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July 21, 2020 1:00 am
Good relationships provide happiness, and bad ones bring sorrow. Despite fragmenting homes, the Bible has a plan for the family, and God calls us to honor our parents. In this message we hear more teaching on God’s command designed to ensure stable and holy homes.
Click here to listen (Duration 25:02)One reason for us to Jesus phone number for the racetrack of life is smoother when things are right with mom and dad. Relationships mean happiness. Bad ones bring sorrow today more teaching on God's command designed to ensure stable homes and well-adjusted families stay with the Moody Church in Chicago this morning when one looks or whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line in today's teaching vasculature will be pointing out that honoring one's father and mother involves being obedient to them. When growing up yet. Dave, I really do think that we should be obedient to her parents. Of course there are exceptions, but we should not hurry to those exceptions without understanding what God is really saying you know here in Chicago there's a tremendous amount of crime and if you asked the question why it has to do with the breakdown of the family.
God says there should be a father and mother and children should honor their parents. By the way, if you're interested in receiving these messages and having your own copy so that you can listen to them again and again.
You can contact us for a gift of any amount. These messages can be yours. Go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 and now let us listen carefully as we hear from God about honoring our father and our mother know the Bible says in the Old Testament God says who so cursed the father or mother, let him be put to death. It also says he that strike if mother or father, let him be put to death God is saying. Honor your father and your mother that it may be well with you. You say, but my parents are so strict they are so harsh they belong to the previous century. Listen young people God may know that you needed parents just like that to keep you out of evil. You know, he just might know what's best for you. And since we don't have any opportunity to choose our parents, God has placed us under their authority and we ought to recognize that they are accountable to God even if they mislead us, certainly, but that we are subject to them why that it may be well with us.
Says the text of Scripture now honor them with our actions with our attitude but also with the attention that we should give them with the attention that we should give them in here I speak, particularly of those of us who are older children who have a responsibility for aged parents. In fact, I think that when God gave the 10 Commandments he very probably had in mind the responsibility of young people taking care of their older parents.
As they approached old age.
The Bible says in Leviticus chapter 19 verse 32 it says honor the aged and revere God, that's interesting.
Leviticus 1932 God places those two together in the very same verse he says the person with the gray head should be honored says that in a number of places in the Old Testament, and that passage in Leviticus is that God says respect them, honor them and revere God were living in a society when old people are a drain on the economy were living at a time when they constantly are being set aside their being put into nursing homes and sometimes that may be a necessity. I don't want to lay any guilt upon people for that in certain circumstances. One day I was in one of those homes and I asked the woman that was in charge I said how many do you think how many of these people have children that come here with some degree of regularity at least a few times a year and visit.
I was just astounded at her answer. She said about 30%, 30% and I said do you mean to tell me that there are 70% of these people that are in here these aged people who have no relatives, no friends, no children that ever come to see them and she said yes. I mean, I can you imagine what that must be like number of years ago must be at least 10. I knew a woman who told me a remarkable story. She said that her children totally disowned her totally. She not heard from them in years. They acted as if she did not exist, they would not respond to any letters they would not give her any information they would not allow her to see her grandchildren. She had two daughters. I even wrote a letter to those daughters, hoping that somehow they could be reconciled to their mother. She said the last time I saw them was when my husband died. They came to the funeral and they would not speak to me. They came only to the funeral home and left. Now frankly friends I don't know what that mother did to bring this dishonor upon her, but I would simply say that I can't think of anything that any mother could possibly do that would cause her to deserve such rejection and such alienation. That's tragic, and the Bible says that we have a responsibility to those who are our parents to take care of them and Jesus gave the Pharisees because they found ways around that responsibility. Turn with me for just a moment to the 15th chapter of Matthew, Matthew 15. These Pharisees they had worked out in such a way that they could circumvent the commandment of God and Jesus was angry with them.
As a result of it. It says in Matthew chapter 15 verse three Jesus is speaking and he says to them. Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of tradition for God said honor your father and mother, and he who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.
That's Christ's interpretation of the Old Testament you don't even have to curse them. Jesus said you speak evil of your father or your mother, let him be put to death. Parenthesis God has not changed his mind about this.
The fact that we do not put children to death is because we are under a different era when there are certain penalties that God does not ask us to implement, but that he takes care of these matters and but God's opinion of rebellious children has not changed. It says he who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death, but now Jesus said in verse five but you say, whosoever shall say to his father or mother, and now here is a translation of it anything of mine. You might have been a help.
I has been given to God, he is not to dishonor or his father or his mother. Then Jesus said, and I'll explain in a moment what he means you have invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition with the Pharisees did was this here.
They had money, good money God had said. Honor your father and your mother take care of your aged parents. They said to themselves. We got to find some way around that.
So let's take this money and let's dedicated to God and if we dedicate this money to God.
