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1 Corinthians Lesson 14
Copyright 1999 John Creamer All Rights Reserved Questions: What are the arguments today for and against parents disciplining children…specifically
physical discipline? (Depending on the age of the group)… Did any of you have a school
principal who had a ‘paddle’ and the authority to use it? If so, did your parents ever warn you about what would happen if the
principal ever had to use it to discipline you? Why might some parents be afraid to discipline their children physically? Overview: The Scriptural role of the parents is to 1 Teach their children about God 2 Discipline their children The role of the children is to 3 Obey their parents 4 Respect and care for their parents To the Parents… (Deuteronomy 4:9 NIV) Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely
so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip
from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to
their children after them. What are the parents admonished to be careful about first—before
they were instructed what to do with their children? Why does it make sense to be firm in your own heart before you teach
anything about God to the children? How many generations of offspring are the parents held responsible (Two.) Why do you think God wanted this ‘overlap’ in teaching the
children about Him? (Grandparents can reinforce the instruction by the
parents…or fill in the absence of instruction by the parents.) (Deuteronomy 6:6-9 NIV) These commandments that I give you today are
to be upon your hearts. {7} 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. {8} Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind
them on your foreheads. {9} Write them on the doorframes of your houses
and on your gates. People sometimes think that telling their children about God requires
a designated, once-for-all session with them to explain God…sorta
like the ‘Birds and the Bees’ talk just before puberty. According
to these verses, what is a better idea? Why is it a good idea for God’s commandments to ‘be upon (the
parent’s) heart’ before they ‘impress them on (their) children’?
(Perhaps children can sense the difference between—and respond more
favorably to—parents ‘sharing the things with them that are
on their heart’ versus parents ‘decreeing to them the things
on their agenda’.) Discipline… Note: Hopefully the members of the group will understand that ‘discipline’
does not mean ‘child abuse’. (Proverbs 13:24 NIV) He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who
loves him is careful to discipline him. What does this verse say about the person who does not discipline their
child? (Hates him.) (Proverbs 19:18 NIV) Discipline your son, for in that there is hope;
do not be a willing party to his death. What does this verse say discipline does for a child? (Gives them hope.) What does it say withholding it will do? What does the phrase ‘a willing party to his death’ strongly
suggest? (Lack of discipline is a killer. If this is true, what will happen
to many kids today?) (Proverbs 22:15 NIV) Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but
the rod of discipline will drive it far from him. What is the popular term for ‘folly bound up in the heart’?
(Attitude!!!) Have you ever known a child with an ‘attitude’? What are some things you would expect a child to go through in life if
he/she never got rid of the ‘attitude’? How does this verse say to get rid of the ‘attitude’? (Proverbs 22:6 NIV) Train a child in the way he should go, and when
he is old he will not turn from it. Do you think this verse is about teaching kids about God or about discipline?
(Both.) (Proverbs 23:13-18 NIV) Do not withhold discipline from a child; if
you punish him with the rod, he will not die. {14} Punish him with the
rod and save his soul from death. {15} My son, if your heart is wise,
then my heart will be glad; {16} my inmost being will rejoice when your
lips speak what is right. {17} Do not let your heart envy sinners, but
always be zealous for the fear of the LORD. {18} There is surely a future
hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. Which do these verses talk about…teaching children about God, or
discipline? (Both.) What does verse 14 say discipline will do for the child? (Proverbs 29:15 NIV) The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child
left to himself disgraces his mother. Many times the parent is afraid to discipline the child and would rather
‘be a friend’. What does this verse say the result will be? …and the Failure To Do So… (1 Samuel 3:12-13 NIV) At that time I will carry out against Eli everything
I spoke against his family--from beginning to end. {13} For I told him
that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about;
his sons made themselves contemptible, and he failed to restrain them. 1 Samuel 2:12 tells us; “Eli's sons were wicked men; they had no regard for the LORD.” According to verse 13, who did God hold responsible for their becoming
this way? What God specifically say Eli had failed to do in verse 13? What comment does this passage make about the role of the parent in the
lives of their children? (1 Kings 1:5-6 NIV) Now Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, put himself
forward and said, "I will be king." So he got chariots and horses
ready, with fifty men to run ahead of him. {6} (His father had never interfered
with him by asking, "Why do you behave as you do?" He was also
very handsome and was born next after Absalom.) Adonijah’s brother Solomon had already been named as successor to the throne of Israel. What was Adonijah doing in verse 5? According to verse 6, who is responsible for Adonijah’s self-aggrandizing,
egocentric behavior? (See the translation below.) What comment does this passage make about the role of the parent in the
