HONORING PARENTS

“Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in deep darkness!" (Prov. 20:20 NKJV).

There is not much respect for parenting today. But God who has ordained parenthood has some strong words to say about those who curse their parents. In the Old Testament a person who cursed his parents violated the fifth commandment (Ex. 20:12) and committed a capital offense. Death was the penalty for cursing and rebelling against parents (Ex. 21:17; Lev. 20:9). Thus we want to note three ways in which the cursing of parents can be prevented. These ways involve the deportment of parents, the disciplining by parents, and the dignifying of parents.

Deportment of parents - Parents need to live decent lives. Living irresponsible and immoral lives can trigger cursing by children. Furthermore, parents who curse and mistreat each other do not set a good example for their children. When these things happen, you can be sure the children will curse the parents.

Disciplining by parents - Parents must not allow their children to be disrespectful to them. When a child is disrespectful and talks back to one parent in front of the other, this calls for discipline. Too often when a child speaks disrespectfully to one parent, the other parent may laugh or say nothing. This only encourages children to curse their parents, which will eventually bring a curse on the children.

Dignifying of parents - Society needs to stop belittling parenthood and start dignifying it. Schools need to respect parents rather than undermine their authority. Our government and social agencies need to start giving more respect to parents. When our government passes laws to exempt the child from answering to his parents, this only promotes the cursing of parents which spells trouble for any society.

(Adapted from Butler Daily Bible Reading)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“A child that is allowed to be disrespectful to his parents will not have true respect for anyone!”

Anonymous

Word Study

Drove out

In 1 Thess. 2:15 we read, “Who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men” (NKJV).

Drove out is the Greek word ekdiōkō (ἐκδιώκω = ek-dee-o'-ko). It is made up of two words: “ek” which means out, and “diōkō” which means to pursue, or to persecute. Thus, the word means to chase out or drive out from a place. It is to banish, to persecute harshly. It is to use tactics that cause the departure of someone from a place. Paul declares that the Jews pursued Christians out of Judea. Those who set themselves against God’s people, set themselves against God, as well as hurt other non-Christians. The worst thing about unbelief is not that it damns the unbeliever, but that it hinders the salvation of others.

Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus

Old Testament Prophecy – Messiah would be anointed by the Spirit (Isa. 11:2)

New Testament Fulfillment – Matt. 3:16-17; Acts 10:38

Did You Know…

In Genesis 22, Isaac carried wood up a hill that was to be used for his sacrificial death. Abraham says that God Himself would provide the sacrificial lamb. In Matthew 27, the Lord Jesus carried wood up a hill for His own sacrificial death. Jesus is the Lamb of God who was sacrificed in our place.

Bible Quiz

According to Romans 15, where did Paul strive to preach the gospel?

**Answer to last week’s trivia: When Scripture describes God as “the Alpha and the Omega” what does that mean? “The Beginning and the End, the First and the Last” (Rev. 22:13)

Everyday Expressions Alluded to in the Bible

“Haven’t got a prayer”

“I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me” (John 14:30 NKJV).

“Haven’t got a prayer” - The expression “haven’t got a prayer” carries the idea of having no hope. When we continue in sin, the Lord will apply the rod of discipline. This may result in God slamming the door shut to our prayers (Psalm 66:18). And when God stops answering our prayers, we are finished.

Did You Know – Christian History

Phillips Brooks was born December 13, 1835 in Boston, MA. He was an American Episcopal clergyman, author and Rector of Boston’s Trinity Church. Brooks is particularly remembered as lyricist of the Christmas hymn, “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”

As a boy, Brooks’ parents had hymn-sings on Sunday evenings; and by the time Phillips went to college, he knew over two hundred hymns. Many of these came up again in his sermons, and Phillips wrote poems and hymns himself.

Brooks graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary in 1859 and was made rector of the Church of the Advent, Philadelphia. In 1860 he was ordained priest, and in 1862 became rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia, where he remained seven years, becoming notable as a preacher, and patriot.

During the American Civil War, he upheld the cause of the North and opposed slavery. His sermon on the death of Abraham Lincoln as well as his sermon at Harvard’s commemoration of the Civil War dead in 1865 attracted attention nationwide. In 1869 he became rector of Trinity Church, Boston. Today, his statue is located on the left exterior of the church.

In 1877 Brooks published a course of lectures upon preaching, which he had delivered at Yale University. In 1879 appeared the Bohlen Lectures on The Influence of Jesus. In 1878 he published his first volume of sermons, and from time to time issued other volumes, including Sermons Preached in English Churches. Within his lifetime, Brooks received honorary degrees from Harvard, Columbia, and the Doctor of Divinity degree from the University of Oxford, England.

Two years before his death, Brooks was chosen bishop of the Episcopal Church in Massachusetts. By then, he had touched many lives by his preaching as well as his personal Christian walk. He was also a great defender of the doctrine of the Trinity (God in three Persons) at a time when Unitarianism was a rising force in New England.

Brooks died on January 23, 1893. A private elementary school in Menlo Park, CA – Phillips Brooks School – is named for Phillips Brooks, as is Brooks School in his hometown of North Andover, MA.

A Little Humor

There were four teenagers who played hooky one morning. Upon coming to class in the afternoon, they reported that their lateness was because their car got a flat tire. That’s fine the teacher said much to the students relief. But there was an oral test this morning which you boys have to make up, so please have a seat and take out a piece of paper. “Now for the first question, which tire was flat?”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“Procrastination never landed one soul in heaven, but it has doomed many to an eternal hell!”