Riches of Relationships #2
Sufficiency of Christ; Walk through Ephesians • Sermon • Submitted
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Harmony/Unity Starts at Home
Harmony/Unity Starts at Home
Insert personal story, “where did we go wrong?,
Seems in our world no matter where we look we see antagonism, division, and rebellion. We see lack of commitment, covenant is not spoken of very much and discipline can end you up in jail.
Husbands and wives forget the covenant they entered and divorce each other. Children are rebelling against parents knowing parents have their hands tied in some ways. Employers are taking advantage of employee’s and employee’s are looking for ways to get away with things when employer is not looking.
In our society we have tried education, legislation and many other approaches which do not really reach behind the doors of the home, into the heart of the family.
Paul offers up a way to those in Ephesus and for us today. Knowing what was entrusted to Him.
with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him
That administration, that mystery was the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who is the sum of all things and the mystery is the Church. Spiritual unity is found in Christ, Harmony starts in the family and is the responsibility of the members of the family, both home and work family per se.
(slide) In our passage today we will see
(slide)Paul addresses Children
(slide) Paul addresses Fathers
(slide) Paul addresses slaves (employee’s)
(slide Paul addresses masters (employer’s)
Man made chapters and verses in the Bible but I believe that Paul is just continuing on here with the riches of relationships
I. Relationships: Children
I. Relationships: Children
Need to give some cultural background so you can get some understanding of the family in the Greek / Roman culture at the time of this letter.
(Slide) Father had absolute authority and power over family
The Roman - Patria potestas gave the father the authority and the power. He could sell his family as slaves he could work them in chains and a Roman child was always no matter the age under the authority of his father. It did matter, age or position the father was the ruling authority. Now not that it was always exercised but it could under Roman law.
Then there was the custom of child exposure: When child was born he would be laid at the fathers feet, if the father stooped and picked the child up, then the child was accepted and acknowledged as child of the father, if the father turned and walked away then the child literally could be given away, thrown away
So in the time Paul wrote this letter it is a time where marriages are falling apart, children are thrown away and then you have things like this.
(Slide) Seneca wrote “We slaughter a fierce ox; we strangle a mad dog; we plunge the knife into sickly cattle let they taint the herd; children who are born weakly and deformed we drown.”
This is the background in which Paul is writing. If you ever wonder what good Christianity has done for humanity beyond reconciliation we see the passages Paul is addressing in Chapter 5-6
Now that finally brings us to first part of our passage today.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise),
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), 3 so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.
so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.
Notice who Paul is addressing here. He is not talking to the parents to admonish their children to obey them. He is speaking directly to the children who would be there, hearing the letter.
Obey as it was from the Greek gives the indication it is obedience as if your life depended on it. In the family, life, unity, harmony does depend on it and then Paul tells you why.
(Slide) IT IS RIGHT IN THE LORD
This goes hand in hand all the way back to (v.21)
21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.
It is right in the Lord, Paul expounds on it a little more in his letter to Colossi
20 Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.
COl
So it is right and it is pleasing to the Lord.
(slide) As a wife submits to her husband “as to the Lord” (5:21)
(slide) Husbands love their wives as “Christ loved the church” (5:25)
(slide) Now children are to obey “in the Lord” (6:1)
(Slide) OBEDIENCE IS RIGHT
I’m sure you are familiar with “I brought you into this world I will take you out” it is the natural order of things. Parents bring children into the world to raise them in the ways of the Lord so it is right for a child to be obedient to the parent.
Though in today’s society this verse may read.
(Slide) Parents obey your children, for this will keep theme happy and bring peace at home
We may chuckle at that but in reality it seems true these days doesn’t it? Though it is contrary to God’s natural order of things.
(Slide) OBEDIENCE IS COMMANDED
Paul quotes from 5th commandment (Exo20:12; Deu5:16) while we are no longer under the bondage of the Law the righteousness of the law is still a revelation of the holiness of God (partial quote from W. Wiersbe)
Something to think about if a child is to obey because it is right, he sure should obey because it is commanded, but it commanded with a promise
Now Paul changed from the original commandment
12 “However, if it does not make peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it.
12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.
Exo20:12
Deu20:
To fit his audience the children listening to the Letter then
3 so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.
This this saying “live long” does not necessarily mean quantity of time, but it can mean quality of time. God enriches the lives of the obedient believers.
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
(slide) Sin robs us and obedience enriches us
Again bringing it back to today’s world we see the results when a child is not
A child does not raise itself it needs teachings, it needs guidance, it needs presence of the parents. The results we see today are some that were noted back then too.
28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
God gave them over, but the reality is God gave them order in the first place, God gave them parents not a system. God gave them His instructions not institutions. God gave them fathers who are the be present in the raising of the child. The child cannot, should not be neglected nor should the child be pampered it needs to be raised right with the right balance.
Paul goes on to address Christian Father’s
Christian Father’s
Christian Father’s
4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
The Bible gives some examples of neglect by fathers or poor discipline practices
David pampered Absolom - cost Absolom his life, David grief
Eli failed to discipline his sons and brought disgrace to their father and defeat to the nation
Isaac pampered Esau while where Rebecca pampered Jacob- end result division within the family.
(Slide) HE MUST NOT PROVOKE THEM
As previously mentioned back in the day the father had absolute power and authority over the child and the family.
Paul again expounded more in Colossians.
21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
the opposite of provoke is encourage, or at least that is how I’m going to look at it.
(Slide) “Do as I say not as I do”
That should not be a motto of a Christian father. Fathers should lead and teach by example and to do that they need to be present. Providing for your family physically is good but spiritually is eternal. The Word from the husband to wife, from Father to child is vital to the unity and the harmony of the home. so brings me to the next point on fatherhood.
