WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.740 your great love for us. We thank you that in your love for us, in Christ's blood which has been 00:00:05.740 --> 00:00:11.519 poured out for us, you cover over a multitude, not just of our sins, but the sins of forefathers 00:00:11.519 --> 00:00:18.600 and the sins of our mothers. We thank you for them though, and we pray, Father, that we would 00:00:18.600 --> 00:00:23.859 give them the due honour that is theirs, as you've commanded us to. So help us to take your word 00:00:23.859 --> 00:00:32.500 seriously, be reminded of it now, but to put into practice not just Mother's Day 2009 or 2010, but 00:00:32.500 --> 00:00:35.619 day by day as we live as your servants. Amen. 00:00:38.259 --> 00:00:47.000 Carlos Teresa was a fairly typical teenager. He spent much of his time watching TV and much of his 00:00:47.000 --> 00:00:55.019 time arguing with his mum. One day Carlos had an especially large argument with his mum, and he 00:00:55.019 --> 00:01:03.159 decided that he had had enough, and so he hired a hitman to take out his mum and to make it look 00:01:03.159 --> 00:01:08.879 like a robbery. The only problem was that the hitman he hired was actually an undercover detective. 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:16.159 It was reported that Carlos provided everything that was required for the hit. 00:01:16.159 --> 00:01:24.979 He gave the detective a map, a key to the apartment, and a picture of the intended victim 00:01:24.979 --> 00:01:31.340 with one last final instruction. Make sure nothing happens to the TV. 00:01:35.259 --> 00:01:38.959 Now, I don't know about you, but I reckon that's a long shot from Exodus chapter 20. 00:01:40.019 --> 00:01:45.199 Honour your father and your mother so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God has given you. 00:01:45.200 --> 00:01:49.040 It doesn't say honour your TV. It says honour your father and your mother. 00:01:49.359 --> 00:01:54.299 The word honour there means to esteem. It means to give way to or to glorify it. 00:01:54.420 --> 00:01:59.600 It is acknowledging significance and responding appropriately to that significance. 00:02:01.980 --> 00:02:06.180 But I reckon these words are difficult words to talk about honestly on Mother's Day. 00:02:06.180 --> 00:02:17.060 There is a sense where simple, superficial platitudes are actually easy to give on a day like today. 00:02:17.060 --> 00:02:31.340 As soon as we start talking honestly and say what the Bible says, we start treading into areas where many of us have hurts and disappointments and frustrations and anger and guilt. 00:02:31.340 --> 00:02:35.500 Some of us have recently lost our mothers. 00:02:35.500 --> 00:02:39.200 Some are struggling to become mothers. 00:02:39.879 --> 00:02:42.060 Some are struggling to be mothers. 00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:45.560 Some are still struggling to forgive mothers. 00:02:45.560 --> 00:02:52.800 But it's not just a difficult message for us because maybe we've got some issues associated with motherhood. 00:02:52.960 --> 00:02:57.699 It's difficult because our society doesn't highly regard motherhood. 00:02:58.020 --> 00:03:01.580 This is a quote from a website where a woman describes herself. 00:03:01.719 --> 00:03:02.140 She says, 00:03:02.139 --> 00:03:31.579 That particular woman is the founder of a movement which has as its logo, 00:03:31.580 --> 00:03:36.580 the picture of a baby with a circle around it and with a line through it. 00:03:37.180 --> 00:03:39.240 It's called the child free zone. 00:03:41.280 --> 00:03:45.620 And this in part explains why some mums are now describing themselves in terms of, 00:03:46.220 --> 00:03:47.020 I'm just a mum. 00:03:47.400 --> 00:03:49.040 When they're asked, what do you do? 00:03:49.360 --> 00:03:53.800 As if somehow the activity of mothering is unimportant or minor. 00:03:54.880 --> 00:03:55.900 What is it to be a mother? 