Nurturing and Training Children in Christian Faith & Practice, Part I, 7/19/26

Please turn in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter

Deuteronomy 6:4–9

6 verses 4 through 9. Deuteronomy chapter 6 verses

Deuteronomy 6:4–9

4 through 9. Today we are going to consider the

subject following up on the sermon last week

about covenant children or holy children. Today

we want to look at the subject nurturing and

training children in Christian faith and practice.

This is going to be part one, as I'm not able

to get through all of the subject matter that

I had, so we're going to divide this into two

sermons. Today is part one. Deuteronomy chapter

Deuteronomy 6 · chapter mention

6. The place of Deuteronomy is where the people

of Israel are gathered together and they're ready

to enter into the promised land. And Moses calls

them, and he calls them... to hear the word of

God once again and to hear the law that was revealed.

And in so doing, he also reminds them of many

things that the Lord has done. In chapter 6,

he is speaking to them about the commandments

of the Lord. And he comes with this great statement,

this great command in verse 4. Hear, O Israel,

the Lord our God, the Lord is with you. You shall

love the Lord your God with all your heart and

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 down or 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 upon

your hand. They shall be as fundus between your

eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of

your house and on your gates. The next passage

that we're going to consider is Proverbs chapter

Proverbs 22 · chapter mention

22 and verse 6. Proverbs 22 and verse 6. Here

again is the word of the Lord. Train up a child

in the way he should go, and when he is old,

he will not depart from it. And then one more

in the book of Ephesians chapter 6. Ephesians

Ephesians 6 · chapter mention Ephesians 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6 in verse 4. And you, fathers, do not

provoke your children to wrath, but bring them

up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

Let's pray. Father, we have considered these

various passages in your word. For Lord, you

have inspired these and you have given them to

us, Lord, for us to consider. So Lord, as we

have read them, and now as we look at them and

attempt to... Seek to understand this in a greater

detail. We pray that you would grant the power

of your Holy Spirit. We pray that every word

that is spoken today might be pleasing in your

sight, that our words and our thoughts, Lord,

would glorify you. I pray, Lord, that you would

illuminate our hearts today by the power of the

Holy Spirit, that you would lead us and speak

to us. I ask this all in Jesus' name. Amen. We

are blessed to have many age groups in this congregation,

from newborn children and children just about

to be born, to teenagers, single adults, and

families, some of who are in the trenches right

in those childbearing years. Others of us are

navigating the middle years of childbearing,

and some of us has left those years behind. and

are now enjoying our grandchildren. But lest

you think that this sermon is directed only to

those rearing children, and that there's really

not too much for you in it, I assure you that

that is not the case. Because our subject today

is all about discipleship, and discipleship belongs

to every stage of adulthood. Whether you are

in your 20s getting started with a family, Or

if you are in your 80s, there is a place for

you to be an example, to teach, to love, and

to encourage others. Remember that every time

when there is a baptism, after I ask the questions,

I then turn to the congregation and I ask this

question. Do you, the congregation of Grace Reformed

Church of Weezer, receive these baptized as members

of this church? and promise to undertake the

responsibility of supporting these parents as

they nurture these children to the Christian

faith and practice to the glory of God. And you

all answer with a hearty amen. We do this. We

commit. And at this time, you have committed

yourself to bless and support parents who are

in the trenches, to bless them, to give words

of encouragement to them, and to help in this

discipleship process. Because this is part of

the Great Commission. Often when we think of

the Great Commission, we think of foreign missions.

We think of going into the far off lands and

bringing the gospel. Or we think of street evangelism.

Or we think of other things like that. But this

is just as much part of the Great Commission.

This follows right up on the command of Jesus

to baptize the nations and to teach them to observe

all things that he has commanded us. Matthew

Matthew 28:19

28, verse 19 and 20. God calls each of us. to

use our gifts to glorify him and to be a part

of the edification and benefit of the body of

Christ, which is the whole discipleship process.

