Southside Baptist Church
2021-05-09 Sn SERVICE [ Mother's Day ]
  • What A Mighty God We Serve
  • Show Me Your Ways
  • You Are My All In All
  • What A Friend We Have In Jesus (Converse)
  • One Thing Remains (Your Love Never Fails)

  • I. Reading of Scripture

    1 Corinthians 1:10 ESV
    10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
    1 Corinthians 1:11 ESV
    11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.
    1 Corinthians 1:12 ESV
    12 What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”
    1 Corinthians 1:13 ESV
    13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
    1 Corinthians 1:14 ESV
    14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,
    1 Corinthians 1:15 ESV
    15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name.
    1 Corinthians 1:16 ESV
    16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.)
    1 Corinthians 1:17 ESV
    17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
    This is God’s Word, Amen.
    Pray
    The title of this message is a question: “Is Christ Divided?”

    1 Corinthians 1:10-17 “Is Christ Divided?”

    II. Introduction

    A. Introduction to Theme

    The writer of this letter, the Apostle Paul, always has his mind upon Christ.
    “Is Christ Divided?”
    This is such a short and simple question he asks, but it reveals so much.
    First, this question reveals to us that there was a problem among the church in Corinth: a problem of division.
    “Is Christ Divided?”
    The word “divided” means “to separate into parts” (LN).
    There were separated parts of what was to be one whole, body of believers, united in Christ, in Corinth.
    The church was divided, and that was a problem.
    Given its placement at the front-end of this letter, and being the first problem mentioned, this division is worth the Apostle’s discussion.
    Not because the division in Corinth had reached a certain level of intensity —
    There are all kinds of divisions that separate us in one way or another and they each divide to various degrees— some small, some not.
    We have opinions, preferences, personal tastes on one end of the spectrum, that sometimes seem relatively insignificant.
    Yet, on the other end of the spectrum we may have major operational, practical and doctrinal disagreements that are very significant.
    The Apostle does not address the division because it had ultimately reached an intensity that finally demanded a response. He addresses the division, seeking to squash it immediately and put it down — because:
    ANY division in the body of Christ represents something that is NOT TRUE OF CHRIST!
    “Is Christ Divided?”
    It is possible that this one issue of division underlies all the other problems the church in Corinth experienced.
    Some suggest that the Apostle’s appeal to unity is the thesis statement of this letter of 1 Corinthians (NIGTC). Division is that pervasive.
    So, division is a problem - but by the grace of God it is not an unsolvable one.
    For all who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ —
    and I mean the kind of membership that Jesus bestows upon you, having saved you, having made you new, having called you to be saints, having sanctified you in Him, and you call upon His name, having received God’s grace and God’s peace —
    For THOSE members of Christ’s Church, there is no division or separation that Christ Himself does not solve —
    If we would only look away from what divides us and look to Christ who unites us.
    For Paul, the solution to this problem of division is to look to Christ.
    “Is Christ Divided?”
    The Apostle Paul addresses the problem Christologically.
    Meaning, he is going to think about the problem by thinking about Christ.
    He is going to understand the problem, by understanding Christ.
    He is going to solve the problem, by submitting the problem to Christ.
    This is something we can all easily do!
    The song asks:
    Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.
    (What A Friend We Have In Jesus)
    Take it to the Lord! Turn to the Lord!
    I have never taken a problem to the Lord, for the Lord to say that He did not know how to deal with it. Does anybody have that testimony? Does anybody take your problems to the Lord?
    If not, you should try it! He wants us to trust Him in all circumstances.
    When we turn our eyes away from ourselves, and away from our problems, and look in God’s Word, and pray, and think about Him, our problems don’t seem like problems anymore.
    Look at 1 Corinthians 1:9 —
    1 Corinthians 1:9 ESV
    9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
    Do you see that word “Fellowship”?
    That’s the word “κοινωνία.”
    That’s the same word found in Acts 2:42 that describes the actions of the early believers in Jesus —
    Acts 2:42 ESV
    42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
    Fellowship, [ κοινωνία ], […slide change...]
    1 Corinthians 1:9 ESV
    9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
    […] this word that describes what the faithful God has called us into in His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, means we share something in common not only with ourselves, but with God.
    There is simply no room for division in Christ!
    “Is Christ Divided?”
    You say — of course not! Christ is not divided! That is obvious. Why take the time to focus so much on such an obvious fact.
    Why did the Holy Spirit inspire the special messenger of Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul, to write about it to the church in Corinth?
    Because they were divided.
    What makes us think we are any different?
    This message is for the Church today, as much as it was for the church in Corinth in that day.
    May all who have ears to hear, let them hear!

