Honor Your Mother (Ex. 20:12) (Part 6)

Conclusion:

1. “A Parable for Mothers” (Temple Bailey).  You can find the parable here. (Stop reading after the words “I have shown my children God.”)

2. Children, the greatest gift you can give to your mother, the best way you can honor her whether she is living on earth or living in your memory, is to surrender your life to Jesus Christ and serve Him with your entire being. Your mother pointed you to Jesus and showed Him to you. What have you done with her life work in this regard?

What if your mother didn't point you to Jesus and show Him to you? You can surrender your life to Jesus today and serve Him with your entire being. If your mother is still living, you can have the joy of introducing her to Jesus! Neither parent nor child should have to miss out on the wonderful love relationship with God found only through His Son, Jesus Christ.

3. Honor your mother. Why?

• Because of obedience: God said to honor her.  Now let's go do it!
• Because of advantage: it is in your best interest to do so.
• Because of testimony: you live in a culture of dishonor. Defy the world!
• Because of satisfaction: your mother is worth celebrating!

Honor Your Mother (Ex. 20:12) (Part 5)

4. SATISFACTION: YOU SHOULD HONOR YOUR MOTHER BECAUSE SHE IS WORTH CELEBRATING.

Where would you be without your mother? (It's a rhetorical question since, without your mother, you wouldn't be here today reading this post, thus contemplating an answer.)

Today, don't celebrate motherhood; celebrate mother (your mother). Mother and child – it is a personal relationship, from which you have benefited greatly.

It is possible to celebrate Mother's Day and not celebrate or honor your mother. Perhaps that is why Anna Jarvis, the founder of what we know as Mother's Day, would later regret having pushed to make it a national day. She lamented there was too much commercialization and not enough personalization.

Honor Your Mother (Ex. 20:12) (Part 4)

3. TESTIMONY: YOU SHOULD HONOR YOUR MOTHER BECAUSE YOU LIVE IN A CULTURE OF DISHONOR.

The concept of honor is a virtue that is vanishing quickly in society. If a person will not honor mother – I mean, come on, how difficult is it to do that? – how will he or she honor other authority figures? 

Just so I'm clear, young people, that wonderful nurturer in your life deserves your respect. Show some! She is not “the old hag”, “the old bag” or “that witch.” This means control both your tongue and your thoughts. You're not off the hook just because you didn't say something rude or disrespectful. Were you thinking it? Was it in your heart? (Mt. 12:34b)

The Bible says that “in the last days, difficult times will come.” (2 Tim. 3:1). Two details about these “difficult times” involve the child-parent relationship. First, Paul told Timothy that people would be “disobedient to parents” (2 Tim. 3:2). Second, Paul told Timothy that people would be “unloving” (2 Tim. 3:3). The Amplified Bible reads “without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman) . . .” Would you agree that it is impossible to honor your mother if you don't show love?

On Mother's Day and every day, enjoy defying culture.  Do more than be nice to mom.  Honor her.

Honor Your Mother (Ex. 20:12) (Part 3)

2. ADVANTAGE: YOU SHOULD HONOR YOUR MOTHER BECAUSE IT IS IN YOUR BEST INTEREST TO DO SO.

And all the mothers said . . . .  (They're no fools and neither are we. Mother brought you into the world, and she can take you out!)

This commandment to honor your mother is called, in Ephesians 6:2, “the first commandment with a promise.” What is the promise? Ex. 20:12 > “ . . . that your days may be prolonged in the land . . . .”  While this isn't a guarantee for each individual, it is a statement of expectation for society as a whole. The gist is that those who not only obey their parents but honor them are less likely to dishonor other authorities and incur even stiffer penalties.

Honor Your Mother (Ex. 20:12) (Part 2)

1. OBEDIENCE: YOU SHOULD HONOR YOUR MOTHER BECAUSE GOD SAID TO HONOR HER.

This is the “because I said so” motif.  The force behind those four words – 'because I said so' – varies depending upon who says them. If your sibling says, “Because I said so”, you might talk back a bit. If your boss says, “Because I said so”, you might want to preserve your job and keep your mouth shut. If your Creator says, “Because I said so”, this is absolute. You don't mess with the One who holds your every breath in His hand!

Honoring one's mother was God's idea long before Anna Jarvis campaigned to make it a national holiday (which it became in 1914 when President Woodrow Wilson signed the bill).

Notice the verb 'honor' is in the imperative. In other words, do it! Don't think about it, don't wait until you feel like it, don't wait for her to do something special for you first. When God commands you to do something, aren't you wise to do it?

Honor Your Mother (Ex. 20:12) (Part 1)

Introduction:

1. “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.”

2. Why should you honor your mother? (Well, today is Mother's Day, right?) The reasons have nothing to do with May's calendar, family tradition or seasonal obligation.

