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Everyone, it's good to be back in the house of our God. You can turn with me in your Bibles to Psalm 128 for our call to worship. Psalm 128. I'll begin reading in verse one. A song of asense. Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways. When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy and it shall be well with you. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house. Your children like olive plants all around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord. The Lord bless you out of Zion. And may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life. Yes. May you see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel. Amen. Well, please turn to Psalm 126 126b as in bravo. And we'll stand as we sing together. [Music] to set us free. joe. [Music] I heard to me to his people. Great things for us. The Lord has brought and glad to our heart again. Precious Lord with your mighty love and be your blessing with mercy. [Music] My grace divide our hearts again fresh my hope [Music] the world is When our son appears, we shall be glad indeed. For they in the soul we shall in joy and gladness. [Music] Well, let us pray. Our blessed God and holy father, we rejoice to gather again in your house and we praise you for your goodness and your graciousness and your mercy. We thank you for this beautiful day. We thank you for your creation and how it magnifies and ma manifests your majesty and your glory and your righteousness. We thank you for your providence that you govern all your creatures and all their actions. and we thank you for sovereign grace and the redemption of your people through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. We bless you for the gospel of our salvation. And as we gather here tonight, may we express that gratitude to that grace receive it uh received that's overcome our guilt. We pray that you would be exalted, that you would be glorified, that you would be praised as we come to the father through the son in the spirit. May God be all in all in this place. We thank you for your uh spiritual blessings. We thank you for your temporal mercies. We thank you for your kind provision to us in all areas and in all walks of life. And even now as we gather together, we are mindful of your holiness and your majesty. We are mindful of your absolute righteousness and glory. And we are mindful that we have missed the mark in so many ways. even as redeemed Christians. So we confess our sins to you now, Lord God. We know that the mandate of the the scripture is that we let our conduct be worthy of the Christian gospel. Yet we confess that there are many remaining corruptions, transgression of your law, lack of conformity unto it. We thank you that we have an advocate with the father, even Jesus Christ the righteous. So even now, Lord God, cleanse us from all sin and all unrighteousness. fit us for worship of a of a great and holy God. And anyone that is here that is dead in their trespasses and sins. We pray that you would awaken them by the power of your Holy Spirit that you would promote in them that conviction for sin and set forth the Lord Jesus Christ in all of his offices and power to save. We pray for your preaching of the gospel throughout this earth that you would bless it that you would save from every tribe and every tongue and every people and every nation. And God, as we look at the world, there is much unrest and many conflicts and much much going on that is of a grief and great concern. We look forward to that reality expressed by the psalmist to be still and to know that you are God. You will be exalted among the nations. You will be exalted in the earth. So, Father, may you indeed calm our troubled souls and help us to be faithful. Help us to be persevering. Help us to shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. and give us boldness and courage to hold forth your your glorious word of truth. We ask that you would bless the churches and our association. We thank you for each one. Again, tonight we pray for Pastor Porter as he preaches in Suriri. Give him the spirit and give him the grace to handle accurately your word. And please refresh our brother, Pastor Mike. We just commend him to you. We pray for him and for Jessica and for their children. this would be a time of rest and refreshment and renh recuperation for him and that you would just fit him for many many years of faithful service there in Suriri. Be with Ryan in Armstrong. Be with the brothers in Medicine Hat and in Pinoa and in Regina. We pray God that you would be glorified in each of these churches that they would be faithful men ministering the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We pray for your blessing upon the persecuted church. We know there are many throughout this earth that suffer for the cause of God and truth. We pray that they would continue to persevere by your grace and for your glory. We think of Peter and Myanmar. We know this brother has one tragedy after another to contend with. We just pray God that you would keep him by your sovereign grace that you would be merciful to him and to his family. We pray for the orphans under his care that you would provide all that they stand in need of. And Lord, bless gospel missionaries that are testifying of the gospel throughout this earth. We have great promises in the scripture. We have a great commission and mandate from our savior to go and to make disciples of all the nations. And we have the promises of the psalms and the prophets that testify that the knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. So God, may you increase our hope and our confidence in your sure word. We know that it doesn't return unto you void, but it does accomplish the purpose for which you sent it. And may may we prayerfully labor in light of these things. And may you bless your churches. May you prosper them. May you cause them to advance in terms of holiness and righteousness and and efficacy in the various communities they find themselves. And bless those missionaries that are known perhaps only to you, obscure men in obscure places. Nevertheless, holding holding forth your word. May you bless and prosper them. And may King Jesus Christ continue to build his church as he has promised the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. We rejoice in that. We bless you for it. And we pray now in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Will you turn with me again in your hymbooks to Psalm 51. Psalm 51C as in Charlie will sing the first four stanzas and we'll stand together. 51 C. [Music] Be merciful to me. On thy grace I rest my entrep make me pure. Cleanse me from my sin. My transgressions I confess and guilt my soul. I s and thee to thy face. I confess thy judicious by thy mercy trust. I am evil born in singest truth within my savior. Teach thy wisdom to my heart. Make me thy grace. Wash me wherer than the snow. Broken to the dust. I th my heart rej and in gladness hear from my sins. Oh w them out in boundless. [Music] Well, please turn with me in your Bibles to Judges chapter 13 for our scripture reading as we move our way through the Old Testament in our evening services. We're in Judges 13. We come to the Samson cycle and I'll read beginning in verse one again. The children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. And the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for 40 years. Now there was a certain man from Zora of the family of the Danites whose name was Manoah. And his wife was barren and had no children. And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, "Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. Now therefore, please be careful not to drink wine or similar drink, and not to eat anything unclean. For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son, and no razor shall come