5th November 2025

5th November 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Exodus 20:12 and Ephesians 6:1-4)


Message (Alan Burke)


In Ephesians 6 we are told to obey our parents in the Lord, for this is right (Eph 6:1). Now let’s think about this, what does it means if a parent is abusive, or neglectful? Does that mean that we can forget honouring them, obeying them. Well let me give you a little context, in Ephesians Paul is writing to the church and goes on to warn “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord”. So there is two things going on for children they are to obey “in the Lord” for parents in focus here are fathers they are not to “exasperate” their children. There is a duty on parents to parent well, not to be abusive or neglectful and on children obeying in the Lord means that we are not obligated to sin and break God’s law even if our parents tell us for that would be to sin against God. 


Parental authority is not to be absolute, but even when that is the case it isn’t an excuse to not honour them. For all parents, even if those children are grown up, those of us who are parents of young children or hope to be parents soon, then our desire should be to do what we can to make their task of honouring us something that they want to do, that’s why Paul goes on to say to the church in Ephesus literally just after he has spoken to the children among them he speaks to the Fathers. 


Also parents, you have a responsibility for your children, you have been put in a place of authority over them, your task when they are young is not to be their mates but to be their parents. There are times more often than not they will not love you for it and definitely not like you for it. 


Honouring a parent who is abusive parent, a neglectful parent, a parent who tires to make you do things that are against God’s law or the law of this land looks very differently to honouring a parent who loves you, seeks to protect you, who makes you face consequences for your actions, that wants to keep you safe. The way we honour our parents changes, when we leave the home they are no longer required to obey their parents, at this stage we honour our parents in a different way, we respect them, speak respectfully of them, be careful in how we speak to them. It’s not only when we are young that we honour our parents it is also when they get old, even when they have died we can still honour our parents in how we speak of them and in how we live. 


The Fifth Commandment requires us to honour our father and mother and as we do this we subsequently learn what it means to honour the LORD our God and honour earthly authorities. For as children we honour those who are over us our parents, but it also teaches us how to love our neighbour, how to treat those who are superior, those who have authority over us, those who are our equals and those who we may think of our inferiors. So the wider application of this commandment speaks of our parents and those who are in authority over us. The question then comes if we are to show honour then how are we to honour then? 


Well all each case we show respect where it is due, show submission when it is required, faithfulness at all times, but that is with one exception when they are doing what they are doing contrary to God’s word. We should also be patient with their weaknesses. How this works out in your life at your stage may be different to mine but we are to honour others, when we fail to do that we not only dishonour them we dishonour the LORD our God, the one who has shown his grace to us through Jesus Christ, even though we are undeserving of it. 


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q11 What are God’s works of providence?
A. God’s works of providence are, his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.
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