Show Your Mom (And Dad) Some Respect | Elder Peng Hoe

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You mom some respect, Okay, I want to sound like,

you know, like from the whod kind of thing. But

of course deaths have to be included as well, even

though it's Mother's Day. But I'm going to be talking

about honoring our parents. I think that's something that is

very very important for us to take note. It is

in the Old Testament. Sometimes we feel our Old Testament,

thank commandments, thing of the past, not really applicable in

today's day. Like well, I believe very very very applicable. Okay,

so stay with me. I want to bring us through

a little bit of our exegesis and explanation about how

things were. And we're going to be not just gleaning

from Exodus chapter twenty, but more importantly from the life of.

Jesus as well. Okay, realding me.

Okay, So if we are looking at the life of Jesus,

actually are the first thirty years of his life, we

don't see a whole lot of things in terms of

information in which we can glean from the scriptures. When

it comes to the first thirty years of Jesus' life.

In fact, you think about it, the Gospel of Monk

completely leaves it out. Gospel Mank starts Jesus straight. We're

all actually he's thirty, and he's in ministry. Of course,

in Matthew and Luke and Luke especially we see quite

a fair bit of things written about his earlier years.

But even that no compared to the number of chapters

in the Gospel and the number of verses that are

attributed to Jesus' childhood is not a lot. Of course,

John brings us all the way back in time to

the beginning where Jesus was always there.

That's what he's reminding us. But first thirty.

Years of his living life here on earth, we don't

see a whole lot of things. We see mainly in

the Book of Luke chapter two. There's one line which

Mens mentions something about Jesus when he was eight days old. Okay,

eight days old. Every little Jewish boy have to go

through a ceremony. Okay, in Basa it's called up chatter.

But okay, snip sneap, yeah, okay. Recently I was in

the Sunga Bulow hospital and then I was just staring.

There's this, uh, this counter, and I think it's like

this place is just called I don't know what they

call it, but basically it's something. But Kattan, I think

it's like the place where they do mass circumcisisions. I think,

because many of y'all know, of course, our Muslim brothers

and sisters, not not sisters, our Muslim brothers. Young Muslim

boys have to go through snip sneap, not eight days

old there as, I think it's puberty. I think at twelve,

if I'm not mistaken, Okay, Jewish boys eight days old?

Okay.

So there was one line recorded in Luke, chapter two,

verse twenty one, and then we get another glimpse of

Jesus when he was aged twelve. Okay, you actually see

the account from verse forty, verse forty, verse forty one onwards.

When Jesus was twelve years old. What happened?

He accompanied his parents to Jerusalem for the ann You'll

pass Over the festival, okay, which they of course attended

every year. And after the celebration was over, they started

to head home to where they came from, which is

of course Nazareth. But somehow Jesus decides to stay behind

in Jerusalem. Of course, not to his parents' knowledge, because

they went home, and they did even realize that he

was not with them until I think after one day.

Maybe initially they assumed that he was out hanging with

his friends. Maybe they traveled in a convoy. It was

a walk, I'm quite sure. They walked to wherever they

had to go to from and to Jerusalem, and somehow

he didn't show up the evening when they got home,

and then the Penegla, of course they were like, hey,

where's Jesus. They couldn't find him. They went back to

Jerusalem to search for him. Three days later they finally

discovered him. And where was little Jesus? Okay, little Jesus was?

Of course we read in the scriptures. We read in

the scriptures. He was in the temple, in the synagogue,

seated among teachers of the laws, discussing deep questions of

faith with them. Jesus twelve years oh, some of us

telve years old. We're all still learning how to count

with our hands. But Jesus is discussing deep questions with them.

And of course his mother went up to him and say,

why have you done this to us? Your father and

I have been frantically searching for you everywhere. Of course

Jesus probably went, but actually, why did you need to search?

Didn't you realize that I will be here at the

temple and going about my father's house and my father's business.

Who of course, scripture recorded that they didn't understand what

he meant. You really is that verse fifty He says

that they didn't quite register what he meant when he

said those things. And you know, this was definitely not

the first lot of parents that didn't quite understand what

the children meant. Many of us, as parents can probably

testify that sometimes we don't know what's going on in

our children's mind. Mary and Joseph also probably had to

go to that with Jesus most of their lives. But

you see after that, it just records no, in verse

fifty one, then he returned to Nazareth with them and

was obedient to them, and his mother's thought away all

these things in the hand, she just started in her heart.

