Parental Vocational Role Bible Study

Parental Vocational Role: Living Love for their kids

By: Dr. Dave Rueter, DCE and fellow parent Youth & Family Ministry Facilitator Pacific Southwest District, LCMS

LiveLove[d]

Parental Vocational Role – Living Love for their kids Introduction to Parent Resources Why resources for parents? You might be asking yourself why the Gathering planners have taken the time to develop resources like this Bible study for parents to use individually or in groups. If you are, good question! Research on faith development in teens is nearly unanimous in pointing to the role of the parent(s) as the most fundamental of all roles. Pastors, DCE’s, and other youth leaders spend a few hours a week with your son or daughter. We at the Gathering have the privilege of connecting just once every 3 years. As parents, you impact and shape their lives on a daily basis. We have developed this and other parent resources to equip and support you as you LiveLove[d] as a family in your home, community, and church. This is our way of walking beside you before and following the Gathering as you live the love of Christ as you fulfill your role as parent.

An Intro Parental Vocation I sat in the bleachers, my one-year-old son Wesley in my arms. Surrounded by parents, we had gathered in the Simba parking lot at Disneyland to watch the kids’ races that are held prior to the Tinkerbell Half Marathon. Having taken up running just a couple years ago, my wife had entered our 4-year-old son James in a 200 meter dash, so he could run just like mom. As he came into view with my wife in tow, I stood there pointing him out to his brother, cheering him on, and hoping to be heard above the noise of the crowd cheering on their own kids as they ran. It was hard not to tear up watching him run past the grandstand and cross the finish line. I was so very proud of how well he ran his race.

That is a joy of being a parent. Having served many years as a DCE, I have walked with many parents through similar joys as well as a great many heartaches and challenges. As parents, we hope and pray that when our children are grown that they will be able to join with Paul in stating that “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7).

The question is: How can we as parents aid our children to be able to finish their race? I would suggest that this is where the parental vocational role, living love for our kids comes in.

To the Scriptures Read Deuteronomy 6:1-9 Based on the text, what is the reason that God gives His commandment to His people?

According to verse 2, God gives us His law to obey, “that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long.”

What is the greatest commandment as given by God? Verses 4-5 note that the greatest commandment is, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

Why is this commandment essential, not only for our salvation, but also for our relationship with others?

When God calls us from death to life through the power of the Spirit, we experience His grace and His undeserved love. In turn, we are then able to respond to that love and love others as God first loved us. In so doing we truly livelove[d].

Why does God call parents to teach their children about His love using such strong words like diligently?

God takes His relationship with each of us very seriously. God has charged parents with the role of teaching the faith within the home. That is a foundational part of what the family is all about.

Verses 7-9 describe in detail how seriously and attentively we as parents are to take our teaching role.

What does this say to us about how we should approach sharing God’s love in our homes?

This is not something to keep to ourselves or just to talk about on Sundays or at designated devotional times.

God’s love is a topic right for any occasion. As parents, we should seek to find times throughout the day to demonstration unmerited love to our children just as we experience Christ’s unmerited love in our lives.

R e fle c t io n o n V o c a tio n Luther understood that the Christian is genuinely bi-vocational. He is called first through the Gospel to faith in Jesus Christ and he is called to occupy a particular station or place in life. The second sense of this calling embraces all that the Christian does in service to the neighbor not only in a particular occupation but also as a member of the church, a citizen, a spouse, parent, or child, and worker. Here the Christian lives in love toward other human beings and is the instrument by which God does His work in the world. 1 Having been called to faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, how does being a parent become so much more when we think of our role as parents vocationally?

We livelove[d] and live out that love serving God as we serve our children. We no longer parent out of a sense of duty, but rather out of the joy that comes from knowing that as with all good things our children are gifts from God given to us for our stewardship of their physical, emotional, relational, and most importantly, spiritual development.

Why is it liberating to view the love we share with our children as a vocation?

Viewed vocationally, we live love for our kids knowing first-hand the grace that God has already granted to each of us. Thus, we do not parent fearing our own failings. Those have happened and will happen again. Instead we experience God grace, apply that grace to our parenting, and find true freedom.

1

John T. Pless, "Taking the Divine Service into the Week: Liturgy and Vocation." Concordia Theological Seminary.

Online at http://www.ctsfw.edu/document.doc?id=297.

How can we live the love of Christ as the parents of teenagers?

We begin in prayer. We pray for God’s wisdom. We pray for God’s hand to be upon our sons and daughters. We pray for their protection. We pray that as they prepare for the Gathering that God works in their hearts. We pray for their pastors, DCEs, and other youth leaders that they may lead with wisdom and grace. We pray for safe travel and for a safe return. Most of all we pray that God will be present in San Antonio and that the young people of the LCMS will be inspired to LiveLove[d] not just for one week in July, but throughout the rest of their lives.

Then we listen. We listen as they struggle with fundraising. We listen as they talk about what they will do in San Antonio. We listen as they talk about the Pre-Gathering Bible studies that they experience. Most of all, we listen to their experiences at the Gathering as they attempt to put one week of their lives in the context of who they are in Christ.

Conclusion Gene Edward Veith notes that “vocation is the key to strong marriages and successful parenting.” 2 Knowing the love of God enables us to livelove[d], living love for our kids.

As your son or daughter travels, prepares for, and attends the National Youth Gathering, how will you livelive[d] vocationally as a parent? How will you live that love out in their lives while they are away and upon their return?

Closing Prayer Gracious Heavenly Father, We know that all love has its origin and perfection in you. Grant us as parents a rich measure of your grace and love in our lives. Aid us to, in turn, share that love with our children when we sit in our house, and when we walk by the way, and when we lie down, and when we rise. May we surround our children with Your love by unconditionally offering to them the grace found only in Christ, both today and forever more. In Jesus’ name. Amen

2

Gene Edward Veith, “Our Calling and God's Glory.” Modern Reformation. Online at http://www.modernreformation.org/default.php?page=articledisplay&var1=ArtRead&var2=881.