EPHESIANS 6:1-3
“ABSOLUTE OBEDIENCE”
When Christian Herter was governor of Massachusetts, he was running hard for a second term in office. One day, after a busy morning chasing votes (and no lunch) he arrived at a church barbecue. It was late afternoon and Herter was famished. As Herter moved down the serving line, he held out his plate to the woman serving chicken. She put a piece on his plate and turned to the next person in line.
"Excuse me," Governor Herter said, "do you mind if I have another piece of chicken?"
"Sorry," the woman told him. "I'm supposed to give one piece of chicken to each person."
"But I'm starved," the governor said.
"Sorry," the woman said again. "Only one per person."
Governor Herter was a modest and unassuming man, but he decided that this time he would throw a little weight around. "Do you know who I am?" he said. "I am the governor of this state."
"Do you know who I am?" the woman said. "I'm the lady in charge of the chicken. Move along, mister."MOST OF US HAVE DECIDED THAT WE WOULD OBEY WHEN IT WAS CONVENIENT TO OBEY. (I WONDER WHY OUR CHILDREN HAVE A PROBLEM WITH OBEDIENCE.)
BUT WE PLACE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES ON OUR OBEDIENCE, IF THIS HAPPENS, OR UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, THEN I WILL OBEY.
WE HAVE ADDRESSED; 1) MARRIAGE, 2) HUSBANDS, 3) WIVES, 4) PARENTS – ALL HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED INDIVIDUALLY AND EACH ONE OF US HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO DO WHAT WAS RIGHT, NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
NOW – CHILDREN IT IS TIME TO OBEY, NOT IF OR WHEN, BUT TO OBEY BECAUSE IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
GOD IS SERIOUS ABOUT CHILDREN OBEYING THEIR PARENTS!
ROMANS 1:28-32 (NLT) “28When they refused to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do things that should never be done.29Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.30They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They are forever inventing new ways of sinning and are disobedient to their parents.31They refuse to understand, break their promises, and are heartless and unforgiving.32They are fully aware of God's death penalty for those who do these things, yet they go right ahead and do them anyway. And, worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.
I TIMOTHY 3:1-13 “1It is a true saying that if someone wants to be an elder, he desires an honorable responsibility.2For an elder must be a man whose life cannot be spoken against. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exhibit self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home and must be able to teach.3He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, peace loving, and not one who loves money.4He must manage his own family well, with children who respect and obey him.5For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God's church?6An elder must not be a new Christian, because he might be proud of being chosen so soon, and the Devil will use that pride to make him fall.7Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not fall into the Devil's trap and be disgraced.
NOW, YOU TELL ME, IS GOD SERIOUS ABOUT OBEDIENCE?
I. (VS 1) CHILDREN, OBEY YOUR PARENTS
A. CHILDREN (TEKNON) CHILDREN LIVING IN A PARENTS OR GUARDIANS HOME – THIS DEALS MAINLY WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE SUPPORTED FINANCIALLY BY THEIR PARENTS
B. OBEY – (HUPO – AKU-OH) HUPO = UNDER, AKU-O = SOUND, ACOUSTICS CHILDREN ARE INSTRUCTED TO BE UNDER, TO SUBMIT TO THEIR PARENTS VOICE - FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS
THIS IS THE SAME WORD (OBEY) THAT IS USED TO DESCRIBE WHAT THE WINDS & WAVES DID WHEN JESUS TOLD THEM TO STOP – THEY OBEYED!
C. IN THE LORD, FOR THIS IS RIGHT – NOT BECAUSE YOU THINK IT IS RIGHT, OR WILL GAIN YOU FAVOR, BUT BECAUSE IT IS RIGHT IN GOD’S EYES. IF IT IS RIGHT IN GOD’S EYES, THEN IT BETTER BE RIGHT IN MY EYES. TOO OFTEN, EVEN AS CHRISTIANS, WE RARELY DO WHAT IS RIGHT, JUST BECAUSE IT IS RIGHT. IT IS TIME TO BEGIN.
PROVERBS 30:17 “The eye that mocks his father, And scorns obedience to his mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it.”
EXODUS 21:17 “Anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.”
ONE MISCONCEPTION FROM CHRISTIAN KIDS – I DON’T HAVE TO OBEY MY PARENTS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT IN A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS!
WHERE IS THAT WRITTEN???
ACTS 5:4 – TALKS ABOUT OBEYING GOD & NOT MAN – WHEN THEY TOLD PETER & JOHN TO STOP PREACHING, IT DOESN’T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT CHILDREN NOT OBEYING THEIR PARENTS.
SO WHERE DO WE DRAW THE LINE ON OBEDIENCE?II. (VS2-3) CHILDREN, HONOR YOUR PARENTS
A. EMPHASIS CHANGES FROM SMALL CHILDREN TO OLDER & ADULT CHILDREN
B. HONOR = PAY RESPECT THRU ACTIONS & WORDS – NOT DOING ANYTHING TO BRING SORROW & PAIN UPON OUR PARENTS
C. FIRST COMMANDMENT WITH A PROMISE – (NOT A SPECIFIC PROMISE, BUT A GENERAL PROMISE – IT IS MORE OF A WARNING THAT IF YOU DON’T HONOR YOUR PARENTS – THEY JUST MIGHT KILL YOU IN YOUR SLEEP – OF COURSE I ONLY JEST.
