INTRODUCTION:
 1. WHAT IS GOD’S CONCEPT OF CHILDREN?
 2. WHAT DOES HE CONSIDER THERE ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY IN THE HOME AND
     IN THE CHURCH?
 3. ALTHOUGH I AM A FATHER AND A GRANDFATHER, I IN NO WAY CONSIDER MYSELF
     AN EXPERT ON THE SUBJECT OF RAISING CHILDREN.
 4. SOCRATES SAID, “COULD I CLIMB TO THE HIGHEST PLACE IN ATHENS, I WOULD
    LIFT MY VOICE AND PROCLAIM: ‘FELLOW CITIZENS, WHY DO YE SCRAPE EVERY
    STONE TO GATHER WEALTH AND TAKE SO LITTLE CARE OF YOUR CHILDREN TO WHOM
    ONE DAY YOU MUST RELINQUISH IT ALL?’”
 5. MARRIAGE IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE HOME, GOD HAS GIVEN MAN A ROLE AS
    HUSBAND AND FATHER, THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY AND WOMAN IS GIVEN THE ROLE AS
    WIFE AND MOTHER.
 6. CHILDREN ALSO PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT PART IN THE HOME AND THE CHURCH
     FOR WE ARE THE FAMILY OF GOD.
 7. IN OUR SOCIETY WE HAVE MANY EXAMPLES OF HOW NOT TO RAISE OUR
    CHILDREN.
 8. THE DEVIL HAS WORKED HARD TO GET AMERICA TO THE PLACE IT IS NOW
     ESPECIALLY WHEN RAISING CHILDREN ARE CONCERNED.
 9. YOU TURN ON THE TELEVISION, PICK UP A NEWSPAPER OR MAGAZINE AND YOU
     ARE BOMBARD BY SO CALLED EXPERTS TELLING US HOW TO RAISE OUR CHILDREN.
 10. WHAT TO DO TO MAKE THEM COMPLETE, POLITICALLY CORRECT GROWN UPS.
 11. THE TROUBLE WITH TO MANY OF THESE EXPERTS IS THAT THEY ARE THE SAME
      ONES WHO CLAIM THE WOMEN HAVE THE RIGHT TO ABORTIONS IN WHICH BETWEEN
      JANUARY OF 1973 AND JANUARY OF 2000, 37 MILLION BABIES HAVE BEEN
      MURDERED.
 12. MY FRIENDS, WE DO NOT NEED THIS TYPE OF EXPERT ADVISE, WHAT WE NEED
      IS TO TURN TO GOD AND HIS WORDS OF LIFE.
I. GOD’S CONCEPT OF CHILDREN IS THAT THEY ARE TO BE LOOKED UPON AS A GIFT
   AND A BLESSING FROM GOD.
 A. IN (GEN. 4:1) WE READ, “AND ADAM KNEW EVE HIS WIFE: AND SHE
     CONCEIVED, AND BARE CAIN, AND SAID, I HAVE GOTTEN A MAN FROM THE LORD.”
  1. EVE UNDERSTOOD THAT CHILDREN ARE A GIFT AND A BLESSING FROM GOD.
  2. GOD’S CONCEPT ALWAYS HAS BEEN FOR A CHILDREN TO BE BORN TO A MARRIED
      COUPLE WHO ARE DEEPLY IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER.
  3. THAT IS WHY ANY SEXUAL ACTIVITY OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE IS SINFUL!
  4. THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO BE TEACHING OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN.
  5. ADULTS THIS IS WHAT WE MUST BE PRACTICING!
 B. THE PSALMIST REVEALS GOD’S CONCEPT OF CHILDREN IN (PSALMS 127:3-5)
     “LO, CHILDREN ARE AN HERITAGE OF THE LORD: AND THE FRUIT OF THE WOMB IS
      HIS REWARD.  AS ARROWS ARE IN THE HAND OF A MIGHTY MAN; SO ARE CHILDREN
      OF THE YOUTH.  HAPPY IS THE MAN THAT HATH HIS QUIVER FULL OF THEM: THEY
      SHALL NOT BE ASHAMED, BUT THEY SHALL SPEAK WITH THE ENEMIES IN THE GATE.”
  1. ACCORDING TO GOD OUR CHILDREN ARE OUR LEGACY TO THE WORLD.
  2. A GREAT BLESSING INDEED!
 C. BUT WHY ARE SO MANY CHILDREN LOOKED ON LIKE EXCESS BAGGAGE?
  1. BECAUSE MANY ARE NO LONGER CONCERNING THEMSELVES WITH GOD’S WORD,
      SADLY EVEN IN THE LORD’S CHURCH.
  2. IN OUR SOCIETY MARRIAGE IS NO LONGER LOOKED AT AS A LIFETIME COMMITMENT.
  3. THE GOD GIVEN ROLES OF THE MAN AS THE HUSBAND AND FATHER AND THE
      WOMAN AS WIFE AND MOTHER ARE NO LONGER KNOWN AND FOLLOWED BY THE
      VAST MAJORITY OF THE WORLD.
  4. THE DEVIL HAS BEEN WORKING OVERTIME TO SELL PEOPLE ON PLEASURES OF
      THIS LIFE.
  5. HE SAYS, “LET THE SCHOOLS RAISE YOUR CHILDREN AND IF THEY DON’T TURN
     OUT THE WAY YOU WANT THEM TO THEN BLAME THE TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS FOR
     FAILING NOT THE PARENTS.

