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First Central Baptist Church

Dr. Mark Wheeler


Passing the Baton
6/2/13

The Three Chairs1


Why do godly parents sometimes have rebellious children?
1ST Chair
COMMITMENT

2ND Chair
COMPROMISE

3RD Chair
CONFLICT

Key individual
Scripture

Joshua
Elders
Period of the Judges
Joshua 24:14-18
Joshua 24:31; Judges 2:7
Judges 2:10-12
First-hand experience
Second-hand knowledge
No knowledge
Characteristics
of Gods power
of Gods power
No experience of God
Convictions
Beliefs
Opinions
Results
Takes bold risks
Takes medium risks
Takes no risks
Talk about your faith with your kidsexplain your convictions, why you
Application
believe them, and how you developed them
Give your kids experiencesministry trips
Help them see God firsthandprayer requests & answers
Take risks; dream biglearn to depend on God
Key individual

David
Acts 13:22
2 Samuel 12:13
Psalm 51

Solomon
1 Kings 2:2-4
Deuteronomy 17:14-17
Scripture
1 Kings 4:26; 10:14-29;
11:1-10 (8)
Whole heart for God
Half heart for God
Characteristics
Confesses sin
Compromises beliefs
Please God
Please others
Motivation
What does God think? What do people think?
Build a temple
Build a palace
Passion
Practice spiritual disciplines
Application
When you sin, confess it!
Whats your passion or ambition?
Whose opinion counts most?

Rehoboam
1 Kings 12:1-24

No heart for God


Rejects wise counsel
Please self
What do I think?
Build an empire

Key individual

Abraham
Isaac
Jacob
Genesis 12:7, 8; 13:4,
Genesis 26:19-22, 25, 32; Genesis 28:20-22
Scripture
18; 16:14; 21:25, 30
33:20
Peace at any price
Schemer
Characteristics Friend of God
Worship
Work
Wealth
Priorities
God
Me & God
Me
Is worship the high point of your week or just another activity?
Application
How does your career fit into your life?
Do you use things to win people, or use people to gain things?
Allow God to call you to something. See your vocation as a calling.
If you find
yourself in this
chair:

RECOMMIT

REEVALUATE

REPENT

The legacy you leave is more important than the heritage you receive

COMPARISON OF
CHARACTERISTICS

1ST CHAIR

2ND CHAIR

3RD CHAIR

Primary Trait

Commitment

Compromise

Conflict

Primary Interest

People: Seeks to serve


others and love them
into the Kingdom

Prosperity: Seeks
success in life at
whatever the cost

Person (Self): Seeks


anything that makes
him/her happy

Foundation of Life

Scriptures: Guidelines
Saints: Follows other
for lifestyle and
Christians behavior
behavior are taken from right or wrong
the Bible

Society: If the world is


doing it, its acceptable

View of Scripture

Is convinced its the


absolute, unchanging
Word of God,
authoritative for life

Believes its relative to


situation; brings
comfort but not
conviction

Ignores it as a relic of
another culture or time

Bible is a life-giving
bookmeditate on it

Bible is an academic
bookread it

View of God

Knows God as a
personal friend; has a
deep relationship with
him and worships and
depends on him

Knows God through


salvation, but knows
him more as a doctrine
than a person

Ignores God

View of Jesus

Christ is Lord

Christ is Savior

Christ is a religious
leader

View of Prayer

Considers prayer an
unending, deeply
personal conversation
with God

Offers prayers as a
perfunctory ritual in
public and rarely in
private

Does not believe in


prayerexcept in case
of dire emergency

View of Job/Career

Job is a platform God


has called him/her to
for the purpose of
ministry to others

Job is only a way to


earn money and get
ahead in life; faith is
ignored

Job is purely a means to


self-advancement and
prosperity

Bible is irrelevant
ignore it

Questions to consider:
1. Which chair best describes your condition today?
2. If you choose to do nothing, which chair will your child(ren) most likely occupy?
3. What is one measureable change you can make which will help you or your child(ren) move to the
first chair?
1

The material is adapted from The Three Chairs Principle in the Walk Thru the Old Testament Live Event; The Three
Chairs booklet by Bruce Wilkinson, 1987; and Firsthand Faith: Recapture a passionate love for the Savior, by Bruce H.
Wilkinson, 1996. Used by permission.

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