EPHESIANS 6:1-92006 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: Ephesians 6:1-9

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2006. This morning in Ephesians chapter 6, Paul is dealing very practically with our lives. He's hitting some issues that we may walk away from.

circumspectly and that has been the topic that he has been dealing with if you remember back in chapters one through three we learned from the apostle paul all that god has done for us all that we have in him the tremendous blessings that he provides for us through his death on the cross

And you know, as we read through those things, we love it. We absolutely love it. We do want redemption. And we want the Holy Spirit to be at work in our lives. We want that new life in Christ, the freedom that he gives. But here Paul is telling us something very important. That when you really understand and receive what God has done for you, it will change the way that you live.

So Paul is saying, chapters 1 through 3, these are the wonderful things that God has done. And the more you grow in understanding of that and receiving what God has done for you, the more and more it will impact the way that you live and the way that you conduct yourself.

And so this morning as we look at Ephesians chapter 6, I would ask, are you ready to give God a little bit more of your life today? Are you ready and willing to give to Him these areas that He will work with in our hearts? And will you allow Him to be your Lord and direct you that you might be obedient to the things that He has to say this morning?

He deals with some touchy issues as we started last week looking at husbands and wives. And Paul was dealing with some heavy things in our hearts and both sides, the husbands and the wives. And now he goes on to speak about

It's interesting to me. Paul encouraging us to walk circumspectly and to walk wisely. And he's saying, now that you receive what God has done for you, here's how you ought to walk. He doesn't deal with how you're to conduct yourself at church at this point. He doesn't deal with how you're to...

Act around other Christians and around believers and how you're to act as you gather together in fellowship in the Lord. But instead, he goes right to the heart of our lives and encourages us and instructs us how we are to live together.

in our marriage relationship, and within our family, and even, as Paul will go on to share this morning, in the workplace. The areas where Christianity, for us, it's the hardest to be lived out. So he starts with the children in verses 1 through 3. It says,

Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.

Now, before excluding yourself by thinking that you are not a child, let's look at what this word means. It literally means offspring, but it carries with it the idea of one who relies upon another. Since we just went through tax season, we could phrase it this way. If someone can claim you as a dependent, then you are a child. You who rely upon your parents or your guardians...

For housing, for allowance, for driving, for anything. Paul is speaking to you. He's not just speaking to 12 and under who can meet the requirement for the restaurants and the discounts at the theme parks and all of that. But he's speaking to all of you who live under the roof of your parents' home or your legal guardian's home or your grandparents' home or whoever has charge and care for you.

And he's speaking to you this morning and he gives this command. You're going to love it. Obey your parents. Obey your parents. This is God's command to

to you as a child. You may not like to be called a child. As a youth, as a young man, as a young woman, this is God's command to you. The word obey means to obey. It means to listen and obey. In Matthew chapter 8 verse 27, this word is used when the disciples are astounded. They're completely amazed. They're

Because there's just been this horrendous storm. They feared for their lives. Jesus was asleep. They wake him up and he gives a simple command. And the wind and the sea cease. They become calm and still. And it says that they're amazed because the wind and the sea obey him. It's the same word and it gives us the idea of what Paul is talking about when he says, Children, obey your parents.

The wind and the waves, they didn't talk back or grumble about it or cause a fight because of it. They just simply listened and obeyed to what the master had said. You know, God has orchestrated the family exactly the way that he wants it. And everybody is in submission to someone else. The husband or the father, as we looked at last week,

is in submission to God and is to submit to Him and be obedient to Him in all things. As we also looked at last week, the wife and the mother is to be submissive to her husband. And now Paul deals with the children

Children, youth, young men and women, you are to be submissive to your parents. Now, I know it seems like, guys, that they were never your age. I know it seems like that they don't know what's going on and you feel like they don't know what's important and what isn't.

But the fact of the matter is, regardless of all those things, if you want to follow Jesus Christ, you must be obedient to your parents. You need to put yourself under their authority and be obedient to them. And that is like the wind and the waves, obedient to them without talking back, throwing a fit, having a fight, but just simply listening and obeying the things that you are instructed through them.

Now, Paul says parents, plural. That means mother or father or legal guardian or whoever has charge of you. It doesn't mean, well, you know, mom's not very forceful. So I don't have to listen to mom so much. But when dad tells me, OK, then I'll do it.