You know, sometimes I wonder what is it that Mary's

thought in her heart? Since the verse before they say

that she didn't quite understand what he meant, but she

thought something, And I think, deep down inside what Mary's

thought in her heart is the realization that Jesus knew

who his father was. Uh, and how You're like, why

wouldn't he know who his father is? No, his father

is Joseph. But actually, you know the way he said,

I'm about my father's business, because she never really told him.

I don't think she went about saying that he actually

Jesus I went through immaculate conception Nada.

I'm not sure. Maybe she did.

Maybe she did, Maybe she had this open conversation with

her son. I'm not entirely sure, because again the scripture

doesn't record.

But I doubt it.

And even if she didn't, well, now she's starting to

realize that it.

But he seems to know. If she thought all.

This world that Joseph was his father, he seems to

be in the knowledge of who his real father is.

And maybe that's what Mary has taught in her heart. Okay, again,

we will come back to this scripture in a little

bit more detail. But then the scripture in verse fifty

two just goes on to say this Jesus grew both

tall and wise. He actually says that he grew both

in wisdom and stature, and he was loved by God

and men. Okay, there's some things that we can learn

from how Jesus carried himself and how he conducted himself,

even in just those few verses, which we will go

into it in a little bit of detail. But again,

the portion of scripture that I want to be teaching

from today is honor your father and mother Exodus, chapter twenty,

verse twelve. And then you see, then you will live

a long, full life in the land the Lord your

God is giving you. It's amazing. No, this is a

commandment that comes with a promise, and sometimes we think

that no longer is the promise valid Old Testament. Okay,

we're living in a New Testament, not really valid anymore.

But actually, if you study the scriptures in the New Testament,

Apostle Paul Mix mentioned about this scripture in Efficients and

then he says that this is the commandment that comes

with a promise, which tells me that it is still

something that is valid until today. Okay, I don't need

to explain to your I think most of us are

able to see that family life is changing quite radically

if you just look at it from a sociological and

maybe even an anthropological point of view. Like, just look

at society. Okay, look at society today. Family life is

changing radically. It's changing in size, quite different. I mean,

Elder Terrance mom, I think he just told me continue

to pray for Elder Terrence's parents as well. His dad

is ninety three in the hospital Steen the hospital. I

believe and we pray. You know that the Lord has

got good plans for him. Elder Terrence's mom is from

a family of twelve or thirteen. Uh huh, y'all got

here before twelve thirteen. I actually had thirteen. She's the

she's the last one. I think that they're still around

of all the siblings. But I mean, you talk about

family of thirteen, you'd be like, why in the world

is this. You're talking about hamsters or you're talking about humans.

You know it is true, you know, I actually had

an auntie who had seventeen siblings, sixteen including her was

seventeen from one mother.

Oh, that one is the most I've ever seen.

Or because I see that in common and cuclear or

this one is like every year one from I don't

know when it's either puberty or no. Lie, Okay, I

guess the age of consent or getting married in Malayia

is still somewhere sixteen or seventeen, right, so maybe from

late teens all the way to probably yeah, close to

forty every year, one seventeen kids. No, but it's changing

in size. No, most homes today are only two generations

living in a home. Welth if you look at the

households of the past, it's quite common to have three

generational families, three generations of family living together.

No.

Previous generations actually saw a lot of grandparents influence and

involvement in family life. But today grandparents well not so

much as involved. If it's anything is to dot on

the kids and on the grandchildren, do you know, young

them and spoil them, which is something that I always

tell grandparents.

Don't do that. Please don't spoil your grandkids. Uh.

Sometimes it's our mechanism. I don't know know how I can't.

I can't testify to be a grandparent. Uh not yeared kids. Yeah,

but kid, that's joking. Uh No, not joking. Actually, I'm

quite serious, not yet, Okay, not really with your grandparents,

so you're better not be Yeah, my my my daughters

are here, but you know, grandparents really Yeah, I love

their grandkids. Sometimes it's almost like a mechanism within them.

All the past mistakes that I make my kid. Okay,

I'll make sure that everything that I did uh to

make my kids upset, I won't do it in my

kid's kid.

That's going to upset your kid even more.

Trust me, Uh, I'm serious. Please grandparents, please, grandparents. You

have a very very important role in the family life

as well. You know, some parties even predicted that families

will cease to be one day just because of how

sometimes you look at Uh. Maybe you've got to look

outside Asia. Okay, in Asia, I still, thank god, we've

got some values, uh. Family feelal community values are still there.

