Children, Honor Your Parents Series

This sermon is part four of the series, “Five Words for a Godly Home.”

Each of these words come from a study of Ephesians 5 and 6, a text which instructs us on the relationships within the Christian home.

HUSBANDS are instructed to LOVE their wives.

WIVES are instructed to RESPECT their husbands.

Today, we will study the word HONOR which forms the central command for children.

EACH WORD is universal and applies to all members of the home

But the words also emphasize a key responsibility for every member of the home

Each word is the SOURCE of how we fulfill our related function in the family.

HUSBANDS lead from heart of LOVE

WIVES submit from a heart of RESPECT

CHILDREN obey from a heart of HONOR

Children Obey your Parents Because you Submit to God and Desire His blessings in your life. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”” (Ephesians 6:1–3, ESV)

To Obey means to LISTEN.

The Greek word is hupakouo. It’s root is the word akouo, which means “to LISTEN.”

We are familiar with this word. Our English word acoustic is related to sound and hearing. What this tells us is that obedience to parents is related to listening.

The second instruction given to children is to HONOR.

To Honor means to VALUE

It is from the Greek word timao, which according to the lexicon means, “set a price on, estimate, value” (BAGD).

Timao is used in Matthew 27:9. The Pharisees set the price for Jesus betrayal at 30 pieces of silver.

Children, the Lord is tell you to VALUE your parents! They are to be treasured, no matter how much you might dislike their guidelines and rules.

Perhaps one way that we can understand what it means to value our parents is to consider the things that DE-VALUE them. Insulting them, talking negatively - even behind their back, course jesting, ridicule, or having a PITY PARTY to your friends about your parents, are all things that devalue your parents.

A. “In the Lord”

This has the impact of meaning “In the Lord’s sight”

We find a companion verse that emphasizes obedience to parents as something that pleases the Lord. “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.” (Colossians 3:20, ESV)

This principle is similar to one given to servants: “Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,” (Ephesians 6:5–6, ESV)

This command is NOT just when you have parents who are believers.

Christ is FIRST, so we do not obey when it violates God’s commands

B. “First commandment with a promise.”

Honor your Father and your Mother” is Command #5

First four deal with our relationship with GOD

- No other gods before me

- Not bow down to graven images

- Not take the name of the Lord in Vain

- Honor the Sabbath

Commands 5-10 deal with our relationship with OTHERS

- Honor your father and your mother

- Do not murder

- Do not commit adultery

- Do not steal

- Do not bear false witness

- Do not covet

John Chrysostom - Bishop of Constanstinople (around 400 AD): "The other commands are prohibitions to do evil. Honor is an invitation to do good and God rewards this positive action."

The PROMISE is for a long life. John Piper explains this phrase very well. "The point is not that every child who is obedient will live a long life. The point is that God delights in obedience and gives special blessings to families and churches and peoples where that kind of humility and respect and obedience prevail. “Fathers, Bring them up in the Discipline and instruction of the Lord” http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/fathers-bring-them-up-in-the-discipline-instruction-of-the-lord

II. Is this command ONLY for the childhood years?

NO - we honor our parents continually

WHY?

1. We are part of GOD’S CREATION - our parents are the connection

2. We show our honor to God as creator

3. FATHERHOOD/ MOTHERHOOD are vital themes.

4. Earthly parents provide a basis for understanding God’s love for us

The idea of “Family” does not end when the new generation marries or leaves home. A new family is formed when a son or daughter marries (“one flesh,” Genesis 2:24; Matt 19:6). BUT relationships and responsibilities to your own parents continue

JESUS gave us an example clarifying that honoring of parents is something that we continue to do, even after we have established a home of our own. He said in Mark 7:8-13, “You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 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)— then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”” (Mark 7:8–13, ESV)