APPLICATION: WE COULD GO ON AND ON BUT YOU CAN SEE AND I KNOW THAT YOU
UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR SOCIETY AND GOD’S CONCEPT OF
CHILDREN.

II. MUCH OF THE ROLES OF CHILDREN AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE DEFINED
    BY THE FACT THAT GOD’S CONCEPT OF CHILDREN ARE THAT THEY ARE A BLESSING
    AND A PRIVILEGE THAT GOD HAS GRANTED TO US THE GIFT OF LIFE TO MOLD AND
    SHAPE THAT WAS CREATED IN HIS IMAGE.
 A. LIKE ANYTHING THAT IS WORTHWHILE CHILDREN TAKE A LOT OF TIME.
  1. “AND THESE WORDS, WHICH I COMMAND THEE THIS DAY, SHALL BE IN THINE
     HEART:  AND THOU SHALT TEACH THEM DILIGENTLY UNTO THY CHILDREN, AND
     SHALT TALK OF THEM WHEN THOU SITTEST IN THINE HOUSE, AND WHEN THOU
     WALKEST BY THE WAY, AND WHEN THOU LIEST DOWN, AND WHEN THOU RISEST UP”
     (DEUT. 6:6,7)
  2. GOD DEMANDS THAT WE TAKE TIME WITH THE BLESSINGS OF CHILDREN THAT AS
      A GIFT HE HAS GIVEN US PARENTS TO INSTRUCT AND MOLD FOR HIS USE.
  3. OF PHYSICAL ISRAEL GOD DEMANDED THEY TEACH THEIR CHILD HIS LAW BY
     THEIR EXAMPLE, BY TALKING TO THEIR CHILDREN ABOUT HIM, WHEN THEY WERE
     SITTING IN THEIR HOUSES, WHEN THEY WALKED AROUND, WHEN THEY WERE GOING
     TO BED AND GETTING UP.
  4. PARENTS, DO YOU THINK GOD DEMANDS ANYTHING LESS OF US WHO ARE THE
     SPIRITUAL ISRAEL?
 B. SOMEONE MAY SAY, “OK, SO WE ARE TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN THE WORD OF
     GOD, BUT WHEN DO WE START?”
  1. A WISEMAN ONCE SAID WHEN ASKED THE SAME QUESTION, “YOU MUST START TO
     TEACH YOUR CHILDREN BEFORE THEY ARE CONCEIVED!”
  2. YOU CANNOT TEACH WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW!
  3. YOUNG PEOPLE, BOYS AND GIRLS, NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOU TO LEARN OF
     GOD AND HIS WORD.
  4. PARENTS, PLEASE UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE TO NOT ONLY KNOW GOD’S WORD TO
     TEACH YOUR CHILDREN BUT YOU ALSO MUST BE LIVING IT.
  5. OUR CHILDREN SEE US FOR WHAT WE REALLY ARE, NOT FOR WHAT WE PROJECT
     AS OUR IMAGE TO OTHERS.
  6. WITH THE WORD OF GOD NOT ONLY CAN WE NOT TEACH WHAT WE DO NOT KNOW,
      BUT WE CANNOT LIVE WHAT WE DO NOT KNOW AND PRACTICE.
  7. CHILDREN ARE NEVER TO YOUNG TO LEARN ABOUT GOD, BY THE THINGS WE
      POINT OUT TO THEM, BY THE SONGS THAT WE SING TO THEM, BY THE STORIES WE
      READ TO THEM AND WHAT WE TALK TO THEM ABOUT.
  8. “TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE WAY HE SHOULD GO: AND WHEN HE IS OLD, HE
     WILL NOT DEPART FROM IT” (PRO. 22:6) THIS IS A GENERAL PRINCIPLE THAT WE
     MUST FOLLOW.
  9. CHILDREN ARE NEVER TO YOUNG TO LEARN OF GOD!

