Central CC of Fresno

The Family of God

Exodus 20: 12

May 27, 2012

 Exodus 20:12 (NIV)
"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.”

How were they to honor their parents?

Have you ever done anything to intentionally disrespect your parents?

God is a God of covenantal faithfulness.  Faithfulness begins at home.  This commandment is not addressed to children, but to adults.  God was not looking for a way to be inclusive by addressing children in this commandment.

A dangerous trend:  If we believe the family unit is a by-product of human social evolution, we can evolve beyond it. 

Question:  How does the parent to child relationship weave throughout the Scripture from Genesis to Revelation?

·        Establishment of rules for family life.

·        Historical narratives show how dishonoring parents leads to chaos for the whole nation.

·        Solomon’s wisdom literature exhorts the son to walk in obedience.

·        Jesus expands the roles of family to include all who have become “children of God.”

·        Paul refers to Timothy’s grandmother instilling a sincere faith in him.

·        The home is to be the first school, the first church and the first government.

We learn to submit to God by first submitting to our parents.  We bring honor to our parents by our behavior, by our faithfulness in caring for them.

God’s new covenant people is the church, a new family.  In the church everyone has a father and mother, because we are brothers and sisters to each other.  No one in the church is an orphan.