Godly Parenting

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Deuteronomy 6:4–9 NKJV

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Prayer

Message

What a blessing we have already received in participating as a church family in covenant with Andrew and Leah to work alongside them in rearing Alley Rose in the Christian faith and rooting her in the local church. And all the people said, “Amen.”

Andrew & Leah, As I know Andrew already knows since his older brother has children, and the fact he came from a large family, the Lord has blessed you immensely with child, but now begins the great responsibility. Parenting is hard to say the least.

Ill. Young parents-2nd to 3rd day after hospital sleeping off and on every two hours. “This is hard. “no, that is easy. Raising them the next 18 years, that’s hard.”

This sweet innocent child that slept so sweetly in short days becomes a demon from hell that screams and hates my being at the moment until I satisfy their need.

Moses writes final words to encourage Israel and he states from his own life journey having to stay and not cross the River Jordan into the Promised land, it will be hard.

Israel-crossing the River Jordan, fighting all the foreign nations will be hard. That will be easy. To live in Canaan and not becoming a Canaanite will be hard. IN the NT following Jesus and the resurrection, trying to live for Jesus and avoid persecution will be tough. No, that will be easy. Not becoming Romanized or Greek influenced, in other words following the ways of the world will be the hard part.

Listen to me Andrew and Leah. The Lord gave you Allie Rose and by Him giving her to you, He has stated in no uncertain terms that you are ready and equipped (if you will follow my will for your life).

As you consider dedicating this baby to the Lord, to His church and the things of God, you must address the most important question you face.

Do you want to be cool parents or do you want to be Christ centered parents? Will you be parents that adapt to the things of this world, or will you follow “the way, the truth, and the life” found in Jesus? That will be the hardest battle you will ever face.

Genesis 1:27 “27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

So, if we agree that God created this baby, what better source of guidance than His word?

This morning young people, please listen, since God in-gifted you life, since God in-gifted you a baby, His creation, His commandments, His dictates, His guidance is best to lead a godly household.

If we agree with His direction this morning, Moses writes by the command of God three key principles that will direct you in being godly parents:

1. What is internal to your being?

2. What actions you will practice

3. What you want to be remembered for?

The Heart of Being a Godly Parent vv. 4-5

Many here today know that Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible. And Deuteronomy was the last book of the five books Moses wrote called the “law” or the “Pentateuch.” Moses as you know was called to Israel, God’s people out of bondage. Moses was the one called to “deliver my people Israel.” Moses had encounter with the Lord at the back of the desert in the Burning bush at Mt. Horeb. This was a life changing event in the life of Israel and would come to be a life changing event in the life of Israel. While Moses experienced a very intimate time with the Lord, God gave him the law to give to the people. God gave Moses an instruction manual as to how to embrace the new life, the new life in Canaan, to embrace a life of “milk and honey.”

In the first part of Deuteronomy 6:1“1 “Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess,”

Moses wrote this final book at 120 years of age as the retiring leader of Israel. Because of the sins of the wilderness, Moses was not allowed to cross over into the promised land. Coincidentally, the word Deuteronomos in the Septuagint means second law. This is not the second law, but the final expanded word to challenge Israel as they had a new life to face. What you are getting ready to face Israel will be hard, but with my help you can be found victorious.

Parents, this morning what you face will be hard, but if you are found faithful in the Lord, you can enjoy great blessing and victory in raising your child.

The people of Israel had been enslaved for 400 years and the way they had lived to this point was not working. The picture of Israel is a picture of enslavement to sin and being enslaved to the things of this world, fitting in with the world and being a cool person or a cool parent.

And so the Lord told Moses, write these words down and these are the instructions I want you to give to the people of Israel. I am getting ready to take them into the land of “milk and honey”. I am going to give them a new life, a rich life, an abundant life, but to enjoy that life they must do those things I lay out for them.

And young families here this morning, these words hold true today for those that want to be successful as parents, you want your families to flourish, you want to be godly people and your children to follow the things of God.

Moses begins with these words in verses 4 & 5 of chapter 6.

