| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"Milkman" |
| Date: |
02 Jul 2007 09:54:00 AM |
| Object: |
Train Up A Child |
.. Train Up A Child
(Proverbs 22:6 NASB)
6 ?a?Train up a child ?1?in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
[1]
We are to train up a child concerning the way, he should go. What he is
saying is that God has a way He wants him to go, and parents are to find
out that way. They are not to bring up a child in the way they think he
should go, but in the way God wants him to go.
[2]
The implication of this passage is that if you train up a child in the way he
should go, even when he's old, he'll keep walking in it. There's a
difference between training and teaching. A teacher tells what to do. A
trainer shows how to do it. "Follow me as I follow Christ," Paul would say
(1 Corinthians 11:1). "Walk in my footsteps. Do what I do."
Notice that we are to train up our child in the way he should go-not in
the way we wish he'd go. Dads, we're particularly vulnerable to making
our sons walk in the way we think they should go. But wise is the dad who
studies his kids carefully to see how the Lord made them specifically.
Parenting is not so much about molding as it is about unfolding.
[3]
22:6 The usual interpretation of this proverb is that if you train up a child
properly (in the way he should go), he will go on well in later life. Of
course there are exceptions, but it stands as a general rule. Henry Ward
Beecher observes:
It is not hard to make a child or a tree grow right if you train them when
they're young, but to make them straighten out after you've allowed things
to go wrong is not an easy matter.? 34
Susannah Wesley, the mother of Charles, John, and 15 other children,
followed these rules in training them: (1) Subdue self-will in a child and
thus work together with God to save his soul. (2) Teach him to pray as
soon as he can speak. (3) Give him nothing he cries for and only what is
good for him if he asks for it politely. (4) To prevent lying, punish no fault
which is freely confessed, but never allow a rebellious, sinful act to go
unnoticed. (5) Commend and reward good behavior. (6) Strictly observe
all promises you have made to your child.
The proverb can also be understood as encouraging parents to train their
children along the lines of their natural talents, rather than forcing them into
professions or trades for which they have no native inclination. Thus
Kidner says that the verse teaches respect for the child's individuality and
vocation, though not for his self-will.
And the proverb may be a warning that if you train a child in the way that
he himself wants to go, he will continue to be spoiled and self-centered in
later life. Jay Adams writes:
The verse stands not as a promise but as a warning to parents that if they
allow a child to train himself after his own wishes (permissively), they
should not expect him to want to change these patterns when he matures.
Children are born sinners and, when allowed to follow their own wishes,
will naturally develop sinful habit responses. The basic thought is that such
habit patterns become deep-seated when they have been ingrained in the
child from the earliest days.? 35
[4]
22:6 way he should go. There is only one right way, God's way, the way
of life. That way is specified in great detail in Proverbs. Since it is
axiomatic that early training secures lifelong habits, parents must insist
upon this way, teaching God's Word and enforcing it with loving discipline
consistently throughout the child's upbringing.
[5]
22:6 "Train" (Heb. hanak) means to dedicate (cf. Deut. 20:5; 1 Kings
8:63; 2 Chron. 7:5; Dan. 3:2). It has the idea of narrowing and in this
verse implies channeling the child's conduct into the way of wisdom. That
guidance might include dedicating him or her to God and preparing the
child for future responsibilities and adulthood.151
"In the way he should go" is literally "according to his way." It may mean
according to his own personality, temperament, responses, or stage in life.
On the other hand it could mean the way in which he ought to go. The
Hebrew grammar permits either interpretation. However the context
favors the latter view. "Way" in Proverbs usually means the path a person
takes through life, not one's personality, disposition, or stage in life.
Consequently the verse is saying the parent should train up a child in the
way of wisdom to live in the fear of God.152
The second part of this verse has challenged the faith of many a godly
parent. Obviously many children who have received good training have
repudiated the way of wisdom later in life. The explanation for this
seemingly broken promise lies in a correct understanding of what a
proverb is.
"A proverb is a literary device whereby a general truth is brought to bear
on a specific situation. Many of the proverbs are not absolute guarantees
for they express truths that are necessarily conditioned by prevailing
circumstances. For example, verses 3-4, 9, 11, 16, 29 do not express
promises that are always binding. Though the proverbs are generally and
usually true, occasional exceptions may be noted. This may be because of
the self-will or deliberate disobedience of an individual who chooses to go
his own way-the way of folly instead of the way of wisdom . . . It is
generally true, however, that most children who are brought up in Christian
homes, under the influence of godly parents who teach and live God's
standards (cf. Eph. 6:4), follow that training."153
This proverb clearly does not state a Scriptural promise. Rather, the
revelation of Scripture elsewhere is that God always allows people to
make their own decisions. He does not force them to do what is right.
[6]
22.6
This saying about the training of children is a single statement in which the
second line expresses the consequence of the first line.
Train up a child in the way he should go: Train up a child is rather
unnatural English, but the sense is clear. Other English versions say "teach
children," "give children training," or "start a child." The way he should go
could refer to what is good and right in life, which may be expressed as "in
the right way" (nrsv) or "on the right road" (reb). Or it may have the sense
of training for life, as in "Teach children how they should live" (tev) or
"Give a lad the training he needs for life" (Scott). A common rendering in
Pacific languages is "Teach children to do what is right."
And when he is old he will not depart from it: This is the consequence of
the training described in the first line. The Hebrew begins with a word that
gives emphasis to the thought of this line; reb expresses this as "and even
..." Is old is the verb for reaching old age; but when he is old does not
mean only in old age, it means through all the years of life. So tev
expresses this as "they will remember it all their life," and one other
translation that is a good model says, "and he will keep going this way
right up to his old age." Not depart from it is a negative way of saying "will
follow that way."
[7]
Verse 6
Here is, 1. A great duty enjoined, particularly to those that are the parents
and instructors of children, in order to the propagating of wisdom, that it
may not die with them: Train up children in that age of vanity, to keep them
from the sins and snares of it, in that learning age, to prepare them for
what they are designed for. Catechise them; initiate them; keep them under
discipline. Train them as soldiers, who are taught to handle their arms,
keep rank, and observe the word of command. Train them up, not in the
way they would go (the bias of their corrupt hearts would draw them
aside), but in the way they should go, the way in which, if you love them,
you would have them go. Train up a child according as he is capable (as
some take it), with a gentle hand, as nurses feed children, little and often,
Deu. 6:7. 2. A good reason for it, taken from the great advantage of this
care and pains with children: When they grow up, when they grow old, it
is to be hoped, they will not depart from it. Good impressions made upon
them then will abide upon them all their days. Ordinarily the vessel retains
the savour with which it was first seasoned. Many indeed have departed
from the good way in which they were trained up; Solomon himself did so.
But early training may be a means of their recovering themselves, as it is
supposed Solomon did. At least the parents will have the comfort of
having done their duty and used the means.
[8]
4412 Teachings Of Epicurus
The Epicureans were followers of Epicurus who lived 341-270 B. C. He
taught that nothing exists but atoms and space. The atoms are eternally
forming new combinations which are only temporary and in the case of
human beings are broken up at death. Then, Epicurus taught, the soul or
personality reversed to the impersonal atoms which went on to form new
combinations.
Thus, matter is all that matters. This life is all that counts and man should
make happiness his chief purpose in life. Happiness might be gained for
some by indulging in sensual pleasure and avoidance of pain. Others, more
highminded, might attain happiness from mental and intellectual pursuits. If
death ended all, they reasoned, why not indulge the flesh today?
[9]
442 Teaching Canaries To Sing
In the Hartz Mountains, at the village of Andreasberg, over 200,000
canaries are raised annually. The Germans are especially fond of these
pretty songsters and very successful in their propagation and nurture. But
their best singers are never sold. They are kept as choirmasters for the
feathered vocalists. Handsome and promising fledglings are kept close to
the acknowledged leaders of the aviary, and they pick up and practice the
notes they hear.
[10]
Psychologists have discovered that children respond according to how
they are treated. In a scientific experiment, a particular teacher was told
that half of her students were exceptional, while the others were average.
After a year, the students she was told were superior had improved a full
grade beyond the other half (those she was told were only average). The
interesting factor was that all the students were exactly equal intellectually.
The two groups were different only in the teacher's mind and her
treatment of them. The results were obvious and inevitable. Those she
thought were exceptional became exceptional, and those she thought were
average became average.
[11]
A teacher had just finished putting the last pair of galoshes on her first-
graders-thirty-two pairs in all. The last little girl said, "You know what,
teacher? These aren't my galoshes."
The teacher removed them from the girl's feet. Then the little girl
continued, "They are my sister's, and she let me wear them." The teacher
quietly put them back on her pupil.
Now that's patience!
[12]
As a boy, Dr. John Mitchell was familiar with the mountains and mine pits
around his house. One night his Boy Scout troop was on a midnight hike.
Since Mitchell knew the mountains and where the dangerous pits were, he
took several private jaunts away from the troop. The scoutmaster
admonished him, saying: "Although you know where the mine pits are and
how to avoid them, when you go to them you make a path that others may
follow to their death."
[13]
The story is told of a T.V. repairman who didn't like to think about his job
when he came home. As a result, he never bothered to properly install the
T.V. antenna on the top of his house or fix it when one arm broke in a
windstorm. One day a new family moved in next door, and the owner
went up on his roof to install an antenna. Knowing that his neighbor was a
T.V. repairman, he put his up exactly the same way and turned his antenna
to face in the same direction as his neighbor's. Then, after studying his
neighbor's antenna for a while, he reached up and broke one arm off his
new antenna!
As disciples, we teach by example, whether we intend to or not!
[14]
There is a story about a man who wanted to train his mule. The first thing
he did was to pick up a big stick and hit the mule a resounding wallop
between the ears. As the mule staggered about, someone said to him,
"What is the matter? Why did you do that?" The man said, "To teach a
mule, you must first get his attention."
