{"id":29497,"date":"2019-08-07T15:04:04","date_gmt":"2019-08-07T19:04:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sharefaithblog.wpengine.com\/?p=29497"},"modified":"2020-08-12T18:33:13","modified_gmt":"2020-08-12T22:33:13","slug":"top-10-back-to-school-sermons-prepare-parents-and-kids-for-the-school-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sharefaith.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/top-10-back-to-school-sermons-prepare-parents-and-kids-for-the-school-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 10 Back To School Sermons: How To Prepare Parents And Kids For the School Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

The beginning of the school year is here and for many families, it\u2019s a time to reengage in church life. In many ways, this time carries more significance for families than the church\u2019s historic start of the calendar on the first Sunday of Advent or even the secular start of the year on January 1. Because families have returned from vacation and kids are moving up a grade, it\u2019s a perfect time to spend Sunday mornings in a series about preparation. We know that our world is falling apart all around us, and there are many pressures and anxieties as the school year unfolds. If you’re looking for more ideas, check out our Sharefaith Kids media pack. For a limited time, you can save up to 25% on all new and upgrade yearly memberships.<\/a>\u00a0 Want to try before you buy? No problem.\u00a0 Try Sharefaith Kids, free for seven days. Unlock your full pack today!<\/p>\n

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\"New<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

How To Prepare Parents And Kids For the School Year<\/h1>\n

Many parents will experience the first step of sending their child to kindergarten or into high school or off to college. Children may be bubbling with excitement but also with self-consciousness about fitting in and being liked. Families will be attending to new schedules with sports and social events pushing into, and in many ways, challenging time together as a family. How do we live well and serve Jesus in spirit and in truth? How do we take every thought captive for our obedience in Christ when we get bombarded with falsehoods in the classroom and among peer groups? Is there a way to navigate down that narrow road that leads to salvation without it opening up to the broader path, where we give in to sin and all its guises and disguises that lure us away?<\/p>\n

We are teachers, and we have a responsibility. We know what James 3:1 says: \u201cNot many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.\u201d We became teachers because of God\u2019s calling on our lives. Titus 2:7-8 gives us good instruction. It says, \u201cShow yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.\u201d We are not here to sugarcoat the truth. We are here to form disciples \u2013 people who will go into the world and live out the high calling we have received, to be living sacrifices which is a reasonable service to Jesus who paid it all (Romans 12:1).<\/p>\n

The school year is a perfect time to engage in a series of powerful sermons that cut at the heart of the matter: that we\u2019ve been bought with a price and need to live like it. If not, what\u2019s the point? We will certainly falter, but we cannot fall. There is too much at stake and are here, among our neighbors, as God workmanship, created for good works in Christ (Ephesians 2:10). Here are 10 sermon series ideas that are worth considering and expanding for the month of August and beyond.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Top 10 Back-To-School Sermon Ideas:<\/h1>\n
\n

\"top<\/a><\/h2>\n

1. The Greatest Story<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This guide will help you not just survive but thrive. It\u2019s built around a five-part series, \u201cThe Greatest Story.\u201d In this series, your church will be reminded of who God is, what matters most, and what life is all about.<\/p>\n

TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Importance of Vision: In Matthew 14, there is an incredible account of Peter stepping out of his boat to walk on water with Jesus. For a brief moment, Peter does the impossible \u2014 he walks on water! But then, in Matthew 14:30, we read:<\/p>\n

\u201cBut when he [Peter] saw<\/em> the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, \u2018Lord, save me!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

The moment Peter turned his eyes from Jesus to the storm he began to sink. Simply put, where we look determines where we go. A.W. Tozer said it like this: \u201cWhen the eyes of a soul looking out to meet the eyes of a God looking in, heaven has begun right here on this earth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Application:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This Back-To-School season, inspire your kids with a five-part series that fixes their eyes upon God and his amazing story. \u201cThe Greatest Story\u201d travels from Genesis to Revelation while covering the following big ideas:<\/p>\n

1. Creation:<\/strong> It all starts with God.<\/em> The Bible begins with four simple words \u201cIn the beginning God.\u201d In God, everything including life, meaning, and purpose finds its beginning.<\/p>\n

2. Fall:<\/strong> God knows our pain<\/em>. Death, sickness, and suffering can all be traced back to a single moment, and a single word \u201csin.\u201d But God\u2019s promise is greater than our pain.<\/p>\n

