GIVING HONOUR AND SERVICE TO PARENTS: PASTOR (MRS.) AMENKHIENAN, RCCG AYC 2020

RCCG NATIONAL YOUNG ADULT AND YOUTH AFFAIRS (YAYA) VIRTUAL CONVENTION 2020.

THEME: THE BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR

DAY 3 AFTERNOON SESSION MINISTERING TALK 2: PASTOR (MRS.) AMENKHIENAN (WIFE OF AGO, YOUTH AFFAIRS, RCCG.)

TOPIC: GIVING HONOUR AND SERVICE TO PARENTS.

DATE: 30TH SEPTEMBER, 2020

BIBLE TEXT: EXODUS 20:12

SONG:

Worthy, Worthy is the Lamb,
Worthy, Worthy is the Lamb,
Worthy, Worthy is the Lamb,
That was Slain;

Glory, Hallelujah!
Glory, Hallelujah!
Glory, Hallelujah!
Praise the LORD.

OPENING PRAYER

Our King of Glory, we want to say THANK YOU!

JESUS, we Adore You!

We Magnify Your Holy Name; we confess You are the “True God” – There is no other god like YOU.

We want to Thank You for the Day Three (3) of the Youth Convention; Thank You Father, thus far You have helped us.

Thank You for Your Revelational Words that You have been impacting upon our lives.

Daddy we are committing this Session in to Your Hands; we are asking You will take absolute control, in the Name of JESUS!

In Jesus’ Name, we’ve Prayed – Amen!

It is my Singular Honour to thank and appreciate my Parents in the Lord, Daddy and Mummy E.A Adbeboye (Daddy and Mummy G.O) – For the opportunity given to me to Preach on this exalted Altar.

… Thank you Sir, Thank you Ma. I appreciate you.

I will also like to appreciate my husband, the Assistant General Overseer (AGO in Charge of Young Adult and Youth) Pastor Peter Amenkhienan; for the opportunity to Preach during this Convention.

And OF course, the Youth Executives! God Bless you for putting the Programme together – Amen.

Today, I will be speaking on: “GIVING HONOUR AND SERVICE TO PARENTS.”

HONOUR means holding something or someone in great respect; in very high esteem.

To honour someone is to VALUE him or her highly; to bestow Value on him or her.

And of course, most of us are familiar with the Ten (10) Commandments received by Moses and the People of Israel at Mount Sinai.

The Commandment tells us how to Honour and Worship God.

Without Complete and Genuine Honour to God, it will be impossible to honour anyone else.

Honour cannot be FAKED; it comes from the HEART.

The Fifth (5th) Commandment says: “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee” – Exodus 20:12

The relationship with our Parents is so significant, that it is first (1st) earthly relationship addressed, in the Commandments and it is the only one to come with a Blessing from God.

So, when I speak about mothers or fathers; I refer to anyone who may have taken a “Parental Figure” in your Life.

The reality is: Not everyone is born to Parents who reflect the fatherly love of God.

… Yet, God calls us to HONOUR them, too.

WHY? – Because there is a connection between honouring our Parents and Honouring GOD.

When we treat our Parents respectfully (and with love), we take the opportunity to Honour God, with our Obedience.

Reflecting on the relationship our Heavenly Father seeks to have with us – No matter who your Parents are; God will always honour our Obedience. And He is Faithful, to make Himself known in ways we can’t imagine.

Mind you: HONOUR is a Gift that you freely give; not what is earned!

Not because it is deserving; but because it is the RIGHT THING TO DO.

Consider this; in the life of a child: The Parental relationship is the FIRST (1ST) and the MOST important relationship in such a life!

… It shapes all other relationships!

When you come across a very Kind, Considerate, Capable child or youth; or even an adult, who is very Hardworking – Conscientious, Responsible and Considerate – More often than not, it is alluded to the Person’s parentage.

In such a case, we always thank, not only those Parents; but Praise the Good Sense that he or she had to listen to them.

Likewise, we judge a Person by the way he or she behaves.

We say – Oh, she or he comes from a Good home or she/he has a Good Home Training.

But if that Person is acting NEGATIVELY; we say: This one LACKED Good Home Training.

And that is why in the Book of Proverbs 23:24-25, I quote:

“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”.

So, when we have Good Parents, who impact Good behaviour in the life of their child; and the child that has sense to imbibe such Good Teachings, it is worth a great thing!

… Though we may have few exceptions to such: We can have Good Parents, and yet bad children; we can also have Bad Parents, with GOOD CHILDREN!

Permit me quickly to read some Bible verses – So that we know those Authorities that we need to HONOUR.

