Home Training - Eph. 6:4
The sermon emphasizes the importance of home training in raising children to become a family complete in glory, by gathering them at the Shepherd's feet and pointing them towards the Lord.
Bernard Fell emphasizes the importance of nurturing and admonishing children in the ways of the Lord, highlighting the responsibility parents have in shaping their children's hearts and minds before the world's influences take hold. He encourages parents to feed God's lambs with love, gentle manners, and good behavior, focusing on molding their children in realms of grace rather than worldly standards. By pointing their children towards the Lord as the ultimate target, parents can guide them on a straight course in life and ultimately gather as a complete family in the realms of glory.
Text
Bring them up in the nurture
and admonition of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:4
"Feed My lambs." The Shepherd calleth,
They are placed within thy care,
While the heart is warm and tender,
Ere the world seeks entrance there.
Happy parents! precious priv'lege!
'Tis a work that shall abide;
And the training in life's morning
Shall remain at eventide.
Gentle manners, good behaviour,
Love's restrictions-have a place;
More important is the moulding
Of thy bairns in realms of grace.
As the arrow leaves the quiver,
Poised in bow and sent abroad,
Point the straight course to thy dear ones,
And the target is the Lord.
Wouldst thou meet in realms of glory
As a family complete?
Even now within thy dwelling
Gather at the Shepherd's feet.
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of Home Training
- The Moulding of Children
- Pointing Our Children to the Lord
- A Family Complete in Glory
- Gathering at the Shepherd's Feet
- The Target is the Lord
- Reaching for Realms of Grace
Key Quotes
“Feed My lambs. The Shepherd calleth, They are placed within thy care, While the heart is warm and tender, Ere the world seeks entrance there.” — Bernard Fell
“Wouldst thou meet in realms of glory As a family complete? Even now within thy dwelling Gather at the Shepherd's feet.” — Bernard Fell
Application Points
- As parents, we have a precious privilege to shape our children's lives and set them on a path that will remain with them forever.
- We must balance discipline with love when training our children, using gentle manners and good behavior while teaching them about love's restrictions and the realms of grace.
- Gathering our children at the Shepherd's feet and pointing them towards the Lord is essential for helping them grow into mature Christians and becoming a family complete in glory.