Adrian Rogers was a motivator, an encourager, and a leader of the faith. He was also passionate about presenting scriptural application to everyday life circumstances, and you'll hear that in today's message.
Now let's join Adrian Rogers. We're talking about parents. and honoring parents, especially mothers. The Bible says honor thy father and thy mother.
So when we have Mother's Day, we're obeying the scripture, honor. Thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God. Giveth thee.
Somebody said that parenthood is hereditary. If your parents didn't have children, chances are you won't either. We're grateful for parents. And we want to honor parents. I certainly want to honor my parents, my dear parents who are both in heaven.
This is the fifth commandment. And God gives the Ten Commandments, and He puts the Ten Commandments into two categories. The first four commandments deal with our relationship to God. We call those the vertical commandments. Then the last six deal with our relationship to one another.
And it is interesting. That God starts the last of these six with our relationship to our parents, but we can understand that. Because the faith that doesn't begin at home, it really doesn't begin. If you can live for Jesus at home, you can live for Jesus anywhere. Amen?
And friend, if you can't live for Jesus at home, it really doesn't matter where you try to live for the Lord Jesus. The faith that doesn't begin at home, it just simply doesn't begin. And so our Lord tells us that we're to honor our father and our mother. They're the first people we meet. And so we're to learn to honor them if we can't honor our father and our mother.
How can we honor strangers? And later on, he's going to tell us such things as: don't steal, don't kill, don't commit adultery. But before he tells us those things, he tells us to honor Father and mother. And so I am concerned that in America, We see the thing of a Christian home, a God-centered home, and nuclear family as an institution quickly receding. Over the horizon.
It's a man named Edward Gibbon. who wrote a book called The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire. And he listed five reasons. that ancient Rome fell. I'm going to read those to you.
And it might just cause a chill to go up your spine. Number one. the undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home. Number two. Increasing taxes and spending of public money for bread and circuses.
Number three. The mad craze for pleasure with sports becoming more exciting and more brutal.
Next, the building of gigantic armaments. When the real enemy is the decadence of other people. And last of all, The decay of religion. With faith fading into mere For long. Isn't that something?
The rise and the fall of the Roman Empire. Maybe someday.
Some historian will write the rise and the fall of the American Empire.
Well, God commands us to honor mothers, and I want to talk to you today about how you can be the child of a very happy mother.
Now, I'm going to be talking about both parents, but primarily the emphasis here is on mother. Number one, if you want to have a very happy mother and very happy father, you should obey them. when you are young.
Now, the Bible teaches us to obey our parents. Colossians chapter 3, verse 20. Listen to this scripture. Children obey. Obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing.
unto the Lord.
Now we live in a day where everything around Our home is run by switches except the children. Children Obey your parents. If you go out west, you'll find what we call the continental divide. That's the great mountain range that reaches the highest peak. for the most part in the Rockies.
and a drop of rain will fall. on that continental divide. and it will begin to trickle. either to the west or to the east. And theoretically, that drop of rain with other drops of rain will end up in the Atlantic Ocean or the Pacific Ocean.
There's a continental divide.
Now, there is a continental divide in human nature. And that depends on how a child is going to turn out. That continental divide, in my estimation, is their respect and obedience. to parents. I would not want one of my children To ever marry a boy or a girl who did not respect his or her parents.
Dwight Moody was the bit of gram of his day, and Dwight Moody said this: I've lived over 60 years, and I have learned one thing if I've learned nothing else. No man or woman who dishonors father or mother. Ever prospers.
Now if you are a child, a young child, I want you to be very much aware of the grave sin of disobedience. It's not a weakness. It is and horrible Wickedness. As a matter of fact, it's a crime. worthy of death if we lived in a theocracy.
Romans 1. Verses 28 and following, listen to this. God speaks of a society on its last legs. And God says this, and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind. Would you like to hear the description of a reprobate mind?
Okay, listen. To do those things which are not convenient, being filled with all unrighteousness.
Now listen to this list. Fornication. Wickedness. Covetousness. Maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate.
The seat malignity, whisperers, Backbiters. Haters of God. Despiteful. Proud. boasters, inventors of evil things, and here it comes.
disobedient to parents. without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable. Unmerciful, who, knowing the judgment of God, that they which do such things, listen to this. are worthy of death not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Now what does that mean they have pleasure in them that do them?
Well, they get their jollies. From watching people do these things. As a matter of fact, that's What I just read to you is probably the sum total of most modern American entertainment. Turn on the television anytime, and you'll see a litany of all of these things. That's what we have pleasure in.
