Sermon Outline

I. The recipe for God-honoring parenting.

Ephesians 6:1-4 NKJV Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 ″Honor your father and mother,″ which is the first commandment with promise: 3 ″that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.″ 4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

Active ingredients include providing…

• Attention.

  The number one parental problem today is absenteeism.

  ″bring them up″ =to rear up to maturity, i.e. (genitive case) to cherish or train

• Direction.

  ″training/nurture″tutorage, i.e. education/training; by implication, disciplinary correction

  ″admonition″ =calling attention to, i.e. (by implication) mild rebuke/warning

• Affection.

  Matthew 19:13-15 NKJV Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, ″Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.″ 15 And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.

  Affection =Good, kind, or loving feelings, as towards another

  Affectionate =Having or expressing affection

II. The repercussions of ungodly parenting.

Proverbs 29:15 NKJV The rod and rebuke give wisdom, But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.

Romans 1:28-31 NKJV And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;

2 Timothy 3:1-3 NKJV But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,

• Children who struggle to connect emotionally.
• Children who lack self-worth and motivation.
• Children susceptible to addictive behaviors.
• Children prone to repeat the sins of their parents.

III. The role of God-honoring parenting.

Dads are important to their kids because they…

• Serve as a proper male role model.
• Provide a positive view of God.
• Meet the need for affection.
• Help shape their confidence.

Moms are important to their kids because they…

• Serve as a proper female role model.
• Help train them to be responsible.
• Support and respect their spouse.
• Help instill faith in them.

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Application Questions:

1. Some parents believe what their kids need in them is a friend, not a parent. Is this approach biblical? Why or why not?
2. God clearly holds parents responsible to care for, teach, and direct their children. Who in society is trying to usurp this role? Why?
3. How can parents affirm the worth of their children, even during times of rebellion when discipline is necessary?
4. Some parents believe that simply getting their kids to ″pray the sinner's prayer″ will eliminate any future rebellion in them. Why is this view illogical?
5. Why is it important for parents and children to see God as their ultimate authority and the one to whom we are all accountable?