CELL NOTES 10/3/08

ICE BREAKER

What family tradition did you observe as a child that you continue today?

THEME

All about mum and dad

Readings Eph 6 : 1-4 & Mat 15 : 1-9

SERMON OUTLINE

1) The fifth commandment is to do with family relationships the basic and initial relationship for us all.

2) Today there is a huge variety of family patterns and experience – we can take little for granted.

3) There is also huge pressure on the family from such factors as work patterns, modern lifestyles ( especially the impact of technology), the frequent dispersal of the extended family, and government financial policies.

4) But families have always faced challenges – witness the experience of King David in the OT etc.

5) Family is God’s mechanism as the basic social building block. He tells us to call him Father, and we are urged to care primarily for family (Ps 68:5, 1Tim 5 :8)

6) But families fracture – this isn’t  a reason for shame or retreat, but a reason for the church family to be a place of healing and restoration.

7) Col 3 : 21 – a point for parents! Learn to learn, be fair, communicate, praise, and stick at it.

8) We are all children. At whatever stage of life, we need to honour our parents by acceptance, appreciation, and affirmation. And we need to do so now.

9) The commandment is a reminder of God’s intention to have a parent/child relationship with us, and to underline principles of how we may express His life in our human family relationships.

QUESTIONS OF APPLICATION

Read the passages. What hits you most? What did you take away from Sunday’s message?

1) What does Jesus say about adults caring for their parents? How has/does that work for you? What are the joys/strains of this?

2) How did your parents exasperate you? How are you prone to exasperate your children/the younger generation?

3) What do you think about the points raised in honouring parents? How does/has this worked for you?

4) How are we doing as a church / cell in caring for those with little or no direct family? Can we do better?