Personal Life – Family (Colossians 3:20-21)

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.  Colossians 3:20-21

Personal – Family

v     Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

• The word for obey is hupakouo
  • Means to listen attentively
  • Not mind readers (kid outside, mom whispers in closet)
  • Not the normal problem
  • First act of obedience is hearing the command
  • “I didn’t hear you” is not a legitimate excuse
  • An obedient child is one that is eager to hear the instructions
  • Not hearing is the first act of disobedience
• Obedience is not hard of hearing
  • Listens for the command and wants to hear it
  • Psalm 123:2
  • Deaf obedience is disobedience
• Obedience is not forgetful
  • Command given Monday
  • Does not evaporate by Thursday
  • Lack of action by parents is not change in instructions or silent permission
  • Children should be told again if they need to, but the second reminder should come with discipline
  • Forgetful obedience is disobedience
• Obedience is not piecemeal
  • Obey parents in all things
  • Saul and the Amalekites
  • Doing half the list is not obedience
  • Partial obedience is disobedience
• Obedience is not postponed
  • Children cannot set their own schedule of when they will obey
  • Hebrews 3:7-8
  • Start cleaning the room, and begin to look at things and go on their own schedule of when the room will be clean
  • Delayed obedience is disobedience
• Obedience is not subject to private interpretation
  • “I don’t have to do this because I’m older now”
  • This is called spin
  • Only Politicians and Justices can do this
  • Reinterpreted obedience is disobedience
• Obedience is not reluctant or sullen
  • If obedience is well-pleasing to God, then it is to be well-pleasing to children and parents
  • Related to first point of eager obedience
  • Someone could obey right away (out of fear), but not like it
  • Grumpy obedience is disobedience

• Obedience is rendered to parents – both of them
• All things – children and parents should know that the children are being brought up to maturity – living on their own
• Well pleasing – young people should strive to see their life as an integrated whole
  • “Heart is right” and bedroom is a pit – Gnostic mysticism
  • Room is spotless and heart full of uncleanness – Pharisaical hypocrisy
  • Reject both of these – clean your room with a clean heart

v     Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

• Fathers
• Some think of the Bible as a clunky, rule book
• The aroma of obedience in the Bible is love, joy, and peace in the Holy Ghost
  • Some know the words, but not the tune (Mark Twain’s wife)  “My dear, you know all the words, but not the tune.”
  • Some Christians have rules, tests, standards, but no love, joy, or peace in the Holy Ghost
  • 3, 7, 10, or 12 steps to success; or paint by numbers solutions
  • Works righteousness
• Scripture is not a mural, it is a window
• Anger
• Discouraged
• Love sees with the highest degree of accuracy
  • Not critical
    • Accurate, but disproportionate
    • Bitterness
    • Caricature (line drawing)
    • Correction is not criticism
  • Not indulgent
    • No distinctions
    • Only constant is excuses
    • Water color
    • Smudging
    • Impressionistic
  • Love disciplines without harshness, calmly, for the sake of kid and shows mercy with wisdom
  • Love and Obedience – John 14:15, 23