I wouldn't say it's completely intact, but it's a lot

more intact than it is in the as compared to

the western UH community and the western UH philosophies that

we see on the other side of the pond. But

you know, if we continue on and we seem to

be trending along with things of the West, one day

families we just ceased to be. That there won't be

a nucleus family family as how the Bible predicted. And really,

I believe Satan is rejoicing because one of his priority

targets is to break down the unit we call the family,

and will you're wondering why why would he want to

break down the family unit, Because when you break down

the family, you need you break down almost every other

social grouping. If you study study sociology, you study how

humans behave, you will always go back to the basic

unied and that basic unied is the family unit. And

that's like a break in the war. Every family is

like one break in a big war. So that's what

the family unit represents. And if you look at how

churches are, really at the core of every church is

actually made up of Christian families.

It is.

Well it should be at least, because it is a

place where we continue to raise our kids and then

they will then become adults and then it continues. The

cycle continues and continues, and so the family is a

unit that makes a strong church, a strong nation, and

strong communities. A lot of problems that we see a

lot of social issues in which we see today and

even like for Priscilla and myself, when we go into

the communities, a lot of problems in the communities are

actually arising out of family units, which are not intact,

and it's caused a lot of strife within the community.

And so if the family breaks up, most other social

groups will suffer. That is the reality of it. I

want us to not I don't want to undermine. I

know some of y'all may find it hard to come

to terms when I talk about family, because maybe for

you it hasn't always been well, it hasn't always been

the most pleasant, it hasn't always been the best experience.

I don't want to undermine your experience and what you

have gone through, but I just want to speak some facts.

First.

The fact is the family unit is the foundation of

every social group, and that's why the commandment is there.

What does this commandment mean? How are we to honor?

How are we to respect our mothers and our fathers? Okay,

our parents? And I think it's important that we go

back to God's word. There's a reason why it's there.

There's the reason why ten commandments. Not stainly, there's one

slotted right in there that tells us to honor our

father and mother. Honor our parents, mother and father. However

you want to look at it, Basically, the word honor

just means respect, respect, okay, and so what are the stages?

How do we honor how do we respect our parents? Again,

I'm speaking to because everyone here as a child. Okay,

you can be five, you can be six, you can

be fifteen, you can be twenty, you can be thirty five,

you can be fifty, you can be seventy five. Everyone

is a child of someone, and that is the honest truth.

And I think we must continue to honor our parents.

What does that mean? Well, there are levels, there are

stages I believe in which we can honor our parents.

That at the first stage I think, Okay, not thinker,

I believe and I know from scripture the first stage

of honoring your parents is actually by submission. Oh, everyone

is like, huh, some mission, which is not a popular word. Okay,

I acknowledge. I'd be the first to acknowledge not a

popular word. Use it with children, using with wives, right,

it's it's like, oh, like bad word like that.

No.

The other word that I can use actually is obedience.

La obey your parents. Edience, don't. It doesn't doesn't prick

our conscience so much. You use the word submission is

like sally like you feel a bit, it feels uneasy

because we naturally don't like authority. We don't like anyone

over us. We want to express ourselves, we want to

be independent, we want to manage our own lives. But

while a child is at home and dependent on parents,

this comminement is a call to the child to be

submissive to the parent. That is the reality of it.

I know sometimes we we can't seem to bring it.

But you know, there's something not very natural about the

term a self willed child. Whatever now is something that's

commonly you self willed child or strong willed child, or

a child who has a will to do anything he

or she wants to do. That's why the commandment is children,

obey your parents in the lot, obey your parents in

the lord. It's the same attitude that we need to

have all throughout our life, but it starts from somewhere.

I know.

Of course, some children will say, my parents don't deserve

my submission because they don't always do things, which is right, okay,

whatever it is, you come under their authority. We can't

choose our parents, which means that if they decided to

bring you into this world, they are responsible for you,

and it is our responsibility therefore to submit to them, okay,

at the very first level. At the very first level,

this is something that we've got to teach our children.

That's why in X kids we continue to tell them

to submit to your parents, submit to mommy and daddy,

because mommy and daddy knows best. That is the reality

of it. But yes, we recognize that the changing circumstances

as we grow up, as you mature, as you age,

there are stages in life that we all go through.

But this attitude of respect and honor continues. It's not

something that should ever cease. In reality, so there will

come a time when dependence slowly becomes independence, right right,

That should be the case. Of course, sometimes it's not

the case for the adult adult kids are but it

should be the case. No, from dependence independence and then

your honor will slowly change from submission to what is

now then respect, mutual respect, and common courtesy. It goes

it actually mature and develop courtesy. Okay, sometimes you're like

courtesy man, how to be courteous with one another? Basically

you are gracious to one another. Basically you're kind to

one another. And so you see, some of the dangers

that we face today is that many young people.

