Welcome to South! We are happy you are worshipping with us today! These sermon notes are there for you to encourage you, and help you follow along with Pastor Scott's message. We are in a series entitled "Exodus: God's Presence and Glory," and we hope that you will be uplifted by all that you experience in our service today!

This Series

Our desire for this study has been that, as we grow in our understanding of the book of Exodus, we would also grow in our understanding of how amazing God is, and therefore want to live for His glory and share His glory with others.

The Fifth Commandment

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

This command of honoring your father and mother reveals God is a God of authority. Romans 13:1 says: “For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” This particular command talks about the authority that God has established in the home, but he has established authority in the church, at our workplace, in our school, in the government, and the list goes on. He has authority over heaven and earth. He is also the One that establishes authority. So there is value in any and all authority that God has placed in our lives.

“The authorities are God's servants, sent for your good.” ~ Romans 13:4

Three Good and Valuable Purposes for Authority

1) To provide order
2) To protect us
3) For spiritual growth

The Importance of God's Authority in the Home

The authority established by God in the home is the father and mother. This is very important for a couple of different reasons: First, it affirms God's design for marriage - one man and one woman in a life-long, committed relationship.“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24) This established authority of God’s for the home gives equal value to both the father and the mother. Both have been given a place of authority in the home - which means dads and moms are teammates in the responsibilities that comes with being a parent.

God's Expectation for us in relation to His established authority - is to HONOR.

This means we are to treat those who have authority in our lives as having a great deal of weight or value.

God’s expectation of us to honor the authority in our lives is NOT based on whether we LIKE the person in authority, we AGREE with the person in authority, or even how we FEEL about the job performance of the person in authority.

“Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” (Romans 13:2)

How can we do this?

Maintaining a humble spirit toward them that...Doesn’t believe we are always right or that our opinion is the most important.

Maintaining a teachable spirit that...
Listens before reacting.
Is willing to receive instruction.
Is willing to accept correction when wrong.

Having an obedient spirit that follows the instructions of authority with a willing attitude rather than a begrudging one.

Having a gracious and kind spirit that…
Avoids disrespectful language about or to them.
Refuses to mock, belittle or slander them.
Speaks with kindness and courtesy to them.
Expresses gratitude to them.

1 Timothy 2:1-2 says, “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”