So I want to take consideration of the role and

responsibility of parents in the discipleship

of the children that God gives you. But to all

of the others, let us also be there as support,

as encouragement, with words of wisdom, words

of caution, or whatever it may be, as the Lord

gives us that wisdom. But to the parents, we

want to look more closely at the discipleship

of the children that God has given you. For when

God gives you children, they are your nearest

disciples and your first. As we saw last week,

they are God's children. And he has given them

to you as infants so that you can bring them.

You can teach them about God. You can teach them

about God's word and his law, about grace and

the precepts of the Christian faith. You get

to do this most wonderful thing. to be responsible

for the formation and growth of these precious

souls that God has entrusted to you. Now, when

we talk about parenting, There's various conversations

that occur in the world around us. There's a

number of types of parenting styles that are

described and followed. There's neglectful or

uninvolved parenting. There's permissive and

indulgent parenting. There's authoritarian parenting

or even words like helicopter parenting or tiger

parenting or gentle parenting and more. There's

many different ones that are described. The style

of parenting that I believe best describes the

biblical model is the one called authoritative

parenting. That is, it's often considered, even

in the world, by many, by many psychologists,

to be the most effective and balanced. That is,

where there's high expectations, but those expectations

are accompanied by warm and close relationships,

and that parents are to set clear rules and expectations,

but they also explain reasons and listen to the

child and provide warmth and support. This encourages

independence and growth in thinking of the child,

of reasoning and self -regulation, and therefore,

Children then tend to be confident or responsible

and socially skilled, even academically successful

and emotionally healthy. Now, that's the way

the world describes authoritative parenting,

but it actually lines up pretty much with what

God says in his word about parenting. Because

God's word does speak to this. We're going to

be looking. at five overarching directives given

to parents regarding their children. Parents

are commanded by God to love them, to nurture

them, to teach them, to train them, and to correct

and discipline them. Today, I'm going to be looking

at the scriptural directives for the first two,

love and nurture. We'll get to that in a moment,

and then, Lord willing, next week, We'll finish

up with the last three. That is to teach, train,

and correct and discipline. But there's two other

foundational points that I want to make before

we get into that. And that is, actually they're

kind of tied together. It's the covenantal foundation

and the gospel foundation. When you go back and

look at what God told Abraham. In Genesis chapter

Genesis 18 · chapter mention

18 and 19, we have something really to grasp

from this. But I would remind you, first of all,

that Abraham is called, by Paul in the New Testament,

in Romans 4 verse 16, he is called the father

Romans 4:16

of us all. Abraham, the father of us all. So

we're going to look to Abraham here and see what

God told him. Because it's recorded in Genesis

Genesis 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8 and verse 19 where God speaks and he

says, For I have known him, and he's speaking

about Abraham, I have known him in order that

he may command his children and his household

after him. that they keep the way of the Lord,

to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord

may bring to Abraham what he has spoken to him.

And this speaks of the covenant foundation that

God had with Abraham regarding him and his children

or his offspring. But this is also with us in

the gospel. The New Testament speaks of this

over and over again, that we're the children

of Abraham. We are the inheritors. All who are

in Christ are the inheritors of the promises

given to Abraham. God has known us. He has saved

us. He has done great things. And because he

is in covenant with us and he has given us grace,

then we are able by his grace to keep the way

of the Lord. And we can command our children

and our household after God so that they will

keep the way of the Lord. Psalm 127 brings this

out further. Unless the Lord builds the house,

They labor in vain who build it. Unless the Lord

guards the city, the watchman stays awake in

vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to

sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows. For

so he gives his beloved sleep. Behold, children

are a heritage. Of the Lord. The fruit of the

womb is his reward. You did not earn the children

that God gave you any more than you earned your

salvation from sin. No, it is all God's infinite

and amazing, wonderful, marvelous, and matchless

grace that he has given to you. And he gave you

children that are a heritage. From him. This

is the foundation. Of covenant and gospel. When

you rightly emphasize actions and behavior. And

didactic teaching and correction. In the discipleship

of your children. It is easy. It is easy to fall

into the works trap. Do this. Don't do this.

