, 649 00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:13,800 therapeutic leftist mode. Oh, let's go talk 650 00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:14,880 about your feelings, 651 00:32:14,880 --> 00:32:16,830 little Johnny, instead of getting a weapon, 652 00:32:16,830 --> 00:32:20,960 which is what you need, right? God's word says 653 00:32:20,960 --> 00:32:21,520 , spank him. 654 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:24,480 That's what it says. They won't die from it 655 00:32:24,480 --> 00:32:27,680 when you spank him. If you do it rightly, you 656 00:32:27,680 --> 00:32:27,920 know, 657 00:32:27,920 --> 00:32:31,000 it's best on the backside. Plenty of cushion 658 00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:34,160 there, right? For that and a spoon or whatever 659 00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:34,480 shoe. 660 00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:37,880 Because look next. Look next in verse 14 and 661 00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:39,920 then it gets real serious. 662 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:43,430 You shall strike him with the rod and rescue 663 00:32:43,430 --> 00:32:49,040 his soul from shield. Wow. That's hell. 664 00:32:49,040 --> 00:32:52,830 That's serious, right? If you don't use the 665 00:32:52,830 --> 00:32:57,680 rod to discipline your child. Proverbs 29, 15. 666 00:32:57,680 --> 00:33:01,230 The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child 667 00:33:01,230 --> 00:33:06,600 who gets his own way brings shame to his 668 00:33:06,600 --> 00:33:07,200 mother. 669 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:09,660 Are you getting what the Bible is putting down 670 00:33:09,660 --> 00:33:12,000 here? You don't give their kids their own way. 671 00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:12,240 You 672 00:33:12,240 --> 00:33:15,440 spank them when they get out of line. Verse 17 673 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:18,310 , correct your son and he will give you comfort 674 00:33:18,310 --> 00:33:18,480 . 675 00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:20,750 He will also delight your soul. This is a 676 00:33:20,750 --> 00:33:26,860 simple principle. So how, how do you train a 677 00:33:26,860 --> 00:33:27,360 child to 678 00:33:27,360 --> 00:33:31,420 obey and honor with discipline? By telling 679 00:33:31,420 --> 00:33:34,320 them what's right and training them with 680 00:33:34,320 --> 00:33:35,280 discipline 681 00:33:35,280 --> 00:33:38,940 to conform to what is right, both in action 682 00:33:38,940 --> 00:33:44,730 and in attitude. Now, why do you do this? 683 00:33:44,730 --> 00:33:45,040 Again, 684 00:33:45,040 --> 00:33:48,010 back to Ephesians 6, 3. So that it may be well 685 00:33:48,010 --> 00:33:50,400 with you, meaning them, the children in the 686 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:50,880 context 687 00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:53,350 when you read the whole thing there, because 688 00:33:53,350 --> 00:33:55,440 it's talking about honor your father and 689 00:33:55,440 --> 00:33:55,840 mother, 690 00:33:55,840 --> 00:33:57,510 so that it may be well with you when you do 691 00:33:57,510 --> 00:34:01,520 that. And living long on the earth. Now, 692 00:34:01,520 --> 00:34:05,420 let me remind you, this is a general principle 693 00:34:05,420 --> 00:34:09,840 here, okay? This is not an absolute reality in 694 00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:12,780 every single case, but it is indeed a general 695 00:34:12,780 --> 00:34:15,920 principle. Children who have been biblically 696 00:34:15,920 --> 00:34:16,640 raised, 697 00:34:16,640 --> 00:34:19,630 who have been biblically disciplined, who 698 00:34:19,630 --> 00:34:22,740 become godly adults will be living a blessed 699 00:34:22,740 --> 00:34:23,200 life, 700 00:34:23,200 --> 00:34:25,480 and it will be well with them. That's the 701 00:34:25,480 --> 00:34:29,220 quality part. And then also a long life, the 702 00:34:29,220 --> 00:34:29,920 Bible says 703 00:34:29,920 --> 00:34:31,910 here. That's the quantity. And what do we want 704 00:34:31,910 --> 00:34:33,920 ? I mean, we all want this for our children, 705 00:34:33,920 --> 00:34:34,160 right? 