3. Incarnation:<\/strong> God has come and God is with us.<\/em> On the first Christmas, a child was born. He was called Immanuel or \u201cGod with Us.\u201d His birth was heralded by angels as the Good News of God<\/p>\n

4. Redemption:<\/strong> God has won.<\/em> With his final breath, Jesus spoke three life-altering words \u201cIt is finished!\u201d More than a last gasp, these three words were a victory cry!<\/p>\n

5. Restoration:<\/strong> Paradise is eternal life with God.<\/em> The story of God concludes with a full reverse of the curse. All that is wrong will be made right and we will live with God forever.<\/p>\n

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2. Learn from Josiah (2 Kings 22)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"top<\/a><\/p>\n

Josiah is one of the most important kings over Judah, the remaining southern kingdom of Israel after the ten tribes in the North was taken into captivity by the Assyrians. The story drives the message home that we hear Paul instructing Timothy in I Timothy 4:12: \u201cLet no one\u00a0despise\u00a0you\u00a0for\u00a0your\u00a0youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Josiah came to the throne at age 8, and he was able to do what a series of sinful kings could not. He, \u201che did what was right in the eyes of the\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u00a0and walked in all the way of David his father,\u00a0and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.\u201d (2 Kings 22:2). For years, the Temple and the law were lost to their real purpose. Josiah\u2019s childlike faith and unabashed willingness to follow God rekindled the practice of faith in others.<\/p>\n

When the Book of the Law is found and read to Josiah, \u201che tore his clothes.\u201d He knew their ways were offensive to God\u2019s standards. He commands the priests to, \u201cGo, inquire of the\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u00a0for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is\u00a0the wrath of the\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u00a0that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us\u201d (13).<\/p>\n

God had every reason, as he always does, to send wrath and punishment against those who trespassed against his laws. Josiah and all of Judah stood utterly and completely guilty in light of God\u2019s righteousness. But the Lord knows the heart. The Lord says, \u201cBecause your heart was penitent, and you\u00a0humbled yourself before the\u00a0Lord<\/span>, when you heard how I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become\u00a0a desolation and\u00a0a curse, and you\u00a0have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the\u00a0Lord<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a020\u00a0<\/sup>Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and\u00a0you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place\u201d (19-20).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Application:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Jesus has cleansed us from all unrighteousness because of the cross, because of the resurrection. That doesn\u2019t mean we are free or accountable to his laws. Romans 6:1-2 asks, \u201cWhat shall we say then?\u00a0Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?<\/span>\u00a0<\/sup>By no means! How can\u00a0we who died to sin still live in it?\u201d Our obligation is to live in such a way that we tear our garments \u2013 the we rend our hearts (Joel 2:13) \u2013 as we daily take up our cross and follow Jesus. God\u2019s word is waiting to be read and be rooted in us. Some of our parishioners will realize that, similar to the Israelites in Josiah\u2019s time, God\u2019s word is on their shelf at home, dusty and lost to daily usage. It\u2019s a perfect time to rediscover it.<\/span><\/p>\n

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3. Being Quiet and Listening (I Samuel 1-3)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Top<\/a><\/p>\n

Samuel\u2019s story starts with a faith commitment of his mother, Hannah. We know the story. She wants a child and prays earnestly to God, promising to dedicate her baby to the service of the Temple. When Samuel is born, she joyously fulfills her pledge when the time comes. She says, \u201cI have lent him to the\u00a0Lord<\/span>. As long as he lives, he is lent to the\u00a0Lord<\/span>. (1:28). All children are gifts from God, created with a plan in mind.<\/p>\n

How many parents truly offer up their boys and girls to\u00a0whatever\u00a0<\/em>God wants them to accomplish \u2013 for his glory and not their own legacy? Parenting is a difficult road. It means giving up the precious life God gave to us, to him. It\u2019s realizing that our children are lent to us for proper upbringing and dedication to the work of God, and then they are lent back to the Lord. Is this how we think? Is this how we pray? What is our song? Hannah sings in I Samuel 2, not of herself but of the mighty wonders of God \u2013<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cMy heart exults in the\u00a0Lord;\u00a0my horn is exalted in the\u00a0Lord.\u00a0My mouth derides my enemies because\u00a0I rejoice in your salvation.\u00a0There is none holy like the\u00a0Lord: for there is none besides you; there is\u00a0no rock like our God\u2026.The\u00a0Lord\u00a0kills and brings to life;\u00a0<\/span>he brings down to Sheol and raises up.\u00a0The\u00a0Lord\u00a0makes poor and makes rich;\u00a0<\/span>he brings low, and he exalts.\u00a0He raises up the poor from the dust;\u00a0<\/span>he lifts the needy from the ash heap\u00a0to make them sit with princes\u00a0and inherit a seat of honor.
\nFor the pillars of the earth are the\u00a0Lord\u2019s,\u00a0and on them, he has set the world\u201d\u00a0(1-2, 6-8).<\/p>\n

When we get to the story of I Samuel 3, we see the faithfulness of Hannah and Eli, the priest, in the reactions of Samuel. When Samuel hears a voice calling him three times, he thinks Eli needs him. The story suggests no angst or frustration, but rather a patient willingness to serve. When Samuel realizes it\u2019s God who is speaking, his response is obedience, both to Eli and to God: \u201cSpeak, for your servant hears.\u201d God doesn\u2019t have good news for Eli. Judgment is waiting for his family because of the sins of his sons. The next morning, Samuel is afraid to report his conversation with God, but Eli insists. His response is a moment of character building for Eli and Samuel. He simply says, \u201cIt is the\u00a0Lord<\/span>. Let him do what seems good to him\u201d (vs. 18).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Application:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There is a lot here. Mothers, are you praying daily for your children? Fathers, are you investing in your sons and daughters? Isn\u2019t it grievous when our children reject the faith? Look at Eli. His sons were rotten. Why? In the end, they decided to go their own way, but you wonder if Eli invested in them the same way as he did Samuel. Let\u2019s imagine he did. If so, and there is rejection, are we done? What do we do next? Perhaps we mentor others and find our need for discipling others in another setting \u2013 as Sunday School leaders or somewhere in our community. And young people, what voices are you listening to and who are you seeking council from when one or another voice is swaying your opinions or affections? It is good to seek the right council.<\/p>\n

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4. Be My Witnesses (Acts 1)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Church<\/a>Some of us who have served our country know that the order you follow is the last one assigned. We don\u2019t make up new orders until we hear from our commanding officer. It\u2019s the same with Jesus. Hear the conversation in Acts 1: 6-11 \u2013<\/p>\n

\u201cSo when they had come together, they asked him, \u2018Lord,\u00a0will you at this time\u00a0restore the kingdom to Israel?\u2019<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0He said to them, \u2018It is not for you to know\u00a0times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/sup>But you will receive\u00a0power\u00a0when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and\u00a0you will be\u00a0my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and\u00a0Samaria, and\u00a0to the end of the earth.\u2019<\/span><\/span>\u00a0And when he had said these things, as they were looking on,\u00a0he was lifted up, and\u00a0a cloud took him out of their sight.<\/span>\u00a0<\/sup>And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold,\u00a0two\u00a0men stood by them in\u00a0white robes,<\/span>\u00a0<\/sup>and said, \u2018Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven,\u00a0will\u00a0come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus gives his followers explicit instructions. It isn\u2019t to return and live out their days\u00a0reminiscing about the great miracles they saw and the relationship they experienced with such a fascinating and one-of-a-kind teacher. Jesus doesn\u2019t instruct them to return to their old beliefs about God, content with the\u00a0possibility\u00a0<\/em>of his divinity, but assured in the ancient practices of the Jewish faith and customs. No, he has a simple, radical message \u2013 \u201cThe Holy Spirit is coming and you will be my witnesses throughout the earth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jesus essentially says the same thing at the end of the Gospels: \u201cGo therefore and\u00a0make disciples of\u00a0all nations,\u201d in Matthew 28:19; \u201cGo into all the world and\u00a0proclaim the gospel to\u00a0the whole creation,\u201d in Mark 16:15; \u201cYou are witnesses of these things.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0And behold, I am sending\u00a0the promise of my Father upon you,\u201d in Luke 24: 48-49; and \u201cThis is the disciple\u00a0who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and\u00a0we know\u00a0that his testimony is true,\u201d in John 21:24, where John applies it personally to the words he wrote.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a call on our lives too. It hasn\u2019t changed. Perhaps we are tempted to refashion it, rebrand it, repackage it in some way, but the call is simple. It involves three things: (1) we are his witnesses; (2) make disciples; (3) go everywhere. If we are his witnesses, we are called to faithfully proclaim his message in words, actions, and intentions. If we are to make disciples, we must be outward focused, in community with others. There is no such thing as a navel-gazing Christian, not one who is faithful, that is. And if we are to be His witnesses and make disciples, we must go \u2013 go anywhere he asks us to go. We cannot be reluctant.<\/p>\n

