“Parents and children”

Sunday service Erlo Stegen 17 January 2016

Luke 2v41

Jesus found in the temple when he was 12.

The Bible is amazing regarding the time of Christmas. Many scriptures lead up to Christmas. After that there are many stories of things that happened after Christmas. The time of Christmas contains so much. This passage happened after Christmas.
It’s not a small thing to be a preacher. Sometimes a preacher wonders whether his message will be too direct for his listeners. It’s dangerous if the preacher tries to euphemise. Today the message is direct:
Your children are unbelievers because of you parents.

The parents of Jesus went up to Jerusalem every year to the feast of the Passover. They always did this. It was the 12th year of Jesus. First mistake parents make-go to service but leave their children at home. Dangerous. They rejoiced to go to the temple the bible says. It pleases God when you attend church and also when children do.

In another area in South Africa some parents attended church but left their child at home. When they came back they found the children had gone swimming in the river and the boy had drowned. Parents are deceivable. One parent will speak up on behalf of the child even. A person who enters through the gates of the temple pleases God the Bible says. Remember this. What is your child up to at home? Flirting? He’ll continue with it when he is older. You need to carefully rear your children. They have many excuses: it’s too cold for church or too hot. Some say they have headaches etc. We allow Satan to play around with our children. Don’t be over sympathetic with your children.

Erlo Stegen’s mother was very discerning and could sniff out mischief. Not having cigarettes they rolled gum trees leaves for cigarettes. She could discern. They went down to cattle kraal to smoke there. When they had just lit up their mother arrived. She said she was promoted by God to look. They got well-disciplined in a godly way as a result.
Mothers, grandmothers, can you discern? And fathers too. You notice the child is absent and there’s a silence. Why? You feel you should go and check up. If you let them go and do what they like you lead them to hell. They will be nails in your coffin. Your child should sit next to you. Sometimes you sit in different places. You don’t know what they are doing. You are leading them to hell. Take a new step. Don’t allow them to drift into hell. Don’t let them play around with you.

Joseph and Mary went to Jerusalem every year. From Nazareth to Jerusalem was approximately 50 miles. They didn’t say feet were too soft or journey too long for child. They were poor. No cars. Maybe some had a donkey or donkey cart. They just walked. Sleeping on the way maybe 3 or 4 days to get home. Not very good food, but they always went. The service was not 1 or 2 hours it lasted 7 days. Some commentators say some left after 2 days but Mary and Joseph stayed 7 days. At the end they left altogether with relatives as a big group. They presumed everyone was there. It was dangerous to walk alone. After the first day they wondered where Jesus was. They could not find him. They then went back. They traveled the whole day. They asked around and went on to Jerusalem . On the third day they went to temple where all the learned people would discuss things. Jesus was there and they were amazed at his understanding and questions. All wondered how he could ask such profound questions.

Where would your child be? Flirting or hiding from you?

It challenges all of us. What type of child are you? What type of child do you have?

Maybe you don’t know where your child is after the service. They just rush off to the food. They are disrespectful. You don’t know who they are chatting to etc. Keep your child with you all the time. Don’t let them be fussy with food. Don’t let them eat.

You rear a child for heaven or for hell. Train a child when it is young and when it is older it won’t depart from it.

Fathers are too soft. You leave discipline to the mother. You allow your children to do things like play Dr Dr and you laugh it off but later you will regret it.

Jesus was not playing with other children he was worth leaders of the faith. Do your kids just think of soccer.

Mary is loved and we admire her but she was off the track. Mary rebuked Jesus…they were so anxious etc. Never rebuke your child when they are seeking the things of heaven and of God. Jesus said didn’t you know I’d be busy with things of my heavenly Father? Joseph was not really the father of Jesus. So he was speaking of his father in heaven. The mother spoke nonsense and the child had to correct the mother. He was saying he wasn’t there to be naughty. Mary and Joseph didn’t understand what Jesus was saying. He knew he had work to do for his father in heaven. But the good thing is that Mary took all Jesus said and stored it in her heart. Whatever Jesus says keep it in your heart even if you don’t understand it. Let his word abide in you. Later she must have found out what it meant because at the wedding of Cana she told others to do everything Jesus told them.

When U Erlo’s godfather Jan Joosten was dying he said, “Music, music “. They thought he meant his wife should play the piano, but no, he could hear music and he pointed up. When he died he heard heavenly music. Ps119v11 “Thy word have I hidden in my heart that I won’t sin against you”. Romans 10v3” it is not something far away but close by in your heart”. We won’t fail so often if we keep his word in our hearts. God’s word will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from God’s word.

Jesus said Mary didn’t understand his Father when he told her – didn’t they know he’d be about his father’s business.

Even if parents are wrong children, don’t be angry. Be humble like Jesus. He went with his parents to Nazareth. Young people can be disrespectful and hold grudges for years.

How glad you’ll be if you can enter heaven with your children.

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