That observation may or may not be true of mules, but there is a good
deal of truth in it when applied to humans. Interest must be awakened
before learning can occur.
[15]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
a Eph 6:4
1 Lit according to his way
[1]New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Pr 22:6).
LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[2]McGee, J. V. (1997, c1981). Thru the Bible commentary. Based on
the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.) (3:76). Nashville:
Thomas Nelson.
[3]Courson, J. (2006). Jon Courson's application commentary : Volume
two : Psalms-Malachi (249). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
? 34 (22:6) Henry Ward Beecher, further documentation unavailable.
? 35 (22:6) Adams, Counsel, p. 158.
[4]MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer's Bible
Commentary : Old and New Testaments (Pr 22:6). Nashville: Thomas
Nelson.
[5]MacArthur, J. J. (1997, c1997). The MacArthur Study Bible
(electronic ed.) (Pr 22:6). Nashville: Word Pub.
151 151. Gleason L. Archer, Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, p. 252.
152 152. Ross, pp. 1061-62; Toy, p. 415; McKane, p. 564; Kidner, p.
147; Greenstone, p. 234.
153 153. Buzzell, p. 953.
[6]Tom Constable. (2003; 2003). Tom Constable's Expository Notes on
the Bible (Pr 22:6). Galaxie Software.
nrsv New Revised Standard Version
reb Revised English Bible
tev Today's English Version
[7]Reyburn, W. D., & Fry, E. M. (2000). A handbook on Proverbs.
UBS handbook series; Helps for translators (463). New York: United
Bible Societies.
[8]Henry, M. (1996, c1991). Matthew Henry's commentary on the whole
Bible : Complete and unabridged in one volume (Pr 22:6). Peabody:
Hendrickson.
[9]Tan, P. L. (1996, c1979). Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : A
treasury of illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors,
teachers and Christian workers. Garland TX: Bible Communications.
[10]Tan, P. L. (1996, c1979). Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : A
treasury of illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors,
teachers and Christian workers. Garland TX: Bible Communications.
[11]Green, M. P. (1989). Illustrations for Bilical Preaching : Over 1500
sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised
edition of: The expositor's illustration file.). Grand Rapids: Baker Book
House.
[12]Green, M. P. (1989). Illustrations for Bilical Preaching : Over 1500
sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised
edition of: The expositor's illustration file.). Grand Rapids: Baker Book
House.
[13]Green, M. P. (1989). Illustrations for Bilical Preaching : Over 1500
sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised
edition of: The expositor's illustration file.). Grand Rapids: Baker Book
House.
[14]Green, M. P. (1989). Illustrations for Bilical Preaching : Over 1500
sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised
edition of: The expositor's illustration file.). Grand Rapids: Baker Book
House.
[15]Green, M. P. (1989). Illustrations for Bilical Preaching : Over 1500
sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised
edition of: The expositor's illustration file.). Grand Rapids: Baker Book
House.
.
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| User: "Bill M" |
|
| Title: Re: Train Up A Child |
01 Jul 2007 06:01:18 PM |
|
|
"Milkman" <mm002_x@yahoo.uk> wrote in message
news:LuadnWNyRaqOgBjbnZ2dnUVZ_vmqnZ2d@giganews.com...
. Train Up A Child
(Proverbs 22:6 NASB)
6 ?a?Train up a child ?1?in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
[1]
We are to train up a child concerning the way, he should go. What he is
saying is that God has a way He wants him to go, and parents are to find
out that way. They are not to bring up a child in the way they think he
should go, but in the way God wants him to go.
Children should not be trained to believe in your imaginary. Why should they
be trained to believe in something that does no exist except in your over
active imagination?
.
|
|
|
| User: "Irv Hyatt" |
|
| Title: Re: Train Up A Child |
01 Jul 2007 06:31:36 PM |
|
|
"Bill M" <wmech@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:PmWhi.20204$19.15841@bignews5.bellsouth.net...
"Milkman" <mm002_x@yahoo.uk> wrote in message
news:LuadnWNyRaqOgBjbnZ2dnUVZ_vmqnZ2d@giganews.com...
. Train Up A Child
(Proverbs 22:6 NASB)
6 ?a?Train up a child ?1?in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
[1]
We are to train up a child concerning the way, he should go. What he is
saying is that God has a way He wants him to go, and parents are to find
out that way. They are not to bring up a child in the way they think he
should go, but in the way God wants him to go.
Children should not be trained to believe in your imaginary. Why should
they
be trained to believe in something that does no exist except in your over
active imagination?
It's child abuse to brain wash children with religion.
If it were true, they'd know it without being told about it.
Therefore... Let them grow up and decide for themselves.
.
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|
|
| User: "Father Haskell" |
|
| Title: Re: Train Up A Child |
01 Jul 2007 11:15:39 PM |
|
|
On Jul 1, 7:31 pm, "Irv Hyatt" <irvhy...@ca.rr.com> wrote:
"Bill M" <w...@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:PmWhi.20204$19.15841@bignews5.bellsouth.net...
"Milkman" <mm00...@yahoo.uk> wrote in message
news:LuadnWNyRaqOgBjbnZ2dnUVZ_vmqnZ2d@giganews.com...
. Train Up A Child
(Proverbs 22:6 NASB)
6 ?a?Train up a child ?1?in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
[1]
We are to train up a child concerning the way, he should go. What he is
saying is that God has a way He wants him to go, and parents are to find
out that way. They are not to bring up a child in the way they think he
should go, but in the way God wants him to go.
Children should not be trained to believe in your imaginary. Why should
they
be trained to believe in something that does no exist except in your over
active imagination?
It's child abuse to brain wash children with religion.
If it were true, they'd know it without being told about it.
Therefore... Let them grow up and decide for themselves.
It's the only way they can propagate it. No adult could possibly
swallow their *****.
.
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| User: "Uncle Vic" |
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| Title: Re: Train Up A Child |
29 Jun 2007 03:05:04 PM |
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| User: "Maybe I Will" |
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| Title: Re: Train Up A Child |
29 Jun 2007 05:04:53 PM |
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| User: "Maybe I Will" |
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| Title: Re: Train Up A Child |
29 Jun 2007 10:09:21 AM |
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. Train Up A Child
(Proverbs 22:6 NASB)
6 ?a?Train up a child ?1?in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
[1]
We are to train up a child concerning the way, he should go. What he is
saying is that God has a way He wants him to go, and parents are to find
out that way. They are not to bring up a child in the way they think he
should go, but in the way God wants him to go.
[2]
The implication of this passage is that if you train up a child in the way he
should go, even when he's old, he'll keep walking in it. There's a
difference between training and teaching. A teacher tells what to do. A
trainer shows how to do it. "Follow me as I follow Christ," Paul would say
(1 Corinthians 11:1). "Walk in my footsteps. Do what I do."
Notice that we are to train up our child in the way he should go-not in
the way we wish he'd go. Dads, we're particularly vulnerable to making
our sons walk in the way we think they should go. But wise is the dad who
studies his kids carefully to see how the Lord made them specifically.
Parenting is not so much about molding as it is about unfolding.
[3]
22:6 The usual interpretation of this proverb is that if you train up a child
properly (in the way he should go), he will go on well in later life. Of
course there are exceptions, but it stands as a general rule. Henry Ward
Beecher observes:
It is not hard to make a child or a tree grow right if you train them when
they're young, but to make them straighten out after you've allowed things
to go wrong is not an easy matter.? 34
Susannah Wesley, the mother of Charles, John, and 15 other children,
followed these rules in training them: (1) Subdue self-will in a child and
thus work together with God to save his soul. (2) Teach him to pray as
soon as he can speak. (3) Give him nothing he cries for and only what is
good for him if he asks for it politely. (4) To prevent lying, punish no fault
which is freely confessed, but never allow a rebellious, sinful act to go
unnoticed. (5) Commend and reward good behavior. (6) Strictly observe
all promises you have made to your child.
The proverb can also be understood as encouraging parents to train their
children along the lines of their natural talents, rather than forcing them into
professions or trades for which they have no native inclination. Thus
Kidner says that the verse teaches respect for the child's individuality and
vocation, though not for his self-will.
And the proverb may be a warning that if you train a child in the way that
he himself wants to go, he will continue to be spoiled and self-centered in
later life. Jay Adams writes:
The verse stands not as a promise but as a warning to parents that if they
allow a child to train himself after his own wishes (permissively), they
should not expect him to want to change these patterns when he matures.
Children are born sinners and, when allowed to follow their own wishes,
will naturally develop sinful habit responses. The basic thought is that such
habit patterns become deep-seated when they have been ingrained in the
child from the earliest days.? 35
[4]
22:6 way he should go. There is only one right way, God's way, the way
of life. That way is specified in great detail in Proverbs. Since it is
axiomatic that early training secures lifelong habits, parents must insist
upon this way, teaching God's Word and enforcing it with loving discipline
consistently throughout the child's upbringing.
[5]
22:6 "Train" (Heb. hanak) means to dedicate (cf. Deut. 20:5; 1 Kings
8:63; 2 Chron. 7:5; Dan. 3:2). It has the idea of narrowing and in this
verse implies channeling the child's conduct into the way of wisdom. That
guidance might include dedicating him or her to God and preparing the
child for future responsibilities and adulthood.151
"In the way he should go" is literally "according to his way." It may mean
according to his own personality, temperament, responses, or stage in life.
On the other hand it could mean the way in which he ought to go. The
Hebrew grammar permits either interpretation. However the context
favors the latter view. "Way" in Proverbs usually means the path a person
takes through life, not one's personality, disposition, or stage in life.
Consequently the verse is saying the parent should train up a child in the
way of wisdom to live in the fear of God.152
The second part of this verse has challenged the faith of many a godly
parent. Obviously many children who have received good training have
repudiated the way of wisdom later in life. The explanation for this
seemingly broken promise lies in a correct understanding of what a
proverb is.