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 “4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”

Sema -hear, to head, to listen to, to obey

When Moses called on the people of Israel to hear based upon the Hebrew word, he was not simply talking about audible hearing, he was not only talking about listening closely, but listening followed by obedience. God is saying to us this morning parents, do the things I tell you to do and you will find rich blessing being a parent.

And the Schema was a command of obedience from the Lord of the OT, but I remind you that even though we are in a period of grace, we are not under the law, listen to what Jesus states:

John 14:15 ““If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

This brings you to a major juncture in our short time together. The Heart of being a parent happens outside of parenthood. Parenthood is rooted in personhood.

If someone asked you to share in two to three sentences to describe yourself, what would you say? Those first expressions define who you are.

Moses recorded the words that God gave the people of Israel to be at the forefront of life itself, it was the hub and center to all they were about. God called His people to make a life statement. As we discuss this section ask yourself the question, “what is my life statement?”

God had stated to His people that before you cross that river and you claim a new life of blessing that you must be clear as to what is at the core of your being. What is your identity?

Moses told the people, the Lord “our God” is “one! firstly. Moses was saying that Yahweh, our God is a monotheistic God. He is One. Now do not confuse this with the fact that He is Father, Son, and Holy Ghost but the fact that He was “our God” to claim as ours and call Him Lord and that there are no multiple gods in our life, but one and only God.”

God was saying to His people, Israel, if you want to impact your children, your grandchildren and the generations to come I must be first in your life. I can not be compromised with any other gods.

And so I would say to you Andrew and I would say to you Leah that if you want to be godly parents, even more importantly that your love for each other and your love for Alley Rose, your love for Jesus has to be priority number one.

Alley Rose was a gift from God. But the greatest gift our Lord ever gave us was giving us His Son that we might know eternal life.

John 3:16 “16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Jesus affirmed in the NT that the most important commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength and the 2nd commandment is to “love your neighbor as yourself.”

God had called Israel into a covenant that was a love beyond emotion or sensuality, but was a love expressed in obedience to things He was calling His people to do and to obey. For you see this command was a command for life itself. This is the command that offers us life.

John 17:3 “3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

I want to ask you this morning young people before we go one step further. You can state early on as your life statement that “I am married to so and so and my child is so and so and they are the center of my world.” But to know real life, a life that is God honoring and pleasing in His sight and to enjoy His best for your life, Jesus must be first. And why do I say that?

Jesus closely couples the first commandment with His second most important commandment.

Matthew 22:34-39 “34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

To love with your heart, soul and strength means to love the Lord with your total being.

Do you want to love each other deeper and love your child deeper? Love Jesus first so that you learn to love as Jesus loves.

The Habits of Being a Godly Parent vv. 6-7

Secondly, what habits do you develop to be a godly parent. What actions do you practice?

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 “6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

Proverbs 23:7 “7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

The reason that our heart must be properly aligned with Jesus because the Scriptures states that those things we think about is what will propel us, will drive us, that will motivate us.

Matthew 6:21 “21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

What your mind is stayed upon is what will rule who you are and what you will do . And so, Moses called on the people of Israel to fix their minds, create the habits that place their thoughts properly so that they not become Canaanites.

I ask again, do you want to be a cool person or a Christian person? Do you want to be the cool parents or do you want to be Christian parents? The reason I say that is there will be times that you might not be cool, but you must be and act as a Christian and you may not win a popularity contest. There will be times you make decisions that you know will not be cool with your kids, but you know in your heart of hearts you have made a decision that is Christ honoring.

That is the decision you must make. And so the Lord said if you want to cross this river and grasp at the new life, a new life stayed on me will call for some new habits.

In verse 6, again, Moses speaks of the heart and in Biblical times the heart was the center of the cognitive, the thought, the being, the soul, the intellect of a person. We know the heart today to be that muscle that pumps life in us, but it was the center of the thought process in Biblical times.

God’s words as dictated by Moses said, “You need to listen and obey these words to keep me at the center of what You are all about.

Today we know that young children are exposed to the Disney channel for example, shows such as Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse-”Hot dog, Hot dog, Hot digit y dog.”

