Children, God's Special Gift Part 1

One reason for us. Jesus phone number for the call would be purged to murder rates were God blesses couples with children Bible calls children heritage and today the most important thing Christian parents can do for their precious Statement from the Moody Church in Chicago this is when Sir is clear teaching helps us make across the finish line estimates are. We all know that our children the next generation and how we raise them determines our country's.

You're absolutely right. It does determine our country's future. More than that determines the future of Christianity. You don't my burden is many Christian parents and I'm talking about Christian parents they don't really raise their children social media does. And because of that as children go off to college what you frequently find as they leave the faith behind.

That's why believe so deeply in these messages on the family.

These messages exist for all who listen. We intend to bless you to help you and if you'd like to have these messages as CDs or DVDs. Here's what you do, you can go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com. By the way, for a gift of any amount. Indeed, they can be yours.

And thanks in advance for your generosity. Or you can call us at 1-888-218-9337 1-888-218-9337 and now let us listen carefully as we talk about children. God's special gift. I agree with George Barna who said that ministry to children is the most important strategic ministry in God's kingdom. It is so satisfying to me to know that Moody church was birthed as a Sunday school and then morphed into a church and still 150 years later, children are a priority in our children's ministry is growing and continuing and very effective. How wonderful that is in an age when the needs are so great, but it's hard to be a child today. It's hard because the contemporary culture says that your value is dependent upon your your appearance. If you're not attractive you're basically worthless.

You know these that reality shows that emphasize beauty and to people not knowing each other, still able, in a few moments to figure out whether or not they really connect that not only is trash. It is destructive trash to our children then we live in an era where there are no values except that choose in our school systems. We have value clarification, which, as I studied I discovered that where kids and is already determined by the curriculum and how to say a word about the next message that I'm going to preach in the series. I always thought that the destruction of the family was something that just happened because society fell apart.

I didn't know that it was strategically planned by a Marxist philosopher who so influenced what we call today the radical left that all the attacks against the family were part of his agenda. I'll tell you about him. For example, he believed that the families were so strong in Europe and the United States that the only way that Marxism can triumph is if the family be broken up and so he plotted to destroy the family. One of the things he said is we have to get women mothers out of the home and we need to tell them that they are victims and when that happens, the children are going to be floundering and this is very important because not until we destroy the family. Will the families finally be willing to accept big government that will take care of them. I didn't know that it was so meticulously planned and all share that with you next time. Today's message is largely for parents though. If you are single there's going to be some things in it. Also, for you so I'm going to ask you as a parent is a Christian parent to question what do you aim for in the lives of your children you say well I want them to be able to do well in school. Be honest, Excel want them to stay out of drugs and sex and alcohol and to become good honorable citizens so that they can be productive to society. Now if you and there. If that's the end goal. You are not a Christian parent because the games that I just outlined. Those can be the very names of Buddhists and Hindus and Muslims and even atheists who have a moral consciousness because God created them in his image. Did you know that out of atheism. No values whatever can arise. None. Logically, it can be proved, but nonetheless, atheists because they are created in God's image, they have a sense of rightness and wrongness and they could achieve the very goals that I've outlined is not Christian parenting.

Christian parenting has to take things a step further and say that we are aiming for children who have been redeemed by the gospel, who love God with all of their hearts and God has burst with in them. The new life of Christ and they love God. Not just because they have to or because rules are good but their very motivation has been changed by the gospel. That's what we're aiming for is Christian parents will.

How do we get there very quickly for five principles that I think are going to be life-changing, especially as we move ahead in the message and the only passage of Scripture. I'm going ask you to turn to. Today is really the 10th chapter of Mark, Jesus speaks about importance of children in Matthew 18, but this is the only passage I'm using others, but I'm just going to be quoting them in reminding you of what they say because we have much to cover in Mark chapter 10 verse 13 it says and they were bringing children to him that he might touch them and the disciples rebuked them.

But when Jesus thought he was indignant and said to them, let the children come to me and do not hinder them for two such along the kingdom of God. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like this child shall not enter it, don't you love this, and he took them into his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

What was the problem with the disciples. Jesus, they're just kids. Why are you bothering with kids. I mean look at all of the adults would like to hear you teach.

They might even be able to take notes, but children can't first thing that we have to convey to our children is this that we love them.

We value them but I agree with Chip Ingram. I heard it snatch of a message he preached recently in which he said that children are always asking two questions. How much do you love me and where are the boundaries because if you simply say you love your child and there are no boundaries or the boundaries are unclear, you say well I'm not going to get him mad at me. He can do whatever he likes, he will grow up hating you, no matter how often you say I love you it will be meaningless. Children say if you love me, shown me the boundaries and I'm putting the whole emphasis on love and boundaries, and values together. Parents you're the only one who can convey value to your child in school here.

She may be ridiculed is going to go through life.

Life is tough and the child is asking who am I am I were the MI MIA significant and you alone have the ability to convey that to him or to her and you do it by giving them attention by listening carefully. I wish I have done that more as a father.

