Instruction: Our Responsibility in Discipleship & Education

Introduction

Well, good morning!

If you have a Bible, and I hope that you do, open ‘em with me to two different places…Ephesians chapter 6…and Deuteronomy chapter 6.

Last week, we started a new series looking at God’s design and God’s intentions for the family…what its meant to reflect…what our responsibilities within these family units are…Of course, last week, we laid the foundation by looking at marriage…looking at how it important it is in our lives when it comes to the picture we get and the picture we give of God. We looked how marriage was meant to reflect the nature and the character of God to the next generation. The standard we place on marriage, our beliefs on marriage…it’s directly tied to what the next generation thinks about God…and it’s directly tied to how we each act within the context of the church.

And so, this week, we’re gonna look at our responsibility, as parents, when it comes to the instruction of our children.

I mentioned last week, when it comes to the family…our ideologies, our practice within the family…a lot of times, our faith family (the spiritual pieces of our lives) and our biological families (our physical lives)…a lot of times, those two things, they’re at constant odds with one another.

When I use the word instruction, in the church, our minds go directly to our responsibility in discipleship, to teach those we reach with the gospel, all that Jesus has commanded (Matthew 28:19-20). That’s instruction from a spiritual sense…to teach others what God’s Word says.

When I use the word instruction, outside the church, we think about things like education…math, english, social studies, science…right?

I mentioned this last week…but I’ll say it again…we’re not gonna see eye to eye on everything throughout the course of this series. My purpose, its not to call you out…its not to hurt you…I just wanna look at the blueprint the Bible gives us when it comes to the family and our responsibilities within the family. I really believe the strength of the local church, its directly linked to the strength of our individual family units represented in the church.

My purpose today, in talking about the idea of instruction…its to take what we think spiritually, and its to blend that into what we believe physically about instruction. We live in a world where education, for example, is seen as a neutral tool. It’s just a way to prepare our children for careers, and success, and social mobility. But what I hope to show you this morning, its how Scripture paints a very different picture. The Bible doesn’t treat education as simply academic; it treats it as formational. It’s actually a tool used in discipleship. Education helps to shape hearts, not just minds. It teaches children not only what to think, but how to think…and ultimately, it teaches them who they are and what they’re called to be.

I think in the 4 years I’ve been here…I hope you’ve been convinced that as parents and as believers we have a mandate…we’ve been given a command to make disciples…to be involved in discipleship, right? I hope you believe that because my purpose isn’t to build on what we’ve already talked about in that area…its simply to confront this dangerous assumption a lot of us have…and it’s to show you the great responsibility you have as parents to be directly involved in the discipleship of your kids.

When we look at our culture today, there’s no doubt that Satan’s at work, right? Do you believe that? And listen, not just in obvious ways either. He does it in ways that are very deception…that’s why it says in Genesis 3:1 “Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made.” He’s crafty…he’s deceptive…he’s been doing it for thousands of years.

And part of the reason we separate things like education from discipleship, its because that’s exactly where Satan wants us, as believers, to fall. He might not be able to come after us…but he can certainly come after our kids. And if we’re willing to separate the two, what happens we begin outsourcing the discipleship of our kids to other people, other organizations…whether that’s school…or churches…YouTube…whatever it may be. And that’s exactly where he wants Christian families to be. He doesn’t have to attack the church when he has an easy way in to disciple our kids.

I’ve used this before by Voddie Baucham, but he warns us, “We [can’t] send our children to be educated by the world and [then] be surprised when they come back thinking like the world.”

And listen, this isn’t just about education…I’m not gonna tell you that home school’s the only way…or private school…I’m not gonna tell you how to disciple your kids. I just want you to see the problem that exist today, in 21st century America…when it comes to education and the discipleship of your children…And listen, I just wanna link that to what the Bible tells us concerning this very serious, very real problem.

And so, if you’re there with me in Ephesians and Deuteronomy…let’s stand and read our passage together. It says this, starting with our Ephesians passage:

Ephesians 6:4 ESV

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

And then, if you’ll turn over with me to Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy 6:6–7 ESV

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Thank you, you can be seated.

[Prayer]

If you’re taking notes…our three points this morning…number 1, Discipleship begins at home…number 2, Education is never neutral…and then number 3, The goal of education is discipleship.

And so, with that…let’s dive into our first point together.

