Yesterday’s message in The Ten Commandments for Today series was on the fifth commandment. The message was called Honor Your Father and Mother, taken from Exodus 20:12.

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

Here is the outline of the message:

I. Obligations of the fifth commandment (Exodus 20:12)

      A. Children should honor their parents.
            1) Respect their position (Leviticus 19:3)
            2) Love and value their person (Proverbs 23:26, 31:28)
            3) Submit to their authority (Luke 2:51-52; Ephesians 6:1)
            4) Accept their discipline and instruction (Proverbs 1:8-9)

      B. Parents should help their children obey this command.
            1) Instruct them in God’s ways (Deuteronomy 6:7)
            2) Discipline them (Proverbs 22:6,15, 29:15,17)
            3) Provide for their needs (2 Corinthians 12:14)
            4) Do not exasperate them (Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21)

      C. Reasons why you should honor your parents:
            1) It is right (Ephesians 6:1; Proverbs 23:22)
            2) It pleases God (Colossians 3:20)
            3) It teaches you respect for authority (Romans 13:1-2)
            4) It places you under God’s protection (Proverbs 6:20-23)
            5) It brings peace and joy to your parents (Proverbs 27:11)
            6) It helps you grow in wisdom (Proverbs 4:1-4)

II. Violations of the fifth commandment (Deuteronomy 27:16)

      A. Ways of dishonoring your parents
            1) disobeying them (Deuteronomy 21:18-21)
            2) cursing them (Exodus 21:17)
            3) striking them (Exodus 21:15)
            4) stealing from them (Proverbs 19:26, 28:24)
            5) neglecting themin their old age (Matthew 15:3-6)

      B. Consequences for the home
            1) For the parents – joy or grief (Proverbs 10:1, 15:20)
            2) For the children – life or death (Proverbs 4:4, 30:17)
            3) For the household – harmony or strife (Proverbs 17:1)

III. Promises attached to the fifth commandment

      A. Live long (Exodus 20:12)
      B. Live well (Deuteronomy 5:16; Ephesians 6:2-3)

Note: To read the complete message, go to the Sermons tab at the top of the blog.