Honoring mothers

 

1)      Last month (April 26^th) there was a woman’s softball game.

a)      Central Washington and Western Oregon were playing against each other.

b)      The winner of this game had a lot to gain:  the NCAA’s Division 2 playoffs.

 

2)      In the second inning of this game Sara Tucholsky stepped up to the plate to bat.

3)      The score was tied 0 – 0 and there were two runners on base.

a)      Sara had never hit a home run in her life.  The first ball was a strike.

b)      Then she connected with the ball and hit it over the center field fence.

c)      She was so excited she missed first base.  She tried to return to that base, but she got hurt.

d)     Sara had a knee injury and could not run.

 

4)      Her first base coach did not touch her because that would have caused her to be out.

5)      Some people talked and decided to substitute a pinch runner at first base.

6)      That decision would not give Sara her home run, but it would allow a runner to be on the base.

7)      As this decision was being finalized a player from the other team asked if she could touch Sara.

8)      In fact, there were two people from the opposite team who wanted to touch Sara.

9)      Two women from the opposing side picked up Sara and carried her around the bases.

10)  Sara touched the bases one by one and this included the home plate.

a)      After making it around the field Sara was passed off to her teammates.

b)      Strangers helped and even “honored” a woman who hit her first home run.

 

11)  Today is a day when we think about words like “honor” and “help.”

12)  Our country has set aside this day to honor mothers.

a)      Today we want to pay special attention to the word “honor.”

 

13)  For our scripture reading we heard Ex. 20:1-17.

a)      This is one of the places where the Ten Commandments are recorded.

b)      In the New Testament we are told the Ten Commandments have been taken out of the way.

c)      Jesus is the “end of the Old Testament law” -  Rom. 10:4.

d)     We do not follow the Old Testament law and that includes the Ten Commandments.

e)      Paul did say we can “learn” from the Old Testament (Rom. 15:4).

 

14)  One of the things we learn is that women—especially mothers—deserve honor.

15)  God was explicit about this point in Ex. 20:12 – honor mother and father.

a)      God was not kidding when He put these words into the law.

b)      If you turned to Ex. 20, let’s look at the next chapter.

c)      Ex. 21:16 refers to “kidnappers” and says those who did this had God’s condemnation.

d)     God said kidnappers were so evil they were to be killed.

e)      Along with kidnappers we read about disrespecting mothers.

f)       This information is the previous verse – Ex. 21:15 – READ

 

16)  We live in a time when parents are often not respected.

a)      Children may talk back to their mothers.

b)      Mothers may say something and children do not listen because they do not care.

c)      Mom and dad are sometimes treated as if they have no authority.

d)     Children may steal from their parents – this is an awful form of disrespect.

 

17)  I did not grow up in a Christian home, but I knew stealing was wrong.

18)  One day I got old enough to know some children stole from their parents.

a)      Dad would leave his billfold out somewhere in the house and kids would take money from it.

b)      Moms would have their purses in the closet and their children would take money from it.

c)      Maybe I was just a little naive, but coming to that realization shocked me.

 

19)  As bad as this type of thing is, Ex. 21:15 describes something worse:  hitting a parent.

a)      Striking a parent was so wicked God said it justified death.

b)      Last Wednesday night I encouraged members from here to see the movie “Expelled.”

c)      This movie shows how hostile our society has become to Christians and Christianity.

d)     If you have not seen this movie, I encourage you to do that one night this week.

e)      If you see the movie, you will see a scene where a man talks about God.

f)       God is described in some terrible ways, one of which is this:

 

20)  A misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.

 

21)  The so-called elite in our world think they have everything all figured out.

22)  What many evil people have tried to accomplish is destroy much of what is good.

23)  God said a mother is special she should never be struck by a child.  Such is also true for dad.

24)  God elevates and honors women.  Our world hates that fact.

25)  Our world has told women for at least 50 years they are second class citizens.

26)  Wives and mothers have a life that really doesn’t matter all that much.  That is a sinful message.

27)  The Bible has never indicated that type of thing.

28)  When we look at women we find that they are special.

a)      Someone might say, “Well, verse 15 deals with hitting a parent and we all believe that is wrong.”

b)      Things might be a little different if God had worded the point differently.

c)      If only the Bible spoke about cursing parents – then we would see that women are special.

