You've GotTo Work
Day 1: The Foundation of Obedience
Reading: Ephesians 6:1-4; Deuteronomy 6:4-7
Devotional: God's design for families begins with obedience rooted in love. When Paul instructs children to obey their parents "in the Lord," he connects earthly authority to heavenly purpose. This obedience is not mechanical compliance but heart-level surrender. As parents, we are called to teach our children why obedience matters—not just what to do, but who we are obeying ultimately: our loving Father in heaven. God gave Israel laws wrapped in reminders of His love and deliverance. Similarly, our parenting should consistently communicate both boundaries and affection. Today, reflect on how you model obedience to God before your children. Are you demonstrating that following God leads to life and blessing?
Day 2: Discipline as an Expression of Love
Reading: Hebrews 12:5-11; Proverbs 13:24; Proverbs 23:13
Devotional: God disciplines those He loves—this truth transforms how we view correction in parenting. Discipline is not punishment born from anger but training rooted in care. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that while discipline feels painful in the moment, it produces "a harvest of righteousness and peace" for those trained by it. Our heavenly Father sets the example: He corrects us for our good, to make us share in His holiness. When we discipline our children consistently and lovingly, we prepare them for a life that honors God and protects them from greater harm. Consider today: are you disciplining with patience and purpose, or avoiding the hard work of correction? Your children need your loving guidance.
Day 3: Living What We Teach
Reading: 1 John 4:7-19; John 13:12-17
Devotional: Children learn more from what they see than what they hear. Jesus modeled this perfectly—He washed His disciples' feet, then commanded them to do likewise. Our faith must be visible in our homes, not just at church. When we fall to our knees in prayer during difficult times, our children learn where to turn in crisis. When we study Scripture and speak of God's faithfulness, they develop spiritual disciplines. When we handle failure with humility and grace, they learn resilience. First John reminds us that God loved us first—His actions demonstrated His words. As parents, we cannot expect our children to embrace a faith we only talk about. Today, ask yourself: what does my daily life teach my children about following Jesus?
Day 4: The Goal Beyond Success
Reading: 1 Peter 2:1-3; Matthew 28:18-20
Devotional: Good grades, successful careers, and respectable lives are wonderful goals, but they are not the ultimate purpose of parenting. God calls us to make disciples, starting in our own homes. Peter urges believers to crave spiritual milk like newborns, growing up in salvation. As parents, we are spiritual shepherds, teaching our children to hunger for God's Word and His ways. This means intentionally creating moments to discuss faith—at meals, during car rides, at bedtime. The Great Commission begins at home. Your primary mission is not raising successful adults but raising disciples who know, love, and follow Jesus. Today, evaluate your parenting priorities. Are you more concerned with worldly achievement or spiritual formation? Redirect your focus toward eternal impact.
Day 5: Grace for the Journey
Reading: Psalm 103:8-14; Lamentations 3:22-23
Devotional: Parenting is hard, and you will make mistakes. This is not defeat—it is reality. The question is not whether you will fail, but how you will respond when you do. God's mercies are new every morning; His compassion never fails. He knows our frame and remembers we are dust. When you lose patience, apologize. When you miss opportunities, start again tomorrow. When your children stray, keep praying and loving. Your kids need to see that following God does not mean perfection but perseverance. They need to witness how you handle failure with humility, seeking forgiveness and growth. God's grace covers your inadequacies as a parent. Rest in His faithfulness, get back up when you fall, and keep pointing your family toward Jesus. You are not alone in this journey.
Reading: Ephesians 6:1-4; Deuteronomy 6:4-7
Devotional: God's design for families begins with obedience rooted in love. When Paul instructs children to obey their parents "in the Lord," he connects earthly authority to heavenly purpose. This obedience is not mechanical compliance but heart-level surrender. As parents, we are called to teach our children why obedience matters—not just what to do, but who we are obeying ultimately: our loving Father in heaven. God gave Israel laws wrapped in reminders of His love and deliverance. Similarly, our parenting should consistently communicate both boundaries and affection. Today, reflect on how you model obedience to God before your children. Are you demonstrating that following God leads to life and blessing?
