Kids are Slaves!

What is a slave?

Slaves are property

Slaves are not allowed to be their own person or do what they want.

Everything they do is to further someone else’s goal.

They don’t have any rights. Their master has rights, they do not.

How are kids like slaves?

They must do what is asked of them, regardless of what they want.

They do not make their own decisions about themselves.

When you are an adult, you may do what you want. You will suffer the consequences, but it is your choice.

The New Revised Standard Version Chapter 4

20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your acceptable duty in the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, or they may lose heart. 22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched and in order to please them, but wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters, 24 since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong has been done, and there is no partiality. 4 1 Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, for you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

What is this verse telling us?

Everyone (children, fathers, slaves) must do everything with the perspective of it is for the Lord.

Look to the results of your actions and offer it all up to God and make it about him.

What about if you don’t deserve it or it’s not fair?

The New Revised Standard Version Imitating Christ’s Humility

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. 5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

6 who, though he was in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God

as something to be exploited,

7 but emptied himself,

taking the form of a slave,

being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form,

8 he humbled himself

and became obedient to the point of death—

even death on a cross.

9 Therefore God also highly exalted him

and gave him the name

that is above every name,

10 so that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bend,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue should confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

How did Jesus obey, even though it wasn’t fair?

He emptied himself (what does that mean?)

Gave up his desires to desire only what God wants.

He humbled himself.

He obeyed.

Did Jesus deserve death or have to “...take on the form of a slave...”?

No. To be exact, he was being asked to be tortured, killed, and punished for something he did not and would never do.

What happened when Jesus made it about God, instead of himself?

God exalted him above everyone and everything.

So what does this mean for us? We aren’t perfect like Jesus.

The New Revised Standard Version Teach Sound Doctrine

9 Tell slaves to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect; they are not to talk back, 10 not to pilfer, but to show complete and perfect fidelity, so that in everything they may be an ornament to the doctrine of God our Savior.

What does it mean to “...be an ornament to the doctrine of God”?

The root of “ornament” is a greek word “kosmeo”.

It means, “to adorn”.

It is where we get our word “cosmetic” from.

What is the difference between a dog and a cat?

Dogs and cats are very different in one respect. We feed them, pet them, clean up after them, and love them both. A cat will look at us and say, “You feed me, love me, clean up after me, and lavish me with affection. I must be a god!” A dog will say, “You feed me, love me, clean up after me, and lavish me with affection. You must be a god! This one difference changes everything about how we interact with our pets.

Let’s be dogs! Time to go out and do everything as if it is for our Lord and Savior! Let’s do it when every time; especially when it’s not fair or easy. That is when we receive the greatest rewards and shine the brightest!