Lent 2 - Reminiscere February 28, 2021
The Fourth Commandment
A Matter of Family Honour
Exodus 20:1-2, 7 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery… 12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you."
LSC Honour your father and your mother. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not despise or anger our parents and other authorities, but honour them, serve and obey them, love and cherish them.
Beloved in Christ, this morning we are going to switch gears a little bit. Previously, we have examined and meditated upon the First Table of the Law—ie, the first three commandments of our God that instruct us in our proper disposition toward Him, His Name, and His Word/Church. The Fourth Commandment begins the Second Table of the Law, which focuses upon our relationships with other people. With whom do you first have a relationship? Your parents. We will see how our honour and respect for our parents extends to our honour and respect toward all authorities whom God has placed over us in government, school, work, the church, or anywhere else. For God instituted all authority as an extension of parental authority for our good. And by honouring them—we honour God—and truly do good in His sight.
Indeed, it is fitting that during this season of Lent—a time not only for fasting, but also doing good works, that Luther says honouring our parents, “is the highest work we can do, after the grand divine worship included in the previous commandments. Giving to the poor and every other good work toward our neighbour is not equal to this. For God has assigned parenthood the highest place. Yes, He has set it up in His own place upon the earth” (Par. 125-126). You want an extra good work to do? Look no further than honouring your parents and other authorities—be they teachers, government officials, pastors, etc.—for they have been put over you by God to protect, care for, nurture, and guide you. This one work, which has God’s express command and promise, is better than all the fasting in the world.
But what is honour? How are we to honour parents and other authorities? Other cultures have a real sense of honour, but ours has largely done away with the concept of honour. Dr. Luther noted that to rightly honour someone is to behave toward them in all modesty, humility, and submission. We do so, not because they are deserving in and of themselves, but rather because of the office which they hold, either as parent or authority, which is born from the hidden majesty of God in them. For God is a God of order. And He has created all things to be in submission to Himself and His lawful representatives, be they in the church, the state/government, or the home.
In particular, this commandment sets parents above all others because we are required not only to love, but also to honour them. We are to love all people—even our enemies—but herein we are instructed to honour parents as extensions of God’s authority over us. We are not to deprive them of their honour simply because of their failings or conduct. Indeed, we are to care for and honour them in all things, even when they go too far—for this is pleasing in God’s sight. Why? Because this work is included in and controlled by the very Word of God and His command.
When we examine our lives and ask ourselves those tough questions of the Law, we find that we have not honoured, obeyed, served, loved, or cherished our parents and other authorities with all gladness and joy. We regularly break the laws of our town, state/province, and country—especially motor vehicle laws. We are often overbearing toward others in our households and workplaces. More importantly, we have failed to properly discipline and catechize our children as God would have us. Throwing before them other activities and things as of higher importance than God and His Word, thereby leading them astray, and betraying our children’s trust to instruct them in the way of the Lord. We have often failed to honour our pastors as God’s undershepherds among us—disparaging them and their work.
Even though God uses others in authority in their daily vocations to give us food, house, home, protection, and security, yet there is still much misery and misfortune in the world. Why? Because everyone desires to be their own master and cares nothing for anyone—doing only what pleases themselves. This selfishness—this rebellion against God and authority—is rooted in sin—wherein our first parents first rebelled against God the Father—and we have continued this longstanding tradition.
What is worse is that we feel our misfortune, we murmur and complain of peoples’ unfaithfulness, violence, and injustice around the world and we blame God for allowing such wickedness to continue, all the while forgetting that we are guilty and deserving of this punishment—for we are the problem! We are the guilty ones. With our lack of respect, honour, and love exhibited toward authorities, we deserve God’s wrath and punishment.
Yet thanks be to God that it is not our works, our honour, our respect, our obedience that make us holy and acceptable in His sight. Rather it is faith in Jesus Christ. Good works serve our neighbour, but do not cleanse us of the guilt of our sin—only Jesus can do that.
Jesus always honoured authority in His life. From submitting to His earthly parents as a child, to respecting the civil government, as is evidenced by His proclaiming the duty of citizens to pay taxes to their government. Christ always honoured His heavenly Father in all that He thought, said, and did. With His acts of love and charity toward all people, He gave honour and glory to His Father.
His ultimate fulfillment of this was shown in His willingness to lay down His life for you and me on the cross. Remember how He prayed in the Garden on the night in which He was betrayed? “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). He gave His life as a ransom for sin—yours and mine—that by the shedding of His innocent blood, we might be cleansed from all our sin. Why? Because it was the will of His Father, whom He honoured and adored.
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to our Lord Jesus Christ. He is in control of all things and by His authority His Church baptizes, Absolves, distributes His Supper, and proclaims forgiveness of sins in His name alone.
Our very salvation depended upon Christ’s keeping this commandment perfectly—even when it meant submission unto death and hell—so that He could suffer God’s wrath over our sin and thereby rescue us from our enemies. He did this so that we might enjoy long life on the earth now, and in heaven for all eternity. For by His sacrifice we have been purified from all sin and death—freed from the bonds of rebellion and the tyranny of Satan. Freed to honour, love, serve and obey not just parents, but all God-given authority in all things that do not contradict His own precious Word.
The holy one of God has come and touched you with His healing power—thereby making you holy and righteous by His broken body and shed blood on the cross. Jesus honoured all for you—so that in Him you might receive honour. For by faith you are all God’s children—heirs with Christ to the pleasures eternal of the heavenly realm—saved by the blood of the Son—it was a matter of family honour, which God has performed to save you and all people. Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.
