How To Bend A Twig

Ephesians 6:1-4

Thesis: To give some guidelines in training children.

Introduction:

1. Good teachers become frustrated over students and their parents.

2. Parents are instrumental in training their children.

Discussion:

Bending a twig involves...

I. Being there.

A. Lance Armstrong, Bill Clinton, Quentin Tarantino & Tom Cruise all were fatherless

boys.

B. Families may be poor, but together is important.

C. 1 Sam. 8:5 (cf. Eli’s sons - 2:12-17, 22; 3:13)

D. “Train up…” (Prov. 22:6)

II. Overlooking harmless hang-ups.

A. Peter & John Mark (Acts 15:38; 1 Pet. 5:13)

B. Make few rules; enforce existing rules.

C. Learn to tolerate things that are not wrong morally.

III. Trusting your children..

A. Jesus trusted disciples with Great Commission evening after they “forsook all.”

Peter even denied Christ.

B. Paul trusted Philemon (Phmn. 21).

C. Barnabas trusted Saul (Acts 9:27) and John Mark (Acts 15:37).

IV. Beging firm. (Don’t be bullied.)

A. Fathers have responsibility (Eph. 6:4).

B. Public opinion doesn’t determine righteousness. Consider Noah.

C. Win battles & confrontations decisively.

V. Being vigilant.

Parenting never ends. Don’t give up; never give up!

Conclusion:

1. Children are important.

A. Re-organize your time.

B. Look past your child’s mistakes, and help them see forgiveness.

C. It may be that you need to restrict because trust has been broken; it may be that it’s

time for more responsibility to be given.

D. When specific problems occur with consistency, you as the parent need to step

back and re-evaluate. Plan to win.

E. There’s no quick fix for parenting. Parents are in it for the long haul.

2. Parents need to show children how to follow Christ. You cannot bend a twig by being

the last to show up, the first to leave, the slowest to volunteer, and the loudest to

complain.