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.

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