"A proverb is a literary device whereby a general truth is brought to bear
on a specific situation. Many of the proverbs are not absolute guarantees
for they express truths that are necessarily conditioned by prevailing
circumstances. For example, verses 3-4, 9, 11, 16, 29 do not express
promises that are always binding. Though the proverbs are generally and
usually true, occasional exceptions may be noted. This may be because of
the self-will or deliberate disobedience of an individual who chooses to go
his own way-the way of folly instead of the way of wisdom . . . It is
generally true, however, that most children who are brought up in Christian
homes, under the influence of godly parents who teach and live God's
standards (cf. Eph. 6:4), follow that training."153
This proverb clearly does not state a Scriptural promise. Rather, the
revelation of Scripture elsewhere is that God always allows people to
make their own decisions. He does not force them to do what is right.
[6]
22.6
This saying about the training of children is a single statement in which the
second line expresses the consequence of the first line.
Train up a child in the way he should go: Train up a child is rather
unnatural English, but the sense is clear. Other English versions say "teach
children," "give children training," or "start a child." The way he should go
could refer to what is good and right in life, which may be expressed as "in
the right way" (nrsv) or "on the right road" (reb). Or it may have the sense
of training for life, as in "Teach children how they should live" (tev) or
"Give a lad the training he needs for life" (Scott). A common rendering in
Pacific languages is "Teach children to do what is right."
And when he is old he will not depart from it: This is the consequence of
the training described in the first line. The Hebrew begins with a word that
gives emphasis to the thought of this line; reb expresses this as "and even
.." Is old is the verb for reaching old age; but when he is old does not
mean only in old age, it means through all the years of life. So tev
expresses this as "they will remember it all their life," and one other
translation that is a good model says, "and he will keep going this way
right up to his old age." Not depart from it is a negative way of saying "will
follow that way."
[7]
Verse 6
Here is, 1. A great duty enjoined, particularly to those that are the parents
and instructors of children, in order to the propagating of wisdom, that it
may not die with them: Train up children in that age of vanity, to keep them
from the sins and snares of it, in that learning age, to prepare them for
what they are designed for. Catechise them; initiate them; keep them under
discipline. Train them as soldiers, who are taught to handle their arms,
keep rank, and observe the word of command. Train them up, not in the
way they would go (the bias of their corrupt hearts would draw them
aside), but in the way they should go, the way in which, if you love them,
you would have them go. Train up a child according as he is capable (as
some take it), with a gentle hand, as nurses feed children, little and often,
Deu. 6:7. 2. A good reason for it, taken from the great advantage of this
care and pains with children: When they grow up, when they grow old, it
is to be hoped, they will not depart from it. Good impressions made upon
them then will abide upon them all their days. Ordinarily the vessel retains
the savour with which it was first seasoned. Many indeed have departed
from the good way in which they were trained up; Solomon himself did so.
But early training may be a means of their recovering themselves, as it is
supposed Solomon did. At least the parents will have the comfort of
having done their duty and used the means.
[8]
4412 Teachings Of Epicurus
The Epicureans were followers of Epicurus who lived 341-270 B. C. He
taught that nothing exists but atoms and space. The atoms are eternally
forming new combinations which are only temporary and in the case of
human beings are broken up at death. Then, Epicurus taught, the soul or
personality reversed to the impersonal atoms which went on to form new
combinations.
Thus, matter is all that matters. This life is all that counts and man should
make happiness his chief purpose in life. Happiness might be gained for
some by indulging in sensual pleasure and avoidance of pain. Others, more
highminded, might attain happiness from mental and intellectual pursuits. If
death ended all, they reasoned, why not indulge the flesh today?
[9]
442 Teaching Canaries To Sing
In the Hartz Mountains, at the village of Andreasberg, over 200,000
canaries are raised annually. The Germans are especially fond of these
pretty songsters and very successful in their propagation and nurture. But
their best singers are never sold. They are kept as choirmasters for the
feathered vocalists. Handsome and promising fledglings are kept close to
the acknowledged leaders of the aviary, and they pick up and practice the
notes they hear.
[10]
Psychologists have discovered that children respond according to how
they are treated. In a scientific experiment, a particular teacher was told
that half of her students were exceptional, while the others were average.
After a year, the students she was told were superior had improved a full
grade beyond the other half (those she was told were only average). The
interesting factor was that all the students were exactly equal intellectually.
The two groups were different only in the teacher's mind and her
treatment of them. The results were obvious and inevitable. Those she
thought were exceptional became exceptional, and those she thought were
average became average.
[11]
A teacher had just finished putting the last pair of galoshes on her first-
graders-thirty-two pairs in all. The last little girl said, "You know what,
teacher? These aren't my galoshes."
The teacher removed them from the girl's feet. Then the little girl
continued, "They are my sister's, and she let me wear them." The teacher
quietly put them back on her pupil.
Now that's patience!
[12]
As a boy, Dr. John Mitchell was familiar with the mountains and mine pits
around his house. One night his Boy Scout troop was on a midnight hike.
Since Mitchell knew the mountains and where the dangerous pits were, he
took several private jaunts away from the troop. The scoutmaster
admonished him, saying: "Although you know where the mine pits are and
how to avoid them, when you go to them you make a path that others may
follow to their death."
[13]
The story is told of a T.V. repairman who didn't like to think about his job
when he came home. As a result, he never bothered to properly install the
T.V. antenna on the top of his house or fix it when one arm broke in a
windstorm. One day a new family moved in next door, and the owner
went up on his roof to install an antenna. Knowing that his neighbor was a
T.V. repairman, he put his up exactly the same way and turned his antenna
to face in the same direction as his neighbor's. Then, after studying his
neighbor's antenna for a while, he reached up and broke one arm off his
new antenna!
As disciples, we teach by example, whether we intend to or not!
[14]
There is a story about a man who wanted to train his mule. The first thing
he did was to pick up a big stick and hit the mule a resounding wallop
between the ears. As the mule staggered about, someone said to him,
"What is the matter? Why did you do that?" The man said, "To teach a
mule, you must first get his attention."
That observation may or may not be true of mules, but there is a good
deal of truth in it when applied to humans. Interest must be awakened
before learning can occur.
[15]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
a Eph 6:4
1 Lit according to his way
[1]New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Pr 22:6).
LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[2]McGee, J. V. (1997, c1981). Thru the Bible commentary. Based on
the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.) (3:76). Nashville:
Thomas Nelson.
[3]Courson, J. (2006). Jon Courson's application commentary : Volume
two : Psalms-Malachi (249). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
? 34 (22:6) Henry Ward Beecher, further documentation unavailable.
? 35 (22:6) Adams, Counsel, p. 158.
[4]MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer's Bible
Commentary : Old and New Testaments (Pr 22:6). Nashville: Thomas
Nelson.
[5]MacArthur, J. J. (1997, c1997). The MacArthur Study Bible
(electronic ed.) (Pr 22:6). Nashville: Word Pub.
151 151. Gleason L. Archer, Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, p. 252.
152 152. Ross, pp. 1061-62; Toy, p. 415; McKane, p. 564; Kidner, p.
147; Greenstone, p. 234.
153 153. Buzzell, p. 953.
[6]Tom Constable. (2003; 2003). Tom Constable's Expository Notes on
the Bible (Pr 22:6). Galaxie Software.
nrsv New Revised Standard Version
reb Revised English Bible
tev Today's English Version
[7]Reyburn, W. D., & Fry, E. M. (2000). A handbook on Proverbs.
UBS handbook series; Helps for translators (463). New York: United
Bible Societies.
[8]Henry, M. (1996, c1991). Matthew Henry's commentary on the whole
Bible : Complete and unabridged in one volume (Pr 22:6). Peabody:
Hendrickson.
[9]Tan, P. L. (1996, c1979). Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : A
treasury of illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors,
teachers and Christian workers. Garland TX: Bible Communications.
[10]Tan, P. L. (1996, c1979). Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : A
treasury of illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors,
teachers and Christian workers. Garland TX: Bible Communications.
[11]Green, M. P. (1989). Illustrations for Bilical Preaching : Over 1500
sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised
edition of: The expositor's illustration file.). Grand Rapids: Baker Book
House.
[12]Green, M. P. (1989). Illustrations for Bilical Preaching : Over 1500
sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised
edition of: The expositor's illustration file.). Grand Rapids: Baker Book
House.
[13]Green, M. P. (1989). Illustrations for Bilical Preaching : Over 1500
sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised
edition of: The expositor's illustration file.). Grand Rapids: Baker Book
House.
[14]Green, M. P. (1989). Illustrations for Bilical Preaching : Over 1500
sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised
edition of: The expositor's illustration file.). Grand Rapids: Baker Book
House.
[15]Green, M. P. (1989). Illustrations for Bilical Preaching : Over 1500
sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised
edition of: The expositor's illustration file.). Grand Rapids: Baker Book
House.
.. Then ...
.. Call to Discipleship
(Matthew 11:25-30 NASB)
Come to Me
25 ?a?At that ?1?time Jesus said, "I praise You, ?b?Father, Lord
of heaven and earth, that ?c?You have hidden these things from the
wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.
26 "Yes, ?a?Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.
27 "?a?All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and
no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the
Father ?b?except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal
Him.
28 "?a?Come to Me, all ?1?who are weary and heavy-laden, and I
will give you rest.
29 "Take My yoke upon you and ?a?learn from Me, for I am gentle
and humble in heart, and ?b?you will find rest for your souls.
30 "For ?a?My yoke is ?1?easy and My burden is light."
