Word of Salvation – Vol.14 No.40 – September 1968

 

Preparing Children For Heaven

 

Sermon by Rev. P.J. Berghouse, Th. Grad., on Ephesians 6:4.

Scripture Readings:  1Samuel 2:22-26; Hebrews 12:4-13

Suggested Hymns:

Psalter Hymnal:  89 (New); 235:2,3; 272: 2,3 (Law); 443 (Creed); 311; 298:2; 493

 

Beloved of the Lord Jesus Christ,

Many children like this text!  Especially the first part of it: “Fathers, provoke not your children to anger”.

The story is told of one youngster who was due again for a spanking one day.  This particular time, it was not long after he had read our text.  Of course he wanted to escape the punishment as much as you and I would, and so he reacted as though he were very angry.  When his father asked what all the fuss was about, the young man quoted this text.

The father looked puzzled.  Not because he had never heard of the text, but:.. HOW could he explain the true meaning of it to his boy?  “Son”, he asked, “how would you like it if I never, ever punished you again?”

Well, just imagine the reaction!!  “Never to be punished again….. that was too good to be true!”  That evening, the boy found a paper-clipping under his pillow.  It was a letter written by a lady, about to die from cancer.  In her letter she appealed to all parents to give more positive guidance to their children, and to be stricter at the early stages.  Underneath was a note: Please read Proverbs Ch.22:15; Ch.23:13,14 and Ch.29:15.  And Hebrews 12:11.  (Reader quote this);

This set the boy thinking —– “unpleasant at the time, but bearing fruits of righteousness after!”.

And then these verses in Proverbs!

Perhaps it would not be such a good idea after all, if he would never receive punishment again!

Boys and girls, have YOU ever stopped to think how many people there are in prison today, because their parents never gave them a hiding the first time they needed it?

You see, NOW, in prison, they are angry (bitter), because they wonder if their parents really cared ABOUT them.  (Notice: “ABOUT them”, for perhaps their parents did care FOR them, in that they gave them everything they wanted, but that is different from “caring about”).  And they also wonder if their parents really LOVED them.  That is —- loved them enough, to give them a hiding in time, to teach them where they went wrong.  This must be a terrible feeling for any person; to think that way about parents, mustn’t it?

Well, unfortunately, there ARE parents who cause their children to have such feelings.  But there is one Father who is NOT like that at all.  THAT Father had one of His servants, Paul by name, write a letter to the Church at Ephesus.  And in that letter he warns parents that they must look after children in a very special way: They must take good care that the children will NOT have any reason to feel bitter like those people in prison.  But rather they must “bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord,” so that they may feel joyful and glorify God.

By having this written to the parents, our Father in heaven shows that He does care about His children!

He also cares about “grown-ups” as well as little children.  The Bible calls them all “children of God”.  Many people seem to think that religion is for children only ——-you know —— Sunday-school and all that stuff.  But there are also many who seem to think that it is for “grown-ups” only!  They look upon children as “minors” — being under age.  One Dutch poet is quoted as saying: “children are hindrances”.  And more than one language has a separate way of addressing children (in Dutch;jij and jou.) and you are not allowed to use these terms for “grownups”, “official people” etc., because that is not showing due respect!!

But God does care about His children young and old.  He respects each one of them, and He also LOVES them.  In fact He loves them so much, that He sent His Son Jesus Christ away from heaven – to this earth – to suffer deeper misery than any man has ever suffered – yes, even to die on the Cross – IN ORDER THAT He could pick up God’s children – out of that very misery – and bring them away from this earth – to live with their Father in Heaven.  God did all that – because that is how badly He wants His children to come and enjoy eternal life with Him.  THAT is how much God loves little children too!

But, when little toddlers grow up, sometimes the parents will say: “Well — Johnny-boy is growing up —— he is starting to become naughty”.  What they mean of course is not that their child becomes naughty, but that the naughtiness is starting to show up!  It is coming out into the open!  And that is the time when God tells parents: “I love my Children, therefore —— bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord”.  THAT is what God commands parents.  THAT is the responsibility of the parents!  And if that is done properly, then the children will not be angry, although it is not pleasant at the time.  They may not be angry because it is “of the Lord“.  They will not be angry because it brings them to the Lord.

Let us now see what is meant by this command to “bring up the children in the discipline and instruction OF THE LORD”.  Paul writes: “to bring up”.  In the language in which he wrote, that implied: to nourish, to feed, to promote health and strength as well as to educate.  “To bring up” is by far the best translation, because it expresses the idea that we must think of a continual process!  Bringing up children is a full time job.  It starts at the time of conception, and goes on till they have reached maturity.  ALL that time, it is the parents’ to care for them ——- materially and spiritually.  Because they are GOD’S children, God wants them to live to HIS Glory all that time, and for ever after.

You see, many people think (and act) as if the life that we live now is “IT”.  They do not stop to consider the fact that there IS a life hereafter; many people do not even believe in eternal life at all.  Therefore they only live for this life.  Everything they think and do is connected with this world only.  And they prepare their children for this world only!  Of course, when things go wrong, such people have nothing to “hang on to”.  They become disappointed, disillusioned, and finally desperate.  But God says: This life is but a “portal to heaven”.  Here, children are being PREPARED – and later they must prepare themselves – for the life hereafter.  In this world we are “getting ready” for Heaven.

Before we go any further, let us look at the way the world prepares the children.

The best way to do this is to examine the basic principles of “state education”.  From year to year these principles are published in some form or another, during “Education Week”.

Of course we must remember that this is STATE education.  The “state” as we have it is NOT taking “eternal life” into consideration.  Therefore it is clear that this state education MUST be limited to THIS present life only.  This can be seen, for instance, in the Victorian Education Department’s leaflet for 1968.  The theme was: “Education for greater understanding”.  These are some of the things that were stated: (Quote) “No longer are we content with rote learning (i.e, learning by heart).  We are continually urging pupils to ask “How?” and “Why?”…. The reason is that the world is changing so rapidly….  We have to try to give them understanding of the LIFE AROUND THEM, ….. and perhaps enable them to direct the changes to more worth-while ends”, (unquote).

Then these more “worth-while ends” are indicated to be “Peace and SHARED PROSPERITY”.  The Minister for Education in his message called for: progress in the field of HUMAN relations and says: “Tolerance and understanding must replace intolerance, ignorance and prejudice”.  The Minister concludes by stating that the world’s future is in the hands of the educators of today,

From the human point of view, there is much truth in all this.  Perhaps even more than we care to admit.  There is also scope for a Christian interpretation of these statements.  And Victoria is blessed with many opportunities to do just this.  The Education Department itself even prefers to speak of “Religious Education” rather than of “Religious Instruction”, and Churches are given the opportunity to take special periods at the State Schools in order to present the Christian point of view.  For all this we cannot be thankful enough towards our Father in Heaven, who has opened these doors.

But the fact remains that the official Policy of the State is, basically humanistic…..  MAN is in the centre.  Children are prepared for this life ONLY.  It does not need a very close examination to discover that the State does NOT “bring up the children in the discipline and instruction OF THE LORD Jesus Christ”.  Of the Lord, who alone is able to throw light on the questions “How?” and “Why?”  HE and He alone is able to “give understanding of the life around us”  (He does not have to try; He DOES).  Only the Lord Jesus Christ does renew (in depth) the human relations, because it is HE who restores man’s relationship to his Holy Creator.  And the only “worth-while end” is NOT human, is NOT the sharing of prosperity alone, but: it is GOD’S GLORY and the sharing of His grace and mercy first!  Then, as a result of that, man will begin to share his material goods too.  And that even long before he has reached the stage of “prosperity”.

Thus we must recognise that the present “state system” cannot be fitted into the demand, to “bring up” the children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.  And it is clear from our text that it is the responsibility of the parents to recognise that the hours spent at school ALSO are included in this demand.