She has a higher power than our parents. Then we can say this is God's money, and therefore we can use it for our own investments. God entrusts his money to us, but we do not need to give it to her mom and dad and Jesus said because of traditions like this you are invalidating the word of God, you are finding by theological sleight-of-hand you are finding ways to circumvent the responsibility that God puts upon your shoulders to take care of the aged.
They took care of you and now you have a responsibility to take care of them is able. How do we do this well, first of all, certainly economically. From the standpoint of economics. If they need money.
If they need support.
You know that the Bible says in first Timothy 54 if you do not take care of those in your household. You are you have denied the faith in you are worse than an infidel. I don't think that only means that I have a responsibility to my wife and to my children that responsibility in those days involve the extended family as well. You're saying does that mean that grandparents always have to move in with the children not always though in some instances it may mean that certainly it has economic implications it has. More importantly, social implications where the aged people are felt as if they are a part of the family and they are not rejected, simply because they had become ill or because they create inconvenience for us and the difficulty in terms of our schedules where we are willing to draw a circle and include them even at sacrifice and expense to us. Number of years ago. On television there was a little vignette that was trying to emphasize the needs of the aged was in the first frame.
There was the picture of grandfather of father and a son and a grandfather.
His hands were very shaky he could no longer hold a bowl with steadiness and so he happened to drop a very precious piece of China onto the floor and it shattered and the father, namely the man's son was very angry know that's the trouble with old people like this, they they messed things up. They don't know even how to hold a bold anymore, so he took his father and he banished him into a room, close the door and gave them a wooden bowl.
You can drop that couple of days later. The father was out in the yard and saw his son at work said son, what are you doing notice that the boy was carving something and said what are you up to the boy held in his hand and almost finished bowl and said dad I make in this for you now. Bottom line, bottom line, you'd better watch the way you treat your parents because that's possibly the way in which your children will treat you. God says honor them, but it may be well with you. Isn't it amazing to think that someday we will be old in our hands will shake and we won't be able to hold that bowl. You'd better watch the way you treat your parents because it may well be that that's the way you'll be treated. And I can think of nothing as hurtful as being rejected by the very ones that you bore into those of the world. The ones in which you nurtured and helped along and now suddenly because you're a burden then because you're old and because you cause such inconvenience to their schedules. You are put away somewhere there's very little love and communication. God says honor them. If your selfish honor them like that, it may be well with you, Texas. Now I can imagine that there's someone here sitting saying I just wish the sermon was over because I never had parents who love me, you may say you may say that you were rejected you or your abused you perhaps were born illegitimately may be you have in the back of your mind a lot of questions about your own identity and as to who you really are and maybe even who your parents really are and you say I didn't have all of these social niceties that many people like you pastor Luther had being reared in a good whole. Does that mean that you have to be a social misfit for the rest of your life. Does that mean that there is no way for you to have emotional wholeness.
While I'm glad to be able to tell you today the answer is no. There's hope for you there's hope for anyone because first of all, the body of Jesus Christ has a responsibility to take up the slack where there has been failure, and sometimes were not very good at that. But I trust that we are getting better at it. Recognizing that we all have to take upon ourselves, sometimes beyond our physical family. Those who may have felt left out, of earthly families, but also the Bible hold special promises for those who are without an earthly family.
That's why God said repeatedly in the Old Testament.
He says I will be a father to the orphan, no earthly father, no earthly mother goddesses on the move in and take over on the Philip the vacuum, I'm good.
Take up the slack and so God says. Also, I will be a father. He says to the widows because now they are without an agent, God says I'm going to have to to move in and in a very special way. Take certain responsibilities now that that woman does not have a husband and that's why David says even though my father and my mother forsake me, they don't understand me and so they turn against me, and they reject me, says the Lord will take me up.
I become a member.
He says of the new family and God moves in and takes over, and there are lots of scars on lots of hurts.
We could not even begin to bear them if we knew older hurts that are in existence in a radius of a mile around this church. We couldn't even enter into them if we knew the hurt and the alienation and the rejection of children and the tearing of emotions as a result of the splitting of the families we We can't even begin to bear the hurt but there is a God who is able to heal and to bring wholeness where there is brokenness. Someone says God can make you hold if you give him all the pieces and that's what God wants us to do all of us. I think remember Ethel Waters. We remember her primarily because she used to attend many of the Billy Graham meetings and in those large Crusade, she would sing his eye is on the sparrow and the sheet ended by saying I know he watches me she would sing now. Ethel Waters was the product of a rape relationship, a 14-year-old girl was raped and Ethel was conceived and born. She had been living in our day and age, it would've been a classic instance when an abortion should have been performed, but she lived 70 years ago, or was conceived.
Then, at a time when you just had a baby.
