What America Has Forgotten
About Honoring Your Parents
June 2003
Calvary Baptist Church
Proverbs 30:11
Sermon 5 of 6 in the Calvary Family Series 2003. Am I the only one amazed at the way that children talk to their parents and about them? No big deal, everybody is doing it, it's a different day, right? Wrong. Dead wrong. What does God say?
Tommy, one of my neighbor's grandsons, walked into the convenience store and asked the clerk for a box of Tide so that he could wash his dog, Petey. The clerk was appalled and told the boy, "Son, you can't use Tide on a dog. It might hurt him. Are you sure you want Tide?" "Oh, yes," Tommy insisted. So the clerk sold the boy a box of Tide. The next day, Tommy skulked into the store with a very sad look on his face. "What's the matter, Tommy," the clerk asks. "My dog died," the boy blurted out, tears rolling down his cheeks. "That's terrible," said the clerk. "But remember, I told you that Tide might hurt your dog." The boy responded, "I don't think it
was the Tide. I think it was the spin cycle." Streiker, L. D. (2000)
We had a quicksand box in our backyard. I was an only child, eventually.
—Steven Wright, Streiker, L. D. (2000). Nelson's big book of laughter
TEXT: Proverbs 30:11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
Portions based on a message brought on 5/17/94 by John Vangeldern.
Portions of today's message are from John Vangeldern.
I. There is a Commandment to Retain
To RETAIN is to keep something in effect. A RETAINER keeps your teeth in the right position.
This is from God Himself!
Exodus 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Ephes. 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
• In the matter of relationships, this comes at a primary place in the list.
• Children are to obey their parents like a servant to a master.
Malachi 1:6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is
mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests,
that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?
• Rolling your eyes, grunting, mouthing back, whining is dishonoring your parents.
• And note that the promise of Exodus 20:12 is to those who HONOR their parents.
• It is not given to those who obey, but do not honor!
II. There is a Comfort to Receive (From the Lord)
Exodus 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Ephes. 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. [2] Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) [3] That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
There are natural and divine causes of sickness and death.
III. There is a Consequence to Realize
• In the O.T., there were three offenses children could commit toward their parents that resulted in a public stoning of that child.
• You may think, how harsh.
• Well, in the Bible, we see punishments meted out based on the worth of the one offended.
• You see this throughout the law.
• God holds parents in high regard.
A. For Striking Your Parents
Exodus 21:15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
B. For Scorning Your Parents (Belittling them)
Exodus 21:17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
This is not just using profanity against them, thought that is included!
QUOTE: If your parents are really as bad as you say they are, how then did they produce such a wonderful example of a person as you?
C. For Stubbornness Against Your Parents (Rebellion)
Deut. 21:18-21 If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: [19] Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; [20] And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. [21] And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
• It is good that we no longer live under the law, but this is the way it was when God himself ruled the land!
• I must admit that I too would be dead today!
• Thank God for grace, but let us not forget that God is still in charge of your body and your health.
• Grace is not permission!!!
IV. There is a Curse to Remember
This is the flip side of point II above.
Deut. 27:16 Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Oh how I need and want God's blessing! I cannot afford to endure His curse on my life.
V. There are Characteristics to Reject
These are characteristics of the lost. How prevalent they are today!
We go back now to the text from which we began.
Proverbs 30:12-17 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. [13] There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. [14] There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men. [15] The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: [16] The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough. [17] The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
A. They are Self Righteous
B. They are Haughty
C. They are Arrogant
D. They are Foul-Mouthed
E. They are Ruthless
ILLUS: Try telling the criminal to please spare you because you have a family. He could
care less. He hates you because you care about your family.
ILLUS: The teens that terrorized a community with a paint ball gun.
F. They are Greedy
G. They are Mockers
H. They are Disobedient
I. They are on Borrowed Time
CONCLUSION:
• These are serious matters.
• Don't fool with God!
• God is not mocked.
Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
• But there is forgiveness!
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness.