During my children’s time there was Barney, the Elephant Show, Sesame Street, or during my time, Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. Dearly beloved, these are great shows, they are impactful on your children. Some of those shows are educational and helpful, supplemental tools to help them learn.

Luke 2:52 “52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”

NOtice the order in which it is stated that Jesus learned. “God and man.”

Sanan “diligently” to sharpen, whet

(Qal) to whet, sharpen

(Piel) to sharpen, teach (incisively)

(Hithpolel) to be pierced

We are to chisel the teachings of God, to do it diligently as we are sharpening their skills.

The Bible teaches us that the things of God are to be taught at home. Years ago in the Bible belt south the Bible was taught in school. Gradually over time generations have become dependent on schools to train our children.

Proverbs 22:6 “6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Your children will not learn to love the Scriptures if you do not love the Scriptures. Many families over time allowed the local church to teach the children the Scriptures and that is such a small window of time to influence. Real change, real transformation, real influence comes from the home.

They will not know today the Scriptures unless you teach them. We have lost a generation to biblical illiteracy and you must decide what you want your children to take in. Listen, they will constantly be taking in.

“and shall talk to them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

COVID taught us that you can not create with a digital influence. Face Book, YouTube, Instagram are all attempts but it does not compare to life to life, person to person, one to one impact. And so goes your children.

Just as we allow our children to be exposed to channels that have those shows, I invite you to join Right now Media provided free of charge to you from this church here at Mt Zion.

Right now Media is a similar platform as Hulu, YouTube, or Netflix that provides programming to the Christian community and we offer it to you free of charge.

All you have to do is reach out to me with your email and I will send you an invite to participate.

As I prepared this message, I went to Right now Media and counted the number of programming shows on the first page for kids.

Rightnow Media

135 series x 13 pages=1,700 approximate shows for kids

Vegitales

You might say to me this morning that I was that generation that did not get sufficient biblical training. How can I teach something I do not truly know? Watch the cartoons with them. Facilitate questions and answers. Learn the little jingles and songs along with them. Read your Bible in front of them and share what you learn from overflow. Overflow. The things that excite you in the word will excite others and as parents you will know how to simplify for a child to understand.

Your child knows how to grab. That’s easy. Teach them to share. Teach them God is love. And that God loves them. Teach them to pray at mealtime, but teach them to pray when they go to bed. You get the idea. Train your children about the Lord as you live each day. Let your life be an example of the things of God.

Ephesians 6:4 “4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”

The Hallmark of Being a Godly Parent vv. 8-9

How do you want your children to see you?

Deuteronomy 6:8-9 “8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

We have discussed that to be the kind of parent that the Lord would have you be is to understand what your heart is stayed on.

“For where you treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

If in fact, you desire to be the kind of parent this morning that the Lord would say, “well done thy good and faithful servant”, if that is your desire, you must begin now with the habit of instilling into your children sound biblical training. You use life on life encounters and scenarios as your teaching ground each day as you live life with your children.

And we close with these last two verse this morning. We can see that Moses told the people of Israel, make a billboard statement about your life. Share with others how you want to be known. What life statement do you want to make to your children? Keep that in front of you to be constantly reminded of the life you want in Jesus Christ not only for you, but for your family.

I ask the question in closing, what is the hallmark, what do you want your children to remember about you? Do you want them to know you absolutely spoiled them? Do you want them to know you as the fun parent? Those are great things and I hope my children and grandchildren remember me for that. But is that the most important thing to be remembered for? Do you want to be known as the parent who taught them to love Jesus? Parenting is hard either way. Parenting is a challenge to rear them in the admonition of the Lord.

It will not be hard providing for them, the real challenge is to keep them from following the world rather than the Way in Jesus Christ. It will be hard. Do you know what is more difficult? Is when you live a life of regrets because you chose not to do it and their lives turn out very differently than you anticipated. That is the hardest.

It begins internal at the source of your heart. What is your heart stayed on? “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Turn your heart over to Jesus today and He can offer you new life in Him.

Let’s pray.