A Father's Charge to His

As a service and encouragement to our families to spend time in Bible Study, your elders and ministers are providing the following lessons to use as topics for your family devotionals. Your elders and ministers encourage reading the Bible together each day and discussing the things that you read with one another. We also encourage you to take time together to go through the lessons below. The lessons are broken down into several parts. Each part should take 15 – 20 minutes to read, discuss, and pray. The lessons can be done daily, on Wednesdays and Sundays during the Bible Class Period or as often as you can. Please let your elders and ministers know if this service is helpful to your family. May God bless you, protect you, and guide you as you seek to abide in Jesus Christ.

A Father’s Charge to His Son (1 Chronicles 28:9, 10, 20)

Part 1 (20 – 30 Minutes) b. But the most important truth to know is God. INTRODUCTION A. This was a very solemn occasion. B. What did he need to know about God? 1. He needed to know that He is holy, pure, ever- 1. David was near death. present, and all-observing. 2. He had called the young and tender Solomon to him. 2. He needed to know He claims our reverence, love, obedience, and submission. 3. He wanted Solomon to carry on the work he had begun. 3. He needed to know He condemns our ingratitude, our departure from Himself, and 4. David’s deepest concern was that Solomon be our sin. a faithful servant of God and do the special work which awaited his care. 4. He needed to know He is ready to receive, forgive, and restore all who return in B. Let us focus on what this father advised or penitence and faith. charged his son to do. C. How can we learn these truths? I. “KNOW THOU THE GOD OF THY 1. The best way is on our own. FATHER” (V. 9). A. I am sure David realized that Solomon needed to 2. This is the direct approach. know many truths if he was to successfully rule 3. We must study our Bibles and see Him in over Israel. nature. 1. He needed to learn all he could about the D. Parents, can you give this same advice to your affairs of state. children? 2. He needed to know where he could turn for 1. What if your children knew the God of their counsel and advice. parents? 3. He needed to know whom he could trust and 2. What would they know about Him? on whom not to turn his back. a. Would they conclude He is too weak to 4. But, more than anything else, he needed to help? know God. b. Would they conclude He can be deceived? a. We need to know much too. (Galatians 6:7, 8). c. Would they conclude your God is gold, a c. We are not to serve God grudgingly or of job, recreation, or your family? necessity (2 Corinthians 9:7). d. If your children knew your God, would it d. This is loving service. prepare them for eternity? e. This comes naturally when you obey E. Parents, may God help you to be able to say to Matthew 22:37. your children, and say it without fear, “Know D. How long must you serve God? thou the God of thy father.” 1. We must serve God all of our lives! Part 2 (20 – 30 Minutes) 2. Begin in youth (Ecclesiastes 12:1) and never II. “SERVE GOD WITH A PERFECT HEART cease (Revelation 2:10). AND WITH A WILLING MIND” (v. 9). E. What is the scope of this service? A. God deserves our service. 1. It involves every area and all particulars of B. Think of all God has done for you life: the school, the job, the home, play, and (James 1:17; Matthew 7:11). vacation. 1. He gave you Christ on the cross. 2. It involves every human relationship. 2. He gave you a plan of salvation. a. God comes before the family 3. He gives you all spiritual blessings in Christ (Luke 14:26). (Ephesians 1:3). b. God comes before a girlfriend or boyfriend. 4. He gives you the hope of eternal life. c. God comes before sports and entertainment. 5. He gives you good friends and wonderful F. Are you serving God right now? companions. G. Are you serving God with a perfect heart and a 6. He gives you good health and good minds. willing mind? 7. Truly, God is worthy of your service. Part 3 (20 – 30 Minutes) C. How are you to serve God? III. REMEMBER THAT NOTHING IS 1. We are to serve with “a perfect heart.” HIDDEN FROM GOD (v. 9). a. This means you are to serve God with a A. Read the last part of verse 9. heart that is attuned to His will. B. Other Scriptures emphasize this truth: b. We are not to give halfhearted service. Genesis 6:5; Numbers 32:23; Hebrews 4:13; c. I have known so many people who have Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14; 2 Corinthians 5:10. tried to hold on to God with one hand and C. Young people, do not ever forget this truth and the world with the other. you will be likely to please God. d. Read 1 John 2:15–17 and James 4:4. 1. One cannot “pull the wool” over God’s eyes. e. I would urge young people to give God He knows every bad joke you tell, every wholehearted service, with no turning back. unkind word you say, when you cheat on a test, and when you disobey your parents. f. You may live to regret many decisions in life, but one decision you will never regret is 2. God even knows your thoughts. the amount of time, money, and talents you D. But, this knowledge of God is also good. have expended in the Lord’s service. 1. God never misses a good deed you perform. 2. We are to serve God “with a willing mind.” 2. Revelation 2:19 says, “I know thy works.” a. This means our service is to be voluntary. 3. God will give you credit for all the good you b. You are not drafted into the service of the do. King of kings.

IV. “SEEK GOD AND YOU WILL FIND HIM” 5. Be a soul-winner for Jesus. (v. 9). B. Do not ever forget: Whatever you do for God, do A. Isn’t it wonderful knowing that we can find it with all your might. (Colossians 3:23, 24) God? VII. “BE STRONG” (v. 10). 1. We can have God’s assistance any time A. David knew that if Solomon were to accomplish because He can be found. all he had to do he would have to be strong. 2. God is a friend who sticks closer than a B. You, too, will need strength. brother. 1. Strength to live the Christian life. 3. Read Acts 17:27. 2. Strength to say no to evil companions and 4. “Can any hide himself in secret places so that I sinful pleasures. shall not see him? says Jehovah. Do not I fill heaven and earth? says Jehovah” (Jeremiah 3. Strength to say yes to the service of God. 23:24). 4. Strength to deny yourself. 5. Read Matthew 7:7. C. Christianity demands strength. B. Yes, you can find God if you seek Him 1. The weak fall by the wayside. (James 4:8; Isaiah 55:6). 2. The strong continue to live for God even until C. Have you been looking for God? death (Revelation 2:10). Part 4 (20 – 30 minutes) VIII. “DO IT” (v. 10). V. “IF YOU FORSAKE GOD, HE WILL CAST A. This is a great charge! YOU OFF FOR EVER” (v. 9). B. Too many of us listen well but do nothing. A. This sounds harsh, but it is still true. C. Look at these passages: Matthew 7:21; B. Other passages teach us this truth: Luke 6:46; James 1:22. Exodus 32:32, 33; Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 6:23; Matthew 25:30. D. What this world and the church greatly need are doers. C. Young people, do not ever cast God aside. E. Do not just talk about the Lord’s work, do it! 1. The risk is too great. F. Do not just talk about soul winning, do it! 2. You may eventually come back and find God, but you may die while you are in that G. Do not just talk about building a dynamic condition. church, do it! 3. The best advice is to stay with God and He H. Do not just talk about helping others, do it! will stay with you. CONCLUSION VI. GOD HAS A MISSION FOR YOU (v. 10). A. Consider 1 Chronicles 28:20. A. You also have a mission in life. What is it? 1. “Be strong.” 1. Do all the good you can and as little harm as 2. “Be of good courage.” you can. 3. “Do it.” 2. Make the road of life smoother for others. B. Solomon is reminded that God will not “fail thee, 3. Practice the golden rule. (Matthew 7:12) nor forsake thee” and will always stand by and 4. Let your light shine before others. assist. (Matthew 5:16)

Part 1 (15 – 20 Minutes) 3. When this church has a victory, we all have a victory, and when the church fails, we all INTRODUCTION fail, because we are a part of the fellowship. A. Text: Ephesians 5:25–27 D. This is your family. B. Jesus loved the church! 1. Be proud of it! 1. Consider the price Jesus paid for it. 2. Uphold her good name! 2. The church came first with Jesus. 3. Fight her enemies! 3. Wouldn’t it be great if all of us loved the 4. Insure her victories! church as Jesus did? E. If this church is to mean anything to you, you C. Jesus wanted the church to radiate—to glow! have to feel a part of the fellowship! 1. He did not want us to spend our time Part 3 (15 – 20 Minutes) fighting each other. 2. He wanted us to live and serve in such a way II. “A” IS FOR ATTITUDE as to cause others to be drawn to the church. A. Attitude is so very important! D. But how can we be that radiant, glowing, 1. It is just about everything. growing church? a. From the depths of failure to the height 1. I have an exciting message to share with of success is not so much a matter of altitude as a matter of attitude. you.

2. We are a family! b. You can never achieve what you neither a. This is why we look forward to Sunday. conceive nor believe.

b. This is why we love to worship together, c. Your position tomorrow could well and why we stand around and visit when depend upon your disposition today.

services are over. 2. You ask some radiant Christian how he is doing and he will tell you, “Just great, but I E. Let us take the word family, form an acrostic, am going to get better!” and show by each letter what it takes to have a B. This world is filled with doleful creatures, sad- radiant, glowing church. sacks!