And how many times does that happen within our hearts as we are growing within our household? Absolutely it happens. But Paul says, regardless of which parent it is or who it is that's giving it, you are to be obedient to them without question, without fight and argument, but submissive. He says, be obedient to them in the Lord God.

Now, in the Lord does not mean that you only have to obey your parents if they are born again. It doesn't mean you only have to obey them if they're walking with God. But it means you have to obey them because you are in the Lord. And if you are in the Lord, then you will obey your parents as if they were the Lord. They are representations to you of God in your life.

And so as children who want to follow the Lord, you will be obedient to them as if they were the Lord. Because it is God's will that you obey your parents and it's his command to you. Obedience to parents is very important to God. So important that he made it part of the Ten Commandments. Not only did he make it part of the Ten Commandments, but he made it the Fifth Commandment. Which commandment?

The fifth commandment. What's so important? What's so special about that? Well, the fifth commandment is the first commandment that does not deal with your relationship with God.

Commandments 1, 2, 3, and 4 deal specifically with you and God and your relationship with Him and where you stand before Him. And then as God begins to broaden the scope in the Ten Commandments and deal with your relationship with others, the first thing He wants to make sure that we know and that we get right and get straight, the fifth commandment, is to honor your father and mother. And that's what Paul is quoting here. The fifth commandment found in Deuteronomy chapter 5 and Exodus chapter 20. Paul says,

Paul says, honor your father and mother. And he goes on to say, which is the first commandment with promise that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth. So God says, it's very important that you obey your parents. I made it the fifth commandment. Not only that, but it's a command that I gave a promise along with it. What is that promise? Well, that is if you obey your parents, you're going to be blessed. You're going to live well in this life.

In other words, this is the Jerry Simmons translation. I gave you parents for a reason. Don't be stupid. Listen to them and obey them. He says to honor your father and mother.

Now, this word honor, it even goes beyond the idea of obedience that we've just been looking at. And you can see and know that God is very much experienced with our own hearts because we always try to get away with things on a technicality, don't we? And you children, I know that you do that. Mom didn't actually say this specific thing or dad didn't say I couldn't do this specific thing.

those technicalities we often try to get away with. It's like that episode of SpongeBob. And since we're talking about children and parents, I can use this illustration. Mr. Crab gives SpongeBob a lecture. And he says, SpongeBob, don't go near the hooks. And he says it kind of like a pirate, don't go near the hooks, right? I can't do Mr. Crab, but I don't even know who he is. Someone told me this story. Okay, I'm just kidding. I was watching it with my wife. Well, SpongeBob there...

He loves the hooks. Patrick says, the carnival's in town whenever the hooks are there. And so, Mr. Crab is warning him strongly against going near the hooks. But, they're walking to Crabby Patty one day, and, uh,

I'm going too detailed in this illustration. So Patrick says, look, there's the hooks. Come on, SpongeBob, it's great. And SpongeBob says, no, Mr. Cat told me not to go near the hooks. And what does Patrick say? Did he tell you not to jump on them and ride them like a pony? SpongeBob says, well, no, he didn't say that. And so then they go off and they get in all kinds of trouble. To honor your parents means it's not the technicality that is important.

The point doesn't matter specifically if they said, don't go near the hooks or don't jump on them and ride them like a pony. You know what is meant. You know the heart and what the attitude of your parents is towards the things in life. And so God is saying to you, honor them and esteem them greatly.

Let their opinion matter more than your own opinion or the opinion of your friends or the opinion of MTV or whatever other avenue or source is giving you opinions. Let their opinion be the highest in your life. If your parents don't like you to watch certain type of movies, then honor your father and mother. Even if they're not around or they didn't give you a specific command on a specific movie, but you know...

That they would not be pleased or would not desire for you to be watching that. If you're at a friend's house or at grandma's house or parents aren't home, honor your father and mother and be obedient to them even when the command is not specific. Maybe it's listening to certain types of music and maybe you go back and forth with your parents about the type of music. Listen, you need to honor your father and mother. And if they have feelings,

Feelings against the things that you're doing, against what you're listening to, what you're doing online or watching in movies or friends you're hanging around with. You need to honor them first. Give them preference in your life and be obedient to them, even if the command is not specific. Even if they haven't told you something specific. If you know something that your parents would want you to do, then you are to do it.

