1. Godly Parents “ Connect People To God”

2. Parent Can and Can’t Do I gave you life, but I cannot live it for you. I can teach you things but I cannot make you learn.

3. Parent Can and Can’t Do I can give you directions but I cannot always be there to lead you. I can allow you freedom but I cannot account for it.

4. Parent Can and Can’t Do I can take you to church but I cannot make you believe. I can teach you right from wrong but I can’t always decide for you.

5. Parent Can and Can’t Do I can buy you beautiful clothes but I cannot make you lovely inside. I can offer you advice but I cannot accept it for you.

6. Parent Can and Can’t Do I can give you love but I cannot force it upon you. I can teach you to be a friend but I cannot make you one.

7. Parent Can and Can’t Do I can teach you to share but I cannot make you unselfish. I can teach you respect but I can’t force you to show honor.

8. Parent Can and Can’t Do I can grieve about your report card but I cannot doubt your teachers. I can advise you about friends but I cannot choose them for you.

9. Parent Can and Can’t Do I can teach you about sex but I cannot keep you pure. I can tell you the facts of life but I can’t build your reputation.

10. Parent Can and Can’t Do I can tell you about drink but I can’t say NO for you. I can warn you about drugs but I can’t prevent you from using them.

11. Parent Can and Can’t Do I can tell you about lofty goals, but I can’t achieve them for you. I can teach you kindness but I can’t force you to be gracious.

12. Parent Can and Can’t Do I can warn you about sins but I cannot make your morals I can love you as a daughter or son but I cannot place you in God’s Family.

13. Parent Can and Can’t Do I can pray for you but I cannot make you walk with God. I can teach you about Jesus but I cannot make HIM your Saviour.

14. Parent Can and Can’t Do I can teach you to OBEY but I cannot make Jesus Your Lord. I can tell you how to live but I cannot give you Eternal Life.

15. There are only so much thing that we can do for our children and ignoring those important things will made us miss the opportunity for us to “Connect our children to God.”

16. We are about to meet up with Mary and Joseph as they find out that they are going to be the earthly parents of our Lord Jesus Christ.

18. Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. Psalm 127:1

19. A. Let’s look at MARY 1. She Listened 2. She Learned

20. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19

21. Mary was learning! She absorbed these things and tried to understand them to the best of her ability. Mary would go on to learn more about her Son, as he was growing up, as He ministered and as He died on the cross. Mary meditated on the things she heard.

22. A. Let’s look at MARY 1. She Listened 2. She Learned 3. She Leaned

23. Verse 37 – This is a powerful reminder. “ FOR NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD.”

24. There is not one thing that God cannot do. When He makes a promise, He keeps it. When we pray by faith He answers. If nothing is impossible God, then there should be only one source of power in our lives – HIM! We are to lean on Him in faith. That’s what Mary did.

25. There is not one thing that God cannot do. When He makes a promise, He keeps it. When we pray by faith He answers.

26. If nothing is impossible with God, then there should be only one source of power in our lives – HIM! We are to lean on Him in faith. That’s what Mary did.

27. B. Let’s look at JOSEPH ( Matt 1:18-25 ) 1. He was righteous (v. 19)

28. Joseph was a righteous parent. A parent should always do what is right! If a child needs to be corrected, we should correct the child.

29. Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. Proverbs 22:15

30. Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6

32. B. Let’s look at JOSEPH 1. He was righteous 2. He was receptive

33. Like Mary, Joseph was open to what they would say to Him. He was planning to do what was right and what was kind.

34. Please note that Joseph was given new information and he was receptive . He was willing to have his mind changed by the facts.

35. “ There are times when a receptive parent will change his or her opinion because it is right!”

36. B. Let’s look at JOSEPH 1. He was righteous 2. He was receptive 3. He was responsive

37. “ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.” (vv. 24-25)

38. Joseph did what he was told. He responded immediately in obedience and took Mary to be his wife. God did not have speak twice or twist his arm. Joseph acted.

39. Good parents are responsive parents. They do what is right, when God shows them what is right. They act in obedience to God. There is no better role model for a child than a parent who is obedient to God and will obey no matter what the cost.

40. FINAL THOUGHT: The birth announcement was given to two Godly parents . MARY LISTENED, LEANED, and LEARNED. JOSEPH was RIGHTEOUS, RECEPTIVE and was RESPONSIVE

41. How about us today? What is our response to the challenges of parenting at our time? Our generation may have different challenges than what our children may be facing today and in future.

42. How we live today will always affect the lives of our children. Will they come to church when they were given choices today or in the future? It is all up to us. They all need godly parents today so that they might be in better shape in the future.