by Pastor Wilson
Big idea:
God wants us to honour our parents without dishonouring Him
3 important relationships to be examined:
1. Children and parents
2. Husbands and wives
3. Father and children
Concept of filial piety
Exodus 20:12
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
Out of 10 commandments:
1st 4 signifies vertical relationship with God
Remaining 6 is horizontal with others
The most important relationship after one's relationship with God is the relationship with one's parents.
Ephesians 6:2-3
Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”[a]
What does it mean to honour as per God's instruction?
Esteem them who are given a place in the family and provided for when they grow old. Respect and return to them in their golden years for what they've done for us. Taking care when they cannot take care of themselves
The fifth commandment requires us to esteem our parents, where they are given a place of importance in the family and provided for when they grow old.
How do I honour them when I don't respect them, who never raise me, when they don't do parenting with me, how to when they don't earn my respect?
Firstly,
5th commandment is given without any condition
Secondly,
Respect is not the same as honour. Respect must be earned but honour is accorded
Achievement or character?
Honour first as accorded base on position and title. Respect come later.
God used imperfect parents to bring us to earth.
Free from destructive baggage of emotions so that I can be more forgiving towards my family and in my ministry
Obey the fifth commandment regardless of the irresponsibility, unforgiveness
We can choose to honour when respect is not earned
First two commandments are foundational to the rest of the eight commandments
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Exodus 20:1-3
And God spoke all these words:
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before[a] me.
First commandment forbids worship of all other gods and spiritual being
Exodus 20:4-5
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
Second commandment is the absolute prohibition of idolatry in any form or shape.
Out of absolute loyalty and obedience to Yahweh, we then honour our parents.
God must be first, followed by relationship with others.
Colossians 3:20
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
Addressing children literally before reach independence age.
Matthew 10:37-38
“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
A form of exaggeration to show our love for God must be greater than what we show our family members. Christ did not say that we do not love our family. he demands we love Him more than anybody else in our lives.
Love God, honour your parents
John 19:26-27
When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman,[a] here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
Taking care of their physical and emotional need in their old age
As followers of Christ we must decide beforehand not to participate in ancestral worship and not be pressured by our family to do so, doing so well are violating the first and second commandment.
The honour of parents must take place while they're still living, not dead
In the eyes of God, the honor of parents must take place when they are alive and not when they are no longer living.
Principle one:
1. Show respect
- Can do tomb sweeping
- Can physically go funeral
- Allow us to do outreach
BUT We must not give worship to the dead
2. Avoid all Religious rites
- that requires offer incense or pray to dead to avoid direct violation to first and second commandments
Rituals are spiritual in nature, with significance and connection in the spiritual realm.
Every ritual is a worship to someone
Do not compromise under pressure of filial piety
- Whether they accept or not is their issue, but we do our part to explain
To avoid spiritual conflict in the family
- Between their gods our our God