I remember when one of our teenage girls was going through problems like teenagers have boyfriends and all our number for lying on her bed in the room and I went and I lay on the floor and put a pillow under my head and listened for an hour just listen. She still refers to it and I think to myself, why didn't I do that more often you connect with them.

You remind them use discuss with them what they are anticipating in school you talk you communicate and you convey value love, but you can do it without boundaries. You know, is a parenthesis to realize what divorce does to children, Rebecca and I were in a restaurant. One time we overheard a conversation couldn't help but overhearing it in the next booth between a father who was dropping off a girl that was probably six years old and giving the child to the mother because the father had the child over the weekend.

You know, God puts it into the heart of every little child to have a mommy and daddy and mommy and daddy should love each other. Now imagine what this little one goes through, she's to love mommy during the week she supposed to love daddy on the weekends but mommy and daddy can't stand each other that they had an argument right there about money. Now of course God is a redeeming God as we shall see, but you understand what happens, there are values that you as a parent can convey to your child that cannot be adequately conveyed by teachers and babysitters.

However, well, they made you there is nothing like the power of apparent, and if you connect with that child and you value them. Your influence will be greater than the influence that they have in schools regarding drugs and all the other thing that happened to you, you love boundaries value.

Secondly, children need someone whom they can emulate a lifestyle that they can follow. It's an old story, but it is a true story. And by the way, the passage there is in first Corinthians were pulses on your father follow me.

It's an old story but it's a true story about a man walking through the snow going to the bar. He had to go there regularly because of his addiction to alcohol and is walking through the snow. He looked back and there was his little son perhaps four years old trying to walk in his father's steps as best he could and the man said hey what are you doing, is that dad I'm just trying to follow in your footsteps man turned around and went home with tears in his eyes when he ask you some questions you want children to honor God. Don't you do you do they ever see you reading the Bible or praying ever see that you want children who don't drink, do you drink you want children who tell the truth do you tell the truth or have the kids seen and heard you lie modeling modeling its powerful there's going to come a time in the life of your teenager when all that you say in all that you do will not be heard, but it will be your life, even in the midst of struggle that will impact them what they remember we had family devotions all the time without fail, in my home, but interestingly the thing that I remember is when a hailstorm came in, knocked out the crop and in those days. My father didn't have insurance and when it was over. Hope I can get through the story okay. Our parents said let's get on our knees and thank God for all of his goodness. That's what kids remember, a model of godliness in the midst of trial.

Third, what kids really need is some obedience to authority. The passage is Ephesians 6. It's worthy of a sermon in itself. Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother you, so I can't honor my father my mother because my father was abusive and maybe the mother was to by the way, in a future sermon. I'm going to deal with the whole issue of abuse so you be patient will talk about that, but for now, honor your father and your mother that it may go well with you children, obey your parents. You know you've seen this, let me give you a bit of advice. First of all, have few rules but be consistent with them absolutely consistent and just teach them obedience. You've seen it a thousand times we've all done it but suppose little Peter is playing there with the blocks and you say Peter, it's time to go does nothing Peter I Said That We Are to Go Do Something with the Blocks Put Them Back in the Box Plays Is No Need to Go yet. Peter Joseph Hendrix, Would You Please Put Those Those Blocks Back in the Box When He Hears His Middle Name.

He Knows It's Time to Go.

What Is in a Kind of Obedience Happened the First Time Say It Is Your Fault It's Mine.

When the Bible Says Fathers Don't Exasperate Your Children and That's the Rest of It. How Do We Exasperate Our Children Father's It's by Overcorrection Overcorrection by Yelling at Them and Always Criticizing Them, Always Finding Some Reason to Find Fault Bible Warns against Should Be a Separate Sermon Is Ill Should We Ever Use Physical Punishment. I Say Absolutely, When It's Necessary. You Apply the Board Of Education to the Seat of Learning. My Father Had a Razor Strap.

Now Some of You Don't Even Know What That Is but It Was Hanging at the Back of the Door. My Older Brother Should've Written over It. I Need the Every Hour You Know We've Still Reacted against the World Because the World Is Simple, That's Child Abuse Course. It Can Be Child Abuse That's Done in Anger. If You're Hitting the Child As Such, but a Proper Spanking at a Proper Time with a Proper Reason and a Proper Ending Where There's Reconciliation Afterwards. Probably Nothing Quite like to Help the Kid Know Where the Boundaries Are Well. We Must Hurry on and There's 1/4 Principle, and That Is That Children Must Be Taught Both Law and Grace.

And in This Section I Been Held by a Book I Read This past Week. It's Entitled to Give Them Grace in Its Written by a Woman and Her Daughter Names Are Fitzpatrick and Thompson Give Them Grace. Children Need Both. Let Me Talk about. First of All, the Law We Have To Give Them the Law.

The Bible Says in the Book of Deuteronomy We Should Teach Them the Law, so We Teach Them the 10 Commandments. We Teach Them the Sermon on the Mount. We Teach Them the Book of Proverbs We Have Good Standards in the Home.

