Taytum Carnley's Dedication

Ephesians 6:4

We come together today, as Taytum’s parents, Jared and Courtney desire to dedicate him to the Lord.

This is much like the old adage: “You give a man a fish, he eats for a day. If you teach a man to fish, he can eat for a lifetime.”. However, the commitment of these parents, family, and congregation is so much greater than earthly sustenance! This has everything to do with vowing to bring a child up in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which has eternal consequences!

Nothing wrong with making sure our children have a great life down here. However, as I have gotten older and have seen folks come and go, the reality of our eternal life becomes the greatest purpose of life that we can give to anyone!

I heard a evangelist say, when asked about what legacy he would like to leave for his children, that all he wanted to leave his children is the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

That reminds of what Paul tells Timothy about dealing with false teaching.....2 Timothy 3:14-15 “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

This is a greatest purpose, we can ever have for our children....making them wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus!

Some powerful Scriptures come to mind: Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

John 6:63 “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

John 15:5 “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

John 3:36 “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

With all this truth in mind, we must realize the importance of the vow of dedicating a child to the Lord. It is not just an event, it is a solemn vow to make sure that the child is fully furnished with the knowledge of Jesus Christ

Gonna read one verse to start us out then we will move through what we are doing today......

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

Some have stated that the Greek word used for fathers can be translated “parents”. I am not sure about this, but the last part would be for parents that is for sure.

Provoking your children to wrath........

It is right for the parents to demand obedience from their children.....Discipline is necessary.

However, unnecessary rules and regulations and endless petty correction that lead children to ‘discouragement.

I have an example: I was at a house, one time, where the father was eating supper in his recliner and the children, as well as, the mother were at the dinner table. One of the children kept getting up from the table and going into the living room and the father kept getting on this child pretty hard and telling to eat at the table, while he was eating in the recliner.

This unnecessary and petty. If he wanted to eat at the table, he needed to set the example.

Enough of that...........The important part of this is the last part..........

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

I like the phrasing “bring up” “train up”..........It seems to me to suggest that you guide them in the right way. It doesn’t say down, provoking them to wrath suggests bringing them down....

We want to go upward and the only way to do that is to nurture and admonish in the Lord!!

Emphasis on the Lord!!

Nurture carries the meaning of discipline and admonition means instruction

The discipline and instruction of the Lord is the highest duty of parents.

The highest duty of parents, the highest responsibility!

There are a lot of things we can train our children up in, many things, but what carries the most weight in the life?!

2 Peter 1:3 “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:”

I believe bringing up in the Lord, takes care of many matters in earthly life and more importantly for life eternal!

I like what Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

All matters necessary for physical life and eternal life will be added unto those who seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness!

Who God is, what His nature is, His eternal plan........His Way, His Truth, and His Life!

One day, Taytum will be faced with the decision between to believe in Jesus Christ or live for the world!

I think of he 3 Hebrew children, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, teenagers at best, were faced with go along with the crowd or standing out by obeying God.

They were told that if they didn’t bow down and worship the image of King Nebuchadnezzar, they would be thrown in the fiery furnace. A furnace so hot that killed a soldier when he got near.

This was there response when they didn’t bow down to the image: Daniel 3:16-18 “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

They through them in the fire, and One like the Son of man was in the furnace with them and when they brought them out of the furnace, nothing on them was burned, on top of that they didn’t even smell like smoke.

Every Christian parent’s duty is to bring our children up in the Lord.....So, that they are thoroughly furnished for the temptations of the world to draw us away from the Truth of Jesus Christ!

Deuteronomy 6:4-9...................................This is what we are here for today.........