Reading: Ephesians 6:1-3 / HC Q&A 104, p. 52
Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you. Deuteronomy 5:16 (NIV)

I. God says “Honor your mother”

A. It’s God’s Command

1. Thus begins the 2nd Table of the Law

a. 2 tables-duties toward God/People

b. The 1st table is based on the 1st command: No other Gods

c. The 2nd on “Honor your parents”

2. All we need to know–God said, “Do it.”

a. Acknowledging God’s authority: obey

b. Trusting God’s love, we freely obey

3. God’s structure for our growth

a. God gives us parents to teach us how to live in the world we are born into.

b. Our moms are important in helping us become who we are.

B. We owe her a debt of Gratitude

1. Our mothers give us life

a. As if God’s command weren’t enough!

b. Birth mothers, adoptive mothers give us life by taking care of our every need.

2. Our mothers sacrifice a lot for us

a. They give us life, often at great cost.

b. They give up sleep, food, career, comfort, freedom, peace of mind, . . .

3. Our mothers taught us carefully

a. Jesus loves me this I know, ‘cause my Mommy told me so.

b. Don’t run with scissors, play with fire, tease, be selfish, use bad language, etc.

c. Do pray, love God and people, be polite, read the Bible, go to Church, etc.

C. Honor her out of respect for God

1. God invented the idea of motherhood

a. Not all creatures do it this way.

b. Of all the ways God could have given us life and maturity He thought this best!

2. God gave you your mother.

a. To make you what He wanted you to become, He gave you your mother.

3. God put her in charge of you.

a. Do you trust God’s judgement?

b. Honor God by honoring the person He chose to raise you.

II. Honor her by Listening to her

A. An expression of living in the Spirit

1. Eph.6:1 is an extension of 5:18

a. Speaking, singing, thanking, submitting

b. Obeying/Honoring is under submitting

c. All of this is about coming under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

2. To be filled with God’s Spirit means live our faith in all life’s situations

a. All of life’s situations and circumstances are places to live out one’s faith

b. Especially those everyday situations

3. In part it means “Honor your mother”

a. To be filled with the Spirit includes listening to and honoring our mothers

b. Not mere “duty” but part of the spiritual life.

c. Jesus was upset at those who set the two in opposition: Mark 7:9-13

B. Honor requires Obedience in children

1. Obviously 6:1 targets pre-adults.

a. Children need parents to teach them.

b. Parents are to give moral formation

c. God wants children to obey their moms

2. We obey those whose authority we respect and acknowledge.

a. Obeying your mom means it’s OK with you that God put her in charge for now.

b. When obey her, you agree that she has a right to tell you what to do.

3. Children’s disobedience dishonors parents

a. Disobeying means we don’t trust either

b. It means we think their ideas are dumb

c. It means we think they are dumb.

C. Obey her in the Lord

1. We should obey our mothers as long as doing so is in keeping with God’s will.

a. We shouldn’t do anything that we know is wrong – even if mom tells us to.

b. But we should do whatever mom tells us that we know isn’t wrong.

c. The second list is longer than the first!

2. We obey because we are in the Lord

a. Being filled with God’s Spirit we obey

b. We know God intends her to direct us

c. We obey God by obeying her.

3. We obey her because she is in the Lord

a. When our mom is a Christian we have an even greater obligation to obey

b. If she’s not a Christian, she still has only the authority that God has given her.

III. Honor her Publicly

A. Honor her in how you Speak of her

1. How do you talk about her to others?

a. Can we include Mothers in-law here?

b. Would your mom feel bad, if she were to overhear the way you talk about her?

2. Use words of respect in referring to her

a. Not “my old-lady,” or “She’s such a . . .”

b. Honor her by choosing honorable words to describe her.

c. Each time–every time.

3. Don’t contribute in a contest about who’s mom was/is worse.

a. No mom is perfect–it doesn’t take a genius to find a flaw in yours.

b. Honor your mom–even when others don’t honor theirs

B. Guard her Dignity

1. Don’t let her be put down in your presence

a. Stand up for her honor.

b. Even if your brother or sister is doing it!

c. Even when your friends are surprised by the things she tells you to do/not do.

2. When she’s older and needs your care.

a. Honor your mother when she’s older

b. Guard her dignity when she can’t

C. Live the godly Values she taught you

1. This is the way to honor her most.

a. Any mom will tell you this.

b. Adopting her values honors her highly

2. Imperfect moms teach good things too.

a. Even “bad” moms aren’t all bad

b. We have learned good from them too.

3. Honoring Mom, especially in this way, promises a long and good life.

a. The first command with a promise.

b. That it may go well with you–a good life

c. That you may live long

The Bottom Line:

Honor your Mother in Thought, Word and Deed, today and Everyday.

Hymn: R#538 A Christian Home v.2

Notes:

Heidelberg Catechsim

Q&A 104

What is God’s will for you in the fifth commandment?

That I honor, love, and be loyal to my father and mother and all those in authority over me; that I obey and submit to them, as is proper, when they correct and punish me; 1 and also that I be patient with their failings–2 for through them God chooses to rule us. 3

1 Ex. 21:17; Prov. 1:8; 4:1; Rom. 13:1-2; Eph. 5:21-22; 6:1-9; Col. 3:18-4:1

2 Prov. 20:20; 23:22; 1Pet. 2:18

3 Matt. 22:21; Rom. 13:1-8; Eph. 6:1-9; Col. 3:18-21

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