[1]
The Savior's Reaction to Rejection (11:25-30)
11:25, 26 The three cities of Galilee had neither eyes to see nor heart to
love the Christ of God. He knew their attitude was but a foretaste of
rejection on a wider scale. How did He react to their impenitance? Not
with bitterness, cynicism, or vindictiveness. Rather He lifted His voice
in thanks to God that nothing could frustrate His sovereign purposes. "I
thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these
things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes."
We should avoid two possible misunderstandings. First, Jesus was not
expressing pleasure in the inevitable judgment of the Galilean cities.
Secondly, He did not imply that God had high-handedly withheld the light
from the wise and prudent.
The cities had every chance to welcome the Lord Jesus. They deliberately
refused to submit to Him. When they refused the light, God withheld the
light from them. But God's plans will not fail. If the intelligentsia will
not believe, then God will reveal Him to humble hearts. He fills the
hungry with good things and sends the rich away empty (Luke 1:53).
Those who consider themselves too wise and understanding to need Christ
become afflicted with judicial blindness. But those who admit their lack
of wisdom receive a revelation of Him "in whom are hidden all the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col. 2:3). Jesus thanked the Father
for ordaining that if some would not have Him, others would. In the face
of titanic unbelief He found consolation in the overruling plan and
purpose of God.
11:27 All things had been delivered to Christ by His Father. This would be
a presumptuous claim from anyone else, but from the Lord Jesus it is a
simple statement of truth. At that moment, with opposition mounting, it
did not appear that He was in control; nonetheless it was true. The
program of His life was moving irresistibly toward eventual glorious
triumph. "No one knows the Son except the Father." There is
incomprehensible mystery about the Person of Christ. The union of deity
and humanity in one Person raises problems that boggle the human mind. For
instance, there is the problem of death. God cannot die. Yet Jesus is God
and Jesus died. And yet His divine and human natures are inseparable. So
although we can know Him and love Him and trust Him, there is a sense in
which only the Father can truly understand Him.
But the high myst'ries of Thy Name
The creature's grasp transcend;
The Father only (glorious claim!)
The Son can comprehend.
Worthy, O Lamb of God, art Thou,
That every knee to Thee should bow!
-Josiah Conder
"Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son and he to whom the Son
wills to reveal Him." The Father, too, is inscrutable. Ultimately, only
God is great enough to understand God. Man cannot know Him by his own
strength or intellect. But the Lord Jesus can and does reveal the Father
to those whom He chooses. Whoever comes to know the Son comes to know the
Father also (John 14:7).
Yet, after saying all this, we must confess that in seeking to explain
verse 27, we are dealing with truths too high for us. We see in a mirror
dimly. Not even in eternity will our finite minds be able to fully
appreciate the greatness of God or understand the mystery of the
Incarnation. When we read that the Father is revealed only to those whom
the Son chooses, we might be tempted to think of an arbitrary selection of
a favored few. The following verse guards against such an interpretation.
The Lord Jesus issues a universal invitation to all who are weary and
heavy laden to come to Him for rest. In other words, the ones to whom He
chooses to reveal the Father are those who trust Him as Lord and Savior.
As we examine this invitation of infinite tenderness, let us remember that
it was issued after the blatant rejection of Jesus by the favored cities
of Galilee. Man's hate and obstinacy could not extinguish His love and
grace. A. J. McClain said:
Although the nation of Israel is moving toward the ordeal of divine
judgment, the King in His final word throws open wide the door of personal
salvation. And thus He proves that He is a God of grace, even on the
threshold of judgment.? 19
11:28 Come. To come means to believe (Acts 16:31); to receive (John 1:12);
to eat (John 6:35); to drink (John 7:37); to look (Isa. 45:22); to confess
(1 Jn. 4:2); to hear (John 5:24, 25); to enter a door (John 10:9); to open
a door (Rev. 3:20); to touch the hem of His garment (Matt. 9:20, 21); and
to accept the gift of eternal life through Christ our Lord (Rom. 6:23).
to Me. The object of faith is not a church, a creed, or a clergyman, but
the living Christ. Salvation is in a Person. Those who have Jesus are as
saved as God can make them.
all you who labor and are heavy laden. In order to truly come to Jesus, a
person must admit that he is burdened with the weight of sin. Only those
who acknowledge they are lost can be saved. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
is preceded by repentance toward God.
and I will give you rest. Notice that rest here is a gift; it is unearned
and unmerited. This is the rest of salvation that comes from realizing
that Christ finished the work of redemption on Calvary's cross. It is the
rest of conscience that follows the realization that the penalty of one's
sins has been paid once for all and that God will not demand payment
twice.
11:29 In verses 29 and 30, the invitation changes from salvation to
service.
Take My yoke upon you. This means to enter into submission to His will, to
turn over control of one's life to Him (Rom. 12:1, 2).
and learn from Me. As we acknowledge His lordship in every area of our
lives, He trains us in His ways.
for I am gentle and lowly in heart. In contrast to the Pharisees who were
harsh and proud, the true Teacher is meek and lowly. Those who take His
yoke will learn to take the lowest place.
and you will find rest for your souls. Here it is not the rest of
conscience but the rest of heart that is found by taking the lowest place
before God and man. It is also the rest that one experiences in the
service of Christ when he stops trying to be great.
11:30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Again there is a
striking contrast with the Pharisees. Jesus said of them, "For they bind
heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they
themselves will not move them with one of their fingers" (Matt. 23:4).
Jesus' yoke is easy; it does not chafe. Someone has suggested that if
Jesus had had a sign outside His carpenter's shop, it would have read, "My
yokes fit well."
His burden is light. This does not mean that there are no problems,
trials, labor, or heartaches in the Christian life. But it does mean that
we do not have to bear them alone. We are yoked with One who gives
sufficient grace for every time of need. To serve Him is not bondage but
perfect freedom. J. H. Jowett says:
The fatal mistake for the believer is to seek to bear life's load in a
single collar. God never intended a man to carry his burden alone. Christ
therefore deals only in yokes! A yoke is a neck harness for two, and the
Lord himself pleads to be One of the two. He wants to share the labor of
any galling task. The secret of peace and victory in the Christian life is
found in putting off the taxing collar of "self" and accepting the
Master's relaxing "yoke."? 20
[2]
To men who were burdened and distressed under the weight and curse of sin
and the law, the Lord Jesus Christ came to give freedom and rest. The
first word spoken to those who became disciples were the words, "Follow
me." And throughout our Lord's life He traveled the highways and byways of
the land of Palestine inviting men to come to Him. In Matthew 11:28-30 our
Lord summarizes the invitation to discipleship that characterized His
earthly ministry: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am
meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my
yoke is easy and my burden is light."
To understand our Lord's invitation, we must understand that those to whom
our Lord was speaking were crushed beneath the weight of the Mosaic law.
Our Lord was addressing men who numbered themselves among the disciples of
Moses and who were the disciples of the Pharisees. Neither Moses nor the
Pharisees could give rest from the pressing burden or release from the
oppressive load that the law and Judaism placed upon men. Recognizing that
there was no other course to rest and peace than that to be found through
submission to Himself, Christ came to invite men out of their old
discipleship to a new discipleship.
The law was given by Moses (John 1:17 ). Men submitted themselves to the
law and, by submitting themselves to the law, became disciples of the law
or disciples of the lawgiver, that is, disciples of Moses. This fact is
attested by John 9:28 where, in response to the testimony of the man born
blind, the leaders in Israel said, "Thou art his disciple; but we are
Moses' disciples." Those who recognized an obligation to the law and
submitted themselves to rule by the law were called the disciples of the
law. They became disciples of the law or disciples of Moses by submitting
to the authority of Moses and the Mosaic law.
The Pharisees had devised a system in which they had codified the Mosaic
law into some 365 prohibitions and 250 commandments. They required those
who followed them to submit to their interpretations of this law. Because
the Pharisees considered themselves the official interpreters of the law,
they promoted themselves to a position of authority in Israel. In Matthew
23:2, Christ referred to the Scribes and the Pharisees as men who "sit in
Moses' seat." Claiming the authority of Moses as interpreters and teachers
of the law, they demanded that all in Israel who submitted to Moses also
submit themselves to them. They demanded that men by submission become
disciples of the Pharisees, and that individuals in Israel recognize
themselves not only as disciples of Moses but also as disciples of the
Pharisees. This is seen in a passage such as Mark 2:18 where Christ is
asked the question, "The disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to
fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of
the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?" This shows us that those
who submitted themselves to the Pharisees were disciples of the Pharisees.
They became disciples by voluntarily submitting themselves to the rule of
the Pharisees over them.
When the law was imposed on a man, it did not bring liberty. It brought
bondage. Rather than freedom, it brought oppression. Instead of a sense of
release, it brought a sense of guilt and failure. The leaders of the
Pharisees made no effort to bring freedom and liberty and release to those
who were their disciples. The system of the Pharisees, according to
Matthew 23:4, imposed heavy burdens that were grievous to be borne; for
our Lord, characterizing the Pharisees, said, "They bind heavy burdens and
grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves
will not move them with one of their fingers." Our Lord looked at a nation
of men who had become disciples of Moses and disciples of the Pharisees by
a voluntary submission to their authority. He saw that nation as under a
heavy burden, a burden that was grievous to be borne, a burden that the
Pharisees made no effort to lift from those who were crushed beneath its
load. Our Lord came to say, "Come unto me . and I will give you rest."
Those who were under the Mosaic law were said to be yoked to Moses. Those
who were under the authority of the Pharisees were said to be yoked to the
Pharisees. This is evidenced when we turn to Acts 15 where we have
recorded the word of Peter after the Day of Pentecost as he discusses the
question as to whether Gentiles who were being saved should be compelled
to be circumcised. That was another way of asking whether believers in the
new era would have to submit to the authority of the law or would have to
be yoked with Moses. In verse 7 we read, "Men and brethren, ye know how
that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my
mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which
knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as
he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their
hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the
neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to
bear?" Notice the words in verse 10. When they considered imposing the
law, the Mosaic system, on believers in Jesus Christ, men who had been
saved by faith, Peter said that would be imposing a yoke on them that
neither they nor their fathers were able to bear.
