Teaching Children

Have your Bibles with you as you turn with me if you would run the chapter 12 we look at verses 1 to 2 appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God which is your spiritual worship.

Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind about testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect that with me as we get our Lord in prayer. Father I pray for our general assembly this week give our men safe travel there and back help our denomination to take a strong stand for truth heavenly father were here today to worship you, primarily is Father's Day.

We also want to honor our fathers and challenge them in the training and nurturing of our children we are. Second, as we view the feminization of our nation godly masculine men are being leveled by this culture. Christian manner been intimidated and mock so often, many of backed off and given up. Lord, give us a steel backbone. Help us to realize that me and can be merciful, compassionate and caring without being spineless. Williams pray that you give dad such a heart for their kids training them in living godly examples before them will be priority use the word of God today to help us not to be conformed to this world to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

We love you Lord, we thank you for our day adds this in the holy and precious name of Jesus that we pray. Amen. You may be seated right up her child the way he should go when he is old he will not depart from it.

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, but train them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord today is Father's Day and most Christian fathers very familiar with those two verses.

But how are we to train up our children. We are to do it through teaching, through instruction, through discipline and through example. But what are we to teach primarily will teach them Bible I think a good way to do this is as catechizing your children as taking them through the Westminster shorter catechism. This verse about our district.

Question after question, yes. Question it gives answers the most important thing is to get the scriptural prudence behind those questions and answers and is so important and I believe if you do that you will help build a foundation for your child that will get them through this life. Help them to stand today were looking particularly at two verses that I want to use to help you in the teaching of your children. Romans chapter 12 verses one into the seat you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God to Brooke since your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable under God which is your reasonable service. Be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you might prove was that good and acceptable and perfect will of God which we are living in the safe church affirming Christ honoring Bible believe in society that was here back in the 1950s. Back then when CN was called sin. When church attendance was just the norm, why, when our court system. Under the law of God before the opinions of men and what our public school system would backup the values and morals of their parents and and the church. 70 years later. Things have changed. Who needs faith, hope and love today when when we got sex drugs and gay pride parades and were being told is that sex loving gay pride parades are a lot more fun. So there's been a shift and it's no longer popular or even socially acceptable to be a conservative evangelical reform Christian political, moral, spiritual and ethical war that is going on in our country and folks that the views of a genuine Christians are not compatible with this new culture in our society today it's acceptable to be homosexual. A pedophile transgender wrist atheist in adulterer and abortionist but in most cases if you're Christian that's anathema and that's not what you're supposed to be boxers tolerance for everything but true Christianity and that hasn't many of us left in great frustration and even anger. We say wait a minute, this is America we live in a free country.

Without freedom of religion. We got freedom of speech.

We got a Constitution that's true that's true, but if that's true, why is it that our freedoms are being stripped away from us almost on a daily basis and why is it that Christians are shocked by this. Been reading through the book of Jeremiah on this.

Relevant to to our situation today very very relevant. Jeremiah has been telling that the country of our country of Judah that persecution is is going to come. He's been telling them that trouble is on the way he's been telling them that the judgment of God is coming and the false prophets are mad at Jeremiah, and I said Jeremiah we want you to keep your mouth shut.

You don't need to say anything about this everything this nation is just fine. Don't worry about it. Keep your mouth shut you have.

Jeremiah says essentially to these false prophets you have thought your nose in God's holy face, you have broken God's commands you have mocked God's law, you said peace peace when there is no peace, peace, and you cannot mock God, and you cannot revel in your sin without consequences. Jeremiah said judgment is coming brothers and sisters American needs to hear that message we need to understand that message we tell you what else we need to understand our answer is not in Washington. Our answer is not in any politician. Our answer is in Jesus Christ. Plus what we need is revival and we need repentance in this nation and I want you to know that judgment is not just coming judgment is already here and we are starting to get a taste of what the vast majority of Christians all the way down through history have experienced and have many Christians around the world are experiencing right now which is persecution and suffering and martyrdom. The church in America the last six decades is compromised so horribly that the salt has lost its savor denominations. Whole denominations have capitulated to the culture and they have changed creeds and they read they have redefined words and they reinterpreted Scripture in order that it might accommodate their moral climate of this time last few months. I sensed a deeper hostility and anger toward the Christian faith that I've ever sensed in my life. So I say to you today welcome to Christianity 101 what the church in America has experienced the last 200 years has been a blessing and it is been a great, great, clear privilege, but I want you know it is not the norm is an anomaly, a deviation from the norm. The norm for Christians is persecution, suffering and even martyrdom. The norm is hostility, antagonism and and resentment toward us. James Dobson said the following in his June newsletter.