Application:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The start of the school year is a good time to rededicate ourselves to the simple call of Jesus as he leaves the disciples in Acts 1. It\u2019s also a good time to remember that he doesn\u2019t leave us alone or lonely in our work. The Holy Spirit is in us and with us as we live out the high calling we\u2019ve received. Also, the story is not only about our duty but about the angelical promise. The Scripture says, \u201cThis Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven,\u00a0will\u00a0come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.\u201d Let\u2019s practice our faith and be bold living holy lives. Let\u2019s practice our faith and make disciples through the help of the Holy Spirit. Let\u2019s practice our faith and go far and wide, from neighbor to neighbor, knowing God goes before us and he will make a way.<\/span><\/p>\n

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5. Dealing with Temptation (I Corinthians 10:9-13)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Top<\/a><\/p>\n

This new school year will bring a ripe, new set of temptations. The 1760 hymn, \u201cCome, Thou Fount of Every Blessing\u201d, recently reworked by Chris Tomlin says, \u201cLet thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee: prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.\u201d<\/p>\n

Our wandering hearts find a home in Jesus, no doubt. But we are\u00a0all continually vulnerable. The fiery darts of the devil are aimed squarely at us, every day, all the time. It reminds me of movies where the suspense is so high and the camera angles are always suggestive of someone watching, seeking to do harm to the protagonist in the story.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no rest for us as Christians, except for in our surrender to Jesus who says, \u201cMy yoke is easy and my burden is light\u201d (Matthew 11:30). It\u2019s peculiar to read his words again and discover not an absence of burden, but a light one. This is in comparison to the heavy guilt, despair, and toll of the wages of sin.<\/p>\n

Our relationship with Jesus is not without burden, but it is the only place we can rest. We must always remember that temptation is hunting us. I Corinthians 10: 9-13 says, \u00a0\u201cWe must not put Christ\u00a0to the test,\u00a0as some of them did and\u00a0were destroyed by serpents,<\/span>\u00a0nor grumble,\u00a0as some of them did and\u00a0were destroyed by\u00a0the Destroyer.\u00a0<\/span>Now, these things happened to them as an example, but\u00a0they were written down for our instruction,\u00a0on whom the end of the ages has come.\u00a0<\/span>Therefore\u00a0let anyone who thinks that he stands to take heed lest he falls.<\/span>\u00a0No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.\u00a0God is faithful, and\u00a0he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul gives us several points to reflect on: (1) don\u2019t live in a way that we are continually tempted, that we \u201cput Christ to the test\u201d; (2) don\u2019t grumble about our situations (Paul is referencing some instances in the Old Testament that are worth looking rereading) because the Destroyer will destroy our joy, if not our lives; (3) we need to learn from the Old Testament, especially, and not make the same mistakes; (4) no temptation is without an exit so stop making excuses; (5) we can endure and should.<\/p>\n

Application:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The new school year is full of temptation, for parents with a change in schedule and a challenge to find time to pray and devote themselves to Bible study, and for children who might see and hear things that are not in step with the call on their lives. We must be careful and rely on Jesus every step we take. It\u2019s in the simple steps that a disciple is formed, not in the giant ones. They only come if we\u2019ve daily sought out God through the drudgery of life.<\/p>\n

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6. Parents and Children in Right Relationship (Ephesians 6)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Back_To_School\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Our culture has neutered the parent\u2019s role into nothing more than a consulting voice, at best, for a child. We must reclaim our role as parents and our children must reclaim their position as subjugated to their parents. This sounds harsh, but it\u2019s biblical. Parents are not to do this out of force or in a spirit of superiority, and children are not to fulfill their role begrudgingly. Rather, if we live by the Scripture and are being formed in the obedience of the Father, we will listen to what he says through his Word.<\/p>\n

Ephesians 6:1-4 says, \u201cChildren, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.<\/span>\u00a0\u2018Honor your father and mother\u2019 (this is the first commandment with a promise),<\/span>\u00a0\u2018that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.\u2019\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/sup>Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger,\u00a0but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not a new command. Paul simply pulls it from the Old Testament and reintroduces it to the church in Ephesus. Family structure is important and it\u2019s always been integral in the rise and fall of people in the Bible. We see how it destroys families like David\u2019s, through his sin and all the repercussions later on. We also see how it changes lives through faithful obedience, like in the life of Cornelius who listens to God, reaches out to Peter, and he and his whole household are baptized into the faith.<\/p>\n