When Christ in Matthew 11:29 is talking about a yoke from which He will
deliver men, He is talking about the yoke of the law, the yoke of
Pharisaism that put a heavy burden, too grievous to be borne, upon the
necks of men. Christ, coming to those who were so crushed, offers them
release, liberty, freedom, rest. Notice our Lord's invitation, in Matthew
11:28 when He says to this oppressed multitude, "Come unto me." Moses
offered the children of Israel the law at Mount Sinai. According to Exodus
19:8 Israel said, "All that the Lord hath spoken we will do." They
voluntarily submitted themselves to the law and were yoked to the law. The
Pharisees imposed authority over the nation of Israel and the nation
voluntarily submitted to the authority of the Pharisees. They had done the
bidding of the Pharisees when the Pharisees had said, "Come unto me." Now
our Lord stands and says to an oppressed, burdened people, "Come unto me."
This is the same invitation our Lord had given to the first apostles. In
Mark 1:16, 17 we read that Christ saw "Simon and Andrew his brother
casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And Jesus said unto
them, Come ye after me." And in verse 19, "He saw James the son of
Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their
nets. And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee
in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him." Peter and Andrew
and James and John became disciples by heeding our Lord's invitation when
He said, "Follow me. Come unto me".
In John 1:37 Jesus again is inviting men to Himself, "And the two
disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus." In verse 38 they
asked, "Rabbi, where dwellest thou?" He said unto them, "Come and see.
They came and saw. . " Again in verse 43, Jesus "findeth Philip and saith
unto him, Follow me." And Philip followed. Here the number of disciples
was expanded from the original four because Christ presented Himself to
them and said, "Follow me." And they submitted to Him and followed. Now in
Matthew 11:28 and much later in His ministry after He had completed the
call of the original twelve, Christ stood and said, "Come unto me." He was
not calling them to a system. This was not calling them to a religion. Nor
was He calling them to a table of stone or to the traditions of men,
asking men to submit to those. He was calling men to a Person, to Himself.
Discipleship is the response of an individual to a Person who stands
before believers and says, "Come unto me."
You will notice the universality of this invitation, "Come unto me, all ye
that labour and are heavy laden." In Israel there could not be found one
who had found rest through the Levitical system, who had found rest
through Pharisaism, who had found rest through the multiplied works in
which he was involved. Through the multitude of sacrifices which he
offered on Jewish altars, not one had found rest. All were burdened, all
guilty, all condemned. Christ opened the invitation to all the burdened
and oppressed, none excluded. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are
heavy laden." And the verse concludes with Christ's promise, "I will give
you rest."
Rest for the oxen who had been laboring in the yoke all day was found only
when the owner took the ox to the stable and removed the yoke so that the
ox might feed and drink. As long as the ox was in the yoke, he was under
the burden of the yoke. The removal of the yoke meant rest.
There could be no rest to the burdened and the oppressed until Christ
lifted the weight of the yoke of the law and the yoke of Pharisaism from
them. Christ could give no release to men until He delivered them from the
bondage to which they had submitted themselves when they became disciples
of Moses and disciples of the Pharisees. "Come unto me, all ye that labour
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
How could Christ give rest? The strange contradiction is that Christ
exchanges the yoke of Mosaism, the yoke of Pharisaism, for another yoke.
"Take my yoke upon you" is the means by which men find rest. The
questioner might well ask, "If I must bear a yoke, what difference does it
really make whether it be the yoke of Mosaism or Pharisaism or the yoke of
Christ? After all, a yoke is a yoke." Christ did not say unto the
distressed, "Come unto Me, and I will remove all yokes from you and give
you rest." His invitation and the condition upon which man would
experience the results were found in taking "my yoke upon you." To take
Christ's yoke means to submit yourself to the authority of Christ. It
means to put yourself under His rule, to join yourself together with Him.
He is inviting men to put their shoulders into a new yoke, a new yoke in
which He is the yoke mate. And He promises that, as they submit to His
authority and are yoked with Him, they will find rest unto their souls.
The reason men find rest by taking Christ's yoke is that His yoke is a
different kind of yoke. The yoke of the Pharisees was an obligation to
observe the traditions of men. The yoke of the law was to observe all that
the law commanded, and refrain from all it prohibited. But Christ said He
was offering them a new kind of yoke and His yoke is easy and His burden
is light. As one is bound in this new kind of yoke, Christ could promise
that "Ye shall find rest unto your souls." The yoke to which Christ
invited men, when borne as a co-laborer with Jesus Christ, is no burden at
all. It is a source of rest, satisfaction, enjoyment and contentment. The
Christian life, the life of a disciple, is not a life of passivity or
inactivity. It is a life of activity because the life of Christ works
itself out through the true disciple of Jesus Christ. Christ is our life
and He is our strength. As one is yoked to Jesus Christ that which is
performed is the joy of the true disciple.
Back in my college days I observed an incident that made this Scripture
very clear to me. On Sunday afternoons I used to go out to a little rural
Sunday school to teach. One afternoon the superintendent of the Sunday
school, a farmer, and I were visiting in the community. There was an old
farmer plowing with a team of oxen. As I saw this team I was somewhat
amazed, for one was a huge ox and the other a very small bullock. That ox
towered over the little bullock that was sharing the work with him. I was
amazed and perplexed to see a farmer trying to plow with two such unequal
animals in the yoke and commented on the inequality to the man with whom I
was riding. He stopped his car and said, "I want you to notice something.
See the way those traces are hooked to the yoke? You will observe that the
large ox is pulling all the weight. That little bullock is being broken
into the yoke but he is not actually pulling any weight." My mind
instinctively came to this passage of Scripture where our Lord said, "Take
my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and
ye shall find rest unto your souls." In the normal yoke, the load is
equally distributed between the two that are yoked together, but when we
are yoked with Jesus Christ, He bears the load and we who are yoked with
Him share in the joy and the accomplishment of the labor but without the
burden of the yoke. The tragedy is that some of us have never been broken
in to the yoke.
How could a man submit to Christ's yoke? How can he take Christ's yoke
upon him? The explanation is in the little words, "Learn of me." We may
paraphrase it: let Me teach you what you need to know. Let Me guide you
and direct you in your activities. Let Me set the direction of your life.
"Learn of me." The Jews to whom our Lord spoke had been taught by the
Pharisees who themselves transmitted the traditions of men, and they were
bound by the traditions that they had learned from the Pharisees. They had
learned from their masters. These Jews were so burdened by the law that
they would not step across a grassy plot on the Sabbath Day. Do you know
why? The law said, "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. . in it
thou shalt not do any work." That meant a man could not sow in his field.
They had so interpreted the law that, if a man stepped upon a plot of
grass and knocked some ripe seed from the seedpod onto the ground, he was
guilty of sowing upon the Sabbath Day. Pharisaism taught that it was wrong
for a man who wore false teeth six days a week to wear them on the seventh
day, for that was bearing a burden and was a violation of the Sabbath Day.
The Pharisees taught that it was wrong to use any internal medication for
healing on the Sabbath Day. If a man broke his arm, you could put it into
a splint; that was external. Or if he had a severe toothache, you could
give him a sip of wine to deaden the pain as long as he spit out the wine
and washed his mouth out. If he did not wash his mouth out, he might
inadvertently swallow a bit of that wine, which became internal medication
and that made him a Sabbath violator.
The disciples of the Pharisees had learned the burden that the law
imposed. Now Christ said they were going to have to unlearn all they had
learned. Let Me teach you. If you follow the gospel record you will find
that from this point on in our Lord's life He concentrates, not on
performing miracles, but on teaching men the truth that they needed to
know about the Father, about Himself, about the way of life and about the
way of salvation. Man must make a choice. Men must make a decision whether
they will continue as disciples of the Pharisees or whether they will
submit to His Word, submit to His teaching, submit themselves to His
authority and become His disciples.
Beloved of God, who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ, this word
is directed to you. We affirm again that it is possible for a man to be
saved without being a disciple of Jesus Christ. A believer becomes a
disciple of Jesus Christ when he submits to the authority of Christ's word
and acknowledges Christ's right to rule over him, puts himself totally and
completely at the disposal of Jesus Christ. An ox does not accidentally
slip into a yoke. He has to submit to it. You will not somehow fall into
discipleship. You become a disciple when you before God register a
decision of your will in which you declare you are submitting yourself to
Jesus Christ, you are putting yourself under the authority and control of
His Word, and you accept His Word as the law of your life, and by the
Spirit's power live by it.
Many of us have no right to call ourselves disciples. When Christ said,
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest," we have responded and have come to Him. But when He prepares to
slip a yoke around our necks to join us to Himself, we resist, we fight,
we back off. We refuse to be brought under bondage to anyone, not even to
Jesus Christ. Until you become yoked to Jesus Christ in the sweetest
bondage that heaven or earth knows, you cannot be a disciple. "Take my
yoke upon you" means learn of Me, submit to My Word, acknowledge the
authority of My Person, and when you do that, and only when you do that,
"ye shall find rest unto your souls."
Are you restless, child of God? Disturbed? Often distraught, discouraged?
Perchance at the edge of despair? Put your shoulder into His yoke in order
that He might bear the burden. Learn to walk yoked to Jesus Christ, and
you shall find rest for your soul. This is His promise.
[3]
A WORD TO THE WEARY
A Topical Study of MATTHEW 11:28-30
Although it took place in the 1930s, it remains one of the most mystifying
missing person cases in FBI files. After spending an evening eating out
with friends, a forty-five-year-old New York judge hailed a taxi and was
never seen or heard from again. The FBI immediately became involved. They
suspected a kidnapping by someone who held a judicial grudge against him.
