YABS: Ephesians 6:1-9
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Introduction:
Who is the worst boss, teacher, coach, manager, or authority figure you've ever had? What made them difficult to work with?
Now think about the best authority figure you've ever had. What made them different?
Tonight: Relationships and authority (continuing from last week)
Christ-centered submission, Christ-centered authority
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”
What is it that makes it “right” for children to obey their parents?
How does this command apply to you at this stage of your life?
Not blind acceptance
Respect
4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
What’s the difference between provoking your children to anger and disciplining them?
5 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.
Are these verses an endorsement of slavery? Why or why not?
How can this connect with our lives today?
Slaves = submission (similar to wives and children)
Obey with...
Fear and trembling
Does this mean “be afraid?”
Respect
A sincere heart
Making sure that your heart is good
Serve others as servants of Christ, not as people pleasures (to the Lord, not to men)
And what do servants of Christ do? They do God’s will from their hearts.
What does it mean to “receive back from the Lord” in this context? (v. 8)
9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.
“Do the same to them.”
What does this mean?
Serve your slaves!
“Stop your threatening”
Don’t abuse your powers
You are both servants of God anyways
No partiality = He doesn’t love you more than he loves him
Conclusion:
The Bottom Line:
Following Jesus changes how we live under authority and how we use authority.
It's easy to read this passage and focus on the specific relationships Paul mentions. But underneath all of them is a bigger truth: Jesus changes how we treat people.
Children honor their parents because they honor Christ.
Parents raise their children in a way that reflects Christ.
Servants work sincerely because they're ultimately serving Christ.
Masters lead with humility because they answer to Christ.
In every relationship, Paul keeps bringing us back to the same question: 'Am I treating this person the way someone who belongs to Jesus should?'
This week, think about one authority relationship in your life.
Maybe it's a parent, a boss, an employee, a coworker, a spouse, or someone you mentor.
Ask yourself: 'What would it look like for me to treat that person as Christ would have me treat them?'
Then intentionally take one step in that direction
