Walk in submission – Part 2 

• (5 things)
• 1^st – Submit to one another… Ephesians 5:21
  • Paul continues his teaching on walking in ‘Submission’…
    • He laid out how we are to walk in submission in Marriage in Ephesians 5:22-33
    • Now he will address children and parents / and workers and employers…
  • The key word Paul uses here ‘obey’…
    • Where the word ‘submit’ Hupotasso – (wives submit) focused on actions...
    • The word ‘obey’ comes from the root ‘akouo’ – meaning to listen…
    • The idea is children/workers are commanded to listen and obey their parents/bosses!
    • The purpose is to establish order in the church / prevent chaos…
    • Can kids tell their parents what time to go to bed…
    • Can you leave work early and tell your boss to do all your work for you…
  • God does not work in chaos – God is God of order – He works through structure…
    • I Corinthians 14:33 – “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace…”
    • We are to be respectful of the roles God has placed us in…
    • If we are a child obeying our parents / if we are a worker obeying our boss…

• 2^nd – The command to the Children…  vs. 1-3 (2 things)
  • 1^st – Children obey your parents in the Lord… (Present/Active/Imperative)
    • This does not necessarily mean your biological parents…
      • It is referring to spiritual parents – those who instruct you in faith…
      • It could be a teacher who loves Jesus / or a pastor who points you to God…
      • If your parents are believers / love Jesus – then it applies to them…
        
        
      • There have only been a couple of men in my life who have really had an impact…
      • Pastor Clark / and Pastor Roger – both have been instrumental in my life…
      • I am who I am in large part today because of the example they gave to me…
      • They are in every way men who I consider ‘parents in the Lord’…
    • It is necessary for us to listen to our parents in the Lord because…
      • They instruct us in what is right – how to have a relationship with Jesus…
      • Hebrews 13:7 – “Remember your leaders who first taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and trust the Lord as they do.”
      • We are to listen intently to our parents in faith – they point us to Jesus…
      • By following their words and example we find we are on the path of righteousness
    • Perhaps we are a ‘father in the faith’ to other young men…
      • Paul called Timothy his son – I Timothy 1:2 – “To Timothy, a true son in the faith…”
      • Not that Timothy was actually his son – he was a ‘son in the faith’…
      • Meaning Paul had taking Timothy under his wings – and disciples him in the Lord…
      • As we grow in the Lord we should be examples to the younger men…
      • Teaching them and passing on the wisdom we have learned…
      • Raising up the next generation of Godly men who will serve the Lord!
  • 2^nd – Children honor your father and mother… (Present/Active/Imperative)
    • Quoting from the 5^th of the 10 commandments…
      • Exodus 20:12 – “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long…”
      • Many of us may have parents who are not saved – and were not a good example…
      • We are to honor / respect them – regardless of how good a parent they were…
      • Because it is through our example they get to see Jesus in our lives…
      • Many parents have been saved by the witness and example of their children!
    • The first commandment with promise
      • That it may be well with you – that you may live long on the earth…
      • Under OT law the punishment for disobeying parents was death by stoning…
      • So obeying your parents really did mean you would live a longer life!
      • But even more than that – it is often true that our parents have learned wisdom…
      • We are wise to listen to and learn from their experience!
        
• 3^rd – The command to the Fathers…  vs. 4 (2 things)
  • 1^st – Fathers do not provoke your children to wrath… (Present/Active/Imperative)
    • Provoke and wrath – are the same word – repeated for emphasis…
      • So often Dad’s want to lay down the Law for their children…
      • We tell them what to do and what not to do – force them to do what is right…
      • But by laying down the Law – we provoke our children – inspire them to rebel…
      • The Law only stirs in us the desire for sin – sin that leads to judgment/death…
      • When I was about 4 – I was grounded and told I could not go outside…
      • But I saw an ice cream truck passing by – so I broke my little piggy bank…
      • And snuck outside and bought myself some delicious ice-cream…
      • Why is it the moment we are given a ‘rule’ / ‘law’ we want to disobey it…
      • Because we are sinners – and the Law ‘stirs’ up our sinful desires…
      • Children do not need LOTS of rules – they need to learn about Jesus!
    • That does not mean fathers should not disciple their kids…
      • Children who have no discipline – as they get older tend to become troubled youth…
      • Children need to learn the consequences of actions – learn obedience…
      • Proverbs 22:15 – “Sin is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of correction will drive it far from him.”
      • But make sure when you have to disciple your children – do it in love…
      • My father would always sent me to my room when I was ‘in trouble’…
      • I did not understand till I was older – he did that to give himself time to cool off…
      • He would then calmly come up and let me know he loved me…
      • But I needed to be discipled because of what I did wrong…
  • 2^nd – Train up your children…  (Present/Active/Imperative)
    • Fathers are to teach their children…
      • We understand the need to teach our kids about life…
      • We show them how to use a hammer / how to swim / how to burp…
      • But it is also the responsibility of the Dad to teach the kids about Jesus!
      • Too often fathers forget that they are to be the spiritual leaders of their homes
      • Take the time to read the Bible with your children / pray with them…
      • If we do not teach our kids to have a relationship with Jesus – who will…
      • Training them  – carries the idea of nurturing them up to maturity in Jesus…
        • God calls Dads to be the example to their children of how to follow the Lord…
• Our children are watching – learning – what example do we give to them…