The Fourth Commandment
A Matter of Family Honour
Exodus 20:1-2, 7 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery… 12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you."
LSC Honour your father and your mother. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not despise or anger our parents and other authorities, but honour them, serve and obey them, love and cherish them.
Beloved in Christ, this morning we are going to switch gears a little bit. Previously, we have examined and meditated upon the First Table of the Law—ie, the first three commandments of our God that instruct us in our proper disposition toward Him, His Name, and His Word/Church. The Fourth Commandment begins the Second Table of the Law, which focuses upon our relationships with other people. With whom do you first have a relationship? Your parents. We will see how our honour and respect for our parents extends to our honour and respect toward all authorities whom God has placed over us in government, school, work, the church, or anywhere else. For God instituted all authority as an extension of parental authority for our good. And by honouring them—we honour God—and truly do good in His sight.
Indeed, it is fitting that during this season of Lent—a time not only for fasting, but also doing good works, that Luther says honouring our parents, “is the highest work we can do, after the grand divine worship included in the previous commandments. Giving to the poor and every other good work toward our neighbour is not equal to this. For God has assigned parenthood the highest place. Yes, He has set it up in His own place upon the earth” (Par. 125-126). You want an extra good work to do? Look no further than honouring your parents and other authorities—be they teachers, government officials, pastors, etc.—for they have been put over you by God to protect, care for, nurture, and guide you. This one work, which has God’s express command and promise, is better than all the fasting in the world.
But what is honour? How are we to honour parents and other authorities? Other cultures have a real sense of honour, but ours has largely done away with the concept of honour. Dr. Luther noted that to rightly honour someone is to behave toward them in all modesty, humility, and submission. We do so, not because they are deserving in and of themselves, but rather because of the office which they hold, either as parent or authority, which is born from the hidden majesty of God in them. For God is a God of order. And He has created all things to be in submission to Himself and His lawful representatives, be they in the church, the state/government, or the home.
In particular, this commandment sets parents above all others because we are required not only to love, but also to honour them. We are to love all people—even our enemies—but herein we are instructed to honour parents as extensions of God’s authority over us. We are not to deprive them of their honour simply because of their failings or conduct. Indeed, we are to care for and honour them in all things, even when they go too far—for this is pleasing in God’s sight. Why? Because this work is included in and controlled by the very Word of God and His command.
When we examine our lives and ask ourselves those tough questions of the Law, we find that we have not honoured, obeyed, served, loved, or cherished our parents and other authorities with all gladness and joy. We regularly break the laws of our town, state/province, and country—especially motor vehicle laws. We are often overbearing toward others in our households and workplaces. More importantly, we have failed to properly discipline and catechize our children as God would have us. Throwing before them other activities and things as of higher importance than God and His Word, thereby leading them astray, and betraying our children’s trust to instruct them in the way of the Lord. We have often failed to honour our pastors as God’s undershepherds among us—disparaging them and their work.
Even though God uses others in authority in their daily vocations to give us food, house, home, protection, and security, yet there is still much misery and misfortune in the world. Why? Because everyone desires to be their own master and cares nothing for anyone—doing only what pleases themselves. This selfishness—this rebellion against God and authority—is rooted in sin—wherein our first parents first rebelled against God the Father—and we have continued this longstanding tradition.
What is worse is that we feel our misfortune, we murmur and complain of peoples’ unfaithfulness, violence, and injustice around the world and we blame God for allowing such wickedness to continue, all the while forgetting that we are guilty and deserving of this punishment—for we are the problem! We are the guilty ones. With our lack of respect, honour, and love exhibited toward authorities, we deserve God’s wrath and punishment.
Yet thanks be to God that it is not our works, our honour, our respect, our obedience that make us holy and acceptable in His sight. Rather it is faith in Jesus Christ. Good works serve our neighbour, but do not cleanse us of the guilt of our sin—only Jesus can do that.
Jesus always honoured authority in His life. From submitting to His earthly parents as a child, to respecting the civil government, as is evidenced by His proclaiming the duty of citizens to pay taxes to their government. Christ always honoured His heavenly Father in all that He thought, said, and did. With His acts of love and charity toward all people, He gave honour and glory to His Father.
His ultimate fulfillment of this was shown in His willingness to lay down His life for you and me on the cross. Remember how He prayed in the Garden on the night in which He was betrayed? “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). He gave His life as a ransom for sin—yours and mine—that by the shedding of His innocent blood, we might be cleansed from all our sin. Why? Because it was the will of His Father, whom He honoured and adored.
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to our Lord Jesus Christ. He is in control of all things and by His authority His Church baptizes, Absolves, distributes His Supper, and proclaims forgiveness of sins in His name alone.
Our very salvation depended upon Christ’s keeping this commandment perfectly—even when it meant submission unto death and hell—so that He could suffer God’s wrath over our sin and thereby rescue us from our enemies. He did this so that we might enjoy long life on the earth now, and in heaven for all eternity. For by His sacrifice we have been purified from all sin and death—freed from the bonds of rebellion and the tyranny of Satan. Freed to honour, love, serve and obey not just parents, but all God-given authority in all things that do not contradict His own precious Word.
The holy one of God has come and touched you with His healing power—thereby making you holy and righteous by His broken body and shed blood on the cross. Jesus honoured all for you—so that in Him you might receive honour. For by faith you are all God’s children—heirs with Christ to the pleasures eternal of the heavenly realm—saved by the blood of the Son—it was a matter of family honour, which God has performed to save you and all people. Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.