Sometimes they have.

A lot better opportunities in life than their parents had.

That's the reality of it. They enjoy a lot more

things that their parents enjoy. Actually, this is what their

parents sometimes endeavored to do. So I want to work

hard so that my kids don't have to go through

my hardship, don't have to go through what I have

been through. You know, I love this comic strip called

Calvin and Hopps. I don't know how many of your

Calvin Hopes are. I grew up reading it. If you

want to attribute why sometimes I speak in English that

some of you don't understand. I actually learn English from

reading Calvin and Hopes. I think all of us can

learn English reading because it's a different level. But there

was one strip in which the dead the dad was

trying to teach him about either the value of money

or something like that.

Knows.

So the father always try very hard to teach this

kid on the value of money. Don't simply waste money,

don't simply spend money. Uh, you know, money is very

important in your life. And then the kid Calvin, looks

up to his that and say, that's why you should

work harder. Uh, you know, you should work harder. Because

I want to inherit everything. But sometimes that's how we

look at life as children today. You know, we we

we really have it a lot better. I can't imagine

growing up the way my dad grew up. My dad

actually had one goal actually in life is to make

sure that we never had to go through what he

went through, the fact that he never got uh a

complete education.

Uh.

He had this goal and no matter what, all my

kids will go to university. Uh.

That was Yeah.

Sometimes it was a borderline and healthyaler because he had

this single track mind and he's so driven that someless

relationships so he can forget uh, it's just very gold oriented.

But I understood his heart. I understood why is it

that he wanted so much, uh for me to gain

all the knowledge and all the experience uh in the world,

because he felt that that was what was needed, that

was what was lacking in his own life. But you know,

sometimes the more knowledge we have doesn't always mean that

we are wiser.

That is the reality of it.

And children nowadays, really you all do no more than

your parents because we live in the age where uh, yeah,

information seems to be key, or seems to be God,

or seems to be more easily available to the younger generation,

who are definitely more savvy in using some of these

tools that are out there, and of course your parents

a little bit archaic, still going through books from the

nineteen sixties edition. But knowledge doesn't always mean that we

are wiser, and so I pray, I pray that we

will not be confused between being more clever and being wise,

because there's actually two different things. Because this generation, the

younger generation, sometimes if you are not careful, you will

look down at the previous generation. You are undermine your parents.

That is why sometimes it becomes harder to submit to them,

because they seem to know less or they don't seem

to know any better, and that is something that we

have to be careful. I'm not just speaking to our

teens and our campusness. I'm speaking even to myself because

if compare me and my mom, yeah, yeah, she's even

Yeah I still think she's living in the fifties. But

I have I catch myself sometimes, don't undermine what she knows,

because the truth is, she has eaten more salt than

I've ever eaten. The truth is she has gone through

a lot more than I have ever gone through. So

let's not be guilty of looking down on our parents,

because years should bring wisdom.

That is the reality of.

It, and the kind of courtesy and respect that will

follow in this second stage is just a reminder that

your parents have been around a lot more than you have.

That is the reality of it.

You know, I no times I like to watch those

shows where the mother is like, no, I brought you

into this work, I can take you out of it.

You know, Mom's being all cool, all action. But the

truth is, our parents have been around way longer, and

sometimes what we may view as narrow mindedness is actually

an honest desire in their hearts to make sure that

we have a better life. However you want to look

at it, that is the reality because I don't think

that any parent has intentions to harm their own kids.

Of course, yes we do meet some demented ones from

time to time, but I believe all honest parents genuinely

want the best for their children, and so as a parent,

we will definitely try to push our own children further

and further up the ladder than we ever got, and

therefore sometimes we try to force them to avoid the

mistakes that we have made. But remember this, and I

think it's very important for children to remember this. Even

your parents sin, and I want to tell my own

kids I have sin. There are days when I'm not righteous.

There are days when the thoughts in my head it's

not the right thoughts, the feelings in my heart, it's

not the right feelings. But I desire to help you

not to go through what I have gone through.

That is what parents really really strive to do.

And it's because we have done some things that we

shouldn't have done.

We have regretted, we have experienced.

The consequences afterwards, and that's why we hope that our

own children, the generation after us, will learn it better. Okay, No,

I don't want them to learn it easier, because sometimes

learning it easy means they don't learn. But there's a

better way of learning. But long kids nowadays, they they

want to learn it the hard way. They're like, oh,

you go through it. I just want to go to it.

