Sermon: “Daddy, Please Bring Me To Sunday School!”
June 25, 2023
Good Morning Saints and Happy Sunday!
Whenever I see a father giving his child a “piggyback ride,” it puts a smile on my face. It takes me back to those times when I use to give piggyback rides to my own daughter. Those loving moments become etched in the memories of both the father and child forever.
Now, just imagine how joyous it would be if dads across America would on Sunday mornings, lift their children up onto their backs, and give them “Piggyback rides into “Sunday School!” Our nation and society would experience godly transformation throughout the generations, as children substantively mirror the works of their fathers.
Introduction
I prepared this Sermon several weeks ago to deliver on Father’s Day, but Dr. King was finishing up her Series entitled, “The Work of the Holy Spirit” on Father’s Day. So I will deliver the Message for Father’s Day today. Fathers in particular, please receive this engrafted Word from God with a spirit of meekness, which is able to save the soul. (James 1:21)
By the Spirit of God, I urge every father (regardless of whether you are living in the same household with your child or not—married, widowed, single, or divorced) to listen to, and obey the Voice of the Lord and bring your child—your children—to “Sunday School.” In the hearts (spirit and soul) of every child there is a longing for and plea, for their fathers (parents) to get up on Sunday mornings, and bring them to Sunday School.
Fathers, the Bible says that children are a heritage (gift) of the Lord, and while in the womb of the mother, God has set forth His desire within every child to know Him! (Ps. 127:3, Jer.1:4-5, & James 1:17) Fathers, since your child was created by God, and your child is a gift to you from God, then only God knows the purpose, plan, and perfect will for your child. Wouldn’t you agree?
Praise Almighty God, I like the New International Version of Malachi 2:15, from which God speaks to fathers saying,
Has not the [One] God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the [One] God seek? Godly offspring. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.
Dearest Daddy, you belong to God in body and in spirit. It is God who brought you safely into this world and kept you. God alone is the One who has gifted you to become a father. And, God’s message to you about your child is that He plans to come and visit your child, and make His holy habitation in them from an early age—for God forever seeks to harvest, “Godly offspring.”
Sadly though, the majority of parents in our nation, including many born-again Christian parents, do not understand and know that “Sunday School” is the place where God wants to have His first purposeful encounter with every child:
*Sunday School is the holy place of “initiation,” where children get to learn and come to know about God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost.
*Sunday School is the place where children develop a hunger and thirst for God in Jesus Christ.
*Sunday School prepares the heart of a child to come running to the altar during Sunday Morning Worship Services to repent of their sins, give their lives to Jesus Christ, to be baptized in water, and filled with the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues, and to thereafter, become young disciples of Jesus Christ.
I can tell you that for as long as I have been a Pastor, I have never seen a child come out of Sunday School with a sad countenance. Every child comes out of Sunday School happy and energetic!
From A Young Age, Christ Calls Children In to His Pasture, But Most Parents Neglect Bringing Their Children to Sunday School to Meet Him
At Matthew 19:14, Jesus Christ is recorded as giving this Commandment to adults regarding children who seek and thirst after Him. Jesus said,
Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
Fathers, I wonder how many millions of children are being held back today, and weekly, from coming to Jesus Christ and having a relationship with Him because Daddies and Mommies have neglected to bring their children to Sunday School to receive systematic educational instruction about Jesus Christ? So many children in our nation today have never attended a single class of Sunday School—and this, I tell you is displeasing in the sight of the Lord!
Let me also say to fathers that your child does not need to be “sent” or “dropped off” by you at Sunday School. No, no, no—weekly you need to bring your child/children with you to Sunday School.
Let me also be clear that Sunday School is not just for kids and youth. Sunday School is for every person on planet earth (babies, children, teenagers, young adults, middle aged adults, and senior Saints too). From childhood through adulthood we all need Sunday School!
On Sundays, we all need to go to “God School.” Say this after me: “Sunday School,” “Is God School,” where everyone needs to attend, including the clergy!
Every person in the world needs systematic educational teaching and study to learn how to apply the Holy Scriptures to their lives for personal spiritual and moral growth in the things of God. We cannot grow up in the things of God unless we learn, study, and practice the Word of God together; united in love and truth. (Eph. 4:15)
Think about this please. Sunday School is the only Institution on planet earth, where the “whole family” can come and be educated in Jesus Christ; in the same place and at the same time. Do we not understand that children are much more motivated to learn, and to do the things parents require of them, when they can see the parent doing the same thing they are told to do?
Sunday School Participation has Fallen Off and With It Youth Violence Has Soared
As born-again Christians who faithfully attend Church Services weekly, we have seen the decline in Americans’ attendance in Sunday Schools and Churches. Over the last half-century; children and adult Sunday Schools have slacked way-off in enrollment, resources, and accomplishments.