Or else. And the children can come to think.

That they live in a works based relationship

with you. If they obey, they are good. And if

they disobey, they are not good. Instead, you

must teach and live and declare the gospel to

them and before them, demonstrating that they

are your children by the providence of God and

that is not based on their works or your works.

Live the gospel. They are your children by God's

providence. And so you teach them to confess

their sins, to repent, to trust in Christ. And

you do it yourself when you sin against them

or others. You teach it and you demonstrate it.

And as you live in the gospel, that we are not

saved by our merits and actions, but that because

we are the children of God and they are your

children by God's grace, then you teach them

the all things of Jesus. Yes, sound doctrine,

right practice, good living, and above all, a

love for God. But it all flows from the grace

of God that he has given to you. You are raising

little Christians. Treat your children not only

as children, but also then as your brothers and

sisters in Christ. You treat them that way. You

give them the word of God from the very earliest

times as you teach and correct and instruct and

discipline them. Do unto them as you would have

them do to you and continually point them to

Christ. and that we are saved by grace through

faith and not of works, lest any should boast.

If we're going to understand the precepts of

child rearing and training that he gives in his

word, we've got to get this right. It must be

there that we are a gospel -centered family.

We trust in Christ. We live by grace toward one

another and toward God. With that foundation,

Let's now look at these first two directives

of God about the key parental responsibilities

in the discipleship and training of God's covenant

children. The first one is to love your children.

Now, I'm going to say right at the outset, what

do you mean love? Of course we love our children.

They're ours. And yet there are many who do not

love. And furthermore, there are many more that

do not biblically love. So we're going to look

at the word of God about biblical love or loving

our children as God calls us to. Titus chapter

Titus 2:3

2 verse 3 and 4. The older women are to teach

the younger women to admonish the young women.

They're to admonish the young women to do what?

To love their husbands and to love their children.

Right there. Love their children. And then we

see this in 1 John 3, verse 18, in God's attitude

1 John 3:18

toward his children. And John, as he's speaking

here, he says, My little children, let us not

love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in

truth. So we are called here to love those, to

love these children, and whether that's children

as in a family or children as in a church, which

John was probably speaking of. He says, let us

not love in word or tongue. That doesn't mean

we don't say, I love you. No, but it means that

it's demonstrated in our deeds and in the truth.

We give them the truth, and by the deeds that

we do, we show and demonstrate that we love our

children. And then we have this wonderful verse

in Psalm 103, verse 13, which shows the fatherhood

Psalms 103:13

of God, and it applies it to us as well. He says,

as a father, And this is in the sense of compassion

and love. As a father does toward his children,

so also the Lord does toward us. Now I start

with this one because love is the foundation

of all action from God to his people as our foundation.

I'm going to repeat that because it's very, very

important. Love is the foundation of all action

from God to His people as our Father. We see

all that God has done for us. The many different

benefits. We see His glorious attributes. But

all of God's actions toward us flow from a foundation

of love. Love. Is why the father sent Jesus to

lower himself to be a man. And to suffer and

die and rise again. This most familiar verse

in John 3 .16. For God so loved the world. That

he gave his only begotten son. That whosoever

believes in him should not perish. But have everlasting

life. What is the foundation of the action of

God? Love. He so loved the world then that he

gave. Why do we love God? Hear these words from

John the Apostle again as inspired by the triune

God. And we have known and believed the love

that God has for us. God is love. And he who

abides in love abides in God and God in him.

