**** The Most Valuable Education a Child Can
Receive *** A. “A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth
more than a college education.” (Theodore Roosevelt) B.
Is that still true? If so, why? And how does one acquire such a
“thorough knowledge” of the Bible? I. Weighty Influences in the Life of a
Child A.________(1 Cor 15:33; Prov
18:24; Eccl 4:9-12; Prov 27:17). B.
_____________: the average American child will spend 1,200 hours per year in
public school. C. _________: average
“screen” time (2-5 years old = 2.2 hours per day; 6-7 years old = 4.5 hours
per day; 8-18 years old = 7.5 hours per day or more than 2,700 hours per
year). D. _________________: a child
who attends every Sunday and Wednesday = 70 hours per year. E. _________________(Titus 2:1-8). F._____________(Eph 6:1-4; 2 Tim 1:5; 3:15;
Deut 31:9-13; 6:4-9; 4:9; 29:29).
II. Why Then Do We Have Bible
Classes? A. The Jews called the first 5 books of the
Old Testament the__________, a word associated with the idea of “shooting an arrow, putting forth,
instructing, teaching.” B. In one sense, teaching has many goals: 1.
To help the lost come to a knowledge of the truth and be__________(1
Tim 2:3-4). 2. To instruct new Christians in the basics
that they might___________(Matt 28:19-20).
3. To lay a______________for
faith and a knowledge of Bible facts in the hearts of children. C. But
the ultimate goal of teaching?
To_________each person with such a grasp of God’s word that they are
able to effectively__________for themselves,__________themselves,
and__________reasons for their hope with others (2 Tim 2:15; Matt 4:4; Heb
5:11-14; 1 Pet 3:13-17; 2 Tim 2:1-2).
D. Walking with God is a way of
life that can bear spectacular fruit of faith, hope, joy, and love. The key that
unlocks those doors of blessing?__________________(Rom 10:14-17; John
8:31-32;2 Cor 4:6; 2 Pet 1:3-5; Mark 8:36).
E. While they may not realize it, our children are faced with the very
same hurdle put into words by the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:30-31-“How can
I, unless some one__________me?”
F. God’s will can still have
the effect on hearts that was described in Jeremiah 31:31-34. |