Sermon Tone Analysis

Message

Children are a gift from the Lord;

they are a reward from him.

Children born to a young man [and woman]

are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.

How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! - Psalm 127:3-5 NIV

Children are a gift.

They are a heritage from the Lord.

They are a special possession.

The Psalmist writes, “[Children] are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.”

Arrows advance the mission.

They go where the warrior cannot go.

And so today, as parents of children and children of our parents, how might you either be preparing your arrows and building your quiver?

Or as an arrow, how might you be preparing for the release?

The destiny of the arrow is determined by the amount of tension applied to it.

One of only a few experiences of mine with a bow and arrow comes by way of a story told to me by a long time friend who hunts wild boar with a bow and arrow.

What I am about to tell you sounds straight out of pioneer living, and I want to believe it’s true.

This may be folklore, it might be exaggerated, but it’s so good that I want to share it with you!

One time on a hunt in the backwoods of Georgia, my friend cornered down one of these wild boars between a fencing structure and a fallen down tree trunk.

With nowhere to go, facing a fight or flight situation, the boar stared down my friend eye to eye, as if to say, "sucka, it’s either you or me."

The boar snorted.

My friend sorted back.

The boar dug into the ground with its hoof.

My friend dug into the ground back with his foot.

Neither one gave an inch!

Then, my friend carefully loaded an arrow onto his bow, pulled it back, and then released it with perfect precision onto the front of the boar's skull.

The boar fell… but then miraculously stood back up, snorted again, and dug into the ground with its hooves, stating I’m still in the fight.

My friend loaded another arrow, slowly pulled it back, and then released again, splitting the first arrow in half, hitting the boar in the same spot again!

The boar fell down, and then to the surprise of my friend, it stood up a third time!

This wild beast of nature still not giving up.

And so for the third time, my friend loaded the arrow, slowly pulled it back, and released it, splitting the second arrow, hitting the boar in the same spot on its head for the third time in a row, what’s called Robin hooding the arrow.

The boar finally fell for the last time, and many people feasted on wild boar stew and jerky for days to come.

I asked my friend, “How did you hit the same spot so precisely each time?”

He said, “I applied the same amount of tension to each arrow.”

Depending on the target, an arrow needs a specific amount of applied tension in order to ensure a smooth and definite flight.

According to the Psalmist, a parent must do the same with a child.

A parent must apply a certain amount of tension through discipline on a child in order to ensure that child's smooth and definite flight into becoming a healthy, faithful, and productive adult in the community.

Each child requires a different amount of tension.

***Use bow to show images of applied tension

In some way shape or form, all of us underwent this process with our parents.

Some of us may still be in this process right now.

● For some of you, your parents applied just the right amount of tension on your life.

Your parents raised you in a strong, healthy home.

They shaped your faith in Jesus and exerted just the right amount of tension in your adult preparation.

● Others of you received too much tension, which nearly broke you and caused strain on your relationship with your parents, family members, friendships, and even within yourself.

Perhaps your release felt quick and off aim.

● Others of you received hardly any tension at all from your parents.

They rarely disciplined you.

Perhaps, your family structure was weak and undefined?

● Others of you may be living in the tension right now, preparing for your future release toward a destination full of wild and exciting adventures.

● Still others of you like me fell off the bow.

At five years old, my parents divorced, and I’ve only heard from my father a few times since then.

At least from his part in my formation process, he dropped both of his arrows, meaning my brother and me, and left us on the ground.

And though my mom picked us both up and released us well into our adulthood, both my brother and me still needed to do some work on our hearts in order to heal from our Father’s wounding.

Perhaps your parents dropped their arrow, as well, and you may be wondering right now: “Will I ever be released?

Will I ever be healed?"

● While others of you may feel like your parents broke you.

(SNAP Arrow) What they intended as applied tension amounted to abuse or neglect, and they broke their arrow altogether.

And you may be wondering: Will I ever fly?

However you find yourself within these tensions from your own parents or with your own children, the Good News about Jesus Christ demonstrates how God enters into these tensions with us.

If you feel broken down and wondering whether or not your life will ever take flight, then let me speak two of God’s promises over you that can set you on a path toward healing today:

First, from the Psalmist who wrote: ‘[God] heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.'

Psalms 147:3

In Christ, God sees your brokenness and shame… and He comes toward you, not away from you.

Your Heavenly Father comes so close, in fact, that he sees your wounds up close and personal and knows them inside and out.

And still God doesn’t leave you alone to suffer from them, but as a good doctor would do, your Heavenly Father knows just the right and perfect amount of healing balm to apply on your wounds.

Like a good parent, God desires to help his children heal from their wounds.

And then another promise comes written to us by the Apostle Paul who stated: “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.

The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

What freedom to know that God makes our broken hearts and dead souls… alive and brand new!

Truly, in Christ, your life, even within the broken confines of our world, can still experience freedom and joy despite whatever abuse or neglect has come your way… or whatever harmful decision you've made… or however bound your life may feel to your past.

On the cross, Jesus forgave your sins, and in the resurrection, he made you old life new.

Now, you may still face the rippling effects of those consequences on your life, but the Good News of Jesus broke those chains and defeated the powers that wants to take hold of your heart and soul.

We’re going to talk about this more next week, so let me invite you back next week to hear how God heals our wounds.

You’re not alone as you go through these tensions.

Our Heavenly Father enters into them with his promise of redemptionaccompanied by his discipline of correction, each demonstrating unique facets of his love for us as a Good, Good Father.

The author of the letter to the Hebrews in the New Testament portrays God as a good, disciplining parent, who sets as a model for us how we can learn to discipline our children with that same love and care.

The author says,

Have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children?

He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you.

For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”

As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children.

Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by his father?

If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all.

Hebrews 12: 5-8

I think all of us know those parents who believe in this philosophy of parenting (show pic of baby): "I may be little, but I’m the boss.”

We know how those children act when parents only give gifts to their children without an equal measure of discipline.

All of us know how that story ends.

● usually with that kid kicking the back of our seat on a plane for 4 hours.

● or screaming at Publix for another free kids cookie

● those parents are usually the same ones asking for that same free cookie for themselves.

Dr. Henry Cloud in his book “Boundaries with Kids,” (show pic of book cover) which I highly commend to you as a resource for this series, listed 13 behaviors associated with adults who grew up in homes without healthy boundaries and discipline.

Here they are listed behind me on the screen, but let me just point out a few:

• Inability to say no to hurtful people or set limits on hurtful behavior from others

• Inability to say no to their own destructive impulses

• Inability to hear no from others and respect their limits

• Inability to delay gratification and accomplish goals and tasks

• Tendency to be attracted to irresponsible or hurtful people and then try to “fix” them

• Taking responsibility for other people’s lives

• Ability to be easily manipulated or controlled