00:03:57.320 --> 00:04:01.000 Well, clearly motherhood, you know, involves procreation. 00:04:01.580 --> 00:04:06.320 But it's not limited to having the baby any more than having a dog is limited to buying it from the pet shop. 00:04:07.120 --> 00:04:09.760 A mother is one who nurtures her children. 00:04:10.880 --> 00:04:14.320 Two examples from the Bible are 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 7. 00:04:14.680 --> 00:04:18.000 But we were gentle among you like a mother caring for her little children. 00:04:18.680 --> 00:04:20.480 And Romans 16, 13. 00:04:20.480 --> 00:04:28.520 See, the very heart of it, mothering is relational. 00:04:28.620 --> 00:04:32.520 It's the whole work of caring and nurturing and loving and serving and helping and teaching. 00:04:32.900 --> 00:04:36.819 This goes back to the very way that God made us right at the beginning. 00:04:37.360 --> 00:04:42.759 He created us male and female and told us to be fruitful, to fill the earth, to subdue it. 00:04:42.759 --> 00:04:47.219 In other words, I don't know if you realise this, the very first command from God was to have sex. 00:04:47.319 --> 00:04:48.599 So God's pro-sex, okay? 00:04:48.860 --> 00:04:50.099 Very first command from God. 00:04:51.279 --> 00:04:54.899 Motherhood is therefore not a job. 00:04:56.360 --> 00:04:57.279 It's not a job. 00:04:58.599 --> 00:05:04.099 At its very heart, it's part of the very nature and being and person. 00:05:04.100 --> 00:05:06.900 It's by the way that we have been made by God. 00:05:06.980 --> 00:05:09.500 It's part of our biology or their biology. 00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:15.080 But there is another aspect of motherhood that is picked up at the beginning of the Bible. 00:05:15.540 --> 00:05:18.220 And it's the painfulness of motherhood. 00:05:18.740 --> 00:05:22.300 The painfulness of motherhood in a sinful and fallen world. 00:05:22.840 --> 00:05:26.520 Where there is failure all around because of our rebellion against God. 00:05:26.520 --> 00:05:31.420 Because we've chosen to rule and to relate in God's world our way. 00:05:31.939 --> 00:05:33.160 As I said last week. 00:05:33.160 --> 00:05:35.200 Genesis 3.16, God says to Eve, 00:05:35.480 --> 00:05:38.960 I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing. 00:05:39.320 --> 00:05:41.420 With pain you will give birth to children. 00:05:43.140 --> 00:05:46.240 See, even coming to birth is risky and dangerous. 00:05:47.700 --> 00:05:51.560 There are so many things that can go wrong, both for the mother and the baby. 00:05:53.300 --> 00:05:56.820 I still recall vividly the day that Isabel was born. 00:05:57.620 --> 00:06:01.660 I could not describe it as the most relaxing day I've ever had in my life. 00:06:03.160 --> 00:06:07.300 I remember driving on the way to the hospital, if that's what you call it, what I was doing at the time. 00:06:08.420 --> 00:06:10.960 And considering as Nat was crawling... 00:06:10.960 --> 00:06:13.060 Sorry, honey. 00:06:13.840 --> 00:06:17.020 As she was making all sorts of awful noises. 00:06:17.019 --> 00:06:27.339 Crawling at the roof of the car, I considered for the first time in my life that driving on the footpath was a logical option. 00:06:27.339 --> 00:06:36.359 I arrived at the hospital noticing that there was a bit of a line-up, maybe one car, waiting to get into the car park. 00:06:36.879 --> 00:06:38.619 And thinking, I haven't got time for that. 00:06:39.060 --> 00:06:46.959 And so I just drove straight into the disabled car parking zone with warning signs all over, do not park here. 00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:51.359 Obviously, unless you're a disabled car park, in the car park with a disabled sticker. 00:06:52.039 --> 00:06:54.539 And I drove straight in between two police cars. 00:06:55.879 --> 00:06:57.159 And parked there. 