upon his head. For the child shall be a Nazerite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines." So the woman came and told her husband, saying, "A man of God came to me, and his countenance was like the countenance of the angel of God, very awesome." But I did not ask him where he was from, and he did not tell me his name. And he said to me, "Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. Now drink no wine or similar drink, nor eat anything unclean, for the child shall be a Nazerite to God from the womb to the day of his death." Then Monoah prayed to the Lord and said,"Oh my Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come to us again and teach us what we shall do for the child who will be born." And God listened to the voice of Monoah. And the angel of God came to the woman again as she was sitting in the field. But Manoah her husband was not with her. Then the woman ran in haste and told her husband and said to him, "Look, the man who came to me the other day has just now appeared to me." So Monoah arose and followed his wife. When he came to the man, he said to him, "Are you the man who spoke to this woman?" And he said,"I am." Manoah said, "Now let your words come to pass. What will be the boy's rule of life and his work?" So the angel of the Lord said to Monoah, "Of all that I said to the woman, let her be careful. She may not eat anything that comes from the vine, nor may she drink wine or similar drink, nor eat anything unclean. all that I commanded her, let her observe. Then Monoah said to the angel of the Lord, "Please let us detain you, and we will prepare a young goat for you." Then the angel of the Lord said to Monoah, "Though you detain me, I will not eat your food. But if you offer a burnt offering, you must offer it to the Lord. For Monoah did not know he was the angel of the Lord." Then Monoah said to the angel of the Lord, "What is your name? That when your words come to pass, we may honor you." And the angel of the Lord said to him,"Wh do you ask my name, seeing, it is wonderful?" So Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering and offered it upon the rock to the Lord. And he did a one did a wondrous thing while Manoah and his wife looked on. It happened as the flame went up toward heaven from the altar. The angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar. When Monoah and his wife saw this, they fell on their faces to the ground. when the angel of the Lord appeared no more to Monoah and his wife than Monoah knew that he was the angel of the Lord. And Monoah said to his wife, "We shall surely die because we have seen God." But his wife said to him, "If the Lord had desired to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering from our hands, nor would he have shown us all these things, nor would he have told us such things as these at this time." So the woman bore a son and called his name Samson and the child grew and the Lord blessed him and the spirit of the Lord began to move upon him at Mahenna Dan between Zora and Echhtel. Amen. Well, here as I said we have the birth of Manoah and it sounds somewhat similar to what we find with reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. These judges typify the Lord of glory in terms of their uh salvation or deliverance of the nation of the nation of Israel. Notice in 131 again the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for 40 years. A similar uh cycle to what we have seen previously. But one thing that we notice is that they don't cry out. Now typically they don't cry out in repentance. They don't cry out for forgiveness. But they do cry out because of distress. here. They don't cry out. When we get to Judges 15, we'll see the reason for that is that they've assimilated the culture. They have embraced their their subject status to the Philistines. They're not crying out because it no longer hurts them. And so, that's problematic. So, God undertakes to give them uh Samson to be that judge, that deliverer. And notice specifically, it's a supernatural birth. They didn't have any children. The angel of the Lord comes along and says, "You're going to have a child." Just as the angel comes to Joseph and Mary. And then we see something of his purpose there in verse 5. Notice at the end, "And he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines." And then at the end of the chapter, we see that he is filled with the spirit of the Lord. And the spirit of the Lord began to move upon him. That is said of Samson three other times. So this man is not the bumbling fool that we often see uh depicted in terms of Samson. A man governed by his lusts. No, he's a man governed by the spirit of God. He's a man governed by that mission that was given him by God to deliver Israel from their oppressors. And he's successful because he has the Lord's blessing. He has the Lord's spirit. He has the Lord's grace upon him as he undertakes as a deliverer in the nation of Israel. Well, let us pray. Our father in heaven, we thank you for your word. We thank you for the book of Judges and the way that it shows us our Lord Jesus Christ and what he does in saving his people from their sins. We thank you for that goodness. We thank you for that graciousness. We thank you for your mercy and for your loving kindness. And we praise you through Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, you can turn with me again in your hymbooks to 381. 381. We'll stand as we sing together. Blessing and honor and glory and power and graes and strength. Give me to him whom the battle has fall [Music] and the throne heaven with his Bring in the earth with his glory and ocean and mountain glor [Music] of his Power as my song and my joy. Never descend with love from high. blessing and honor and glory and praise. This is the king of the days that we praise. Give me our glory and praise to the Lord. Take me the ro and the heart and the sing the song of the lamb that was slain by weakness to rain. [Music] Well, please turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs. Proverbs chapter 4. Proverbs chapter 4. I'll read verses 1 to9. Proverbs 4 beginning in verse one. Hear my children the instruction of a father and give attention to no understanding. For I give you good doctrine. Do not forsake my law. When I was my father's son, tender and the only one in the sight of my mother, he also taught me and said to me, "Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commands and live. Get wisdom, get understanding. Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her and she will preserve you. Love her and she will keep you. Wisdom is the principal thing. Therefore, get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Exalt her and she will promote you. She will bring you honor when you embrace her. She will place on your head an ornament of grace, a crown of glory she will deliver to you. Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you now for the ministry of the Holy Spirit to take these things and apply them to our hearts. Thank you for the men in this church that our fathers. I pray for your blessing upon them. Pray for all of us that we would be faithful in light of our our callings in scripture that you would cause us to to to know the presence and the power of the spirit and to know the joy of being found in Jesus Christ, that gospel of our salvation. We thank you for all of your provision to us. We thank you that you keep us, that you protect us, that you guard us and defend us, and that you have promised that you who have began this good work in us will will will bring it to completion on that day of Christ. And we rejoice in that, Lord God. Forgive us now again for all of our sins and unrighteousness. And we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, I want to address the Christian husband and father tonight. It won't be just from here in Proverbs chapter 4, but you do see something interesting here in Proverbs chapter 4 in terms of the blessing of transgenerational Christianity. It's not a transgenerational Christianity. Just because someone is born to a Christian man, they're going to necessarily be saved. But in this particular instance, that's what happens. David was a godly man. David was theologically oriented. David feared the Lord. He didn't commit idolatry. He fought the wars of the Lord. He was faithful in all of his days. And he passes down wisdom to Solomon. And then Solomon in the book of Proverbs does the same thing with reference to his own children. So according to verses 3 and 4, David taught Solomon and then Solomon taught his children. The primary emphasis is on wisdom. And that shouldn't shock us because that was Solomon's request. When Yahweh comes to him and asks him what is it that he desires? He doesn't ask for riches. He doesn't ask for houses. He doesn't ask for wives. but rather he asks for wisdom. He understands that to administer the kingdom of of of heaven on earth as it was typologically he would require a great deal of wisdom and commitment to the truth of God's word. So the primary emphasis is on wisdom and it is God's word and spirit that produce that wisdom or promote that wisdom in the hearts of God's people. So I want to do two things tonight. First look at the Christian husband and then secondly the Christian father. And if asked why the husband first, well, I think that one of the best things that a ch a man can pass on to his children is a true love and a devotion to his wife. Not in a sinful, sick sort of adorational way, but to be a good godly husband to one's wife is a great gift to the children that witness such things. For the young men, it causes them to rise up and to want to have that type of a marriage. for a young woman, it causes her to want to find that kind of man that loves and is devoted to her. So, it's a great gift or one of the better gifts that a man can pass on to his wife or to his children rather, and that is the love of his wife. So, first, the good husband is a godly man. The good husband is a godly man. There's three things here that I want to deal with. First, he fears the Lord. If you go back to Proverbs chapter 1, you see that emphasis early on in the book of Proverbs. Essentially you have the purpose of the proverbs in verses 1-6 and then the necessary prerequisite for the study of proverbs in verse 7 and that is the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Notice in chapter 2 at verse 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. Chapter 3 and verse 7 do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and depart from evil. to the degree that we fear God is the degree to which we will depart from evil. If we're not departing from evil, then chances are we're not fearing God. And so, the godly man fears the Lord. Notice in 9:10, similar to what we saw in 17, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 14 and verse 26, in the fear of the Lord, there is strong confidence in his children will have a place of refuge. And then again in 1533, the fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom and before honor is humility. So godly man, a godly husband is a man who fears God. And that means he's rightly connected to God by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. The fear of the Lord often times in the Old Testament is simple uh theological shortorthhand for rightly related to God by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. It's not the sort of fear that runs from God. It's the sort of fear that runs to God and finds a refuge because of what God has done in and through his son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Secondly, not only does he fear the Lord, but he deals with his sin. Proverbs chapter 28. Proverbs chapter 28. The good husband is a godly man. He fears the Lord. Secondly, he deals with his sin. Proverbs 28:13. a text that ought not to ever be overlooked or underlooked or neglected or igno or ignored. He who covers his sins will not prosper. But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. Now, the principle is obvious. If you try to cover your sin, you're not going to prosper. What does that mean? Well, don't cover it before God, but don't cover it before your wife. Don't cover it before your children. A good godly man demonstrates that reality in the lives of the the people in his home. He sins. He needs forgiveness. He needs to invoke the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. He comes to you with that humility that is requisite a saved sinner and he seeks to deal with his sin biblically and righteously and faithfully. So the godly man deals with his sin. And then thirdly, the husband is a godly man. He is committed to the Lord. You can turn to Proverbs 3. Proverbs chapter 3 specifically at verses five and six. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths. Now none of none of this should be a surprise. None of this should be a shock. No one should say, "Wow, this is absolutely a it's just basic biblical Christianity." But notice specifically, it's to be an entire commitment. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. It's supposed to be an exclusive commitment and lean not on your own understanding and it must be an exhaustive commitment. In all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths. That's the type of man that functions well as a husband to his wife. So the good husband is a godly man. And then secondly, by way of a larger observation, the good husband loves his wife. If it is one of the better gifts for a man to pass on to his children, a good relationship with his wife, one that they can see, one that is quant uh quantifiable, one that is demonstrable, then it must be worked out in the life of the home. And I would suggest first here that the man sees her as a gift. He sees her as a gift. He doesn't see her as an albatross around his neck. He doesn't see her as the curse upon him. He doesn't see her as drudgery. He doesn't see her as a chore, but rather he sees her as a gift. Notice in Proverbs 12 at verse 4, an excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who causes shame is like rottness in his bones. So, an excellent wife is the crown of her husband. That's a gift. Notice in Proverbs 18:22, Proverbs 18:22, he who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. It's a blessed thing. It's a gift God gave to that particular man. And here specifically, he who finds a a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. And then again in Proverbs 19 at verse 14, houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord. Brothers, everyone in your house knows when you're not operating according to this fundamental presupposition. Everybody knows when you see your wife as an albatross rather than as a gift. Everyone knows when you hold her in contempt or with bitterness or with an anger. Everybody sees it. You may think you're the mystery man. You may think you're getting away with it, but you're not. It is evident. It is obvious. And your wife and your children, they see it. They witness it. They see the difference between contempt and they see the difference between love and kindness and an appreciation for a good wife. Luther said, "The greatest gift of God is a pious, amiable spouse who fears God, loves his house, and with whom one can live in perfect confidence." Now, it shouldn't go without saying that ladies function as gifts. Don't function as an albatross around his neck. Don't function as the one that would rather make him live out in the wilderness or live on a on a rooftop. Next, he provides for her needs. Proverbs 27. Proverbs 27. This is picked up by Paul in 1 Timothy chapter 5 at verse 8. If a man does not provide for his own, he's worse than an infidel. He is worse than an unbeliever. But in Proverbs 