706 00:34:34,160 --> 00:34:37,920 Full, rich, joyous, happy, peaceful, rewarding 707 00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:40,730 lives. And the key to that, this text is 708 00:34:40,730 --> 00:34:41,120 saying, 709 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:44,810 is to discipline the children with obedience, 710 00:34:44,810 --> 00:34:48,640 discipline them to obedience and honor 711 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:52,040 when they're young. And then next, the how-to. 712 00:34:52,040 --> 00:34:58,720 Verse four, fathers, do not provoke your 713 00:34:58,720 --> 00:34:59,600 children to 714 00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:03,980 anger, but bring them up in the discipline and 715 00:35:03,980 --> 00:35:07,760 instruction of the Lord. That's the duty of 716 00:35:07,760 --> 00:35:07,920 the 717 00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:11,640 parents. Children are to be raised primarily 718 00:35:11,640 --> 00:35:15,760 with two things. It's pretty simple, truth and 719 00:35:15,760 --> 00:35:16,240 discipline. 720 00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:20,280 The Greek word there for fathers, peter, can 721 00:35:20,280 --> 00:35:24,320 also be translated parents. It can also mean 722 00:35:24,320 --> 00:35:27,200 parents. So really, its parents do not provoke 723 00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:31,950 your children to anger. Don't make them angry, 724 00:35:31,950 --> 00:35:32,480 mad 725 00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:36,310 in the wrong kind of way. That's abuse. Excuse 726 00:35:36,310 --> 00:35:40,560 me, but what does that mean? Don't provoke 727 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:40,800 them 728 00:35:41,760 --> 00:35:45,560 to anger. Well, first, there were a lot of 729 00:35:45,560 --> 00:35:48,800 angry children during Paul's day, just like 730 00:35:48,800 --> 00:35:49,120 there are 731 00:35:49,120 --> 00:35:53,230 today. For example, there was a Roman law 732 00:35:53,230 --> 00:35:57,700 called patria potestis. And what that meant 733 00:35:57,700 --> 00:35:58,880 was legally, 734 00:35:58,880 --> 00:36:02,600 the father had absolute, total sovereign rule 735 00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:06,270 over the right of life and death of the 736 00:36:06,270 --> 00:36:06,640 children. 737 00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:09,340 He could sell them into slavery if he wanted 738 00:36:09,340 --> 00:36:11,600 to legally. He could force them to work in the 739 00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:12,320 fields 740 00:36:12,320 --> 00:36:15,700 legally. Excuse me, he could punish them any 741 00:36:15,700 --> 00:36:18,890 way that he wanted to. And guess what? He 742 00:36:18,890 --> 00:36:19,520 could even 743 00:36:19,520 --> 00:36:22,650 kill his own child legally if he wanted to. 744 00:36:22,650 --> 00:36:25,360 When a baby was born in the Roman world, 745 00:36:25,360 --> 00:36:28,110 the custom was to put the baby at the father's 746 00:36:28,110 --> 00:36:30,960 feet. If he lifted the child up, that meant he 747 00:36:30,960 --> 00:36:33,350 wanted to keep that child. If he turned and 748 00:36:33,350 --> 00:36:35,840 walked away, most times the child was killed 749 00:36:35,840 --> 00:36:36,480 on the spot. 750 00:36:37,360 --> 00:36:39,980 Or unwanted children were also, they just left 751 00:36:39,980 --> 00:36:41,520 them out there in the Roman 752 00:36:41,520 --> 00:36:45,220 form out in the town square. And they became 753 00:36:45,220 --> 00:36:49,600 brutal slaves, prostitutes, just left to the 754 00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:49,920 world. 755 00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:53,080 A philosopher at the time was named Seneca. He 756 00:36:53,080 --> 00:36:56,320 wrote this, "We slaughter a fierce ox, 757 00:36:56,320 --> 00:36:59,860 a mad dog. We plunge the knife into the sick 758 00:36:59,860 --> 00:37:02,880 cattle. Children who are born weakened, 759 00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:05,910 deformed. We drown." That's what they did. 760 00:37:05,910 --> 00:37:10,640 Children were horrifically abused in Roman 761 00:37:10,640 --> 00:37:10,960 culture. 762 00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:15,240 And that's why, again, understand, read these 763 00:37:15,240 --> 00:37:18,160 words that Paul is writing to the church in 764 00:37:18,160 --> 00:37:18,400 this 765 00:37:18,400 --> 00:37:21,610 culture. What he's saying here is absolutely 766 00:37:21,610 --> 00:37:24,960 revolutionary. Now, there are four factors. 