What I'm saying here is not political. Don't take it political what I'm still talking about here is the value of your child's soul. That's what we need to be looking at. That's what we need to be concerned about. He said this for more than 50 years has been obvious that the first objective of the far left is to destroy the family. This campaign is been remarkably successful, especially in recent years, you may have heard me say that the family serves as the ground floor.

The foundation on which everything else is if it's enemies can undermine or weaken this basic unit of society. The entire superstructure can be brought down. Well it is rocking and reeling today as if a mighty earthquake were rumbling below a cheetah, bringing down this nation is to gain control of its children limit spot spell out the game plan here.

Those who would reset the culture know that they must hold power over what kids are taught in the classroom. They want to control what kids believe what constitutes right and wrong, good and evil. The choice of textbooks and the screens boys and girls watch.

Indeed, if the government can dictate what kids experience at school, they can remake America and a single generation.

Tragically, that is happening because I chose Romans 12 122 today help you teach your children what to do. I do think have a shine in a in a society and the culture that is brazenly and aggressively antagonistic to the Christian faith.

Paul wrote these words and in a society that was very hostile to the Christian faith.

Paul had been beaten and equipped with rods and and whips over and over again. He had been stoned and left for dead. He had been imprisoned over and over again only taste something when when Paul preached his gospel was not a gospel like gospel. What I mean by that. A gospel that says oh, all you need to do to be saved just asked Jesus into your heart just walked down the aisle shaker preacher's hand sign the card and you're in you have to worry about your life anymore. That's the way it is.

That was not Paul's message. Paul's message was this, you are a sinner. Our God is a wholly perfectly righteous God.

And when you die you will stand before this God and you will be judged and if you are guilty of one sin that has not been forgiven if just one sin. If you are guilty of that and you will spend forever separated from this holy God. You will spend forever in an eternal hail with no hope of change effects. That was the bad knees within Paul. Praise God gave us the good news and the good news was this Jesus died for his people.

Jesus went to the cross and he shared his precious blood that our sins might be totally and completely washed away.

Jesus went to the cross in order that he might take our sin upon himself and suffer for it and give us his perfect righteousness, so that when we stand before God. God doesn't see RCN. He sees the perfect righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

But you cannot be good enough or spiritual enough or well-meaning enough to save yourself. Your only hope is Christ's substitution for your sin. We you turn from your sin and repentance and trust Christ and Christ alone for salvation. We you die, the sale and live to God. Why because salvation is eternal. I want to know there is an eternity that means forever and ever and ever. Heaven is eternal. Hail is eternal love.

When the apostle Paul said in second chapter of first Corinthians, when he said I have not seen, nor ear heard north entered in the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those that love him, for we look at the text on read your statement by AW Pink in this statement put steel in your backbone. He said God is not troubled by anything that is now taking place in his world either in the political, social, religious leader, nor should we be troubled.

The helmet still in his hand, and Satan himself cannot so much as touch a hair of our heads his elect without his direct permission is that not a glorious statement, but this is to say, don't be afraid. Don't be discouraged.

Don't quit Jesus Christ is sovereign. Jesus Christ is Lord Jesus Christ is going to win things might look blank and and we may lose battles along the way with this much we know we are not gonna lose the war because Jesus said on this rock I will build my church and the gates of hail will not prevail against it. But the lies of atheist, the deceptions of evolutionist. The immorality of politicians does not negate the strength of the truth.

