Sermon Summary

Good parenting doesn’t just happen. Parents must have a plan. Luke 2:52 gives us a framework for developing a strategic parenting plan for each of our children. Luke tells that that the boy Jesus grew and matured in four distinct areas: wisdom, stature, favor with God, and favor with men. To be balanced, our children need to grow and develop in each of these areas.

Wisdom is “the ability to judge correctly and to make choices consistent with Biblical truth.” True wisdom comes from God (Proverbs 2:6-7).This is why religious instruction is so important in the home. The Book of Proverbs should be your go-to resource. Ten vital life lessons: Teach your children to revere God (Proverbs 1:7), to guard their minds (23:7), to obey their parents (1:8), to carefully select their friends (13:20), to control their lusts (ch. 7), to love their spouses (5:15-18), to watch their words (18:21), to work hard (6:6- 11), to manage their money (3:9-10; 22:7), to love their neighbors (3:27-29).

What does it look like to to help children mature physically? We should promote proper nutrition, encourage regular exercise, ensure a good night’s sleep, and insist on good hygiene.

Parents have a responsibility to help their children develop spiritually. The church is a great resource, but parents have ultimate responsibility. Your child’s greatest need is to come to know Christ personally. They cannot begin to grow spiritually until spiritual life has been implanted into their hearts. Conveying the truths of the gospel from a very young age, and model the spiritual disciplines: prayer, Scripture memory, and fellowship with believers.

Parents have a responsibility to help their children grow socially, to show respect. Impart good manners, teach social etiquette and skills, how to “make small talk”.

There is no doubt we have our work cut out for us as parents. We cannot be successful as parents if we are not intentional in our parenting. Inside your programs, you will find a worksheet that can be used to design a strategic parenting plan for each of your children. You also may download extra copies from our website, or make photocopies of the one provided. Please take the time to sit down with your spouse and take advantage of this resource to create a personalized parenting plan for each of your kids. In doing so, you are investing not only in your child’s future, but in that of generations to come.

Application-Challenge

Parents:

• Prayerfully construct a strategic parenting plan for each of your children. Use this Strategic Parenting Plan fill-in infographic as an example.
• Begin executing the plan.

Children:

• Work with your parents to grow into a Luke 2:52 disciple.

All of us:

• Pray—ask God to help you become an extraordinary follower of Christ.
• Focus on becoming a Luke 2:52 disciple.