27, specifically at verse 23, be diligent to know the state of your flocks and attend to your herds. For riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations. When the hay is removed and the tender grass shows itself and the herbs of the mountains are gathered in, the lambs will provide your clothing and the goats the price of a field. You shall have enough goats milk for your food, for the food of your household and the nourishment of your maid servants. There's that bit in the book of Exodus. When a man takes on an add an additional wife, and I don't want to get into all the ethics involved in that, but if a man does take on an additional wife, he is not to neglect the cupboards, the closet, or the marriage bed of wife number one. It's not to pour his energies and efforts into wife number two to the neglect of wife number one. If he does take on wife number two, and again, there's ethics involved. There's a context involved, but the prohibition against that is that he doesn't neglect wife number one when it comes to those basic needs. Her cupboards need to be filled. She's got to have food. Her closets have to be filled. She's got to have clothes. And her marriage bed needs to be occupied with her husband. She has sexual needs that that man is to meet. Thirdly, the man protects her. The man protects her. Proverbs chapter 6. He pro he protects his wife. Proverbs chapter 6. And we'll look at this in a bit more detail a little later on. But here for per uh for for the specific purpose, notice in verse 34, for jealousy is a husband's fury. Therefore, he will not spare in the day of vengeance. And essentially what's happening is that a man commits adultery. And when the man commits adultery, the husband of the wife is the one spoken of here. For jealousy is a husband's fury. Therefore, he will not spare in the day of vengeance. He protects his wife. Jealousy answers to love. If there is no love, there is no jealousy. Now, jealousy can be obnoxious. Jealousy can be overarching. Jealousy can be too comprehensive. Jealousy can be a bad thing. But God is a jealous God. Why is that? Because of the way that he loves his children. By the way he loves his people. He will truck or brookke no competitors in terms of that relationship between him and them. They go whoring after Baal or after Ashra or after the the gods of our particular age. The Lord our God is a jealous God. He does not brookke rivals. And that is true in a marriage relationship. A man protects his wife. Notice in Proverbs 14, Proverbs 14 specifically at verse 11, the house of the wicked will be overthrown, but the tent of the upright will flourish. Now, part of the tent up uh the the the flourishing of a tent depends in large part upon the protection of the tent. Your house, your life, your goods, your property, your your people, they're not going to prosper unless there's a large degree of protection involved. I would suggest fourthly, he communicates well with her. He communicates well with her. And there are much more clever preachers that could do whole series of sermons on communication and marriage. That's not me. But notice in Proverbs 15:1, a soft answer turns away wrath. But a harsh word stirs up anger. If that is the default response in your home is a harsh word, you're not loving your wife as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her. Notice as well Proverbs 16 and verse 24. Pleasant words are like a honeycomb. Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. You don't cut her down. You don't mock her. You don't rip her apart in front of the children. That is a horrific way to deal with your wife. And then Proverbs 31. Proverbs 31, a text we saw when we looked at the Christian mother. Proverbs 31. Look at how this man speaks to his bride. Proverbs 31:28. Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also, and he praises her. Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all. He's not afraid to praise her. He's not afraid to commend her. He's not afraid to tell her that she's doing a good job. He's not afraid to do that because he knows that encouragement is absolutely necessary and it's absolutely uh uh consistent. If if you've got a good thing God has given you, then you ought to appreciate that and you ought to be faithful in your commenation. And then the final thing is that he is sexually faithful to her. Notice in uh Proverbs chapter 5. Proverbs chapter 5 again a theme picked up by the apostle in 1 Timothy chapter 3. The elder must be a onewoman man. He must be sexually faithful. He must exercise fidelity in that basic covenantal arrangement. If a man is not faithful in that basic covenantal arrangement, then how is he going to take care of the church of God? How is he going to function as a gospel minister? or by extension, how is a Christian man going to be proven or or or entrusted with much when he doesn't handle the little that God has given him? If he's not faithful to that one he is closest to, then he is going to be compromised. Notice in Proverbs 5 at verse 8 or verse 7, therefore hear me now, my children, and do not depart from the words of my mouth. Remove your way far from her. He's talking about the strange woman. He's talking about that woman you need to avoid. That woman that would disrupt, that woman that does entice, that woman that wants to to to lay with you. He says, "Remove your way far from her and do not go near the door of her house, lest you give your honor to others and your years to the cruel one, lest aliens be filled with your wealth and your labors go to the house of a foreigner, and you mourn at last, when your flesh and your body are consumed, and say, "How I have hated instruction and and my heart despised correction. I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me. I was on the verge of total ruin in the midst of the assembly and congregation. Now, just by way of parenthetical observation, if your father was proflegate, if your father was an infidel, if your father was compromised in this, that's the kind of lessons that he's going to pass on to the children in his home. Notice the positive encouragement. Drink water from your own sistern and running water from your own well. Should your fountains be dispersed abroad, streams of water in the streets, let them be only your own and not for strangers with you. Let your fountain be blessed and rejoice with the wife of your youth. As a loving deer and a graceful do, let her breast satisfy you at all times. And always be enraptured with her love. For why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman and be embraced in the arms of a seductress? For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord. and he pers all his paths. His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, and he is caught in the cords of his sin. He shall die for lack of instruction, and in the greatness of his folly, he shall go astray. I don't think I have to tell you, brothers, this is a great threat to many marriages today. The actual act of adultery, pornography, the internet, those things that that are often frequented by men, professing Christian men. We need to guard our hearts and minds. We need to make a covenant with our eyes. is the way Job says in Job 31. We need to remove our way far from her and not go near the door of our house. That's not authorization to click. That's not authorization to look. That's not authorization to text. That's not authorization to set up a meeting. That is a prohibition against any sort of the any sort of thing. So, godly husband loves his wife. He sees her as a gift. He protes for her needs. He protects her. He communicates well with her. And he is sexually faithful to her. Again, look at Proverbs chapter 6. Proverbs chapter 6. Notice in verse, we'll just pick it up at verse 25. We could start at verse 20, but for the sake of time, we'll pick up at verse 25. Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, nor let her allure you with her eyelids. For by means of a harlot, a man is reduced to a crust of bread, and an adulteress will pray upon his precious life. Can a man take fire to his bosom and his clothes not be burned? Can one walk on hot coals and his fear feet not be seared? So is he who goes into his neighbor's wife. Whoever touches her shall not be innocent. Notice this is adultery. This isn't prostitution. I'm not suggesting that prostitution is okay. But what's in view here specifically is adultery. The man is committing adultery. And then he goes on to amplify in verse 30. People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving. Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold. He may have to give up all the substance of his house. Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding. He who does so destroys his own soul. Wounds and dishonor he will get and his reproach will not be wiped away. Why? We already read it. For jealousy is a husband's fury. Therefore, he will not spare in the day of vengeance. In other words, that wounds and dishonor the adulterer gets in verse 33 is from the fury and the rage coming from the jealousy of the the husband whose wife was violated. He's going to punch him in the nose. He's going to inflict upon him wounds and dishonor. He's got a jealous love for his wife. He wants to protect her. He wants to su uh support her. He wants to provide for her. And here this man has broached that covenant relationship and he has done a very foolish thing. And I love the intuitive uh the in uh the intuitiveness of intuitiveness. There it is in verse 30. People don't despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving. We get that, right? We we get that. We don't condone it. We don't encourage it. And if he is caught, he must restore sevenfold. But whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding. Why? Because he's supposed to protect. He's supposed to provide. He's supposed to walk in faithfulness before God and toward his bride. He is supposed to see her as a gift and not jeopardize that covenant arrangement. And then notice in verse 35, he will not he will accept no recompense, nor will be he be appeased, though you give many gifts. You can't buy him off on that one. You're going to get a punch in the nose. You're going to get a dotted eye. you're going to get what you've got coming to you. Wounds and dishonor. Why? Because you breached that covenant boundary. So therein lies a Christian husband. He's a godly man. He loves his wife. Now secondly, in terms of the Christian father, I would suggest the same with reference to the good father is a godly man. He fears the Lord. He deals with his sin. He's committed to the Lord. We won't repeat that. But then secondly, the good father loves his children. The good father loves his children. I mean, it's supposed to be an orbit of love, a context of love. It it it's not, you know, mechanistic. It's not just put in the quarter and pop out the well, it's not a quarter anymore. A dollar, $2, whatever it costs to buy a Coke out of a machine. It's not formulaic. It's not algorithmic. It's a context of love. The recurring emphasis in Proverbs, the constant use of my son shows that filial relationship. So, shows that familiarity. My son 1 8-10 2 1 3 1 311 41 410 420 51 57 61 620 71 and 724 My son is familiar. It's loving. It expresses that love. It shows and demonstrates that love. It speaks forth that love. There ought not to be any question whatsoever in a in a Christian home as to whether or not daddy loves me. That ought to be easily communicated and demonstrated in the way that we conduct ourselves. And then it will be tangibly followed up by temporal provision and spiritual provision. How do we know he loves us? Well, he puts food in our in our pantry. He puts clothes in our cupboards and and he he takes care of us. He protects us. He watches over us. He provides for us. that that same emphasis that you see there in Proverbs 27, that man who's diligent with reference to his herds, that man who is diligent with reference to his preparations, what happens? The whole household gets to participate in those good things. Notice in Proverbs 13, specifically at verse 22. Proverbs 13 at verse 22, a good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. Temporal provision. Say, "Well, I don't have that kind of money." Well, there should be spiritual provision as well. In fact, Bridges expounds on that with reference to Proverbs 13:22. He says, "And if there is no earthly substance to leave, yet a church in the house, a family altar, the record of holy example and instruction, and above all, a store of believing prayer laid up for accomplishment when we shall be silent in the grave will be an inheritance to our children of inestimable value." That is blessed. And as fathers, we should demonstrate that love with what he calls here a family altar, family religion. because of the whole family integrated church thing. I think I'd probably excise the church in the house thing, but beyond that, it's perfectly wonderful material. It's great as well. Thirdly, a good father instructs his children. You've probably heard pagans say this, and I think they're right. Yeah, we can use pagans even when they're or when they're right. You know, any man can have children biologically. It's, you know, it's not rocket science. It's not splitting the atom. It's not quantum physics. Any man can produce children. But a Christian man loves those children. And a Christian man rears those children. And a Christian man brings them up in the training and the admonition of the Lord. You've got the emphasis on that in the Shama here. Oh Israel, the Lord our God. The Lord is one. What do you do with that information? Well, you love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. And what do you do with that information? You pass it on to your children. children, when you rise up, when you walk by the way, and when you lie down at night, you need to pass on this instruction, the Proverbs, the my son sayings and the indictment of those who reject instruction over and over again in the book of Proverbs. And of course, the New Testament emphasis in instructing children. Paul says, "You fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord." He doesn't just think that, oh, everything's going to work itself out in the context of a Christian home. No, he's specific and he tells fathers not to provoke their children. He tells fathers not to to bring them to a state of wrath, but rather bring them up in the training and the admonition of the Lord. So, the good father is a godly man. The good father loves his children. The good father instructs his children. And finally, the good father disciplines his children. The good father disciplines his children. We're going to spend a little bit of time here. Two elements are involved. Disciplining children involves word instruction, commands, reproof, exhortations, rebukes, and the discipline of children involves act. And we'll call that corporal punishment with reference to the body. I know it sounds pretty severe. Uh but scripture is full of it. Be as I've said many times, wise and prudent. Uh when you exercise these things, make sure that you don't jeopardize your place in society and end up in prison. I'm not saying don't do it. I'm saying do it wisely. But with reference to this, Proverbs chapter 29:15 lays emphasis on both of these aspects in terms of ch uh training children. Proverbs 29 specifically at verse 15. The rod and rebuke give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. The rod and rebuke gives wisdom but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. I think Bridges makes an a helpful observation on sort of the the ratio involved word and act. So the word speaking reproving exu uh exhorting rebuking um and then