And if you know that there is something your parents would not want you to do, you are not to do it. That is, if you want to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Now, the fifth commandment, honor your father and mother. Being the fifth commandment is significant in that it tells you this is very important to God. First on his list, you need to take heed to it. But it also tells us something else.

And that is the exception. When do you not obey your parents? Well, when it's in violation of the first four commandments. When it's in violation of the rest of God's word. So when they tell you to do something that is contrary to the will of God, to what God's word has to say, then that is when you need to honor God before your parents. But let me tell you, it's rare. Your parents, chances are, you're not the exception. This is not the case.

You need to honor your father and mother and obey them as the Lord. In verse 4, Paul now begins to speak to the fathers. He says, Now, I don't know about you, but I get a funny picture in my head here because last week Paul was talking to the husbands and he was talking to the wives and

You remember your elbows were a little bit bruised from nudging each other in the ribs too much. And as he's talking to the husbands and wives, I could picture the kids smiling and smirking and laughing because they know what the issues with mom and dad are. And they know that Paul's dealing with sensitive issues and he's really getting them good and they think it's hilarious. So Paul then says, OK, children, now you obey your parents. I'll give you something to laugh about. Honor your father and mother.

And then as he's speaking to the kids, you can see the father saying, yeah, they should honor us. They should be obedient to us. And so, okay, fathers, here's your turn. You train your children in the ways of the Lord. And so Paul is dealing with each aspect and part of the family. Now, some people ask, well, why does he only speak to fathers here? Why aren't mothers spoken about or spoken to?

We don't know. You know, as we shared last week, Paul has lined us up and he is speaking to us exactly where we need to be encouraged and instructed. And apparently, fathers, you need to hear this. So pay attention. You fathers do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. He says, do not provoke them to wrath.

It means to rouse them or provoke them, to exasperate them, to anger or frustrate them. Hey dads, don't frustrate and anger your children. Now there's many ways that this can be applied and many ways that this verse is used to talk about different ways that dads can frustrate and anger their children. But this morning I want to look at the contrast that Paul gives us here.

So that we may apply this verse specifically to what he is talking about. Instead of frustrating and angering your kids, Paul says, train them up in the Lord. In other words, training them up in the Lord is the opposite of provoking them to wrath. To train them up or bring them up is the word that he uses.

Now, literally, this word means to nourish to maturity. And dads right away think, well, that's the mom's job to nourish to maturity. But no, the Bible says, dads, you're to be a part, a vital part, an important part in the process of raising your children. In fact, fathers, you are charged by God to bring your children to maturity in the Lord.

And you cannot pass off this charge to mom, nor can you pass it off to their school or to the church. You, fathers, are to teach your children to be mature in the Lord. It's your responsibility and your charge. And sure, yes, school, church, mom, they help. But you are responsible for the training and admonition of your children. That word training.

Literally means chastening or instruction. We're familiar with it in Hebrews chapter 12, verse 5, where the author of Hebrews says, And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as sons. My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by him.

And so the writer of Hebrews says that the Lord chastens us and we know that to be that he disciplines us and he instructs us in ways that are uncomfortable to us. As the author of Hebrews goes on to say, no disciplining, no chastening is pleasant at that time, but later we're grateful for it because he has instructed us and molded us to what he has wanted us to be. This word training that Paul uses here.

is the idea of disciplining. Fathers, you are to play an active role in disciplining your children. You cannot leave that to mom, nor can you leave it undone. Children need to be disciplined. And he's called you and charged you to do it. A few scriptures from the book of Proverbs, just to illustrate the discipline that God desires for us.

For fathers to administer. In Proverbs chapter 13 verse 24, it says, Proverbs 19, 18. Proverbs 22, 15. Proverbs 22, 15.

Proverbs 22, 13 and 14. Do not withhold correction from a child, for if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. You shall beat him with the rod and deliver his soul from hell. Proverbs 29, 15. The rod and rebuke give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. What the Bible teaches dads, fathers, is that if you do not discipline your children, you hate them.

You're preparing them for destruction. You're making them to be a shame to their mother. And you're delivering their soul to hell. Heavy charge that God has given to fathers. You are to discipline your children. To be an active participant in that. Now, of course, it's not senseless beating. But it's the way that the Lord chastens us and instructs us and teaches us. The Lord, He's so gracious to us, isn't He? Yes, He administers discipline.

