Ephesians 6:5-9

[Shield]

Shield> Thank you for attending tonight's study:)
Shield> Lets pray
Shield> Lord God thank you for your presence in this place
Shield> You alone Lord God are worthy of praise
Shield> and we honor you with our worship
Shield> Lord minister to each person here
Shield> touch their hearts at the point of their need
Shield> minister to those who are ill
Shield> comfort those who are sad
Shield> may each person here realize who You are Lord
Shield> and may they seek You for the answers to the problems that perplex them
Shield> may this study help us Lord
Shield> as we seek to understand how we ought to relate one to another in ways that please you
Shield> in the mighty name of Jesus I pray amen
Shield> tonight's study deals with Ephesians 6:5-9 specifically
Shield> yet we will also compare it to the passage we previously encountered dealing with children and parents
Shield> because we shall see important parallels
Shield> lets review the first four verses
Shield> and then we will view tonight's text
Shield> Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
Shield> notice the reference to obedience
Shield> to their parents in the Lord...
Shield> actually I will show the parallel verse in tonites section
Shield> Ephesians 6:5 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;
Shield> just as children are to be obedient
Shield> so are slaves to be obedient
Shield> it is by design that the Apostle Paul contructed the two sections in parallel fashion
Shield> the Holy Spirit inspired him to bring emphasis to the principle of obedience
Shield> also note that children obey their parents in the Lord
Shield> just as slaves are to obey their masters as to Christ
Shield> Ephesians 6:2 "Honor your father and mother"-- this is the first commandment with a promise:
Shield> Ephesians 6:3 "so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth."
Shield> here is the parallel in the next section dealing with slaves and masters
Shield> Ephesians 6:6 not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
Shield> Ephesians 6:7 With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men,
Shield> Ephesians 6:8 knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.
Shield> there is a command followed with a promise of recompense
Shield> as well as a sense of exhortation
Shield> folks the Apostle was writing to people who at least in part were slaves
Shield> this was the life situation of some of his readers
Shield> and he knew it
Shield> thus he was inspired to deal with the issue
Shield> allow me to highlight a few aspects of the passage...
Shield> and I invite you to chime in as well
Shield> the service of slaves was to be the kind that would honor God
Shield> in terms of motivation
Shield> and a sense of industry
Shield> in other words...they were not to be the kind of people who had to be constantly cajoled to work
Shield> rather they worked hard and diligently because they wanted to honor God
Shield> having said all that...
Shield> how does this apply to us?
Shield> I am not a slave
Shield> I don't expect any of you are slaves (though some of you may feel otherwise) *grin*
Shield> so how do we apply this text to our lives?
Shield> any ideas?
Gullan> o/
Shield> yes Gullan
Gullan> I was thinking of the part of eyeservice
Shield> ok go on:)
Gullan> That we live for the Grace of God
Gullan> Not to please other people
Shield> uh huh
Gullan> That is what the text say to me
Shield> yes I agree
Shield> what you are doing is taking a clear statement
Shield> and realizing that his has transferable application
Shield> by that I mean..
Shield> this statement is not for slaves in the first century alone
Shield> rather it is a principle that all people in all times should apply to their lives
Shield> think of it this way
Shield> most if not all of us have jobs
Shield> we have bosses
Shield> we are not their slaves to be sure...
Shield> well..
Shield> hehe
Hopeful1> lol
snapette> hehe
Shield> we may feel like it at times but you know what I mean I hope
Shield> the thing is...
Shield> when i wake up in the morning
Shield> as I will tomorrow
Shield> I have in mind my commitment to do the very best I can
Shield> whether my boss sees it or not
Shield> I want my work ethic to be a testimony of what God is doing in my life
Shield> and my commitment to him
Shield> because you know what?
Shield> my work ethic reflects on my relationship with God
Shield> if I am lazy
Shield> and I am telling people that God changed my life...
Shield> then I am not being a good representative of who God is
Shield> even when our bosses are not watching us...
Shield> God is:)
JesusMyStrength> amen
SuzieR> amen
Shield> lets see the last verse...
Shield> Ephesians 6:9 Ephesians 6:9 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.
Shield> notice how this again parallels the previous section
Shield> Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Shield> masters are not to provoke...
Shield> husbands are not to exasperate
Shield> I appreciate verse 9
Shield> Ephesians 6:9 Ephesians 6:9 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.
Shield> notice the last part...
Shield> knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven,
Shield> God is the master of employers...
Shield> God is the master of employees
Shield> he is the Judge of our souls and it is He who knows all and sees all
Shield> and you know what?
Shield> there is no partiality with Him.
Shield> God does not play favorites
Shield> :)
Hopeful1> whew!
Hopeful1> :)
Shield> :)
Shield> some of you feel like you have been forgotten by God
Shield> you may feel like you are last place
Shield> and that God does not care
Shield> let me tell you something very clearly
Shield> God does not play favorites
Shield> God knows your situation
Shield> God knows who you are
Shield> where you live
Shield> God knows your feelings
Shield> your hurts
Shield> dare I say it...
Shield> God even knows when we are not being honest
Shield> He knows it all
Shield> and He loves you
Shield> lets pray
Shield> Lord God...
Shield> You and You alone are God
Shield> there is no other
Shield> only You
Shield> may we live our lives free from dishonesty
Shield> may we live our lives working to the very best of our ability so as to please you
Shield> and may we be honest with you and with others Lord
Shield> may we begin to see ourselves as You see us
Shield> so that we may be convicted of the wrong things we have done and so that we may come to repentance for our sins
Shield> change our hearts Lord
Shield> and minister to each one here
Shield> in the name of our Lord I pray amen....
Shield> I want you to know something
Shield> I love you
Shield> and God loves you
Shield> God Bless you
Shield> thanks for coming:)