    B. Introduction to Text

    This text has three movements to it. Three words will guide us through these three movements.
    First, we are given an
    Exhortation | “I appeal to you...” (1:10-11).
    Explanation | “what I mean is...” (1:12)
    Evangelism | “preach the gospel...” (1:13-17)
    Then, an
    Explanation | “what I mean is...”
    The third movement may be summed up with the word:
    Evangelism | “preach the gospel...”
    I pray that as we hear what God says to us through these three movements, we will receive His help and instruction with concern and caution, for this message is just as relevant and needed “to the church” today.

    III. Exposition

    A. Exhortation | “I appeal to you...”

    1. 1:10

    1 Corinthians 1:10 ESV
    10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
    This is an exhortation. We have seen that word many times as we’ve heard God’s Word together.
    Don’t confuse “exhortation” with “exorcism.” It’s not just another “big - E” word. The word, “exhortation,” is a word you should know, and not be scared of.
    An “exhortation” is an urgent appeal! It is a plea for something (LN).
    Whatever the exhortation is may be something to lift you up and give you comfort and encouragement.
    It may be something that equips you with knowledge and understanding to put into practice and apply!
    It may be plea, begging for us to do something quickly — immediately.
    An exhortation may also be a warning. Something we are are to pay careful attention to and be very cautious of.
    The word “I appeal to you” or “I exhort you” tells us that this is an exhortation, not just for this passage of Scripture, but possibly for the entire letter of 1 Corinthians.
    The word in the Greek language here for “I appeal, I exhort” is the word [ παρακαλέω ]. It shares the same root word for a word used to describe the Holy Spirit as a [ παράκλητος ] (Jn 14:16, 15:26 …] The Holy Spirit is our Helper, our Advocate, our Comforter.
    Any time we see an exhortation in Scripture, it is not a plea for us to do something that is impossible - to do something we are powerless to do.
    On the contrary! Obedience is possible, this is something that we can and should do, and are able to do because of the power of the Holy Spirit in us, and among us as Christ’s Church.
    So we can do this!
    1 Corinthians 1:10 ESV
    10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
    “by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”

    The NAME of our Lord Jesus Christ UNITES us!