767 00:37:24,960 --> 00:37:26,390 I want you, if you're writing this down, this 768 00:37:26,390 --> 00:37:27,670 is a good thing to write down. If you're 769 00:37:27,670 --> 00:37:28,160 writing notes 770 00:37:28,160 --> 00:37:30,500 down, there are four factors in biblical 771 00:37:30,500 --> 00:37:33,290 parenting. And I won't unpack all of this. I'm 772 00:37:33,290 --> 00:37:33,600 just going to 773 00:37:33,600 --> 00:37:36,300 give them to you. Number one, the father's 774 00:37:36,300 --> 00:37:38,910 leading and discipline. He has to be the 775 00:37:38,910 --> 00:37:39,520 spiritual leader 776 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:42,400 of the household that God calls him to be. 777 00:37:42,400 --> 00:37:45,280 Number two, the mother's love and care and 778 00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:45,920 nurturing 779 00:37:45,920 --> 00:37:49,510 of the children. Number three, very important, 780 00:37:49,510 --> 00:37:52,000 the father and mother's visible affection for 781 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:52,240 one 782 00:37:52,240 --> 00:37:56,000 another that the children see. And number four 783 00:37:56,000 --> 00:37:59,800 , the closeness of the family. Be surprised. 784 00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:00,080 Now, 785 00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:02,460 the very few things that Christy and I did 786 00:38:02,460 --> 00:38:05,600 right, we made sure, because Christy always is 787 00:38:05,600 --> 00:38:06,000 just a 788 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:09,030 champion in the homemaking, always come home 789 00:38:09,030 --> 00:38:12,040 from eight hours of work and cook a meal. And 790 00:38:12,040 --> 00:38:12,480 we sat 791 00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:14,760 down together at the table every night and ate 792 00:38:14,760 --> 00:38:17,400 a meal. Very important. How was your day? What 793 00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:17,600 's 794 00:38:17,600 --> 00:38:20,730 going on? Very, so many families don't do that 795 00:38:20,730 --> 00:38:23,840 anymore. And again, I look, I'm not saying 796 00:38:23,840 --> 00:38:24,080 that 797 00:38:24,080 --> 00:38:26,100 you can achieve all that perfectly. Don't get 798 00:38:26,100 --> 00:38:28,080 me wrong. I'm not because there's nothing that 799 00:38:28,080 --> 00:38:28,240 we 800 00:38:28,240 --> 00:38:30,880 do perfectly for that matter. But what I'm 801 00:38:30,880 --> 00:38:33,360 giving you is the gold standard that you are 802 00:38:33,360 --> 00:38:34,560 to strive for. 803 00:38:34,560 --> 00:38:37,190 You understand? And this can be achieved in 804 00:38:37,190 --> 00:38:40,400 the power of the Holy Spirit. Now let's go 805 00:38:40,400 --> 00:38:41,120 back to the 806 00:38:41,120 --> 00:38:45,330 start of verse four. "Fathers, parents, do not 807 00:38:45,330 --> 00:38:49,600 provoke your children to anger." Now, we got a 808 00:38:49,600 --> 00:38:49,840 lot 809 00:38:49,840 --> 00:38:52,910 of angry children in this culture, don't we? 810 00:38:52,910 --> 00:38:55,840 Man, get online. They're angry with their 811 00:38:55,840 --> 00:38:56,720 parents. 812 00:38:56,720 --> 00:39:00,680 They're angry with society. They're angry with 813 00:39:00,680 --> 00:39:04,000 everything, and they don't have it nowhere 814 00:39:04,000 --> 00:39:04,240 near 815 00:39:04,240 --> 00:39:06,500 as hard as the Roman kids did, right? I mean, 816 00:39:06,500 --> 00:39:10,240 not even close. But let's ask this question. 817 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:13,880 How do you make your child angry? Let me give 818 00:39:13,880 --> 00:39:16,640 you a little list. Number one, 819 00:39:16,640 --> 00:39:20,610 overprotection. Pensing them in too much, conf 820 00:39:20,610 --> 00:39:23,280 ining them to a small little world, 821 00:39:23,280 --> 00:39:26,410 distrusting them, never allowing them any 822 00:39:26,410 --> 00:39:29,520 freedom. Now, there's a fine line which I 823 00:39:29,520 --> 00:39:30,720 often fail that 824 00:39:30,720 --> 00:39:33,630 between freedom and protection, right? You 825 00:39:33,630 --> 00:39:36,380 have to be discerning in how you do this. But 826 00:39:36,380 --> 00:39:37,520 overprotection 827 00:39:38,080 --> 00:39:41,050 becomes a bondage. I know kids who were way 828 00:39:41,050 --> 00:39:43,960 too strictly raised in the moment they got to 829 00:39:43,960 --> 00:39:44,080 get 830 00:39:44,080 --> 