The power of holiness, and the glory of the Lord books. The outcome is not up for debate. Jesus wins all right. Let's look at the text I want to break it down into three parts. These are three things that you need to be teaching your kids number one Dr. sale and live to God. Verse one of the seat you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God's to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable in the God which is your reasonable service.

Apollo is talking to Christians here. That's very very important and he is talking to Christians and he says, present your bodies that words make names surrender now want you to say that that you when you do this you are are are giving up on the so-called altar of God, and in when you do this willingly before God. It glorifies Jesus Christ. I think back to the sacrifice of Abraham made back in the Old Testament.

Abraham took his son Isaac. They went up Mount Moriah Isaacs 13 years old, Abraham's 113 that I go to the mountain and I get up to the top of Mount Moriah and and Isaac begins to ask questions. He says father. There is the fire and there's the wood. Where is the lamp of the sacrifice and Abraham says God will provide himself a lamb for the sacrifice.

Abraham takes his son Isaac. He places them up on the altar. He ties in later he gets his knife. He brings it up over his heart. He gets ready to plunge it into his heart. You know what happened.

God is no Abraham don't do that.

God provided the ram in the sacrifice the RAM instead what I want you to notice is Isaac's willingness to be sacrificed is 13 years old, just young, strong young man. Abraham's hundred 13 was Isaac.

It is said that, I think you may be in dementia. I'm not sure what the world is going on with your thinking. But I don't really want to die today :-( do your stuff and he could've taken off of their and he can never outrun Abraham. I'm sure he didn't do that.

A willingly got on the altar, while why because Isaac is a picture of Jesus, but some want you to know. Jesus was not murdered. Jesus gave his life, he gave his life.

Jesus said, I lay down my life for the sheep. No one takes my life for me.

I lay it down and that's what Paul is calling us to do what is he say he says surrender. Surrender.

Give up lay down your life. He is saying. Present your bodies a living sacrifice. Jesus said another way over in Luke chapter 9 is if anyone come after me letting denying sale take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever saves his life will lose it. Whatever loses his life for my sake shall save it. Neither Jesus nor Paul are calling for physical death. Here all the physical death may come, but there calling for dying to self. Folks essentially this means being obedient to God even in times when the flash real carnal nature. The old man is screaming out to be satisfied. Jim Johnston says this the essence of sin is looking for good outside of God, in his will. When I dig beneath the surface surface of any sin in my life. I found that I am trying to get something good apart from God and his way. The good thing might be pleasure security significance satisfaction, justice, belonging comfort. Some physical need, but I try to get it without God in the end, it is idolatry. I'm looking for something other than God to meet my needs and satisfy my desires. These got these God's promise joy, but they deliver misery is why halfhearted Christian cannot have ongoing joy in Christ. David says the sorrow those who run after another, God shall multiply young woman knows that she should marry a non-Christian, but she thinks she will find love and security in that relationship. Even though God's not in it. She wants something good, but she is looking to another God to provide it in her sorrows will multiply a man thinks he will find fulfillment and pornography are hooking up after work. Sexual pleasures a good thing in God's way this man is looking to another God to give it to me in these brief seconds of pleasure return to gravel and as she is in his mouth. A woman look for significance to gossip. She feels important when she talks about what other people are doing. She's not finding her worth in Christ she is running after another, God, the sense of value when Paul says this is our reasonable service of worship. What is the main means we are to present our bodies a living sacrifice, day after day hour after hour moment after moment.

What is that mean that means that worship is not relegated to 1030 on Sunday morning we set on soft states who got air conditioning. It means that worship takes place all through your life takes place on Monday morning. You got a boss that jumps on your head and criticizes you for something you didn't do, and you respond to that boss and kindness takes place on Saturday night when the hormones are raging temptations are high and you say no takes place when you got a widow there in your community, and she didn't have any money and you got her new cutter grass medial charger Pini are you got a young lady that's just had a newborn baby and she's worn out and tired you going to keep that baby so she can get a little bit of rest I don't need to present my body a living sacrifice just for church. I need to present my body a living sacrifice wants it before computer. I'm struggling with whether or not to to look at the images that are not on the computer might do harm to my heart everyday stuff while death to self means little things do matter. So how do you teach that kind of radical thinking is your kid when he is being told in the classroom. He's just an idiot for buying into the thinking of his parents believe in the Bible is absolute truth. The first point is to teach him the necessity of dying to self and leaving to God. The sacrifice that Paul uses for illustrations here is a Hobart sacrifice.