To keep up with changing times, many Churches have sought to modernize and revamp Sunday Schools—by renaming them Children’s Church,” “Youth Ministry,” or “Children’s Ministry.” Many of these Churches have refocused the emphasis on Christian education from rigorous classroom-style teaching, to the conduct of Worship Services that mirror Adult Services—with messages that relate to younger audiences using videos, graphics, and other media tools to enhance the learning experience.
While other Church Sunday School Departments continue the traditional classroom style way of providing Christian education, but with only a small proportion of the membership of the Church attending, and typically they use Sunday School Quarterlies as instruction guides.
Sadly, other Churches, like at Exousia Ministries, have elected to discontinue Sunday School Departments altogether, due to a lack of participation. This must and will change at Exousia Ministries in the near future.
The shift of the American family away from attending Sunday School and Church Services, to Sundays filled with business work, shopping, leisure, sports, video play, and education, has resulted in America raising up generations of masses of people who do not know, nor serve Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
The lack of “churching” of our children and youth has left millions of children in our country spiritually and morally bankrupt, and frankly speaking inept at living the Christian life and yielding peaceable fruit for the kingdom of God. (John 15:1-5) Think of it, the children of our nation should be known from an early age for preaching the gospel and winning fellow youngsters to Christ. But, is that what we see in America?
The shift in America from Sunday School, to doing all things worldly on Sundays, has had a calamitous effect on our society. American parents have elected to open the flood gates of a child’s imagination to do everything other than to spend 4-hours with God in Sunday School and Church. Without Sunday School and Church being made the focus of a child’s life to receive Christian Education, the way is made extremely difficult for youngsters to find the PATHWAY TO LIFE AND PEACE.
I am reminded of a day last fall of 2022. I got on an elevator with an elderly gentleman that I did not know. During the elevator ride, he said to me, “I don’t know what’s wrong with this country. It seems like young people today have no regard for human life. There is gun violence every day, when is it going to stop, he said?” He went on to say, I don’t know what can be done to stop young people from shooting and killing each other.”
I said to him, Sir you are so right, “the world is on fire and our children and families need to go to Sunday School.” The gentleman paused for a moment, and as we were getting off the elevator He smiled and said, “You are right about that and he wished me a good day.”
Let’s Be Instant in Prayer for Our Children and the Family
Right here, I would like to pause. I feel led by the Holy Ghost to pray for our nations’ children and families:
Heavenly Father we come to you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Lord open our eyes and hearts to see “children” as you do. I ask that “You” place an unquenchable desire within the people who claim to know the name of Jesus Christ, to begin the work of filling-up Sunday Schools in our nation, so “You” may harvest Godly Seeds.
Lord, we are losing so many of our precious children and youth to gun violence; so many are depressed and suicidal, so many are being housed in detention centers and incarcerated, so many are confused about their sexuality, so many are robbing houses and committing auto thefts, so many are committing acts of vandalism and destruction, so many are involved in gangs, so many are experimenting and addicted to drugs and alcohol, so many are poor and homeless, so many are parentless, and so many have been abused. Lord, you alone are our very present Help in time of need.
Lord, we acknowledge as parents that we have allowed our children and youth to become saturated and consumed with worldly distractions: education and many recreational activities. We repent because as parents we have been duped and deceived by Satan into thinking; by solely keeping our children involved in the pursuit of scholastic achievements, athletics, and civic activities, that we can keep them out of trouble and set on the right pathway in life.
But without Jesus Christ at the helm of all of our lives, we can accomplish nothing. Indeed, Lord it is not within man to know the way in which he should go. (Jer. 10:23 & Prov. 14:12) Only you know the pathway that leads to life and peace. And, with our best efforts to “self-parent,” we fall and fail to create the peaceful home, community, and society we aspire to obtain.
Lord, help us to turn around this most disgraceful statistic:
That in our nation, one in 25 American kindergartners will not make it to their 40th birthday.
We decree and declare that the devil is a liar; and he has no right to steal, and to kill, and to destroy our children; but that which we give him license to do! Thus, we petition that every kindergartner live a long prosperous life in you. Lord through the wisdom and power that you have ordained and invested in Sunday Schools and its teachers, help us to raise up our children, youth, and adults in accordance with Christ’s teachings. We don’t need just, “Good Kids, We Need Godly Kids!”
In Jesus Christ name we pray, and by the blood of the Lord’s cross, and resurrection on the third-day, we will accomplish all that you have commanded of us in raising our children. Amen.
A Word from God to Fathers about Raising Their Children Will Suffice
Now, let me share with fathers in more detail some very important things about the purpose and goals of Sunday School, and how we are to raise children. I am speaking directly to fathers as they are the heads of the home, and the Word of God first addresses fathers regarding instructions on how to raise their children. (I Cor.11:3 & Eph. 6:4)
The purpose of Sunday School is to train every person in the “WAY” they should go from, early childhood into Adulthood.”