00:06:57.620 --> 00:07:03.299 And basically had to beckon the policeman out of the way so that I could park there as they were talking in front of the car. 00:07:03.500 --> 00:07:04.500 I rushed past them. 00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:05.759 I was prepared to argue with them. 00:07:06.060 --> 00:07:07.339 No worries about that at all. 00:07:08.259 --> 00:07:11.579 I got to the reception because Natalie needed a wheelchair. 00:07:12.259 --> 00:07:14.219 I couldn't see any other way we were going to get there. 00:07:14.220 --> 00:07:15.660 Needed a wheelchair. 00:07:16.280 --> 00:07:21.460 And the lady at the reception said that we do not give wheelchairs out terribly lightly here. 00:07:21.780 --> 00:07:22.220 Love. 00:07:22.880 --> 00:07:25.100 Which they always called me love for some reason. 00:07:26.760 --> 00:07:28.440 And I said, listen here, lady. 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:31.180 There's a guy there wanting a wheelchair. 00:07:31.400 --> 00:07:32.000 He's got a wheelchair. 00:07:32.180 --> 00:07:33.580 He doesn't look like he needs it. 00:07:34.060 --> 00:07:36.140 You either give me one or I'm taking his. 00:07:38.440 --> 00:07:40.500 And she obliged. 00:07:40.500 --> 00:07:46.899 I ran with Natalie in the wheelchair down the wrong hallway of the hospital. 00:07:47.839 --> 00:07:51.279 I didn't know where I was heading but the baby was going to be born in the hospital somewhere. 00:07:52.839 --> 00:07:58.439 And after much distress and panic we arrived at the birthing unit. 00:07:58.939 --> 00:08:03.899 And the very first words that came out of the midwife was to Natalie, 00:08:04.360 --> 00:08:06.000 Is the pain too much, dear? 00:08:07.459 --> 00:08:08.740 You're kidding me, right? 00:08:08.740 --> 00:08:18.920 The most frightening thing was though that we're in the birth unit and it was too late for painkillers for me. 00:08:20.060 --> 00:08:22.980 And also for Nat. 00:08:23.060 --> 00:08:24.819 The only thing that was left was happy gas. 00:08:24.900 --> 00:08:26.699 And apparently Nat needed that more than I did. 00:08:27.420 --> 00:08:33.000 And she sucks back on the happy gas and she passed out. 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:35.000 Just like that. 00:08:35.659 --> 00:08:36.759 It dropped to the floor. 00:08:36.759 --> 00:08:40.899 The nurse was trying to get her attention. 00:08:42.100 --> 00:08:45.899 And then she said to me, Steve, would you mind pushing the emergency button, please? 00:08:47.939 --> 00:08:50.240 And I'm like, excuse me? 00:08:50.980 --> 00:08:52.659 She said, push the emergency button. 00:08:53.159 --> 00:08:54.379 A nurse came running in. 00:08:54.399 --> 00:08:55.419 She said, I don't need you. 00:08:55.480 --> 00:08:56.500 I need a specialist. 00:08:56.679 --> 00:08:58.139 Get a specialist in here now. 00:08:59.139 --> 00:09:02.740 Specialist comes in and they start checking for vital signs. 00:09:02.740 --> 00:09:05.500 We've never had this happen before. 00:09:06.539 --> 00:09:16.560 And so I'm over there in the corner of the room going from moment of adrenaline and being ecstatic to tears welling up in my eyes saying, God, this can't be happening. 00:09:16.559 --> 00:09:22.219 This is meant to be the most exciting moment or potentially the most exciting moment of my life. 00:09:23.119 --> 00:09:25.099 And my wife's life is at risk here. 00:09:25.559 --> 00:09:26.599 This can't be happening. 00:09:26.600 --> 00:09:30.899 And to actually pray at that moment, your will be done. 00:09:32.360 --> 00:09:33.519 It's a hard prayer to pray. 00:09:35.879 --> 00:09:39.159 Of course, she came around with the next contraction came. 00:09:39.920 --> 00:09:41.700 That's enough to wake anyone from the dead. 00:09:43.379 --> 00:09:44.340 Me included. 00:09:44.340 --> 00:09:51.800 You see, this whole childbearing, raring thing is fraught with pain and danger. 00:09:52.700 --> 00:09:56.879 What pain is there in a miscarriage and stillborns? 