Love has been perfected among us in this, that

we may have boldness in the day of judgment,

because as he is, so are we in this world. There

is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out

fear, because fear involves torment. But he who

fears has not been made perfect in love. And

then we have this power -packed sentence. We

love him because he first loved us. This is the

action. Love is the foundation of all action

from God to us, his people, as our father. Since

that is the case, then we must learn how to model

our love as parents to our children from the

way God loves us. God is our example. God has

loved us first, and therefore we can learn to

love our children in that way. He has modeled

it for us. This love ought to be a grand, overarching

love, the foundation of all action. It's sacrificial

and it's comprehensive. Now sometimes, this or

some parts of this love comes naturally. It's

just... There, a child is born and you look down

on the baby and just your love, the love just

starts to flow immediately for this baby. God

speaks of this in Isaiah 49, 15. Can a woman

forget her nursing child and have not compassion

on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget,

yet I will not forget you. So this is God demonstrating

his covenant love by the example of a mother's

love for her child. So, but in other ways, we

must learn how to love our children by the grace

of God and how he loves us, even when we are

unlovely. And sometimes your children will do

things that are unlovely. Sometimes they will

do things, and sometimes it's things that might

need some correction and so forth, but other

times it's also, it's just, there's just problems

there, and they do things that we wish that they

wouldn't, or in ways that, things that are unlovely.

But this is a reminder in how God loves us in

spite of that, and so we also are to love our

children, even when our children sin against

us, and they will do that. we must love them

still. And as we love our children first, they

also will love us. When a father or a mother

withholds love and affection from a child or

abuses the child or is harsh, a taskmaster, or

overbearing, or when a parent violates a child

with inappropriate behavior, Or when a child

is neglected or ignored. Or when a child can

never please a parent. Then great hurt and harm

comes that affects the child for the rest of

their life. Now God gives grace in those very

difficult circumstances. But it still affects

the child when we have our loves wrong. And we

sin against them. Even more important. The child's

view of God is most times greatly distorted or

marred or diminished. There are so many times

when there has been a very neglectful father

that then the son or the daughter will get into

really perverse sin in some way, crying out for

love or affection, but doing all of the wrong

ways and seeking for it in all the wrong things

to do. It affects them. And then their view of

God is also greatly distorted and diminished.

Look at the relationship described in the Bible

about the relationship between God the Father

and His Son, Jesus Christ. And we will learn

from this about love. And children, you look

to Jesus also as your example on how to love

and serve and obey your parents. We seek how

Christ modeled obedience to the Father. And that

teaches us as children to learn this as well.

So we're going to look first in John 8, verse

John 8:29

29. Jesus says, And he that sent me is with me.

The Father has not left me alone. But I always

do those things that please him. That's the love

of a child to the Father. But then Jesus, In

the days of his flesh, when he had offered up

prayers and supplications, with vehement cries

and tears to him who was able to save him from

death, and was heard because of his godly fear,

though he was a son, yet he learned obedience

by the things which he suffered. Hebrews 5, verse

Hebrews 5:7

7 and 8. But then also, we see the converse here.

The father was immensely pleased with his son,

and everybody knew it. When he had been baptized,

Jesus came up immediately from the water. And

behold, the heavens were opened to him. And he

saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove

and alighting upon him. And suddenly a voice

came from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son

in whom I am well pleased. At the transfiguration.

While he was yet speaking, behold, a bright cloud

overshadowed them. And suddenly a voice came

out of the cloud saying, this is my beloved son

in whom I am well pleased. Hear him. Parents,

do you ever tell your children that you're pleased

with them? That you love them in that way? God

the Father was willing for the world around there,

all who could hear this audible voice from heaven.

to know of his stamp of approval on his son.

They knew it. They heard it. Our children need

to bask in knowing of our love for them. Our

love, our blessing, our approval, our rejoicing

in them. We see another example of Jesus and

his love. where Jesus is described as the good

shepherd. He goes after the wandering sheep.

And he gives us a good example of how to go after

children who start withdrawing from us or start

wandering. Love should compel us to try to find

out what is going on and to minister love to

the heart of our children. Perhaps someone comes

to the dinner table and we see. Something's wrong.