Day 2: Discipline as an Expression of Love
Reading: Hebrews 12:5-11; Proverbs 13:24; Proverbs 23:13
Devotional: God disciplines those He loves—this truth transforms how we view correction in parenting. Discipline is not punishment born from anger but training rooted in care. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that while discipline feels painful in the moment, it produces "a harvest of righteousness and peace" for those trained by it. Our heavenly Father sets the example: He corrects us for our good, to make us share in His holiness. When we discipline our children consistently and lovingly, we prepare them for a life that honors God and protects them from greater harm. Consider today: are you disciplining with patience and purpose, or avoiding the hard work of correction? Your children need your loving guidance.
Day 3: Living What We Teach
Reading: 1 John 4:7-19; John 13:12-17
Devotional: Children learn more from what they see than what they hear. Jesus modeled this perfectly—He washed His disciples' feet, then commanded them to do likewise. Our faith must be visible in our homes, not just at church. When we fall to our knees in prayer during difficult times, our children learn where to turn in crisis. When we study Scripture and speak of God's faithfulness, they develop spiritual disciplines. When we handle failure with humility and grace, they learn resilience. First John reminds us that God loved us first—His actions demonstrated His words. As parents, we cannot expect our children to embrace a faith we only talk about. Today, ask yourself: what does my daily life teach my children about following Jesus?
Day 4: The Goal Beyond Success
Reading: 1 Peter 2:1-3; Matthew 28:18-20
Devotional: Good grades, successful careers, and respectable lives are wonderful goals, but they are not the ultimate purpose of parenting. God calls us to make disciples, starting in our own homes. Peter urges believers to crave spiritual milk like newborns, growing up in salvation. As parents, we are spiritual shepherds, teaching our children to hunger for God's Word and His ways. This means intentionally creating moments to discuss faith—at meals, during car rides, at bedtime. The Great Commission begins at home. Your primary mission is not raising successful adults but raising disciples who know, love, and follow Jesus. Today, evaluate your parenting priorities. Are you more concerned with worldly achievement or spiritual formation? Redirect your focus toward eternal impact.
Day 5: Grace for the Journey
Reading: Psalm 103:8-14; Lamentations 3:22-23
Devotional: Parenting is hard, and you will make mistakes. This is not defeat—it is reality. The question is not whether you will fail, but how you will respond when you do. God's mercies are new every morning; His compassion never fails. He knows our frame and remembers we are dust. When you lose patience, apologize. When you miss opportunities, start again tomorrow. When your children stray, keep praying and loving. Your kids need to see that following God does not mean perfection but perseverance. They need to witness how you handle failure with humility, seeking forgiveness and growth. God's grace covers your inadequacies as a parent. Rest in His faithfulness, get back up when you fall, and keep pointing your family toward Jesus. You are not alone in this journey.
Extra questions to think about...
How does viewing parenting as 'epic' rather than 'perfect' change the way we approach raising children and handling our inevitable failures?
In what ways do children learn more from watching how their parents handle failure than from seeing them succeed, and how can we model godly responses to our mistakes?
What does it mean to teach children obedience 'from the heart' rather than mechanical obedience, and why does God emphasize this distinction in Deuteronomy 6?
How can parents balance the biblical call to discipline their children with showing them unconditional love, especially when discipline feels painful in the moment?
Why does Paul describe 'honor your father and mother' as the first commandment with a promise, and what does this reveal about God's design for family relationships?
In what practical ways can parents consistently model their relationship with God at home beyond Sunday church attendance, and why is this dual-life pattern so damaging to children's faith?
How does the cultural lack of respect for authority that we see today connect to a breakdown in teaching obedience within families, and what is the church's role in addressing this?
What does it look like to 'bring children up in the training and instruction of the Lord' in today's world, and how can parents prioritize this amid competing demands for their time and attention?
How can parents who didn't have godly role models themselves still become epic parents, and what resources or relationships might God provide to help them?
What spiritual disciplines should children observe in their parents' lives that will prepare them to turn to God rather than the world when they face their own trials?
In what ways do children learn more from watching how their parents handle failure than from seeing them succeed, and how can we model godly responses to our mistakes?
What does it mean to teach children obedience 'from the heart' rather than mechanical obedience, and why does God emphasize this distinction in Deuteronomy 6?
