Good morning.  As we get started this morning, I have a few funnies to share with you…

A teacher said to her student, “What are you: an animal, a vegetable, or a mineral?”

The boy replied, “I’m a vegetable.  I’m a HUMAN BEAN.”

It was the little girl’s first day at school and the teacher was making out her registration card.  “And what is your father’s name?”

The little girl said, “Daddy.”

“Yes, I know he’s your daddy, but what does your mother call him?”

“Oh, she don’t call him anything. SHE LIKES HIM.”

A father was examining his son’s report card.  He said, “One thing is definitely in your favor.  With this report care, you couldn’t possibly be cheating.”

A librarian said, “Shhhh…Please, be quiet.  The people next to you can’t read.”

Then a little boy came to her and said, “What a shame, I’ve been reading since I was 6.”

Little Mary, just home from her first day at school, was asked by her mother, “Honey, what did you learn today?”

“Not much,” replied Mary, “I’ve got to go back tomorrow.”

The teacher pulled a little boy to the side one day and said, “Why don’t you brush your teeth?  I can see what you had for breakfast this morning.”

The boy answered, “Oh yeah, what did I have?”

The teacher told him, “Eggs.”

To which the boy responded with, “You’re wrong!  That was YESTERDAY!”

Well, the time is here.  Kids are sad, and parents are happy, unless they’re teachers.  It’s time for back to school.  And there are tons of things to do in order to be ready to get back to school.  Stores love this time of year almost as much as they love Christmas.

• The clothing…
• The backpacks…
• The shoes…
• The musical instruments…
• The dreaded lists of school supplies…
• Maybe the time is approaching for the first car…
• Or perhaps you have a long list for a college student…

All of those things that have to be bought as school approaches.  It’s back to school.  Back to life.  Back to reality.  These words don’t sound the best, but reality is something that we all have to face whether it’s with school, or work, or people, or whatever it is.

I want to share some thoughts that will help you in school and in all of life in general.  In fact, these thoughts today, apply to both young and old alike.

In our time together, we will take a look at 4 Back To School Tips:

1. Pay attention to all in authority…
2. Don’t give in to peer pressure…
3. Every child is home schooled…
4. Make Christ the Lord of your life…

First, Pay Attention To All In Authority:

In Proverbs 1:8-9 it says this, “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.  They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.”

In other words, pay attention to your parents.  And not just your parents, but also to your teachers, and to all people in authority.

A boy said to his father, “Dad, the principal said for me to invite you to a small meeting at the school.”  “How small is the meeting, son?” asked the father.  The boy replied, “It’s you, me, and the principal.”

Well, if you don’t pay attention in school, if you don’t listen to those who are in authority, you could be asked to attend a meeting like that one.  I’ve been to one of those before, and I didn’t like it very much, and wouldn’t recommend it for you.
My dad, who drove a 7-Up delivery truck, used to say to me when I was younger, “Pay attention to what you’re doing.”  I guess he figured I had a problem with paying attention.

It always pays to pay attention in life.  No matter what your age, not paying attention can get anyone in trouble regardless of what it is that they are doing.

Let me tell you what happened to me one time because I didn’t pay attention.  I don’t know how old I was, but my older brother was watching me, and I was out riding my bike.  At my house, we have a nice steep hill in our back yard.  It’s great for snow sledding, but not so great for biking.  Needless to say, I decided that day to ride my bike down that hill.

But, the problem was, I wasn’t looking in front of me, I wasn’t paying attention.  I was looking at my brother who was over by the house.  Suddenly, I hit a tree.  BAM!  My bike stayed where it was, but I went flying down the hill, onto the driveway, and slid a little further.  I flew probably 10 to 15 yards, and then slid on our driveway another 10-15 yards.

I don’t know what hit the ground first; my head or my legs, but either way, I had a really bad headache, and my legs were covered in blood.  Now, I wasn’t moving much, and my brother probably thought he had a dead brother on his hands.  And it could have happened.  And all because I was not paying attention to my bike riding.

This is often why people have car wrecks.  They are not paying attention to their driving.  They are talking on their cell phones, combing their hair, putting on makeup, eating or drinking something, even reading the newspaper.  Because they are not paying attention to their driving, they are more likely to be involved in an accident.

So, I say this to all, it pays to pay attention to what you are doing.

I Peter 2:13 tells us that, “The Lord wants you to obey all human authorities…”  That means: parents, schoolteachers, Sunday School teacher, the police, and so on.  When you don’t pay attention to all human authorities, or when you don’t obey them, you’re just asking for trouble.

What would happen today if you didn’t pay attention in school or didn’t obey?  I don’t know, but one thing that might happen is that you might fail the course.  Or perhaps you might get moved to the front of the classrooms or be sent to the principal’s office.  I’m sure there are several things that could happen and I don’t think any of them would be good.

Proverbs 1:8 says, “Listen to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.”

Ephesians 6:1 says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right…”

A little girl, when asked if she always came when her mother called her, said, “Yes, but sometimes I go so far away I can’t hear her call.”

Well, what would happen to you if you didn’t hear your mom or dad call?  Or what would happen to you if you didn’t pay attention to your parents or obey them?  I know what happened to me when I was young.  I got into trouble with mom and dad.