He's not talking about just taken a part of that lamb's body and began burning it. He's not talking about taking part of the fat of the bull and burning it to talk about the whole animal is to be sacrificed when my favorite characters in the Old Testament is Caleb Caleb's name means bulldog name means tenacity, perseverance, a bulldog stick to it. This and this is the way Caleb is described in Scripture. He holy followed the Lord folks that was special. Paul's is teaching here in Romans 12 God wants all of you. He doesn't just want your singing on Sunday morning. He wants you in the workplace.

Be an example to those you work with working harder than anybody else they might see Jesus makes a difference a evening wants to see you in the classroom, standing for truth even when your professors mocking you and making fun I had a young man in my former church got saved is about 25 years only worked electric current supply company and his balls. After about four months after his conversion came to our church and his boss stopped and talked to me at as he was leaving the church that day, said I want you nice. I'm here today because Rick Esser while that's great to Rick by two churches that you have. That's not why I'm here. He said I'm here because of the change seen in Rick's life. He said Rick was lazy before his conversion and said he would get it would be like to work almost every day. He said his language was horrible and he said he ate was always goofing off.

I couldn't depend on the is a set after he came to Christ, everything changed pieces. He never liked anymore. His language is cleaned up.

He said he's got the greatest work ethic of all, my man. He said I have to tell him to take a break or he won't even take a break pages that works every body a settlement. I talked to him about said Rick what happened to you and he said it was Jesus said I came to Jesus and Jesus made out of make a new creation and they said that's why I'm here today. He said because of Jesus can do that to a man that I want to know about this Jesus brother Rick did what he presented his body a living sacrifice to God. Notice that Paul is also calling you to be a living sacrifice, the bulls and the lambs were placed on the altar. They were dead sacrifices. Not so with you. Your living sacrifice. What is that mean that means when you're on the altar. You might feel the heat and you might feel of the flames, and you might be tempted to jump down folks that temptation to hop off the altar is is scary. And America becomes more hostile to Christianity as that happens, the temptation to jump down to look for less dangerous ground is going be right there before us, we see a plethora churches today who is bound to the gay agenda who said we don't believe that abortion is murder. We believe that abortion is just a woman's right to choose. Now, why have they buy out the culture because the culture said you will either by L or you pay the consequences. What are the consequences. One of them might mean that the church loses its tax-exempt status. So money came a couple years ago I sent Doug the sermons from this church go out over over the radio and said human preaching against gay marriage and human preaching against abortion. They said what if they find out about that on the outside and we lose our our church tax-exempt status to putting the world you think will happen your budget and I said I will think anything will happen. Our budget because the people in this church.

Don't give to get a tax break they give because God commanded us to Todd and because God says he loves a cheerful giver.

That's why they give.

If I wasn't standing for truth in this church. I get run out of a radial. That's why love this church art .2.

Don't conform to verse two and be not conformed to this world. First, what is meant by this world is not talking about planet Earth all the grounds in the land and the seas talk about the world system. Martyn Lloyd Jones said this about the world system is Outlook the way of living which is not only apart from God, but is positively controlled by the devil. First John 215 to 16 Jesus said love not the world or John said love not the world, neither things in the world any man love the world love the father's not meaning.

All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father, but it's of the world. In James chapter 4 verse four James said that that friendship with the world is enmity against God.

So Paul tells us what he says do not be conformed. The word conform lanes poured into the mold.

Now aren't you think about some this takes your self way back into your childhood and think about a time with your mother.

I had a whole big picture of of hot liquid Jell-O. She's got it in the picture. She takes it over to a mold. It's in the mold of the duct and she takes it and she pours it into the mold.