I. Discipleship Begins at Home

Discipleship begins at home.

Look at our passage in Ephesians with me again.

Ephesians 6:4 ESV

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Now there’s a lot of things we could talk about when it comes to this verse but I wanna take the first word, “Fathers,” and I really wanna dig in to what the Bible says the role of the Father is. We see here, its their responsibility, the father’s…to bring up their children in the discipline and the instruction of the Lord.

The word discipline, in the Greek, its the word “paideia (pie-day-a),” and “paideia (pie-day-a),” it literally means the whole education of a child…including moral and character development. And so, in classical Greek, this word, it was used outside and inside the church, to discuss education as a whole…it included things like academics…ethics, civil instruction…physical training…the word, it was aimed at shaping the ideal citizen.

I’m gonna use Voddie a lot this morning, because he’s just one of the most outspoken pastors there is on this issue of education…and he’s done a great deal of study in this area…but he says, “Paideia is education…its the full-orbed training of the next generation.”

And then we have the word “instruction,” right? Which in the Greek, its the word “nouthesia (no-tay-see-a)” and it means warning or correction with the intent of shaping the mind and behavior. Paul actually uses this word in Colossians 1:28 “We proclaim him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.”

And so, we have two words here…discipline…which again…its referring to a child’s entire formation…its not just punishment or behavioral corrections…its referring to their morals, their intellect, their spiritual education…Its a comprehensive understanding of education…both of the physical things and of the spiritual things.

And then again, we have instruction…which is more about narrowing down that child’s worldview. The word instruction, if used like its meant to be used in the Greek context…its how a child’s thinking is shaped…how they process and discern truth…again all through a biblical worldview. That’s why the verse ends by saying…we do these things…bring up our children in the whole of education and in the instruction of what? Of the Lord? Right? And so these two things, they’re meant to be rooted in a biblical world view.

And listen, Paul’s purpose in putting both of these words together…its meant to describe a comprehensive, Christ-centered education…an education that forms a child’s character and worldview in accordance with the Lord, not the culture.

And so listen, I know some of this is kind of boring…but there’s a purpose in this…education is not separate from discipleship. And if we, as believers, allow our children to only focus on academics without moral or spiritual formation, we fail to fulfill our biblical mandate as parents.

First, we have to see the discipleship of our kids as our primary calling…and second, we have to see their education, including academics, as a tool that shapes their discipleship.

Listen, I want you to go back to our verse again…It says Fathers…this is your responsibility, right? Paul says, “Bring them up.” It’s a clear responsibility…its a weighty responsibility. And again, he’s specifically calling out dad’s. This isn’t mom’s responsibility…And also, pay attention…this isn’t a casual suggestion…its a divine command. The home, its not a holding place for our children while we outsource their formation (physically or spiritually). The home, it’s the God-ordained training ground for shaping hearts, and minds, and souls…And dads, it’s your responsibility in that.

And listen, I wanna be clear…because the home is the primary means for a person’s discipleship…if you’re not doing that in the home…dad’s if you’re not leading in that…and again, I mean in all areas of education…someone else or something else is discipling your kids in your place, because everything has influence in our lives. But dads you’re the most responsible for that because this is a mandate for you. You lead the home. You create the environment where discipline and instruction of the Lord either flourishes or it doesn’t. And in the end, you’ll be the one held accountable when you stand before your heavenly father.

And so, what’s all this mean? Parents…I’m not advocating for a specific type of education when it comes to home school or private school or public school…we’re gonna talk about education more in just a second, and even then I’m still not gonna give you my opinion in that area…I’m just gonna lay out the biblical case…but here’s what it does mean…it means regardless of where your child goes to school, you better be involved in their schoolwork…you better know what’s being taught to ‘em…you better be involved in the essay’s their writing and in the homework they’re doing…because that’s you’re responsibility…It’s not to shove your kids off to someone else for them to be educated and discipled. God called you, specifically, to be their parents and He gave you the command to bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, right?

But listen, secondly…and I think this is of equal importance…you have to be involved in the spiritual formation of your children. A lot of Christian parents, they just assume that the church is the primary discipler of their kids. In the same ways we just send our kids off for someone else to educate ‘em academically, we send ‘em off for someone else to disciple ‘em in the church (spiritually). And so, again…you better know what they’re learning in Sunday school or in small groups…you better know the things that’s being poured into your children.