    Write this down as the first of three statements the Apostle Paul makes identifying who and what unites the Church of Jesus Christ against any divisions. And the first is the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
    It is by design that the Apostle names the name of Christ in all but one of the preceeding verses, and even in verse 5 Christ is referred to. It is by design that every verse up to verse 10 mentions Christ, so that this appeal has the strongest force.
    This appeal, this exhortation is made by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
    Christ, Christ, Christ, Christ, Christ, Christ, Christ, Christ — by whom are we united, Church? Christ! That is the effect of what Paul is saying.
    This means, Our Lord Jesus Christ UNITES us together. All who bear His name, who are Christians, share Christ in common.
    “The name represents the person” (Herm.).
    The Apostle then states the appeal positively, then negatively, then positively again.
    1 Corinthians 1:10 ESV
    10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
    “that all of you agree”
    Does this mean that we are to agree with those who do not know Christ? No.
    Does this mean that we are to agree with those who are not members of Christ’s Church? Certainly not.
    Who all, according to the Apostle, is to agree?
    Answer — “all of you” — brothers! (Sisters).
    All in the fellowship of saints.
    I like the way this phrase is translated literally from the Greek. You can write this down. The phrase “That all of you agree” literally translated is this:
    “that you all say the same thing”
    There is an attention drawn to what is said.
    We all know that we agree in our action of gathering together as the church week after week. We can put on a show of fellowship. But what are we saying when we leave this place?
    Do we all say the same thing then?
    What are our conversations like in the car on the way home of church?
    Are we still saying “Amen”? Or "Oh No!”
    Are the words we speak agreeing with what we are doing?
    1 Corinthians 1:10 ESV
    10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
    “and that there be no divisions among you.”
    Again, this is for those “among you.” This is for the church.
    Let there be no divisions.
    That word “divisions” is the word [ σχίσμα ]. If you know the word “schism” that’s what it means [BDAG].
    A schism is something that splits or tears away (BDAG, 1).
    Now, when I first came to this text, I was thinking about divisions like I have come to know divisions now. The kind of divisions that we see in the halls of Congress. The kind of divisions that break fellowship. That prevent people from talking to one another.
    But I had to repent for bringing my own cultural understanding to God’s Word.
    That’s not the kind of divisions here.
    Let’s let God’s Word tell us what kind of divisions these are, and not what we think they are.
    These are divisions, the text tells us, “among you.”
    This means, the group has not (yet) broken fellowship. They are still together, but they are together and divided.
    As it has been pointed out, they still celebrate the Lord’s Supper together (11:17ff) and this letter is still written to the whole community (Herm.).
    This means, it is possible and even probable that as we the church sit here today, there are divisions among us, even though we are together.
    Which makes this a subtle destroyer of fellowship. Harder to detect. Present and growing under the surface.
    It’s kind of like old age. Someone told me old age began for them around age 40. Almost to the day of their 40th birthday, they woke up and something wasn’t working like it used to. And over the years, old age continues to take a toll, not so strongly at first, but decades later we find out we have become old! Our body has been torn apart. There are cracks and tears.
    Perhaps that illustrates well this kind of division. It starts with an opinion in thought, and over time turns into a preference that is shared, and eventually it becomes a conviction that becomes a demand then an ultimatum. “You do this, or else . . . “ And unity is torn, then fractures, then fellowship eventually breaks.
    This is something we have power over, Church. The exhortation to obey is that there “be NO divisions among you.” Even the smallest division does not belong among us who are in Christ.
    1 Corinthians 1:10 ESV
    10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
    “but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgement.”
    Another way of saying that is that we are to be
    “made COMPLETE in the same mind and with the same purpose” (LEB).
    How are we made complete? Who is sufficient for any lack (LN)? Who puts everything into its proper place (BDAG)?
    Christ does. Christ makes us complete. Christ is sufficient for every circumstance.
    We hear appeals in our country for “bipartisanship.” That’s how Congress defines unity.
    Here’s God’s Word defines unity, here’s the kind of unity that belongs in the Church:
    Not by being bi-partisan, for that means there are still two different parties or factions working together. The Church is not bi-partisan. The Church doesn’t retain differences or division by trying to work together in spite of it. The Church rids herself of difference or division. It doesn’t belong here!
    We are to say the same thing, and to be of the “same mind and of the same judgment” (or purpose).
    How to we obtain the same mind and same judgment?
    The answer is — it has already been given!
    1 Corinthians 1:5 ESV
    5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—
    In Christ, we do not need to BE united in these things, we already ARE united in these things.
    So it stands to reason, that if we allow divisions in the church, then somewhere, someones have drifted away from Christ.
    Watch a person who has not attended the fellowship of the Church and submitted their eyes, ears, hearts and minds to the preaching of God’s Word every week.
    They are not being tuned to Christ! They are not staying tuned to Christ!
    A musical instrument has to be tuned. If it isn’t used, and isn’t warm, or hasn’t been played, the brass or the strings will be affected by temperature changes and will fall out of tune.
    People in the church can get out of tune too. If they do not submit themselves to daily and weekly tuning, they will drift and will speak and think in a negative way, and will divide.
    If you’ve ever heard a choir sing - you’ve probably heard that one person who is out of tune. Usually the choir director will try to gently move that person away from the microphone. But when everyone else is in tune, but one person is not, it is obvious.
    Love that person, encourage that person, pray for that person, but there will come a time with the help of the elders of the church that we will need to put that person out of our fellowship and flee from them in hopes that they would repent and return — so that they will not cause destruction.
    1 Corinthians 1:10 ESV
    10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

    2. 1:11

    1 Corinthians 1:11 ESV
    11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.
    The word “quarreling” represents discord.
    So the divisions among them have now become obvious. Someone and someones are out of tune.
    Chole’s people have reported to Paul what is going on. This is not gossip, or rumors (GCM). They are informing Paul of what is happening because it is a problem among them — who are “brothers.”
    Growing up, my parents would constantly say to me and my brothers - “You are brothers! Don’t you love each other?” Because we are always quarreling.
    What were the Corinthians quarreling about?
    Paul then offers this explanation.