Why No, I mean your parents. There's a very reason

why something they tell you please don't don't because.

I know how much hardship you will go through.

It's not like, okay, maybe if you've got a drill sergeant,

parent know who is in the army or something like

that is like I let them learn it the hard way,

you know, let them go to hell and back.

I don't think any parent wants to do the honors torvi.

Is we know that we have all made mistakes before,

and we hope and we desire to see our children

do much better. And so this involves actually courtesy and

respect after independence is achieved, that you are still willing

to listen and consider their advice, just believing that their

experience of life might have made them a little bit wiser, amen,

or just realizing that sometimes them being anxious about you

is because they want to help you avoid regrets in

life science we always like, I don't know, father and

mother writing junk writing, chung No, always very anxious on everything,

and like you know.

Like scared white, so nervous whites.

So yeah, it's because they are really oneting you to

have no regrets in life. Of course, we know sometimes

that's not altogether possible for us to live a regret

free life. But I think a good parent who definitely

want to help children and the next generation avoid the

pitfalls in which we have encountered in life, I think

that's a normal thing to do. And of course the

third stage is when the roles are actually reversed, not

the tree stages, from submission to courtesy and mutual respect,

and then eventually you realize that honor becomes support. Basically,

the end of the cycle is you will support the

one who once supported you. That is how it is

with our relationship with our parents, and that is the truth.

And as I understand it, to honor your father and

your mother will change with the changing circumstances, but the

basic respect goes through right from the very start all

the way to the very end. It goes through throughout,

and I want you to know Jesus is actually the

most perfect example I know of all three stages. He

is from submission in the early stage, to respect and

courtesy in the middle stage, all the way to support

at the final stage. Jesus actually did show us what

it means to respect our parents, respect our father and

our mother. Because stage number one was during his boyhood.

Remember Jesus was a boy I read just now, when

he was subject to Mary and Joseph. Yes, he was

subject to Mary and Joseph. Jesus didn't just come into

this world and then straight away the only person that

he answered to was God the father.

No, since he was a baby.

No, I don't think the scriptures ever recorded that, because

at twelve already he recorded that he was still with

his parents. So whether or not Mary and Joseph knew

Jesus realized he was the son of God is something that,

like I said, we cannot be too certain about.

We can't be.

However, what we know is that even though Jesus is

the son of God, he still became subject to the

village carpenter and his wife. Makes sense, I think that

conclusion we can come to. I don't know if Mary

and Joseph sometimes made mistakes in bringing Jesus up. I

reckon they did, because nowhere they didn't say that they

were gone and they were humans. But I know Jesus

was subject to them the whole way. That means he

was submitted to them the whole way. Of course, there

came a point when he achieved his independence, and the

Jewish boy actually, do you know what age the Jewish

boy achieves independence is actually twelve years old.

Twelve years old, a.

Jewish boy can undertake full adult responsibility. He actually can

become a partner in his father's business. Basically, he could

have been co carpenter with Joseph at twelve, and Jesus,

of course, at twelve, was taken to Jerusalem achieve his independence. Technically,

he was now an adult, which is actually what he did.

That's why he went about to his father's house to

do what he believed he was old enough to do.

And so the parents shouldn't have treated him as a child,

should have actually treated him as an adult. If you

treat an adult, you probably ask him the question, where

are you going?

I'll tell you where to go?

Right?

Bye right? Lack bye right?

Okay, But we know the scriptures recorded that they became friendic,

and we ready just now. Mom and dad became friendic.

Mary and Joseph became friendic, and like a lot of

other parents, technically they had not learned to let their

boy go yet.

Normal it's a normal thing.

But Jesus quietly reminded them that he was now independent.

That's what he meant by I'm about my father's business.

But you see, the next verse is a remarkable one.

And then he came back to Nazareth and was subject

to them the miss At twelve, Jesus still honored his

parents and still submitted to his parents even though he

was a ready technically of age of majority for the

Jewish culture, an age of understanding, an age where he

can make decisions for himself, an age of adulthood. So

I think it's very, very powerful that even though he

asserted his independence, he still gave his parents respect. And

it is an amazing verse when you read it and

you understand it in the fullness of the Jewish culture

as well. And what is the result of that? And

this is something that I hope every child learns and understand.

The result is he.

Grew both in wisdom and stature. Sometimes I like to

take it literally, like you want to grow up handsome

and strong and smart, please honor your parents' way.

Really, so you're like, oh, I'm still so short and

I want to grow tall and handsome. Maybe honor your parents.

