Honoring Our Mothers

“Honoring Our Mothers”
Exodus 20:12

Introduction

  • In our text this morning of the 5th Commandment given by Moses to the children of Israel we see in Exodus 20:12… Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
  • I believe that people today have lost the meaning of the word “honor (honour)” by over studying the meaning and twist it’s meaning to justify their actions of revenge against a person who has abused them.
  • I hope to clear up some muddied beliefs and allow God to open our hearts and minds to place His words of wisdom in our file drawer of knowledge.

 

 

I.  Looking at the Word “Honour”

  A) Meaning of the word

  • To bring “honor” to someone is to show respect, to show reverence to, to consider the honored person as high in worth.
  • I believe that God wants us to see this morning that there is more ways to honor people than what we are being told by pastors and leaders of God’s children.

 

  B) Honoring an abusive parent

  • Are we supposed to honor abusive parents? If so, HOW are we supposed to honor them?
  • God’s Law (or Commandments) does not say that we must reward abusers or evil doers. We see how God has always punished them with the law of “reaping and sowing” mentioned in…
  • Job 4:8…Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity (perversion of the truth), and sow wickedness, reap the same. 9) By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.
  • Galatians 6:7…Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

 

  • We must remember that we are not to judge or bring judgment to wicked or abusive people. It is God’s duty as Paul reminds the Romans in his letter to them of Romans 12:19…Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
  • People who are abusive will suffer the consequences of their own actions. For us to try and get even or seek revenge upon them only makes us look bad as we then sin against God by our actions when He has asked us to let Him take care of the abusers and wicked people.
  • Sad but true, there are many different kinds of abusive parents. They steal from their children, physically beat or verbally abuse them, and they molest them.

 

  • We do not have to tolerate (patiently allow) abuse. We do have a choice.
  • God requires us to forgive others. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ showed us that on the cross in Luke 23:34…Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
  • It does not mean that we have to allow ourselves to be abused by being in their presence.
  • Sometimes you have to get a “divorce (or separate)” from your abusive parents. It does not mean that you are dishonoring them.
  • Separation means that you accept the fact that they are abusive and you cannot change them, so you will let God do that for you.
  • Sometime you have to separate yourself from abusers to be at peace and keep peace.
  • Our heavenly Father is never abusive and always protects His children. God’s desire is for us to be at peace.
  • John 14:27 (KJV) Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

 

 

 

 

II. The Words Mother and Father

  A) Honour thy father and mother

  • As we study our text verse in Exodus 20, we note that we are to honor our “father and mother.”
  • I personally believe that the role “father and mother” means more than just a man and woman who produce “the seeds” to bring forth children.
  • A sperm donor is not considered by God a child’s father. Technically yes, but not biblically.
  • A father and mother, and of course we are focusing on the mothers today, a father and mother are the ones who are raising them up, teaching them, disciplining them, supporting them, loving them, training them and etc. (A sperm donor does not do anything like that.)
  • I believe that God intended for this 5th Commandment to take on the meaning of anyone who raises children as a mother and father does deserves respect and honor.
  • A mother’s role (duty) in the family is to raise God’s children that He has entrusted to her. Did you get that mothers? The children born of your womb do not belong to you. They belong to God and God has allowed you to raise them in the nurture and admiration of Him (Ephesians 6:4).

 

