Christian Obedience
Notes
Transcript
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, because this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, so that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land. Fathers, don’t stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Children, Obey your Parents
Children, Obey your Parents
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, because this is right.
IN THE LORD
IN THE LORD
Because it is right
Because it is right
The First Commandment
The First Commandment
Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, so that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land.
Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
Children, listen up = you must obey and honor your parents. There is a reason and a reward.
The Reward is simple - so that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life.
You honoring your parents, and obeying them, will be rewarded with a life blessed by God. He says it, its truth.
Obedience. You are required to obey your parents so long as you are dependent upon them. They are commanded to care for you, and you are commanded to obey them.
Now eventually, you are bound to move out and be on your own. And at that time, the obedience part changes. You get married, have kids, all that.
BUT THE HONOR PART NEVER CHANGES!
Why is this important?
Because if you cannot obey and honor your earthly parents, whom you can see; how can you obey and honor your heavenly father, whom you cannot see?
Fathers, you are the example!
Fathers, you are the example!
Fathers, don’t stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as you would Christ. Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, do God’s will from your heart. Serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to people, knowing that whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord. And masters, treat your slaves the same way, without threatening them, because you know that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
Now I want to make it absolutely clear that the abomination of slavery is jus that it is an abomination. It is a horrific example of human cruelty and is directly a result of man’s shame and sinfulness.
Man should never be bought or sold. There is no man on earth who has greater value than any other! Every man is made in the image of God and is an image bearer, so no matter what: we must respect the image!
We can, thankfully, take this section of Scripture and realize that it is just as relevant in the workplace today.
Make no mistake about it, the standards set here: they still apply!
Now let’s first look at a word: slaves.
The Greek word translated here is douloi (dulos)
A person who is legally owned by someone else, whose entire livelihood and purpose was determined by their master.
People should never own people. But Brothers and Sisters we were bought with a price! The Blood of Christ!
In my mind that means Jesus owns me. Praise the Lord.
And that means that my livelihood and purpose is determined by my Master.
Ultimately: I am who HE says I am, and I do what HE says I do.
I work for Jesus.
And you do as well.
Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as you would Christ.
None of us in this room are slaves. BUT most are employees.
God says we must obey our employers.
The Word says, with fear and trembling. What does this mean?
Does it mean that you are to fear your boss, and walk around in a perpetual state of terror? Absolutely not!
Brothers and sisters, you may work for your employer, BUT your ultimate employer is the LORD - and you are to be a reflection of Christ in your workplace.
What this verse is telling us to do is to do what your boss says to do, as long as it does not go against the Word of God, because ultimately you are working for the Lord.
“as you would for Christ”!
Do what you are instructed to do, with sincerity in your heart. Not bitterness. Because you are working For Christ. And you may be the only encounter those you work with will have with a Follower of Christ.
Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, do God’s will from your heart.
Be a diligent worker. You should not need to be micro-managed! Instead you should remember always that God is watching. This is not to scare! It is a blessing.
Work like you are expected to work.
Not to seek approval from people, but to know you are putting a smile on the Lord’s face.
The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it.
Work existed before the fall! It is good to work. It is healthy to work.
No matter what you do, do it for the Lord!
Everything changed with work when Sin came into the world. It became terrible and hard, and sweaty, and miserable.
But we are to work for Christ and do the WILL of GOD from our HEART while working.
Serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to people, knowing that whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord.
WITH A GOOD ATTITUDE!
FOR God not people.
Because you will receive a reward from God.
And masters, treat your slaves the same way, without threatening them, because you know that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
Masters - we shall say employers. Maybe you are the BOSS. Be good to your employees.
Favoritism is not the way to go and causes so much internal tribulation.
Ultimately, BOSS MAN, you have a boss in heaven.
Put it all together:
Put it all together:
We are God’s Children
We are God’s Children
You see that is the big thing here:
We are all God’s Children. The moment you get saved, you are adopted into the family of God. The greatest family there is.
Now the reality here is this:
we never outgrow our dependence upon the Lord. Out heavenly father will always be our provider. Which means our obedience never leaves.
And we are to HONOR our Father. Speak highly of Him. Hold him and His possessions in High regard. There is weight in it.
We are also God’s Servants.
We are also God’s Servants.
We work for His glory. To put a smile on His face.
Obviously that means in the Secular world with our Jobs.
It also means in our service in His House.
We just wrapped up nominations, the time when people step up and volunteer to serve the Lord in various capacities in His house.
Now the reality is simple: the mentality of Church committees is that they don’t work. Nothing gets done. And that leads to frustration.
BUT if we adopt this mindset that God has laid out before us today, then things will be different.
When we work in the Lord’s house, on whatever committee or team you find yourself: you should do so diligently, because it is FOR THE LORD!
So my encouragement here is simple: committees, you are a team. Meet. Talk. Get a game plan! NO Committee is a 1 man show. We work together. And there is a lot of excitement right now. Lots of energy.