    B. Explanation | “What I mean is...”

    3. 1:12

    1 Corinthians 1:12 ESV
    12 What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”
    The opinions have formed factions — they cannot agree on whose they are! Who they belong to!
    How appropriate that Paul has labored at the beginning of this letter to tell them who they are and whose they are! They are Christ’s!
    I won’t press the issue, but this wouldn’t be hard to apply to this congregation, or any congregation listening for that matter. This happens! It would be very easy to drop some names of people who have gathered for themselves a following.
    And usually, when the leader of that following walks out the door the group of followers follows out the door too!
    I learned this from Rick Warren in the Purpose Drive Church. He said don’t have a “Personality Driven Church” that rises and falls based on a certain person.
    People will rise and fall. Don’t follow them.
    The Scriptures say to obey your spiritual leaders. To submit to them. To imitate their faith. But don’t follow them!
    The Scriptures only teach that we are to follow Christ. And the greatest testimony of any spiritual leader, is that when the day comes, that the Lord moves that person away, or calls that person home — the people press on and continue on, because they don’t follow that man, or woman, but they follow the risen, eternal Christ!
    I believe it is appropriate to say here — DO NOT FOLLOW ME! DO obey my spiritual leadership. DO submit to my spiritual oversight. DO imitate my faith. But do not follow me.
    If my ministry among you is worth anything, it will be revealed that when I am one day not here, the church carries on and continues to follow Christ.
    The problem in Corinth was that they had people they liked, and they turned their follow-ship into a confession that was going to break their fellowship (see Herm).
    Let us remember again that this is written to the church. So we should never think about what I want. But what do WE want, as a whole. And Christ keeps that in line.
    Now the last movement which can be summed up in the word “Evangelization.” This gets to the root of these divisions.

    C. Evangelization | “preach the gospel...”

    4. 1:13

    1 Corinthians 1:13 ESV
    13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
    Any time there is a division in the church, we have to ask who caused the division?
    And the answer is never God. God is not the source of division. God is not divided! Christ is not divided!
    We are! And we did cause that division, and we need to rid ourselves of it - which is in our power to do because we caused it!
    Paul echoes again first thing that unites the church.
    (v.10) The Name of our Lord unites us.
    And said another way —

    CHRIST unites us. “Is Christ divided?”

    No! Christ is not divided, Church. You represent Christ. But not when you are divided. Christ unites us.
    But a second thing unites the church.

    BAPTISM unites us.

    Paul begins to speak about baptism.
    Baptism literally means to plunge (BDAG,2).
    It is an act of washing in water to signify a renewed relationship.
    We unite with Christ in baptism by being buried with Christ in his burial, going under the water, and being raised with Christ in his resurrection, coming out of the water. That’s what Jesus did. It is a powerful picture of salvation. We baptize in the name of Jesus!
    But there had become a confusion of baptism. Perhaps the people in Corinth were siding with, and following the person that baptized them. So Paul says:

    5. 1:14-16

    1 Corinthians 1:14 ESV
    14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,
    1 Corinthians 1:15 ESV
    15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name.
    1 Corinthians 1:16 ESV
    16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.)
    So Paul puts down whatever misconception the church had about baptism and who might have baptized them.
    We are not baptized into a person, to follow a person. We are baptized into Christ, to follow Christ!
    Romans 6:3 ESV
    3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
    Romans 6:4 ESV
    4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
    Romans 6:5 ESV
    5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
    […]
    Romans 6:11 ESV
    11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
    ​

    IV. Conclusion

    Paul ends this section with this message:

    6. 1:17

    1 Corinthians 1:17 ESV
    17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
    The word “gospel” is the word we get “evangelism” from.
    That was Paul’s mission. To evangelize by preaching the gospel.
    This is not a Great Commission Contradiction. Paul did in fact baptize, but he did little of it to avoid this very division. To keep the focus upon the message. The Gospel.
    The Gospel is made powerful not by eloquent and wise words. It is made powerful by its message. It is a Gospel of the cross.
    “lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”
    The Name of our Lord unites us.
    Baptism unites us.
    And thirdly,

    The CROSS of Christ unites us!

