Grace Chapel Castle Rock Sermons

We're continuing this morning our 4-part series on Family Discipleship.

Here are four questions we can ask if we want to influence the next generation for Christ.

1. Modeling – are we proactively being the Christ-follower we want our children to become?

2. Guarding – are we proactively guarding them from harmful influences?

3. Teaching – are we proactively teaching them about Jesus from the Scriptures?

4. Experiencing – are we proactively praying that the Holy Spirit would save and sanctify them?

Today we'll discover the importance of guarding the hearts and minds of the next generation.

If your child is raised Agnostic, Atheist, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or Amish, studies tell us they have a higher likelihood of retaining their upbringing/religion than if they are raised Christian.

We can do better.

Today we're starting a brand new series called Family Discipleship.

The goal of these messages is to equip parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles and anyone investing in the next generation of Christ-followers.

If we want our children to love and follow Jesus all the days of their lives, it begins in the home.

If you've ever been in an unhealthy relationship, one of the common traits you experienced is an imbalance between what you gave and received.

- Rules without relationship

- Truth without grace

- Correction without affirmation

This morning we'll discover two key actions we need to balance in our relationship with God.

Young people are capable of incredible things.

Join us today as we discover Solomon's instruction to them.

We'll find three anchors to help them love and follow Jesus all the days of their life.

The Titanic wasn't sunk by a massive hole. All it took to bring down the huge ship was an opening of about 12 square feet.

So it is in our lives.

We can spend decades building...

- a ministry… and one act of indiscretion discredits it.

- a business… and one poor decision leaves you facing bankruptcy.

- a marriage… and one affair ends it all.

- a family… and one drunk driver destroys it.

- a reputation… and one unguarded moment our reputation is ruined.

- a friendship… and one careless word, then it’s never the same.

One foolish, seemingly small act can have major consequences.

 

Join us today we discover the power of "folly" and how to avoid it.

Which of these can you relate to the most?

 

A) "Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death." - Jonathan Edwards, Resolution #9

B) "I'm not afraid to die; I just don't want to be there when it happens." - Woody Allen

 

When it comes to thinking about death and dying, many of us tend toward Woody's approach.

But as we move through Ecclesiastes, Solomon pushes the issue and makes death non-ignorable. He calls us to consider often the fact that our lives will soon be past.

While we do and should put effort into preserving life, we also need to prepare for death.

 

Today we'll discover Solomon's wisdom on how to do that.

Life is full of surprises.

Things happen that we never planned for.

 

Someone dies or gets sick.

A major injury alters our life.

A financial loss comes out of nowhere.

Our home floods.

Our spouse says they're leaving.

Our company says we’re no longer needed.

 

In Ecclesiastes 7 and 8, Solomon pulls no punches in telling us that life is often not fair.

These things disrupt our faith.

They can diminish our faith.

Today we'll discover how they can also deepen our faith.

Years ago I heard a wise friend say that if most of the troubles we experience in life are because we got something we did NOT want, the rest of the troubles are because we did not get something we DID want.

Discontentment is a powerful thing. It can drive so much of what we do, from the decisions we make to passions we pursue to the places we live.

Today we'll discover a powerful perspective toward wealth that allows us to live with greater joy and freedom and contentment.

In 1938, Harvard began studying young men from a variety of different backgrounds. They eventually included their spouses, grandkids, etc.

After almost 90 years of studying adult development, they've found that the single biggest predictor of a person's overall quality of life tends to be the quality of their relationships.

A person's satisfaction with their relationships at age 50 is a better predictor of physical health at age 80 than cholesterol levels.

Amazing. And thoroughly biblical.

Today we'll discover Solomon's wisdom for developing strong relationships from Ecclesiastes 4.