Something's just not quite right. You know, there's

an attitude or maybe there's a real desire in

just getting attention. Often getting attention,

really seeking to get attention is indication

of something else. And so it's a good time for

parents to just, okay, what's going on here?

Can we talk about this? You know, we love you.

We care for you. Can you tell me what's going

on in your heart or describe to me? There's a

ways that we can do this as the example here.

We give our lives. We attempt to try to find

out what's going on and to minister love to the

heart of the child. The good shepherd gives his

life for the sheep. He goes after wolves to chase

them away. And the sheep... Are given into his

care. Jesus gives the parable of the lost sheep.

In Matthew 18. And it is so moving and compelling.

And it is in the context. Of not despising the

little ones. So often we break this parable.

Out of the context. But here the context. Jesus

says. Take heed that you do not despise one of

these little ones. For I say to you that in heaven.

Their angels always see the face of my father.

Who is in heaven. for the Son of Man has come

to save that which was lost. What do you think?

If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them

goes astray, does he not leave immediately? Does

he not leave the 99 and go to the mountains to

seek the one that is straying? And if he should

find it, assuredly I say to you, he rejoices

more over that sheep than over the 99 that did

not go astray. Even so, it is not the will of

your father who is in heaven that one of these

little ones should perish. The parable of the

good shepherd is in the context of little children,

of caring for them and of seeking out. The lost.

Oh parents. Let us love our children. Like God

loves his son. And like God loves us. Let us

express it to them in ways that they can understand

it and know it. Let us rejoice over them. As

God our father rejoices over us. As Zephaniah

Zephaniah 3:17

3 verse 17 says. The Lord your God in your midst.

The mighty one. He will say, he will rejoice

over you with gladness. He will quiet you with

his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.

Let us love our children. Number two, we are

called to nurture our children. Ephesians chapter

six, verse four. And you fathers do not provoke

your children to wrath. but bring them up in

the training and admonition of the Lord. We see

types of this also in 1 Thessalonians 2, verse

1 Thessalonians 2:7

7, and Colossians 3, verse 21. Fathers, it is

Colossians 3:21

to you that the apostle here turns, and he gives

this command in this verse. For you, as fathers,

are responsible for the well -being of your household

and for the bringing up of your children. Your

wife is to be by your side and she works it out

in the daily life of your children while you

are working. So value her insights and understand

that she bears the household and that bears the

children and manages the household. For the wise

woman builds her house, Proverbs 14, 1, and she

watches over the ways of her household and does

not eat the bread of idleness, Proverbs 31, 27.

In fact, Fathers are to teach your children to

obey the law of their mother. As in, my son,

keep your father's command and do not forsake

the law of your mother. Bind them continually

upon your heart. Tie them around your neck. Proverbs

Proverbs 6:20

6, verse 20 and 21. But this verse is addressed

to fathers. You are responsible, which is why

God commands the father not to provoke the children

to wrath. To bring them up in the nurture, the

training, and the admonition of the Lord. And

so to you fathers, you are called to serve your

wife and your family. And how do you serve? By

leading them well. By leading your household

well. But as is so often the case, this calling

from God can be either neglected or abused. It

is that way in so many of God's command. There's

two ditches on the side of the road. One is neglect,

one is abuse or doing it harshly. Negligent,

lazy fathers or overbearing, harsh fathers. And

Paul speaks to both in this passage. He says,

fathers do not provoke your children to wrath

or discouragement. So this is speaking to the

one who is overbearing and harsh. Provoke to

wrath is one Greek word and it means to rouse

to wrath, to provoke or to exasperate. Exasperate.

Now there's several ways that you can do this.