(Slide) HE MUST NOURISH THEM
Let me put the verse back up there so you can read it
4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Nourish in discipline and in instruction this is the same verb used in 5:29
29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,
The husband it to nourish the wife and children by sharing love and encouragement in the Lord. - - - - it is good to nourish physically by providing daily needs but children need to be nourished emotionally and spiritually too.
(Insert story or dinner in the Rogers home and typical life)
52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
Because of the nourishment provided by Jesus parents he keep increasing. He was well balanced including in discipline. No turning him over to some institution to raise Him, no government agency to oversee how he is raised. Parents are responsible and held accountable for the raising of their children. And that includes discipline.
(Slide) HE MUST DISCIPLINE THEM
An interesting fact that the word “nourish” used in this verse is translated the same word as “chastening” in .
heb12:
5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”
We often learn from the chastening we receive. As evidenced by the scripture here we are chasten in love. A father chastens, disciplines in love.
24 He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.
To not discipline is not to love the child. Discipline is always to be done in love not anger. Discipline must be fair and consistent. Discipline is to help raise up a child not to beat them down and discourage them.
To most of us here today we have completed the raising of our children, maybe we still counsel and our children are raising their own children and all we can do it give them God’s Word and God’s truth.
That leads to one more point about Fathers.
(SLIDE) HE MUST INSTRUCT AND ENCOURAGE THEM
We have to be honest oftentimes children, even grown children do not like to hear or appreciate our counsel, but still we have the obligation to admonish (which here means to instruct) ad to encourage them.
When the Supreme Court handed down the ruling removing prayers from school a cartoonist from the Washington Post said “ What do they expect us to do — listen to the kids pray at home? - - well home is where children should learn to pray, to learn about God’s Word, to learn about serving the Lord and then let it radiate out not just to school but to the community. Let the instruction start at home!
II. Relationships: Servants (employees)
II. Relationships: Servants (employees)
5 Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; 6 not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
Eph6:5
7 With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, 8 knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.
7 Therefore do not be partakers with them; 8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light
Eph5:
The Roman culture at the time, slavery was a common practice, it was estimated 6m slaves in all the Roman empire. Slavery was an acceptable institution. Socially acceptable, but spiritual order within the church is what Paul is addressing. Another good reference to this.
20 Each man must remain in that condition in which he was called. 21 Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that.
22 For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. 24 Brethren, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.
If you are a servant (employee) ok, be a servant, just remember who your real employer is now. If you are an employer, ok, and we will talk about that in a few minutes.
Paul admonish’s the servants the servants (employees)
They are, as Christian’s serving the Lord. knowing their earthly master, employer holds nothing compared to their real master who is in heaven. As a servant we should live out our faith in front of the master (employer); doing it heartily as it speaks of in Col3:23
23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,
As a servant we are to respect authority, or the one who has authority.
Another reason the Christian servant is to serve is doing the will of God (v.6)
17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
It is also giving thanks to the Father, through the Son for your actions speak of who you serve and why you serve. In that day being a Christian was not popular and could bring on harsher treatment as evidenced in (1pt2:18-25) but let me give you some of that.
18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. 19 For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.
Submissive and respectful but wait there is a promise too
20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.
when you are submissive, respectful, endure all things with patience you find favor with God, who is your real master.
Our reward comes from Christ not from man, his rewards are eternal!
Now we are still not down, I want to cover one more today.
III. Relationships: Masters (employer’s)
III. Relationships: Masters (employer’s)
9 And masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
What are masters to do, the same things the servants are to do. Work heartily, be submissive, respectful and endure all things for their master is in heaven too.
Christian faith foes not bring harmony by erasing social and/or cultural distinctions. Servants are still servants, masters are still masters but it does bring about a harmony of hearts. Both are to serve the Lord from their heart and in doing some it brings some responsibilities to the master (employer).
A great example of having a heart for his servants is Boaz in the book of Ruth
4 Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, “May the Lord be with you.” And they said to him, “May the Lord bless you.”
see how he greeted his servants! He respected his servants and his servants respected him.
The employer must seek the welfare of the servant and not threaten them. A Christian employer should look to encourage and motivate an employee.
1 Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.
Should be just and fair knowing their master is in heaven too. This was not just a N.T. concept it is found in the O.T. too
43 ‘You shall not rule over him with severity, but are to revere your God.
The master whose master is in heaven too must be submitted to the Lord.
As to the Lord, you have seen that, you have heard that several times today.
(slide) A wife submits to her husband, as to the Lord (5:22)
(slide) A husband loves his wife as Christ loved (5:25)
(slide) Children obey their parents, unto the Lord (6:4)
(slide) Servants are obedient as unto the Lord (6:5)
When the wife, husband, children, servant and masters know who the real master is then no one has a problem submitting to the one who is over him.
Jesus in the flesh came to serve to set the example before assuming his rightful place on the right side of the throne. Many man in the bible were servants first.
(slide) Joseph - A slave before a ruler
21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’
(slide) David -a shepherd boy before king
(slide) Moses - a shepherd before a deliverer
27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave;
Conclusion (not on a slide)
We have for last few weeks have looked at walking, and in walking as a Christian we can walk in harmony if we are
Paul’s warning to Timothy helps to back
21 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality.
(slide) Filled with the Spirit
(slide) We are joyful, we are thankful
(slide) And are submissive to each other
(slide) we can have harmonious relationships with each other
(slide) Walking is proof of the Fruit of the Spirit which starts with love and love is the best adhesive there is.
(Lead to invitation)