Now, God lists. Godless disobedience to parents with fornication and idolatry and sexual perversion. God says that a person who's disobedient to his parents Spiritually is worthy of death. Do you know what God says a sign of last days is? One of the signs of the last days is this, children who are disobedient to their parents.
Put this scripture down. 2 Timothy 3, verses 1 through 5. This know also. that in the last days Perilous times shall come.
Now The gospel was never meant. to save civilization from wreckage. The gospel was meant to save men from the wreckage of civilization.
So don't get the idea that the gospel has failed because perilous times are here. As a matter of fact, the perilous times that we're living in are proof positive that the Bible is the Word of God, for the Bible prophesied it. In the last days, perilous times shall come, for men shall be lovers of their own selves. Covetous? Boasters?
Proud. Blasphemers, now here it comes again, listen to it. disobedient to parents. unthankful, unholy, without natural affection. That literally means, without family love, that's what that literally means.
Truce breakers. False accusers, incontinent, fierce. Despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof. If you Claim to be a Christian. And you're disobedient to your parents, all you've got is a form of godliness.
You don't have a real thing. You don't have a real thing. Friend, that's black print on white paper. As a matter of fact, are to be disobedient to your parents. is to invite the sure judgment of God.
But contrarywise, to obey your parents. is to invite the blessing of God. Listen to the scripture. Ephesians chapter 6. Verses 1 through 3, children?
Obey your parents in the Lord, for this. is right. Honor thy father and thy mother.
Now here in the Ten Commandments we're told to honor our father and mother. Here in the book of Ephesians, we're told how to do it. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor thy father and thy mother, which is the first commandment with promise. God gave the Ten Commandments, but with this one He gave a promise, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long on the earth.
Now, you want to live long? You want to Prosper. Then learn to honor your father and your mother. You'll learn character when you do that. You'll learn self-control when you obey your parents.
You will receive God's blessing. You will receive God's protection.
Well, Pastor. What if my parents command me to do something that is wrong? Should I obey them?
Well, no. Ephesians chapter 6, verse 1 says, Children, obey your parents in the Lord. No child should ever Willingly, disobey a correct command of Almighty God. There is a higher principle that we must obey God rather than men. But a child should be extremely careful that he or she obey parents except when a command from a parent would come in direct conflict with Almighty God.
Of course, a small child is not able to discern between the difference, a very small child. And then God holds the parent responsible, not the child, if the parent commands the child to do something that is wrong. But I want to tell you something. That disobedience is a grave, grave sin in the sight of Almighty God. And if you are a child here today living at home, I want to tell you as solemnly as I can tell you, you will be wise to obey your parents.
As a matter of fact, perhaps there ought to be a sign put in your bedroom that says, warning, disobedience to your parents could be dangerous to your health. You are to obey your parents.
Now, that may be old-fashioned, but the Bible says, children, obey your parents. That's one way to honor them. Number two. You should care for your parents. when they are old.
Now, the Bible teaches this. As a matter of fact, in heathen cultures, heathen cultures. Uh people sometimes fail to care. For their older parents. They leave them out to die, and yet we as a society are becoming more and more hardened and more and more.
heathen and we're becoming hard-hearted toward our older parents.
Now our parents loved us. In spite of our faults, I know my parents love me in spite of my faults. And I have to love my parents if they have faults. If I have to carry my parents, they carried me. If I have to feed them, they fed me.
Did you know what the Bible teaches? This may shock you, and especially shock you coming from the mouth of a preacher. But your duty to your parent Your mother, your father, when they're aged, is greater than your duty to Bellevue Baptist Church. And don't ever use your duty to the church. As an excuse for not loving and taking care of your father and your mother.
Let me give you a very interesting passage of Scripture, Matthew chapter 15. I'm going to begin in verse 3. And Jesus is preaching, and this is what He said. But He answered and said unto them, Why do you also transgress the commandment of God? by your tradition.
For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother.
Now remember, we're still talking about honoring father and mother. And this is what he says. And he that curseth father or mother, Let him die the death. That is, in the Old Testament, if you were to ever curse your father or your mother, you would be worthy to be stoned to death. But ye say, Now here's where they came along with a new tradition.
Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift. By whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me. and honor not his father or his mother. He shall be free. Thus ye have made the commandment of God of none effect.
by your tradition. Now I know that's hard to understand. I'm going to explain it in just a moment. Ye hypocrites, Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Now let me put that in plain English. In Bible times, there were people for a show of religion who would come to church and they would sing praises. to God, they would honor God with their lips. They would bring an offering and make an offering for the temple. And yet they had fathers and mothers that were in need that were not being honored.