APPLICATION: IT IS SAID THAT EVERYTHING A CHILD NEEDS TO KNOW THEY LEARN
BY AGE FIVE.  I DO NOT COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT, BUT THIS I
DO KNOW, A CHILD THAT IS BROUGHT UP IN A TRULY CHRISTIAN HOME STAND A LOT
BETTER CHANCE OF MAKING IT TO HEAVEN THAN ONE THAT DOES NOT.
 
III. THIS IS THE FIRST ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY CHILDREN HAVE, THAT OF A
LEARNER.
  1. CHILDREN ARE LIKE SPONGES THEY ABSORB EVERYTHING AROUND THEM.
  2. SO WE AS PARENTS MUST BE SURE TO SURROUND THEM WITH GODLY THINGS
      UNTIL THEY ARE OLD ENOUGH TO DECIDE WHETHER SOMETHING IS RIGHT OR
      WRONG.
  3. SOLOMON WROTE, “THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE:
      BUT FOOLS DESPISE WISDOM AND INSTRUCTION.  MY SON, HEAR THE INSTRUCTION
      OF THY FATHER, AND FORSAKE NOT THE LAW OF THY MOTHER” (PROVERBS 1:7,8).
  4. PARENTS, THE BOOK OF PROVERBS REVEALS NOT ONLY THE WHAT WE ARE TO
     DO, BUT ALSO THEY HOW.
  5. IN PROVERBS 1:10, “MY SON, IF SINNERS ENTICE THEE, CONSENT THOU
      NOT.”
  6. WHAT A SAFE GUARDING OF CHILDREN IF THEY ARE TAUGHT THESE
      INSTRUCTIONS FROM CONCEPTION.
  7. UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF A YOUNG MIND IS LIKE A SPONGE WHAT ARE
     YOU ABSORBING?
 
  8. IN MATTHEW 6:33, JESUS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR SAID, “SEEK YE FIRST THE
      KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE
      ADDED UNTO YOU.”
  9. YOUNG PEOPLE ARE YOU SEEKING GOD’S KINGDOM FIRST?
  10.ARE YOU A DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST, A LEARNER OF THOSE THINGS THAT
      WILL MAKE YOU LIKE TIMOTHY WISE UNTO YOUR SALVATION?

APPLICATION: PLEASE PARENTS, CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THIS ONE
THING FROM THIS SERMON IF NOTHING ELSE.  TO BE WISE IS MUCH MORE THAN
SIMPLY TO KNOW THINGS.  ONE MAY KNOW, HAVE KNOWLEDGE, BE SCHOLARLY AND
NOT BE WISE.  ONLY WHEN YOU CAN APPLY KNOWLEDGE CAN YOU TRULY BE SAID TO
BE WISE.