If you are pregnant, but as a result of that rape relationship. Ethel was born and rejected. I remember hearing her site. Every child needs at least one lap to sit on every child should have at least two laps to sit on and then hopefully some others some uncles and aunts, and grandparents to but Ethel said I never had a lap to set on. That was her way of saying I was rejected shunted about who wants a child conceived in that kind of a relationship but then as Apple grew older and received Jesus Christ as their Savior. She said you know I don't have time to even think about my past hurts. She says I am so busy praising the Lord well you know I can't help but think that his eye was on that sparrow is I was on that sparrow and I say to those of you today, whose hearts are heavy because you have come from alienation and hurt and rejection that your father and your mother forsake you.
And when the circumstances of your birth are questionable and you can't figure it all out.
All is there to pick you up to bring you into the family to include you to call you by name and to save your mind.
I'm go to move in makeup for the loss that you should have had. Do you belong to a Savior, who is able to do that today. Some of you preps with hurt in your life you know Christ personally. He wants to forgive you to receive you, to love you to welcome you forever into God's family.
Let's pray for father. Today we want to thank you so much for your wonder and your grace to us as your people. Father, we want to thank you today for the good homes that many of us have had, but we think particularly of those who can't say that we ask today that you might heal the brokenhearted that you might set at liberty those that are bruised, we pray that you might move in those areas where there's been a vacuum. There's been hurt and rejection we ask today for those who do not know Christ personally, a Savior we pray that they might believe on you. We ask in Jesus name, amen. My friend, this is pastor Luther, let me ask you a question. Have you ever been blessed as a result of the ministry of running to win. If the answer is yes. Do you realize that that has taken place because of the vestment that other people have made in this ministry and you can also help us by making that investment. You will be blessed as a result of it, it will eventually come back to you in this sense, the Jesus said we should lay up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust of corrupt. There are many fine ministry sharing the word of God, just so that you know we are committed to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Would you consider becoming an endurance partner endurance partners are people who stand with us regularly with their prayers and their gifts. We depend upon them, and in this sense, they become a part of the running to win the family. Would you like more information. Here's what you do go to RTW offer.com let me get that to you again. RTW offer.com. Click on the endurance partner button in there you'll find all the information you need. You prefer to call us you can do that at 1-888-218-9337 thanks in advance for helping us. We are so grateful for the many people who join hands with us with their prayers and with their investments.
Let me give you that phone number. Once again, 1-888-218-9337 pick up that phone right now and call it's time again for you to ask pastor Luther question you may have about the Bible or the Christian life. When you say Bible some file only one translation qualifies to be called the Bible. Stephen listens to running to win and faces this dilemma. My father and brother are strict King James version only and think anyone else who isn't is terribly wrong and liberal. If I were to tell them that I read and study other translations they lose respect for me and treat me differently.
I currently have to hide my other translations every time they come to visit. Should I confront them about this issue and if so how will Stephen.
Ultimately, I can't answer that question for you because only you know the dynamics of your father and brother and family and what kind of a situation would arise if you were to confront them. I think you should, but I mean that's a judgment call that you need to make. Let me say this, there are those who believe that the King James is the only Bible we should use. I believe that they are very wrong. The King James of course goes back many centuries. It was a very good translation.
It influenced English literature, but at the same time, language changes and translations are not inspired by God. Sometimes there is a much better way of saying something, particularly as language is in flux and you have new expressions. The King James version of the Bible certainly served its generations. But we do live in a different age that or something else. There are many scholars who dedicate their lives to finding the most accurate manuscripts of the New Testament by finding I don't mean that there out to looking for them.
I mean that that they have the hundreds and hundreds of manuscripts that we have and they compare them and they contrast them and they do studies of them to find the very best manuscripts available.
What is a good manuscript it's a manuscript that is far as possible goes back to the original and so the text from which the King James was translated. Most scholars today believe that we have improve the accuracy of the text through all of these many years of scholarship. That's one reason why we need new translations. There are minor changes and I emphasize minor changes in the text. Furthermore, there are some very contemporary ways to say this same truth you find this for example if you have a more contemporary translation of the Bible. Now, I personally use two or three different Bibles.
Some are much more directly. What shall I say literal from the text. Others are paraphrases or translations that are much more contemporary and you can benefit from them all.
I'm sorry that your brother and your father had made such a big issue of this I would ask you to be cautious and careful.
But maybe at some time after you've read a book on the subject, and there are many of the books that are out there that are good. After some time maybe what you should do is to sit down with them and have a long talk, but that's your judgment, Stephen God bless you, thank you pastor Luther if you'd like to hear your question answered. You can, all you have to do is go to our website@rtwoffer.com and click there on ask pastor Luther or you can call us with the question at 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337 you can write to us at running to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614.
Each of us has a strong desire for intimacy. It's a natural God-given desire but keeping our sex drives under control is one of our biggest challenges sex in its proper place as a great while passions out of control can ruin one's future. That's why God gave us commandment number seven. This commandment is still in force even in a sex mad culture. Next time I'm running to win more in our study of the 10 Commandments as we look into the meaning of you shall not commit adultery. Don't miss living with your passions. This is Dave Callister running to win is sponsored by the teacher