And he allows us to go through times that are very uncomfortable and chastening to us. But never outside of his love. And always with the purpose of what is best for us. And so fathers, train your children. Chasten, instruct.

Because that is the charge that God has given to you. But it's not just chastening. You're not just to be the one who inflicts punishment. He says the training and admonition of the Lord. Now, admonition means exhortation or encouragement. Encouragement.

In other words, Paul is saying, listen, you're to play these vital roles. It's important that you discipline and instruct your children in that way. But it's also important that you exhort them and encourage them and cheer them on and help them and lift them up and build them up. You're to play both roles within their life.

Paul is saying, treat them just like God would, because isn't that how God works in our lives? There are those times where he disciplines us and chastens us and brings us to the right path to be obedient to the things that he's called us to. And there's those other times where he just encourages and builds and lifts up.

The way that God works within our hearts and in our lives is the way that God wants the fathers to treat their children. Discipline them the way that the Lord would. Encourage them the way that God would. And keep on doing it to bring them to maturity is what Paul is saying. Now discipline. If you listen to the world and society and psychology, you're going to have some confusion. Because it's contrary to the word of God.

Who are you going to believe? Who are you going to obey? Who is your God? Society? Popularity? What man thinks? Or are you seeking to please God? Because if you are, be obedient to him. Now many parents say, well, man, my kids aren't going to like that. And I like what John Corson has to say about this portion of scripture. He says, you are not parenting to be liked by your children.

You're parenting to train them how to live on earth successfully and in heaven eternally. What John is saying is the same thing that Paul is saying. Listen, it's not so important that they're thrilled with you in the moment of disciplining or encouragement. But what's important is the end result. Your purpose as a father is to train them to live on earth successfully, to live this life well, to teach them responsibility,

to teach them to have a relationship with God, to live on earth successfully as well as in heaven eternally. You're to teach them the things of God, how to love Him and draw close to Him that they might be secure in their eternity. Fathers, it's a heavy role, a heavy call. In the power of Jesus Christ and in the strength of His Spirit, train your children in the ways of the Lord.

He goes on in verses 5 through 8 and now begins to deal with bond servants and masters. In verse 5, he says, Verse 6,

Paul now begins to deal with those who are bond servants. Now, this concept is a little bit lost for us today. But in that culture, you either were a servant or you had servants.

It was the idea of, and Paul is speaking to us today, of employee-employer relationships. A bondservant would be what we call an employee today, one who works for another for wages. And Paul deals with them, and he says, here's the command. Here's, for you employees, how you are to walk circumspectly and walk wisely. How does an employee walk worthy of the calling with which he was called in the Lord Jesus Christ?

Are you ready for this? By being obedient. Simple command to those who are employees. God has called us to be obedient. Now this is the same word that Paul used in verse 1 where he tells the children to obey their parents. And we really liked it there, but here it's not as exciting. The same way that children are to obey their parents is the same way that you as an employee are to be obedient to your boss.

to your supervisor, to your manager, whatever type of person that you report to. Like the wind and the waves that obeyed without dispute. They listened, they obeyed. It's the same way that you and I, as employees, are to be obedient to our masters. God calls us as employees to be obedient. Now, he doesn't just leave it at that. He digs in a little bit deeper within our heart. And he says, "...be obedient with fear and trembling."

Fear and trembling. Now, what does that mean? This is a great phrase because it's used to describe the anxiety of one who distrusts his ability to completely meet all requirements, but does his best to fulfill his duty. It's one who says, I don't know if I can do all that my boss is asking me to do and my manager has asked me to do, my supervisor has told me to do, but I'm going to do my best. I'm going to do the best that I can to fulfill my duty.

To be obedient in this. We are not to have an attitude of haughtiness or disdain for those that God has placed above us, but we are to obey them willingly with humility and to give it our best, even when we're not sure if we can do it. So be obedient, giving it your best with fear and trembling.

Not having a haughty attitude, but a humble attitude. And then he goes on, there still in verse 5, and he says, do it in sincerity of heart. Sincerity, it's also translated singleness. And it's the virtue of one who is free from pretense and hypocrisy. Pretense and hypocrisy.