    1 Corinthians 1:17 ESV
    17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
    The cross is a divisive thing — to the world.
    The cross represented the literal division, or breaking of Christ’s body.
    The cross of Christ was suspended between Heaven and Earth — dividing heaven and earth and there in the middle of it was Christ, giving His life.
    So that by His death, His burial, and His glorious resurrection, WE MIGHT BE UNITED IN HIM!
    This is the Gospel!
    The Gospel of the cross.
    The cross represented the power of Rome to take a life.
    But because of the Resurrection, the cross represents something altogether different for us! The power to give life!
    Jesus gave His life willingly, in place of our own.
    He died to be judged for our sin, not his own.
    And when we look at the cross, we see only ONE person worthy of our complete devotion. ONE person worthy of our sole allegiance. ONE person worthy of following —
    And it is the one who gave Himself for us.
    “Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?”
    Christ was crucified for you. You were baptized in the name of Christ Jesus, the Lord.
    So let there be no divisions among you, my brothers and sisters! Let us live in the grace and peace and eternal fellowship of God and Christ.
    ​
  • Three weeks ago, our church began a preaching series through 1 Corinthians, a letter written “To The Church.”
    If you ordered or received a copy of the study resources for that series, this week is a good week to catch up, if you are behind.
    You can access sermon manuscripts on the website, re-listen to preaching there as well, or subscribe to the Southside Sermons Podcast to engage with any material you may have skipped over, and prepare together to make the most of this letter of 1 Corinthians, as we prayerfully apply God’s Word to our own Church assembly.
    Today, on this Mother’s Day, we make a short detour away from 1 Corinthians, as we will on a couple of other occasions this year. Today, we visit our old friend, Matthew — Matthew 15:1-9.
    We preached through Matthew’s account of The Sermon on the Mount earlier this year, and picked up several other pericopes as well, especially at Easter.
    Today, we hear from Matthew 15:1-9 for a special message on Mother’s Day.
    You may ask —
    Why preach a special message on Mother’s Day?
    Why not keep preaching through 1 Corinthians? Do we let the calendar dictate our course of preaching in this church? There is no end of specials days! Why detour on Mother’s Day?
    And the answer is simple:
    Mothers are on our mind today, and
    God commands that our mothers be honored.
    When we as the church show honor, we are placing value on something.
    We are saying in our act of honoring, that “this is something important.” “This is something that carries weight.” “This is something God values.”
    Our children are listening with us today. Our children need to hear that they are to honor their mothers and that this is important to God!
    In this way, this message is for everyone - whether you are a mother or not. Because this message reveals something that God values and places weight upon. And we need to know what God says about mothers.
    The Church cannot afford to let a godless culture define motherhood for us or for our children.
    We will see that the 1 Corinthians church had been influenced greatly by culture in a negative way. So Paul, as he was moved by the Holy Spirit, spoke to specific issues in Corinth to put them in their right place.
    That is what we are doing today. Our text is not in 1 Corinthians, but this message does remain in the spirit of that letter as we speak to the honoring of our mothers on this Mother’s Day.
    Let us prepare now to hear this reading from God’s Word. Matthew 15:1-9.
    Pray

    I. Reading of Scripture

    Matthew 15:1 ESV
    1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,
    Matthew 15:2 ESV
    2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.”
    Matthew 15:3 ESV
    3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
    Matthew 15:4 ESV
    4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’
    Matthew 15:5 ESV
    5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,”
    Matthew 15:6 ESV
    6 he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.
    Matthew 15:7 ESV
    7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
    Matthew 15:8 ESV
    8 “ ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
    Matthew 15:9 ESV
    9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”
    This is God’s Word, Amen.

    Matthew 15:1-9 “Honor Your Father and Your Mother”

    II. Introduction

    A. Introduction to Theme

    The title of this message is that command: “Honor Your Father and Your Mother.”
    This is one of the oldest commands in the Bible.
    It is one of the Ten Commandments! We often make much of the other commandments, like “do not lie, do not steal, do not murder” - and we say “I don’t do any of those things!” But, do we honor our parents?
    This is the first commandment that has a promise attached to it.
    Exodus 20:12 ESV
    12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
    God places value on the role and responsibilities of both the father and mother for their children. So much so, that when children honor their father and mother, they will live long in the land.
    This commandment and associated promise is timeless.
    It is not limited to Old Testament Israel, for it is repeated again to the Church in the New Testament.
    Ephesians 6:1 ESV
    1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
    Ephesians 6:2 ESV
    2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise),
    Ephesians 6:3 ESV
    3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”
    What does it mean to “honor your father and your mother?”
    If you had to explain what this commandment means to yourself, or to your children, your grandchildren, or your neighbor — how would you explain it?
    What does it mean to “honor?”