How can parents balance the biblical call to discipline their children with showing them unconditional love, especially when discipline feels painful in the moment?
Why does Paul describe 'honor your father and mother' as the first commandment with a promise, and what does this reveal about God's design for family relationships?
In what practical ways can parents consistently model their relationship with God at home beyond Sunday church attendance, and why is this dual-life pattern so damaging to children's faith?
How does the cultural lack of respect for authority that we see today connect to a breakdown in teaching obedience within families, and what is the church's role in addressing this?
What does it look like to 'bring children up in the training and instruction of the Lord' in today's world, and how can parents prioritize this amid competing demands for their time and attention?
How can parents who didn't have godly role models themselves still become epic parents, and what resources or relationships might God provide to help them?
What spiritual disciplines should children observe in their parents' lives that will prepare them to turn to God rather than the world when they face their own trials?
Digging In Deeper
# Scripture References from the Sermon
## Explicitly Mentioned Scriptures:
1. **1 Peter 2:1-3** - Ridding ourselves of malice, growing up in salvation, craving pure spiritual milk
2. **Ephesians 6:1-4** - Children obey your parents; fathers don't exasperate your children; bring them up in training and instruction of the Lord
3. **Proverbs 13:24** - Whoever spares the rod hates their children; loving children means disciplining them
4. **Proverbs 23:13** - Do not withhold discipline from your child
5. **Hebrews 12:5-11** - The Lord disciplines those he loves; no discipline seems pleasant at the time
6. **Deuteronomy 6:4-7** - Hear O Israel, the Lord is one; love the Lord with all your heart; impress commandments on your children
7. **1 John 4:7-10** - Let us love one another; God showed his love by sending his son
8. **John 3:16** (alluded to) - "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son"
## Alluded to or Thematically Referenced:
9. **Exodus 20:12** - Honor your father and mother (referenced as "the first commandment with a promise")
10. **John 13:1-17** - Jesus washing the disciples' feet (mentioned in context of modeling behavior)
11. **John 14:9** - "If you see me, you've seen the Father" (paraphrased)
12. **Luke 15:10** - Celebration in heaven/presence of angels when someone comes to faith (mentioned regarding baptisms)
## Suggested Relevant Verses for Themes Discussed:
13. **Proverbs 22:6** - Train up a child in the way he should go
14. **Colossians 3:21** - Fathers, do not embitter your children
15. **Psalm 127:3** - Children are a heritage from the Lord
16. **2 Timothy 3:16-17** - All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching
17. **Matthew 28:19-20** - Making disciples (referenced in context of making disciples in your home)
## Explicitly Mentioned Scriptures:
1. **1 Peter 2:1-3** - Ridding ourselves of malice, growing up in salvation, craving pure spiritual milk
2. **Ephesians 6:1-4** - Children obey your parents; fathers don't exasperate your children; bring them up in training and instruction of the Lord
3. **Proverbs 13:24** - Whoever spares the rod hates their children; loving children means disciplining them
4. **Proverbs 23:13** - Do not withhold discipline from your child
5. **Hebrews 12:5-11** - The Lord disciplines those he loves; no discipline seems pleasant at the time
6. **Deuteronomy 6:4-7** - Hear O Israel, the Lord is one; love the Lord with all your heart; impress commandments on your children
7. **1 John 4:7-10** - Let us love one another; God showed his love by sending his son
8. **John 3:16** (alluded to) - "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son"
## Alluded to or Thematically Referenced:
9. **Exodus 20:12** - Honor your father and mother (referenced as "the first commandment with a promise")
10. **John 13:1-17** - Jesus washing the disciples' feet (mentioned in context of modeling behavior)
11. **John 14:9** - "If you see me, you've seen the Father" (paraphrased)
12. **Luke 15:10** - Celebration in heaven/presence of angels when someone comes to faith (mentioned regarding baptisms)
## Suggested Relevant Verses for Themes Discussed:
13. **Proverbs 22:6** - Train up a child in the way he should go
14. **Colossians 3:21** - Fathers, do not embitter your children
15. **Psalm 127:3** - Children are a heritage from the Lord
16. **2 Timothy 3:16-17** - All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching
17. **Matthew 28:19-20** - Making disciples (referenced in context of making disciples in your home)