I don't know.

I like to take something else. I like to read

scripture quite literally. But having said that, it is having

a good relationship with people will enable you to grow

in wisdom and stature. And he was in favor of

both God and man. You want to learn how to

relate better with God and relate better with men.

Learn from Jesus, honor your father and your mother. Amen.

And then we move on to the third stage. When

Jesus was dying on the cross, do you remember that

he's only thirty three When he looks down from the

cross and he sees a mother who's going to lose

a son, Joseph is now most likely did I think

most commentators who agreed that Joseph it's not around, I

don't think he divorced his wife and walked out of her,

Because again, what Jesus did probably told us that Joseph

is no longer around. If not, he wouldn't Jesus wouldn't

be so worried. Right, who did he actually ask to

take care of his mother? He didn't ask his father

to do it. It would have been his father's rightful responsibility

to do it. But that's why we can come to

the assumption that Joseph is most likely not around. He

desided die marry is most likely a widow. And then

this person hanging on the cross in agony, he could

have been so totally preoccupied with the fact that there

were things nailing him to a cross, But yet what

was his care and concern for he was actually making

provision for his mother, and he was making arrangement for

his beloved disciple to go and take care of her

after that. This is Jesus, and he says, please go

and live with John. So if ever anybody honored his mother,

really it was Jesus. As in everything else, he was

our perfect example, and we are called to follow him

and to let him live life in us.

That's what we can learn from all this.

Of course, I'm not saying that we have to come

to a place where we revere Mary to.

A divine status.

I won't go as far as to say that, but

I will tell you that as someone who has studied

the scripture, Mary is someone who the scriptures honored, and

she did a lot of things so rightly that I

think we can learn from her. Obedience was amazing, her

faith was amazing, That a lot of things that we

can learn from. Just whyever, you stop shot off giving

a divine status, because I don't think that's what.

We are called to do.

Amen, But I want us to know that Jesus as

a son did all of that. And of course, you

know we always say there are two sides. There are

two sides to honoring, because to honor, you must also

be honorable. And when these two sides coincide, yes, we

will see mutual acceptance. We will see mutual appreciation between

parents and children. And I will agree that mothers and

fathers have their part to fulfill.

That means even moms and dads.

Yes, it is also our responsibility to be honorable, even

though the scriptures don't say it, but the fact that

you read it across you can make the similar assumption.

But I do want us all to notice that there

are no ifs attached to this commandment. It doesn't say

honor your father and mother, eve they are going parents.

Or it doesn't say honor your father and mother, eve

they are honorable. It doesn't say that. It is saying

honor them whatever they are like. Basically, there are no conditions,

no qualifications. Why do you think is there a good

reason why there are no conditions attached? Because a actually

should have some conditions, because some of us have your parents,

who may be that center how we look at it

all that center a bit. But the scripture just says this,

honor them, whatever they are like, no conditions, no qualifications.

You see, a Jewish child actually learns the ten commandments

using their fingers, and so no other gods, no graven images,

honor his name, keep the Sabbath, and then honor your

father and mother. Wow all on one hand. Now, of course,

the other hand, do not murder, do not commit adultree,

do not still, do not lie, do not go after

your neighbor's wife. Covered on the other hand. But you

notice where on your father and mother comes. It comes

on this side, and some people think, actually, should they

be here? Should they be our relationship with one another,

because all this is actually respecting one another. Respect other

people's life. That's why you don't kill them. Respect other

people's wives, that's why you don't go after their wives.

Respect other people's property, that's why you don't go and

take other people's things. Respect other people's integrity, that's why

you don't want to lie to them. Respect other people

in general, so that you don't go and take things

that don't belong to you. All it's in one site,

and some people, ever, sometimes they one day shouldn't respect

your father and mother be here, But strangely it's here,

and here everything got to do with if God actually,

no other god, no graver imajors, honor his name, keep

the Sabbath, and so if you realize which half it

comes on, then you probably ask yourself, actually, why why

is it on this sign and not this sign? And

I believe honoring your parents is actually a vital ingredient

of your relationship to God.

It is extremely vital.

You should learn and attitude of dependence, love, trust, and

obedience in your relationship to your parents.

First. Those who have respected.

Their parents will find it much easier to respect God.

I kid you not you see Rose and I.

When we do pre marriage counseling, we always tell couples,

especially when preparing them for parenthood, and we tell them

that you have to each and instruct your children, because

when you do that, you are essentially introducing to them

what authority is. How do you think children are going

to submit to authority whom they can see?

