THE 4 TH COMMANDMENT: GOD’S REPRESENTATIVES

1. THE 4THCOMMANDMENT:GOD’S REPRESENTATIVES Lesson 13 Faith Foundations Course One

2. How does God rule over us?

3. GOD RULES OVER THE FAMILY • Read Ephesians 6:1. Why do you think God said it is right for children to obey parents? God has placed parents over children in order to bless them and work for their good.

4. GOD RULES OVER THE FAMILY • Each of the following passages speaks of a blessing God gives us through our parents. List the blessings. a. Deuteronomy 6:6,7 Teach us God’s Word.

5. GOD RULES OVER THE FAMILY • Each of the following passages speaks of a blessing God gives us through our parents. List the blessings. b. 1 Timothy 5:8 Provide for our physical well-being.

6. GOD RULES OVER THE FAMILY • Each of the following passages speaks of a blessing God gives us through our parents. List the blessings. c. Proverbs 1:8 Teach us about life.

7. GOD RULES OVER THE FAMILY • Each of the following passages speaks of a blessing God gives us through our parents. List the blessings. d. Proverbs 13:24. Discipline us.

8. GOD RULES OVER THE FAMILY • What might have happened if God hadn’t give us parents to do these things? We might have been miserable in this life, and worse off in the next.

9. GOD RULES OVER THE FAMILY • Read Colossians 3:20. Why does it please God when we obey our parents? It shows that we love God and that we recognize the blessings he gives us through them.

10. GOD RULES OVER THE FAMILY • Discuss why parents, as God’s representatives, may need to do the following things: a. Punish us when they hear us take God’s name in vain. Unless we are taught, we won’t learn to respect God.

11. GOD RULES OVER THE FAMILY • Discuss why parents, as God’s representatives, may need to do the following things: b. Insist that we attend church. Our sinful natures can always find reasons to avoid hearing God’s Word. We need to hear God’s Word regularly in order to stay alive spiritually.

12. GOD RULES OVER THE FAMILY • Discuss why parents, as God’s representatives, may need to do the following things: c. Set bedtimes. For our health and so that we will be alert for church and school.

13. GOD RULES OVER THE FAMILY • Discuss why parents, as God’s representatives, may need to do the following things: d. Set a rule that we have to get our homework done before we watch TV or do other fun things. We need to learn to discipline ourselves to do the things that will prepare us for life.

14. GOD RULES OVER THE FAMILY • Discuss why parents, as God’s representatives, may need to do the following things: e. Forbid us to watch certain TV shows or movies. Many shows portray sinful lifestyles as if they were normal. Others encourage lack of respect for other people. They can be a bad influence on what we say, think and do.

15. GOD RULES OVER THE FAMILY • Discuss why parents, as God’s representatives, may need to do the following things: f. Punish us for being disrespectful. We don’t respect others naturally. We have to learn to show respect.

16. GOD RULES OVER THE FAMILY • Read the story of the boy and his Frisbee in your textbook. Why is it just as important that we obey and respect our parents when they do the things listed in the previous question? If we don’t, we might be harmed spiritually.

17. GOD RULES OVER THE FAMILY • Read Ephesians 6:4. Why are parents sinning if they don’t do the things listed in question 5? As God’s representatives, they are to take care of us and prepare us for life.

18. KEY POINT #1 God rules over us… through our parents.

19. GOD RULES OVER THE COMMUNITY • Read Genesis 45:1-9. Describe how, in spite of the sins of others, God had worked good by placing Joseph as ruler over Egypt. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt. His master wrongly put Joseph into prison. But there Joseph met one of Pharaoh’s servants who would eventually introduce Joseph to Pharaoh.

20. GOD RULES OVER THE COMMUNITY • Though not every government official comes to power in such a dramatic way as Joseph did, what does Romans 13:1 say about every government authority? All are established by God.

21. GOD RULES OVER THE COMMUNITY • List some of the government authorities God has placed over us. Town Chairman/Mayor, Police, Teachers, County officials, Governor, Congressmen, President.

22. GOD RULES OVER THE COMMUNITY • How does God bless us through these representatives? They work for peace, safety and crime control, education, good roads and highways, public programs like libraries and parks and recreation, and provide many other blessings.

23. GOD RULES OVER THE COMMUNITY • Read Hebrews 13:7,17. God is urging us to obey other people he has placed over us as his representatives. Who are these representatives? Those who speak God’s Word to us. Besides parents, that would include pastors, Sunday School teachers, and church leaders.

24. GOD RULES OVER THE COMMUNITY • How does God bless us through these representatives? They teach us that Jesus is our Savior. They give us an education built on God’s Word. They also discipline us when we sin against God and do things that endanger our souls.

25. GOD RULES OVER THE COMMUNITY • Sometimes our leaders make decisions or do things with which we don’t agree. Sometimes they even go against God’s Word. (For example, passing laws that allow for abortion.) How are we to respond to them? We are still to obey them. The only time we don’t is when they tell us to sin. We can, however, vote such leaders out of office.

26. KEY POINT #2 God rules over us… through his other representatives.

27. HOW DOES GOD RULE OVER US? • God rules over usthrough our parents. • God rules over us through his other representatives. SUMMARY God rules over us through our parents and his other representatives.