HEALTHY FAMILIES FOR ETERNITY

2. Children, obey your parents.
The second directive applies to how children
should relate to their parents:
“Children, obey your parents in the
Lord, for this is right”
Ephesians 6:1
[HERE YOU CAN USE A STORY OF
OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS]
Parents mean well for their children. They are not
being arbitrary when they ask, or tell, their children
to do something or when they forbid them from
doing something.
Ellen White makes a very important declaration
when she writes:
“One great reason why there is so much
evil in the world today is that parents
occupy their minds with other things
than that which is all—important—
how to adapt themselves to the work
of patiently and kindly teaching their
children the way of the Lord. If the
curtain could be drawn aside, we
should see that many, many children
who have gone astray have been lost to
good influences through this neglect.
Parents, can you afford to have it so in
your experience? You should have no
work so important that it will prevent
you from giving to your children all
the time that is necessary to make them
understand what it means to obey and
trust the Lord fully.”
White, 1952
The nature and results of obedience to parents is
so important that the Bible lists them. Among them
we find:
Children, obey your parents in all
things, for this pleases the Lord.
Colossians 3:20 (ESV)
Children, obey your parents in the
Lord, for this is right.
Ephesians 6:1 (ESV)
Hear, my son, your father’s
instruction, and forsake not your
mother’s teaching.
Proverbs 1:8 (ESV)
The first two directives give us clear guidelines
on how children should relate their parents. Honor
them, and obey them, are the overarching principles
in these two directives.
3. Parents, train your children.
But the Bible does not provide directives only in
one direction — how children should relate toward
their parents. The Bible also has directives to parents
so they know how to relate to their children.
The third directive we will consider today is
found in the Old Testament.
“Train up a child in the way he should
go, even when he is old he will not
depart from it.”
Proverbs 22:6
This text has brought confusion and
misunderstanding to parents at times.
The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
shares interesting insights:
Many parents have taken this verse as
sanction for forcing a child to follow
the profession or trade they think
he ought to. Thus they have brought
sorrow and disappointment upon
themselves, for the child, on growing
up, often goes an entirely different way.
The verse rather counsels parents to
learn the way in which their particular
child can be expected to be of most
service to himself and others, and in
which he will find most happiness. The
specific station in life appointed for a
man is determined by his capabilities.
To every individual God has assigned a
place in His great plan. God has equipped
man with the capabilities needed to
fill this special place. Therefore the
choice of a lifework should be in line
with the natural bent. The efforts of
SERMON
15
GOD’S PLAN FOR PARENTS AND CHILDREN