But they don't.

They choose not to, And then we as parents are

trying our best to raise them to submit to an

authority in which is not seen and not tangible. It

starts with us as parents. And so that's why we

continue to teach our children that. We always tell them

that if me, as your parent in your life, cannot

speak into your life how is the unseen God going

to ever speak into your life? And so children, children,

And I'm not talking just to the campus students, and

the thing.

No is to all of us, because we are all children.

Always, Always honor your parents, whatever they are like, because

you are doing yourself a favor if you do, really,

you're learning the attitude which will give you the most

blessing under God. When we honor our parents in order

that we may learn to respect God, then eventually honor

Him and allow God to be Lord in our lives.

It starts somewhere. Sometimes it's hard.

I know, Like I said, I won't stand here and

pretend that everyone has got the best relationship with their parents.

And I say it because I know it's not always

that I'm everybody's number one.

Then I don't think my kids will be like, ah,

that's awesome. I've made my mistakes fair share of it.

But as far as the rules of father and mother

are concerned, together they can give the child a picture

of what justice and mercy is combined.

Do you realize that that's.

Going to teach the child something about God's personality? Very

very important for us to understand that. That's why sometimes

as parents. We always have this good cup bad cup.

How do we work this one out? The good cup

is the one that always very merciful and kind. Okay,

you can do whatever you want. Then the bad cup

is the one that's always enforcing justice.

What is right?

Do you realize that justice and mercy is God's trade?

It is because there was only ever one instance when

justice and mercy merche. And I want to teach you

all this, and I pray you all see it and

you'll understanding when justice and mercy merch was when an

innocent person is prepared to suffer justice on behalf of

the guilty. Okay, don't don't lose me. I will try

to explain it. You see, only when an innocent person

is prepared to suffer justice on behalf of the guilty,

then sin can be punished and pardon at the same time.

Do you see that happening?

That is why the cross is absolutely necessary in our lives. Science,

we wonder did Jesus really need to go to the cross?

I tell you why he needed to go to the cross,

because at the cross we see God's perfect justice. Basically,

justice is the death penalty had to be executed. Someone

had to pay the price. But we also see God's

perfect mercy meeted out basically that the guilty can go

free because the innocent one has paid the price. You see,

if God actually forgave us without the cross, then he

would be very merciful, but not just at all. And

we know that we worship a God who is just,

which means that you do what is right, you get

a reward.

You do what is wrong, you get punishment. We don't

like that.

We don't like reward and punishment system. But can I

tell you something, It's biblical and we actually teach your

children this, whether you like it or not. That's why

an X kids got reward system one and then got

punishment system. You're like, oh, I cannot cannot punish my kid.

Give you a hand.

It cannot.

It goes hand in hand because God is just. So

if God forgive us without the cross, then he would

be merciful but not just.

If He refused to.

Forgive sein and punish us all, then he will be

just but not merciful. And so God says this, even

if you give me your eldest son, I will not

be satisfied. But what will satisfy him is dead. He

God gives his only son. That's in Micah chapter six,

verse seven. If you ever have read Michael, you'll read

it from a different point of view. Because some people ask, no,

why should the sacrifice of the life of Jesus be

more acceptable than all the animals of the past in

the Old Testament that was slotted before.

Well, it is because.

It was the first sacrifice that had lived in the

way of Micah chapter six, verse eight. Michael chapter six,

verse eight is a scripture that we love to remember

and reside. Basically, Jesus was the only person who ever

did it justly. He loved mercy, and he walked humbly

with God. Was there anyone else or any other animal

that ever did all things justly, leved mercy and walked

humbly with God? The answer is no, except Jesus. And

so Jesus offered God the Father what was wanted. That

was why all the things in the past count for nothing.

But when God the Father accepted that sacrifice of his

own son, Jesus, now he can forgive sin. That is

how this is all resolved. Do you see that justice

and mercy? You see as followers of Christ? Can we

therefore go on acting unjustly, being unmerciful and proud.

The answer is, we shouldn't. We shouldn't.

Do you know that Jesus does not want to become

our substitute only in his death, because sometimes that's all

we think, Oh Jesus, thank you so much. You took

my place. It should be me on the cross. In

his death, he's our substitute. He actually wants to be

our substitute even in our life.

What does that mean, Well, Jesus.

Not only wants to die in my place, he wants

to live in my place. He wants to live in us.

It is when I allow Christ to live in me,

in my life instead of me, then you will see

yourself doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly. And every

cretill parent needs to know this so that we can

teach and instruct our child, our children in the same way.