    B. Introduction to Text

    The word “honor” in Matthew 15:1-9, appears three times. Once in verse 4, once in verse 6, and once in verse 8.
    Each time it appears in these verses, it is not a noun or an adjective.
    What that means is, “honor” is not spoken about in these nine verses as a thing, or as a description of a thing.
    It is not something that can be purchased, placed in a box, wrapped with paper and decorated with a bow - and given as a thing. “Here, dear mother, is your honor.” That is not what it means here — but that is what we tend to think it means.
    “Honor,” as it appears In these three occurences, is a verb. It is an action. Meaning - there is no honor unless something is done. There is no honor unless some action is performed.
    Think of it this way. When someone dies, hopefully they have left behind a will. That will represents that person’s wishes for what will happen with all of his/her possessions.
    When the will is followed, that person’s wishes are what? — Honored.
    We say we “honored” their wishes. We did what they wanted us to do.
    This is the kind of “honor” Jesus is speaking about. The kind of “honor” God commanded for our fathers and our mothers. The kind of honor Isaiah spoke about as being a form of hypocrisy when it came to this people’s worship of God.
    The act of honoring is an act of valuing with both words and works. It is treating what is honored as having more weight than other things.
    Imagine with me a set of scales. The thing that is honored is heavier. It has more weight. That is the essence of the Hebrew word for “honor.” (see ChALOT).
    To put it another way - honoring goes beyond lip service. Honoring will be in some way, costly. If it is not costly to us, it is probably not honor.
    If we as the Church are to live God’s way, valuing what God values, honoring the people God says to honor, we must be willing to pay the price. We must honor whom God says to honor whether we think we can afford to or not!
    Because if we do not place a value upon it and show that value in our investments, then no one will take notice of how valuable it is to God.
    God will bless honor because God has commanded honor — And God always blesses obedience to Him.
    It’s time that we, as the Church, re-learn how to honor and get serious about honoring, and to practically put our money, our investments, and our time and efforts into honoring whom God says we are to honor - and I am confident if we do, God will bless us beyond measure.
    We watch in confusion as our culture redefines and destroys the concept of a biblical family - how the words “mother and father” are replaced with terms like “birthing parent and non-birthing parent.” How is this happening?
    I suggest this is happening, in part, because God’s people are not honoring fathers and mothers in the way God designed and commanded. In a way that costs us. Clearly the price is worth paying if we are to show the world what God values.

    III. Exposition

    Matthew presents a problem that the Pharisees and scribes had with Jesus’ disciples. It wasn’t a problem of theology. It was a problem of tradition.
    Jesus’ disciples were breaking the tradition of the elders.

    A. The Problem of the Tradition of the Elders (5:1-2)

    1. Matthew 15:1

    Matthew 15:1 ESV
    1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,

    2. Matthew 15:2

    Matthew 15:2 ESV
    2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.”
    The tradition was something that had been passed down through oral instruction from one generation to another.
    In this context, the tradition referred to regulations and practices that were developed and passed on through word of mouth about the Law of Moses.
    And the tradition was good! It was intended to help those who were following the tradition to avoid breaking the law.
    The idea was this — if you break the tradition about the law, you’ll be in peril of breaking the law itself. So the tradition was an aid for keeping the law, or the instruction of God. (TCC).
    But notice the tradition is not the “tradition of God” but the tradition of the “elders.”
    God does not invent traditions. God merely speaks, and His Word stands for all of time! And it is easier to know and obey God’s Word than it is to keep traditions.
    The elders were an important group — the [ πρεσβυτέρων ]. They had the authority and responsibility over the religious community.
    The tradition of the elders in this instance centered around hand-washing before a meal. This wasn’t ordinary washing of hands as we know, but a ritual, ceremonial hand-washing instructed by God in the law of Moses.
    The problem, was that in the law of Moses, the instruction for this kind of washing was given only to the priests serving in the temple, not to everyone (see TCC, Ex 30:17-21).
    So as it was applied, this was not an instruction of God, but a tradition of the elders expanding upon the instruction of God.
    And Jesus responds to their criticism but not by answering their question. Jesus instead, asks them a question.

