Christian Family

We return to our series on the Christian Family and consider how children are to be brought to maturity to the point where they might enter into the communicant membership of the Church. We consider what they need to know in order to discern the Lord's body and blood, how we may discern faith and the fruit of repentance in them, as well as an exhortation that children show godly maturity before taking their place at Christ's Table and as communing members of the congregation. All with the goal that the Lord would lead all of our children to the Table with true saving faith in Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:28-31.

We continue our series on the Christian family and consider the theme of Education. We find that the education of covenant children must be God-centered, for they belong to Him. All education is moral and so our youth must be educated with a curriculum that posits that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Education has several aims including the imparting of morals and the creation of citizens. The question is what kingdom our children will be educated to become citizens of. Proverbs 9:10 and other pertinent texts. DUE TO TECHNICAL ISSUES, THE VIDEO WAS NOT RECORDED.

We return to our series on the Christian Family and deal with a theme that is sadly necessary in a world of sin - divorce. We find the Lord's teaching is challenging in a day of no fault divorces and see the Lord's allowance for Biblical divorces as well as under what parameters one can remarry in the Lord. In addition, the congregation will be exhorted to always remember that divorce must not be sought out by Christians apart from the counsel of the Church, as "the corruption of man be such as is apt to study arguments, unduly to put asunder those whom God hath joined together in marriage" (WCF 24.6). Will be preached from Matthew 19:1-12 and 1 Corinthians 7:8-15

We continue our series on The Christian Family and consider the vital need to gain our children's heart as we consider the Proverb, "my son, give me thine heart". As a child's heart will lead them, we must not see our aim in parenting as behavior management, but instead, to draw the heart of a child to the Lord Jesus, understanding that a child whose heart seeks to be compliant to Christ's will is the goal in parenting. Proverbs 23:13-26.

We return to our series on the family, and open up the immense topic of discipline. We consider the need for discipline especially in a day where children seem to rule the roost at home and are unruly. We find that godly discipline, according to God, is an expression of love. We will consider several of the tools available to the Christian parent out of the Word of God, and how discipline is to be balanced through a variety of means suited for each child's temperament and stage of life. Will be preached from Hebrews 12:4-11.

We return to our series on the family and having considered our need to evangelize our children, we consider our need to disciple them by the Word of God, a process that the Lord likens to "sharpening" them as one might sharpen an arrow or a blade. We see the totality of how the Word of God is meant to fill their lives from an early age and some of the ways that we are called to not only sharpen them, but keep them from growing dull. Deuteronomy 6:4-12.

We return to our Christian Family series and hear of the duty parents have to evangelize their own covenant children. That they are to remind their covenant children that they "must be born again". Not presuming their children are regenerate but instead ensuring they constantly hear of their need to turn to the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. The text is John 3:7.

We continue our sub-series on raising children in the Christian Family series and turn our attention to the fountain of parents' duties to their children in the Lord: to love them. Biblical, not worldly, love. This means that there is a self-sacrificial nature to loving children - even when loving them might cause them to turn on you. (1 Thess. 2:7-8; 2 Cor. 12:14-15).

We continue our series on the Christian Family and consider the primary 2nd Table duty that children have - which is to give honor to their parents in the heart, in their speech, and their outward obedience. Will be preached from Ephesians 6:1-3.

We return to our series on the Christian Family and begin our sub-series on Children. Before looking at specific duties in child-rearing and duties children owe to parents, we start this sub-series by considering a theology of children that we might better understand our duties to the Lord in having and raising children in future sermons. Preached from Psalm 127.