The Christian Home — Lesson Six
Introduction 1. God intended that there be children (Titus 2:3,4; I Tim. 3:2-4,13)
2. "Pray for the children who must live in the world which their parents have made for them."
I. The Purpose of Children
A. To replenish the earth (Gen. 1:28)
B. Gifts of God (Gen. 33:5)
I. There is pride in having children (Esther 5:10, 11)
2. There is unhappiness without children (I Sam. 1:5-11)
C. Blessed By Jesus (Mark 13:13-16)
II. How Children Are To Be Treated: Their Rights
A. Should be instructed in God's word (Deut. 6:4-7).
B. Trained in the right way (Prov. 22:6).
C. Discipline with love (Prov. 13:24; Col. 3:21).
D. A Home - more than just a house in which to live.
E. Love. Must first be loved to love. (I Jno. 4:19)
1. Provides a sense of being wanted. Discord, quarrelings and broken homes make a child feel insecure and unwanted.
2. Leads to antisocial attitude. Love is expressed in word and deed.
F. To be understood. 90% are normal; will develop in a normal way.
G. Fairness. Partiality causes inferiority complex. Esau and Jacob.
III. Duties of Children
A. Obey their parents (Ephesians 6:1-3).
B. Respect old age (I Peter 5:5).
C. Praise Jesus (Matt. 21:15,16)
D. Show Godly fear (Eccl. 12:I)
E. Show piety at home. (I Tim. 5:4)
IV. God's Curse On Ungrateful Children
A. The stubborn (Deut. 21:18-21)
B. The scorners (Prov. 30:17)
C. The Parent cursers (Lev. 20:9)
D. The Parent smiters (Ex. 21:15)
V. God's Special Care For Children
A. When forsaken (Psalms 27:10)
B. When seeking God (Prov. 8:17)
C. When in need (Isaiah 40:11)
The Aged In The Home — Lesson Seven
I. Our Responsibility To The Aged
A. Assist them in physical needs (I Tim. 5:4)
1. "Show piety," - kindness, gentleness, love and patience.
2. "Requite" - repay with love and tender regard the parents in their helpless old age for all the love, patience, sleepless care they took for us in helpless infancy.
3. "Towards their own family."
a. The church cared for widows who were without support (Acts 6, I Tim. 5:3-10)
4. To fail is to deny the faith (I Tim. 5:8)
5. More helpless than orphans.
B. Care of widows and aged in Old Testament
1. "Honor the face of the old man" (Lev. 19:32)
2. Widow and orphan to rejoicd during feast of weeks with others (Dent. 16:11)
3. Cursed if wrest justice from them (Deut. 27:19)
4. "Hearken unto father...despise not thy mother when she is old." (Provberbs 23:22)
5. God promised to make his people to dwell in their land if they oppressed not the sojouner, fatherless and widow, nor shed innocent blood, neither walk after other gods (Jeremiah 7:6).
C. Rebuke not an elder, but exhort him as a father; elder women as mothers. (I Tim. 5:1)
1. "Rebuke" is a shaarp castigation with words. Not to an elder (bishop) but to an old man. In contradistinction from "younger men."
2. "Rebuke not" doesn't borbid point out sin -(I Tim. 5:20)
a. Not to reprove in harsh, dictatorial, denunciatory manner.
b. "Reprove" and "entreat" rather than rebuke.
3. "The direction is an instance of that admirable propriety of conduct, based upon a true charity, which vital Christianity produces. A true Christian never forgets what is due to others, never `behaves himself unseemly"' - A. C. Hervey.
D. Respect enjoined.
1. "Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness." (Prov. 20:20)
2. "The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it." (Prov. 30:17)
II. Christ's Care For His Mother While On The Cross (John 19:25-27)
A. Why not commit her to the care of his brothers?
B. All are appointed as helpers of the helpless but few recognize the behest as John did.
III. Obligations Of The Older People (Titus 2:1-5)