Messy Parenting, Part 1 | Listen to Sermon Audio
Messy Parenting, Part 1 - SERMON NOTES
Below are Pastor Ben's sermon notes from this past Sunday, in case they may be helpful for further study. To listen to the sermon, click the link above.
Intro: (1) intro to parenting (2) ownership vs. stewardship (3) Tripp book
God
1. God offers grace: (1) past vs. present vs. future (2) calling not based in ability (3) 2 Cor. 12:9 —ability = pride (4) God calls us to that which exposes our hearts — more like children than unlike them (cf. responding to their shortcomings) (5) God parents us as we parent
2. God offers rest: (1) burden of parenting (p.180) — goal is NOT academics, athletics, future career, popularity, religious activity (3) Mt. 28:18-20 — lifelong followers of Christ (4) no control over this — dependent on authority and presence of Christ (cf. Mt. 11:28-29) (5) faithfulness vs. results
Parents
1. Parenting is a process: (1) “I’ve tried everything” — how do you know? (cf. p.86) (2) 1 Tim. 1:14-16 — model for parenting (3) communication principle — many small conversations for few big ones (cf. fried egg Sundays) (4) children leave home unfinished (cf. John 16:12-13)
2. Parenting is NOT our identity: (1) all looking for purpose — horizontal or vertical (2) Galatians 2:20 — our pre-Christ selves are crucified, no longer defined horizontally (4) parenting as identity both natural and miserable (5) symptoms — reputation, control, activity, personal
Children
1. Children are spiritually lost: (1) behavior vs. condition (2) sin as being lost — parables in Luke 15 (sheep, coin, son) (3) we get lost, God goes out of his way to find us — application to parenting (4) reacting to behaviors vs. responding to hearts (toddlers, teens) (5) Eph. 4:15 — truth and love
2. Children need authority: (1) “self-appointed sovereigns” — we are all naturally at the center of our own worlds (2) 2 Cor. 5:15 — only the gospel can free us from living for ourselves — not possible through tone, force of personality, physical size, threats (3) God parents us as we parent
Conclusion: the need for community