00:09:56.879 --> 00:09:59.480 And what tragedy when a young woman dies in labour? 00:10:00.440 --> 00:10:07.300 The whole work of nurturing and raising young is so time-consuming and costly and sacrificial and tiring. 00:10:07.299 --> 00:10:13.919 Who is as exhausted as defeating mother after a bad night with a sick child? 00:10:14.199 --> 00:10:18.479 Who is so emotionally wrenched and tormented as the mother of wayward teenagers? 00:10:19.500 --> 00:10:21.359 Proverbs chapter 10 verse 1 says, 00:10:21.620 --> 00:10:27.519 A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son, grief to his mother. 00:10:30.120 --> 00:10:33.139 But of course, mothers fail in this fallen world as well. 00:10:34.259 --> 00:10:35.159 All are sinful. 00:10:35.159 --> 00:10:37.500 Some are forgetful. 00:10:38.019 --> 00:10:39.199 Some are selfish. 00:10:39.699 --> 00:10:40.539 Some are cruel. 00:10:41.259 --> 00:10:50.860 And some of us have the unpleasant memories of what mum was and how far she fell short of what was considered to be the perfect ideal. 00:10:52.600 --> 00:10:54.819 Again, though, friends, the Bible knows it. 00:10:54.879 --> 00:10:56.879 If that's your experience, the Bible knows it. 00:10:57.620 --> 00:11:04.019 And God uses that as an illustration of the perfect faithfulness of himself to us, his people. 00:11:04.019 --> 00:11:05.919 Isaiah 49, 15. 00:11:06.019 --> 00:11:11.939 Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has born? 00:11:13.639 --> 00:11:15.340 You see, God poses this question. 00:11:15.460 --> 00:11:22.360 You think, well, actually, that's unthinkable that a mother would forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has born. 00:11:22.360 --> 00:11:24.360 Yes, it's unthinkable. 00:11:24.360 --> 00:11:24.460 Yes, it's unthinkable. 00:11:24.460 --> 00:11:25.680 Yes, it's very real. 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:27.779 Yes, it's true. 00:11:27.879 --> 00:11:28.700 Yes, it does happen. 00:11:29.480 --> 00:11:30.580 And God says, not me. 00:11:31.480 --> 00:11:34.680 Though she may forget, I will not forget you. 00:11:36.100 --> 00:11:37.759 I will not forget you. 00:11:38.600 --> 00:11:42.379 Though you may have disappointments and hurts and frustrations and guilt. 00:11:42.379 --> 00:11:45.939 But I will not forget you. 00:11:46.379 --> 00:11:48.039 I will not fail to love you. 00:11:48.399 --> 00:11:50.139 I will not fail to accept you. 00:11:51.399 --> 00:11:55.039 And so we can see why we have things called the child-free zone. 00:11:55.379 --> 00:11:57.399 Listen to some of the testimonials from their website. 00:11:57.399 --> 00:12:03.799 Having children would prevent me from doing many of the things I enjoy, such as riding and showing my horse. 00:12:04.299 --> 00:12:08.319 If I'm already happy with my life, why should I make such a major change? 00:12:08.360 --> 00:12:12.620 I don't see any benefits that would make up for the sacrifices that I would have to make. 00:12:13.559 --> 00:12:20.459 Or again, I know that child-rearing done well is a selfless activity, allowing no time for the mother's personal needs. 00:12:21.079 --> 00:12:24.220 I'm not willing to give up the time I have as a single person. 00:12:24.960 --> 00:12:26.539 I see it as a huge restriction. 00:12:27.399 --> 00:12:34.500 Or again, I was initially a clinical psychologist, then decided to study medicine at age 30, completing my degree at 36, 00:12:34.919 --> 00:12:37.740 then undertaking my residential medical officer years. 00:12:38.379 --> 00:12:41.500 This would not have been possible if I'd had a child. 00:12:43.879 --> 00:12:51.720 And so in the face of a growing tide in our society, away from motherhood and downplaying that which God has put into place, 00:12:51.980 --> 00:12:54.639 what does it mean for Christians to take God's word seriously? 00:12:54.639 --> 00:13:03.980 When we turn to the New Testament, there's quite a number of places where the fifth commandment is actually reflected on. 