RESPECT 4 - Respect the position, even if the person hasn't earned respect!

Respect 4 - English file 

Respekt 4 - German file

Devotional Thoughts about Acts 23:1-5

Fellow Jews had opposed Paul in nearly every city of Asia Minor and Europe where he had preached the gospel, starting riots and sometimes almost killing him. But now he was headed straight back to Jerusalem, the center of Judaism, and along with the prophets who had warned him, he had no doubt that big trouble was awaiting him there (20:22,23).

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before some Jews from Asia began a riot and wanted to kill Paul, but Roman authorities intervened and arrested him. The next day the chief priests and their council were called to make accusations, and Paul was able to address them. But he wasn't able to get out more than a sentence before the high priest ordered that he be slapped! The text doesn’t say whether this was actually carried out, but Paul’s agitated reaction leads to that assumption. It must have been painful and humiliating.

As Paul had been away for years, perhaps he didn’t know the current high priest, whose clothing may not have differentiated him from the other chief priests. Lacking this information, Paul reacted instinctively to this unprovoked attack and was then ashamed once he was filled in. His prompt quotation of the Exodus passage shows how deeply respect for authority was ingrained in him.

In modern Western culture, respect has been undermined to the extent that many young people don’t seem to even know what it is. It needs to be modeled and taught now more than ever. Lord, help me to show respect for others and especially for those in responsible positions.

Downloading lesson files

If you're interested in the lesson file, simply click on the appropriate link above to download it in the desired language. See the Informational Pages in the right column for more about the lesson series. The next blogpost and lesson will be the first about the new topic: Honesty.  

RESPECT 3 - Honor your father and mother!

Respect 3 - English files

Respekt 3 - German files

Devotional Thoughts about Luke 2:40-51

We’d probably all like to know more about what Jesus was like as a kid, but this account is all the Gospels offer us on that. It’s hard for us to imagine a real child or anyone without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus evidently didn’t do anything supernatural growing up, as John 2:11 says that turning water into wine was the first of His miracles.

How can you lose your child for a whole day without noticing? Many parents shamefacedly admit having once left a child behind somewhere in the middle of a busy day, naturally assuming it was with the other parent or someone else. It probably took so long for the family to notice Jesus’ absence because they were traveling in a large group of relatives and acquaintances.

The long search must have been excruciating, and Mary’s frustration when she finally had Him in front of her was certainly understandable (2:48). Yet Jesus’ reply indicates that His parents should have known where to find Him. Still, they didn’t understand Him, and probably not for the first time.

Here Jesus’ divine assignment was set against His human responsibility to honor His parents, and somehow He did both. As adults, our relationships to our parents and older relatives have changed over the years, but the honor should still be there. Lord, help me to honor You through honoring them.

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If you're interested in the lesson files, simply click on the appropriate link above to download them in the desired language. See the Informational Pages in the right column for more about the lesson series. The next blogpost will finish the topic Respect. 

RESPECT 2 - Respect those who are responsible for you.

Respect 2 - English file

Respekt 2 - German file 

Devotional Thoughts about Matthew 22:15-22

Christians often chafe at the thought of being responsible to the state, especially when they can point to concrete instances of injustice, corruption and ungodli­ness. Yet Jesus confirms in this brief passage the state’s right to levy taxes. (See Romans 13:1-7 and 1 Peter 2:13-17 for more about the Christian and govern­ment.)

Although governments are far from perfect, God still uses them as servants, tools to provide a measure of order and stability in this fallen world. For us it’s a matter of expedience as well as conscience to honor them and pay them what we owe (Romans 13:5).

But the much wider question is: "What do we owe God?” There’s nothing on this earth or outside of it that doesn’t belong to Him. All of our money and possessions are His; He’s just given us the stewardship of them. The same applies to our time, our relation­ships and everything we love. Are we using them for His glory?

Trusting in Christ for our salvation is the baseline of giving God what belongs to Him: ourselves. From there it goes on to living a life sold out to Him (see Romans 12:1,2).

Lord, help me to conscientiously give others all that’s due them (Romans 13:7). But help me especially to give You myself in all areas of life.

Downloading lesson files

If you're interested in the lesson file, simply click on the appropriate link above to download it in the desired language. See the Informational Pages in the right column for more about the lesson series. The next two blogposts will further explore the topic Respect. 

RESPECT 1 - Respect begins with a healthy fear.

Respect 1 - English files

Respekt 1 - German files

Devotional Thoughts about Exodus 19:1-20:20

What does it take to motivate sinful people to fear God? In this passage we see God accomplishing just that, stopping short of striking them dead. Although we know that destruction is what we all deserve, it’s hard for us to actually believe that about ourselves.

God’s justice requires that sin must be punished. The Ten Command­ments given in this passage articulate the basics of His standard of goodness. Although there were yet many more regulations to come, these are enough to show we all fall short. Then God introduced a complex system of sacrifices to cover sins until centuries later when His Son Jesus would take the final punishment for them (See Hebrews 10:11-14).

It’s tempting even for those of us who have been forgiven to forget how holy God is and what an affront to Him our sin is. Lord, keep reminding us what we were saved from and what it cost You to do it. Help us to fear and honor You.

Respect doesn’t come naturally to any of us. We need to be taught it or have it knocked into us by the consequences of our self-centered choices. While it’s a rare joy to meet a respectful child these days, it’s very challenging to introduce the idea of respect to most kids. Lord, help us in this task, as only You can.

Downloading lesson files

If you're interested in the lesson files, simply click on the appropriate link above to download them in the desired language. See the Informational Pages in the right column for more about the lesson series. The next three blogposts will further explore the topic Respect.