Honoring Parents

·         What are the first four commandments?
·         How did you spend your Sabbath day?

::ROLE PLAY::

Have three students read scenario about “honoring” their parents.

::SCENARIO::
Read your scenario once through to yourself.  Please follow the directions in ( ).  Once you are done, we will listen to you read your scenario out loud.  Please act as this person.

KRISTEN::(IN A HIGH SQUEAKY VOICE) “Clean your room”…”Do you homework”…”Wash the dishes”.  Blah…blah…blah.   My mom drives me nuts.  She thinks I was born to do all HER chores.   (SIGH and ROLL EYES)  And when I ask her to give me money for my work, she says…that my clothes, my phone, and my room is my (USE AIR QUOTES)  “payment”.  She has NO clue what is like to be young.

DAN::My dad is so controlling.  He says who I can and can’t be friends with.  I can’t be friends with Bob, because there was a rumor he was caught drinking.  And, I can’t date Samatha because she has a tattoo.  It is ridiculous!  He says (TALK DEEP) “I trust you, but not others” (TALK NORMAL) If he trusts me…then why doesn’t he trust me to handle the situations?  They just don’t get it! 

JANET::My mom is ALWAYS in my business.  She checks my texts, Facebook, emails.  I have even caught her reading my journals.  Then she is ALWAYS asking me…who did you hang out with at school today?...what my friends were doing?... and …who is going out with who?  I guess since she doesn’t have a life, she wants to live in mine.

REMIND STUDENTS THINGS SAID IN HERE ARE CONFINDENTAL!!!!!!!

·         Who can you relate to?
·         Do your parents ever drive you crazy?
·         Do you ever talk bad about your parents?
·         How does what we say about others show how we feel about them?

::READ EXODUS:: 20:12::

• What is the fifth commandment?
• What will your reward be for honoring them?

::BREAK INTO SMALL GROUPS::

SMALL GROUP 1

::READ DEUTERONOMY 5:16::
1.    What does it mean to honor someone?
2.    How does respect relate to honor?
3.    Did Jesus honor His mother? (Read John 2:1-11  or  John 19:26-27)
4.    Name a blessing God gives those who honor their parents?
5.    What other blessings can you think of?
6.    How does making good decisions show honor to parents? (Read Proverbs 10:1)
7.    Would you show your parents more honor by following God’s way or a worldly way?
8.    Is loving our parents included in this fifth commandment?

SMALL GROUP 2

::READ 2 Timothy 3:2::

1.    Why does God think it’s serious when we don’t obey our parents?
2.    Can you give examples of movies or TV shows in which children are disobedient to their parents?
3.    Do you think children imitate the example set by children in these movies or TV shows?
4.    What does God say about talking badly about our parents? (Matt 15:4)
5.     Why do you think the penalty is so severe?
6.    Should we always be obedient to our parents?  Read Ephesians 6:1-4
7.    How should you respond if your parents tell you to do something contrary to God's Law?
8.    How should parents teach their children? (HINT: look again at Ephesians)
9.    When you become a parent, how will you teach the 5th commandment to your children?

::SMALL GROUP REPORTS::

1. Since God is our spiritual Father, doesn't this commandment also apply to our relationship with Him?
2. What are some ways we honor God?
3. What are some ways we dishonor our parents?
4. What are some ways we honor our parents?
5. Why is this commandment difficult to keep?
6.  What changes in America do you think would occur if everyone obeyed the 5th commandment?

::CHALLENGE::

A Parents note to see that you honor them this week