3. In order to answer the question – Why should you honor your mother? – it is important to know what 'honor' means. To 'honor' means:

•  'to respect, to esteem, to regard highly, to have concern for, to show affection and be considerate toward, to appreciate, to view as superior.'¹
• 'to prize highly, to care for, to respect, to obey.'²
• 'to yield respect, submission and obedience; to give love and tenderness; to lighten cares; to guard reputation; to succor and comfort in old age.'³

4. Wow! The word 'honor' is loaded with meaning, wouldn't you say?

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1 Fretheim, Terrence E. Exodus. Interpretation: A Bible Commentary For Teaching And Preaching. Louisville, KY: John Knox Press, 1991. p. 231.

2 Youngblood, Ronald F. Exodus. Everyman's Bible Commentary. Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1983. p. 98.

3 Www.bibleinfo.com/en/questions/what-background-ten-comandments (accessed 5-5-16)

The Roots of Dishonor (1 Pet. 2:17a)

To get the most out of this post, read these verses that speak about honor: Rom. 12:10; 13:17; 1 Pet. 2:17; 1 Cor. 12:23-24; Mt. 13:57; 15:4; 1 Tim 5:3, 17.


In 1 Peter 2:17 we are told to "Honor all men."  The problem is that we live in such a culture of dishonor.  Phrases such as "my old man" or "that witch" don't reflect well on us.  We never want that culture of dishonor creeping into the church!  Where does such dishonor come from?  Here are eight roots of dishonor.

• Ignorance.  Maybe you grew up in an environment where you didn't experience honor. Perhaps you never saw it displayed.  It could be challenging to give honor when you don't know what it looks like.    
• Tradition.  "We don't like to single anyone out.  That's just not how we've done things here."  Then your culture is wrong!  (I wouldn't be surprised to hear that your life or organization is laden with conflict, instability or discontent.)
• Emotion.  You don't feel like doing what you know you should do.  What about the command to honor?  Commands are to be obeyed, not felt.  Emotions can distort truth and delay responsibility.
• Hurt / Offence.  A hurt or offended person can't sincerely honor.  He can pretend, so that he doesn't stand out while everyone else rejoices, but he continues internally to cultivate his hurt, offence or disappointment.  Unless the offence is removed, honoring the offender is unlikely.
• Envy / Jealousy.  This person says, "I don't get such an honor or privilege, so why should you?"  Please stop being so selfish!
• Spite / Anger.  "There's no way I'm letting this happen."  A stick-in-the-mud won 't delight in anyone's being special.  Unless he releases his anger, an angry person can only participate insincerely.  Right words are spoken from a wrong heart -- verbal darts thrown violently into the honoree's back.  Being right should be more important than being reconciled.
• Rebellion.  The rebel knows the biblical command to honor.  He just won't do anything about it.  No way, no how.  The rebel needs to be reminded of 1 Sam. 15:22-23.
• Trying to play God.  This is the person who waits until he thinks the potential honoree is considered worthy enough of honor.  You can honor the position or title even if you won't honor the individual.  Were the President of the United States to visit your house, you would address him as "Mr. President" even if everyone knew you disagreed with some of his policies.  Do your spiritual authorities get the same courtesy? 

Honor is about submission and obedience and manifests a teachable, compliant spirit.  Honor is about recognizing and responding to authority.  It is inconsistent to believe you can honor God and not honor His appointed authorities.  Don't confuse honor with agreement.  You can rightly honor someone while sincerely disagreeing.

High Cost for Great Honor (Jn. 19:38-42)

We're continuing to read through the Gospel of John. Today's reading is John 19:25-42.

Secret disciples must eventually declare themselves.  Joseph and Nicodemus felt compelled to care for Jesus' body.  If people didn't know before, they knew now -- these two guys are loyal to Jesus.

Great honor is planned.  This was no spontaneous, slap-together burial.  While Jesus was on the cross, Joseph and Nicodemus must've met to discuss the details.  Who had what?  How much could each contribute?  Who would approach Pilate to release the body?  Who would roll the stone to seal the tomb?  Nicodemus and Joseph didn't have a lot of time, but they couldn't wing this either.

When giving Jesus honor, time is of the essence.  Joseph and Nicodemus had to do what they could while they could.  They only had until sundown to get everything done.  Don't postpone doing for Jesus what you've thought about doing.  At some point you must stop thinking and start doing.  You might not have tomorrow, but you have today.  You might not have the next minute but you have this one.

Giving Jesus honor will cost you.  There was a material cost (linen, spices, tomb).  There was a reputational cost.  Joseph and Nicodemus were members of the Sanhedrin, the elite group that voted to condemn Jesus.  If Joe and Nick's involvement wasn't hidden from John, how would it remain hidden from the Sanhedrin?  Their next meeting must've been tense!  Perhaps the two were demoted or, worse, expelled.  There was a religious cost.  Touching Jesus' dead body meant seven days of ceremonial uncleanness.  That meant no Passover for them!