We Say If You Long As You Live Here. These Are the Standard Days of the Rule You Basically to Responses from Children. At That Point. One Is the Good Child. Perhaps the Compliant Child Seldom, the Firstborn, the Firstborn Oftentimes Competitive Than What Are Some Other Things I Could Say about Firstborn's Being the Last Born, I Can Comment.

I Won't Tell You the Faults of the Last Five. I Pretty Well Got Them All. But You See the Compliant Child Says Okay I'm Going to Do That I'm Going to Excel. I'm Going to Get Good Grades and to Study Hard and Stay Away from Drugs and All the Other Things That the Kids Are Doing.

I'm Going to Be the Good Child I'm Going to Excel.

I'm Going to Have a Good Job. I'm the Model Child but One Response. But Then There's Another Kid in the Home, Was That You and I Can't Live up to My Older Brothers and Sisters and All of These High Standards All Put up with This Home until I'm Old Enough to Leave Home and Then What I'm Going to Do Is I'm to Do My Own Thing and Finally Be Away from Mother and Father, and Especially If He Hates His Dad or His Mother Is Going to Say in His Mind.

I Hate My Dad and I Hate Is God. So I'm Not Here to Different Responses from Law.

What Is Missing in That Scenario What's Missing Is the Gospel and Grace. It's Totally Missing from the Scenario, Let's Talk about Child Number One for Just a Moment the Good Child.

He Doesn't Understand Gracie. He Really Doesn't See Any Need for It Really Because Look at How Well He's Doing.

He Brings His Report Card Home and Pretty Well Got Straight A's, and He's on His Way. People Are Looking at Him Saying He's Going to Be Successful You Need Grace, Not Really. Well, You Know, Church and God. It's All Nice.

If You're Desperate, but He's Not Desperate Child Number Two Entirely Different Scenario Child Number Two. What Does He Need He Needs Grace Because You See the Reason That He Leaves Home and Does His Own Thing Is Because He Figures He Can't Live up to This High Standard That His Parents Have Set out for He Can't Live up to This Standard.

And Why Should He Even Bother Trying to Live up to the Standard When He Can't Do It and He Can't Do It. What He Needs Is the Gospel He Needs Grace Because You See the Bible Says That Jesus Christ Came on a Rescue Mission Died for Our Sin and Was Raised Again.

For This Reason, for Number of Reasons, but One Is so That We Could Be Forgiven and Actually Have the Righteousness of Christ Applied to Us to Make up for All of Our Deficits in All of Our Inabilities and All of Our Sin. And Secondly, to Change Our Hearts If Any Man Be in Christ He Is a New Creation the Old Things Have Passed Away Behold All Things Are Become New.

The First Commandment Says Thou Shalt Love the Lord Thy God with All Thy Heart with All Thy Mind and with All Thy Soul.

Can We Wake up in the Morning and Keep That Commandment Course. How Can We Even Begin to Keep That Commandment Unless We Been Born Again in God Births within Us a Supernatural Love of God Can't Be Done.

And with This Boy.

He Needs You See He Says in His Mind after He's Been in the Far Country.

He Says You Know I Blown It so Badly.

God Is Probably so Mad at Me. There's No Use Coming Back. God, Being Reconciled Because I Can't Live up to It Anyway. But What He Needs to Know Is That That's Why Jesus Came. Of Course We Can't Live up to It.

Of Course He Can't and Neither Can You, and Neither Can I but God Receives Sinners and Gives Them What They Don't Have. It Gives Them the Gift of Righteousness and Acceptance before God and Then He Also Gives Them the Motivation to Live Differently. How Many Failures They May Do along Life's Way Just like I've Done and You but This Boy Needs to Know That He Doesn't Have To Come to God and Promise to Live like His Older Brother.

He Comes Just As He Is Is a Song Which Sometimes Sung Probably Not Sung It Often Enough.

This Is the Vilest of Sinners Who Truly Believes That Moment from Jesus Apart Receives He Can Come As He Is with His Weaknesses and Sins, and He Will Be Received by God Because of Grace in My New Friend That Is the Good News That the Gospel Isn't It God Grants Us Grace He Gives Us the Ability to Believe, and Indeed the Vilest of Sinner Who Truly Believes I Love That Line That Moment from Jesus Apart Receives Maybe That's You Today, You Need to Believe and Be Saved. You Know, Last Night I Connected with a Man Who Supports Our Media Ministry Who Is a Farmer Got Me so Excited Because I Was Raised on a Farm Also and He Told Me about the Cows That He Had. Then the Wheat That Was Planted and Reminded Me of My Roots, but I Was Also Reminded of the Fact That He Listens to Running to Win Regularly and Thanks Be to God.

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Children Are a Wonderful Blessing.

They Can Be an Immense Challenge.

Some Kids Are Obedience and Cooperative Others Do Their Own Thing Matter What Mom and Dad Say Next Time I'm Going to Win, Navigating the Uncertain Waters of Child Rearing.

This Is Dave McAllister Running to Win Is Sponsored by the Moody Church