the act of of parental disciplining of the child. He says yet and he's talking about the rod yet let not it be used at all times. Let remmonstrance be first tried. Our heavenly father never stirs the rod with his children if his gentle voice of instruction prevail. Continual finding fault, applying correction to every slip of childish trifling or troublesome thoughtlessness would soon bring a callous deadness to all sense of shame. Let it be reserved, at least in its more serious forms, for willfulness. It is medicine, not food. The remedy for the occasional diseases of the constitution, not the daily regimen for life and nourishment. And to convert medicine into daily food gradually destroys its remedial qualities. I think that's very helpful. It's good corrective should be speaking a lot more than you're doing that. I would suggest there are secondly some governing prop uh presuppositions when it comes to this whole idea of disciplining children. The home. Now please hear me and understand. The home is the basic fundamental unit for the bringing up of children. The church serves a function. The church preaches to the children. The church preaches to the parents so that the parents then can do what they're supposed to do with reference to the children. The state's job isn't to bring up your children. It's your job. It's my job. Parents, parents bring up your children in the training and admonition of the Lord. That's not something you farm out. That's not something you say, "Well, the church is going to do a great job raising my kids." Don't hang that on the church. Please don't ever say, "The state's going to do a great job raising my kids." Yeah, if you want them to be communists and transsexual, they'll do a fine job. They'll do a bangup job. It's the task of the parents. The home is the basic unit for passing on values. The parents are to be committed to the law and gospel. They're to be committed to the entirety of God's word and the reality that folly is bound up in the hearts in the child's heart and that more than just words at times is necessary to root it out. Notice in Proverbs 22, Proverbs 22 specifically at verse 15, foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child. The rod of correction will drive it far from him. Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child. The rod of correction will drive it far from him. Now, you might be wondering, why are we doing this? Well, it's Father's Day. I don't want to clobber. I don't want to cuddle, but I want to encourage because fathers and mothers, what you're doing in your home has a great impact on the future. You either do it well and it has a great impact for good or you do it unwell and it has a great impact for bad. You're raising future spouses. You're raising future employees. You're raising future leaders. or you're raising future bums. You're raising children to go out into this world to function as adults. And it's our job as the adults in the room, to use a common saying, to bring them up in the way that they should go. To bring them up with a mind that one day as fathers, we're going to give our little baby girls away to another man. Are we handing him an albatross of our own making? or as parents, we're sending our boys out into the world to find women. Are they going to be an albatross? Are they going to be a a tyrant? Are they going to be abusive? Are they going to be sexually proflegate? What we do in terms of our home and parental discipline and training of our children makes an impact on the future. You cannot just leave a child to himself and hope that everything turns out all right. It's kind of like taking the newborn baby that's, you know, a little bit got a few months on him and he's able to roll. You know, he's kind of getting that place where he can kind of roll. We all like that. We like movement. We like to see him do things. It's great. Look at he did this. But imagine putting him in the middle of your bed and it happens to be, you know, that high. Well, I'm going to see if he rolls off. That would be ghoulish. That would be fish. I'm going to just see if he rolls off without, you know, intervening to catch him. I like those videos where dads, you know, for the wind catch the kid that's falling. It's just pretty amazing. Fathers have that built-in protective sort of desire. But you wouldn't do that. You wouldn't put your baby in harm's way just kind of to see what happens. And we do that with children all the time. We're going to just let them make their own decisions. No, we're not. What are you crazy? They'll always choose for that which is evil. They'll choose that which is contrary to Jesus Christ. They'll choose that which is consistent with their Adamic nature. They'll choose that which is consistent with their deadness in Adam. Of course, we're supposed to bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. Of course, we're supposed to try to shape them. Of course, we're supposed to try to mold them. Of course, we're supposed to, dare I say it, indoctrinate them with the truth of God's holy word and good biblical theology. We don't just let them do their own thing. The way of a man seems right, but its end is destruction. We going to foster that mindset. Now, in terms of some specific texts in view with reference to child training or parental instruction and discipline, I would suggest first the implementation of parental discipline must start early. It must start early. 43. Proverbs 4:3. When I was my father's son, tender and the only one in the sight of my mother, he also taught me and said to me, "Let your heart retain my words, keep my commands, and live." Notice in Proverbs 19, specifically at verse 18. Proverbs 19 verse 18, "Chasen your son while there is hope, and do not set your heart on his destruction." Proverbs 20 and verse 11. Even a child is known by his deeds whether what he does is pure and right. And then of course, Proverbs 22:6, one that we all, I hope, know, train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Listen to Bridges. Satan begins with the infant in arms. The cry of passion is his first stir of the native corruption. Do we begin as early? Every vice commences in the nursery. The great secret is to establish authority in the dawn of life. To bend the tender twig before the naughty oak is beyond our power. It's just the way it was back then. His brothers saw the importance of starting early with reference to child rearing and child training and discipline. I would suggest secondly, the neglect of parental discipline is ungodly. Look at Proverbs 13. The neglect of parental discipline is ungodly. Now, I get it. Inconsistencies abound. The tension is tough. The ability to be faithful and steadfast and persevering every step of the way. It's hard. So, let me always remind you, we have an advocate with the father, even Jesus Christ the righteous. And to remind you that you're not going to go to heaven because of your exemplary parenting skills. You're going to go to heaven because of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Never forget those things that that I hope I said that when I was not coddling or or collaborating the ladies. Never forget ladies, you're not going to enter in because of your exemplary mothering skills, but by grace through faith in Jesus. Same with husbands and fathers. You don't enter into heaven because you're father of the year or you got the husband of the year coffee cup from your wife. That's not why. It's by God's grace through faith in Jesus. Now that said and that qualified, we need to take seriously as bloodbought children of God who are now indwelt by the Holy Spirit whose conduct is to be regulated by the scriptures of both the old and the new testaments. We need to understand that to neglect something as foundational as this. It's not just I I mean we've looked at a lot of proverbs tonight and we've only scratched