Today's Reading: Table of Duties: Youth
Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 25:1-18; Matthew 26:1-19
Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. (1 Peter 5:5–6).
The 4th commandment begins with a special word “honor.” In Hebrew this word means to prize highly, to respect, to care for and obey. The 4th commandment is “Honor your father and your mother so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
In this 4th commandment we get a glimpse of God's will begins, by bringing us into this world through our parents, we honor the Lord. And when we honor our parents, we honor those who represent them....all other authorities.
We offer nothing when we come into this world. In fact, this 4th commandment depicts the very act of God in creating mankind in the beginning. Adam and Eve were not created by their own will or desire. They were created by God alone. Likewise, we are brought into this world by the will of God working through our parents. And God wants us to honor them as he wanted Adam and Eve to honor him, their creator.
Of course, God was not honored by Adam and Eve when they ate of the fruit that God told them not to eat. They broke the first and greatest commandment, to love of God above all things. Subsequently, they passed on this dishonor to all mankind. We don't honor our parents just as we don't honor God. We deserve God's punishment just as Adam and Eve deserved it for their disobedience.
Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ did what Adam and Eve, you and I, failed to do...He truly honored God, His heavenly Father and His earthly parents. He did everything that was commanded him and he did it with humility and submissiveness. That was Jesus.
Through Jesus, you, too, honor God your Father and your parents and everyone else that God has placed in your path to guide and protect you. In Christ, we humble ourselves in submission to them and God lifts us up.
You are to honor and obey
Your parents, masters, ev'ry day
Serve them each way that comes to hand;
You'll then live long in the land
Have mercy, Lord. (LSB 581:5)