God’s Way in the Home

MEMORY VERSE: “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” —Ephesians 6:4

EXODUS 20:12; MARK 7:9-13; LUKE 2:51,52; EPHESIANS 6:1-4

THE first four commandments given to the Israelites through Moses set forth man’s duty toward God. These commandments show that God is to be put first, and that he is not to be represented by an idol or an image of any kind. Those who desire to be his people are to be sincere and faithful in their vows of dedication to him, and thus not take his name in vain. They are to rest in the finished work of Christ, thus ceasing from their own works, as God did from his.

The remaining six commandments outline man’s duty to his fellow men. The first of these has to do with the child’s attitude toward his parents. In this the parents have a sacred responsibility, for the reason that young children need to be taught the Lord’s ways, in order that they might be guided righteously through their maturing years and later. It is this that is brought so beautifully to our attention in our memory verse.

Christian parents can easily say and do things which unnecessarily annoy their children, and thus bring about something less than a cordial atmosphere in the home, perhaps even antagonism. On the other hand, through understanding and kindness, a sense of confidence in the parents on the part of the children should be engendered, which makes them receptive to proper training, religious and otherwise.

While group instruction of children, as in Sunday schools, is good, Christian parents should not shirk their own responsibility to teach their children the precious things of the Word of God. Actually, there is no substitute for home instruction. This means, of course, that parents need to acquaint themselves with the Word of God, else they are not in a position to teach their children. A good book of Bible stories with appropriate exposition of the subject matter is helpful in teaching children. We can heartily recommend the book “God’s Promises Come True.”

The scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day, by applying certain traditions, sought to release children from their responsibilities to their parents. We do not have these traditions. We have the clear teachings of the Bible, and these tell us that both parents and children should be faithful in their responsibilities to each other, and not seek excuses of any kind to do less than the Lord expects of them.

We have in Jesus a noble example of the proper attitude of a son toward his parents. At the age of twelve Jesus accompanied his parents on one of their pilgrimages to Jerusalem, and when they started on the homeward journey they discovered that he was not with them. Finally they found him in the temple discussing the Scriptures with the doctors of the Law, and asking questions. His mother gently rebuked him for leaving them, to which Jesus replied, “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?”

The “Father” to whom Jesus referred was his Heavenly Father. The incident reveals that undoubtedly his mother, Mary, had told Jesus of his miraculous conception and birth, and instructed him in the Scriptures. He sensed from what he had learned that he had a special mission to perform, and was consulting the doctors of the Law to learn all he could about that mission and when he should embark on it. One of the regulations of the Law was that priests, or special servants of God, could not enter their ministry until they were thirty years of age. Learning this, Jesus was content to return to Nazareth, where, as our lesson informs us, he was subject to his parents.

What a wonderful religious atmosphere there must have been in that home! Mary noted the unusual qualities of perception Jesus possessed and the mature thoughts he undoubtedly expressed from time to time. She “kept all these sayings in her heart,” and continued by precept and example to instruct her miracle son in what Paul later called “the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

QUESTIONS

Should Sunday schools relieve Christian parents of their responsibility for the religious training of their children?

What outstanding example do we have in the Bible of the proper home relationship of parents and child? Give details.

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