Yesterday's message was about how God builds bridges between parents and children. The message was based on Ephesians 6:1-4:

1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2"Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3"that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."[a] 4Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Some main points from Pastor Craig's message were...

• God's power is not thwarted or blocked by broken or dysfunctional families. Our sufficiency and satisfaction is in God alone, because God alone is faithful. So our family relationships are not to be idols, made to be more important than they are; neither should they so dominate our lives that they keep us in chains.


• Families are ordained as places where the faithfulness and graciousness of God is learned and experienced, passed on from generation to generation.


• Children build the bridge by honoring their parents. This isn't because parents deserve honor in their behavior, but because God is glorified, and rewards us, when we show we trust him in the first relationship of life.


• Parents build the bridge by fulfilling their role to train and instruct children about the graciousness and power of God. This is accomplished not just by providing a safe childhood, loving presence and imparting wisdom; but also by modeling forgiveness and humility when they fall short of the ideal.


• Trusting in Jesus' grace and forgiveness, restoring our relationship with God, flows into our relationships with one another.

What do you think? What questions came to your mind as you heard the message yesterday, or read the summary today? What experiences could you share?