Also translated, singleness. God has called us and commanded us. We are not to have multiple sides in the workplace. What do you mean multiple sides? Well, you know how it is. In front of your boss, you're one way. They ask you to do something. Yes, sir. Right away, sir. I'll get it done. And then as soon as they're gone, it's completely different. You're making fun of them with your co-workers or talking about them or speaking against them. Spite.

Can't believe they asked me to do that. Having the multiple sides in the workplace. It's against the will of God. God calls you to sincerity, to singleness, without the hypocrisy. If you're one way before your boss and another way before your coworkers, that is hypocrisy. It's putting on a show. And Paul says, don't do that. Stop that. Be the same. You say, I can't be the same. I'll get fired. Then maybe you should get fired. But stop living hypocrisy.

As a hypocrite. Putting on the show in the workplace. You are to be one-sided and have the attitude, the heart that I am here to serve my boss to the best of my ability. And you're to honor and respect them because God has allowed them to be in that place in your life. He says in verse 5, As to Christ. So obey them with fear and trembling and sincerity of heart as to Christ. Again,

The hardest challenge of all, obey them, be obedient to them, have a good attitude, serve them with all your heart as if it was Jesus giving you the command, telling you what to do, being your boss. It doesn't matter if your boss is good, bad, ugly, or whatever the case may be. You are to serve them wholeheartedly as if they were the Lord Jesus Christ personally. Serve them as you would serve the Lord. Because the reality is,

Listen, there's a reality that's taking place here, that's going on behind the scenes. And you may not always see it or believe it, but the reality is they were put there by God for you. Whether they know it or not or agree with it or not, they are an instrument of God in your life. So serve them wholeheartedly. Serve them wholeheartedly.

When Israel was in a time of rebellion against the Lord in the days of Jeremiah, God was using Babylon to instruct and chasten the children of Israel. And they were there in Jerusalem and they want to rebel against the king. Now, the king is not being unreasonable. He's just demanding tribute, which is what kings would do in that day. They would have to pay taxes, in other words. Now, they were...

Wanting to rebel. And Jeremiah warns them, don't do it. God has allowed this for a reason. They are his instrument. Babylon is here to teach you a lesson and to mold you and shape you. Don't rebel because you're rebelling against the Lord if you rebel against the authority of Babylon in your life. And for you and I as employees, God says the same thing to us. Don't rebel.

Because that authority is given by God. Jesus said that before Pilate. Authority is given by God. And he's put that authority there, that supervisor, that boss, that manager, whatever the case. He's put that person there to instruct you, to teach you, that you might learn to serve them wholeheartedly. So don't rebel, but serve them with an attitude that represents you serving Jesus Christ himself.

Going on in verse 6, he says, not with eye service as men pleasers. And you know what that is, eye service. We can all become very skilled at working hard only when the boss is looking. I had a friend when I was growing up, he worked at a warehouse job and he would, this is what he told me anyways, I don't know if he actually did it, but he would talk about how he would carry around empty cardboard boxes all day.

Because it looked like he was busy. Take it from one end of the building to the other end and pick up another empty box and take it from one end to the other end. He looked busy all day, but he never actually did anything or accomplished anything at all. Eye service. Working, being faithful, being diligent. Only when you feel that you're being observed. We're not called to live that way. We're called to serve wholeheartedly. To give ourselves completely. Whether the boss is watching or not.

whether the job will be noticed or not, whether we like the task that we've been given or not. We're to serve wholeheartedly. In verse 6 again, as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. He points us again and again, you're serving the Lord. Serve as unto the Lord, as bondservants of Christ, not with eye service, only when you think someone's watching, but it's God's will that you be obedient to your boss.

So do it. Don't pretend to do God's will when people are watching, when people might notice. Work as a bondservant of Christ because, listen, God is always watching. And so if you're concerned about eye service and working hard while your boss is watching, realize and understand that God is your boss and he's always watching. And so serve wholeheartedly, continually. Verse 7, "...with goodwill doing service as to the Lord."

and not to men. That word goodwill, it means kindness or benevolence. Paul is saying, listen, don't serve grudgingly, but give willingly, generously, and eagerly. Generously. Give of your time. Put in the extra effort. Willingly and enthusiastically. If God asks you to do something, do you do it grudgingly? I hope not. And so recognize that those requests

And instructions from your boss are from the Lord himself. And you're to be obedient to them willingly and enthusiastically. Give your boss the same eagerness that you would give to the Lord. Because the reality is, again, you are serving the Lord by serving your boss, as is illustrated in verse 8, where he says, "...knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is slave or free."