the surface. Do do you think Solomon has a theme or one of the themes that Solomon has is is to encourage his sons. He's a king. His sons are kings to be. What does he want from them? Yes, to function well as sons. To function well in the home, but to function well when they take the throne, to function well when they take wives, to function well when they take uh uh or have children. He wants that. He he he demand demands that by the spirit. So notice in Proverbs 13:24, he who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly. And if you were raised in a home without discipline, that may have resonated with you at a time or two, why would my parents let me do this? Why would my parents let me get away with this? Why would my parent allow such conduct? Intuitively, children at times know that their parents are being foolish in the way that they're bringing them up. Gil says, "The sin of old Eli in 1st Samuel 2 and3 and both he and his son suffered for it." You remember that sons of Eli did not know the Lord. How was that expressed? Well, they lay with temple prostitutes and they stole sacrifice. Some poor slob would come as a worshshiper and bring his meat to the to the tabernacle tabernacle and these sons of Eli would steal it. They would take it. They would take above and beyond what was a portion to them. It's a wretched thing. And God doesn't say, "Well, you know, that's okay, Eli." No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. If you doubt the importance of this, may I encourage you to read 1st Samuel 2 and 3 sometime? This was huge. This was big. On the plains of Moab, when God says in Deuteronomy 4:9 and 10, "Teach your children and grandchildren." That's not a suggestion. That's not just kind of a well, if you feel like it, if you've got some time after endless hours of Paw Patrol, then then maybe you you you can give him some some teaching. No. Samuel rebuked Eli. Eli was judged by God. Why? Because he did not restrain his sons. It's that important. Listen to Walt Key. Loving parents seek to correct the faults of their children because, as the preceding units showed, their children's lives, favor, protection, healing, dignity, and prosperity are at stake. That's it. Listen, he's right. They're to uh seek to correct the faults of their children because as the preceding unit showed that's a that doesn't apply necessarily. Their children's lives, favor, protection, healing, dignity, and prosperity are at stake. So I say you're raising future spouses, you're raising future employees, you're raising future employers, you're raising, you know, hopefully future brain surgeons or rocket scientists. Do it well. Listen to Walt Walt. Walt Key Walt Key continues. He says, "Unloving parents turn their backs on them and hand them over to death, social ruin, public exposure, calamity, and shameful poverty." Proverbs 13:14 to18. He says, "The failure of the apostate western world to continue the biblical practice has left its civilization in moral chaos." Really? Yeah. H how do you explain where we're at civilizationally? Well, there's probably a lot of factors, but has to be top five, top three. Terrible parenting. It's just rotten parenting. You know, when kids are losing their minds at Walmart and parents are begging them to be quiet if I buy you a candy bar. I don't think it was ever meant to be that way, brethren. That's not the way I read Proverbs. Bribe your kids in the Walmart shopping center and then you will lead them to the paths of righteousness. Buy them Hershey bars to shut them up so that they're not an offense to all the people there in Walmart. No, that's a poor reading of the book of Proverbs. Civilization. That's huge. Big word, but I don't think he's out of out of line. and the failure of the apostate western world to continue the biblical practice has left its civiliz its civilization and moral chaos. I would suggest thirdly the context of parental discipline is love. Proverbs 3, we saw this a bit this morning in our studies in the confession with reference to God's chastening of his children. We see that emphasis in Hebrews 12 and the author of Hebrews uh cites Proverbs 3 11 and 12. My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest his correction. For whom the Lord loves, he corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights. This is an expression of love. It's not an expression of hate. The expression of hate is the man who spares the rot and allows the child to get away get along with uh get away with murder. I would suggest fourthly, the usefulness of corporal punishment is highlighted. 22:15. We've already seen it. Again, some of these texts probably make a lot of Christians blush, but it is in the Bible. And if the apostle cites Proverbs 3 11 and 12 and brings it as a an argument in terms of uh embracing the parental discipline of the father, why wouldn't he bring other proverbs? Is it just select portions of proverbs that are applicable in the New Testament? No. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and it's profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God, as a father may be thoroughly furnished unto every good work. Notice Proverbs 22:15. Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, the rod of correction will drive it far from him. bridges. It is not the sheet of pure white paper, not the innocent or even the tractable creature easily guided by proper means that we have before us, but a little heart full of sin containing all the seeds of future evil multiplying to a fruitful harvest. Notice Proverbs 23:13 and 14. Proverbs 23:13 and 14. I'm telling you right here, right now, this is why the child in Walmart's losing his mind. It could be a oneoff. We've all had bad days. I'm sure as parents that have tried and sought to be faithful. You had those Walmart episodes and you wish you could go hide behind the garden center and nobody would ever be able to identify you for being a a terrible and a horrible parent. I think I've shared with you before I was a newly converted Christian and you know some you get that zeal right and we used to go to the laundromat to to do our our our laundry and I'd always see all these little wretched children there and I thought you know what I'm going to do because I love my fellow man and I want to serve them. I got paper and I typed out all the text dealing with child discipline on on them from Proverbs and I happily handed it to, you know, the parent that was about to tear their own hair out when their child was was losing their mind. Oh, you know, the Bible will help you with that. I'm sure they love that. I'm sure they receive that. Oh, thank you, kind sir, for setting me straight with my incourageable little man here. It was just offensive. You know, I I apologize to anybody that that I did that to, but but I think that's problematic. You don't discipline your kids in the home. When you go out of the home, they're undisiplined and they're a nightmare. I shouldn't want to have to spank your kid. That's your job. God gave you that job. Embrace it and and engage in it. Proverbs 23:13, "Do not withhold correction from a child, for if you beat him with a rod, he he will not die. You shall beat him with a rod and deliver his soul from hell." Again, wisdom, caution, judiciousness, but scripture is scripture. Bridges says here, "It is not or is it not better that the flesh should smart than that the soul should die?" Oh yeah. Absolutely positively. Proverbs 29 15-17. Proverbs 29:15. The rod and rebuke give wisdom, but a child left to himself bring shame to his mother. Verse 17, correct your son and he will give you rest. Yes, he will give delight to your soul. I would suggest fifthly, and this from Hebrews 12, the implementation of parental discipline is imperfect. It is imperfect. We're not infallible. We're not perfect. We're not absolutely spotlessly pure and holy. We're