Zion’s Birth Story

Introduction

Since shops are already putting up Christmas lights and radio stations are playing Christmas music, I thought it would be appropriate to consider ...

The Jekyll and Hyde of Motherhood

Before I had children I worked full time. I had a job that required professional dress, some ability to organize things, a briefcase, and appointments. ...

Refocusing on Fatherhood

Introduction

I was driving home from a friend's house on a Saturday night when the familiar highway I had traveled many times began to remind me of ...

Decisions Good Dads Make

Introduction

When we think about fathers, we often search the Bible for stories about Abraham. We study the plight of Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. ...

Memorial Service for Heather Gillian

Introduction

With God's help, I want to share just a few thoughts about Heather. When we look at this Gospel, which was a favorite Gospel of Heather and ...

When Teens Rebel

School administrators are on edge these days. The shooting rampage in Littleton, Colorado, has spawned threats of violence in schools all across America. ...

And Grace Will Lead Me Home

Introduction

What would you say if you knew you were going to die and had a chance to sum up everything that was most important to you? That's how the ...

You're Fantastic

Introduction

Of all the comic books turned into motion pictures of late, my favorite one is the Fantastic Four. For those not in the know, it is a tale ...

Trophy Kids

Introduction

When our eldest son was making preparations to start his freshman year of high school, I overheard him telling a classmate that he was planning ...

A Lesson Wise Moms and Other Influential People Can Teach the Next Generation

From the editor:

Mother's Day is just around the corner (May 9), and should you decide to offer a message for the occasion, Steve Mathewson's look at Proverbs ...

Our Fathers Who Are on Earth

From the editor

Father's Day is just around the corner (June 21), and should you decide to offer a message for the occasion, Mark Mitchell's look at a ...

What It Takes to Be a Mother

From the editor

Mother's Day is just around the corner (May 9), and should you decide to offer a message for the occasion, Mark Mitchell's look ...

King Me!

Dream Child

Introduction

A man shared with me that for years he went to church and watched as the advent candle was lit by these beautiful families, so well-dressed ...

The Incredibles

Introduction

As we saw last week, every great family is founded first and foremost on the Covenant Principle—on a radical commitment to one ...

People of the Table

Introduction

On this Mother's Day, it seems very appropriate that we continue to reflect together on what it takes to grow a great family. Whether our ...

Don't You Believe It: The Myth of Self-Importance

There's an old Jewish story: A rabbi was sitting next to an atheist on an airplane. The rabbi's family was also on the plane. Every few minutes, one of ...

A Spirit-Filled Family

Introduction:

From the outset, I must say that I feel unqualified to preach this message. There are many of you with many more years of child-rearing experience. ...

Bending the Twig

Introduction:

Alexander Pope said, “As the twig is bent, the tree’s inclined.”

The future of their children is perhaps the uppermost thought in the minds ...

Rediscovering Marriage

Introduction

I think we'd all agree that marriage has fallen on hard times these days. They tell us that the number of people getting married has declined ...

Whatever Happened to Zebedee?

Text: Mark 1:19–20
Topic: The importance of a father's spiritual leadership

Whatever happened to Zebedee?

I doubt that this is a question begging for ...

What's a Mother To Do?

On Mother's Day and Father's Day it's long been my habit to preach special messages. On Mother's Day I usually remind everyone to be good to their mothers. ...

Is There Hope for the Family

Today we're ending a series entitled "Surviving the Brave New World." Since it's Father's Day, we're going to talk about building a strong ...

A Woman's Worth Is Never Done

Introduction:

A woman of keen mind and understanding heart gazed at Whistler's portrait of his mother. "It is a remarkable painting of a very lovely ...

A Father's Love

Bud Welch was, indirectly, one of the victims of the bomb that destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah building in Oklahoma City in April, 1995. His 23-year-old ...

A Mother's Faith

Happy Mother's Day to all of you. It is a tradition to honor Mothers on this day, and we want to extend special honor to you today, though I hope we ...

A Blue Print for Fathers

Today is Father's Day. Of course, it is an important day, but it is not the cash cow for the greeting card industry that Mother's Day is. However, like ...

How to Rear Excruciatingly Perfect Children

Several years ago a couple named John and Luanne "Doe" wanted to have a baby, but were unable to conceive. They found a solution at a fertility clinic: ...

The Difference a Dad Makes

Being a father isn't easy. Ask anyone who has tried it. And it's a tough job from the very start. A young father-to-be spent the evening pacing the ...

The Father's Role

In 1952, one of the most visible fathers in our country was Ozzie Nelson—the easy-going dad on the show, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. If ...

Despise Not These Little Ones

I thought it would be good for us to consider this very important mission field and responsibility the Lord Jesus has given to his church, that of reaching ...

Faith of a Father

Ironically, Eli was a rotten father. The first two shots he took at raising boys were an abysmal failure, and he gave the world two monsters. So God must ...

Children of Promise

I'd like to read a question posed by Erma Bombeck. She asks, "Where have all the children gone? I don't mean the ones who spend their days and nights ...

Choices

Introduction

Life has been described by many as a series of choices. That's partly true. Obviously there are times when our lives are impacted by things ...

Kids Rule

If you were to read the Bible from cover to cover and list all the times children are talked about, you would have a long list. The Bible is clear that ...

The Pressure of Fatherhood

There's a Father's Day card that reads, "Dad, everything I ever learned I learned from you, except one thing. The family car really will do 110."

It is ...

It Takes a Family

 

Our Scripture reading comes from Luke 2:4650. Hear the Word of God:

After three days Mary and Joseph found Jesus in the temple sitting ...