Family Imperatives
Matters of the Heart
Family Imperatives
Three Biblical Imperatives for Parent/Child Relationships
Imperative #1: Children, honor your parents.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you (Exodus 20:12).
Our response reveals an understanding of . . .
The heaviness of a parent’s role.
The health of our relationship with God.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right (Ephesians 6:1).
2 Timothy 3:1-5 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power.
Our hope in God’s promise.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you (Exodus 20:12).
Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth (Ephesians 6:2-3).
Imperative #2: Parents, train your children.
Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).
(Dedicate, initiate, train . . .)
Our actions reveal an understanding of . . .
A parental responsibility.
Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons 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 up (Deuteronomy 6:4-7).
Fathers . . . bring them (children) up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).
A present realization.
Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).
Imperative #3: Parents, strengthen your children’s hearts.
Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart (Colossians 3:21).
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).
Application
Looking ahead to next week: Healing for a Wounded Heart
Stephen Lowrie, NFWBC, 02.17.08. All references: New American Standard Bible: 1995 update.