It's not easy, I know. That's why we are always

going to be dependent on God the Father. That's why

we need to know who God the Father is. But

the reminder today again is this, children, which is all

of us. Honor your father and your mother, Honor them,

respect them, because when you do that, you command a blessing.

Respecting parents can lead us to respect God. It starts somewhere,

even if it doesn't make sense, And I can tell

you why for me it didn't make sense for many years.

I'm going to look at the time. Okay, I'm good

for time. So my parents weren't believers.

I was the first, well technically the second after my

sister and the family to know who God is, and

so there was nothing in which my parents could teach

me about the ways of the Lord. But I remember

that scripture. Whatever it is, honor your father and your mother.

I mean, were there times when I'm like, ah, man,

so hard embracing this newfound faith in a household that

doesn't agree with it.

I went through.

Actually, I fought a lot with my dad because of

my faith.

He didn't understand.

Uh, you just couldn't understand why I would follow Jesus

so wholeheartedly. He's like, can't you just half heartily follow Jesus.

You'll be okay, it's okay, just do a bare minimum

also enough ready, But he didn't fully understand. But I

needed so badly to find that balance because in my

conscience I know that I have to put God first.

But yet at the same time, I had to respect

my parents, both father and mother. There were so many

things that they asked me to do back then, which

was again gainst the teaching of the scriptures. That was

so I mean, it was so easy for me to like,

you know nothing, and I'm not going to follow what

you tell me to do because all you're telling me

to do is actually essentially wrong, and I know it's wrong.

But yet my prayer was always God, I want to

honor my parents, and it's because they know not better.

Then let my life be the life that will enlighten them.

And really it is not the fact that they they

read a lot of the scriptures that they came to

the Lord. It's actually a lot of prayer because twenty

years I prayed, and I pray and I prayed God,

I pray that my own parents will when they come

to the knowledge your knowledge and respond to you, not

even respond to me, respond to you. And when it

eventually happened, you realize that it's nothing to do with me,

nothing to do with me. In that sense, I didn't

have an active role to play. All I needed to

do was do what the Bible told me to do.

Honor your parents respect them.

Amen.

And so when we learn this kind of honoring relationship

in a home, we then apply that same understanding of love, trust,

and respect to our heavenly Father, True Jesus Christ. Because

I realized it wasn't easy honoring those who weren't always

for me. But isn't that how sometimes we feel God

is towards us? God, why not for me or answer

my prayers? What does that mean that we don't honor him? No,

it's still honor God. Regardless of whether the going gets

tough or whether the tough gets going, you honor God.

And I actually learned that when I continue and I

chose to make the conscious decision and choice to respect

my parents, and so on the flip side, is this

deserting God leads to the dishonoring of parents. So I

pray that we don't desert God, we don't throw God

out of our family lives, because why is family life

breaking up? Why are there so many young people in

trouble today? Why is there almost that natural expectation of

the attitude of rebellion in our communities Is because a

lot of us have left God out for too many generations,

and we are now many generations away from God. Christian parents,

I urge you, I implore you. You all have a

role to play. And no, I'm not saying that you

are perfect. I'm not saying that you have got it

all figured out. I'm not saying that you know. You

need to go and therefore do a degree in the Bible,

and then only you are able to teach your children.

Know.

You just need to know God, because if you lose God,

you lose goodness. If you lose God, you lose all

those standards. And if you don't have those standards, there's

nothing in which you can pass on. What do we

pass on to our children? We pass on God and

his standards, and so parents, we can only pass on

goodness when we know God for ourselves. And that is

a responsibility that we all need to take up as believers.

It is not okay, faster, you preach harder. Now, maybe

you preach to me every other day, you teach me. Oh,

there's so much I can do. It is going to

be your initiative to walk closer with God as well,

because ultimately this is still a commandment with a promise.

In the Old Testament, it says you will live a

long good life in the land. And Paul actually points

out the efficients that this command is the first that

comes with the promise. And I believe there is not

even an ounce of doubt in my life that every

family that honors their parents will be blessed. I believe

it with all my heart because this is what the

Scripture says, and this is what the Scripture tells me,

and this is what I see and I witness with

my own eyes. And again, I know for some of us,

it's harder.

For some of us.

We may not have had the best example. May we

may not have had exemplary parents, We may not have

biblical parents like we hope to following God's teachings, But

that doesn't mean that we are not to honor them.

And I believe when we honor them, you will see

them draw closer to God as well.

Amen.

We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more

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this week is going to be a good week, a

hit for you. God bless