The Law, P2
This blog post is Part 27 of a series entitled "From Fear To Freedom" by Pastor Jeffrey Dean Smith of Donelson First in Nashville, TN.
Message Date: September 15, 2024
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Several years before World War II was officially a war, another kind of war had quietly already been waged and won by Adolph Hitler throughout the hallways of elementary, middle and high schools across the country of Germany. Hitler knew that if Germany was going to be the country he envisioned, all German children would have to belong to the Reich. Hitler, speaking about the children of Germany, spoke these words just months before invading Poland in September of 1939:
“The children now belong to us already. Parents, who are you? You will soon pass on. Your descendants, however, now stand in the new camp – in our camp. In a short time, they will know nothing else but this new camp.” Adolph Hitler, 1939
Hitler understood that to control children was to control the future. One of the first moves Hitler made in his attempt to gain the souls of children was to close all denominational schools throughout Germany essentially forcing all children into his government controlled system. He too outlawed all homeschools, and eventually, any alternative educational options for parents were eliminated. Hitler worked to reeducate a young generation not just in how they think, but too how they feel. He was a mastermind at manipulating the emotions of people, particularly the young. Hitler understood that if you could influence one’s emotions, you could then dictate their actions.
Now, in unison, I presume we shake our heads in disgust at who this man was. Yet, we too must recognize the youth of today are being motivated to think, and to feel, in similar ways. Across many platforms today, within the educational system, and absolutely through the medium of social media, our children are being taught both directly and indirectly to feel oppressed; to feel as victims; to feel alone; to feel misunderstood; or, even scarier, to not feel at all. In so very many ways, our children and grandchildren are being indoctrinated to think in ways that are fully and completely void of any Scriptural gauge. And do not believe I reference merely the unchurched.
Christian children are being convinced that they are to keep their antiquated views to themselves. They are made to feel embarrassed and demoralized if displaying any way of thinking contrary to the world’s view on a plethora of issues. They too are being educated to “feel” as though, what was once spoken as the Commandments by God in Exodus 20, are now merely a “bible story of old; a former way of life; outdated; prejudiced; intolerant.” But what we are going to continue to see through this study, From Fear to Freedom, is that these Commandments are eternal and true for all of time... and serve as the one, true moral light that will lead our children courageously into the future. Last week, we discussed the first three:
Commandment #1: You shall have no other gods before me.
Commandment #2: You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
Commandment #3: You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
Today, I will teach on Commandments 4, 5 and 6.
Commandment #4: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
Exodus 20:8-11
Do you notice something unique about this commandment? Unlike the first three Commandments, this Commandment does not begin with the word “you.” Instead, Commandment #4 is the only Commandment that begins with a call to “remember.” The “remember” is a call to His followers, then and forever more, to evoke that even God took a day to rest when creating the world. God is relaying the message to us: Remember...
“I took a day of rest. So should you!”
Sabbath /Hebrew / sabbath = day of rest
The Bible specifies that there is to be a day of rest for us as a humanity. This not only provides you a day in which you focus, worship, and revere a Holy God. It too provides your body and mind a day to let down, to recharge, and to refill for the next week ahead. Some reserve this day to be a Saturday; others a Sunday. My focus is less on which day one rests and instead on the simple command to rest. Notice too in verse 9... a very unpopular thought for us in such a modern day and time in America.
Exodus 20:9
Wow... how popular would this be... a six-day work week! What is also a critical point to note is that God does not merely call us to rest on the Sabbath. He calls us to make the Sabbath holy. And He is proclaiming the reality that one’s resting is an expression of one’s holiness for Him. Practically speaking, how is one to make the Sabbath, this day of rest, a holy day?
Keep the Sabbath Holy:
1. Worship together as a family wherever you are on the Sabbath.
2. Establish a culture of rest in your home.
Your family will follow your lead here. So, do your part to protect this day. And in doing so remember – such an action of rest is your personal expression of holiness.
3. Do not make important life decisions on the Sabbath.
Whether relationship decisions, work life, investments, etc., this day should be a day when you rest your mind rather than stress your mind. This too is one reason as to why I have moved our Ministry Celebrations to a Wednesday. It is our responsibility as a Church to align operationally to God’s command to keep the Sabbath day holy by not conducting the business and management of the church on the day that is to be set apart as a holy day of rest.
4. Refrain from allowing the day of rest to become a day of tasks.
This is a hard one, especially for me. We go so hard during the week, Sunday afternoons can easily become a time where I focus on responsibilities and chores around the house. Y'all, we have to work to see that this does not happen. God has commanded that this is to be a day where, as God says, “On it, you shall not do any work.” Let’s honor God by honoring His command!
Commandment #5: Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
Exodus 20:12
Commandment #5 is the only Commandment which is accompanied with a promise! The first 4 Commandments proclaim how to love God with all of your heart, soul and mind.
The 5th Commandment proclaims how to love your neighbor as yourself. This begins within the family.
The family is the most important unit of society. Now, for those today who may be saying, “Pastor, this is really hard to do because one, or possibly even both, of my parents have not been good parents... or are not even followers of Christ.” If this is you, I remind you, ever so gently... The 5th commandment does not say,“Honor your father and mother unless your father and mother are not honor-worthy.” Though difficult to do, it is important for you to remember that there is an honor due your parents because they, like you, are made in the image of God. And, when you choose to honor them, you are acknowledging that as a child of God, your parent, or parents, are still loved by Him and created in the image of Him, and as your God-given parent, they are due your honor regardless of what they have, or have not, done for you or to you.
When you choose to look beyond your own hurt in showing honor to a parent not honor-worthy, you are saying, “I extend grace to one not deserving of such, as I too acknowledge that I have been given grace by a loving God of which I too am not deserving.”
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:3-5
Now... what does this look like practically... of course, there are countless ways you can do this...
How to honor a parent:
1. Pray for your parent(s).
One of the greatest ways you can honor your parent is through prayer. If needed, pray for a heart change. Pray for repentance. Pray for a healthy relationship; a renewed relationship. Pray for health. Pray for security. Pray for blessings.
2. Pray for yourself.
Pray that you will forgive where forgiveness is needed. Pray you will be a child who is supportive and loving and encouraging even unto their last days.
3. Honor the Word.
Do not live a lie before them. You may have a father or mother who has betrayed your family in some way. You may be harboring bitterness or even rage toward this parent. But such hatred truly only hurts you. So work to honor your parent by honoring God’s Word in how you live and in how you treat your family.
A close friend of mine has been at odds with his father for some time. When he was younger, his father cheated on his mother. They divorced, and he was raised mostly by his mom. I asked him recently how things were going between him and his dad. I so respect his response. He said: “It does no good to continue to be mad at him. What he did is between him and the Lord. He remains my father, and though I do not agree with his decisions, I know the best thing I can do to extend grace to him, and in effect free my heart from a bitterness that does me no good to carry, is to forgive.”
If you are in a similar situation, I pray that you are able to set your heart free, to forgive, and by doing so, you will be following the command of God to honor your father and mother.
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Jeffrey Dean Smith is a husband, father to Bailey & Brynnan, author, and the Senior Pastor at Donelson First in Nashville, TN. If you are in Music City, meet Jeffrey and enjoy iced tea on the front lawn each Sunday at 10:30a.