THINK ABOUT IT – IF YOU DON’T HONOR YOUR PARENTS, IF YOU DON’T OBEY THEM – YOU PROBABLY WILL NOT LIVE VERY LONG – THEY KEEP ASKING IF YOU ARE TRYING TO KILL YOURSELF.
GOD IS CALLING US TO OBEDIENCE TO OUR PARENTS – TO THOSE WHO GAVE US LIFE, FOOD, SHELTER, EDUCATION, A CHANCE FOR GROWTH. WE AT LEAST OWE IT TO OUR PARENTS TO OBEY & HONOR THEM.THIS IS EASY FOR ME, I DIDN’T GROW UP LIKE SOME OF YOU DID OR AS SOME OF YOU ARE RIGHT NOW. BUT GOD DIDN’T GIVE US EXCEPTIONS – HE SAID OBEY & HONOR.
WE TALKED ABOUT YOUNGER KIDS & OLDER KIDS, NOW LET’S LOOK AT THE PARENTS ROLE IN ALL OF THIS.
III. 4 STAGES OF PARENTING
1. DISCIPLINE STAGE (0-5 YRS) THESE EARLY YEARS ARE TO BE USED TO SET THE STAGE FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. THE NEXT STAGE WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE, IF WE AS PARENTS TAKE THE EASY WAY OUT AND WE DO NOT DISCIPLINE OUR CHILDREN WHILE THEY ARE YOUNG.
2. TRAINING STAGE (6-12 YRS) WHAT A WONDERFUL TIME OF QUESTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH AND TRAINING. FILL THEM FULL OF STORIES ABOUT YOUR OWN CHILDHOOD, OF YOUR FAILURES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS. MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND WHO JESUS IS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR THEM. LOVE, WRESTLE, PLAY, TEACH, MOLD AND SHAPE THEM IN THIS STAGE. IT WILL GO BY TOO FAST, SO TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH THEM.
3. COACHING STAGE (13-19 YRS) IF THERE IS NO DISCIPLINE AND NO TRAINING, THEN THERE WILL BE NO COACHING. A BASKETBALL COACH CAN’T COACH HIS PLAYERS UNLESS THEY 1) SHOW UP FOR PRACTICE (DISCIPLINE) AND 2) KNOW WHAT A BASKETBALL IS AND WHAT TO DO WITH IT. REMEMBER EACH STAGE FEEDS OFF THE STAGES BEFORE IT. AS A PARENT YOU CAN NOT BE LAZY OR LET OTHERS RAISE YOUR CHILDREN. IT IS OUR GOD GIVEN PLEASURE TO TRAIN UP OUR CHILDREN IN THE WAY THEY SHOULD GO. TAKE IT SERIOUSLY!
4. FRIENDSHIP STAGE (20+ YRS) ALSO KNOWN AS THE STAGE WHEN PARENTS CAN LAUGH BEHIND THEIR CHILDREN’S BACKS. THEY ARE NOW GOING THROUGH WHAT YOU WENT THROUGH AND ARE JUST BEGINNING TO HAVE AN APPRECIATION FOR YOU AS A PARENT. THIS APPRECIATION SHOULD DEEPEN AS THE YEARS GO BY. ENJOY THIS TIME WITH YOUR CHILDREN. WATCH THEM CLOSELY, BECAUSE THIS IS ALSO AN EVALUATION TIME FOR YOU AS A PARENT. IN THIS STAGE YOUR DISCIPLINE, TRAINING AND COACHING WILL BECOME EVIDENT. WHAT YOU HAVE PUT INTO IT WILL BECOME VIVIDLY CLEAR.PARENTS TEACH YOU KIDS TO OBEY THE SOUND OF YOUR VOICE!
OBEDIENCE = HUPO - AKOU - O
TO SUBMIT TO THE SOUND, OR PLACE YOURSELF UNDER THE SOUND OF YOUR PARENTSPERSONAL =NOTE FROM AUTHOR: AT NO TIME DID I INTEND TO CONVEY THE THOUGHT THAT I KNOW IT ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS IN THE FAMILY. I DO NOT! EACH DAY THAT I LIVE, GOD ALLOWS ME TO LEARN AND GROW. I CONTINUE TO DRAW FROM WHAT MY PARENTS HAVE TAUGHT ME. I REMEMBER FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE, LESSONS THAT I CAN APPLY TO JUST ABOUT EVERY LIFE SITUATION THAT I AM IN. MY PRAYER IS THAT THIS SERIES HAS MINISTERED TO YOU AND TO YOUR FAMILY. TODAY, MORE THAN EVER, WE NEED THE FAMILY. GOD WILL USE THE FAMILY. PLEASE DO NOT BECOME OVERWHELMED BY THE ENORMITY OF OUR RESPONSIBILITIES. GOD NEVER ASKS US TO DO SOMETHING WE ARE UNABLE TO ACCOMPLISH. THEREFORE, GOD HAS ENOUGH CONFIDENCE IN YOU, THAT HE GAVE YOU A BEAUTIFUL OUTLINE OF WHAT THE FAMILY IS AND HOW IT IS TO FUNCTION. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THIS TIME. MAY GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU AS YOU APPLY HIS TRUTHS TO YOUR LIFE, AND TO THE LIFE OF YOUR FAMILY.
