Late again...but heres today lesson in life... Family Life: Caring for Aging Parents Mark 7:9-13; I Timothy 5:3-8 If your parents are in their sixties or beyond, you have important decisions to make. Dont wait until the need arises. Start working on a plan now. Why? Because.... THE LORD WANTS YOU TO CARE FOR YOUR AGING PARENTS Does God see your aging parents as disposable goods? No, He doesnt. Two passages make that clear. The first looks at Gods People under the Old Covenant. Their Law commanded children to Honor your father and mother, upon the pain of death, He who curses father or mother, let him die the death. That honor--our Lord said--includes caring for them when theyre old or sick or otherwise unable to care for themselves. This took a lot of time, effort, and money. The Pharisees, who were heartless men, didnt want to do it. Yet the Law was so clear, it was hard to get out of it and still come off looking good. But Where theres a will [to disobey God], theres a way. They came up with Corban. That means devoted or dedicated to the Lord. The money they would have spent on their parents was sacred money and could only be spent on the Lord. But, of course, when their parents died, they rescinded the vow and pocketed the money. By doing that--our Lord said--they nullified the Word of God. What Word? This one; God wants you to care for your aging parents. The other passage looks at life in the Early Church, at Gods People under the New Covenant. Here, Paul tells the church to care for its old and needy widows. But only as a last resort! The primary obligation wasnt with the church (or the state, we might add), but with family. What if a mans family didnt want to do this? Paul said HE HAS DENIED THE FAITH AND IS WORD THAN AN UNBELIEVER. If a Pagan takes care of his old mother, how much more must a disciple of Christ take care of his? The Lord wants YOU to care for your aging parents. THIS CARE IS NOT BASED ON THEIR WORTHINESS Some parents make it easy to care for them. But not every parent is kind. Some treat their children very badly and they bear the scars for life. Does the Lord want you to care for your neglectful or abusive parents? The Old Covenant made that very clear. HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER ALLOWS FOR NO EXCEPTIONS. Noah committed a gross sin, but the son who laughed at him paid for it dearly! Many signs of respect were given to the aged: 1) You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the LORD (Leviticus 19:32). 2) He who curses his father or his mother shall be put to death (Exodus 21:17). 3) The eye that mocks his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley will pick it out, and the young eagles will eat it (Proverbs 30:17). Verses like these are not so easy to find in the New Testament, but its code of conduct isnt lower than the Old Testament? It seems to me quite a bit higher. I did find one verse, Ephesians 6:2, which quotes the Fifth Commandment; “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise). It still is in effect today, and definitely not drained of its content! This means that God wants you to care for your aging parents - whether they were good to you or not. THIS CARE IS MULTI-FACETED You are to care for your parents where they need it. Some have physical needs; others have financial needs, some have legal needs, and so on.Youre to help them in these areas of need. Not everyone needs these things. Everyone needs to feel wanted. Many older people dont. You can help them here. Ask for their advice; visit them more often; have them over; show some interest in them. Everyone has spiritual needs. Pray for your parents. If theyre saved, have fellowship with them. If theyre not saved, evangelize them with respect. If they wont listen, dont force the Gospel on them, adorn the Gospel with your love and humility. Identify your parents needs and try to meet them. THE CARE MAY BE HARD BUT IT WILL BRING GREAT BLESSING. The Bible often attaches a blessing to obedience--Psalm 126:6 is a good example (he who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him), and I Corinthians 15:58 is another (Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain). A blessing will come. Taking care of your parents will do you good. It will do them good. It will do your kids a world of good! It will bless God too as people See your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven. And who knows, maybe the words of our Lord will come to pass, Give and it shall be given to you. Maybe when you are the aging parent, God will call your service to mind and repay you for it. TO NOT CARE FOR YOUR PARENTS IS A FRIGHTFUL SIN AND MAY BRING DOWN TERRIBLE JUDGMENTS. He who digs a pit will fall into it; he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him (Proverbs 26:27). Just think about what your neglect is doing. It is teaching your children to neglect their parents. You may pay dearly for that lesson. But even if you dont, there is a God in heaven who will execute justice for the widow, or your aging parents. He feels for the helpless and punishes those who dont!
Posted on: Mon, 30 Jun 2014 04:17:20 +0000