Ephesians 6:1-9 – Relationships in Christ

V.1-3 General promise for children. 

1. Obey – Obedience is linked to submission.  Why is submission so important?
   1. It reflects the example and the heart of God as Jesus submitted to His Father, even to the cross.  
   2. It reflects the order and authority of God and therein grows faith. Why? Our biggest issue is self-determination.  I will be in charge. I will determine what is best. Obedience to God’s delegated authorities is a tangible way to demonstrate faith.   
2. Honor – Give them respect that their position deserves regardless of their moral goodness.  When you honor them, you are honoring the Lord.  What does that look like?
   1. 1. Don’t speak poorly of them, even if they are terrible. 
      2. Forgive them, even if they don’t deserve it. 
      3. Cultivate a heart of thankfulness for the things they did right.  
      4. show them compassion and grace, not vengeance even when they don’t deserve it.

Caveat: what about the destructive or abusive parent? Separation is sometimes needed to avoid destructive family patterns.  It means maintaining safe boundaries while speaking truth in love. 

Parenting Advice: bring them up in the training (discipline) and instruction of the Lord.  

v.4 How do we exasperate (provoke) our children?  In our discipline.

1. Inappropriate levels of discipline: 
   1. Inconsistent or no discipline. Prov. 13:24 says if we love our children, we must be careful to discipline, because Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child. If they don’t understand they are under authority, they will become their own authority.
   2. Excessive or unexplained discipline: With degrees of rebellion, there should be degrees of discipline with clear instruction to explain the standard they are held to.
2. Attitude in discipline: 
   1. Anger: Discipline in anger will negatively impact the child and the relationship.
   2. Humiliation: Take a child to a private, not public place and lovingly correct. 

Paul’s antidote to exasperating: Instruction in the Lord.  Deuteronomy 6:7 You shall teach the law diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise (constantly). 

V.5-9 Employee/employer relationship. (Joseph and Potiphar in Genesis 39) 

1. (V.5-7) Glorify God:  Joseph served Potiphar with integrity and diligence as unto the Lord. 
2. (V.6:6) Work Diligently: Genesis 39:6 “So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything.”
3. (V.6:8) True Compensation– Despite injustices, Joseph trusted the Lord to reward. Gen. 45-What you meant for evil; God meant for good. There is a true payday coming. 

V.9 Christian employers:  Employ to the glory of God as a steward of God’s company. 

Homework:

• Resources on Parenting
  • https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/?s=parenting 
  • https://www.focusonthefamily.com/resources-parenting/ 
• Business:
• I asked Dan Shock, head of a marketplace ministry to give me some links on success stories of Businesspeople transformed by gospel principles. These are worth the listen:
  • Barry Meguire- Meguire car products
    • https://kingministries.com/podcast-episodes/barry-meguiar-from-car-crazy-to-jesus-crazy/
  • Loving Mondays by John Beckett
    • https://worklife.org/loving-monday/
  • Stanley Tam- turned his business over to Jesus and gave away $150 million
    • https://www.epm.org/resources/2023/May/29/107-year-old-generous-giver-stanley-tam-goes-be-je/
  • Norm Miller – chairman Interstate batteries
    • https://www.interstatebatteries.com/about/leadership/norms-story
  • Mark Whitacre – The Informant-  Highest level corporate whistleblower in US history. Now runs the T Factor.
    • https://www.letsengage.com/talent/mark-whitacre
• Each man was wildly successful in business, but each was overcome by sin at one point in their lives. Each surrendered to Jesus Christ and was subsequently restored with a new outlook to live their lives in light of eternity. Each reminds me of the Saul of Tarsus to Paul the Apostle transformation. 

Grow Group Questions:

1. Why is self-esteem the enemy, not the goal, in child rearing? The goal should be to build God-esteem. What do you think I mean by that? 
2. How can parents know the proper balance between grace and strictness and the importance of being a parent rather than a friend?
3. What are some guiding principles in dealing with abusive and ungodly parents? 
4. Why is glorifying God the central idea for human activity and what difference does it make?
5. What is the key idea to motivate us to be known as hard workers?