00:39:48,290 out of the house. They went hog wild. But on 831 00:39:48,290 --> 00:39:52,400 the other hand, too much freedom can have as 832 00:39:52,400 --> 00:39:53,120 just as 833 00:39:53,120 --> 00:39:56,830 disastrous results and just let them run wild. 834 00:39:56,830 --> 00:40:00,240 Secondly, don't compare them with others like 835 00:40:00,240 --> 00:40:03,050 siblings or friends. Like, why don't you act 836 00:40:03,050 --> 00:40:06,800 like Billy over here? Don't do that. He's a 837 00:40:06,800 --> 00:40:07,440 good boy. 838 00:40:07,440 --> 00:40:11,990 Be like him. That's not good. Thirdly, you can 839 00:40:11,990 --> 00:40:15,760 make them angry with unrealistic expectations. 840 00:40:15,760 --> 00:40:20,470 This is a big one. You can crush a kid under 841 00:40:20,470 --> 00:40:23,520 the weight of your own pride and ambition 842 00:40:23,520 --> 00:40:23,760 because 843 00:40:23,760 --> 00:40:25,660 you want somebody to know you have a road 844 00:40:25,660 --> 00:40:28,120 scholar for a child. And that's really what it 845 00:40:28,120 --> 00:40:28,720 's all about. 846 00:40:29,520 --> 00:40:33,140 Also, you can set standards so high that the 847 00:40:33,140 --> 00:40:36,960 kids feel like they can never attain them. And 848 00:40:36,960 --> 00:40:37,200 that, 849 00:40:37,200 --> 00:40:41,930 right there, can turn into deep bitterness and 850 00:40:41,930 --> 00:40:45,200 feelings of failure and rejection. And there 851 00:40:45,200 --> 00:40:45,360 is 852 00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:48,350 a long history of kids that have committed 853 00:40:48,350 --> 00:40:51,200 suicide over that very issue where the 854 00:40:51,200 --> 00:40:52,240 standards are set 855 00:40:52,240 --> 00:40:56,000 too high. You can cause your child to be angry 856 00:40:56,000 --> 00:40:59,360 by discouragement, constant negative 857 00:40:59,360 --> 00:41:00,720 reinforcement, 858 00:41:00,720 --> 00:41:04,580 no thanks, no rewards, no approval, no honor 859 00:41:04,580 --> 00:41:08,640 whatsoever. That destroys motivation in a kid. 860 00:41:08,640 --> 00:41:11,300 If they feel like they have to earn your love, 861 00:41:11,300 --> 00:41:14,000 I'm telling you that is a disaster in your 862 00:41:14,000 --> 00:41:14,480 home. 863 00:41:15,680 --> 00:41:19,360 We're called to love the kids with grace, same 864 00:41:19,360 --> 00:41:22,320 way God loves us, same exact way, right? 865 00:41:22,320 --> 00:41:25,840 You can make your child angry with selfishness 866 00:41:25,840 --> 00:41:28,240 , failing to sacrifice for them. Let me tell 867 00:41:28,240 --> 00:41:28,400 you, 868 00:41:28,400 --> 00:41:31,700 that's a plague with young parents today. Kids 869 00:41:31,700 --> 00:41:35,280 can become bitter and they feel it. If they 870 00:41:35,280 --> 00:41:35,520 feel 871 00:41:35,520 --> 00:41:38,600 like they're an intrusion upon your life, that 872 00:41:38,600 --> 00:41:42,370 's bitterness comes quick. You can make your 873 00:41:42,370 --> 00:41:42,640 kid 874 00:41:42,640 --> 00:41:47,280 angry through impatient. You have to allow 875 00:41:47,280 --> 00:41:52,510 kids to be a kid at a certain level, right? I 876 00:41:52,510 --> 00:41:52,560 mean, 877 00:41:52,560 --> 00:41:55,130 they're going to break things. Come over to my 878 00:41:55,130 --> 00:41:59,590 house, take a look. They're going to spill 879 00:41:59,590 --> 00:41:59,920 things, 880 00:41:59,920 --> 00:42:03,820 right? They're going to do really dumb things, 881 00:42:03,820 --> 00:42:07,060 right? As their kids. So you have to be 882 00:42:07,060 --> 00:42:07,680 patient 883 00:42:07,680 --> 00:42:09,840 in all of that. There's this line that you 884 00:42:09,840 --> 00:42:12,030 have to work with being patient and discipl 885 00:42:12,030 --> 00:42:12,400 ining and 886 00:42:12,400 --> 00:42:15,110 all the rest. And you can make your children 887 00:42:15,110 --> 00:42:18,000 angry, of course, with neglect. And let me 888 00:42:18,000 --> 00:42:18,240 tell you, 889 00:42:18,240 --> 00:42:20,350 there are some kids that are neglected even 890 00:42:20,350 --> 00:42:22,320 when the parents are physically in the home. 891 00:42:22,320 --> 00:42:26,130 Man, they're not engaged with their children 892 00:42:26,130 --> 00:42:28,160 at all, even though they're physically there. 