She takes that motion puts in the refrigerator.

She whites all day long at the end of the day. She takes that mold out. She flips it over and what does she have a Jell-O duck I'm shocked at the number of Jell-O dots in our college campuses today. Professors tell students where were going to teach you how to think we are gonna help you to be open minded. We are going to liberate you from your antiquated Christian upbringing.

We are not going to stifle here we are going to set you free. Then those professors move on to make robots Jell-O dots out of those students who are mesmerized by the academic acumen of the so-called brilliant professors as brilliant professors proclaim tolerance and and yet they push for total total repression of religion in Christian thought for you teach dance number one teacher children to live under God donned the sin and second teach them not to be conformed to this world not to be a Jell-O duck part number three would need to teach them, teach them the need have a transform mind verse 2B says they ask, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. But here's our hope is the word of God, the God breathed in errant infallible word of God. Hebrews chapter 4 verse 12 says says says this is this for the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit of the joints of America and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Second Timothy chapter 3 verse 16 and 17 says all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for approval for correction and instruction in righteousness. If the man of God might be complete, thoroughly furnished and all good works. You build a Christian worldview into your kids by teaching them the principles of God's word when they get into their heart. If the Bible is inerrant, absolute truth than the lies of culture cannot shake this world is Father's Day.

Father's the responsibility of training the children is primarily on your shoulders and that's important for one day you're going to give an account to God for how you train your children. Don't be discouraged and don't quit.

The light shines brightest when the days are darkest a few weeks ago Ethan Oldham had the opportunity was asked by his school if he could make a speech to the students and the faculty at his graduation, Ethan took that opportunity and on that day he stood before his faculty and all the students to graduate slayer and he spoke of a wonderful message. It was a call to humility. The essentially shared with them the importance of of the bay and the principles that we talked about today and the last thing you shared with them was this, he looked out over the students. He says God remember this is not about you it's about Jesus. It's about Jesus. Listen to his speech on the young you to I thought is he's given that speech their graduates. All of the United States, thousands upon thousands them and they are hearing messages also and I'll guarantee you.

Most of the messages that we heard all over the United States. Was this students it's all about you.

It's all about you. That's what really matters in the only way you're going to be happy if you take care of you, and I thought would to God that our nation could hear the message. It's not about you it's all about Jesus.

One of my favorite books outside the Bible, the joy of fearing God by Jerry Bridges. I will close by the statement that he made seven CS Lewis's book the lion the witch and the wardrobe. One of the children asked Mr. and Mrs. beaver about Aslan the lion is a quite safe, I still feel rather nervous about meeting the lion that you will Jerry and make no mistake, said Mrs. beaver. If there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking there either. Braver than most are just plain silly.

Then he isn't safe, said Lucy safe said Mrs. beaver, don't you hear what Mrs. beaver tells you anything about say course, he's not safe he's good he's the king until you is God safe Scripture teaches us that in his grace and mercy God allows himself to be our place of refuge. However, there's a larger sense in which God definitely is not safe yet in our thinking about him.

We tried to make him exclusively safe is no longer in good taste in most quarters to speak of the judgment of God, or impending wrath. We talk about God's unconditional love. We often mean he simply overlooks ignores our sinful behavior and would never judge anyone but God is in that way at all.

Scripture tells us that our God is a consuming fire cautions us, therefore, to worship him with reverence and in all known God isn't safe. But he's good and we must keep both these trays in mind, if we are to understand and practice the fear of God as will discover even his goodness leads us to a proper fear of God. When we truly understand Lexus bound prayer.

Heavenly father, we praise you today for our dads. My earthly father's been with you in heaven for 16 years. I've missed his counsel of Mr. smile of missed his love. I thank you for his example also asked for personal forgiveness in the areas where I failed my own kids. I could've lived more holy before my kids. I can done a better job in pointing them to you. Help me and every other day adding granddad in this congregation to be a more powerful witness and testimony to her kids fill us with your spirit.

May our kids and grandkids see Jesus in us what is in the precious name of Jesus that we pray.

Amen