lives of their children? (1 Kings 1:5-6 NLT) About that time David's son Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, decided to make himself king in place of his aged father. So he provided himself with chariots and horses and recruited fifty men to run in front of him. {6} Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, "What are you doing?" Adonijah was a very handsome man and had been born next after Absalom. When the children obey… (Ephesians 6:1-4 NIV) Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for
this is right. {2} "Honor your father and mother"--which is
the first commandment with a promise-- {3} "that it may go well with
you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." {4} Fathers,
do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training
and instruction of the Lord. Verse 2 restates the 5th commandment of the Ten Commandments. (The first
four deal with our relationship with God, so this is God’s first
instruction to us on our relationships with other people.) What is the
‘promise’ granted to those who keep this commandment? How important would you say the proper parent/child relationship is to
God then? (Ephesians 6:1-4 NIV) Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for
this is right. {2} "Honor your father and mother"--which is
the first commandment with a promise-- {3} "that it may go well with
you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." {4} Fathers,
do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training
and instruction of the Lord. The 5th commandment is restated in the New Testament…along with
an addendum to the fathers. How does Scripture quoting Scripture heighten
the importance God places on the proper parent/child relationship? (Proverbs 17:6 NIV) Children's children are a crown to the aged, and
parents are the pride of their children. When everything is done the way God instructs, what is the relationship
between children, parents and grand-parents? (Proverbs 23:22-25 NIV) Listen to your father, who gave you life,
and do not despise your mother when she is old. {23} Buy the truth and
do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline and understanding. {24} The father
of a righteous man has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him.
{25} May your father and mother be glad; may she who gave you birth rejoice! As the parents get older, how are their children instructed to treat
them? (Listen to father, don’t despise mother, make them glad, give
cause to rejoice.) (Mark 7:8-13 NIV) You have let go of
the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."
{9} And he said to them: "You have
a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your
own traditions! {10} For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother,'
and, 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' {11}
But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: 'Whatever help
you might otherwise have received from me is Corban' (that is, a gift
devoted to God), {12} then you no longer let him do anything for his father
or mother. {13} Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that
you have handed down. And you do many things like that." These people thought they had the best excuse going for not helping their
parents in their later years…“Mom and Dad, we’d love to
help, but we’ve decided we would save the money we were going to
give you to live off of and give it to God later.” How impressed
was Jesus with their excuse for not taking care of their parents? If Jesus didn’t care too much for this excuse, is there any that
would justify a child not caring for the parents late in their life? What reasons do people have today for not caring for their parent(s)
late in life? Do you think God ‘buys’ any of them? (Genesis 6:9 NIV) This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous
man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. (Genesis
6:22 NIV) Noah did everything just as God commanded him. What kind of man do verses 6:9 and 6:22 say Noah was? What did Noah do (9:21)? Verse 9:22…what did Ham do? (He exposed his father’s imperfections.) Verse 23…what did Noah’s other two sons do? (They covered his
imperfections.) What did this do to the relationship between Noah and Ham? …between
Noah and Shem and Japheth?
Overview: The Scriptural role of the parents is to 5 Teach their children about God 6 Discipline their children The role of the children is to 7 Obey their parents 8 Respect and care for their parents 9 Close with Prayer. Other Scriptures on the family… (Psalms 127:3-5 NIV) Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward
from him. {4} Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's
youth. {5} Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will
not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.
(Psalms 128:2-4, 6 NIV) You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings
and prosperity will be yours. {3} Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.
{4} Thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD. … and may you live
to see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel. (Proverbs 15:20 NIV) A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish
man despises his mother. (Proverbs 20:11 NIV) Even a child is known by his actions, by whether
his conduct is pure and right. (Proverbs 27:11 NIV) Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart; then
I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt. (Proverbs 29:3 NIV) A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth. (Proverbs 17:21 NIV) To have a fool for a son brings grief; there is
no joy for the father of a fool. (Proverbs 17:25 NIV) A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness
to the one who bore him. (Proverbs 28:24 NIV) He who robs his father or mother and says, "It's
not wrong"-- he is partner to him who destroys. (Proverbs 30:17 NIV) "The eye that mocks a father, that scorns obedience
to a mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten
by the vultures. (Colossians 3:17-21 NIV) And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. {18} Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. {19} Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. {20} Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. {21} Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. |