Because what’s happening…for most kids…they get all of their physical and spiritual education outside the home, by people who’ve not been charged with that task.

I wanna flip over to our other passage in Deuteronomy for just a second. Again it says:

Deuteronomy 6:6–7 ESV

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Notice the verbs here: “teach,” “diligently,” “when you sit,” “when you walk,” “when you lie down,” “when you rise.” In other words, all of life, it becomes a discipleship opportunity, right? But pay attention…those commands, they’re directed at the parents…they’re directed to the home.

Listen, this kind of training, its not accidental…it’s intentional. It involves daily conversations, right? What it looks like to follow God…what it looks like to obey God…How all the things they’re learning applies to God.

Guys, we don’t send our kids off to school so that they’ll be successful one day…we send ‘em off so that they’ll grow in intellect being able to learn and study God’s Word on their own…with the purposes of their own love growing for God. That’s why the reformers fought so hard for things like education, 500 years ago. It wasn’t for people to become successful…it was for people to grow in their knowledge and love of God.

And if you were to look at church history…even the short history of our country…education, both physically and spiritually, it was always placed on the homes. That’s why I’m for some of the things happening in our country right now, concerning things like the Department of Education. And I’m not trying to get political…I’m just trying to show you, that as parents…all of these things…they fall on your shoulders. It’s your biblical responsibility. And these things didn’t start changing culturally until the global worldview began to shift away from a biblical worldview.

Discipleship…again the whole education of your children…it starts in the home…not in the classroom…not even in the church…it starts in your home, around the dinner table, during bedtime, everyday conversations…its your responsibility to build your family rhythm around Jesus.

That’s the first point.

II. Education is Never Neutral

Point number 2…Education is never neutral.

Every form of education, you have to remember, its all discipleship…its all shaping the heart…its all forming values…its all building a certain worldview in the lives of your kids. And listen, remember…Paul, he’s not just commanding parents to raise their children well…he’s telling us how to raise them…through “paideia (pie-day-a)” and through “nouthesia (no-tay-see-a)” of the Lord. Again, he’s talking about an entire way of shaping a human being. And he says, all of it…every bit of instruction and education, it has to be done “of the Lord,” right? Meaning, Jesus, He’s the foundation, He’s the center…the goal.

And so listen, because of that phrase “of the Lord,”…the idea of a neutral education, its ruled out. I know our culture teaches us to believe that things like public school or even governments, politics…whatever it is…those are neutral things that just seek to improve or to protect the welfare of American citizens. But guys, understand the scope of what Paul’s saying here…it took me years to believe this. The world…its inherently evil…and literally, everything outside the Bible, its seeking to pull us away from God. There is no educational system…there’s no philosophy that can sit in a spiritual vacuum. Every curriculum that’s taught…its teaching something about what’s true…what we should believe is true.

For example, its taught that evolution is a foundational truth in the area of science. There is no biblical worldview in that area…from a public standpoint. And that’s just a common example. One that my own kids dwelt with in school recently, was global warming…the idea that we’re destroying the world by the things that we’re doing…And listen, that might seem unrelated to the Bible but its not. What you think about the world, why the world is the way that it is…that belief, it should be directly linked to your belief in sin. And the destruction of the world, you should believe…you should be confident that God’s gonna be the one to destroy the world. Thinking that we’re the one’s in control of something like that, it leads to anxiety…its takes your focus away from the hope we have in Jesus’s future promises. Everything shapes what we think is true. And everything shapes what we think is good.

And listen, not just that, but every single person teaching, they’re gonna pass their worldviews onto those they teach, whether they mean to or not. You can’t come to me and ask my advice or counsel on an issue and expect me to be neutral. You can’t expect me to teach on something without my own convictions influencing that. I mean, you guys remember when I taught through Revelation, right? I feel like I said every week, “these are my views…my opinions”…I encouraged you to read your Bibles…to form your own opinions…My greatest fear through that, it was that people would shape their beliefs on the end-times solely based on what I thought and taught. And do you think that happened? I guarantee it! And listen, that’s true of biblical things. Do you really think, that teachers when they teach things in their classrooms…do you really think your kids aren’t being influenced by their worldview?

That’s exactly why discipline and instruction, it begins in the home…that’s why dad’s are responsible for it. You’re called to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and soul, and might…first (our memory verse)…so that you can directly impact your kids in every way when it comes to a biblical worldview. You’re not meant to be neutral…And the reality, nothing is neutral.

