Raising Godly Children.

(Recite proverb) This week I asked some of you some tips and some difficulties you face in raising children. One gave an illustration of a tomato plant as to how they view raising children. They need good soil, to be fed spiritual food, supported through love and discipline until eventually they bear fruit.

(Recite proverb) Most proverbs are directed to the child or youth, but this proverb is directed to the parents of the child. You could say that this proverb reveals the responsibility of the parents in their chief duty within the family.

Why is this so important for us to discuss? Let us pause to think very carefully why training a child to follow Jesus is our top priority. I believe with all my heart that when parents take great care in discipling their children, future generations of godly men and women will continue that trend. On the other hand, if we do not make this a priority, the world will indoctrinate our children and the future will look darker and great pain will be on our doorstep.

This week I have struggled with preaching this sermon. I feel completely inadequate to teach in an area where I failed miserably as a parent. My priorities were to make a living, come home and put feet up, cuddle with the kids and play video games or watch sports. Setting time to train our children in godliness was mom’s responsibility. Now we have children that do not revere God, nor do they hold Jesus as dear and sweet for saving sinners from condemnation.

I still struggle at times with guilt and despair over my laziness in this area. But God is good and through his promises that are unfailing, we entrust our children into his care.

So for this morning, our goal is to show the beauty of fruit bearing believers. Mature followers of Jesus that strengthen churches and culture. How this comes to fruition is by first having good soil (believing parents). Secondly by nurturing the young plant (children). Thirdly seeing them in the world bearing fruit (adulthood).

Point #1 - Godly children need good soil.

Does it matter what kind of soil you plant a seed in?

A tomato seed planted in fertile, loose soil has the most likely chance to grow into a full robust mature plant that bears fruit to enjoy in those tasty soups.

The good soil that a child needs is believing parents. Followers of Jesus Christ that desire to live in such a way that brings delight to our Saviour for what he has done for us on the cross.

Now we know that as Christians, we will not always look like we are that good soil. We struggle with sin and are constantly waging war on the weeds that crop up in our own lives. What makes us good is not ourselves but Jesus in us. In being born again by the saving grace and faith that God has given us, we are now God’s children. We now live in light of this glorious truth and seek to raise up godly offspring as the Lord God has desired ().

Now we know that as Christians, we will not always look like we are that good soil. We struggle with sin and are constantly waging war on the weeds that crop up in our own lives. But the reality is not that we are good, but that Jesus is always good. His perfect life is our life because we are now part of the vine grafted in by the saving grace and faith that God has given us. We live and have been set free from the penalty of sin because of Jesus who died in our place on the cross.

Believing parents are Spirit filled Christians. Immersed in gospel truth whether we always realize it or not. Our failures as parents do not take away the truth that we are born again.

Transition: Therefore, Christian parents serve as the good soil children need for the best chance to grow into mature believers themselves.

Point #2 - Godly children need loving care to grow.

Now anyone familiar with gardening knows that you put a seed in potting soil, you water it and place it in a south facing window for light and warmth. You do what is needed to give it the best chance to grow.

When a baby is first born you do absolutely everything for them, you love and care for them, change diapers repeatedly and sacrifice sleep for them. As they get older you see them crawl and encourage them to take those first steps but you will also notice something very evident. Their sinful nature is revealed. They don’t want to share toys in being selfish so you discipline them in correcting bad behaviour. This is the pruning so that they don’t become wild and uncontrollable.

You will also notice something very evident. Their sinful nature is revealed. They don’t want to share toys in being selfish so you discipline them in correcting bad behaviour. This is the pruning so that they don’t become wild and uncontrollable.

You will also notice something very evident. Their sinful nature is revealed. They don’t want to share toys in being selfish so you discipline them in correcting bad behaviour. They soon head off to kindergarten or get involved in community sports or whatever. They are carefully being exposed to the world where they learn to live in a world that isn’t so safe like the confines of home. Too early and they suffer trauma, too late and they don’t accustom to where they need to live.

A tomato plant needs to be hardened off before it gets transplanted in the garden. It needs to be carefully brought in and out of the windy elements to get strength. For a child, they soon head off to kindergarten or get involved in community sports or whatever. They are carefully being exposed to the world where they learn to live that isn’t so safe like the confines of home. Too early and they suffer trauma, too late and they don’t accustom to where they need to live.

Children continue to grow and are constantly supported by the good soil that holds them in place. Through the truth found in God’s word, the law and the gospel is taught. Constant nourishing of living water is poured liberally onto the child. The child is shown how to live in the world but not to be of he world. The child is discipled in understanding doctrine, grace, attributes of God and the love of God in Christ Jesus. This prepares the child to be able to stand on truth in a world that hates God and seeks to destroy your faith. Think of this as the support cage that holds up a plant until it dies so it doesn’t fall over from the weight of the fruit it will bear.

The weeds that continually pop up around the plant are constantly being removed. False teaching and foolish behaviour is constantly being pointed out and plucked up. Notice the proverb in (5) is tied to our current proverb. “Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked; whoever guards his soul will keep far from them” Training the child in the way he is to go helps him/her see the dangers of the world so they can steer clear of them.

The body of faith also plays a huge role in the child’s life. The child sees other believers live out there lives in the community as well as in SS and the corporate worship. I was told this week how important this church is to their kids. Why? Because you as a fellow believer affirm what mom and dad teach. They see faith in action. Relationships are formed and they see that you truly care about their well being.