 

29)  Perhaps God anticipated this very type of request – let’s look at verse 17 in Ex. 21 – READ

a)      How are important are women?

b)      God said that if a child cursed his parents under the Old Testament law, he was to die.

c)      Under the New Testament women are exalted.  Under the Old Testament women were important.

d)     The Hebrew people, just like in people in today’s society, began to twist some things.

e)      A time came when women were regarded just as property.  God’s law was not followed.

f)       In fact, God’s law was very clear on the value of moms and ladies in general.

 

30)  Lev. 19:3 says children were to “respect” his “mother” and “father.”

a)      In Ex. 21 we see things negatively—children were told what “not” to do.

b)      In Lev. 19:3, the command is positive.  Respect was to be shown to mom and dad.

 

31)  In our culture children are often encouraged to not respect mom and dad.

a)      Mom and dad are treated as people who do not always know what is best.

b)      In fact, mom and dad may be ultimately as seen as ignorant.           

32)  In the movie “Expelled” professors and others talk about religion being “superstition.”

33)  Children grow up, go to college, and hear from well educated men that their parents are ignorant.

34)  Mom and dad believe in a God who is a fairy tale that is in the same category as Alice in Wonderland.

a)      What mom and dad taught them about Noah was as real as the Easter Bunny.

b)      The respect a child had for mom and dad begins to decline because of heathen professors.

c)      A high percentage of universities strip many good qualities from children, including parental respect.

 

35)  Parents need to know the type of environment their children will face in the school system.

36)  The type of indoctrination I am describing is not reserved for college – it begins in the early grades.

37)  Children need to know that the faith they have is going to be savagely attacked.

38)  What they are taught about God, respecting and honoring mom and dad, is right.

39)  It is right to honor and respect mothers in the younger years.

a)      It is even better to respect wives and mothers later in life.

b)      After a couple has been married for a few years, a wife has probably done several good things.

c)      Think about the record she has established after 20 years of marriage, 30 years of marriage, 50 years.

d)     In Lev. 19:32 God told His people “rise up before the hoary head.”

e)      This meant “stand up in the presence of the elderly.”  Show respect for the aged.

f)       We can learn a principle from these verses about mothers.

g)      After several years a wife and mother has done many, many good things.

h)      It is right and we can even say God’s will for that woman to be shown respect, honor and love.

i)        Recognize the contributions she has made to her family in the home she has helped establish.

 

40)  In 1 Kgs. 1:11 we are told that Solomon’s mother was Bathsheba.

a)      A time came when Solomon was king.

b)      Remember who Solomon was – a man of extreme wisdom.

c)      He what was right and he did some things that a very bright guy would do.

d)     One of the things he did is found in 1 Kgs. 2.

 

41)  A time came someone came to Bathsheba with a request – he wanted a favor.

42)  This man was Solomon’s brother and he wanted to marry a woman.

43)  Bathsheba went to her son Solomon to discuss the matter.

a)      Notice what Solomon did when mom came to see him – 1 Kgs. 2:19 -  READ

44)  As the following verses show Solomon was not too enthused about mom’s request.

45)  What we want from this passage is how he treated his mom.     

a)      When we think of honoring mom, we may be inclined to do it in the younger years.

b)      In the Exodus references those passages most likely had significance when children were still home.

c)      It is true that when children are growing up they need to respect and honor mom.

 

46)  In the later years it is still right to honor one’s parents as Solomon did in 1 Kgs. 2.

47)  Mom and dad can often give their children just what they need and thus deserve honor.

a)      Prov. 1:8 says children are to “listen to the instruction of their father.”

b)      Then the author also said “forsake not the law of your mother.”

c)      Think of the number of children who have not listened to their mother’s instructions.

 

48)  Mothers have begged and pleaded with their children to do what is right and make good choices.

49)  Scores of children (often because of the world’s influence) have gone a different way.

50)  The end result is sadness for everyone involved.

51)  Few mothers want the worst for their children – most moms want the best for their children.

52)  That is why they work, train, and love their children to go in the right way.

53)  If our mother has tried to help send us in the right direction, that is the way we need to go.

54)  Such a choice honors her and will almost always help us in this life as well as in eternity.

55)  Prov. 30:11 says there is a generation that “curses their father” and “does not bless their mother.”

a)      This Proverb seems to be pretty much on target for the current day and time.

b)      Our world may choose to live in this way, but Christians select a different course.

c)      We hope this is the course you will pick – the choice that is now called Christianity.

 

56)  A person becomes a Christian by believing in Jesus Christ as the savior of the world.

57)  God also requires repentance (a turning from sin, Lk. 13:3).

58)  Then a person can confess Jesus as the son and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins.