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)

Locked Out

Four people in my family have house keys. No one brought keys to church. Thanks to Scott Rhoades, a local locksmith, for coming out to rescue us on Mother's Day.

What a memory. (It's the year 2020: "Hey Mom, remember the year we were locked out because no one brought a key to church? Wasn't that fun?")

Mother's Day Is a Pain

Now that I have your attention, what I should say is that Mother's Day could be painful for many women.

• Think about the women who desperately want to have children but cannot.
• Think about the women who live with the painful memory of abortion(s).
• Think about the women whose children don't contact them on Mother's Day. (Yes, it happens.)
• Think about the women whose children have passed away.
• Think about the women who gave birth to stillborn children.
• Think about the women whose children have been kidnapped.
• Think about the women whose husbands are not alive to celebrate with them.

This year on Mother's Day, we will honor the mothers who are present. We will not, however, set aside the entire service for this. What I want to do is...

1. Honor every woman, regardless of whether she is a mother.
2. Use Mother's Day as an opportunity for service and outreach.

Job 29:13 says, "I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy." What could we do on Mother's Day to honor the widows in our church? From a quick count, I identified thirteen. Let's make some hearts sing for joy!