How do we transmit these values to our children? In Luke 18, Jesus related the parable of the unjust judge. At the end of the parable, he asked this question, "when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
The question isn't answered. It's an open ended question. I don't have to tell you that the decision to exercise faith is an individual decision. Our children must make up their own minds about their faith. However, children do not reach adulthood in a vacuum. What we believe when we reach adulthood is determined in large measure by how they have been educated and influenced.
WHAT IS THE REAL KEY?
I'm concerned about so many negative influences in today's world. We hear a lot about: peer pressure, media influence, effects of advertising. And our the secular culture. All these are significant concerns.
When some of our young people don't turn out well, we are quick to point the finger of blame at others. From government to Sunday School classes. Finger pointing doesn't solve the problem.
We need to find the real key to developing faith in our young and put our emphasis there. Here's the real key.
The real key is INVOLVEMENT OF AND EXAMPLE SET BY THE PARENTS! The Bible says; Deuteronomy 6:6-7
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up
That's a command of Moses and is addressed to parents.
Here are some Old Testament examples:
Jereboam, the first king of Israel, is an example of the value of our teaching of values
1 Kings 15:26 "He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, walking in the ways of his father and in his sin, which he had caused Israel to commit."
What led Jereboam down the wrong path? It was the influence of his father.
The other side of the coin, we have this picture of King Jehoshaphat
1 Kings 22:43
In everything he walked in the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD.
Paul described his relationship to the church at Thessalonica, 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 "For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory."
He was talking about his relationship to the church, but in the process, he got into the matter of what parents do. They encourage, comfort, and urge their children to live lives worthy of God. Do you doubt the power of parental influence? Read the story of the great leader, Timothy.
Acts 16:1 says that his mother was a Jewess and a believer and his father was a Greek. He was probably a pagan. It appears that Eunice didn't get any help from dear old Dad.
Paul wrote to Timothy, 2 Timothy 1:5, " I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also."
It's a lot better if you've got both parents going in the same direction. However, it can be done by one parent who loves the Lord. HOW? Parents have the key that unlocks the heart of the child for a life of faith. How do they get the door open?
1. Develop YOUR Christian character.
You can't give what you don't have. It's foolish to expect to be able to communicate faith to the next generation if you don't have faith. In Paul's second letter to the church at Corinth he said: 2 Corinthians 13:5, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith."
To pass on values, you must give attention to your inward character strengths. You cannot give your faith away if you don't have a strong faith yourself. That's where you need to start. Just scolding our children doesn't work. Making them feel guilty doesn't get the job done.
2. We have to set an example.
There's no way to overstate the power of an example. The greatest sermons don't come from the pulpit they come from those who live quality Christian lives.
Sir Rowland Hill once said, "We can do more good by being good than any other way."
Paul said about the church in Thessalonica; 1 Thessalonians 1:7 ". . . you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia"
Titus was told in Titus 2:7-8, "In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us."
Peter told the elders that they must be "examples to God's flock" It is important for: preachers, elders, all authority figures, It is more important for parents to set a good example.
According to the scriptures, parents have more to do with the formation of a child's values than anyone else. But if your life is a contradiction of the faith you profess, don't expect your child to want to walk in the way of faith.
Will Rogers said; "People's minds are changed through observation not through argument."
3. Spend time with your children.
I'm tired of hearing parent saying, "Oh, but the time I do spend is quality time." Quality time means lots of time. Read the Deuteronomy passage again. The parents in those verses are with the children: when they sit at home, when they walk along the road, when they lie down and when they get up. That's time.
We are busy! It takes creative scheduling! Sometimes it means losing something in another part of your life to spend time with children at an age when the moment can't be recaptured. Children need to be with us to see our struggles to grow in the faith and learn from us in the struggle.
4. Children must be instructed and disciplined.
Eli and Samuel set powerful examples for their sons, but their sons were not the kind of men they were. Eli's boys were as ungodly as they come.What was the problem? Listen to the comment of 1 Samuel 3:13, ". . . he failed to restrain them."
Young people need to grow up in a loving and warm atmosphere. I believe in fun. We need to spend meal times together. Fun, food, and fellowship alone will not get the job done.A child needs to hear the Word of God. A child needs to hear words of rebuke. A child even needs to feel the rod of correction.
Hebrews 12:11 "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
CONCLUSION:
When our Lord comes will he find faith on the earth? Will our children have faith? As parents we hold the answer to these questions.
Fathers you have the key!!