In the Book of Ephesians 6:1-3, we are told:

“Children, obey your Parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with Promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.”

Hebrews 13:7, I read:

“Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the Word of God: whose Faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.”

Then in 1 Peter 5:5:

“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with Humility: for God resisteth the Proud, and giveth Grace to the Humble.”

Finally, I am going to be reading 1 Peter 2:17:

“Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.”

So from these, you will discovered that, it encompasses a lot!

Listen Youths out there: God has designed our relationship with our Parents in such a way that we learn what it means to have someone in Authority over us; to listen to People, to honour them, and to do the right things that with bring Glory to God.

We need to know, someone else has a say over us; we are going to trust that they know better.

Not only that; this is where we learn that there are Authority Structures in the world.

The Family is where you learn about Respect and Obedience; and hopefully, about Love and Protection.

We need to know that this Commandment is so important. The Book of Deuteronomy 21:18-21, I read:

“If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his City shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.”

So, in the Old Testament, we are being told that if a child refuses to honour his parents, then he is subject to DEATH.

But Thank God that we are in the New Testament; and we are under Grace!

… Grace is the MONEY we are spending now!

So, instead of being Punished with DEATH; in the New Testament we are told to discipline such a child.

And so, you discovered that in the Book of Hebrews 12:7-11, we are told that:

7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

… This is very important!

But quickly, I will be looking at this subject from four (4) aspects.

We will look at:

1. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HONOUR PARENTS?
2. WHY SHOULD WE HONOUR PARENTS?
3. ARE THERE LIMITS TO HONOURING PARENTS?

… And then we are going to be rounding it up with:

4. PRACTICAL WAYS, OR SERVICE WE NEED TO RENDER TO PARENTS.

So, I will start with the first (1st) one:

1. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HONOUR PARENTS?

We need to know that Honour requires certain two (2) things:

I. The first (1st) is REFERENCE.

And Reference involves a humbling of the self, in respectful recognition of something Perceived to be greater than self.

This is not always because Parents are deserving (as I said before); but because of the Position of Authority that God has granted to Parents.

They have been given a Noble Title – MOTHER, FATHER!

And you discovered that in the Old Testament, the meaning of HONOUR (in Hebrew Language) means ‘Kevoid’ – Which means something that is Glorious, and something that has WEIGHT.

… So to be a Parent is a weighty thing!

To be given the Title ‘MOTHER’ or ‘FATHER’ is to be designated with office of great significance.

So we show Respect and Reference for that Position or Office.

God has given Parents Authority. Part of what they are helping you to learn is that you have come to a world in which there is: MORAL AUTHORITY and STRUCTURES OF ORDER – Showing Proper respect to everyone!

And it is so amazing (or is it sad?) that respect has become an Endangered Value over the past few decades.

Yet the Bible makes it clear that: Stable Families, and stable Societies are BUILT around Respect!

The Bible COMMANDS us to: Honour our Parents, Respect Civil Authorities; and respect Church Leaders.

And you discovered that, because God wants to make it clear and leaves no one out; the Bible also tells us to show Proper respect to EVERYONE.

… That was the last Bible Passage I read – That 1 Peter 2:17.

II. Now, the Second (2nd) thing about HONOUR is OBEDIENCE aspect of it.

OBEDIENCE is defined as: “Dutiful or Submissive Compliance to the commands of one in Authority.”

Which means that: We do that; we do what our Parents say while we are Part of their households!

Even when we have grown and left the home; we make efforts to do their wishes whenever we can!

Obedience of course, implies that Parents are giving Commands, and Passing Instructions along to us.

WHY? – Because Parents are the ones responsible to ensure that what children are doing, is Good and Right and it will help them to grow in Christ.

So, this brings to me:

2. WHY SHOULD WE HONOUR OUR PARENTS?

And you will see this in Ephesians (that we ready before) Ephesians 6:1.

It says that we are to obey our Parents in the Lord.

I am laying emphasis: ‘IN THE LORD’.

Listen, it is Part of your devotion to Jesus: To honour your father and your mother – Especially, Unbelieving Parents!

This is because our Obedience and Devotion to Christ, leads to OBEDIENCE and HONOUR for our Parents whether they are Believers or not!

And the Book of Colossians 3:20, we are told: Children, obey your Parents in EVERYTHING. – Not leaving anything out!

… For this PLEASES the Lord.

So, anytime you are not obeying your Parents, or not giving them Honour – That means you are displeasing the Lord.

And I know as many of us as are hearing me today, or reading on the Label of DMC: You are a Born Again child of God, and you want to Please the Lord.

So, if you want to PLEASE the Lord: You must HONOUR and RESPECT your Parents.