  B) Misunderstanding the role of women

  • What I mean by the word “role” is God’s plan and design for women to follow.
  • America today has reversed God’s plan, God’s roles in a marriage, in church, and in government.
  • May I say this for starters… people today are more focused on receiving acceptance from one another than they are from God. Mothers want to be accepted by their husbands, their children and their employer. They could possibly care less of what God wants.
  • God’s design for women is set up in Genesis “…to be fruitful and multiply,” that is to bear fruit that brings glory to God by having children and raising them to love God.
  • A woman’s role is not to be an authority over men. The world had a problem in the Bible and they have a problem now with it.
  • Paul writes of the problem the church had then in his first letter to Timothy of I Timothy 2:9-13.
  • The problem Timothy faced was that women were trying to take over the leadership roles of men in the church. They were defying God’s order for women and men.
  • I do not by any means want to say the women were completely at fault because the men themselves were obviously weak kneed Christians.
  • Men need to stand up against people who rebel and try to disgrace God and His order. Men today are “weak in the knees” meaning that they find it hard to stand up against those who oppose. They cower, tuck their tail between their legs and run. God needs men who will stand up to strong women and put them back in the order that God has given them and blessed them in. 
  • Now then I want us to notice the rules of God’s order “IN THE CHURCH.” We are not talking about in society or world government, we are talking about in the church which is God’s house, designed for God’s worship in God’s order.
  • Note two verses in I Timothy 2:11…Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. 12) But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
  • This is the KJV version of the bible which to me is very easy to understand in most places and this is one of them. For the sake of the topic in today’s message to SBBC (The church), let us realize God’s order for mothers in the church…Back up into verse 9…In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
  • In other words, the women (or mothers) are to dress in such a way as to not draw attention to themselves which would cause a man to lust taking his eyes off of God and focusing on the women. WHY is it important to dress properly coming to church? So that everyone’s attention will be on God and His services rather than focus on you. Mothers, dress proper.
  • Secondly, we notice that women (mothers) are to have the right attitude and maintain self control.
  • Thirdly, in verse 10, women (mothers) are to have a good testimony “…But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.”
  • Fourthly, we come to their “role” in the church. That is found in verses 11 and 12. The dominant thought in both verses are “in silence.” This means that when we come to worship God in His house, the women are to… a) “learn” in silence. This does not mean women are less equal to men. Men and women bother are equal in God’s eyes to pray, to believe, to have faith, to be spiritual and teach. The role here is for a woman to never have an authority over a man in the church. We are equal in spiritual life, but not equal in our “role (God given position).”
  • When you read the Old Testament you will find that no women had the role of a priest, a king, an ongoing prophetic office (some spoke prophetically only in a certain way or certain time but never continuously), Then in the New Testament we did not see any women in leadership positions of the church and especially any women apostles. They were all God ordained men.
  • Women need to understand that God has blessed them and called them to be mothers!

III.   Mothers Worthy of Honor

  A) Honored Mothers of the Bible

  • I want to briefly show you God honoring mothers of the bible…
  1.  EVE – Genesis 3:20, honored as the mother of all living.
  2. SARAH – Genesis 11, was rewarded a son after 99 years of patience.
  3. HAGAR – Genesis 20, 21, was rewarded a son and they both were rejected by Abraham and Sarah and sent into the desert to die, but God showed His grace to both of them.
  4. NAOMI – Ruth 4, was a mother in law who shared her faith.
  5. HANNAH – I Samuel 1, We can see Hannah a mother who kept her promise to the LORD by giving her son back to God.
  6. MARY – Luke 1:31, a mother who was “blessed…among women”

  B) Mothers worthy of honor

  • Solomon reminds us of what makes a good wife and mother in Proverbs 31:10 – 31…But notice the mothering part of Solomon’s wisdom starting in verse 28 that her children call her “blessed (Happy),” her husband praises her (meaning that she gives him a reason to speak good of her), and then Solomon says in verse 30…but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.”
  • A mother is to train her children…Proverbs 22:6 (KJV) Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
  • A mother is not to be despised (hated) Proverbs 15:20…A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.
  • A mother is to discipline her children as in Proverbs 29:17…Correct thy son, (WHY) and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.
  • A mother should be a woman of “unfeigned faith.” Paul talks of Timothy’s mother in II Timothy 1:5…When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.
  • The word “unfeigned” means to not be pretentious or false. So when Paul talks of Timothy being like his mother and grandmother by not having an “unfeigned faith,” he simply means that their love for Jesus Christ and their acceptance of the gospel is not fake, not pretending, but genuine. Their faith in Christ Jesus and God are supposed to be real.
  • It is important for mothers today to realize the fact that it is vitally important as to how you raise your children. To Love God and be obedient to His Laws and roles that are ordained of God.
  • Mothers are to be honored not abused.
  • Mothers are to be respected not rejected.
  • Mothers are to be loved not abandoned.
  • Mothers are to be reverenced not criticized.
  • HONOR THY MOTHER.