893 00:42:28,160 --> 00:42:30,080 That's another plague with young parents in 894 00:42:30,080 --> 00:42:34,880 our day. Also, verbal abuse, man. You can 895 00:42:34,880 --> 00:42:35,600 unleash 896 00:42:35,600 --> 00:42:39,520 your mature vocabulary and crush a kid with 897 00:42:39,520 --> 00:42:43,040 sarcasm and ridicule. And you can just 898 00:42:43,040 --> 00:42:46,240 cut them to shreds verbally because you have a 899 00:42:46,240 --> 00:42:50,160 much bigger vocabulary. Lots of ways to do 900 00:42:50,160 --> 00:42:50,400 that. 901 00:42:50,400 --> 00:42:53,130 You know what the answer is? Don't. Don't do 902 00:42:53,130 --> 00:42:57,280 that. And we all know Proverbs 226, 903 00:42:57,280 --> 00:42:59,560 train up a child in the way he should go. Even 904 00:42:59,560 --> 00:43:02,310 when he is old, he will not depart from it. 905 00:43:02,310 --> 00:43:02,560 Again, 906 00:43:03,200 --> 00:43:05,920 that's a general principle, not absolute in 907 00:43:05,920 --> 00:43:08,000 every case, but a good one to follow. 908 00:43:08,000 --> 00:43:11,440 Basically, this is saying this. You train the 909 00:43:11,440 --> 00:43:15,520 child, you get the product. Listen to what 910 00:43:15,520 --> 00:43:15,680 John 911 00:43:15,680 --> 00:43:18,130 MacArthur wrote. "If a child lives with 912 00:43:18,130 --> 00:43:22,190 criticism, he learns to condemn. If a child 913 00:43:22,190 --> 00:43:23,920 lives with hostility, 914 00:43:23,920 --> 00:43:27,280 he learns to fight. If a child lives with 915 00:43:27,280 --> 00:43:32,210 ridicule, he learns to be shy. If a child 916 00:43:32,210 --> 00:43:33,120 lives with shame, 917 00:43:33,440 --> 00:43:36,810 he learns to be guilty. If a child lives with 918 00:43:36,810 --> 00:43:39,360 tolerance, he learns to feel 919 00:43:39,360 --> 00:43:42,020 be patient. If a child lives with 920 00:43:42,020 --> 00:43:45,850 encouragement, he learns to have confidence. 921 00:43:45,850 --> 00:43:47,200 If a child lives 922 00:43:47,200 --> 00:43:50,310 with praise, he learns to appreciate. If a 923 00:43:50,310 --> 00:43:53,820 child lives with fairness, he learns justice. 924 00:43:53,820 --> 00:43:54,400 If a child 925 00:43:54,400 --> 00:43:57,170 lives with security, he learns to trust. And 926 00:43:57,170 --> 00:43:59,300 if a child lives with acceptance and 927 00:43:59,300 --> 00:44:00,160 friendship, 928 00:44:00,160 --> 00:44:05,060 he learns to love. So, this is the challenge. 929 00:44:05,060 --> 00:44:09,520 And it's a big one that all parents have. 930 00:44:09,520 --> 00:44:13,850 Don't make your children angry in these ways 931 00:44:13,850 --> 00:44:16,880 and more. And lastly, let me give you the 932 00:44:16,880 --> 00:44:17,600 positive side. 933 00:44:17,600 --> 00:44:23,340 Look next. But bring them up, verse 4, bring 934 00:44:23,340 --> 00:44:26,800 them up in the discipline and instruction of 935 00:44:26,800 --> 00:44:30,310 the Lord. And there it is again. It keeps 936 00:44:30,310 --> 00:44:35,610 giving us this discipline, instruction, truth, 937 00:44:35,610 --> 00:44:36,400 and discipline. 938 00:44:36,400 --> 00:44:39,120 And also built into instruction is the idea of 939 00:44:39,120 --> 00:44:41,600 warning, verbal instruction with a view to 940 00:44:41,600 --> 00:44:44,950 consequences if you don't obey is built into 941 00:44:44,950 --> 00:44:48,560 this. Now, there's a lot to be said here, but 942 00:44:48,560 --> 00:44:51,720 our time is getting short. So, let me give you 943 00:44:51,720 --> 00:44:54,480 just, just a couple of quick thoughts. 944 00:44:56,160 --> 00:44:58,750 And there's many more to this. I condensed 945 00:44:58,750 --> 00:45:02,080 this because it's just so practical. 946 00:45:02,080 --> 00:45:05,870 Number one, teach your children to fear the 947 00:45:05,870 --> 00:45:09,120 Lord. That's top of the list. 948 00:45:09,120 --> 00:45:15,060 Healthy, biblical, reverential awe. Proverbs 9 949 00:45:15,060 --> 00:45:18,000 -10, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning 950 00:45:18,000 --> 00:45:20,430 of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is 951 00:45:20,430 --> 00:45:24,640 understanding." This is huge. Teach them about 952 00:45:25,200 --> 00:45:29,390 God from the Bible. That's why Christie's back 953 00:45:29,390 --> 00:45:32,800 there on Sundays with kids teaching them from 954 00:45:32,800 --> 00:45:36,190 the Catechism, which is truths from the Bible. 955 00:45:36,190 --> 00:45:39,360 Who made you? Who is God? All the rest. 956 00:45:39,360 --> 00:45:44,700 Teach your children the gospel. All the 957 00:45:44,700 --> 00:45:47,600 aspects of the gospel, whatever they are able 958 00:45:47,600 --> 00:45:47,760 to 959 00:45:47,760 --> 00:45:51,710 grasp, give it to them. Even if they can't 960 00:45:51,710 --> 00:45:54,720 grasp it at first, give it to them straight. 