The Right Structure

Written by Ed Allen
Saturday, 05 November 2005 19:00

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

Sermon Outline

Exodus 20:12

 ¹² "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

How do we honor our parents?

In early childhood, honoring means enforced obedience.

• This is not a negotiation.
• "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." Ephesians 6:1
• Enforced obedience produces respect so that willful obedience can be offered. This is the only way to learn emotional discipline.

In youth, honoring means willful obedience.

• "Honor your father and mother - which is the first commandment with a promise - that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy a long life." Ephesians 6:2-3

In adulthood, honoring means mutual respect and obedience.

• "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." Ephesians 5:21

For parents only: some additional thoughts

"Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old they will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6

• This involves instruction (Dt. 6:4-9)
• This involves correction and rebuke (must be out of love, not anger).

All faiths affirm the truths of the 10 commandments.

There is no age limit to the commandments.

These are commandments, not suggestions.