Part 2 (15 – 20 Minutes) 1. They can brighten a room just by leaving it. 2. They will rain on everybody’s parade. I. “F” IS FOR FELLOWSHIP 3. They are ants at everybody’s picnic. A. Read Acts 2:42. 4. No matter what you say, they shoot it down. a. You tell them, “It is a great day, isn’t B. What is meant by “fellowship”? it?” and they say, “Yeah, but you know 1. It means having a part in. the old saying, ‘The calm before the 2. In order for the church to glow and grow storm.’” each member must feel that he or she is a b. You say, “Things are really going super, part. aren’t they?” “So far,” they will say. C. C. What should our attitude be? C. We need to use the pronouns we and us. 1. We are to have the mind of Christ 1. We need to learn to say, “Here is what we (Philippians 2:5). are doing” and “Isn’t God blessing us!” 2. We are to be like Jesus! 2. Do not use second person pronouns as you 3. He had a beautiful attitude, a marvelous talk about the church. disposition. a. He could look at the Samaritan woman 5. When should we give it? by Jacob’s well and see a Christian 6. Why should we give it? woman. Part 5 (15 – 20 Minutes) b. He could look at the woman taken in the very act of adultery and see a pure IV. “I” IS FOR INSPIRE AND INVOLVE woman. A. “And let us consider one another. . .” (Hebrews c. He could look at a publican named 10:24). Matthew and see him as an apostle and an author of one of the New Testament 1. One translation says, “Let us stimulate one books. another. . . .” d. He could see Saul of Tarsus as a 2. A radiant church is one that will inspire and Christian and an apostle to the Gentiles. encourage one another to love and good D. Let me commend you—I have never seen a works. church where the members had a better attitude! 3. We need to do lots of encouraging. a. Write cards and letters. 1. A sign at the city limits of Millifort, Texas, b. Make telephone calls and visits. reads, “The city of 750 friendly people and 3 c. “Encourage one another. . . .” or 4 old grouches.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). 2. I could not name a grouch in this church! d. Hug somebody; pat people on the back. Praise God! e. What else can be done to encourage one E. We have a good attitude toward our elders, our another? preacher, our deacons, our Bible teachers, our B. We also need more involvement from all our programs, and our future. members. F. Let us work hard to maintain these good 1. We are all members of the body. attitudes. 2. Do your part. Find something to do and do it! 1. Read Proverbs 23:7. 2. Read Philippians 4:8. Part 6 (15 – 20 Minutes) Part 4 (15 – 20 Minutes) V. “L” IS FOR LOVE. III.“M” IS FOR MESSAGE AND MONEY A. Read John 13:34. A. To have a radiant, glowing church, we must 1. What is new about it? have a message! a. It is not the first time it appears in the Bible.

1. Read Romans 1:16 and James 1:2. b. It is new in length, breadth, and depth!

2. There is no power without the right c. Nobody ever loved like Jesus! message. B. I love you! B. The message is the gospel, the good news. 1. A preacher wrote another preacher up in one

1. Why is it good news? of our brotherhood papers because he tells

2. The early church preached it in the Book of the congregation where he preaches “I love Acts (Acts 2:8–10; 22:26). you” so often.

3. People believed it, turned to Christ, and 2. He has moved about three times since he were baptized into Him to walk in newness wrote him up! of life. C. We must all love each other. C. A radiant church will preach the good news, but it takes money to do it! 1. “As I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (John 13:34).

1. It costs money to build a great church. 2. Read John 13:35. 2. Who is going to give it? 3. How much should we give? D. Do not just say it, show it! 4. How should we give it? 1. “Let us not love in word, neither with the C. How much do you want to be a part of a church tongue; but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:18). with two thousand members by 2030?

2. Can they say about us what they said about 1. Do you lie awake at night thinking about it? Jesus at the graveside of Lazarus, “Behold, 2. Do you pray for it? how he loved him”? 3. Do you weep over it and fast for it? Part 7 (15 – 20 Minutes) CONCLUSION VI. “Y” IS FOR YEARNING. A. This is what it takes to have a radiant church: A. We have to have the desire! belonging to the fellowship, having that radiant B. We can do anything that is right if we want to attitude, preaching the marvelous message and badly enough! giving our money to support it, inspiring one another and getting involved in all the activities 1. We must have a burning desire. we can, loving one another, and yearning to 2. Romans 10:1 says, “Brethren, my heart’s grow and glow! desire and my supplication to God is for

them, that they may be saved.” B. Let us thank God we are a family! C. Let us all work harder to make our family grow!

This teaching material is provided by Truth for Today World Mission School. Biblecourses.com is the website for Truth for Today World Mission School—the multi-language printed preacher's school for preachers and teachers in 145 countries of the world. Our goal is to help people everywhere find the way to heaven.