13. Lesson 13 Ephesians Chosen to serve Ephesians 6 verses 1 to 9

Church of Christ Dapto The letter to the Church in Ephesus Lesson 13 - Chosen to serve Ephesians 6:1-9      Living Wise Ephesians 5:15-17 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. This chapter continues to show how we are to live wisely understanding the Lord’s will. This is not how the foolish live. We are to be different.      Chosen to serve in family relationships Children Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Obedience is an expression of honour and respect. The child acknowledges, by their obedience, that the parent knows best and has the child’s long-term interests at heart. The child is to choose to obey parents in the Lord; obeying because their parents know Christ, and the child obeys Christ. The basis of the command is that the authority of the parent is based on Truth and Goodness, not any arbitrary selfishness. The obedience demanded is continual and habitual. There is no scope for disobedience in any area, or for the choice of disobedience to be available when time passes. Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Righteous behaviour brings blessing Ephesians 6:2-3 “Honour your father and mother”--which is the first commandment with a promise-“that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” A command with a promise Deuteronomy 5:16 Honour your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you. This command promises great blessing if we choose to obey it, and if children choose to obey it. The promised blessing is long life, and a good life, all given by God because of our obedience to Him as we choose to obey our parents. He chose us in (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4 Dapto Church of Christ Sermon Series The Letter to the Ephesians – Lesson 13 Chosen to serve December 15, 2019 Page 2 Fathers Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Exasperate to provoke - to rouse to anger, to provoke, exasperate1 (Fathers must avoid) all (motives, commands and attitudes which are) calculated to irritate or exasperate the children. If the fathers show injustice, or severity they may cause the children to resist giving the honour and obedience due to their father.1 Colossians 3:21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.      Chosen to serve in work situations As workers Ephesians 6:5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. We are to obey those who employ us and show due respect for their authority. We are to do so sincerely, not just when they are watching, because this is how we are to serve Christ. Colossians 3:22-24 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favour, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. With wise motivation Ephesians 6:6 Obey them not only to win their favour when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. We are to live with a completely different moral sense to that of the people of the world. We do not work to win the favour of men, even those who may employ us. We do not work only when we are under close supervision. We work, knowing that our real Master and Employer is Christ and He can see us every moment and read the thoughts and intents of our hearts. We are not to see His supervision as a burden but as a great blessing. He supervises us for our good, and supervises us because He loves us. With wise effort Ephesians 6:7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, In serving the Lord in our work, we are to do all the tasks which are our responsibility with a wholehearted attitude. The world may serve half-heartedly, but we do not. We are to give all our effort and energy to the task at hand no matter how menial it may be because we want to please Christ. 1- Word Studies in the Greek New Testament by Kenneth S. Wuest – Copyright © 1942-55 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Used by permission. All rights reserved. He chose us in (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4 Dapto Church of Christ Sermon Series The Letter to the Ephesians – Lesson 13 Chosen to serve December 15, 2019 Page 3 With Wise Hope Ephesians 6:8 because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. Our real Employer has promised us great rewards for our obedience to Him, and in us doing all the good works He has prepared in advance for us to do, we know that He is faithful to His promise. We do not work for pay or salary. We work for the satisfaction which comes from work and earning a living, because that is what God created us to do. Our pay, in the sense of eternal life, is given with overwhelming generosity by our Lord and Master when we seek to please Him in all things. For those Church members who are not employed, the rule still applies. Although we may not have an employer, we still have a Master for who we work. We are to do every task He give us wholeheartedly, with all our energy, with joy and blessing, and with no thought of personal benefit, but rather for the benefit of the One we serve. This is the path to joy and satisfaction in this world. As employers Ephesians 6:9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Christian employers are to treat their employers in the same way as Christ treats us. They are to treat them justly and fairly, paying their wages in full at the agreed time, and rewarding those who do good work. The Christian employer is also working for the same Master. With wise attitude Ephesians 6:9 Do not threaten them A Christian employer does not need to exercise the power of his position to hire and fire to ensure that his employees do their work. With Wise motivation Ephesians 6:9 since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favouritism with him. The Christian employer serves the same Master as the Christian employee. Christ does not turn a blind eye to the faults of one because he is a slave and downtrodden on this earth, or give special status to a master who stands in high position among men. All are treated equally and from each is expected that they joyfully complete everything they are commanded to do, whatever their situation. We are to serve Him in our working and our attitude to others.      He chose us in (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4 Dapto Church of Christ Sermon Series The Letter to the Ephesians – Lesson 13 Chosen to serve December 15, 2019 Page 4 What does this verse mean for my life? Being careful about how I live applies in my everyday life. It must be seen in my attitude and relationship to the closest members of my family: my husband, or wife, parents and children. I must remember that they are gifts to me from God and I have a responsibility to be thankful to Him for them, to influence their lives for good and reveal His love in my love for them. My carefully examined life should also be seen in the attitude I present to the work I am called to do. It matters not whether the work I am doing is in paid employment or tasks I have been given in the Church. I am to do everything with a willing and wholehearted attitude giving my whole attention and energy to the task until it is completed. I am to do this because I know that I do not serve any man, even though he may pay my wages. I do not serve because I expect to get something in return. I must not work as the world does, only working hard when directly under the eye of their employer. I serve Christ Himself as my one true Master. I am to show that all I do, I do for Him, knowing that He can see me, He can perceive my attitude, and He can measure the interest and energy I am showing in the task I have been given, even when there is no-one else who knows. I am to see His supervision as a great blessing and be very grateful to God for it. His supervision is not a burden or an imposition but a blessing. It is not intruding in my privacy, but is given to bring me to the best life possible, the life of the Spirit of Christ within me. He is watching over me, supplying every need and providing all the power. I am to work in the Spirit, not the letter of the law. I am to find joy and satisfaction in all the work He gives me as He intends. I am to find fulfilment in a careful wise life which makes the most of every opportunity Christ puts in my path. I am not to live the way the world lives, or seek to find fulfilment in sharing their attitudes. If Christ is really my Master in all things, I am among those most blessed in this world.  Next Lesson: Ephesians 6:10-17     Chosen to stand Focus Verse: Ephesians 6:10      He chose us in (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4