And, you can find a very Good Example in the Bible – Of our Lord Jesus Christ – You will discovered that Jesus Honoured and Obeyed His Earthly Parents even though the Parents are not perfect, and Jesus Christ is PERFECT.

But you discovered that in the Book of Luke 2:41-51; we are told that when Jesus Christ was still YOUNG (around 12 years old), he followed His Parents to Jerusalem to worship.

But when they were going back, Jesus Christ stayed behind and was listening to the Scribes.

And the Parents assumed that He must be Part of the company; and they had gone a day’s journey before they discovered that Jesus Christ was nowhere to be found!

And we are told that they looked for Jesus for three (3) days, before they found Him in the Temple.

And they said: Son, why did You treat us like this?

He said “Don’t you know that I should be about My Father’s Business?

But we are told in that Verse 51 (Luke 2:51) that He GOT UP, and followed them and was SUBJECT TO THEM.

… That is Jesus Christ!

And so, that shows us the importance honouring our Parents.

And in Ephesians 6:3, we are told that if you honour your father and mother, things will go well for you; and you will have a long Life on the Earth.

So, you discovered that Ephesians 6:1, and that Book of Colossians 3:20 are not talking about living just a long life like that; but it is actually telling us that we will live ABUNDANT LIFE.

If you want to enjoy to the FULL – the Blessings that God has for you in the Promised Land; then, you must LISTEN to your Parents.

And you discovered that, these Bible Verses we are reading can be seen in two (2) parts – That these Promises are actually a REWARD and a PROMISE.

In fact, the moment you think that you don’t need your parents anymore; that is the moment you really need them, MORE THAN ever before – To LOVE and to ENCOURAGE you!

Not only that: Even sometimes, to set appropriate boundaries for you which you wouldn’t think to set for yourself.

And to sometimes keep you from yourself and Protect you from things in the world which you might not necessarily see as being dangerous.

Parents should not expect the same obedience from grown children as they did when they were small.

And that takes me to the third (3rd) Aspect;

3. ARE THERE LIMITS TO HONOURING PARENTS?

Yes – Because Authority can be abused!

If the choice is between Obeying God, or obeying men; we need to obey God.

This is very, very important!

This is because the first (1st) Commandment takes Precedence OVER the fifth (5th).

But even in that situation, you must make sure that you show it in a respectful manner.

Even when what they are asking you to do is WRONG, the way you put it across to them will show that you respect and honour them.

But you will rather HONOUR God, OVER and ABOVE.

So, you need to know this that: Parental Authority is not ABSOLUTE.

But you need to know that, for those Parents that are Believers, they have gone farther along in Godliness and deserve our Respect and HONOUR.

So quickly I will be going to:

4. THE PRACTICAL WAYS TO HONOUR PARENTS; OR SERVICES TO RENDER TO OUR PARENTS.

We need to know that this Fifth (5th) Commandment is larger than just Parenting.

It is simply the bridge between the Vertical Relationship with God, to the Horizontal Relationship with Parents; and all other relationships with Authorities that we may have in our lives.

I. We must treat our Parents RESPECTFULLY and with LOVE; giving them PROMPT and cheerful OBEDIENCE.

When we do this, we are taking the opportunity to Honour God with our Obedience.

And we are reflecting the relationship with our Heavenly Father which He seeks to have with us!

No matter who our Parents are, God will honour our OBEDIENCE.

And He is Faithful to make Himself known, in ways we can’t imagine.

So, we need to pay attention to the Admirable and Honourable traits of Parents or Guidance; that embodied everything in their lives, as we were growing up – If they loved and Protected you, you must learn from their example. And you can also now learn to nurture others up.

So, they will see that you are carrying that innate relationship you have learnt from your Parents; and you are Passing it across to the Next Generation.

Not only that; you discovered that in the Book of 1 Corinthians 11:1, Paul said: “Be IMITATORS of me, as I am of Christ”‘

So, when we imitate our elders, when we imitate our parents in Good Ways, then we are showing from where we come from.

II. GRATITUDE is one (1) of the Chief ways we can Honour our Parents.

Showing GRATITUDE for the “Unseen Sacrifices”, they must have gone through when they were bringing us up.

Parents sacrificed a lot for their children;

… You need to know this!

They sacrificed their Rest and Resources – when you were small, and your were growing up and so when you are now growing up; you need to RECIPROCATE – by Honouring them.

So, I am advising you: Peradventure you know you have not really been honouring them; immediately after this Programme or after reading this on the Label of DMC: Pick you phone and call them – Just to say: Mummy/Daddy, I appreciate you. I thank you for how you brought me up.

