The Importance of Christian Education :: 7/8/12 PM

 

The Importance of Christian Education

Deut. 6:4-9

Intro: We live in a society where the young people are embarrassingly ignorant!  They can’t communicate in clear sentences.   They can’t speak English, they can’t pull their pants up, they can’t wear a belt, they can’t comb their hair, they can’t figure out how an iron works, how a long mower works, how to fill out a job application or talk to older people.

I believe that the children of Christian should be superior to the rest of the world.

ILLUSTRATION: Daniel and his 3 friends in Daniel 1:20 were TEN TIMES BETTER!!

Here at Pleasant View Baptist Church, we have a Christian school.  We love our school and we are proud of our staff and their efforts.  We appreciate the parents that trust us to educate their children.  In 19 years of preaching, I’ve never preached a message on this subject, but tonight I want to focus on this ministry and why we continue to have it.

Christian Education is Important because…

I. Our Children are Priceless Treasures

• Psalms 127:3  Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

A. They need to be Cared for Physically

• 1 Timothy 5:8  But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

This means their physical necessities, i.e. clothes, shoes, hair, teeth, etc.

If you are going to have children, then you need to provide for them!

It’s not anybody else’s responsibility to raise your children.  Let’s take this obligation SERIOUS!

B. They need to be Consecrated Spiritually

• I Samuel 1:27, 28  For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD

We need to remember that our children are FROM God and we are raising them FOR God!

Let’s keep up guards, firewalls, barriers and protect them from the world.

They belong to God, so let’s keep them separated, and sanctified unto the Master’s use.

Are we raising a generation of kids that God can use?

C. They need to be Cultivated Mentally

• Prov. 1:2-6  To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;  To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

Making sure our children are challenged and encouraged to be all they can be is VITAL.

They need to be encouraged to READ, STUDY, APPLY THEMSELVES and be all they can be.

Don’t let your children’s much crying stop you!

Don’t let your children complain about their schoolwork, studying, etc.  Teach them to apply themselves.

NOTE: TV is not a source of mental cultivation!

A-MUSEment – A means opposite – MUSE means to think – AMUSEMENT is THE OPPOSITE OF THINKING!

II. Our Children need Practical Teaching

A. Their Teaching needs to be Diligent – Deut. 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently…

This means it is STRUCTURED – not fly-by-night, ad-libbing – but a prepared, thought out, predetermined lesson.

B. Their Teaching needs to be Daily – not sporadic; but consistent

It’s not the ONCE IN A WHILE lessons that will transform lives; it’s the DAY BY DAY lesson COUPLED WITH RELATIONSHIP

This verse demonstrates a TIME CONSUMING ENDEAVOR – starting in the morning, and ending with going to bed.

Training children is a DAILY, ALL DAY LONG process.

Church won’t replace ALL DAY LONG training.

Family altar won’t replace ALL DAY LONG training.

C. Their Teaching needs to be Designated – bind them for a sign upon thine hand; they shall be as frontlets

Their education should be PERSONAL, PRACTICAL, PERMENANT AND A PRIORITY.

Their education (or lack of it) will be literally “WRITTEN ALL OVER THEIR FACE” and seen in their handiwork.

We focus on ACADEMIC teaching, SPEECH, MUSIC, and CHARACTER BUILDING, BIBLICAL teaching.

III. Our Children deserve Personal Triumphs

A. They deserve to be Strong in their Faith

• II Tim. 3:14  But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

He was taught the Scriptures as a child, and it prepared him for a life of ministry and Christian leadership.

Our children need to know what the Bible says and where it says it!

They need to memorize it, apply it, know it, walk it, be grounded in the Word of God.

B. They deserve to be Spiritual in their Family

• Psalms 144:12  That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:

Do our children even know what it means to be SPIRITUAL?

Do they see SPIRITUAL ADULTS in their family and in their church?

C. They deserve to be Stable in their Finances

There is a direct connection between lack of education and poverty.

Education is key to success.

Being illiterate is nothing to brag about.

Learn all you can, and apply it.

They need to learn how to work, how to hold down a job, how to make money, and how to manage it.

They deserve the opportunity to be successful – it’s up to us to insure that they get that chance.