going to make mistakes. We're going to be inconsistent. We're going to struggle at times. So, I don't want you to be discouraged to say, "Well, I'm not perfect at it, so therefore, I'm never going to do it." No. Seek by God's grace and by the power of his Holy Spirit to implement it in a way that is consistent with the revealed will of God. And then a final observation, a qualification concerning corporal discipline. A qualification. The commitment to biblical child rearing is not abuse, nor should it be carried out as if it is abuse. Remember the orbit and context of love. Love is the over overarching principle. Love is that by which you engage in this particular task. Again, Walke, the cleansing rod must be applied with warmth, affection, and respect for the youth. It's important. Respect for the youth. If the criminal according to Deuteronomy chapter 25 is to have his his manhood, his dignity as one of God's creatures in view when it comes to corporal uh uh punishment of a criminal offender, then certainly your child deserves that respect and to be treated with that dignity as well. So the cleansing rod must be applied with warmth, affection and respect for the youth. warmth and affection, not steely discipline characterized the father's lectures in chapter 4. Parents who brutalize their children cannot hide behind the rod doctrine of proverbs. There might be a fine line there. You need to make sure you navigate it very well. John Edy says, "The paternal reign is not to be one of terror and stern authority, but of love. The rod may be employed, but in reason and moderation and never from momentary impulse and anger. Children are not to be moved to wrath by harsh and unreasonable treatment or by undue partiality and favoritism. If they be uniformly confronted with paternal frown and menace, then their spirit is broken and the most powerful motive to obedience, the desire to please is taken from them. This is commentary on Ephesians. That's a beautiful statement. We don't want to break or crush their spirit. Do not exasperate them. Do not provoke them to wrath. Do not hurt them. but rather love them. So in conclusion with reference to men who have wives and children, the book of Proverbs is a most helpful instruction or gives most helpful instruction to this whole aspect of being a husband and being a father. The grace of God and wisdom from God are necessary to comply with this material. Right? Just like any other portion of scripture, we need God's grace. We need God's wisdom in order to understand, uncover, and apply what we find in this treasure chest. And then the applicability of 28:13 always stands. Don't cover your sin. Don't pretend like you never sin. I think children need to see repentance and forgiveness exercised in the home. They need to see that. They need to see those gospel things. It needs to be a part of the fabric in our homes that there is mercy, there is forgiveness, there is repentance, there is expressions of of faith in the living and true God. And then with reference to children, pray for them. I I I I you know, it's when I type things in my notes like this, it almost hurts me. I shouldn't have to tell brothers to pray for their kids. I really shouldn't. But God often times tells us things that he has to tell us because we're thickheaded and hard-headed and forget things and we don't always prioritize. Pray for them. Provide and protect them. 1 Timothy 5'8. If you don't provide for your own, you're worse than an infidel. Preach to them. It doesn't mean set up a pulpit in the living room and let them have it with a three-hour sermon. That's not what it means. But teach them the law. Teach them the gospel. Teach them the gospel. Teach them the gospel. Teach them about Christ, about forgiveness, about mercy. Teach them about the imputed righteousness of Jesus received by faith alone. Teach them about the law. Teach them the ten commandments. Teach them those things that God would have for them to know. And then be present for them. You've heard that. Well, it's all about quality time. Yeah. And quantity time. Take them out with you when you do your errands. Take them out with you when you paint the fence. Take them out with you when you cut the grass. be with that. There's no substitute for quantity time. Now, if you're screaming at them for the entirety of the time, then then yeah, maybe that's not good, but but don't do that. And then, as I said, the necessary encouragement. You and I are not going to heaven because of our exemplary skills here, but because of what Christ has accomplished. And for young men, young men, prepare yourselves. You know, you spend a lot of time thinking about the woman you're going to marry. spend a lot of time thinking about the man you're going to be to the woman you marry. A lot of self-preparation, a lot of self-medication, a lot of selfhelp relative to being prepared to marry a good and godly woman. And then be diligent to find a good and godly woman. I've shared this on many occasions. This is John Murray's I'm sorry, Ian Murray's biography on Jonathan Edwards. quote, "Not all the children were as mild as Jerusa or as obedient as Esther." He's talking about Edwards's children. The quick temper of Sarah, the eldest daughter, so persisted that, according to to tradition, when her hand was asked in marriage by Eliu Parsons 10 years later, Edwards plainly disclosed to him the unpleasant temper of his daughter. But she has grace, I trust, asked Parsons, to which Edwards replied, I hope she has. But grace can live where you cannot. So be very careful in your pursuit. It's a good thing to get married. But it's a tough thing to marry unwell. Don't be chomping. Champing is literally it. I always said chomping. Shane pointed out it's actually champing. I looked it up and it is chomping at the bit. something that horses do, but I'll still say chomping because everybody understands chomping more than chomping and it saves you from having to explain. Everybody's chomping at the bit to get married. Prepare yourself and then find one prepared. That that should just be fundamental. Parents, you have a vested interest in your children marrying well. So, help them to think clearly. Help them by teaching them. Help them by encouraging them and praying for them. I love those stories of moms and dads who prayed for their babies that they would grow up and marry the right person. That's pretty awesome. That's the way it ought to be because it's a huge thing to give away a child as a spouse, a child as an employee, a child as an employer. May I add, child as churchmen. We want to prepare them for each of these aspects of life that they can function in a manner that is consistent with the revealed will of God. Well, let us pray. Our father in heaven, we thank you for your word. We thank you for its clarity at the point of raising children. Pray for the children and the young people and the babies in our church. We thank you for each one. Again, we pray for Silas and for Janelle that you would bless and encourage them and strengthen them at this time. Lord God, we thank you for your goodness to us. We thank you for your mercy. Thank you that you do not leave us to ourselves to try to figure out the most difficult aspects of our lives. But the scriptures speak to it. It is full of doctrine, full of reproof, full of correction, and full of instruction in righteousness. So help us to internalize these things and bless the families, the the young parents, the young children, all the families in this local church. May we seek by your grace to bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. And we pray this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Let us stand and sing 568 in praise to our triune God. as praise him all creatures here. Praise him. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. Well, please be seated for a brief time of meditation.