But that didn't seem to pan out. They then suspected Mafia activity
because he was an outspoken enemy of the Mafia. But again, that led
nowhere. To this day, there is only one clue that remains. When his wife
returned to their apartment the evening her husband disappeared, there on
the table was a check for a large sum of money made out to her and a note
attached to it in her husband's handwriting which simply said,
I am very, very tired. Love, Joe
The question remains-were those words merely a comment made at the end of
a particularly trying day? Or was his note saying, "I'm tired; I'm
fatigued; I'm weary; I give up"? To this day, we can't be sure. For lack
of further evidence, it is presently believed he rode off in a taxicab to
an unknown destination where he took his own life because weariness had
weighted his soul. I think all of us from time to time can relate to that
kind of weariness. I'm not speaking of physical fatigue-the kind of
fatigue you feel after mowing the lawn or playing a set of tennis. No, I'm
speaking of the weariness which comes from life itself.
If you are of average weight and height, here is what you will go through
in an average twenty-four-hour period: Your heart will beat 103,689 times.
Your blood will travel 168 million miles as your heart pumps approximately
4 ounces per beat. You will breathe 23,040 times, inhaling 438 cubic feet
of air. Your stomach will take in three and a half pounds of food and 2.9
quarts of liquid. You will lose seven eighths of a pound of waste. If you
are a man, you will speak 4,800 words, and if you are a woman, you will
speak close to 7,000 words. You will move 750 muscles and exercise 7
million brain cells.
No wonder we're tired! But there is a weariness much more draining than
physical fatigue. It's the kind of weariness you feel when you just don't
know if you can go on another day. It's the weariness a father feels when
his child is doing wrong, the weariness a friend feels who has been
abandoned or misunderstood, and the weariness a wife feels whose husband
has rejected her. It's the weariness that can take a toll on even the most
seemingly successful individual-even on a successful judge.
There is One, however, who said, "Come to me, all you who are weary." (see
Matthew 11:28). How I appreciate that! The Lord of the universe invited
anyone who is weary to come to Him. If I were the Lord, I don't know if I
would make that kind of invitation. Keep in mind that at this point in
Matthew's Gospel, Israel is rejecting His invitation to make Him King.
Consequently, no longer is Jesus speaking to a nation corporately, saying,
"Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
No, now He is speaking to individuals personally, saying, "Come to Me, any
who are weary, any who are laboring." Would you have called this group of
people? I'm not sure I would. If I were giving an invitation, I don't
think I would have said, "Come unto me all you who are laboring and
weary-feeling as though you're depressed to the point of death, despairing
because of divorce or disease, death or discouragement."
No, I think I would say, "Come unto me, all you who are happy-let's
celebrate life together! Let's lift each other's spirits!" Or maybe I
would have said, "Come unto me, all you who are wealthy. Come and share
your prosperity!" Or maybe, "Come unto me all you who are wise. Let's
dialogue and philosophize and interact intellectually." But the personal
invitation Jesus extended to people individually as the nation rebelled
against Him corporately was: "Anyone who is weary, come to Me. Those are
My people-the weary ones."
Come unto me.
Jesus didn't say, "Run to Me." So often in my weariness, I can't run. I
can only stumble to Him or crawl before Him. But that's okay. He just said
"Come" any way we can.
Come unto me.
He didn't say, "Go to church." He didn't say, "Listen to a sermon." He
didn't say, "Get some counseling." He didn't say, "Read a book." He said,
"Come to Me."
Come unto me, all ye that labour.
What causes us to be weary in our labor? I believe the answer is found in
Exodus 5.
The people of Israel were in Egypt. Four hundred years previously, they
left the Land of Promise due to famine and headed south to Egypt where
there was plenty to eat. They lived there for a while, enjoying the
abundance and prosperity. But suddenly the situation changed when a new
Pharaoh came on the scene, looked at the Jewish people, and said, "We've
got to control these people. How? We'll enslave them." So for hundreds of
years, the people of God were enslaved by the Egyptians, baking bricks in
the blistering, burning sun for the construction of Pharaoh's monuments.
It has been documented that the Israelites baked enough bricks to build a
wall ten feet high and five feet thick from LA to New York City. When
Moses said, "Let my people go," Pharaoh answered,
Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let
them go and gather straw for themselves. And the tale of the bricks, which
they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish
ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and
sacrifice to our God. Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they
may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words. Exodus 5:7-9
The Hebrew word translated "labour" in verse 9 has the same meaning as the
Greek word translated "labour" Jesus used in Matthew 11. Do you sometimes
feel like you're stuck in Egypt, endlessly making bricks for Pharaoh under
the blistering sun? Maybe you've said, "I'm going to Egypt. I'm going to
labor to get ahead in my career," or, "I'm going to work hard for this
material thing." And for a while, it seemed enjoyable. But then, just like
Pharaoh, it turned against you, and the very thing you thought would be
wonderful is now a taskmaster-cracking the whip and enslaving you.
"Come to Me," the Lord says. "All you who are weary from labor, all you
who have realized Pharaoh is a fake and Egypt is a rip off, come to Me."
We have a tendency to think, I'm going to be so happy when I accomplish
this task, when I reach that goal, when I get this business or that toy.
And we labor and labor until we finally say, "This isn't working out the
way I thought it could, the way the commercials promised it would. I'm
miserable. I'm tired. I'm weary."
Come unto Me, all ye that labour and
are heavy laden.
What does it mean to be heavy laden?
Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers,
children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have
provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.
Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the
whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot
even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises,
and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither
mollified with ointment. Isaiah 1:4-6
The Lord says to His people, Israel, "You're beat up and bruised and
hurting and desolate and destroyed because you have been laden, loaded
with iniquity." You see, Pharaoh makes us labor, but sin makes us heavy
laden. Sin weighs us down.
David went through a season of sin on more than one occasion. During one
such time, he wrote,
There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there
any rest in my bones because of my sin. For mine iniquities are gone over
mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink
and are corrupt because of my foolishness. I am troubled; I am bowed down
greatly; I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are filled with a
loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and
sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.
Psalm 38:3-8
Sin will make you tired. What does Jesus say? He says, "Whether you've
been seduced and sucked in by Pharaoh's mentality-working for the world
and finding it to be nothing but bricks and weariness-or whether you've
been heavy laden with iniquity, come unto Me."
Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.
How?
Take my yoke upon you.
The Greek word translated "carpenter" used in Matthew 13 to describe
Joseph refers to a finish carpenter rather than for a framer. Tradition
has it that the carpenter shop where Jesus worked with His father, Joseph,
specialized in making yokes. To yoke two oxen together, the skilled
carpenter designed the yoke to fit each ox individually. Since there was
always a lead ox yoked together with one who would follow, the yoke was
designed in such a way that the lead ox would pull the greater weight. The
follower, or assistant ox, was just to go with the flow.
Take My yoke upon you.
Jesus used an analogy well known to the people who listened to Him when He
said not only, "Come unto Me," but, "Yoke with Me. Let Me be the lead ox.
Go with My flow. Don't try to figure out or change My direction. Let Me
lead you."
The story is told of a battleship cruising the Atlantic, off the northern
coast of Maine. One stormy evening, the commander was notified, "Sir,
there's a light ahead. Oncoming vessel."
"Signal the oncoming vessel: change your courses ten degrees to the west."
The message was sent.
But a light flashed back, "Change your course ten degrees to the east."
"Signal again," barked the commander. "Change your course ten degrees to
the west. I am an admiral!"
The light flashed back, "Change your course ten degrees to the east. I am
a Seaman Third Class."
By this time, the admiral was incensed as he thundered, "Signal again:
Change your course ten degrees to the west. I am a battleship."
And the message came back, "Change your course ten degrees to the east. I
am a lighthouse."
So, too, as we impudently and impetuously say to the Lord, "Lord, let's go
my way," He answers, "No. We're going My way."
I am the Lighthouse.
I am the Light of the world,
The Rock of your salvation,
the Creator and Sustainer of your soul.
I am the Alpha and the Omega,
The One who knows the beginning from the end.
Trust Me.
Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in
heart.
This is the only autobiographical statement Jesus ever made.
He didn't say, "Learn of Me because I am majestic and mighty," or "Learn
of Me because I am powerful and prominent." He said, "That which you
discover when you learn of Me will refresh you, for I am meek."
What is meekness? Meekness is strength under control. Picture a big,
gentle Saint Bernard surrounded by yapping, snapping, little Chihuahuas.
Now the Saint Bernard could open his mouth and chomp the Chihuahuas down
in one gulp. He could take his paw and knock them away with one swipe. But
the powerful Saint Bernard patiently puts up with the yappers and snappers
at his feet. That's meekness.
When I study the Scriptures and learn of Jesus, I am always amazed at His
goodness, His grace, His kindness, His gentleness, and His meekness.
Jesus says, "Come to Me-you who have been burned out by Pharaoh, you who
have been wearied by the folly of sin. Yoke with Me-don't try to maneuver
Me, steer Me, or demand of Me. Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly."
The result?
..And ye shall find rest unto your souls.
You'll find what your heart is craving: Shabbat. Sabbath. Rest.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
In Acts 15, questions arose concerning Gentile converts and whether or not
they should follow the laws and the rituals and be circumcised. Peter gave
this response:
Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the
disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? Acts
15:10
"My yoke," Jesus said, "is easy." It's not religion-it's relationship.
It's not Judaism-it's Jesus. It's not the law-it's love.
Sometimes I hear people say, "I'm so burdened. It's so tough being a
servant. It's so hard to be a brother, a musician, or a witness."
If it's heavy, it's not His burden because His burden is light. If what
I'm doing is tough and wearisome to me, then I know it's not the Lord who
has placed that burden upon me. His burden is easy. His load is light.