Take a look at Proverbs 22:6, it reads as follows:
Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
The Word “train” in this Verse is very important, and only appears one time in this context throughout the entire Bible. In the Hebrew, the word “train” is “chanak,” and conveys the meaning to “initiate,” “narrow,” or “discipline” the child. Fathers in raising their children are to take the lead in “initiating,” and “narrowing” their child’s focus in the “WAY” they should go. MY, MY, MY…
Jesus Christ said “…I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6) Thus, fathers are to train—initiate, narrow, and discipline their child’s focus to learning about Jesus Christ and His teachings.
In this fallen world in which we live, the only way to life and peace is through Jesus Christ (John 14:6, John 14:27, 16:33) Tell me, can you think of a better place where children can be “trained in the WAY they should go,” trained in all things Jesus Christ, than Sunday School? Sunday School (Vacation Bible School too) is the place where children, youth, and adults can all receive a systematic curriculum of Christian teaching, study, and learn and apply the Word of God to their lives.
Also, consider that every person from their mother’s womb is born into sin and shaped in iniquity. (Ps. 51:5) Therefore, every child needs to be saved through the preaching and hearing of the gospel of Jesus Christ. (Rom.10:14-15) Fathers—parents—have been instructed to “train” their children in the way (Jesus Christ) they should go. Thus, in fulfillment of the Great Commission, one of the greatest evangelistic movements that the Church of Jesus Christ (the body of Christ) can and must undertake is to bring every child to Sunday School to receive foundational teaching and training in Jesus Christ.
Many Churches have fallen into the wrong habit of thinking that Sunday School Departments are intended to provide Christian education to the kids of the members of the Church congregation. However, the mission of the Sunday School Department should be much broader to continually reach-out into the community and bring in unsaved families, and their children, to receive a formal education about Jesus Christ in Sunday School. (Mark 16:15-20 & Luke 19:10) Sunday School is for the Saved and Unsaved!
Tell me, when was the last time you heard of anyone inviting you and your child to attend Sunday School?
Sunday School Leaders and teachers should be among the leaders of Ministry Outreach teams in the community compelling fathers and mothers to bring their children to Sunday School and Worship Services. (Luke 14:23) Sunday School provides the place and opportunity for children and adults to be “trained,” “narrowed,” and “disciplined” in the Word of God so that it may be well with all people in life and in their generations.
Fathers, and everyone in this Congregation, listen to and examine the following Scripture at Deuteronomy 6:4-15, it reads:
. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:
5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
10 And it shall be, when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not,
11 And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full;
12 Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
13 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.
14 Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you;
15 (For the Lord thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.
Fathers, can you see how “narrowly” God wants you and your children trained? The pathway to Jesus Christ is straight and narrow. God first wants parents, and thereafter children, to know about “Him,” to fall in love with “Him,” to receive instruction about “Him,” to study the Word, be tested in their knowledge of the Word, to be able to apply the Word to life experiences, and to live by every Word of God.
The way to life and peace is not obtained by making sports, dance classes, music lessons, SAT preparation, and so forth priorities on Sundays. Parents must teach their child that all things are accomplished through Jesus Christ’s Lordship over their lives. Jesus was quoted at Matthew 7:13-14 as saying,
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
When children know the WAY they are to go, and have received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and live for Him; when they are older they will not forget the teachings of Jesus Christ. When Christ is living through them, Jesus will establish and keep them from evil. (Col. 3:4-5 & II Thess. 3:3)
This is the goal of Sunday School to transform sinners, into Saints, who thereafter become disciples of Christ and go on to make other disciples; to have every person in the world, from childhood through adulthood, to become Christ-like as God planned from the foundations of the world. (Matt. 28: 19-20 & Rom. 8:29-30)
You see, when the life of Jesus Christ is living through Christian children and youth, there will be no desire in them to commit gun violence, robbery and thefts, to use and abuse drugs and alcohol, to join gangs, change their sex, and so forth—nor will they to put any other thing or person above God.
When Christ is the life of children and youth, their affections are set on things above and not on things of the earth. As a result, the decision to serve God on Sundays, and participate in Sunday School and Sunday Worship, and every other church-activity takes “willing” priority over all other activities.
Making God “All” in your life, and having fellowship with Him, is what makes all material good things in the world chase after you. (Matt. 6:33) When you narrow your life and your child’s life to loving and serving God, the favor of God will bring every material good thing into your life in multiplication. (Ps. 112:1-5 & Heb.11:6)
Fathers, go now and look into the eyes of your child and then also look into your heart, and hear and obey what God is saying to you. This is the Word of God that will suffice for you. The Lord is telling you to bring your child to Sunday School, (to give your child a piggyback ride into Sunday School) so that God may reap a “Godly Seed,” and show Himself mighty in and through your child’s life. Remember Jesus said at Matt. 22:37:
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Teach and train your child to love God with the whole of themselves, and you will be amazed at all of the honor your child will bring to your family name, household, and our society. I guarantee you, Sunday School will be the first place they will point to and credit for the successes they achieve in life. Christian Education produces the fruit of holiness: strong character, integrity, and moral and financial stability. Amen!
Psalm 103:13 (English Standard Version)
As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
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