You can exasperate them in several ways. You

can be overbearing and harsh. We see an example

how King Saul, which we're going to read in the

next chapter in our Old Testament passage that

we're reading through. King Saul and his rebellion

against God became harsh. unreasonable, and even

violent with his own beloved son, Jonathan. Jonathan,

who really loved and cared for his father, and

yet he became overbearing and harsh. This shows

it as a way of never being able to be pleased

or seeing a need in a child or a temptation to

a particular sin. And the father goads him with

it until he becomes angry, and then the child

is punished. Colossians 3 21 fathers do not provoke

your children lest they become discouraged so

Paul starts this verse out with this but then

Paul deals with the temptation to be apathetic

to be negligent to be lazy or uninvolved in a

child's life and so he commands the father to

be proactive in the bringing up of his children

this is not simply to be delegated to the mother

or to a nurse or a governess or anything like

that. Fathers, you are responsible for the bringing

up of your children. Paul's words are clear.

Bring them up. This means to nourish up to maturity

or to nurture them. We see examples of this in

the Bible. I spoke about Abraham already in Genesis

18. how he commanded his household to keep the

way of the Lord. Though imperfect, his faith

and obedience, even in the test with Isaac, modeled

a trust in God. We see an example of this in

Job. Job, who regularly offered sacrifices and

prayed for his children's spiritual well -being.

He showed proactive spiritual leadership without

harshness. He loved his children and he prayed

for them. Maybe they sin today, so I'm going

to offer a sacrifice for them. That was Job.

Or Joseph. the earthly father of Jesus. We read

of this in Matthew chapter 1 and 2 and also in

Matthew 1 · chapter mention

Luke chapter 2. Joseph was a righteous man. He

Luke 2 · chapter mention

was protective. He was obedient to God's dreams

and warnings, but he also was a steady provider

and teacher. The scriptures record that Jesus

grew in wisdom as he lived there in that household.

And then we also see the prodigal son in Luke

Luke 15 · chapter mention

chapter 15. where a son went his own way for

a time. When he came to himself, he comes running

back to the father. What do we see? Patience,

forgiveness, and restoration. Patience, forgiveness,

and restoration. Not provoking ongoing wrath,

but rather extending grace that restored the

son. We are to bring them up. We're to bring

them up in the training or the paideia. And that

is sometimes, some passages say training, some

say nurture. These things are kind of tied together,

but we're just going to look here. The word,

the Greek word is paideia. It's where the father

is responsible to see the whole training and

education of children, which relates to the cultivation

of mind and morals. which uses both commands

and admonitions, reproofs and even punishment.

It includes the training and the care of the

body. So bring them up in the training of the

Lord. Now, father, of course, can use various

tools and helps. There's other teachers, there's

tutors, there's even schools, there's video or

audio teachings. But it's just that the father

is responsible to see that it is done. He can't

do all of it, obviously, but he is responsible

for it. This also includes the aspect of provision.

Men or fathers, we are to provide for our children.

children our wife our household we're to labor

working with our hands that which is good so

that we can provide for our wife and children

and have give have something to give to those

in need and how much more is it your responsibility

to provide for your own household like paul says

in first timothy 5 verse 8 but if anyone does

1 Timothy 5:8

not provide for his own, and especially for those

of his household, he has denied the faith and

is worse than an unbeliever. Then this verse

also brings out that a father is to admonish.

He is to bring them up in the admonition of the

Lord. This means to call attention to, and it

implies giving a mild rebuke or warning. This

is not referring to discipline and chastisement,

which Lord willing we'll consider next week.

But this is often done kind of like on the fly,

just a quick word about something. Like, son,

you may not disrespect your mother by speaking

to her like that. You need to apologize to her

right now. That kind of thing. Or, son, here

is how you respect a man in authority, if you

may not be worthy of that respect. Or other things

like this. It's things that are done on the fly.

Perhaps it might be you walk past your daughter's

room and you see it's a mess and you knew that

your wife had told her to clean it up. And so

you say, daughter, your mother asked you to clean

up the room and it is still not done. This needs

to change immediately. So go clean up your room

right now. That kind of thing. Or, and this.

Should happen more often, I think. Daughter,

you are dressed inappropriately. Here's what

a man or how a man thinks when he sees you and

you don't want to inspire that kind of thinking.