IV. LEARNING INCLUDES LEARNING ABOUT LOVE.
 A. WE AS PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS NEED TO BE TEACHING OUR CHILDREN AND
     GRANDCHILDREN ABOUT THE LOVE OF GOD AND HOW WE SHOULD RETURN THAT
     LOVE  BY RESPECT FOR HIM AND HIS REVELATION.
  1. LOVE INCLUDES DISCIPLINE.
   a. IN PROVERBS 13:24 WE READ “HE THAT SPARETH HIS ROD HATETH HIS SON:
      BUT HE THAT LOVETH HIM CHASTENETH HIM BETIMES.”
   b. THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DISCIPLINE AND ABUSE.
   c. DISCIPLINE COMES BECAUSE OF LOVE AND IS IN MANY FORMS, IT MAY BE
      THAT OF A WARNING, “THE STOVE IS HOT IT WILL BURN.”
   d. IT MAY COME IN THE FORM OF A BORDER, LIKE STAY IN OUR YARD, BE HOME
      BY A CERTAIN TIME.
   e. SOMETIMES BECAUSE OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE OFFENDS OR BECAUSE
      OTHER MEASURES WERE IGNORED IT MAY COME IN THE FORM OF A SPANKING.
   f. WHAT EVER THE FORM NEVER DISCIPLE A CHILD WHILE YOU ARE ANGRY.
   g. YOUNG PEOPLE, I KNOW THAT IT IS HARD FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT
       YOUR PARENTS LOVE YOU WHEN THEY ARE DISCIPLINING YOU BUT IT IS TRUE.
   h. IF YOUR PARENTS DID NOT LOVE YOU THEY WOULD NEVER ASK THOSE
      ANNOYING QUESTIONS, “WHERE ARE YOU GOING?  WHO ARE YOU GOING WITH?
      WHEN WILL YOU BE COMING HOME?  HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET THERE?”
  2. THEY NEED TO LEARN ABOUT TRUE LOVE, THE KIND THAT SEEKS OTHERS NEEDS
      AND WANTS BEFORE THEIR OWN.
   a. THE KIND THAT GOD THE FATHER SHOWED IN JOHN 3:16 “FOR GOD SO LOVED
       THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER
       BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.”
   b. THE KIND OF LOVE THAT A PARENT SHOULD SHOW EVEN WHEN THEY ARE TIRED
       THEY SPEND TIME WITH THEIR CHILDREN.
   c. THE KIND OF LOVE THAT TEACHES THEM THAT SERVING GOD IS THE GREATEST
       THING A PERSON CAN DO IN THIS LIFE AND IN THE LIFE TO COME.
  3. THEY NEED TO LEARN TO SEEK A CHRISTIAN MATE WHEN THEY ARE DATING AND
      TO LEARN TO KEEP THEMSELVES PURE.
   a. THEY NEED TO LEARN THAT MARRIAGE IS ONE MAN TO ONE WOMAN FOR LIFE,
       NOT UNTIL ONE OR THE OTHER GETS TIRED AND WANTS SOMEONE NEW.
  4. THEY NEED TO LEARN TO RESPECT THEIR PARENTS AND AUTHORITY IN GENERAL
(EPH. 6:-3).
  5. BEFORE THEY REACH THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT
     THEY NEED TO BECOME CHRISTIANS.
   a. THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE TO SET THE PROPER EXAMPLE FOR THEIR
       YOUNGER BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

V. THE BIBLE IS FULL OF GOOD EXAMPLES OF CHILDREN WHO HAD THE PROPER
CONCEPT OF THEIR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY IN GOD’S SIGHT.
 A. THE LITTLE MAID OF 2 KINGS 5:2,3 “AND THE SYRIANS HAD GONE OUT BY
     COMPANIES, AND HAD BROUGHT AWAY CAPTIVE OUT OF THE LAND OF ISRAEL A
     LITTLE MAID; AND SHE WAITED ON NAAMAN’S WIFE.  AND SHE SAID UNTO HER
     MISTRESS, WOULD GOD MY LORD WERE WITH THE PROPHET THAT IS IN SAMARIA!
     FOR HE WOULD RECOVER HIM OF HIS LEPROSY.”
  1. EVEN IN CAPTIVITY YOU CAN SEE IN HER EARLY YEARS SHE WAS TAUGHT
     ABOUT GOD.
  2. ALTHOUGH SHE WAS A SLAVE, SHE THOUGHT OF THE BENEFIT OF HER MASTER.
  3. SHE IS AN EXAMPLE OF PUTTING OTHERS FIRST.
  4. SHE IS ALSO AN EXAMPLE OF KEEPING HER FAITH ALTHOUGH SHE WAS IN VERY
      DIFFICULT SURROUNDINGS.
 B. SAMUEL IS AN EXAMPLE OF A CHILD MINISTERING BEFORE THE LORD (1 SAM.
     2:18,26) “BUT SAMUEL MINISTERED BEFORE THE LORD, BEING A CHILD, GIRDED
     WITH A LINEN  EPHOD.  AND THE CHILD SAMUEL GREW ON, AND WAS IN FAVOUR
     BOTH WITH THE LORD, AND ALSO WITH MEN.”
  1. SAMUEL CARED FOR THE OLD PRIEST ELI (1 SAM. 3).
  2. HE LISTENED TO THE LORD AND TOLD ELI EVERYTHING THAT GOD HAD TOLD
      HIM (1 SAM. 3:11-18).
  3. SAMUEL SHOWS THAT GOD WANTS EVEN THE VERY YOUNG CHILD TO FOLLOW AND
     WORSHIP AND SERVE HIM.
  4. SAMUEL IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF ONE WHO SHOWED RESPECT TO OTHERS.
  5. THIS IS A ROLE THAT GOD EXPECTS ALL CHILDREN TO FOLLOW.
 C. JOSIAH IN (2 KINGS 22) IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF ONE WHO WAS FOLLOWING
    THE ROLE THAT GOD WOULD HAVE CHILDREN TO FOLLOW “AND HE DID THAT WHICH
    WAS RIGHT IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD, AND WALKED IN ALL THE WAY OF DAVID
    HIS FATHER, AND TURNED NOT ASIDE TO THE RIGHT HAND OR TO THE LEFT.”
  1. JOSIAH WAS THRUST UPON THE THRONE OF JUDAH AT AGE 8, SO HE HAD TO
     GROW UP FAST AND BE A LEADER OF THE NATION.
  2. WHEN THE BOOK OF GOD WAS FOUND AND READ BEFORE JOSIAH, HE HUMBLED
      HIMSELF BEFORE GOD, BECAUSE HE WAS TENDER HEARTED.
  3. HE CAUSED THE BOOK TO BE READ BEFORE ALL THE PEOPLE AND MADE MANY
     REFORMS THAT LENGTHEN THE DAYS BEFORE THE FALL OF JUDAH.
  4. HE IS AN EXAMPLE OF ONE WHO WHEN FACED WITH THE WORD OF GOD ACCEPTED
      IT AND RESPONDED IN A POSITIVE WAY.
 D. THE YOUNG LAD WITH 5 LOAVES OF BREAD AND TWO FISHES (JOHN 6:8-13).
  1. HE IS AN EXAMPLE OF ONE WHO IS WILLING TO SHARE WITH OTHERS WHAT HE
     HAS.
  2. THE AMOUNT OF FOOD THIS YOUNG LAD HAD WAS VERY SMALL, NO DOUBT HE
     MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT IT WAS HARDLY ENOUGH TO FILL HIM UP.
  3. BUT WHEN ANDREW FOUND HIM AND BROUGHT HIM TO JESUS, HE WAS WILL TO
     GIVE TO JESUS ALL THAT HE HAD.
  4. WHAT A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE FOR ALL PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, JESUS EXPECTS
     US TO GIVE HIM ALL THAT WE HAVE.
 E. JESUS OF COURSE IS ALSO A ROLE MODEL, IN HIS CHILDHOOD, HE STAY AT
    THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM (LUKE 2).
  1. HIS MOTHER FOUND HIM SITTING IN THE MIDST OF THE DOCTORS, BOTH
      HEARING THEM AND ASKING THEM QUESTIONS AND ALL THAT HEARD HIM WERE
      ASTONISHED AT HIS UNDERSTANDING AND ANSWERS.
  2.AT THE YOUNG AGE OF 12, JESUS KNEW HE NEEDED TO BE ABOUT HIS
      FATHER’S BUSINESS (LUKE 2:49).
  3. LISTEN TO VERSES 51,52, “AND HE WENT DOWN WITH THEM, AND CAME TO
     NAZARETH, AND WAS SUBJECT UNTO THEM: BUT HIS MOTHER KEPT ALL THESE
     SAYINGS IN HER HEART.  AND JESUS INCREASED IN WISDOM AND STATURE, AND IN
     FAVOUR WITH GOD AND MAN.”
 