Jesus would say to you today, "Come to Me. Don't labor under the burdens
of Pharaoh. You'll become weary if you do. Don't become heavy laden under
the bondage of sin. It will rob you of your energy. Don't become enslaved
by the laws of the Pharisees. You'll be weighed down. Just come to Me.
Yoke with Me. Learn of Me. And you'll find rest in your souls."
[4]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
a Matt 11:25-27: Luke 10:21, 22
1 Or occasion
b Luke 22:42; 23:34; John 11:41; 12:27, 28
c Ps 8:2; 1 Cor 1:26ff
a Luke 22:42; 23:34; John 11:41; 12:27, 28
a Matt 28:18; John 3:35; 13:3; 17:2
b John 7:29; 10:15; 17:25
a Jer 31:25; John 7:37
1 Or who work to exhaustion
a John 13:15; Eph 4:20; Phil 2:5; 1 Pet 2:21; 1 John 2:6
b Jer 6:16
a 1 John 5:3
1 Or comfortable, or pleasant
[1]New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Mt 11:25-30). LaHabra,
CA: The Lockman Foundation.
? 19 (11:27) Alva J. Gospel McClain, The Greatness of the Kingdom, p. 311.
? 20 (11:30) J. H. Jowett, Quoted in Our Daily Bread.
[2]MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer's Bible Commentary
: Old and New Testaments (Mt 11:25). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[3]Pentecost, J. D. (1996). Design for discipleship : Discovering God's
blueprint for the Christian life. Originally published: Grand Rapids,
Mich. : Zondervan Pub. House, 1971. (18). Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel
Publications.
[4]Courson, J. (2003). Jon Courson's Application Commentary (81).
Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
.
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| User: "Move Over" |
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| Title: Re: Train Up A Child |
29 Jun 2007 08:07:37 PM |
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. Train Up A Child
(Proverbs 22:6 NASB)
6 ?a?Train up a child ?1?in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
[1]
We are to train up a child concerning the way, he should go. What he is
saying is that God has a way He wants him to go, and parents are to find
out that way. They are not to bring up a child in the way they think he
should go, but in the way God wants him to go.
[2]
The implication of this passage is that if you train up a child in the way he
should go, even when he's old, he'll keep walking in it. There's a
difference between training and teaching. A teacher tells what to do. A
trainer shows how to do it. "Follow me as I follow Christ," Paul would say
(1 Corinthians 11:1). "Walk in my footsteps. Do what I do."
Notice that we are to train up our child in the way he should go-not in
the way we wish he'd go. Dads, we're particularly vulnerable to making
our sons walk in the way we think they should go. But wise is the dad who
studies his kids carefully to see how the Lord made them specifically.
Parenting is not so much about molding as it is about unfolding.
[3]
22:6 The usual interpretation of this proverb is that if you train up a child
properly (in the way he should go), he will go on well in later life. Of
course there are exceptions, but it stands as a general rule. Henry Ward
Beecher observes:
It is not hard to make a child or a tree grow right if you train them when
they're young, but to make them straighten out after you've allowed things
to go wrong is not an easy matter.? 34
Susannah Wesley, the mother of Charles, John, and 15 other children,
followed these rules in training them: (1) Subdue self-will in a child and
thus work together with God to save his soul. (2) Teach him to pray as
soon as he can speak. (3) Give him nothing he cries for and only what is
good for him if he asks for it politely. (4) To prevent lying, punish no fault
which is freely confessed, but never allow a rebellious, sinful act to go
unnoticed. (5) Commend and reward good behavior. (6) Strictly observe
all promises you have made to your child.
The proverb can also be understood as encouraging parents to train their
children along the lines of their natural talents, rather than forcing them into
professions or trades for which they have no native inclination. Thus
Kidner says that the verse teaches respect for the child's individuality and
vocation, though not for his self-will.
And the proverb may be a warning that if you train a child in the way that
he himself wants to go, he will continue to be spoiled and self-centered in
later life. Jay Adams writes:
The verse stands not as a promise but as a warning to parents that if they
allow a child to train himself after his own wishes (permissively), they
should not expect him to want to change these patterns when he matures.
Children are born sinners and, when allowed to follow their own wishes,
will naturally develop sinful habit responses. The basic thought is that such
habit patterns become deep-seated when they have been ingrained in the
child from the earliest days.? 35
[4]
22:6 way he should go. There is only one right way, God's way, the way
of life. That way is specified in great detail in Proverbs. Since it is
axiomatic that early training secures lifelong habits, parents must insist
upon this way, teaching God's Word and enforcing it with loving discipline
consistently throughout the child's upbringing.
[5]
22:6 "Train" (Heb. hanak) means to dedicate (cf. Deut. 20:5; 1 Kings
8:63; 2 Chron. 7:5; Dan. 3:2). It has the idea of narrowing and in this
verse implies channeling the child's conduct into the way of wisdom. That
guidance might include dedicating him or her to God and preparing the
child for future responsibilities and adulthood.151
"In the way he should go" is literally "according to his way." It may mean
according to his own personality, temperament, responses, or stage in life.
On the other hand it could mean the way in which he ought to go. The
Hebrew grammar permits either interpretation. However the context
favors the latter view. "Way" in Proverbs usually means the path a person
takes through life, not one's personality, disposition, or stage in life.
Consequently the verse is saying the parent should train up a child in the
way of wisdom to live in the fear of God.152
The second part of this verse has challenged the faith of many a godly
parent. Obviously many children who have received good training have
repudiated the way of wisdom later in life. The explanation for this
seemingly broken promise lies in a correct understanding of what a
proverb is.
"A proverb is a literary device whereby a general truth is brought to bear
on a specific situation. Many of the proverbs are not absolute guarantees
for they express truths that are necessarily conditioned by prevailing
circumstances. For example, verses 3-4, 9, 11, 16, 29 do not express
promises that are always binding. Though the proverbs are generally and
usually true, occasional exceptions may be noted. This may be because of
the self-will or deliberate disobedience of an individual who chooses to go
his own way-the way of folly instead of the way of wisdom . . . It is
generally true, however, that most children who are brought up in Christian
homes, under the influence of godly parents who teach and live God's
standards (cf. Eph. 6:4), follow that training."153
This proverb clearly does not state a Scriptural promise. Rather, the
revelation of Scripture elsewhere is that God always allows people to
make their own decisions. He does not force them to do what is right.
[6]
22.6
This saying about the training of children is a single statement in which the
second line expresses the consequence of the first line.
Train up a child in the way he should go: Train up a child is rather
unnatural English, but the sense is clear. Other English versions say "teach
children," "give children training," or "start a child." The way he should go
could refer to what is good and right in life, which may be expressed as "in
the right way" (nrsv) or "on the right road" (reb). Or it may have the sense
of training for life, as in "Teach children how they should live" (tev) or
"Give a lad the training he needs for life" (Scott). A common rendering in
Pacific languages is "Teach children to do what is right."
And when he is old he will not depart from it: This is the consequence of
the training described in the first line. The Hebrew begins with a word that
gives emphasis to the thought of this line; reb expresses this as "and even
.." Is old is the verb for reaching old age; but when he is old does not
mean only in old age, it means through all the years of life. So tev
expresses this as "they will remember it all their life," and one other
translation that is a good model says, "and he will keep going this way
right up to his old age." Not depart from it is a negative way of saying "will
follow that way."
[7]
Verse 6
Here is, 1. A great duty enjoined, particularly to those that are the parents
and instructors of children, in order to the propagating of wisdom, that it
may not die with them: Train up children in that age of vanity, to keep them
from the sins and snares of it, in that learning age, to prepare them for
what they are designed for. Catechise them; initiate them; keep them under
discipline. Train them as soldiers, who are taught to handle their arms,
keep rank, and observe the word of command. Train them up, not in the
way they would go (the bias of their corrupt hearts would draw them
aside), but in the way they should go, the way in which, if you love them,
you would have them go. Train up a child according as he is capable (as
some take it), with a gentle hand, as nurses feed children, little and often,
Deu. 6:7. 2. A good reason for it, taken from the great advantage of this
care and pains with children: When they grow up, when they grow old, it
is to be hoped, they will not depart from it. Good impressions made upon
them then will abide upon them all their days. Ordinarily the vessel retains
the savour with which it was first seasoned. Many indeed have departed
from the good way in which they were trained up; Solomon himself did so.
But early training may be a means of their recovering themselves, as it is
supposed Solomon did. At least the parents will have the comfort of
having done their duty and used the means.
[8]
4412 Teachings Of Epicurus
The Epicureans were followers of Epicurus who lived 341-270 B. C. He
taught that nothing exists but atoms and space. The atoms are eternally
forming new combinations which are only temporary and in the case of
human beings are broken up at death. Then, Epicurus taught, the soul or
personality reversed to the impersonal atoms which went on to form new
combinations.
Thus, matter is all that matters. This life is all that counts and man should
make happiness his chief purpose in life. Happiness might be gained for
some by indulging in sensual pleasure and avoidance of pain. Others, more
highminded, might attain happiness from mental and intellectual pursuits. If
death ended all, they reasoned, why not indulge the flesh today?
[9]
442 Teaching Canaries To Sing
In the Hartz Mountains, at the village of Andreasberg, over 200,000
canaries are raised annually. The Germans are especially fond of these
pretty songsters and very successful in their propagation and nurture. But
their best singers are never sold. They are kept as choirmasters for the
feathered vocalists. Handsome and promising fledglings are kept close to
the acknowledged leaders of the aviary, and they pick up and practice the
notes they hear.
[10]
Psychologists have discovered that children respond according to how
they are treated. In a scientific experiment, a particular teacher was told
that half of her students were exceptional, while the others were average.
After a year, the students she was told were superior had improved a full
grade beyond the other half (those she was told were only average). The
interesting factor was that all the students were exactly equal intellectually.