A heard a pastor say this once, “Those who control education in this generation, they’ll control the nation in the next.” Voddie said, “The myth of neutrality is just that…its a myth.”

Guys, it doesn’t matter if its private school…public school…it doesn’t matter if we’re talking about biblical education in the church…you can’t just assume that your children’s education is harmless. When you’re removed from their intake…both physically and spiritually…and when God’s removed from the foundation of knowledge…the result is never neutrality…in fact, if you wanted to be biblical with this…neutrality, its just rebellion against God…because the whole purpose of man, its to glorify God and enjoy God in everything.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:31

1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever (WHATEVER) you do, do all to the glory of God.

And so, even if you’re buying the idea of neutrality in things like education…if its not growing us or edifying us in the Lord…if its not teaching us more about God, His character…if its not glorifying God…its rebellion…because everything…whatever it is we do…its all meant for the glory of God. When we make it about ourselves…our careers…our success…when we make it neutral (meaning, there’s reasons to separate things like academics from God)…we’re saying its all about us and our happiness…its all about what we want. Neutrality actually puts on hearts on display in the same ways sin does.

Again, when God’s removed from the foundation of knowledge…or from anything…the result is never neutral.

Paul Tripp, he says, “Every moment of parenting is a moment of worldview training.”

Guys, if our children spend 30 to 40 hours a week being educated and discipled by systems that deny God…that mock His truth…systems that promote a radically different worldview…it shouldn’t surprise us when they adopt those same worldviews. You can’t soak a sponge in vinegar and expect it to drip with clean water.

Again, that’s why Paul says “discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Jesus has to be the framework…He has to be the foundation of our children’s upbringing…in all aspects of discipline and instruction. Every subject…math, science, history, language arts…it all belongs to Jesus…and all of it, it needs to be taught as a part of His world.

And again, I’m not condoning any form of education here…I have my own opinions on what I think the Bible commands of us…I’m just saying, don’t get caught with the wool over your eyes, and be involved in whatever it is that’s pouring into your kids…and listen, be the most vocal thing in each of those areas.

III. The Goal of Education is Discipleship

Which leads us into our third and final point this morning…the goal of education is discipleship!

And so, I think Paul’s command here…he’s showing us…discipleship, not only does it begin at home…not only does it encompass the entire shaping of your children (physically and spiritually)…not only is it impossible to have a neutral up bringing in things like education and instruction…but listen, we see here…the goal of this command, its for dad’s to raise up followers of Jesus Christ.

Listen, Paul’s command here, he’s not telling fathers to just make their kids well-behaved…or educated in a worldly sense…he’s not calling us to only focus on their future success. He’s certainly not calling us to prioritize their athletic abilities. Again, Paul says, “ Fathers, bring up [your children] in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

We’re not raising students…we’re not raising successful American citizens…we’re not raising the next generation of professional athletes…We’re raising followers of Jesus. People who will one day stand, without us, to face their enemy (Psalm 127)…to proclaim the gospel…to advance the kingdom of God. We’re raising people to carry the baton of our faith.

And listen, hear me…I’m not saying education is bad…I’m not saying sports are bad…I’m saying the goal of those things, it should be discipleship.

Voddie, he said this, “The goal of education is not to teach kids how to make a living, but how to live…how to live in light of the Lordship of Jesus Christ.”

Listen, here’s what that means…math (for example), it should teach a child to just marvel at the order of God’s universe. History, it should show the unfolding of God’s sovereignty…how He’s been involved since the very beginning. Even things like art or science…these are tools meant for worship and service when they’re ordered correctly under Christ.

Much of the problem in 21st century America, its that dad’s no longer care about their mandate…they don’t care if their kids follow Jesus…they don’t care if they’re bold in gospel proclamation…they don’t care what kind of knowledge their kids have concerning the Bible…they don’t care what their kids pick up from them. Most dad’s in our country, they judge their own success, in their responsibility to bring up their kids…they judge that by how well they do in school and by how gifted they are. That’s why dad’s aren’t leading in the homes…That’s why in almost every church, we see women leading…bringing their kids to things like church…but its not working (and I’m not trying to take away from mom), but its not working because that’s dad’s responsibility…and whether the kids say it or not, they care about dad’s model and example.