APPLICATION: YOUNG PEOPLE ARE YOU ABOUT YOUR FATHER’S BUSINESS?  REMEMBER
YOU CAN BE A VERY POSITIVE EXAMPLE JUST BY OBEYING YOUR PARENTS.

CONCLUSION:
 1. YOUNG PEOPLE GOD HAS A ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR YOU.
 2. TO LEARN, TO RESPECT, TO LOVE, TO HONOR AND OBEY.
 3. SOLOMON WROTE, “GIVE INSTRUCTION TO A WISE MAN, AND HE WILL BE YET
WISER: TEACH A JUST MAN, AND HE WILL INCREASE IN LEARNING.  THE FEAR OF
THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM: AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE HOLY ONE IS
UNDERSTANDING. (PROVERBS. 9:9,10).
 4. ARE YOU WISE?
 5. WILL YOU NOT BECOME WISER?
 6. “NOW THEREFORE HEARKEN UNTO ME, O YE CHILDREN: FOR BLESSED ARE THEY
THAT KEEP MY WAYS.  HEAR INSTRUCTION, AND BE WISE, AND REFUSE IT NOT.
BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT HEARETH ME, WATCHING DAILY AT MY GATES, WAITING
AT THE POSTS OF MY DOORS.  FOR WHOSO FINDETH ME FINDETH LIFE, AND SHALL
OBTAIN FAVOUR OF THE LORD.  BUT HE THAT SINNETH AGAINST ME WRONGETH HIS
OWN SOUL: ALL THEY THAT HATE ME LOVE DEATH.”
 7. CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE, MOTHERS, FATHERS, GRANDMOTHERS AND
GRANDFATHERS WHICH DO YOU LOVE? LIFE ETERNAL OR ETERNAL DEATH?

© Copyright 2000 Paul D. Fisher.  All rights reserved.