Sermon Tone Analysis

To Mama and Jesus, You and He

You gave me life and He extended it.

You saved me from the cold and He from sin.

You taught me hope and He defended it.

From you I once was born. . .

from Him again.

You let me skip in fields that He had made.

He bid me bless the loaves you baked for me.

You ordered me to gaze where once He lay.

He bid me kneel in your Gethsemane.

I owe you both the treasure of my art.

I myself am so saddled with this debt That I cannot fail in paying every part Lest I should leave this pair with one regret.

You, Mother, taught me how to love a King.

In both of you was hidden everything.

A preacher once talked and prayed with the past President of the United States, George Bush—talked to him about his personal salvation, his relationship to Christ, and prayed with him about that—and he looked me in the eyes, and he said, “I want to tell you, my mother—my mother—was the most godly person I’ve ever known,” and told me about the influence that his mother had upon his life[1]

Introduction

Today is Mother’s Day, and we have a Mother’s Day text—Proverbs chapter 22 and verse 6. Dear friend, I want to tell you that the devil does not want you to listen to the message that we have today.

It is Satan’s plan to fracture our families, because the devil knows.

Commence with Childhood

Number one: It is the training that commences in childhood

Now, notice what the Scripture says:

“Train up a child”

And the word train

idea of dedicating

it has been used in Hebrew literature, the same word, to mean “dedicating.”

Have you dedicated your children to the Lord?

Why is this?

Why is this?

Why should you start when they’re young?

Why should you commence with childhood?

Why does the Bible say, “Train up a child”?

Why doesn’t it say, “Train up a teenager”?

The Correction Factor

First of all is the correction factor.

easier to correct them when they’re young.

It’s so much easier to steer them when they’re young.

Proverbs chapter 19: 18: “Chasten thy son while there is hope.”

Proverbs 13:24: “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.”

() Now if you’re using the King James, it says “chasteneth him betimes.”

betimes literally means “early”—that is, when he’s young

the easiest time to correct them

“Well,” you say, “they don’t need correcting: they are little angels.”

they are all little angels; but I want to tell you, as their legs get longer, you are going to find out their wings are going to get shorter

The Communication Factor

It is a wonderful time for communication

little children have a great ability to learn

Why is this?

a great curiosity factor

“Why, Daddy?

Why, Mommy?”

Do you know what I’m talking about?

Don’t say, “Stop asking so many questions.”

“Why are you doing this?” you are to tell him, “This is the way God has set it up.”

“What does this mean?”

You see, that is the way you are to teach.

That is the way you are to communicate truth.

The Conversion Factor

Early is the time for conversion.

We ought to see to it that our children pray, and see to it that our children find Christ at an early age.

Do not to manipulate children

Now I’m not saying that any child ought to be led to Christ before he has the comprehension and the knowledge and the conviction of sin.

Ninety percent of all of our Southern Baptist missionaries who are on the foreign field, according to a survey—ninety percent of them—were converted before they were eleven.

The church father Polycarp was converted when he was nine.

He died in the flames for Jesus at ninety

it ought to be our joy to lead our children to Christ; and not only to lead them to Christ, but see to it that they are Spirit-filled.

Correct with Consistency

you need to correct with consistency.

Train is a bigger word than teach.

Hebrew word has entered the idea of “correction.”

Or “discipline.”

Because You Love Them

Proverbs chapter 13:24,“He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.”

()

“Betimes”—that is, he chastens him early.

He chastens him early.

He that spares his rod hates his son.

“Betimes”—that is, he chastens him early.

He chastens him early.

He that spares his rod hates his son.

Now sometimes somebody will say, “Well, you know, I just can’t whip him.

I just love him so much.”

That’s a lie.

You don’t love him.

You love you

The Bible says “Whom the Father loves, He chastens.”

()

Because of the Nature of Human Nature

Nature of human nature

: “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child.”

Foolishness not“silliness,”.

It means “wickedness

Foolishness not“silliness,”.

It means “wickedness

When a child learns there is a moral authority

Because You Might Want to Save Yourself Disgrace

You might want to save yourself a little disgrace and give yourself a little pleasure

: “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.”

: “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.”

“Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.”

“Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.”

Because You May Save a Soul from Hell

“Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.