• Obadiah 1:1-21
• Jacob
  • Israelites
  • Zion
• Esau
  • Edomites
  • Seir
• No one is secure without God (Obadiah 1:1-9)
  • Matthew 23:6-12
• Don’t rejoice when people fall into sin and punishment (Obadiah 1:10-14)
  • II Chronicles 21:8-17 – This could be the occasion that matches what Obadiah is speaking about.
  • Proverbs 24:17-18 – Do not rejoice when your enemy falls.
  • I Corinthians 13:6
  • Matthew 5:43-48 – Love your enemies.
• God’s people take comfort in the future. (Obadiah 1:15-21)
  • Amos 9:11-12; Acts 15:13-20 – The house of Jacob would have its day physically, but in a bigger way, spiritually.
  • I Thessalonians 4:16-18 – We should be able to take comfort in the future!

• Introduction
  • What about marrying yourself or inanimate objects?
  • Leviticus 18:22-25 – Warning against perverting God’s marriage plan.
• (Grand)parenting applications: training children to love others

Specific Goal

Passage(s) to discuss & guide

Ways (grand)parents can exemplify and teach

Temptations and hindrances

Behaviors to correct

Be generous

Luke 10:30-37; Ephesians 4:28

Budged for others; Speak of others’ needs

Consumer culture; prosperity; constant ads

When gets money, never thinks of others

Forgive like God

Nehemiah 9:16-17; Luke 23:33-34; Matthew 18:21-35

Stop holding grudges; truly forgive children; Explain: “I’ve needed forgiveness myself many times.”

It’s hard to forgive! Peers may encourage revenge.

Bitterness

Serve like Christ

Matthew 20:25-28; Luke 17:7-10; John 13:12-15

View self as servant; point out opportunities to serve; praise service like we would performance.

Not valued by many, must be taught at home; me-first culture

Lack of initiative for others; habit of expecting others to do for self.

Encourage others

I Thessalonians 2:8-12; Acts 11:23-24; II Corinthians 2:6-8

Encourage the child; Make aware: “He looks like he needs some encouragement.”; “Thank you for saying that to him.”

Easy to kick someone when they’re down; too busy to even notice others’ problems.

“He wouldn’t do the same for me.”

Speak the truth in love

Ephesians 4:15, 29; Proverbs 15:1-4

Read Bible prophets and preachers; explain effort it takes (“I’m trying to word this email to …”).

Tempers flare; we don’t know what to say due to little practice, Bible knowledge

Insults, gossip, meanness

• I Corinthians 14:34-15:11
• I Corinthians 14:34-35 – It is improper for a woman to speak out when the whole church has gathered to worship. The reason is that women are to be in subjection, which goes all the way back to Genesis.
• I Corinthians 14:37-38 – Paul is reinforcing the regulations he has set forth. Men could not claim to have a revelation with different regulations.
• I Corinthians 15:5 – “The twelve” here is evidently a figure of speech. Since Judas was dead, there were only eleven apostles at the time.

• Ezra 7:10
• My spirit is empowered!
  • I must believe that change is possible.
  • Genesis 4:4-8 – Cain could choose to do good!
  • “Repent!” – Acts 17:30; Matthew 3:2; 11:20-21
  • Old self – new self: Romans 6; Ephesians 4; Colossians 3
• My mind is informed!
  • I must learn what the goals are!
  • Colossians 3:16-17
  • Ephesians 5:10, 17
  • Romans 7:7
  • Please read your Bible!
• My goals are planned!
  • I must make a map to my goals!
  • Example: Nehemiah – Nehemiah 6:15
  • Get specific: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

• (Grand)parenting applications: training children to love God (continued)

Specific Goal

Passage(s) to discuss & guide

Ways (grand)parents can exemplify and teach

Temptations and hindrances

Behaviors to correct

Find peace, contentment, and joy in God

Proverbs 2:1-10; II Corinthians 1:1-7; I Timothy 6:17-18

Live for God instead of just “going to church”; train attitude to revolve around spiritual truths.

Emotions revolve around peers, fashion, sports, grades, entertainment

Knows sports stats or latest hairstyles, hasn’t prayed since Sunday …

Prioritize God over peers, career, wealth …

James 4:4; Matthew 16:24-26; I timothy 6:6-11

“Did you make God happy today?” > “What grade did you make on …”

YouTube kid! Busy schedules

Cares about school, not about Bible class.

• Train children to love others
  • Love your neighbor as yourself
    • This is the second greatest command (Matthew 22:39)!
    • Suppose Barnabas was your dad (Acts 4:36-37; 11:22-26; 15:2)
      • Would you grow up thinking he loved others?
      • Would you grow up learning how to love others yourself?
    • Take God’s perspective
      • What do the following passages teach about how to view our fellow humans?
        • Genesis 1:26-27
        • Genesis 9:6
        • Jonah 4:11
        • Acts 17:24-29
        • I Peter 3:7
      • Consider the contrast with how Adolf Hitler viewed human life.
    • Brothers and sisters in Christ should hold a special place in our hearts.
      • I Corinthians 8:11-13; II Corinthians 12:19-20; I Peter 4:8-10; I John 4:20 – 5:2