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:06.000 And I want to mention just three tonight. 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:10.519 The first is Ephesians 6, which David read out for us. 00:13:10.519 --> 00:13:13.460 Children, obey your parents and the Lord, for this is right. 00:13:13.600 --> 00:13:16.480 Honor your father and your mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, 00:13:16.899 --> 00:13:21.299 that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. 00:13:21.879 --> 00:13:23.840 Fathers, do not exasperate your children. 00:13:23.960 --> 00:13:26.620 Instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. 00:13:26.620 --> 00:13:36.080 The first thing to note is that Paul makes it clear that Christians are people who are to be known as people who honor their fathers and mothers. 00:13:39.000 --> 00:13:43.759 When they tell us to pick up our clothes, to do our homework, to set the table, 00:13:44.860 --> 00:13:49.639 God is expecting that we will do those things if we're children. 00:13:49.980 --> 00:13:52.220 God is expecting us that we will do those things. 00:13:52.220 --> 00:13:57.759 There are, however, other ways of, or sorry, a number of ways of obeying. 00:13:58.040 --> 00:14:01.460 You see, you can either do it willingly or you can do it grudgingly. 00:14:01.940 --> 00:14:09.840 If your mum asks you to set the table for dinner, you can happily obey, you can willingly obey and make it clear that you are obeying. 00:14:09.980 --> 00:14:15.160 Or you can make it clear that while on the outside you're obeying, on the inside you're not. 00:14:16.940 --> 00:14:21.180 And so you stomp out of the kitchen and you pull the drawer out to grab the cutlery 00:14:21.179 --> 00:14:23.799 and hopefully you pull the whole drawer out so that it goes on the floor. 00:14:24.799 --> 00:14:26.500 Slam things down on the bench. 00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:33.000 Do you really actually think that's honoring your father and your mother at that point? 00:14:35.139 --> 00:14:39.739 I think the command expects here that as children that we would obey our parents 00:14:39.739 --> 00:14:41.839 and that we would do it cheerfully and willingly. 00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:48.800 The second thing to note, though, about those verses is that Paul emphasizes the mutual nature of our relationship. 00:14:49.660 --> 00:14:51.580 Paul doesn't just say to children, obey your parents. 00:14:51.639 --> 00:14:55.000 He also says, fathers, do not exasperate your children. 00:14:56.500 --> 00:14:59.320 And if we're parents, if there's parents here, you need to hear this. 00:14:59.960 --> 00:15:00.920 You need to hear this. 00:15:01.899 --> 00:15:07.000 If you want your children to honor you, then you need to act honorably towards them. 00:15:07.000 --> 00:15:14.039 It's sad but true that some parents do not act honorably towards their kids. 00:15:14.279 --> 00:15:21.120 Instead of loving them and caring for them and nurturing them, they criticize them, they bully them, they harass them, they harang them. 00:15:22.620 --> 00:15:28.759 And instead of growing up with a healthy self-image and a positive example of the fatherhood of God, 00:15:29.179 --> 00:15:31.720 what they end up with is what we call issues. 00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:42.440 Issues that leave deep emotional furrows and scars in their life which they may never fully recover from. 00:15:43.879 --> 00:15:48.200 And I spoke to an elderly woman this morning about those issues. 00:15:49.800 --> 00:15:53.180 Mum has long, long, long gone. 00:15:54.379 --> 00:15:57.340 But the emotional scars and furrows are still there. 00:15:59.820 --> 00:16:01.420 And that is a deep tragedy. 00:16:02.700 --> 00:16:03.600 A deep tragedy. 00:16:04.620 --> 00:16:07.580 And so mums and dads, see that you don't exasperate your children. 00:16:08.740 --> 00:16:11.340 Don't emotionally manipulate them or starve them. 00:16:12.920 --> 00:16:19.600 Recognise instead the precious privilege that is yours to shape and mould that life in a positive and godly way. 00:16:20.620 --> 00:16:25.019 What they need, young people need in their parents and grandparents, 00:16:25.019 --> 00:16:33.019 and frankly can I say that all the adults of this church is what they need is what is termed nowadays as an adult guarantor. 00:16:33.439 --> 00:16:38.419 They need adults who love them before there's any good reason to do so. 00:16:38.419 --> 00:16:41.439 In the way that God has loved us. 00:16:41.439 --> 00:16:44.319 When there's every good reason for him not to. 00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:52.160 The second passage that I want to look at is Luke chapter 9 verses 57 to 62. 00:16:52.159 --> 00:17:22.159 00:17:22.160 --> 00:17:25.200 One looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God. 00:17:25.200 --> 00:17:29.200 They're fairly shocking verses really when you think about it. 00:17:29.259 --> 00:17:34.100 The requests that these people make of Jesus seem to be fairly reasonable sort of requests. 00:17:34.700 --> 00:17:35.680 I mean, you know, come on. 00:17:35.779 --> 00:17:38.600 I mean, I'll follow you but let me go and bury my dad. 00:17:38.599 --> 00:17:41.519 Or let me go and say goodbye to the family and pack my bags. 00:17:42.019 --> 00:17:43.339 What's so wrong with that? 00:17:44.899 --> 00:17:49.019 Well, the point that Jesus is trying to make is quite simply this. 00:17:49.079 --> 00:17:50.139 It's a really simple point. 00:17:50.779 --> 00:17:54.039 The fifth commandment is the fifth commandment, not the first. 00:17:55.259 --> 00:17:56.059 That's the point. 00:17:56.659 --> 00:17:59.039 It's the fifth commandment, not the first commandment. 00:17:59.119 --> 00:18:02.159 That is, you shall love, you shall have no other gods before me. 00:18:02.559 --> 00:18:05.879 Jesus is saying to these men and he's saying to us 00:18:05.880 --> 00:18:09.620 that if you want to follow me, then you need to set your priorities straight. 00:18:10.280 --> 00:18:13.620 Above everything else, I am your God. 00:18:14.580 --> 00:18:17.320 And you serve and you honour me first. 00:18:20.800 --> 00:18:22.940 We are not to have any other gods. 00:18:24.020 --> 00:18:28.980 And friends, one of the gods that I think that we have these days is the God of family. 00:18:28.980 --> 00:18:38.640 Where we can consistently submit to the whims and wishes of our family's desires over our lives. 00:18:38.680 --> 00:18:41.799 And they force us to go this way and that way and all sorts of things 00:18:41.799 --> 00:18:43.880 because we want to keep them happy. 00:18:47.319 --> 00:18:48.940 Jesus says, you've got to put me first. 00:18:50.079 --> 00:18:53.140 The third passage I want to look at is Mark chapter 7, verse 6. 00:18:53.259 --> 00:18:56.400 These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 00:18:56.400 --> 00:18:58.019 Jesus is talking about the Pharisees here. 00:18:58.019 --> 00:19:02.319 They worship me in vain, but their teachings are but rules taught by men. 00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:07.599 You have let go of the commands of God and holding on to the traditions of men. 00:19:07.879 --> 00:19:12.319 And he said to them, you have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God 00:19:12.319 --> 00:19:14.059 in order to observe your own traditions. 00:19:14.660 --> 00:19:17.359 For Moses said, honour your father and your mother 00:19:17.359 --> 00:19:19.960 and anyone who curses his father and mother must be put to death. 00:19:20.480 --> 00:19:23.379 But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 00:19:23.380 --> 00:19:26.840 whatever help you might have otherwise received for me as Corbin, 00:19:26.840 --> 00:19:28.220 that is as a gift from God, 00:19:28.560 --> 00:19:31.820 then you no longer let him do anything for his father and mother. 00:19:32.220 --> 00:19:37.260 Thus you nullify the word of God by your traditions that have been handed down 00:19:37.260 --> 00:19:39.460 and you do many such things as these. 00:19:39.980 --> 00:19:42.180 You see, what the Pharisees were doing is something like this. 00:19:42.240 --> 00:19:42.860 They were saying, okay, 00:19:42.859 --> 00:19:46.679 you know, like I owe my mum and dad, you know, honour. 00:19:47.419 --> 00:19:51.939 But in order to please and honour God above my mum and dad, 00:19:52.439 --> 00:19:55.459 what I've got to do is I've got to take what I owe mum and dad 00:19:55.459 --> 00:19:58.240 and I give it to God instead and I don't give mum and dad anything. 00:19:58.240 --> 00:20:04.299 And Jesus says, in effect, Steve Jeffrey paraphrase, 00:20:04.859 --> 00:20:07.740 hey dudes, sounds great in theory, but you're a bunch of hypocrites. 00:20:09.680 --> 00:20:11.559 You're a bunch of hypocrites, you're not fooling anyone. 00:20:11.980 --> 00:20:15.460 The way that you please God is not to try and weasel out of the commandments 00:20:15.460 --> 00:20:19.299 and pick and choose which ones you obey and which ones you don't obey. 00:20:19.559 --> 00:20:23.740 The way you honour God is to actually obey them all. 00:20:25.180 --> 00:20:26.880 He says, honour your father and mother. 00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:28.400 So honour them. 00:20:29.360 --> 00:20:30.340 Fulfill your obligations. 00:20:32.060 --> 00:20:35.220 The way that we do that will vary with our ages and circumstances. 00:20:35.360 --> 00:20:37.060 When we're young, as I said, if you're young, 00:20:37.640 --> 00:20:39.260 you know, you need to obey mum and dad, 00:20:39.320 --> 00:20:40.440 you need to obey your parents. 00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:41.800 When we get a bit older, 00:20:41.900 --> 00:20:45.000 I think that it means that we ought to respect our parents, 00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:48.220 speak politely and truthfully about them. 00:20:48.440 --> 00:20:50.560 All parents, in one way or another, 00:20:50.680 --> 00:20:53.740 make sacrifices for their children and they deserve our respect, 00:20:53.740 --> 00:20:57.259 the respect that God says that they ought to receive from us. 00:20:58.740 --> 00:21:00.240 And this is a hard one. 00:21:00.900 --> 00:21:04.380 Let me say that from a personal experience, 00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:09.960 that both Mother's Day and Father's Day are very difficult days for me. 00:21:09.960 --> 00:21:13.740 When I became a Christian, my family rejected me. 00:21:13.740 --> 00:21:15.779 My whole extended family rejected me. 00:21:15.819 --> 00:21:20.960 I've had no relation with my mother or my father for the last 16 years. 00:21:23.140 --> 00:21:24.740 For the last 16 years. 00:21:24.900 --> 00:21:26.600 Although I want to say, by the grace of God, 00:21:26.680 --> 00:21:28.799 there has been little glimmers of hope just recently. 00:21:29.299 --> 00:21:30.120 Just recently. 00:21:30.620 --> 00:21:31.480 God is a good God. 00:21:31.559 --> 00:21:32.799 He can restore all things. 00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:39.500 What does it mean for me to honour my father and mother 00:21:39.500 --> 00:21:41.240 who don't want to be honoured by me? 00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:43.819 What does that mean? 00:21:44.359 --> 00:21:46.559 Does it mean that, well, they're my parents, 00:21:46.639 --> 00:21:47.919 they've chosen, they don't want me to honour them, 00:21:47.980 --> 00:21:50.399 so okay, fifth commandment, tick the box, done that one. 00:21:51.799 --> 00:21:54.399 How do I take the fifth commandment seriously at this point? 00:21:54.440 --> 00:21:55.659 It's the word of God to me. 00:21:56.279 --> 00:21:58.379 There's no escape clauses here on this one. 00:21:58.380 --> 00:22:04.680 At the very least, as I've wrestled with this passage for 16 years 00:22:04.680 --> 00:22:07.960 and really wrestled with this passage for 16 years, 00:22:08.020 --> 00:22:13.280 at the very least, it means that I speak truthfully about them, 00:22:13.560 --> 00:22:15.700 that I don't make the scenario and situation 00:22:15.700 --> 00:22:18.840 that I'm currently in with them any bigger than it is, 00:22:19.260 --> 00:22:22.500 to paint a picture of them any darker than what it is, 00:22:22.980 --> 00:22:25.440 to not make all the history that I have with them 00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:27.220 a bad and difficult history, 00:22:27.220 --> 00:22:30.319 than to see the positive stuff as positive 00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:32.980 and the bad stuff as bad stuff, 00:22:33.240 --> 00:22:35.460 but to still, to speak with them 00:22:35.460 --> 00:22:38.339 in an honourable way as my parents. 00:22:41.980 --> 00:22:43.480 When we get a bit later in life 00:22:43.480 --> 00:22:44.839 and our parents become aged, 00:22:44.920 --> 00:22:46.279 we ought to respect them for, 00:22:46.759 --> 00:22:49.480 by looking after them and taking an interest in them at least. 00:22:50.360 --> 00:22:52.240 That may mean that we invite them to come 00:22:52.240 --> 00:22:53.579 and live with them in our homes, 00:22:53.900 --> 00:22:55.500 though it won't necessarily mean that. 00:22:55.500 --> 00:23:00.960 Not everyone's circumstances will actually allow that. 00:23:01.819 --> 00:23:03.960 And it's very convenient that I actually have a nursing home 00:23:03.960 --> 00:23:05.119 just across the road from me. 00:23:09.400 --> 00:23:11.559 Not everyone's circumstances will allow it. 00:23:12.059 --> 00:23:14.519 But friends, I want to say that in our selfish culture, 00:23:14.519 --> 00:23:16.259 we need to at least be flagging it. 00:23:16.259 --> 00:23:20.680 As Christians, what does it mean to me to be sacrificial at this point? 00:23:23.720 --> 00:23:24.740 At the very least, 00:23:24.779 --> 00:23:27.059 it will mean that we will take care of their needs 00:23:27.059 --> 00:23:28.700 and have an interest in them, 00:23:29.319 --> 00:23:31.519 that they're making sure that they are being looked after 00:23:31.519 --> 00:23:33.559 and catered for and well catered for. 00:23:34.279 --> 00:23:36.039 No matter what stage of life we're at, 00:23:36.099 --> 00:23:38.079 we ought to honour our father and our mother 00:23:38.079 --> 00:23:40.019 as the opportunity is there to do so. 00:23:40.079 --> 00:23:42.440 We need to take these words from God seriously. 00:23:42.440 --> 00:23:46.120 For some of us, therefore, this Mother's Day, 00:23:47.019 --> 00:23:49.900 mother is but a distant memory for us. 00:23:51.360 --> 00:23:54.299 For others, honouring her is shown in obedience, 00:23:55.059 --> 00:23:58.080 bringing her honour in the way that we live or caring for her. 00:23:58.940 --> 00:24:01.660 For some of us, the scars are deep, 00:24:02.519 --> 00:24:04.779 the furrows are still there in our lives. 00:24:04.779 --> 00:24:09.799 But as I prayed and as I've said, 00:24:09.879 --> 00:24:12.079 God can cover over a multitude of sins. 00:24:13.359 --> 00:24:16.200 God will never fail us or leave us or reject us. 00:24:17.960 --> 00:24:22.180 Even when those who are closest to us in this world have done so. 00:24:23.319 --> 00:24:25.119 And I want to say for us as a church, 00:24:25.180 --> 00:24:26.339 we need to set an agenda. 00:24:26.920 --> 00:24:28.879 For us here in church in Australia, 00:24:29.119 --> 00:24:32.119 to actually stand up for mothers. 00:24:32.119 --> 00:24:34.359 Getting rid of the, 00:24:34.659 --> 00:24:36.159 I'm just a mother put down. 00:24:36.679 --> 00:24:40.619 And actually reclaiming the wonder and the dignity 00:24:40.619 --> 00:24:44.279 and the value that God places on motherhood. 00:24:45.139 --> 00:24:45.500 Amen.