Life in a Fallen World

As hard as we may try, we cannot protect or shelter our children from the imperfect, fallen world. We should not hide from it or act as though the brokenness of the world simply doesn’t exist. As our teenagers are hurt they will see the effects of sin all around them and we can use those moments to again share the Gospel. God is not absent in a world left to chaos. He reigns over all and the risen Christ brings hope for the future. There will be an ultimate end to the sorrow, the sin and suffering. And life with Christ means we don’t walk through the darkness alone.

Missed Opportunities
Our homes are also affected by sin and the Fall. Even in the relative safety, our families will experience selfish actions, unkind words, anger, laziness, injustice, and unloving deeds. Christian parents must teach our children that Christ the Redeemer has come and He forgives, delivers, reconciles and restores. When your teenager is angry with you and shouts unloving and disrespectful words you can miss the opportunity to extend grace and hope when you become personally offended. It is not a matter of ignoring their sin but parenting with a humble awareness of our own sins. Rather than shouting back “How could you!” or ” I never spoke to my father that way!” we correct them with love and grace.

Primary Teachers
As Christian parents we need to accept our position as God’s primary teachers in our teenager’s life. It is a high and life-long calling and it is one of the most important things we will ever do. Pray for your teenager to know the love, forgiveness, and hope that is hound in a real relationship with God. The apostle Paul prayed this for the Ephesian church in the passage below.

“having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might,”   Ephesians 1:18-19 (ESV)

This is the end of the section about the family. How has God challenged you in this area? Pray with your spouse for patience and wisdom. Pray for your teenagers. I’m praying for you too. Let me know how I can help or better serve you and your family.

in HIS service,

Pastor Mark

P.S. The themes and main ideas come from Paul David Tripp’s book “Age of Opportunity”. I’m summarizing what I read, adding my own thoughts and Scripture too.

You can read past posts on our church website HERE.