Application:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Establish a time to pray as a family this year. Dedicate your family to traditions and habits: daily in quiet times before God, weekly in keeping the Sabbath, and seasonally, especially during Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter. Parents, let\u2019s take up the mantel of humble leaders of our families. Our children might better fall into honoring us if we are more like Jesus every day.<\/p>\n

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7. Answering Softly (Proverbs 15:1-7)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Answering<\/a><\/p>\n

Proverbs 15:1 says, \u201cA soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.\u201d It\u2019s so hard to keep this command sometimes. Our tongues so quickly, \u201cpour out folly\u201d instead of being an instrument for encouragement and right teaching. The passage also asks children to not be fools in despising a father\u2019s instruction, but rather listen and learn from him.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The two seem to be tied. We know this in practice. When an angry parent tries to implore a child to do something, the child is normally reluctant or accomplishing the task out of fear, not respect. However, if a parent provides a soft voice, the child likely will respond (eventually) with more goodwill. It\u2019s one of the simple steps that build up a child, and it certainly applies to both fathers and mothers alike. Our responses in everyday living and in crises are the stuff that builds character traits in our children. They often are able to cut to the quick and see our intentions too.<\/p>\n

Application:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We have an ideal time to start afresh with our soft answers as the busy time of the school year begins. We can\u2019t just will ourselves into being more gentle. We must learn from Jesus, through time in the Word and in prayer. We might want to seek a council or some form of accountability so we will more fully live out the gentle ways of Jesus in our daily lives. Breathe. Let\u2019s not enter our homes in a tizzy about something at work or the shape of the yard or a thousand other things. Enjoy family while we have a family. We have a sign in the laundry room that says we will enjoy all the dirty laundry from all the kids now because in a little while, they\u2019ll have their own homes and we won\u2019t have that joy any longer!<\/p>\n

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8. What Does it Mean to Reason Together with the Lord (Isaiah 1)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Top<\/a><\/p>\n

Isaiah 1:18 starts with, \u201cCome now,\u00a0let us reason\u00a0together, says the\u00a0Lord\u2026\u201d What an amazing chapter! Our sins are crimson and without redemption. We are lost without a guide. We are dead in our trespasses and the wrath of God is flying overhead, ready to swoop down and rightfully knock us out. But, we are asked to come close in to our Lord and reason with him. We are instructed to bring all the baggage of all the stuff from all the days that we just didn\u2019t measure up, and reason with the God who was thoughtful and generous enough to give us the choice to follow or fall away.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Isaiah 1:18-20 says, \u201cCome now,\u00a0let us reason\u00a0together, says the\u00a0Lord<\/span>:\u00a0<\/span>though your sins are like scarlet,\u00a0<\/span>they shall be as\u00a0white as snow;\u00a0<\/span><\/span>though they are red like crimson,\u00a0<\/span>they shall become like wool.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>If you are willing and obedient,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>you shall eat the good of the land;\u00a0<\/span><\/span>but if you refuse and rebel, y<\/span>ou shall be eaten by the sword;\u00a0<\/span><\/span>for the mouth of the\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u00a0has spoken.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Application:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Are we willing and obedient? There\u2019s a consequence if we pretend, reject, or if we go our own way. But, if we come and reason with our Father who is in Heaven, hallowing his name, the kingdom of Heaven gets worked in and through our lives here on earth. The school year is a time where we can once again find ourselves in the habit of conversation with God \u2013 reasoning with him about our day and how we can profit it for his glory and not our own.<\/p>\n

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9. Do You Like Geometry? How Should We Measure God\u2019s Love (Ephesians 3:14-19)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Top<\/a><\/p>\n

