Footsteps of the Savior

Walk in Wisdom in Difficult Situations

Ephesians 6:5-9

INTRODUCTION

Walking in the Footsteps of the Savior is a task that cannot be accomplished immediately. We must learn to grow into those steps over time.

Before we finish up the 3-week Walk in Wisdom steps, let us review what wisdom is based on Ephesians 5:15-21

Wisdom is Efficient, don’t waste the time and opportunities that you are given

Wisdom is Understanding the Will of the Lord, which is obtained through being committed to His Word

Wisdom is Being Spirit Filled, don’t let substances or emotions dictate your actions, but let God have full control of you

Spirit-controlled believers are to submit to one another, willingly serving others and being under them rather than dominating them and exalting themselves.

With this final point on what wisdom is, the Apostle Paul goes on to give us the example of the home, and ultimately, how it relates to Christ.

Women are to submit to their husbands, as Christ submitted to the Father

Men are to love their wives; as Christ loved the Church

Children are to obey their parents; as Christ obeyed His parents

Voddie Baucham

Show me somebody who submits to proper biblical authority in their life, and I’ll show you somebody who is Spirit-filled

Life is not about how good you can be or look to others.

It is not about what you can do to further advance your socio-economic status.

Life is about living obediently to the Word of God which brings glory to God and results in the good of others,

1 Corinthians 10:31 NASB95

31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 5:9 NASB95

Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.

John 13:34 NASB95

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

Keeping those thoughts in mind will help us as we continue in Ephesians 6:5-9.

Slavery

The Apostle Paul goes on to address slaves and masters. And honestly, there can be a tinge of weirdness when we read through this passage, or any passage that deals with the topic of slavery (i.e. the epistle Philemon).

We understand the atrocities that have happened due to slavery in our western culture. The slave trade was awful. The dehumanizing of people created in the image of God for the profit gained in industry is disgusting. The mistreatment of people due to their station in life and the color of their skin is appalling.

So why do the Bible writers simply gloss over this issue? Why are they not fighting against it and waxing eloquent about how Christians need to stand against it?

One reason could be that the situation is different between ancient slavery and slavery of the 16th-19th century.

Slavery in the Roman Empire was often an economic arrangement (conquered people were subordinate to the conquering people and it was not perpetual...it did not transcend generations. The children of slaves had ways to get out from being slaves themselves).

Slaves in the Roman Empire were often very well educated (in church history, Ignatius names a man, Onesimus, as the pastor of the church in Ephesus. Could he be the same Onesimus as from the letter of Philemon?)

Slavery in the ancient world was never race driven as it was during the slave trade, when the dominance of light colored skin people over dark colored skin people was prevalent.

Whatever the case may be, Paul is less concerned about dealing with the social justice issue and more concerned with taking time to further guide us in the Footsteps of the Savior.

He uses slavery, specifically the master-slave relationship, to instruct us further on being Spirit-filled and submitting to authority in our lives.

Slaves, Be Obedient (v. 5-6)

With fear and trembling

The fact is that these slaves were the property of their master and were expected to carry out his orders.

Matthew Henry They are to reverence those who are over them, fearing to displease them, and trembling lest they should justly incur their anger and indignation

Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon With fear and trembling, used to describe the anxiety of one who distrusts his ability completely to meet all requirements, but religiously does his utmost to fulfil his duty.

Whether or not you think you are capable of completing the task you have been assigned to do, you are to try your very best to complete it.

In the sincerity of your heart

Not pretending obedience while designing disobedience...but serving with faithfulness.

Sincere is taken from the Latin: sine – “without” cera – “wax”

When the Romans made pots, they sometimes sealed the base with wax, claiming that they were watertight. But in time, the wax melted or wore away rendering the pot useless for liquids. Therefore those pots not finished with wax were inscribed “sine cera” to prove that they were sound.

As to Christ

Servants must remember that they serve Christ first of all. To be double-minded and try to serve two masters will lead to trouble

Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.

Eyeservice means working when the master is watching and loafing when he is gone; but if we serve Christ on the job, we are aware that He is always watching us!

… His authority obliges [us] to a faithful and conscientious discharge of the duties of [our] station.

Slaves, Render Service (v. 7-8)

As to the Lord and not men

Colossians 3:23-24

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.

Christians are called to serve the Lord as a royal priesthood with the purpose to proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9)

What better way to proclaim the excellencies of God than by exemplifying the obedience of Christ in our daily walk

Good service will receive good reward

Even though the dynamics surrounding slavery in that day were different, slaves were still treated like pieces of property, no matter how well educated they might be. An educated, cultured slave who became a Christian might receive even harsher treatment from his master because of his faith...but harsh treatment was not to keep him from doing his best. We are to serve Christ, not men. We shall receive our rewards from Christ, not from men.

Read 1 Peter 2:18-25

Masters, Do the Same (v. 9)

The Christian faith does not bring about harmony by erasing social or cultural distinctions. Servants are still servants when they trust Christ, and masters are still masters. Rather, the Christian faith brings harmony by working in the heart. Christ gives us a new motivation, not a new organization. Both servant and master are serving the Lord and seeking to please Him, and in this way they are able to work together to the glory of God.

Give up threatening

The Christian master has a better way to encourage obedience and service than threats of punishment. Slave owners were not to keep threatening them but to treat them justly and fairly

Colossians 4:1 Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.

Philemon 17 If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me.

A common way that this passage in Ephesians is applied today is through the lens of the employee (slave) and employer (master) relationship. Using that lens, if the employer expects the workers to do their best for him, he must do his best for them.

Ruth 2:4 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.”

Boaz was sensitive to the needs of his workers and generous to the stranger, Ruth. His relationship with his workers was one of mutual respect and a desire to glorify the Lord.

No partiality with God

He does not lean one way or the other when He evaluates the lives of people. God warns His people in James 2 to not have an attitude of personal favoritism. Why? Because He doesn’t! He will judge a master or a servant if he sins, or He will reward a master or a servant if he obeys (Ephesians 6:8)

One of the fastest ways for a leader to divide his followers and lose their confidence is for the leader to play favorites and show partiality.

CONCLUSION

An individual who is Spirit-filled will Walk in Wisdom and will show that wisdom by submitting to the authority in their lives

Women are to submit to their husbands

Husbands are to love their wives

Children are to obey their parents

Slaves are to obey their masters

Masters are to obey their Master (Savior/Lord) in heaven

These are the steps of wisdom that our Savior has left for us to follow, and we need to stretch hard to reach these footprints.