And God said, you are hypocrites. What they had done Was to say to their father and their mother, now you know. What? I was going to use to take care of you, I have taken down and I've given it. to the temple.
And so I can't take care of you, but oh, what a holy man I am. Oh, what a holy woman I am, because I've taken the gift that could have been a blessing to you. And I have Given it, To God.
Now, some of you may use what I'm saying as an excuse not to give to God what belongs to God. And God knows how evil your heart is if you do that. But listen to what I am saying. I am saying, friend, that there is no gift that you can give to God, no service that you can do for God, no song that you can sing to God that will take the place of honoring your Father. And your mother.
And if you fail to do that, God says you are. A hypocrite.
Now, the Bible says if you don't take care of Your parents, when they're old, not only are you a hypocrite, you are worse than an infidel. Listen to 1 Timothy 5, verse 8. But if any provide not for his own, especially those of his own house. He hath denied the faith. and is worse.
Then in Infidel. You don't even come up to the level of being an infidel. If you don't take care of your own, now many times we use this verse to say that parents ought to take care of their children, but that's not what this verse means. It says that children. ought to provide for the parents.
If any provide not for his own, Especially those of his own household, he hath denied the faith, and is worse, Then an infidel. That's the reason I said the religion that doesn't begin at home doesn't begin. 1 Timothy 5, verse 4. But if any widow have children or nephews, Let them learn, that is the children and the nephews, first to show piety at home. and to requite the parents.
for that is good and acceptable before God. I'm going to tell you, and it may hurt your feelings, and if it does, you can come up and apologize to me after the message. But if you're not taking care of your parents and loving your parents, I don't care how you sing this morning, I don't care how much you say amen or what you put in this offering plate. You've departed from the faith. You're worse than an infidel.
If your religion doesn't start at home, friend, it just simply doesn't start. How can you honor your father and your mother? Number one, you should obey them when you're young. Number two. You should care for them when they are old in their old age.
Number three. You should honor them at all times.
Now when the Bible says here, honor your father and your mother, the word honor comes from a word that means to add weight to. What that literally means is to take your parents seriously, to add weight and dignity to who they are. Let me mention some ways now that you can give them honor. I want to mention three or four of them, maybe more. But listen, number one, show them respect.
I don't care who they are, you must always show respect to your parents. I'm going to list some verses. You jot them down. Leviticus chapter 19, verse 3. Ye shall fear every man, his mother, and his father, and keep my statutes.
I am the Lord your God.
Now, the word fear here is the same word that we use for the fear of God. It means reverence. You have to reverence your parents. Leviticus 20, verse 9. For everyone that curseth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
He hath cursed his father or his mother, his blood shall be upon him.
Now, some of you youngsters ought to be aware of the fact that if you lived in Old Testament times, you still wouldn't be living. Because you have cursed Your father. Or your mother. Proverbs chapter 30, verse 17 puts it in a euphemistic way: He that mocketh at his father or despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley, excuse me, let me read that again. The eye.
that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
Now God is using figurative speech here. But God is saying it is a terrible thing not to show reverence to your parents. Or you say, Pastor Rogers, what if my parents are not worthy of respect and reverence? May I say that only perfect Children can demand perfect parents.
Now I know that your parents are not perfect. My parents were not perfect. and through the most difficult times of life. are middle-aged and teenage. Why God put those together, I'll find out when I get to heaven.
Now listen, your parents are not perfect. But you should reverence your parents.
Now in our home, We had very few rules. But some of the rules we had we did not bend. One of the rules, perhaps number one. No disrespect. to parents.
We just did not tolerate. No.
Now. If anybody ever got away. With disrespect, my children would get away with, and very seldom they ever did, if ever, get away with disrespect to me. but never to their mother. Never to their mother.
I would be on them. Like that. If I saw one of my children disrespect their mother. I'll tear up when I think about it. I have seen that woman.
sacrifice for them. She went down into the valley of the shadow of death to bring them into this world. I've seen her do without, to love, to pray, to care. How dare How dare a child? Disrespect.
That mother.
Now we're to honor them. And one way we do is to show respect. Number two. Express gratefulness. Give them thanks.
Children learn to develop the attitude of gratitude. I'm not a Shakespearean scholar. One thing Shakespeare said that's often quoted and well worth quoting is this, how sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child. Have you thanked your parents for all that they've done? As a matter of fact, You say, well, my parents disciplined me too much.
Thank them for that. I spoke to a grown man, a very prosperous businessman, who became a Christian. He told me that he had witnessed to his father over and over again, but his father would not listen to the witness. This man tried. to win his father to Christ.