God\u2019s love knows no bounds. When Paul talks about it, he asks us to imagine God\u2019s love in a special way, that, \u201cbeing\u00a0rooted and\u00a0grounded in love,<\/span>\u00a0may have the strength to\u00a0comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and\u00a0height and depth\u2026\u201d (Ephesians 3:17-18). It\u2019s certainly not ours to test the bounds of God\u2019s love by our flagrant disobedience, but as we approach more and more closely to Jesus through prayer and Bible reading, as the things of earth grow strangely dim, we will uncover the exhaustive corruption that takes ahold of us so often. Where we thought at times we were decent followers of Jesus, we will more fully realize the geometry of God\u2019s love and the invitation it has for us to daily follow him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s good to see this in context. Ephesians 3: 14-19 says, \u201cFor this reason I bow my knees before the Father,<\/span>\u00a0from whom\u00a0every family\u00a0in heaven and on earth is named,<\/span>\u00a0that according to\u00a0the riches of his glory\u00a0he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit\u00a0in your inner being,\u00a0<\/span>so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith\u2014that you, being\u00a0rooted and\u00a0grounded in love,<\/span>\u00a0may have strength to\u00a0comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and\u00a0height and depth,<\/span>\u00a0and to know the love of Christ\u00a0that surpasses knowledge, that\u00a0you may be filled with all\u00a0the fullness of God.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

There are several points that can nicely build a sermon series for back to school: (1) we are strengthened through Jesus and the riches of his glory; (3) it\u2019s through his Spirit that we have Christ dwelling within us; (3) therefore, we are grounded in love and we are able to comprehend the extent of his love; (4) and that his love surpasses knowledge, surpasses logic, surpasses reason.<\/p>\n

Application:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Live in God\u2019s love. It\u2019s boundless and we are God\u2019s workman, created for good works in Christ. Let us show a dying world the love that surpasses understanding, that doesn\u2019t get bounded in by first impressions or any sin that bars people out of knowing. This doesn\u2019t exempt people from committing their lives wholly to God, in mind, body, and spirit, but it does provide access to understanding who their Creator is and how much he loves everyone, hoping that all will come and none perish.<\/p>\n

\n

10. How Can We Guard Our Hearts? (Deuteronomy 4:9; I Kings 8:61; Proverbs 4:20-27)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Top<\/a><\/p>\n

How easily we forget. Moses, traditionally thought to be the author of the Torah, knew it. Even after the episodic adventure of leaving Egypt and having food fall from the sky and rocks open their mouths with water, he knew memories are short in light of whatever is wanting in a person\u2019s present day. He says in Deuteronomy 4:9 to, \u201ctake care, and\u00a0keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life.\u00a0Make them known to your children and your children\u2019s children.\u201d<\/p>\n

What is our story of faith and God\u2019s provision? Are we continually reminding our children? Are we reaching back into the Old and New Testament to see the fuller narrative of God\u2019s grace and leading? Solomon says in I Kings 8:61, a great prayer of commitment as the ark is returning to the Temple, to, \u201cLet your heart, therefore, be wholly true to the\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u00a0our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then, in Proverbs 4, we see the wisdom of a father speaking to his son. \u201cMy son, be attentive to my words;\u00a0<\/span>incline your ear to my sayings,\u201d Solomon says. \u201c<\/span><\/span>Let them not escape from your sight;\u00a0<\/span>keep them within your heart.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>For they are\u00a0life to those who find them\u00a0<\/span>and healing to all their\u00a0flesh.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Keep your heart with all vigilance,\u00a0<\/span>for\u00a0from it flow\u00a0the springs of life.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Put away from you\u00a0crooked speech,\u00a0<\/span>and put\u00a0devious talk far from you.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Let your eyes look directly forward, a<\/span>nd your gaze be straight before you.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Ponder\u00a0the path of your feet;\u00a0<\/span>then all your ways will be sure.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Do not swerve to the right or to the left;\u00a0<\/span>turn your foot away from evil\u201d (20-27).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Application:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

What are we teaching our children? How are we instructing them? If it\u2019s purely our experience, we are forgetting the lessons and stories of Scripture \u2013 the instructions they need to hide within their hearts. If we are purely relaying Scripture, have we connected it with the shape God has made in us and in our lives? Both are necessary for our children to realize the goodness of God and the truth of his word. The start of the school year is an ideal time to instruct anew in the ways of God. Write notes for your children as part of their lunch boxes, renew the family dinner time with defined instructions and applications as the year begins. Point to daily example \u2013mission moments\u2013 that defined you as a believer that day. It will help soften their hearts and ours at the same time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The beginning of the school year is here and for many families, it\u2019s a time to reengage in church life. In many ways, this time carries more significance for families than the church\u2019s historic start of the calendar on the first Sunday of Advent or even the secular start of the year on January 1. 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