• Our kids are like sponges – they soak up every word we say…
• Our kids are like mirrors – they reflect everything we do…
  • Take the time – make the time – to be with your kids – teaching them about Jesus!
  • Do not miss the most important ministry God has given to you – your family!
• Finding the balance…
  • We need to be wise with our time in life – God only gives us so much to work with…
  • How do we fill up our day – what do we make a priority…
  • If we spend our whole day / every day working – we sacrifice time with family…
  • If we spend our day being entertained – TV/lago – we sacrifice time with the Lord…
  • Balance comes when we put Jesus 1^st – family 2^nd – then everything else…
  • Our kids are all we can take with us to heaven – they are our greatest gift!
  • III John 4 – “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”
    
• 4^th – The command to the workers…  vs. 5-8 (4 things)
  • 1^st – Work with fear and trembling… vs. 5
    • Ever since Adam we have made a living from the sweat of our brow – Genesis 3:19
      • And most of us have an employer / boss we have to answer to…
      • We might think we know better than our boss – but we are still the worker…
      • And even if we do not agree – we need to listen to their instructions – and obey…
      • Do not give your opinion (unless it is asked for) – do not give an attitude…
      • Because if they want to – they can fire us – and we will no longer have a job!
    • Even if they are a jerk – and treat you terribly – do what they say…
      • I Peter 2:18 – “Do whatever they tell you – not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are harsh.”
      • Because it might just be your example that leads them to Jesus Christ!
  • 2^nd – Work hard – and not just working hard when the boss is watching… vs. 6
    • There are many people who work hard – so long as the boss is near by…
    • The moment the boss walks away – they assume it is break time till the boss returns…
    • I have worked for other people / and I have been in charge of workers…
    • A boss knows who the good workers are – and who just works for show…
    • If the boss comes back after an hour – and you are busy – but not much has been done…
    • The true test of a character is not what you do when people are watching…
    • It is what you do when no one is looking – that is who you really are!
  • 3^rd – Work as though it was Jesus who was your boss… vs. 7
    • If Jesus were the one who hired you to work – and was there watching you…
    • How hard would you work – trying to ‘please THE BOSS’ with you best effort…
    • So if your boss tells you to scrub a toilet – scrub that toilet for Jesus…
    • And do not murmur and complain the whole time – cursing him under your breath…
    • Do it with joy – do it with the best possible effort – do the job right…
    • Because no matter what our work – we should do it like it we were doing it for Jesus…
  • 4^th – Work for the reward… vs. 8
    • If we work hard – at the end of the week we will get paid…
      • We might not love the work we are doing – we may not even like our boss…
      • But if we work faithfully we will be rewarded with a paycheck!
    • In the same way the Lord rewards us for our good work…
      • The work we do here has a small reward – we get a payday every week…
      • But the money we did receive did not even last very long – we had to work again…
      • How much better to work for the Lord – and get an eternal / everlasting reward!
      • I Corinthians 2:9 – “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.”

• 5^th – The command to the employers…  vs. 9 (2 things)
  • 1^st – Employers – do not threaten your employees…
    • In the work place – the boss is the one who tells everyone else what to do…
    • But that does not mean the boss is ‘god’ – and can do whatever he wants…
    • A boss that screams / yell / cusses will quickly find he has no more employees!
    • Instead a boss should be considerate of his employees – taking good care of them…
    • It is just good for business – a happy employee is a productive employee!
  • 2^nd – Employers – remember you have a master in heaven – He has no favorites…

And He freely gives to us all the same hope of salvation through Jesus Christ!

Those in power can have the tendency to think of ourselves as better than others…

Those who have money / power / influence – seek to rule harshly over others…

There is no cutting in line with God – there are no special perks…

Romans 2:11 – “For God does not show favoritism.”

It does not matter if you are rich/poor – employer/employee – Galatians 3:28

God does not hold any one person higher than another – we are all just sinners!