Have you ever paid

a visit to a home for

the elderly?
 How do you
feel about
mothers and
fathers being
left in an
institution by
their very
own children
who can very
well support
them?
4TH
TH COMMANDMENT
COMMANDMENT

“Honor your Father and your Mother.”

 "Son, support the old age of thy father, and grieve him not in his life;
and if his understanding fail, have patience with him, and despise him
not when thou art in thy strength:  for the relieving of the father shall
not be forgotten.  For good shall be repaid to thee for the sin of thy
mother.  And in justice thou shalt be built up, and in the day of affliction
thou shalt be remembered:  and thy sins shall melt away as the ice in the
fair warm weather."  

Ecclesiasticus
Ecclesiasticus 3:14-17)
3:14-17)
 "With thy whole heart, honor thy
father, and forget not the groanings
of thy mother: Remember that thou
hadst not been born but through
them: and make a return to them
as they have done for thee."  

(Ecclesiasticus 7:28-30)
It Involves Four Keywords:

1. APPRECIATE THEM. You honor your father and mother when you are thankful for all
they have done for you. You can show your appreciation by valuing their guidance

2. ACCEPT THEIR AUTHORITY. Especially while you are young, you honor your father
and mother when you recognize the authority God has given them.

3. TREAT THEM WITH RESPECT. This often involves what you say and how you say it.
True, some parents at times act in ways that make it hard to respect them. Even then,
children can honor their parents by avoiding disrespectful speech and actions.

4. PROVIDE FOR THEM. When your parents get old, they may need practical support.
You can honor them by trying your best to make sure that they have what they need
6 PRACTICAL WAYS
ON HOW TO HONOR
YOUR PARENTS
1. HONOR TO WHOM IS DUE
- Honoring parents is a form of honoring all authority,
including God himself.

2. FORGIVE THEM

- There are no perfect parents. All parents have fallen far

short of their children’s expectations and, in all likelihood,
even their own expectations.

- Our parents have sinned against us. They have made

unwise decisions, they have had unrealistic expectations,
they have said and done things that have left us deeply
wounded.
3. SPEAK WELL OF THEM
- speak well of them, to refuse to speak evil of them.

4. ESTEEM THEM PUBLICLY AND

PRIVATELY
- Respect them both publicly and privately. Parents long to
see how they have impacted their children, how their children
are a reflection of their strengths, their values.

5. SEEK THEIR WISDOM

- we seek their wisdom through life’s twists and turns

6. SUPPORT THEM
- taking care and loving them
 DO WE ONLY HONOR
MOTHER AND PARENTS IN
THE FOURTH
COMMANDMENT?
 "Let every soul be subject to higher
powers: for there is no power but from
God: and those that are, are ordained
of God. Therefore he that resisteth the
power, resisteth the ordinance of God...
Render therefore to all men their dues.
Tribute, to whom tribute is due: custom,
to whom custom: fear, to whom fear:
honor, to whom honor."

(Romans 13:1-7)
(Romans 13:1-7)
SINS AGAINST 4
SINS AGAINST 4 TH
TH

COMMANDMENT
COMMANDMENT
• Serious failure to care for aged parents
-The commandment is very clear that we are to honor our
parents. That would include taking care of them in their time of
need.

• Serious disrespect for or disobedience to parents

-We have to respect our parents.

• Wishing death or evil on parents

-We are not to wish death or evil on anybody, but most
importantly, not our parents.
• Hating

• Threatening

• Cursing

• Striking

• Insulting them

• Being ashamed of them

• Speaking or acting unkindly towards them

• Causing them anger or sorrow.