Those kinds of things are how a father is to

bring them up in the admonition of the Lord,

etc., etc. There could be many other illustrations

of that. Now, again, conversely, there are many

examples of apathetic Passiveness of apathy,

I should say, and passiveness or passivity in

the scriptures and in history. We see a most

notable example of this in the priest named Eli.

Eli was the priest just before Samuel. And we

find this written about him in 1 Samuel 2 and

3, where he failed to restrain his sons. They

grew up to be wicked, but they were still priests.

but they would take for themselves the best out

of the sacrifices, and they would lay with the

women that came to offer sacrifices. And of the

scripture, the scripture gives great judgment

on Eli that he did not restrain his wicked sons,

and it led to judgment on his house. His passive

neglect provoked dishonor and ruin of his household

and of his descendants. No matter what you teach

verbally, if you live in that kind of a way,

by your own disorderly ways or laziness or irresponsibility,

you then are teaching your sons and daughters

laziness, disorder, and irresponsibility. If

you do not keep your word or clean up after yourself

or not diligent in work or in maintaining the

state of your household, then your children will

most likely follow in your footsteps. He who

has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of

the diligent makes rich. Proverbs 10, verse 4.

Proverbs 10:4

Or be diligent to know the state of your flocks

and attend to your herds, for riches are not

forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations.

Proverbs 27, 23, and 24. We are called to teach

and to demonstrate, to admonish and bring them

up, but also by the power. Of example. The power

of example. Now mothers. You are also key in

this. As you manage the household. You have great

opportunity to do good. And create a lasting

effect on children. I know this passage is speaking

to the fathers. But I also want to speak to you

mothers. And we certainly pray and desire that

you might be the virtuous wife who actively builds

her household through diligence and foresight,

through care for her family and industry and

generosity and wisdom. We see excerpts from this

in Proverbs 31, verse 11, the heart of her husband

Proverbs 31:11

safely trusts her. So he will have no lack of

gain. Verse 15. She also rises while it is night

and provides food for her household. Verse 27.

She watches over the ways of her household and

does not eat the bread of idleness. Or verse

28. Her children rise up and call her blessed.

And her husband also and he praises her. Now

mothers you also can be tempted in two different

ways. First of all through laziness. or abandoning

your role as the keeper of the house and the

manager of the household. So there's that. It

can be just simply laziness or abdication of

what God has called you to. Or you can also stand

against your husband in his administration, in

his training and discipleship, and become contentious

or quarrelsome or create a hostile environment

in the home. Your house. As Proverbs 14 .1 says.

The wise woman builds the house. But the foolish

pulls it down. With her hands. We have this sad

account. In 1 Kings chapter 21. Verse 25. Of

1 Kings 21 · chapter mention

the woman Jezebel. Scripture says. But there

was no one like Ahab. Who sold himself to do

wickedness. In the sight of the Lord. Because

Jezebel his wife. Stirred him up to it. What

an indictment that is. So, fathers, mothers,

if you see yourself going into the ditches here

of apathy or carelessness or irresponsibility

or of being harsh or overbearing, then again,

run to the mercy seat of Christ. If you see this.

Then do not despair, but repent. Ask God for

help and take steps to correct your ways. Go

to wise men or wise women and ask for help and

for grace. It is there, I promise you, because

the promises of God are yes and amen in Christ

Jesus. And as you are a follower of Christ, He

will equip you with what you need to be a faithful

father or a faithful mother. Love your children.

Yes, we are called. to love our children, but

that love also includes nurturing them, cherishing

them, providing for them, and bringing them up

in the Lord. Raising covenant children, dearly

beloved, is a high and a holy calling. Love and

nurture your children. but in the context of

the gospel and under the lordship of Christ.

By God's grace, there can be many generations

raised up who hope in him, who keep his commandments,

and who declare his praises to the next generation.

May the Lord help us all to be faithful in this

discipleship work for his glory and for the good

of our children, our grandchildren, and yes,

for the whole church. Let's pray.