961 00:45:55,680 --> 00:45:57,580 Teach them to fear God. Teach them to speak 962 00:45:57,580 --> 00:45:58,480 the truth. 963 00:45:58,480 --> 00:46:02,090 Psalm 58-3, "The wicked are estranged from the 964 00:46:02,090 --> 00:46:04,950 womb. These who speak lies go astray from 965 00:46:04,950 --> 00:46:05,760 birth." 966 00:46:05,760 --> 00:46:10,310 Understand, you have a born liar in your child 967 00:46:10,310 --> 00:46:15,090 . God hates lying. Have you read about how God 968 00:46:15,090 --> 00:46:15,760 feels 969 00:46:15,760 --> 00:46:19,660 about lying in the Bible? And if you're a good 970 00:46:19,660 --> 00:46:22,160 liar, you will commit crime. 971 00:46:23,600 --> 00:46:27,360 I speak from experience on that one. So 972 00:46:27,360 --> 00:46:33,640 children have to be disciplined not to lie. It 973 00:46:33,640 --> 00:46:34,400 's very big. 974 00:46:34,400 --> 00:46:38,380 There's more of it. Hopefully I've given you 975 00:46:38,380 --> 00:46:40,640 enough to give you some practical 976 00:46:40,640 --> 00:46:43,970 help. Again, even though most of us, like I 977 00:46:43,970 --> 00:46:47,200 said, we've already been through this 978 00:46:47,200 --> 00:46:51,220 process. We have grown kids. Some of us have 979 00:46:51,220 --> 00:46:54,960 grandkids and some of you have friends who can 980 00:46:54,960 --> 00:46:58,000 benefit here from the Bible's example for the 981 00:46:58,000 --> 00:47:00,640 gold standard of Christian living for both 982 00:47:00,640 --> 00:47:01,040 children 983 00:47:01,040 --> 00:47:05,020 and parents. But now if you're like me and you 984 00:47:05,020 --> 00:47:10,720 think back to your time when you raised your 985 00:47:10,720 --> 00:47:11,120 kids, 986 00:47:13,280 --> 00:47:16,810 you've been thoroughly convicted by this gold 987 00:47:16,810 --> 00:47:20,160 standard. If you haven't, please come talk to 988 00:47:20,160 --> 00:47:22,920 me. I'd like to hear your story. Okay? I'd be 989 00:47:22,920 --> 00:47:24,960 real interested to hear all about how great 990 00:47:24,960 --> 00:47:25,360 you did. 991 00:47:25,360 --> 00:47:31,270 But for the rest of us, we are convicted and 992 00:47:31,270 --> 00:47:35,440 rightly so. But right now, at this point in 993 00:47:35,440 --> 00:47:35,600 the 994 00:47:35,600 --> 00:47:39,150 service is our chance to sprint to the gospel 995 00:47:39,150 --> 00:47:42,880 in the Lord's Supper. And we run fast, right? 996 00:47:42,880 --> 00:47:46,530 After hearing this, the person in work of 997 00:47:46,530 --> 00:47:50,960 Christ on our behalf symbolized by the bread 998 00:47:50,960 --> 00:47:52,880 in the cup. 999 00:47:52,880 --> 00:47:54,870 Christianity is great. Is there anything 1000 00:47:54,870 --> 00:47:58,380 better than being a Christian? No. No, there 1001 00:47:58,380 --> 00:47:59,120 is not. 1002 00:48:00,000 --> 00:48:02,770 So let's turn over as we always do. There's my 1003 00:48:02,770 --> 00:48:06,580 glasses down there. Wait. Okay. How about that 1004 00:48:06,580 --> 00:48:06,880 ? 1005 00:48:06,880 --> 00:48:10,080 Okay. Let's turn over to 1 Corinthians. 1006 00:48:10,080 --> 00:48:17,780 And again, why do I do this? Well, I said it 1007 00:48:17,780 --> 00:48:21,280 earlier. These people were out of order. 1008 00:48:21,280 --> 00:48:25,210 So the lady at the museum used to say, people 1009 00:48:25,210 --> 00:48:27,360 were acting up in the museum, 1010 00:48:27,360 --> 00:48:30,690 you all out of order, she would say. These 1011 00:48:30,690 --> 00:48:32,960 Corinthians, some of them were all out of 1012 00:48:32,960 --> 00:48:33,440 order. 1013 00:48:33,440 --> 00:48:35,570 It got wild there in the Lord's Supper. I mean 1014 00:48:35,570 --> 00:48:37,760 , they were just up to all kind of bad stuff. 1015 00:48:37,760 --> 00:48:43,040 So look there in 1 Corinthians 11, starting in 1016 00:48:43,040 --> 00:48:47,440 verse 27, "Therefore, whoever eats the bread 1017 00:48:47,440 --> 00:48:50,240 or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy 1018 00:48:50,240 --> 00:48:53,440 manner shall be guilty of the body and the 1019 00:48:53,440 --> 00:48:53,920 blood of the 1020 00:48:53,920 --> 00:48:57,760 Lord. But a man must examine himself and in so 1021 00:48:57,760 --> 00:49:01,040 doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of 1022 00:49:01,040 --> 00:49:01,600 the cup, 1023 00:49:01,600 --> 00:49:04,640 for he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks 1024 00:49:04,640 --> 00:49:07,590 judgment to himself if he does not judge the 1025 00:49:07,590 --> 00:49:08,160 body 1026 00:49:08,160 --> 00:49:11,540 rightly. For this reason, many among you are 1027 00:49:11,540 --> 00:49:15,120 weak and sick and a number sleep." So there's 1028 00:49:15,120 --> 00:49:15,360 the 1029 00:49:15,360 --> 00:49:20,330 chastening of God, what I talked about earlier 1030 00:49:20,330 --> 00:49:25,040 . And so we have come to a place, I hope, now 1031 00:49:25,040 --> 00:49:25,200 in 1032 00:49:25,200 --> 00:49:28,410 our churches, we've gone through this exercise 1033 00:49:28,410 --> 00:49:32,560 together many times, where you're able to put 1034 00:49:32,560 --> 00:49:35,680 all this together in one line of thinking, but 1035 00:49:35,680 --> 00:49:39,360 delineate the different aspects of why we're 1036 00:49:39,360 --> 00:49:43,620 quoting this and what it is that we're doing 1037 00:49:43,620 --> 00:49:47,040 here. Number one, we want to indicate the 1038 00:49:47,040 --> 00:49:47,920 seriousness 1039 00:49:47,920 --> 00:49:51,840 of what it is to obey this command in having 1040 00:49:51,840 --> 00:49:55,040 the Lord suffer. Number two, we want to 1041 00:49:55,040 --> 00:49:55,920 realize that 1042 00:49:55,920 --> 00:49:58,960 we're all battling our flesh every day as 1043 00:49:58,960 --> 00:50:03,350 Roman seven flesh-struggling creatures. And so 1044 00:50:03,350 --> 00:50:03,520 there's 1045 00:50:03,520 --> 00:50:07,840 this need, as I tell you all the time, for a 1046 00:50:07,840 --> 00:50:11,440 daily asking of forgiveness, which as I always 1047 00:50:11,440 --> 00:50:11,840 tell you 1048 00:50:11,840 --> 00:50:14,450 is rooted and grounded in the judicial 1049 00:50:14,450 --> 00:50:17,640 positional forgiveness of Christ. All sins 1050 00:50:17,640 --> 00:50:18,480 paid for, 1051 00:50:18,480 --> 00:50:21,890 all wrath taken. We understand that, but while 1052 00:50:21,890 --> 00:50:25,200 we're living, we're sinning. So we're being 1053 00:50:25,200 --> 00:50:25,760 honest 1054 00:50:25,760 --> 00:50:29,940 with God. We're saying, "Man, this flesh 1055 00:50:29,940 --> 00:50:34,130 struggle that you have ordained is tough. 1056 00:50:34,130 --> 00:50:35,040 Forgive me." 1057 00:50:35,040 --> 00:50:38,480 And this is an opportunity that we take that 1058 00:50:38,480 --> 00:50:42,160 moment of silence for you to do that and to 1059 00:50:42,160 --> 00:50:46,010 understand that the Lord loves you and that 1060 00:50:46,010 --> 00:50:50,080 that's why He chastens you. That's why He did 1061 00:50:50,080 --> 00:50:50,880 this here 1062 00:50:50,880 --> 00:50:53,090 in the Corinthian church. That's why we do it 1063 00:50:53,090 --> 00:50:54,960 with our children because we love them, 1064 00:50:54,960 --> 00:50:56,750 because we want them to act right. Well, God 1065 00:50:56,750 --> 00:51:00,080 wants us to act right. Why? Because He knows 1066 00:51:00,080 --> 00:51:02,630 us what's best for us. As I tell you all the 1067 00:51:02,630 --> 00:51:06,080 time, when do you feel your best? It's when 1068 00:51:06,080 --> 00:51:06,320 you're 1069 00:51:06,320 --> 00:51:08,540 walking in the Spirit and you're reading the 1070 00:51:08,540 --> 00:51:10,720 Word and you're doing your Bible study and you 1071 00:51:10,720 --> 00:51:10,800 're 1072 00:51:10,800 --> 00:51:13,000 fellowshiping with other Christians and you're 1073 00:51:13,000 --> 00:51:15,600 going to church and you're worshiping with a 1074 00:51:15,600 --> 00:51:18,350 real motive to bring glory to God. And only 1075 00:51:18,350 --> 00:51:21,320 you and He knows that. You know that 1076 00:51:21,320 --> 00:51:22,720 internally and 1077 00:51:22,720 --> 00:51:25,680 He knows you better than you know yourself, 1078 00:51:25,680 --> 00:51:28,800 right? And so all of those aspects come into 1079 00:51:28,800 --> 00:51:29,520 play and when 1080 00:51:29,520 --> 00:51:35,520 we think about this Romans 7 struggle that God 1081 00:51:35,520 --> 00:51:42,160 has ordained, not only Romans 8/28 for our 1082 00:51:42,160 --> 00:51:42,400 good 1083 00:51:42,400 --> 00:51:45,630 and His glory, all things, but also just keep 1084 00:51:45,630 --> 00:51:50,000 going into verse 29 in order to be conformed 1085 00:51:50,000 --> 00:51:52,870 to the image of Christ is the purpose for this 1086 00:51:52,870 --> 00:51:57,040 struggle that we have. So we deal with the 1087 00:51:57,040 --> 00:51:57,440 struggle. 