The Ten Commandments V: Honor Father and Mother

Text:

Exodus 20:12 (ESV) — 12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

Intro:

Recap the first 4 commandments

Teach the 10 commandment hand signs

Purpose

A child’s relationship to parents, and parent’s to children, is the most fundamental relationship in the fabric of societies and cultures. It’s where we learn, and live, and launch.

“The Hebrew word for “honor” means “glorify”, which Scripture uses to speak of honoring God. Your parents aren’t God, but they’re ‘God’s gifts to you , as you are God’s gifts to them.” (Peter Leithart, The Ten Commandments, p.68)

2 Timothy 3:1–2 (ESV) — 1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,

Romans 1:30 (ESV) — 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,

“The Fifth Word explodes satanic myths of self-creation by teaching that unchosen relationships have moral weight.” - (Peter Leithart, The Ten Commandments, p.66)

Mom who claims that children don’t owe their parents anything

Mark 7:9–13 (ESV) — 9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban” ’ (that is, given to God)— 12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

We tend to try and find loopholes with submission.

One of the most fundamental realities of our faith is the presence of submission.

The difference between Heaven and Hell is based on submission to Christ’s authority and salvation alone.

One of the most dramatic ways we can increase our spiritual lives is my daily acts of obedience and submission.

What if you don’t have ‘honorable’ parents?

We are commanded to honor them.

We may not obey them if they ask us to sin, but we must honor God by honoring them.

“Obedience is the great opener of eyes.” — George McDonald

A Promise

[Recapped by Paul in the NT and given to Gentiles. That is, Gentiles will also receive the promise]

Ephesians 6:1–4 (ESV) — 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

The promise to the Gentiles isn’t about Caanan, but about their lives and blessing from God.

Blessing comes to those who honor their parents

Parents aren’t to provoke or exasperate their children, they are to raise them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Parents as prophet, priest, king

We tend to think that the problems are out there in the world with institutions, but we should look at ourselves first

Perfection

Jesus honoring his mother at the cross (Jn. 19)

Jesus honors the Father in his wilderness temptation. He will not be a prodigal son.

Listen to the words of the High Priestly Prayer:

Philippians 2:8–11 (ESV) — 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Matthew 26:39 (ESV) — 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

Romans 5:18–21 (ESV) — 18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Hebrews 5:7–10 (ESV) — 7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

Call to action:

Our obedience to the second table of the law reveals our allegiance to the God of the first table of the law.

We are blessed when we are humble, submissive, and obedient.

We are cursed when we are prideful, obstinate, and rebellious.

Confession:

“I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world; but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am”

― John Newton

Assurance:

Galatians 3:10–13 (ESV) — 10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—

Communion: