Bro Kenny Song
Youth Impact on 1 Feb 2020
What is it that you look forward to most of all during Chinese New Year?
- New Clothes
- Reunion Dinners
- Ang Pows
- Home Town
(With this group, No. 3 was the answer ;-D)
Chinese New Year is that time of the year when we see some of our family members like cousins for the only time of the year. Family ties are important. We choose our friends, but family is given to us by God. It is not by choice. And New Year is a time not just to give and get Ang Pows but a time to catch up, talk, play and eat together.
But what does the Bible says about family? Especially our immediate family? The Bible gives us verses that helps strengthen family ties and I think it is good we take heed and work at building strong relationships within the family. The Bible says how can we serve in the house of God when our household is not in order?
If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church? 1 Tim 3:5
A. Husbands: Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. Ephesians 5:25
I think the best thing a father can give to their children is to love their wife. Children grow up in an environment of security when father love and protect their wife and his children.
But I think this one not so relevant to you all lo. How many here married? Boyfriend girlfriend pun takde I think.
B. Wife: An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones. Proverbs 12:4
As a wife and other half of her husband, she must help her husband in bringing up their family. She must stay with her husband and be with him during challenging times. Wives and mothers play such an important role in the family. No wonder God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
This one also not so relevant to you all la but it’s good to realise the importance of your mom.
C. Children: Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. ~ Colossians 3:20
Okay, this one ada relevance. And it applies to ALL. Young and old. As long as your parent is still around. Me included. Of course, now that my dad and mom have gone home to be with the Lord, it’s not so relevant for me but still we must honour them, in our speech and actions.
This is about as straightforward a decree as you’ll find in the Bible. But as we ponder that verse and the two that follow—“‘Honor your father and mother’ (this is the first commandment with a promise), ‘that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land’”—, we quickly find there are three important reasons why children need to obey their parents. There are three important reasons why parents must insist that their children obey.
Children need to obey their parents because nature demands it.
Children are to obey for the simplest of reasons: “this is right.” God has created human beings in such a way that his law is written on our hearts. There are certain truths we know simply because we are human, because we are created in God’s image. One of these truths is that children are to obey their parents. Every people of every time have known this and insisted upon it (even though today it seems that many people are actively suppressing this knowledge). So the first and most foundational reason children are to obey their parents is that this is just how it works, just how God intends it will work.
Children need to obey their parents because the law demands it.
Children are also to obey because it is a particular requirement of God’s law, the ten commandments. This is a law that even has a great promise attached to it: “Honor your father and mother … that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” This commandment bridges the first four, which reflect our relationship to God, and the final five which reflect our relationship with others.
Believers have long divided the ten commandments into two groups or two tables. The first group explains our duty toward God and the second explains our duty toward our fellow men. This commandment falls squarely between the two and in that way reminds us that our parents have a unique role in our lives. Our parents are God’s divine representatives to us so that when we honour and obey our parents we honour and obey God. There is no obedience or love to God without obedience and love toward parents.
Even in the law of the land, children below the age of accountability needs consent from parents. Parents are responsible for their children and children are expected to obey their parents. Parent/Teacher in school is so that teachers can turn to the parents if their child has any issues in school.
Children need to obey their parents because the gospel demands it.
Jesus, Perfect Honour, Perfect Obedience
We are not without a biblical model of honour and obedience. We see them both perfectly displayed in Jesus. Though he was God, he was born to earthly parents and he willingly, joyfully, perfectly honoured and obeyed them both. We see his childhood obedience in Luke 2:51 “And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them.” We see his honour when, in the moments before his death, he ensured provision for his mother: “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home” (John 19:26-27).
And just as Jesus honoured and obeyed his earthly mother and father, he honoured and obeyed his heavenly Father. In all he did he spoke well of his Father, he directed glory to him, he carried out his will. And, of course, he obeyed his Father: “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8).
If we want our children to honour and obey us, we must teach them about Jesus.
Without losing a trace of dignity, Jesus honoured and obeyed. If we want to honour and obey our parents we must learn about Jesus. If we want our children to honour and obey us, we must teach them about Jesus. He, as always, is the example of how to perfectly obey God’s perfect law.
As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. ~Joshua 24:15
All members of the family should have the same passion and love for the Lord. Make Him the centre of their lives and praise and adore Him till their last breath.
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