ReTHiNK: How to teach your children to love God. September 3, 2017 1. Use the measuring stick. Ephesians 6:1, Ephesians 4:17-32, 5:1-4 2. Whatever you permit outside will get inside. Matthew 5:48, Ephesians 5:4-11, 3. God must be first or you won’t last. Ephesians 5:12-20 ReTHiNK: How to teach your children to love God. Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. 2 “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: 3 If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord. Parents what are your kids or grandkids obeying? The implication is that there is instruction and commands. In order to have obedient children you must be obedient. How? #.1 Use the Measuring Stick Create a line and a Standard of Life. Hold yourself and them to that standard. In our family we don’t do that. God has said the same thing to us. You are a part of my family. Here how our family lives. Ephesians 4:17-32 Living as Children of Light 17 With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles (Pagans, The Godless) do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. What we are to avoid and what we help our kids to avoid. (LIVE DISCIPLINED LIVES) “Discipline is consistency of character no matter where you are or who you are with.” 19 They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity. (SIN) In a church in San Leandro, California. The following announcement, was in the bulletin. The announcement was all right except for the lack of one single g: “Choir rehearsal this after noon at 3:30. Everyone who wishes to sin in the choir must come to practice.” SIN Calvin Coolidge attended church alone because of the indisposition of Mrs. Coolidge. When he arrived back home he went up to his wife’s room to see how she was feeling. She promptly reassured him, and asked him if he had enjoyed the sermon. He replied in a weak affirmative. “What was it about?” she continued. “Sin.” “What did the minister say?” “He was against it.” 20 But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. 25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil. 28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. A passenger on board a plane bound from Zurich to Beirut cried out that he was suffocating. The plane landed at Athens and Joseph Pasatour was taken to a hospital where he died. Undressing him, hospital attendants discovered that he was a smuggler and had on a corset with 1,500 valuable Swiss watches. Closer examination revealed that the contraband merchandise had restricted his breathing and caused his death 29Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. 30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 5:1-4 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. 3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Well Ben, I want you to know that I don’t swear…out loud and I don’t listen or tell dirty jokes. That’s great! What kind of movies do you watch? What music do you listen to? What type of videos do you watch on your phone or computer? #2. Whatever you permit outside will get inside! The Cat… Some of you have pets. I have neighbors that have pets. I think that’s great because my kids get to pet the dogs and I don’t have to feed them. Or pay for them and clean up their messes. There is a cat that’s been in the neighborhood and the kids always want to pet the kitty. Ok that’s fine. To keep this cat identity safe lets call it SIN. At first it was afraid of my kids. Now it’s intrigued. And Sin keeps getting closer. And then sin runs into my garage. And I try to get it out. At first Sin didn’t bother me much but lately its decided it should leave us presents in our garage. My garage is not a litter box. Sin even tries to get into my home. If you let Sin hang around eventually it will come inside and make itself at home. Eventually sin will turn your life into its litter box leaving you little presents you have to pick up. Your brain should be a sacred place. Well nobody is perfect… I’m tired of hearing this broken excuse to go on sinning. A famous person once said… But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.- Quote Jesus Matthew 5:48 At the end of his beatitudes sermon. I haven’t achieved perfection yet. But I know a man who has…. Jesus. And the whole gospel is grace that gifted to us and covers us and cleanses us from all sin. After a minister had preached a searching sermon on pride, a woman who had heard the sermon waited upon him and told him that she was in much distress of mind, and that she would like to confess to a great sin. The minister asked her what the sin was. She answered, “The sin of pride, for I sat for an hour before my mirror some days ago admiring my beauty.” “Oh,” responded the minister, “that was not a sin of pride—that was a sin of imagination!” We can and do step outside of his Grace by the way we live. Sure we still have salvation but we are working for trouble. Ephesians 5:4-11 Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.5 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. (Righteous Consequences) 7 Don’t participate in the things these people do. 8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! 9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. 10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. (Examine your life… be intentional) Those who do not plan. Plan to fail. 11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. Worthless Deeds of Evil -Sexual Immorality - Slothfulness -crude speech or texting -wasting of time are discouraged. - Drunkenness, Stoned, Drugs Heroin & Meth Before & After PICS Youth Sports, Family Activities, Leisure time, If you spend all of your family time running kids to sports they will begin to think that life revolves around their interests and achievements. #3. God must be first or you won’t last. When you mess up what keeps you from living there? How Heavy Is Sin? A flippant youth asked a preacher, “You say that unsaved people carry a weight of sin. I feel nothing. How heavy is sin? Is it ten pounds? Eighty pounds?” The preacher replied by asking the youth, “If you laid a four-hundred-pound weight on a corpse, would it feel the load?” The youth replied, “It would feel nothing, because it is dead.” The preacher concluded, “That spirit, too, is indeed dead which feels no load of sin or is indifferent to its burden and flippant about its presence.” The youth was silenced! You Can’t Win Unless you define the win. 1.God 2.Family 3.Football, Friends, Work Does your life resemble this? Or is it just talk? God first but we only give him two hours a month. Ephesians 5:12-20 12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. 13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, 14 for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” Living by the Spirit’s Power 15 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. 18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Georgia at Stone Mountain, you will find the largest boulder in the world. Atop the mountain, a young man walked unsuspectingly along, oblivious of the gradual and almost imperceptible downward curvature of the domelike mountain. Suddenly, he became aware of the fact that he was powerless to retrace his steps to safety. He had gone to the point of no return. Frantically, he cried, “Help! Help!” His piteous plea was to no avail. Horrified spectators saw him hurtled to his death below.
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