    B. Jesus’ Response (5:3-9)

    3. Matthew 15:3

    Matthew 15:3 ESV
    3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
    In other words, Jesus is saying that the Pharisees and scribes care more about the traditions meant to help people keep God’s instruction, than they care about God’s instruction itself (see TCC).
    We humans think we know what God wants, and can teach what God wants better than God — don’t we?
    How might this apply to Mother’s Day?
    We think we know what will honor Mothers more than Mothers themselves.
    I put out a question through some connections on social media this week, to a large group specifically made up of mothers.
    I asked: “What things can a church do to honor you?”
    I really wanted to know. I wanted to share some practical ways we can honor mothers, not by what I thought would honor mothers, but by what mothers said for themselves.
    Many responses came in. Some public responses, some direct messages because what they had to say about their struggles as mom’s would open them up to too much embarrassment because it didn’t fit the popular image.
    A couple of the moms made this statement:
    “Thanks for asking.” / “Just asking the question means a lot.”
    Could it be that we care more about the idea of motherhood, than we care about mothers themselves?
    I found out that there for some of these mothers, they are not honored in a special day, as much as they are honored every day as they are supported by their husbands, children, and churches. When fathers are who fathers are to be, when church are who churches are to be - then mothers may thrive as mothers are to be because all the pressure isn’t only on them and their role as a mother, but they are operating within a grander design with all the support structures in place.
    A word that popped up in several of the responses was the word “complicated.” Mothers view motherhood as complex. It is not the same one day to the next, or one mother to another. And every mother was struggling with something.
    Some were trying to raise a child with special needs. Some were having to go at it alone. Some would give anything just to have a few minutes to themselves. Some just needed to be shown grace.
    Several of the responses shared this common theme — Mothers desired older women to mentor them, to walk alongside them, to encourage them.
    Some had “spiritual mothers,” - women who were like mothers to them in the faith.
    Several called out husbands. They said they would feel more honored as a mother if their husbands supported the mother of their children emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. If this happened in the home, it would certainly strengthen the church they said.
    One mother said — I want the church to be the church — and instruct my family how to be a family of God, how to raise our children in the Lord, and to make that a priority in what happens in the church. That the family and children not be an afterthought but a forethought in all that is done. That the family be invested in. That’s how she would feel honored.
    One mother said she felt honored when she was celebrated not for what she did, because she will do everything that needs to be done because it needs to be done! (isn’t that true of mothers?)
    This mother desired to be seen for who she was as a person and not just as a “mother” although, that is important. She said if Christ and the church are the spiritual example of marriage, then this is how she wants the church to see her - not for what she does but for how she is a person created to love and be loved in Christ. How who she is, is more than what she does.
    I was surprised at how many of the responses revealed mothers who were battling grief and suffering from childlessness or the loss of a child or the embarrassment of not yet having a child. Several said they desired community in the church to help them work through these things, and that community is non-existent and non-prioritized.
    All this to say — when it comes to honor, there is a danger that what we do in the name of honor is not received as honor.
    So how do we know how to show honor?
    Honor starts with God.

    4. Matthew 15:4

    Matthew 15:4 ESV
    4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’
    Honor proceeds from a source that is God. “God commanded...”
    We must know who God says to honor and why God places such a value on those people worthy of honor.
    “Honor your father and your mother.”
    This is the commandment form Exodus 20:12.
    What value do father’s and mother’s have that is worthy of such honor?
    Is it by simply that they have children? No — that is their role.
    It is what they are to do with those children. That is their responsibility.
    Listen to what the Wisdom Literature of Scripture says about the responsibility of mothers and fathers —
    Proverbs 1:8 ESV
    8 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching,
    Proverbs 6:20 ESV
    20 My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.
    Proverbs 23:22 ESV
    22 Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
    Mothers are not intended to fulfill their responsibility alone!
    Mothers share the responsibility of instructing children. It does not belong to the father only.
    Mothers — you need to know why you are honored, and one reason is that you have a responsibility to take part in the teaching of your children!
    Listen to what Paul wrote to Timothy:
    2 Timothy 1:5 ESV
    5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.
    Mothers pass on faith to their children.
    And God placed such a high value upon fathers and mothers, for passing on the faith to their children and the ways of God to their children that Jesus references another command:
    Exodus 21:17 ESV
    17 “Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.
    The word translated “curses” in the Hebrew is the opposite of the word for “honor” (NET). Whoever “dishonors” his father or mother shall be put to death.
    That is how seriously God values the role and responsibilities of fathers and mothers.
    Jesus informs the Pharisees and the Scribes that their tradition violates God’s Word and renders their honor as hypocrisy.

