Who’s Fault Is It?
'The parents have eaten sour
grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.'
Jerimiah 31:29-33 "In those days people will no longer say, 'The parents have
eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.' 30 Instead,
everyone will die for their own sin; whoever eats sour grapes--their own teeth
will be set on edge. 31 "The days are coming," declares the
LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with
the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with
their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because
they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the
LORD. 33
"This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after
that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and
write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
Children reflect their
parents.
You can take a child, any
child, and teach that child to be
an atheist,
or a thief,
or a liar,
or a prostitute.
The child reflects the
teaching of the fathers, the parents, the people who discipline and direct
the life of the child.
Some may try to say … We are not
responsible for our sins due to the bad behavior of our parents …
My Father was bad so I must be
bad…
·
“It may be true that I am a felon,
but I am not accountable, my father
was a felon.”
·
“It may be true that I am a drunkard,
but I am not responsible, my father
was a drunkard.”
·
“It may be true that I am a prostitute,
but I am not accountable, my mother was a prostitute.”
·
“It may be true that I am unbeliever
but I am not accountable, my parents were unbelievers.”
That is false doctrine. No
matter what our parents or what other influences are cast upon us we are
personally responsible for the choices we make in life!
A criminal is brought before the magistrate. And
as he stands there before the judge, he may say, “I know I am a drunkard, but I was born
a drunkard. I know I am a thief, but I was born a thief. I
know I am a prostitute, but I was born a prostitute. I am not
accountable.” There is no judge,
and no magistrate, or jury in the land that would ever accept such a
perverted doctrine.
So Who’s Fault Is It?
I.
What Falls on the Parents?
My Father; … When I was seven: My Dad was a genius … When I was
fourteen: My Dad is wrong many times. … When I was twenty: My Father is old
fashion and not up to things. … When I was twenty-five: The old man does not
know what he is talking about, he is out of touch with reality. … When I was
thirty five: With my experience my father should have been a millionaire. … When
I was forty-five: Maybe I should ask the old man. … When I was fifty-five: It’s
a shame the old man died, he had some good ideas. … Now that I’m seventy-five I
realize that my Dad was a genius
a.
Parents … both parents
have a responsibility to live as a model for their children.
b.
The ideal is for both
parents to live in a mutually loving respectful relationship.
c.
Your children see and
follow what you do!
d.
Your life decisions will
be seen in your children.
Matthew 7:9-11 "Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10
Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
11
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to
give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give
good gifts to those who ask him!
What about divorce?
e.
Divorce is a sin! … But God
forgives Sin!
f.
IN the circumstance
where one parent is abusive towards the other or towards the children … after
counseling with no results … divorce may be the only or best option.
The children should be spared as much of the pain as possible.
NO PARENT SHOULD EVER ABANDON THEIR
CHILDREN! (custodial care … ok)
g.
Children are never pawns
to be used in the battle of divorce!
h.
When a relationship
between a husband and wife fails … the children become the primary concern!
i.
Live to become models of
Christ to your children!
Johh_14:26 But
the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and
will remind you of everything I have said to you.
Isaiah 86:11 Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your
faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.
j.
Never be
afraid to apologize to your children … When you mess up admit it!
During a momentous battle, a Japanese general decided to attack
even though his army was greatly outnumbered. He was confident they would win,
but his men were filled with doubt. On the way to the battle, they stopped at a
religious shrine. After praying with the men, the general took out a coin and
said, "I
shall now toss this coin. If it is heads, we shall win. If it is tails we shall
lose. Destiny will now reveal itself." He threw the coin into the air and all
watched intently as it landed. It was heads. The soldiers were so overjoyed and
filled with confidence that they vigorously attacked the enemy and were
victorious. After the battle, a lieutenant remarked to the general, "No one can change
destiny." …"Quite right,"
the
general replied as he showed the lieutenant the coin, which had heads on both
sides.
II.
What falls
on the children
The
story is told of a young boy was driving a big hayrack down the road and it
turned over right in front of a farmer's house. The farmer came out and saw the
young boy crying and said, "Son, don't worry about this, we can fix it. Right now dinner's
ready. Why don't you come in and eat with us and then I'll help you put the hay
back on the rack." The boy said, "No, I can't. My father is going to be very angry with
me." The farmer said, "Now don't argue, just come in and have some lunch and you'll
feel better." The boy said, "I'm just afraid my father is going to be very angry with
me." The farmer and the young boy went inside and had dinner.
Afterwards, as they walked outside to the hayrack, the farmer said, "Well, don't you feel
better now?" The boy said, "Yes, but I just know that my father will be
very angry with me." The farmer said, "Nonsense. Where is your father anyway?" he boy said, "He's under that pile
of hay."
a. God’s Word tells us how to grow…
Luke 2:52 And
Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
b.
This verse
describes Jesus’ teenage years …
c.
It describes growth
in four areas
d.
Wisdom
|
Wisdom - the quality of having experience,
knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise. |
|
|
the soundness of an action or
decision with regard to the application of experience, knowledge, and good
judgment.
e.
Stature
i.
physically
Isaiah 1:17-20 Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the
oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. 18 "Come
now, let us settle the matter," says the LORD. "Though your sins are
like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat
the good things of the land; 20 but if you resist and rebel, you will be
devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
f. In
favor with God
1Thesalonians 4:1-7 As for other matters,
brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as
in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do
this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by
the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 It is God's will that you should be
sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;
4 that each of you should learn
to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in
passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong
or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who
commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us
to be impure, but to live a holy life.
g. (In favor with) Man
Why should I worry about getting along with other people?
In life… it is often not what you know that brings success … it is
often “Who you know” that will help you in life!
Zig Ziglar said … “You will get all you want in life, if you
help enough other people get what they want.”
The last legal hanging here in
Texas happened in a county seat. A young man broke into a home to steal things
of value. The home owners woke and confronted the intruder. The intruder
murdered both the home owner and his wife.
The young man was sentenced to
death by public hanging by the judge. They built the gallows on the court lawn.
The day of the hanging arrived and as was custom the judge asked, “Is there anything you would like to say
before you are hanged?” The young man responded, “Yes, Please bring me my mother.” The woman was brought forward. Her son said to her and all
present, “This is your fault! If you had
taken me to church when I was a child this would not have happened. If you had
taught me about your Jesus when I was little, I would not be hanging today.
This is all your fault!” The woman fainted and was taken away and the
young man died hanging at the end of a rope.
Yes,
things might have turned out differently had the young man come to know Jesus …
But it was not the mother’s fault …
It
is always ultimately and finally a matter of personal choice. I choose. No matter what my
“influencers” have done, I am personally responsible before God for what I do. I am accountable. We’re
not saved by nations. We’re not saved by cities. We’re
not saved by communities. We’re not even saved by families, or
by clans, or by tribes. We are saved one at
a time. We are saved individually. Each one of
us is born individually. Each one of us shall die
individually. And each one of us shall be judged individually, one
by one. No matter the clan, or the family, or the state, or the
nation, or the church, I stand before God individually. I am
condemned for my sins or I am justified in Christ from my sins.
But it is I individually accountable and responsible unto God.
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