The two groups were different only in the teacher's mind and her
treatment of them. The results were obvious and inevitable. Those she
thought were exceptional became exceptional, and those she thought were
average became average.
[11]
A teacher had just finished putting the last pair of galoshes on her first-
graders-thirty-two pairs in all. The last little girl said, "You know what,
teacher? These aren't my galoshes."
The teacher removed them from the girl's feet. Then the little girl
continued, "They are my sister's, and she let me wear them." The teacher
quietly put them back on her pupil.
Now that's patience!
[12]
As a boy, Dr. John Mitchell was familiar with the mountains and mine pits
around his house. One night his Boy Scout troop was on a midnight hike.
Since Mitchell knew the mountains and where the dangerous pits were, he
took several private jaunts away from the troop. The scoutmaster
admonished him, saying: "Although you know where the mine pits are and
how to avoid them, when you go to them you make a path that others may
follow to their death."
[13]
The story is told of a T.V. repairman who didn't like to think about his job
when he came home. As a result, he never bothered to properly install the
T.V. antenna on the top of his house or fix it when one arm broke in a
windstorm. One day a new family moved in next door, and the owner
went up on his roof to install an antenna. Knowing that his neighbor was a
T.V. repairman, he put his up exactly the same way and turned his antenna
to face in the same direction as his neighbor's. Then, after studying his
neighbor's antenna for a while, he reached up and broke one arm off his
new antenna!
As disciples, we teach by example, whether we intend to or not!
[14]
There is a story about a man who wanted to train his mule. The first thing
he did was to pick up a big stick and hit the mule a resounding wallop
between the ears. As the mule staggered about, someone said to him,
"What is the matter? Why did you do that?" The man said, "To teach a
mule, you must first get his attention."
That observation may or may not be true of mules, but there is a good
deal of truth in it when applied to humans. Interest must be awakened
before learning can occur.
[15]
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a Eph 6:4
1 Lit according to his way
[1]New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Pr 22:6).
LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[2]McGee, J. V. (1997, c1981). Thru the Bible commentary. Based on
the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.) (3:76). Nashville:
Thomas Nelson.
[3]Courson, J. (2006). Jon Courson's application commentary : Volume
two : Psalms-Malachi (249). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
? 34 (22:6) Henry Ward Beecher, further documentation unavailable.
? 35 (22:6) Adams, Counsel, p. 158.
[4]MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer's Bible
Commentary : Old and New Testaments (Pr 22:6). Nashville: Thomas
Nelson.
[5]MacArthur, J. J. (1997, c1997). The MacArthur Study Bible
(electronic ed.) (Pr 22:6). Nashville: Word Pub.
151 151. Gleason L. Archer, Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, p. 252.
152 152. Ross, pp. 1061-62; Toy, p. 415; McKane, p. 564; Kidner, p.
147; Greenstone, p. 234.
153 153. Buzzell, p. 953.
[6]Tom Constable. (2003; 2003). Tom Constable's Expository Notes on
the Bible (Pr 22:6). Galaxie Software.
nrsv New Revised Standard Version
reb Revised English Bible
tev Today's English Version
[7]Reyburn, W. D., & Fry, E. M. (2000). A handbook on Proverbs.
UBS handbook series; Helps for translators (463). New York: United
Bible Societies.
[8]Henry, M. (1996, c1991). Matthew Henry's commentary on the whole
Bible : Complete and unabridged in one volume (Pr 22:6). Peabody:
Hendrickson.
[9]Tan, P. L. (1996, c1979). Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : A
treasury of illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors,
teachers and Christian workers. Garland TX: Bible Communications.
[10]Tan, P. L. (1996, c1979). Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : A
treasury of illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors,
teachers and Christian workers. Garland TX: Bible Communications.
[11]Green, M. P. (1989). Illustrations for Bilical Preaching : Over 1500
sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised
edition of: The expositor's illustration file.). Grand Rapids: Baker Book
House.
[12]Green, M. P. (1989). Illustrations for Bilical Preaching : Over 1500
sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised
edition of: The expositor's illustration file.). Grand Rapids: Baker Book
House.
[13]Green, M. P. (1989). Illustrations for Bilical Preaching : Over 1500
sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised
edition of: The expositor's illustration file.). Grand Rapids: Baker Book
House.
[14]Green, M. P. (1989). Illustrations for Bilical Preaching : Over 1500
sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised
edition of: The expositor's illustration file.). Grand Rapids: Baker Book
House.
[15]Green, M. P. (1989). Illustrations for Bilical Preaching : Over 1500
sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised
edition of: The expositor's illustration file.). Grand Rapids: Baker Book
House.
The Ultimate Gift
What's the one thing you would most like to leave to your children and
grandchildren when you are gone?
If money was the first thing that came to your mind, that's understandable.
Most of us have been taught to think that way. But it is also a signal that
you may need to do some serious, sober thinking about what is most
valuable to you and to your family.
That's the message of a new film from Fox Faith Movies. The Ultimate Gift
tells the story of the wealthy Red Stevens, played by Oscar nominee James
Garner, and his grandson, Jason. Most of Red's children turned out just
like many wealthy families do: spoiled, greedy, and selfish. The tragedy is
that Red Stevens himself was a good and selfless man, but he was so busy
providing for his family's physical needs that he failed to teach them the
values that mattered most to him.
The film starts with Red's funeral, but it is far from the end of the story.
Before his death, he had resolved to make one last effort to help a family
member find redemption and purpose. To the rest of his family, Red leaves
money and businesses; to his grandson, he leaves a set of instructions on a
DVD that he recorded before his death.
On the first recording, Red explains to Jason what money without values
does to people. "How can I leave you something and not ruin you?" he
asks. The solution: To earn his inheritance, Jason has to perform a series of
tasks-or "gifts," as his grandfather calls them-that will teach him the
value of hard work, friendship, dreams, and all of the other things that the
younger man's life has been too long without. Only by learning to work,
sacrifice, and share does Jason learn that his real inheritance is far more
valuable than money.
Senior editor Alan Farnham of Forbes magazine calls the film "a witty,
winning explication of how-as today's financial planners like to say-you
can 'leave your legacy' successfully." Jim Stovall, author of the book on
which the film is based, is even offering ideas and products on his website,
TheUltimateGift.com, to teach parents how to connect with their kids and
teach them their values.
If leaving your legacy is something you think you might need to learn more
about, I urge you to see this film and take your family-because the sad
fact is that, even among Christians, there are far too many "Red Stevenses"
out there: good people who, for one reason or another, neglect to give their
kids a true understanding of faith and how to practice it in everyday life.
Then we sit back and complain that the younger generation has no values.
How can they if we did not pass them along?
Of course living a good life for our kids to see is important, but as the film
shows, it's not enough. We also have to explain to our families, every
chance we get, exactly why we live our lives that way, if we want them to
understand, that is, and live according to a Christian worldview.
If you think you have waited too long to teach these lessons to your family,
don't give up before you start. As The Ultimate Gift demonstrates, it is
never too late to leave a real legacy.
By Chuck Colson
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http://www.breakpoint.org/media/dkContent/6276/031307_BP.mp3
--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
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| User: "Michael Gray" |
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| Title: Re: Train Up A Child |
04 Jul 2007 06:28:12 AM |
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If you are not arrested for child abuse, then there is somehing very
wrong with the legal system.
You are a sicko.
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| User: "Sippuddin" |
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| Title: Re: Train Up A Child |
01 Jul 2007 10:59:57 AM |
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Milkman wrote:
... a resounding wallop between the ears.
*
Fucking religious nut child abuser. You should be locked up.
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| User: "MarkA" |
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| Title: Re: Train Up A Child |
01 Jul 2007 09:22:14 PM |
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On Mon, 02 Jul 2007 10:54:00 -0400, Milkman wrote:
. Train Up A Child
(Proverbs 22:6 NASB)
6 ?a?Train up a child ?1?in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
It is tragic that so many otherwise well-intentioned people believe that
indoctrinating their children into their religious faith is a "good
thing." The truth is that our planet grows smaller every day. Every
culture, every society, has an impact on everyone else in the world. This
is a trend that will continue. The only way that people of disparate
cultures can cooperate is thru mutual respect and understanding.
Unfortunately, those are exactly the opposite of what religions teach.
Central to any religion is the concept of believers, or chosen people,
versus the infidels. Infidels are not to be respected, or understood.
They are vermin, to be exterminated. How many times in the Old Testament
has that story been repeated? What was the crime of the inhabitants of
Jericho? That they were occupying land that God had promised to Moses?
And for that crime, every inhabitant, including the animals, were killed?
Humans are aggressive, territorial animals. Of that, there can be no
doubt. It is a trait that once served us well, when our ancestors were
struggling for survival on the African savannah. But now, we must put
those instincts behind us, and learn to treat each other as members of our
own family. Religion is supposed to help us overcome our base, animal
instincts, but this is one area where it fails miserably. Instead of
encouraging us to overcome our territorial aggressiveness, it encourages
it. Instead of encouraging acceptance of diversity, it condemns it.
The world grows small. We grow large. We must, once again, marshal our
intellect to recognize and overcome the problems before us. We must put
away angry, jealous, petty gods. We need gods that will command us to do
what must be done: to treat each other, despite our instincts, as equals.
To recognize the people of other cultures, races, countries, and faiths as
being as worthy of our respect as we believe we are of theirs.
--
MarkA
(This space accidentally filled in)
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| User: "Irv Hyatt" |
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| Title: Re: Train Up A Child |
01 Jul 2007 11:22:35 PM |
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"MarkA" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:pan.2007.07.02.02.22.10.713735@nowhere.com...
On Mon, 02 Jul 2007 10:54:00 -0400, Milkman wrote:
. Train Up A Child
(Proverbs 22:6 NASB)
6 ?a?Train up a child ?1?in the | | |
