Jesus our example: Parents and Us.
“He… was subject unto [his parents]” Luke 2:51
Eagles, I wish you a very happy Sunday!
May I this morning, while some fellow examiners and I are still going through the assignments that you have submitted, take another look at the subject of relationships with our parents again.
I had approached this same topic in a specific angle and route during the May Conference held at Brixton.
Let us now take a slightly different view. Take Jesus as the perfect example of when the young ones are actually right but the parents are wrong.
– What if our parents are not believers in the sense that we are?
– What if they are believers, but they are missing ‘the point’?
Young people, you may sometimes feel as though your parents do not understand you. Neither did Jesus’ parents understand him. In fact, the verse before (50) specifically mentions “they did not understand” what Jesus was saying to them.
Remember, we are deliberately looking at not-too-frequent situations when it is our parents that are not just right.
You may sometimes have difficulty overlooking your parents’ flaws. But imagine what it was like for Jesus, who was (supposed to be) absolutely perfect (even at that age), to have parents who were both sinners! Every day would be an occasion for offense and fault-finding, if Jesus had wanted to criticize his parents.
But here is this remarkable statement about Jesus: “He was subject to his parents.” Regardless of their failures, regardless of their inability to fully understand him, Jesus obeyed and honored his parents!
What about you? Are you listening to your friends, or are you looking at Jesus? Are you following the crowd, or are you respecting your parents?
If Jesus voluntarily submitted himself to the leadership of his flawed and sinful parents, what possible excuse could you give for disregarding your own parents? If Jesus could overlook his parents faults, when he had none himself (?), how much more should you be able to forgive and look over your parents’ failings, knowing that you too are a sinner.
Remember how I have repeatedly counselled you all in the past on the matter of honouring and maintaining good communication with your parents, godly guardians and word-based pastors.
Let us see the reward of such acts of submission as demanded by God’s law:
Luke 2: 51 “And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus INCREASED IN WISDOM and STATURE, and IN FAVOUR with GOD and MAN.
Look at this resultant reward in this way:
INCREASE IN FAVOUR with (1) GOD => WISDOM
INCREASE IN FAVOUR with (2) MAN => STATURE
This is real blessedness beyond just shouting and making empty confessions that you now have to ‘force’ to come to pass by indulging in sharp practices.
In conclusion, please note that the scriptures cannot be broken.
God has spoken through the message of Apostle Paul to his true sons and daughters in the Ephesians Church…in Ephesians 6: 2
“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”
Happy Sunday! Have a great day in God’s presence.
Our goal is God.
The Liteman T