Ephesians 6:1-9 “The Gospel for All of Life”
INTRO: 88 year-old Barbara; Different seasons of life if you make it to 88.
-Every season of life is an opportunity to love and trust Christ and experience His kindness and care.
-The gospel is good news in every season of life and grounds us and give us hope.
M.S.: The gospel is for all of life!
CONTEXT: Different relationships
-Ch 1-3 DOCTRINE; 4-6 APPLICATION
-Last 2 weeks: Wives and Husbands.
-TODAY: Children, Parents, Slaves, Masters.
*The gospel changes how we live in every season of life.
1 The Gospel Changes How We Live as Children (1-3)
2 OPPOSITE APPROACHES TO CHILDREN: 1. Overlook them; 2. Prize them above all.
-Biblical view: They are of great value, but sinners in need in grace, just like the rest of us.
CHILDREN (1a): There were children who believed in Jesus in the Ephesian Church
–SURPRISE: Paul recognizes the dignity of the children.
-Children, you’re not too young to believe in and follow Jesus! Matt 19:14
INSTRUCTION (1b): OBEY YOUR PARENTS IN THE LORD
-God calls you who are children to you to do what your parents say.
-Unless they call you to sin, then you can and ought to disobey your parents.
–Bible’s View of Children is COUNTERCULTURAL: Children are sinners in need of grace.
-There are godly and ungodly children.
-“Good Son” movie=really wicked 12 year old
-Reality=sin and evil are in every child’s heart.
-God’s instruction to children: OBEY YOUR PARENTS.
-Because of sin, this is not always natural or easy. Actually, there is a bent away from this.
-This is why the gospel is so important: Jesus died for our sin and disobedience.
-Through Christ, we might become godly and serve God in our youth.
REASONING (1c-3):
-IT IS RIGHT (1c): It is “right” to obey your parents.
-It will feel hard to always obey them, but know that it is RIGHT to do so.
-SCRIPTURE (2a): Fifth Commandment
-God’s Word commands you to obey our parents.
-SELF-BENEFITING (2b-3): Promise: it may go well with you and you may live long in the land
-“Go well…live long in the land”=General promises that things go better when we obey parents.
-Generally, when we obey our parents instructions, things do go better for, even live longer.
*CHILDREN: Are you obeying your parents?
*TEENS: I know it’s tough at times, but this is what God calls you to do. Ecclesiastes 12
2 The Gospel Changes How We Live as Parents (4)
Just as there are godly and ungodly children, so there are with parents.
-God calls us to honor Him in our season as parents.
-FATHERS: Though addressed to fathers (who are called to lead families) this also applies to mothers.
-Fathers are called to give spiritual leadership in their home
-DADS, are you being a spiritual leader to your kids? Praying? Reading Bible? Teaching? Mission?
-PARENTS, DON’T DO THIS: do not provoke your children to anger,
-Intentionally give instructions or requests that provoke your children to anger and sin.
–PARENTS: Have you been provoking your children to anger.
-Nagging, moving boundaries, overprotecting, unrealistic expectations
-INSTEAD, DO THIS: but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
-BRING THEM UP: Intentionality, giving of time and self for their good and protection.
-This will cost you of time and comfort and sleep
-IN THE DISCIPLINE: Correcting and disciplining our children.
–Proverbs 22:13-14
-We discipline because we LOVE our children.
-Story of discipling a child who lied.
-The hope that this child will learn to be a truth-tellers.
-INSTRUCTION OF THE LORD: Teaching our children about God and the gospel
-Regular and intentional ways to teach out children the Bible and the gospel
-Our Rythmns: Morning catechism/Bible; evening Bible and prayer; other books
-Goodness of CHILDREN IN THE SERVICE
*CHALLENGE OF NAPERVILLE: ‘Achieve-a-tron’ culture.
-Wisdom of pursuing excellence while staying humble and faithful with church and mission.
-Our identity as parents/kids is found in Christ, not in our achievements.
NON-PARENTS: Will you pray for the kids? Parents?
-Be a good model of faithful Christians to other people’s kids.
-Volunteer to help parents, invest in their children.
3 The Gospel Changes How We Live in Places of Service (5-8)
3rd group addressed are the slaves.
-I hope you will see that this text has relevance to all of us who are in any place of service.
SLAVES: “bondservants” in Rome: 1/3 of population in Rome in 1st century
-VERY Different than slavery in the South from 200 years ago.
-Generally, voluntary and limited (7 to 14 years)
-Not racial.
INSTRUCTION: Serve with integrity
-RESPECT: obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling,
-SINCERITY OF HEART: with a sincere heart,
-SERVING CHRIST: as you would Christ, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,
-REJECTING FEAR OF MAN: 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord
and not to man,
-DOING GOOD AND LOOKING TO GOD FOR REWARDS:
8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.
-APPLIATION TO ALL IN ANY AREA OF SERVICE:
-Consider different areas: homeschool mom; employee; organizations
-Posture of sincere service oriented toward God, not man.
GOSPEL:
-Once we sought to live for ourselves, we choose laziness or vainglory
-Christ came as a servant to die for us and bring us back to God.
-Now we live for God in whatever position of service we are in.
4 The Gospel Changes How We Live as Places of Leadership (9)
MASTERS: Original=owner of slaves; Parallel today=positions of leadership.
INSTRUCTION: -Do the same to them!
-Have integrity and do them good.
-STOP your threatening!
-Don’t use threats to coerce
REASON: knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.
-As a master, you have a master, and this master does not show partiality!
GOSPEL FOR EVERY SEASON OF LIFE
-Redeems us from our sin
-Reorients us to walk in righteousness
-Gives us a new hope and joy: we get to serve God and give Him glory in every season of life
CLOSE: The gospel is for all of life!