1088 00:51:57,440 --> 00:52:01,390 We deal with the realities. We don't pretend 1089 00:52:01,390 --> 00:52:04,960 as if we walk around floating on seven inches 1090 00:52:04,960 --> 00:52:05,200 above 1091 00:52:05,200 --> 00:52:08,260 the ground because we're so holy. No, we're 1092 00:52:08,260 --> 00:52:14,560 being honest here. This is a war that we're in 1093 00:52:14,560 --> 00:52:17,240 with our own flesh, right? In which dwells no 1094 00:52:17,240 --> 00:52:20,000 good thing, right? The Apostle Paul said, 1095 00:52:20,000 --> 00:52:22,840 but our inner redeemed spirit is always des 1096 00:52:22,840 --> 00:52:26,000 iring to do that which is right and good and 1097 00:52:26,000 --> 00:52:26,320 there's 1098 00:52:26,320 --> 00:52:28,770 the fight. So we're just, we're coming to this 1099 00:52:28,770 --> 00:52:30,960 table and we're being honest about that, but 1100 00:52:30,960 --> 00:52:31,200 not 1101 00:52:31,200 --> 00:52:35,900 only are we doing that with great joy, unspeak 1102 00:52:35,900 --> 00:52:42,550 able. Once we do that, then we consider Christ. 1103 00:52:42,550 --> 00:52:42,720 Then 1104 00:52:42,720 --> 00:52:45,370 we consider that it's not our performance as 1105 00:52:45,370 --> 00:52:47,910 Christians that gets us right with God or 1106 00:52:47,910 --> 00:52:48,240 keeps 1107 00:52:48,240 --> 00:52:50,620 us right with God, but it's Christ's 1108 00:52:50,620 --> 00:52:53,840 performance on our behalf. It's all about Him. 1109 00:52:53,840 --> 00:52:55,200 It's all about 1110 00:52:55,200 --> 00:52:58,180 His glory. It's all about the fact that He 1111 00:52:58,180 --> 00:53:01,120 suffered and bled and died and rose on the 1112 00:53:01,120 --> 00:53:01,760 third day in 1113 00:53:01,760 --> 00:53:04,350 fulfillment of the Scriptures for our 1114 00:53:04,350 --> 00:53:07,330 justification to make us right with God, to 1115 00:53:07,330 --> 00:53:08,480 keep us right with 1116 00:53:08,480 --> 00:53:11,470 God and what glory there is. And the realities 1117 00:53:11,470 --> 00:53:15,090 that all we have is Christ. At the end of the 1118 00:53:15,090 --> 00:53:15,200 day, 1119 00:53:15,200 --> 00:53:17,110 I read that quote from Paul Washer the other 1120 00:53:17,110 --> 00:53:18,960 day. At the end of the day, I've come to 1121 00:53:18,960 --> 00:53:19,760 realize all I 1122 00:53:19,760 --> 00:53:23,950 have is Christ. It's all I have is Christ. And 1123 00:53:23,950 --> 00:53:28,950 guess what? He is all that we need, right? Now 1124 00:53:28,950 --> 00:53:28,960 , 1125 00:53:28,960 --> 00:53:30,520 what we're going to do now, bow your hands and 1126 00:53:30,520 --> 00:53:34,160 close your eyes. I want you to consider 1127 00:53:35,920 --> 00:53:38,580 all those realities. Man, we are very capable 1128 00:53:38,580 --> 00:53:41,540 of keeping all that together in one line of 1129 00:53:41,540 --> 00:53:41,760 thought. 1130 00:53:41,760 --> 00:53:47,360 And I want you to remember that what our 1131 00:53:47,360 --> 00:53:51,520 church confession makes clear is that we 1132 00:53:51,520 --> 00:53:52,080 believe 1133 00:53:52,080 --> 00:53:57,800 that the only people who are able to come to 1134 00:53:57,800 --> 00:54:02,150 the Lord's Supper and partake are those who 1135 00:54:02,150 --> 00:54:02,400 have 1136 00:54:02,400 --> 00:54:06,390 repented of their sins and placed their saving 1137 00:54:06,390 --> 00:54:09,040 faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and been 1138 00:54:09,040 --> 00:54:09,680 baptized 1139 00:54:09,680 --> 00:54:14,890 as an expression of that faith. We want this 1140 00:54:14,890 --> 00:54:18,560 table and want to make clear that this table 1141 00:54:18,560 --> 00:54:19,200 is for 1142 00:54:19,200 --> 00:54:22,660 believers. Now, we call it an open table, as 1143 00:54:22,660 --> 00:54:25,090 if somebody comes in off the street and they 1144 00:54:25,090 --> 00:54:25,280 're not 1145 00:54:25,280 --> 00:54:27,770 a member of our church, they're certainly 1146 00:54:27,770 --> 00:54:30,640 welcome if they're a believer to participate. 1147 00:54:30,640 --> 00:54:31,360 But this is 1148 00:54:31,360 --> 00:54:34,860 for God's people. And that's what you're 1149 00:54:34,860 --> 00:54:37,800 standing up to come down here is saying. It's 1150 00:54:37,800 --> 00:54:38,240 saying, 1151 00:54:38,240 --> 00:54:41,940 I am a believer. I am in the family of God and 1152 00:54:41,940 --> 00:54:46,000 I am participating in this command that Jesus 1153 00:54:46,000 --> 00:54:49,670 gave us. So, I want you to take just a few 1154 00:54:49,670 --> 00:54:54,480 moments and go to the Lord. Go to the Lord