The Blessings of Obedience

Temple Baptist Church - 11-6-2013

Colossians 3:20

 

Introduction:

A. I want to talk to our young people for a few minutes tonight.

1. First of all, I want you to know how important that you are to both your families and the church. You are the future of America!

2. I want you to know just how blessed you are to be raised in a good home and a good church. You are future parents and the hope of the local churches. One day, you will be where your parents and this pastor is as we will be gone, leaving you to follow the truth. Young people, if you have good parents and a stable home life, you need to thank the Lord for it. So many children in our day are raised by family other than parents; day care centers; complete strangers in the person of nannies, etc.; or raised on the streets. You are blessed if you have a mom and dad sitting together in church tonight. You are blessed if you have food on your table and a safe, dry bed to sleep in tonight when you get home. You are blessed if you are loved, protected, trained, and provided for!

3. Though you are young and still at home, you have a very important responsibility.

B. Your responsibility right now is to “obey your parents in ALL things.”

1. Obedience to parents should be a joy! These parents love the Lord and love you. These parents only want the very best for you. These parents are actually “smart” also.

2. Your parents have sat where you sit; have been faced with the decisions that you are faced with; and can look back with the wisdom of years under their belts so as to guide you rightly in an uncertain world.

C. I just want to look at three things in this verse tonight:

1. The Duty of Obedience – Children owe obedience to mom and dad.

a. It is a prevalent problem. Things are a lot different today than when I was a child. I did not have the option of disobeying my parents while growing up. As a matter of fact, it did not occur to me because of my upbringing. Not that I was a perfect little angel, but I was raised “old school” by parents who loved me and wanted only the best for me. Spare the rod and spoil the child was the rule of the day and it helped me to grow into a responsible adult.

b. It is a prophetic problem! God “called it” and it is so. One of the signs of the last days, found in 2 Timothy 3, is that of “disobedient to parents.” There is a general breakdown in authority today and it has had its beginning in the home. The home affects the schools which affects our nation! Disobedience is on every hand and overflows into society: public schools, work places, etc. If children will not obey their parents, they will not bow to authority in general.

c. With the Lord, obedience is not optional. You will be under someone’s authority all of your life, be it in school—on the job—or in the military.

2. The Directive of Obedience – Children are to obey mom and dad in all things.

a. Remember the definition of all? “All means all and that’s all all means!” Obedience is not a “pick and choose” thing.

b. Again, obedience should not be a hard thing because it is to be based upon your love and respect for your parents. The bible says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” If you love mom and dad, obey them!

3. The Dedication of Obedience – For God’s pleasing and glory.

a. Obedience is well pleasing to the Lord and also brings glory and honor to Him! Not just pleasing but well pleasing.

b. Obedience is beneficial! It is the first command with promise and that promise is “That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” If you want a long, full, and blessed life, honor and obey your parents. I personally have no regrets that I loved, obeyed, and honored my mom and dad all of the days of their lives and continue to do so after their deaths.