I can remember mom and dad always telling me to do different things.  One day, I decided that I was going to forget what they told me, and go to my neighbors house to have a swim.  After we were done swimming, I walked back up our driveway.  To my great surprise, dad was standing at the door waiting for me.  And do you know how he greeted me?  With his belt.

I paid the penalty for not paying attention.  Paying attention to all those in authority in life will pay.  You’ll be blessed for doing what you’re told to do whether it’s mom or dad, the schoolteacher, the police officer, your boss, or whoever it is that is in charge.  God will bless you for paying attention to all those in authority.

Secondly, Don’t Give In To Peer Pressure:

What does it mean, “Don’t give in to peer pressure?”  Well, it means that you don’t do everything that everybody else is doing.

A farmer saw a lot of crows picking up the seed he had sown in his field, so he took his shotgun and fired at them.  All the birds flew away except one that lay wounded on the ground.

Going to the wounded bird, the farmer was astonished to find that it was his own pet parrot.  Somehow it had escaped its cage and joined the crows in the field.  Its wing was broken.  The farmer picked up the wounded parrot and said, “Polly, this is what happens when you keep bad company.”

As he neared his house his little girl ran out to meet him.  “Have you shot any crows, Dad?” she asked.  He said, “I shot Polly,” and before he could say anything else, the parrot piped up and said, “BAD COMPANY! BAD COMPANY!”

I Corinthians 15:33 says, “Don’t fool yourselves.  Bad friends will destroy you.”  If nothing else, bad friends will get you into trouble.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “He that lieth down with dogs, shall rise up with fleas.”  If you don’t want fleas, don’t play with dogs that have them.  If you don’t want to cuss, don’t run around with people who do.  If you don’t want to get into trouble, don’t run with troublemakers.

George Washington is reported to have said, “Associate with men of good quality if you care about your reputation; for it’s better to be alone than in bad company.”
Proverbs 1:10 tells us, “Don’t be tempted by sinners or listen when they say, “Come on!””

Some temptations to do wrong are very obvious.  Some are not so obvious.  Some people will tempt you in very clever ways.  Others, will get at you in subtle ways.  But whatever you do, don’t give in to the pressure of others.

Just because everybody else is doing something, it doesn’t make it right.  Think before you do something.  Don’t always follow the crowd.

Number 3, And This Is Mainly For The Adults, But, Every Child Is Home Schooled:

Whether you send your kids off to school everyday or not, they are still going to get the biggest chunk of their education from the life they see at home.

Many Christians are concerned that there is no prayer in the schools, but I am more concerned that there is no prayer in the home.

Deuteronomy 6: 5-9 tells us to, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children.  Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
If you want your kids to grow up to be good adults, then you need to be involved in their education now.  Not only does that involve helping them with homework, and making sure that they grasp what they are being taught, but it also means taking care of their spiritual lives as well.

You cannot expect a child to get everything they need to know in life from a teacher at school.  Nor can you expect a child to get everything they need spiritually from the minister or Sunday school teachers.  If you want to see your kids succeed in all areas of life, then you need to be involved in home schooling.

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

When teaching your kids, it should be every parent’s goal to be half as great as you’re 5 year old thinks you are, and half as dumb as you’re 15 year old thinks you are.

But in all seriousness, you need to be involved when it comes to your children.  So, every child is home schooled.

And Finally, You Need To Make Christ The Lord Of Your Life:

I Peter 3:15 says, “Honor Christ and let Him be the Lord of your life.”

One time a Sunday school teacher tried to encourage a boy to attend Sunday School, telling him that he would learn how to be a good boy.

He replied, “There’s no use in me going to Sunday school.  I already know how to be a better boy than I am.”

And you know what, most of us probably do know how to be better people than we are, but going to church and Sunday school can help us to become better people.  Attending Sunday school and church is very important.

In the 1930’s John Dillinger was the most notorious criminal in the country.  He was a brutal thief and a cold-blooded murderer.  From September, 1933, until July, 1934, he and his violent gang terrorized the Midwest, killing 10 men, wounding 7 others, and robbing banks.

He might have been different if some parents had been more understanding and compassionate.  As a boy, John Dillinger was arrested for minor crimes and placed on probation.  He was sent to Sunday school.  But parents of the other pupils in the class protested and threatened to withdraw their children if this “criminal” remained in the class.

As a result, Johnny dropped out of class.  He never returned.  In less than 20 years he was # 1 on the list of most-wanted criminals.  Sunday school and church could have made a difference in his life, but he wasn’t allowed to go.
The most important education you can get in life is in Sunday school and church, because you learn about God and Jesus, and all that they have done for each and every one of us.  And Jesus is the one person who can make you into a better person.

But Jesus does even more than just make us into better people.  He saves us from our sins and promises to give us a home in Heaven when we believe and trust in Him.

You can accomplish all you want in life, but if you do not follow God, it is all pointless.  In Psalm 127:1-3 it tells us that, “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.  Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.  In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat, for He grants sleep to those He loves.”

So, you need to give your life over to God.

Now, as you head back to school, and even if you are too old to be going to school, keep these 4 Back To School Tips in mind:

1.      Pay attention to all in authority…

2.      Don’t give in to peer pressure…

3.      Every child is home schooled…

4.      Make Christ the Lord of your life…

Joshua 24:14-15 says this, “Now fear the Lord and serve Him with all faithfulness.  Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.  But, if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living.  But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

So, it’s your call, unless the Lord builds the house it is all in vain.

Let’s Pray!