We need our parents
key words
biblical reference
Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1-3
lesson objective
To help students learn the significance of honoring their parents
memory verse
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Mark 12:30-31a, NIV*).
prepare yourself to teach
In some places respect has ceased to be a form of constant behavior and may even be an obsolete word. It is common to see people not respect their authorities, institutions, elderly people, and even their own parents. What is so sad is that many students imitate this same behavior and their idea of respect is very skewed. As children grow up and become more independent, they often rebel against their parents. This rebellion is partially because of outside influences, their friends, styles and what they see on TV, etc.
It is common that in this phase, their parents are having difficulties communicating with their children. Many children obey their parents because they have to, not because they love them. The two main commandments (Matthew 12:30-31) will be a great help in helping to better relationships between parents and their children. After this lesson, students should understand that we honor God because we love him, and we should honor and respect our parents for the same reason.
It is sad that some young people come from homes where obeying their parents is not obeying God. In these cases, obeying God should be the priority. Be sensible about these situations and give carefully thought out advice.
biblical commentary
Read Exodus 20:12. The first four commandments are about our relationship with God. The next six are in regards to our relations with everyone else. Our relationship with people should follow the example set by our relationship with God.
Maybe many people ask why God even made the fifth commandment. Why is honoring our parents the opener to the second part of the 10 Commandments? We can be sure that this commandment is placed exactly where it should be, since family is the basis of all of our interpersonal relationships. If the students have difficulty living with their family, they find it difficult to interact correctly with other people.
Read Ephesians 6:1-3. In this passage, Paul reminds us that God delegated his authority to our parents to guide and correct their children. They can honor and obey their parents easily when they have the love of Jesus in their hearts. On the other hand, if parents consistently show their children the love of God, the children will respond back with love and obedience.
Why should we honor and obey our parents? First, Christian parents represent God in their family. Your students should be making sure that they are honoring God by honoring their parents. Could you dishonor your parents who you can see and honor God who you ca not see?
Second, our families are the foundation and center of society. When a family disintegrates, it affects the whole community.
Third, honoring our parents is a commandment with a promise, “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on earth.” Frequent disobedience ends in bitterness and an early death. Rebellion against parents is also rebelling against God.
introduce the lesson
To honor… what, who and why?
While you distribute the Student Activity Sheet #317-A, ask your students, “Do you know anyone who has recently received a special recognition or an honorable mention?” Let them answer.
Then ask, “If you were to receive a prize or recognition and you were able to choose it, what would you want to receive?”
Then, have them on the three cards (from the student resources) write the names of people they believe deserve recognition and why.
Allow the necessary time for them to complete the activity. Make sure that they note people from their church, the community or even within their own family. Then have the students talk about who they chose and why. Pay attention to see if anyone includes their parents in their list.
Then say, “Many people should receive recognition for something they’ve done. There is a group of special people who God has commanded that we respect. We are going to read in the Bible about who these people are.”
teach the lesson
Study Exodus 20:12 and Ephesians 6:1-3 before the session and be ready to tell the story in your own words. Start the Bible story by saying, “Everyone has different opinions about how children should treat their parents. Many authors have written books about this theme. Today we are going to learn about the teachings in the Bible about respect. We’ll start with the Old Testament.”
Ask your students to find Exodus 20:12 and have a volunteer read it.
Ask them, “What does God tell us in this passage about how children should treat their parents?” Listen to their answers.
Then, divide into pairs to continue with this activity. Have them look up the Bible passages that are provided in the student resources and write the answers in the blank spaces.
Explain to them that in these scripture passages, God gives us rules on how we should treat our parents.
As a review, we suggest you divide into four groups and assign each group to each of the following passages: Matthew 15:3-6; Luke 2:51-52; John 19:25-27 and Ephesians 6:1-3.
Each group should improvise a brief presentation about how to honor their parents according to their passage.
connect the lesson
Choose some activities to connect with the lesson.
They all have something to say
Tell the preadolescents this activity will help them learn what they can tell their parents and others. Use Student Activity Sheet 317-B to look up and read Exodus 20:12, Luke 2:51-52, John 19:25-27 and Ephesians 6:1-3.
A special coupon
Direct everyone’s attention to Student Activity Sheet #317-C and ask them to fill in the blank spaces on the coupon, writing how they can respect their parents during the week. (For example: do what my parents ask, clean my room without my parents asking, complete all my chores at home, etc.)
Provide scissors so they can cut the coupon out and take it home to give to their parents as a special gift.
practice the memory verse
Have the children repeat the memory verse for the unit aloud (Mark 12:30-31a). Afterwards, ask each child to write one word of the verse on the board until it is complete. Explain how the verse relates to us in today’s world.
wrap-up
Pray
Lead the group in a time of prayer, asking God to help them respect and obey their parents.
Encourage
Encourage the group to be ready in the next session to share their experiences of respecting and obeying their parents or guardians.
Invite
Sing some songs before leaving and challenge everyone to return to the next session by sharing a few interesting things about what they will do. Remind them that friends are welcome.
* Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™