Transition: Therefore, raising a child in gospel truth is really hard, but there comes a time when it all becomes worth the effort.

Transition: Therefore, raising a child in gospel truth is really hard, but there comes a time when it all becomes worth the effort.

Point #3 - Godly children grow up to change the world.

Anyone who knows gardening knows that it is hard work, and parents know that raising children is hard work. We can be disappointed and impatient. Frustrated with why don’t they just get it? How long oh Lord till they stop acting out?

If you were to ask those who have adult children, they would say that they also struggled with this reality. But the days that seem so long and the continual labour to raise the child in the way they should go are all worth it when as adults they bear fruit of that labour and lead lives that leave you rejoicing in the Lord for his faithfulness!

A mature tomato plant that seemed so small now is this huge plant and loaded with ripe red juicy fruit. Eating the fruit makes the long hard days worth it.

You see brothers and sisters, there is no greater satisfaction than to see an adult child rejoice in their salvation and never depart from it. Seeing them make decisions for the Lord in spite of how hard it is to do the right thing. I have seen how you weep with joy. When children are set on the right path from an early age, they grow up and have healthy Christ exalting marriages if God grants them a spouse.

You see brothers and sisters, there is no greater feeling than to see an adult child rejoice in their salvation and never depart from it. I have seen how you weep with joy. When children are set on the right path from an early age, they grow up and have healthy Christ exalting marriages if God grants them a spouse.

Another generation of faithful followers of Christ result because you today were faithful in raising them in the way they should go. The future is bright for the health of the church because they can see liberal theology a mile away and hold leaders to account.

The impact of your discipleship in the future is seen in business, school and government. Godly values instilled through the formative years of the child have deep roots, firmly grounded in gospel truth and the fruit that blesses the nations is that the King of kings reigns. Evangelists, missionaries and leaders of churches that refuse to cower to culture bring glory to God and this pleases him greatly! Godly Offspring!!

Now some may be thinking that you aren’t doing enough, or worrying how your children will turn out, or comparing yourself to others in that you just don’t measure up. Maybe you feel guilty in that your children haven’t turned out the way you thought, thinking that you have failed as a parent.

While some of these things may have some validity, I want to share some things that I feel are important to say. It is easy to beat ourselves up. We so often fail and fall short of God’s glory. The best laid plans become disappointments. Dreams get dashed when we say things we shouldn’t or do things that if we could only turn back time we surely would have done some things differently.

Personally, I failed in this area terribly but I can’t turn back the clock. Our hearts cry out to God for our children to be saved, to grant them the gift of repentance. But you know what? When the good Lord truly saved me at 37, all the efforts of my parents and truth from SS and church were made fresh in my mind again. The foundation was still there, it was not wasted. Dad’s…please do not make the same mistake I made. Fulfill your duty as a spiritual leader in the home, don’t pass that onto just your wife. (This was my thoughts, what about you?)

Now some may be thinking that you aren’t doing enough, or worrying how your children will turn out, or comparing yourself to others in that you just don’t measure up. Maybe you feel guilty in that your children haven’t turned out the way you thought, thinking that you have failed as a parent.

While some of these things may have some validity, I want to share some things that I feel are important to say. It is easy to beat ourselves up. We so often fail and fall short of God’s glory. Dreams become disappointments. We wish we could only turn back time to do some things differently.

This proverb is not a promise. Many parents have suffered terribly in wondering what they did wrong because they tried their best and the children still went wayward. Proverbs are wisdom principles that if you do this there is a high probability of success. On the flip side, if we don’t apply this principle, there is also a high probability that there will be great trouble in the future.

So a few things I would want to encourage you with is this. If discipling your child is a struggle, be humble and ask for help. You don’t have to go far. Pride is going to cause you terrible hardship, but humility in accepting your weaknesses will pay huge dividends. If you are anxious about how your children will turn out, trust in the Lord. Pray for them all the time and leave the work of the Spirit to take the faithful training you have done and impress it on their heart. If you say that you just don’t have time, please change your priorities to make time as you cannot short cut raising a child. It is hard work and will be sacrificial but the Lord will be delighted in your discipleship of your children.

If you think you are alone in this, you are not. We are all working out our salvation with fear and trembling. Teach your children reverence for the Lord. Practice what you preach. Be consistent in your discipline of children. Show the love of Jesus for why you act the way you do. Apologize to your children when you sin against them so they see the gospel in action. Spend quality time with them in talking about Jesus and spiritual matters. Let them grab a wrench for you or sew a patch on jeans even if it takes more time. This quality time will prove invaluable when they really need to ask hard things.They are not going to be a bother to you. They will know you care and love them.

Much more to say but in the new year we hope to do a SS series on parenting.

Conclusion: Dear family, for the love of God who has sent his only Son to set us free from sin and death, let us be filled with blessed hope and strength of the Lord to train up our children in the way they should go. That even when they are old, where trials and hardship certainly will test them, they will not so easily depart from it because God has promised to never abandon his children. He has given you the greatest gift possible in entrusting you with caring for his children. He gives you supernatural power in the Spirit to fulfill this glorious task. Raise Godly Children for his glory!!

Prayer for parents, children and the church to support each other.