… This is very, very Important!

III. And, we need to SPEAK WELL of them.

Whether in their Presence or their absence; we must learn to SPEAK WELL of them!

Consider the words you speak to your Parents: Carefully pick only the words that give Honour.

This is just showing us that wherever we may be, we must LEARN to speak WELL of our Parents and those that brought us up!

The Fourth (4th) way of giving Service to our Parents is that;

IV. We MUST HEED their Wisdom.

Our parents have many opportunities to gain the Wisdom of Experience through their life times.

They have likely Endured and Persevered in ways we did not notice (as children) but by listening to their insights and knowledge, we learn to make better choices as Youth.

Listen to Job, in the Book of Job 12:12, it says: “With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.”

So, you discovered that Wisdom is recognized, and known among the aged – And that is the more reason for us to HEED their words of Wisdom.

And then in the Book of James 1:5, it says: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

So, we honour God and our parents, by asking for Wisdom and heeding to the Wisdom we received.

V. We also Honour our Parents by SUPPORTING them, ENCOURAGING them and LOOKING AFTER them.

Listen to David; David said in Psalms 71:9.

He said: “Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my Strength faileth.”

You see here, that David feared the combination of AGE and ISOLATION; of being OLD and ALONE.

… Likewise our aged Parents!

So we must give them assurance regularly, that we will not abandon them in their OLD AGE.

We MUST HONOUR them and not FORSAKE them.

VI. We must PROVIDE for them.

In the Book of 1 Timothy 5:4 and 8;

4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.

8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

So, it is saying here that God is WELL PLEASED, when you take GOOD CARE of your AGED ONES.

In conclusion;

VII. The most important way we can Honour our Parents is TO FORGIVE THEM.

WHY? -Because there are no Perfect Parents around.

All Parents have fallen far short of their children’s expectations and in all likelihood, even their own expectations!

Our Parents might have sinned against us through making of unwise decisions.

Maybe they have had unrealistic expectations concerning us, and had done things that have left us deeply wounded;

For that reason many children enter adulthood controlled by Anger and Bitterness. They find themselves unable to move Past their Parents’ mistakes, or their Parents’ sin.

I want to let you know that we Honour our Parents by extending Grace and Forgiveness to them.

… This is actually Possible.

So we honour our Parents by extending Grace and Forgiveness to them.

For Parents who are difficult to Love or to Forgive, putting this into Practice might seem impossible – However, God is able to work in their HEARTS, just as He has worked in yours.

Pray for God to transform their hearts – Amen.

You see, forgiveness does not excuse ungodly behaviour; but releases us from the grip of the resulting BITTERNESS.

ALTAR CALL:

Maybe you are here and you are listening to me or reading on the Label of DMC and do not know Christ; you have never given your life to Jesus Christ.

I am inviting you this Period to just invite Him into your life; so that you can live LONG and live WELL in Abundance.

You can say after me:

LORD JESUS, COME INTO MY LIFE, BECAUSE I WANT TO KNOW YOU MORE. I WANT TO LEARN TO HONOUR MY PARENTS.

WIPE AWAY MY SINS, AND WRITE MY NAME IN THE “BOOK OF LIFE.”

IN JESUS’ NAME WE PRAY – AMEN!

CLOSING PRAYER

And so King of Glory, we want to THANK YOU. Lord, we Love You!

We Thank You for being such a Good and Perfect Heavenly Father!

Father, we honour our Parents today – Whether they are living or dead.

You gave them to us, so that: They could Love, Nurture and Guide us into Maturity and independence as we know, and experience and receive your LOVE.

Lord, let us learn to Honour You and Please You – by Loving our Earthly Parents as well.

… Help us to return our love to them.

As we thoughtfully respond to their changing Needs, may they be able to depend on us, even as we have depended on them throughout the years.

Father may it go well with us; may we live long in the land, and enjoy all Blessings you have in store for us.

In Jesus’ Name – Amen!

Let us Thank God for our Parents (whether living or dead).

Tell God that You Thank Him through the Parent you have come into the world.

Ask God to show you how you can truly Honour your Parents; even those that might have caused you Pain in the Past!

Ask Him for the Grace to LOVE them in return.

Ask God to grant you the Spirit of Humility and Submission in honouring and obeying your Parents.

Ask God to deliver you from every spirit of stubbornness and Pride that may be operating in your life hitherto.

Pray that you will not live under the curse of disobedience – not honouring your Parents as you ought to.

Pray for Wisdom and Guidance on how you can be an example of Godly Love to those in Authority over you.

Thank You Jesus!

In Jesus’ Wonderful Name we have Prayed – AMEN!

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