And he thought about it one day. And it dawned on them. When I am talking to my father and trying to win my father to Christ, I have reversed roles. It's the father who's supposed to be instructing the son. But here it is, now I, as a grown man, am instructing my father.
And when I'm telling my father that he needs to be saved, when I'm telling my father that he needs to be a Christian, In a sense, it's saying, my father, here's an area where you fail. You should have taught me this. You should have told me this.
Now I'm having to tell you. He said, I thought, what does that say to my father? It is saying to my father that I did not really appreciate all that he did for me. And he said, I had a good father who did many things for me. He said, one day.
God gave me some wisdom. I sat down and I wrote my father a letter. And I thank my dad for everything he had done for me, for the food, the care, the tuition, the home, everything that he'd done. I thanked him for the fishing trips. I thanked him for the bicycle.
I thanked him for the care. I thanked him for the advice. I thanked him for all of the things that my father had done for me. Put it in a letter. and signed it.
My father read that letter. He said, the next time I talk to my father about Jesus. Just like that, he gave his heart to Christ. Just like that. How we need to learn To give thankfulness to our parents.
Now, thirdly, I'm talking about ways to honor them. I I'm saying, friend, show them respect. Express Gratefulness. Listen to their counsel. Listen to their counsel.
Proverbs chapter 1. Verses 8 and 9, My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother. For they shall be an ornament of grace upon thy head, and chains about thy neck. He's talking about a chain of gold around your neck.
Someone has well said at 16, a boy is not sure about his parents. At 19, he feels he's passed them up. At 22, he has completely outgrown them. At 30, he remembers they were right about a lot of things. At 40, he decides they were just about perfect.
Isn't that true? Listen to the council. The older you get, the smarter your parents will get. And you're going to understand they were not as dumb or out of it as you think.
Now why is that? Your parents have an advantage on you. You think that perhaps those of us who are mature and old, that we don't know what the situation is. Yes, we do. You see, David said, once I was young, now I'm old.
All you can say is, once I was young. Think about it. We've been there where you are, but you haven't been where we are.
Now, if we're going to travel, for example, from Memphis to Phoenix, And let's suppose Joyce and I get in our car and we start out and we go to Phoenix. And then later on, we call back Steve, Gail, Janice, David. They're going to go. to Phoenix. We can say, kids, Let me tell you something.
There's a bad part of Interstate 40 that you want to stay away from because they're doing a lot of work. There's a scenic route you might take. Also, we found a terrific restaurant in thus and such a place. And we can just tell them all this. Does that mean we're smarter than they are?
No? We've just been further down the road, isn't that right? Further down the road. How wise we would be to listen to our parents who love us enough to die for us, and we need to heed their counsel, listen to their counsel. Number four.
Live a life. That will bring honor to them. Listen to Proverbs 23, verses 24 and 25. The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice, and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.
Live in such a way as to make your parents stick out the chest a little bit, not in bad pride, but say, thank God for my children. You see, children are an extension of the parents. When I see my children do something good and godly and worthy, it gives me such great joy. I have no greater joy than to see my children walk in the truth. And one of the great joys of my life, before my parents went to heaven, Was to do something that would cause them to rejoice and to say, Adrian, We're proud of you.
I'm so grateful for that. Last of all, in honoring your parents, show your parents love. It's really the sum total of everything else that I've told you. Show them love. Think of what you owe to your parents.
They gave you life. Their blood flows through your veins. Did you know that the closest thing To God's love is the love of a mother. I'm just convinced of that. The closest thing to God's love is the love of a mother.
Why don't you sit down and write a letter to your mother? Dear your father, And tell them, like my friend told his dad, how grateful you are for them. I'll tell you one thing. They will read it over. And over.
and over again. And when they die and you're going through their things, You'll find that letter. tucked away in their possessions. Sit down and write them a letter. Pay that visit.
Make that phone call. Send that gift. Do that extra special little chore for your mother, your father. Show them genuine affection. They want hugs.
They want Kisses. And listen to me. Do it soon.
Now when they die, You want to have just the finest kind of funeral for them. And you'll want special flowers. But dead noses smell no roses. You gonna do it? Do it.
Rather than saying, I wish, That I had. Show love and respect if your parents are living, and if your parents are not living, give them honor. And thank God. for their memory. If you would like to learn more about how you can know Jesus or deepen your relationship with him, simply click the Discover Jesus link on our website, lwf.org.
For a copy of this message or additional resources, visit our online store at lwf.org or call 1-800-274-5683. Thank you.
