Five Things Every Kid (Person) Needs

Posted on Feb 14, 2010 in Sermons | Comments Off

Speaker: Andrew Brown
Key Passage: 1 Thess. 2:6b-12
Date: 14 Feb 2010

Elevator: Every kid needs key spiritual relationships

I. Last week we talked about how if you combine the red heart of the family with the yellow light of the church you create a powerful new combination that we call ‘orange.’  This combination is far more effective than either on it’s own at spiritually uplifting the next generation.

Now many of you know this, but to quite a few of you this concept is completely new.  It’s not what you were taught or grew up with.  It’s not all that familiar.  What we are talking about is making a complete paradigm change in the way that we disciple our kids and each other.  It’s a new way of seeing and thinking.

I think it’s important at the outset today to talk about why this is so important.

The first reason is biblical.  In 1 Thess. 2:6-12 Paul talks about the way he treats the Thessalonians.  (Let’s read it together).  Paul says, “(6) As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, (7) but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.  (8) We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.  (9) Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.  (10) You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.  (11) For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, (12) encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.”

In this passage Paul talks about the roles of mothers and fathers.  He talks about mothers gently caring for their children so that they share not only their own lives with them, but also the gospel.  He talks about Dads encouraging, comforting and urging their kids to live lives worthy of God.  The spiritual behaviour of parents is the model and inspiration for Paul the apostle’s actions.  So if you are a parent or a grandparent today, you have a responsibility to spiritually care for your children.

The second reason is because of the impact parents have.  Do you have any idea of the impact parents can have on their kids?  Look at this clip made by an American church [Clip: Gumballs 1:52]

Now that’s just about the hours available to parents, but imagine the collective hours of everyone here if we harnessed them?  You all have a part to play to reaching the next generation so you need to know the five things every kid (indeed every person) needs.

(A) 1. The first thing a kid needs is A REALLY BIG GOD they can trust no matter what. Kids should grow up knowing that God is big enough to handle whatever they may face.  Kids need to grow up knowing that there is a God that they can depend upon.

This of course has been my family’s situation this week.

For those of you who don’t know several weeks ago Nan Yong was diagnosed with breast cancer.

I want to say thank you to all of you for your love and support.  Heart warming and humbling.

But how do you prepare for this?  Hardship is a great teacher, but so often our faith can be threatened by events that seem to overwhelm us.

E.g. unemployment, disappointment, life threatening cancer

With kids I believe you also have to lay the groundwork before you get there

Faith Five has helped us

Describe: 1-5

Over the last year –talked about highs and lows, e.g. close friends wife died of cancer at the end of last year, praying for Harrison Ford to be come a Christian!

When Nan discovered her cancer it was natural to share it as a low and then to prayer about it.  (More bookmarks if you need it)

Helped Wesley and us know that God is big enough to handle whatever happens.

(K) 2. The second thing a kids needs is SOMEONE ELSE who believes what they believe. Kids need friends who will encourage them to grow in their faith

Proverbs 13:20 “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.”

(A) 3. The third things kids need is ANOTHER VOICE saying the same things parents say. As children grow older it becomes more important to have other adults in their lives as spiritual mentors and leaders

Think for a moment ‘who was a significant adult in your early life?’

Several years ago, asked to write a letter to the person who influenced you most in your faith –someone you hadn’t thanked.

The man I chose you wouldn’t credit it looking at him.  My parents taught me so much, but under his care I learnt you could be a Christian and man.  How to survive in the wild, handle a rifle, exercise self-control and take leadership.  Don’t know if any one ever really thanked him, but he was our BB captain for 21 years.

Children and young people need people like him -adults in the church, teachers, and youth pastors, spiritual grandparents, who can complement what their parents are saying.  They need people who can round out what their family is saying.

In short they need you.

(A) 4. But kids also need UNCOMMON SENSE to help them make wise choices

God’s point of view and His truth should become the filter for how kids view life and make decisions

What happens, as they grow older is that kids authority need to transition from parents and church to the Bible

The Bible needs to be the basis upon which they make decisions.

In this way they gain access to the voices of the past and beyond that to God

Requires:

a. Knowledge and love of the Bible,

b. Conversations about life and scripture

It’s not about just making ‘right’ choices, but ‘wise’ ones.

WWJD?

(K) 5. NOSY PARENTS who know where their kids are spiritually

Kids need parents who will be intentional about spending time together as a family and staying actively involved in their children spiritual growth.

Slide 1 – INTENTIONAL

Slide 2 - TOGETHER)

Slide 3 – Deut 6: 4-9 “Fix these words of mine on your hearts and minds.  Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.”

Slide 4 – INVOLVED

Slide 5 – Start by asking yourself the following questions:

1.  What do I want my child to become?

Provs 3:5,6     Matt 22: 37-40

2.  Where are they now?

3.  How can I help them to take the next step?

Slide 6 – PRAY

C. What we’ve talked about today is that kids (and you) need five key relationships: God, someone else, another voice, the Bible (past), and their parents.

Choose one to work on.  Don’t have to explain it.  Turn to person beside you and name it.  Now mark it on your insert.

Let’s pray…