Bible Text: Luke 2:21-38 | Preacher: Pastor Steve | Series: Miracles of Christmas
Our Children BELONG To God
Luke 2:21-24 And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord),  and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.
Parents Are Stewards Of Their Children
When we live according to God’s Word, life works better than NOT living according to God’s Word!
Our children are entrusted to us as highly valuable gifts from God. We are commanded to care for that which God gives us.
The Lord holds us accountable for the way we treat our children.
The reality is that a person’s moral character foundations are generally in place by the time they reach 9 years of age.
A person’s response to the meaning and personal value of Jesus Christ’s life, death and resurrection is usually determined before a person reaches 14 years.
Spiritual transformation requires extensive investment and education in one’s ability to apply and integrate life situations using biblical principles.
The problem is not that we have a generation of rebellious children but rebellious parents who are reaping the harvest of their own unavailability.
Our children are like video cameras that run all the time and they learn from what they see, hear and feel from the home.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!   You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Two Key Principles:
Love our children unconditionally – they are gifts from God.
Exercise authority with fairness, integrity and justice.
What are the basics?
The reliability and integrity of God’s Word: we can always trust the Bible to give us correct and right guidance on how to live life.
Worship: our number one priority is to maintain a close personal relationship with Jesus.
Salvation: we need to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord with assurance of our gift of eternal life.
Sharing our faith: how important it is to share our faith in all the different ways possible—verbally, non-verbally, by lifestyle, action and words.
Love, forgiveness and acceptance: how to experience God’s forgiveness and how to be forgiving to others. How do we love unconditionally and receive unconditional love. What it means to be accepted and to accept others where they are.
Identity: our identity is in Jesus. We teach our children how to understand and find their identity in a walk and life with the Lord.
Baptism of the Holy Spirit: understand the ministry of the Holy Spirit in their lives and how this functions in them.
Prayer: how to pray; the importance of regular communications with the Lord Jesus.
Trust God always: that we can trust God for everything and anything in life.
Sowing and reaping: understand the principle of what we sow we will reap.
Stewardship: the biblical principles of handling our time, talents and finances.
Excellence: to do our best for the Lord. It is not about being the best but giving our best.
Community: teach the importance of being a part of our family and the family of God, the body of church and how each have a function and significant role to fulfill in the church.
Commitment, honor and respect: when we give our word we are good for our word. We need to teach our children the value of loyalty, respect and honor to people and our commitments.
Responsibility and accountability: we are all responsible and accountable to God and others for our actions.
2 Corinthians 5:10-14 But neither exile nor homecoming is the main thing. Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that’s what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions. Sooner or later we’ll all have to face God, regardless of our conditions. We will appear before Christ and take what’s coming to us as a result of our actions, either good or bad.   That keeps us vigilant, you can be sure. It’s no light thing to know that we’ll all one day stand in that place of Judgment.
We guide our children to transfer their commitment, responsibility, accountability from us as parents to Jesus as Lord.
We are all ultimately responsible and accountable to God.
Our children leave and parents move from COACH to CHEERLEADER.
Exodus 10:2 You will be able to tell wonderful stories to your children and grandchildren about the marvelous things I am doing among the Egyptians to prove that I am the LORD.
Retelling stories of God’s faithfulness and consistent biblical living makes the deepest impression on our children.
Luke 2:51 Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them; and his mother stored all these things in her heart.
Family members are to love, honor and respect one another.