Mother's Day

Happy Mother’s Day

No matter how good thing are

there’s always this nagging question in the back of our minds when it comes to parenting

AM I Doing this right

we make mistakes

as parents we often hang our identity not on Christ but on how well we are performing as a parent

Jacob’s 8th birthday party chuckey Cheese

In Luke's Gospel

It tells a story of Jesus as a young boy

Mary & Joseph as Mom & Dad

they find themselves in a scary situation

but it’s a situation we can learn from

and we can be reminded that we are not alone when it comes to the hardship of parenting

Luke 2

summarize

As a family they went to Jerusalem

For the Passover

Luke 2:43-46

43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.  44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.  45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.  46 After three days they found him in the temple courts,

Point One:

Parents we are not perfect parents, But we are the perfect parent for our children

recap

Mary and Joseph were not perfect but God still chose Mary and Joseph to be Jesus’s parents

The Stock Picture Family

We create a picture what we think family should look like

The picture that we have created in your mind

The picture that we are trying to live up to is not real

Real Families

Are messy

Parenting is always hard

There is no single model (you can parent differently & that is ok)

We as parents need to be reminded that…

If Mary and Joseph are not perfect

You definitely are not going to be perfect

& that's ok

It's ok to make mistakes

Mary & Joseph made a huge mistakes and God still called them to parent Jesus

We as parents will make mistakes but God still called us to parent our child

Luke 2:46-50

46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.  47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.  48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”  49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”  50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

Point Two:

Parents we are to be intentional in having other influences to speak into our children’s lives.

There is a lot of things going on in this passage

Jesus is twelve - more than likely his parents, as they were visiting the city, were spending a lot of time in the temple preparing Jesus for becoming a man

HIs bar mitzvah

Because of the holiday all of the great & knowledgeable Rabi's would be in the temple discussing unique and different things

Jesus at the age of 12 understood who he was.  Vs49. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"

I am the Son of God

Mary & Joseph saw Jesus as their little boy

They somehow missed his interest

They missed that he was becoming a man

Everyone was amazed at Jesus & Mary & Joseph were simply shocked

Adjusting To our Child's Growth Is Hard

Our Kids grow up so fast

It's hard to know where they are in their development

and what they are passionate about.

It's hard to know what & how they are feeling

Our kids move from simple to complex so fast

Jesus was hanging out and listening to Rabi's (Adults who were feeding into Jesus)

Parents

we may not always get our kids and this why we need to have a plan

What if we became strategic about the adults in our children's lives

Regardless of our stage of parenting, I can promise one thing:

A time will come when our children will need another adult in their lives beside us.

Because adjusting to your child's growth is hard

and there will be moments when we will miss opportunities

what if we had a goal to pursue relationships so another adult voice will be speaking into our child's life, saying the kinds of things that we as parents try to say.

What if we had another adult in our child's life that is able to help us identify our child's passions so that we don't miss it

This is why we have excellent children’s, students and we are currently working on a college ministry

This is why we do small groups in all those areas

Get to know Mrs. Amy

Get to Know Andrew

Get to know Cheryl Wampler College

Get to know your child's small group leader

As a church we don’t have to parent alone

Luke 2:51-52

51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.  52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

Point Three:

Remember that challenging seasons with our children are moments God uses to stretch us.

Through our child's ever changing seasons God is making us more like Jesus

Mary pondered these things to figure out their meaning

Don’t just dismiss your child if you don’t understand them.

let it drive you to lean upon the Lord and meet your child where they are in life

LANDING

As a parent there are moments where you may feel like a wreck.

I want to Remind you that it's ok

God has called you and is continually equipping you

There is no greater parent for your child than you