    5. Matthew 15:5-6

    Matthew 15:5 ESV
    5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,”
    Matthew 15:6 ESV
    6 he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.
    What this means, is that if a child had property or earned money that would have been used to support his parents, and instead of supporting his parents he devotes that property to God instead, the tradition taught that if it is given to God, you are not breaking the commandment by neglecting to honor your father.
    And Jesus says — “For the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.”
    And Jesus doesn’t stop there.

    6. Matthew 15:7-9

    Matthew 15:7 ESV
    7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
    Matthew 15:8 ESV
    8 “ ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
    Honor is subject to the abuse of hypocrisy.
    Honor is not something that can be offered as lip-service only.
    What mother is honored when their child says “Yes ma’am, I’ll obey” but then goes and disobeys?
    Here in verse 8 there is a shift, to where Jesus is not speaking about the honoring of father or mother any more, but he is speaking about God’s people’s honoring of Him.
    And this is a transformational shift that mothers, and fathers reflect as well.
    A mother and a father deserve honor and are valued because God has given them children, so that they might be human reflections of God to their children, tp the church, and to the world.
    We know what it is like to have a Heavenly Father because we have earthly fathers who reflect Divine father-ship.
    And even so, we get a more complete reflection of who our heavenly Father when there is a mother reflecting the motherly qualities of God as well.
    This matters as a principle of worship!
    Matthew 15:9 ESV
    9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”
    To be a hypocrite in honor is to fail to truly worship God.

    IV. Conclusion

    Matthew 15:1-9 speaks about mothers and honor, but the main point is not about mothers. The main point of this text is that Jesus - not the Pharisees and the Scribes, is the one who interprets God’s law correctly and perfectly.
    On this Mother’s Day - we are reminded in the point of this text, that it is Jesus also who interprets what it means to be a mother correctly and perfectly.
    Listen to how Jesus responded in Matthew 12 when he was told his mother and brothers wanted to speak to him.
    Matthew 12:46 ESV
    46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.
    Matthew 12:48 ESV
    48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”
    Matthew 12:49 ESV
    49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!
    Matthew 12:50 ESV
    50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
    This is Transformational Motherhood. This is Jesus transforming what it means to be a mother, a sister, a brother - a member of His family.
    So this is for anyone whose identity is wrapped up in the work you do.
    For the mother who wants to be known for who she is and not what she does, because she’ll do whatever needs doing.

    A. Gospel Proclamation

    The Gospel proclaims that in Jesus, we get a family title not because we are married, or because we have children - but because we know Him and do God’s will.

    sin

    Sin attacks motherhood and all relationships because it turns us away from God’s will.
    Eve - the mother of all the living - turned from God’s will when she did not believe God’s command. And the family has suffered ever since.

    righteousness

    But through Jesus, we are clothed in his righteousness, to obey God’s will.
    And how did Jesus enter into this world, so that he might obey God’s will and die on a cross in our place and be buried and raised again?
    Through a mother.
    The Gospel message is not possible without a mother.
    Jesus redeems motherhood for all of time because Jesus was one who had a mother too. And Jesus says - who is my mother? He makes the important shift to what a mother ultimately passes on to her children.
    She raises her children to obey the will of God.

    C. Exhortation & Application

      • Matthew 15:1NIV2011

      • Matthew 15:2NIV2011

      • Matthew 15:3NIV2011

      • Matthew 15:4NIV2011

      • Matthew 15:5NIV2011

      • Matthew 15:6NIV2011

      • Matthew 15:7NIV2011

      • Matthew 15:8NIV2011

      • Matthew 15:9NIV2011

      • Exodus 20:12NIV2011

      • Ephesians 6:1NIV2011

      • Ephesians 6:2NIV2011

      • Ephesians 6:3NIV2011

      • Matthew 15:1NIV2011

      • Matthew 15:2NIV2011

      • Matthew 15:3NIV2011

      • Matthew 15:4NIV2011

      • Proverbs 1:8NIV2011

      • Proverbs 6:20NIV2011

      • Proverbs 23:22NIV2011

      • 2 Timothy 1:5NIV2011

      • Exodus 21:17NIV2011

      • Matthew 15:5NIV2011

      • Matthew 15:6NIV2011

      • Matthew 15:7NIV2011

      • Matthew 15:8NIV2011

      • Matthew 15:9NIV2011

      • Matthew 12:46NIV2011

      • Matthew 12:48NIV2011

      • Matthew 12:49NIV2011

      • Matthew 12:50NIV2011

Southside Baptist Church
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