Let us finally see what is implied in this “bring up”.  Two things are mentioned: “discipline and instruction” (R.S.V.).  The word “discipline” implies: correction and chastisement.  But how this is understood, depends on whether one looks at it from the Christian – or the worldly point of view.

Plato defined discipline in terms of drawing, and leading children through persuasive talking.  Early this century the slogan of the worldly wisdom was: “build schools and you can break down prisons”.  Today (things have not changed all that much), the idea is that greater understanding may result in a better world.  In short, the wisdom of the world says: UNDERSTANDING does it all!”

But the Bible takes a different view.  The book of Proverbs speaks of the “rod of correction”.  The New Testament also speaks of “chastisement”; that is, punishment motivated by love.  Yes, God in His wisdom has given man a special part of the body that is able to receive a good spanking without causing bodily harm.  And when Satan comes and tempts us to sin again, many have experienced to their delight that the painful memory of a red bottom lingers long, where the sound of words seems soon forgotten.

THAT is why our text mentions discipline first.  We must first learn that there IS much in our lives that needs to be corrected.  In order to live to God’s glory; we must FIRST deal with SIN!  And because sin is so stubborn, it may sometimes be necessary that the rod is used!

We should notice, however, that this discipline is said to be “of the Lord“.  By this we are reminded that the spanking we receive is NOT to be regarded as punishment!  This may sound strange.  But it is not, really!  For just imagine for a moment a child (or ANY person for that matter), who does something wrong.  Perhaps just a little thing.  A white lie, taking something, or being disobedient, or any of these little things that seem to crowd into the lives of every person.  What is the punishment for these?  Basically, every one of them is a sin against a most holy God.  God has made man to be perfect before Him.  And even the slightest imperfection causes man to be guilty before God.  And the Bible says that the punishment we deserve for these sins is DEATH: eternal separation from God.

So you see that what we call punishment is not that at all.  To talk about punishment is to point to Christ on the Cross!  THERE fell the real punishment.  Also for our so-called “little sins”.  No, when a child of God, whether big or small, receives a spanking —– it is not punishment, but “chastisement”!  For behind it stands a loving heavenly Father, who wants us to know that the rod of discipline first points to the sufferings of our Saviour, and secondly it points to the need for correction.  This is the first thing implied in our preparation for heaven.

Secondly, mention is made of “INSTRUCTION”.  This includes warning and admonition.  Here, in the second place, we are told to instruct, to teach the children.  Warning them of the dangers that are so numerous in a life without God.  And admonishing them to see everything in the perspective of an eternity with God.  This type of teaching is not limited to “religion”.  It enters into all spheres of life.  Here again we see how inseparable this text is linked with the daily education of the children.  For they must be “brought up in the instruction OF THE LORD“.

You see, we could put it this way: When the world teaches a child, it does so in the ways of the world.  This means that the heart is not touched.  Someone has given a good illustration of this, when he says that a person who steals a parcel from a railway-van is a thief.  When this thief is “educated” without having a change of heart, he will end up “stealing” the whole railway’s enterprise!

The Christian way of teaching is always concerned with the HEART as well as the mind.  Because no person can say that Jesus is Lord in all spheres of life, UNLESS there is a deep going “change of heart”.  Namely, a change away from man-centred thoughts to Christ-centred living.  That is, living under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.

When Jesus had received and borne the punishment for our sins, He rose again from death.  Then God gave Him all authority in heaven and on earth.  Yes, God made Him Lord of ALL, of everything, Now, whatever we teach our children, whatever we study ourselves, EVERY instruction must bring us to the recognition that Jesus IS LORD!  He alone laid down HIS life, in order that WE may live!

In that case it is obvious that we, and our children, WANT to serve Him, and Him alone.  We want to serve Him in this life now, and in heaven after death!  And THEREFORE we will prepare ourselves AND our children for that service.  God wants us to respond to His LOVE, by an earnest preparation not only of ourselves, but also of our children.  So that we may live with Him and for Him for ever and ever.

For God DOES love His children, big and small, and thus He says to the parents: “Do not provoke your children to anger but —– bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, so that they may live with ME, their God, for EVER.

Amen.