Guys, I don’t care if my kids are the smartest people on the planet…I don’t care if they’re the most gifted athlete…I don’t care if they make the most money…heck, I don’t even care if they go to college. Now, do I want them to be successful?…Do I want them find joy in their lives through their giftings? Absolutely! But as a dad right now, what I care most about…I care about what they think about God…I care about how they follow Jesus. I care how God’s going to use their life, all for His glory.

And listen to me, I fail in these things as well…you can ask my wife…you can ask some of my knot groups…I’m constantly convicted about this…I’m praying about this.

But dad’s I want you to hear me…your greatest responsibility in this life…First, its to love your wife as Christ loves the church…and secondly, its to raise up the next generation of Jesus followers. That’s what your charged with.

Success isn’t about a college degree…its about hearts surrendered to Jesus. Success isn’t just knowing a bunch of facts…its having wisdom that’s rooted in the fear of the Lord. Success isn’t about building a career…its about living faithfully under the Lordship of Jesus.

Again, I use this a lot, but Matthew 18, 19 and 20…the Great Commission calls us to make disciples, right?…to teach them to observe everything Jesus has commanded. That charge, it not only applies on the mission field…it applies in the living room…in the classroom…at the dining table.

Our charge, not just as dad’s…not just as parents…but as believers, its to make disciples…to raise up followers of Jesus. And listen, the goal of everything in our life, its meant for our discipleship.

Closing

And so listen, as we close…again, I’m not standing here advocating for a certain kind of education. I’m advocating for dad’s and mom’s to not be passive about their kids education…to see education, to everything else they intake, as discipleship opportunities.

Parents, this is your calling.

It’s not to simply raise polite children or successful adults, its to raise disciples of Jesus Christ. It means you can’t afford to be passive…You can’t let a school system…or media…or even a youth group…you can’t let those things be the primary elements that shape your child’s worldview. You have to lead in this. You have teach…You have to model Christ in your home.

But listen, this message, its not just for parents. If you’re a grandparent…a teacher…a youth leader…if you’re just part of our church family…I want you to hear this…the Great Commission, it belongs to all of us. Meaning, all of us…we have a part to play. We can disciple and we can encourage these families.

We’re a covenant community…we’ve been united in the blood of Christ…its stronger than our biological bonds, right? Every one of us, we’re called to help shape the next generation to know and to follow Jesus.

And listen, I get it…you’re hearing me right now…it might feel overwhelming…it might feel like you’ve already failed…like you’re too late, or too broken, too spiritually immature…it might feel like you’re too far behind…but this leads us perfectly into the gospel.

You and I, we were made to love and obey God…but in our nature and by our choices, we choose rebellion. We’ve all sinned…there’s not one greater than the other. We’ve all broken His law. We’ve all ignored His Word…we’ve all failed in things like the Great Commission even as believers.

And as you hear every single week…I wanna remind you…there’s absolutely nothing YOU CAN DO to fix that problem. We can’t educate our way out of sin. We can’t parent well enough. We can’t try harder. Isaiah 64:6 says that even our best works, they’re all like filthy rags before a holy God.

But guys, Jesus came to do what we could never do. He lived a perfect life of obedience, He died on the cross for our sins, He rose to life in victory over death. “For our sake,” Paul says, “He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

And guys, you know, if you repent and if you trust in Jesus Christ…not only are you forgiven…not only are you made new…but guys you’re empowered by the Spirit of God. And through the Spirit, you’re equipped to disciple your children…you’re equipped to serve your church…you’re equipped to live for His glory.

And so, here’s a question for you this morning as we close…Will you surrender your life and will you surrender your family to the Lordship of Jesus Christ?

Would you bow your head and close your eyes with me?

Listen, in a moment…we’re gonna take communion together as a faith family…but listen to me, I want you to take this time and I want you pray about some of things we talked about this morning.

Parents, reclaim your role as primary disciplers in your home.

Church, support and surround families with truth and love.

And for everyone else…those that don’t know Christ…come to Him today. Let Him be the Lord of your life…Let Him be your strength…Let Him shape the next generation through you.

And so guys, you take this time…prepare your hearts…ask God to cleanse ‘em…and we’ll take communion together in just a moment.

[Prayer]

Matthew 26:26 (ESV)

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”

Matthew 26:27–29 (ESV)

And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”