There, Paul is saying, listen, whether you're working, whether you're a slave or whether you're free, whether you're self-employed, independent, or whether you're an employee of someone, no matter what the case is, whatever good anyone does, you will receive that same from the Lord. This is amazing to me because what Paul is saying is when you are serving your boss, doing your best, having the right attitude, you will be rewarded by God. Now, your boss might not be a nice person.

They might be mean. They might be out to get you or trying to hurt you. Or maybe you just feel that way. But you know, that's not for you to be concerned about. Paul says, just serve them as you would the Lord. Let God deal with the issues that they may or may not have. But you serve them because that's the place that God has given you. It's the place that God has given them. And realize that when you do that, when you are obedient, God...

will reward you. You'll receive the same back from him whenever you are doing good. You know, we're always concerned about what we think is fair, what we think is right. And often we take things into our own hands when it comes to the workplace. Well, I'm not going to do a good job because he shouldn't treat me like that. Maybe your boss or maybe a customer. I don't think they should treat. I'm going to do this when I'm ready to do it. I don't care what timeline they gave me.

We try to take things into our own hands to kind of even because it's not fair. It's not right. I don't understand. Why do they get to just lounge around all day and I got to work all day and then my boss still isn't happy with me. And so we try to even the playing ground on our own. God's telling us, don't do that. Don't worry about if it's fair or not or if they're using you or not or if they esteem you the way that you think they should. Just serve wholeheartedly.

Don't look for fairness from men because we're not to have our eyes on this earth anyways. Paul says, do your best and know that God will take care of the rest. It doesn't matter if it's fair or if it's right or just or if they pay you the amount that you think they should or they promote others instead. That doesn't matter. Don't look for fairness here. You know, this may sound a little odd. You may not like this too much.

But God doesn't necessarily have you at that place to be treated fairly. That might not be why He wants you there. He might want you there to be treated unfairly so that you could serve diligently and be an example and a shining light for Him so that His name is glorified. And He's not going to leave you and say, well, oh well. He's going to reward you greatly as you're obedient to Him in those unjust situations.

Verse 8, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord. That should be our focus. Whether the situation is fair or not, whether we like it or not, this is where I should be. I'm going to worry about myself in the sense that I'm just going to serve and be obedient

And have a good attitude because that's what God has called me to do. To work as if Jesus is my boss. And I'm just going to trust that in the end, God's going to work it all out. He'll make it fair at the end. And it'll be worth it.

Dylan used to always tell me, Jerry, you need to be the best employee at your workplace. You need to be the most faithful, the most diligent, on time, eager, the hardest working. And as Christians, if we apply the principles here in Ephesians chapter 6, yes, that indeed is what we will be. And you say, but they don't treat me well. So what? They don't like me or they don't do this or they don't. So what? You know, but my coworkers, so what? It's not about them. It's about you. God wants you well.

To serve wholeheartedly, willingly, with the right attitude as if it was Jesus Christ that is your boss. And let God take care of the rest. It's not up to us. If your eyes are on man, you will not be able to do that. You won't be able to serve wholeheartedly and faithfully. But if you put your eyes on the Lord, knowing that you will receive from the Lord what is due and just for you, then you will be able to serve your boss wholeheartedly regardless of the situation.

Now, while Paul is talking to the employees, just like the husband and wife and children and fathers, all the employers, the supervisors, the managers, they're all smiling and saying, Amen. Tell them. You tell them, Paul. They're supposed to serve us and obedient, have good attitudes and be faithful whether we're watching or not. And so Paul says, And you masters...

He now turns his attention to them in verse 9. And you masters do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own master also is in heaven and there is no partiality with him. So Paul now begins to deal with the masters. And it's interesting the way he deals with them. He says, listen, guys, remember all the things I just said about the employees? Oh, yeah, yeah, it's good stuff. Do those same things to your employees.

What are you talking about, Paul? Paul says, listen, do the same things to them, knowing that your own master is in heaven and there is no partiality with him. All the things Paul says, I just said to the employees, for them to serve wholeheartedly and to have a good attitude and do the best that you can, whether people are watching or not. Masters, managers, supervisors, bosses, employers, God gives you the same charge because there's no partiality with Christ.

So serve them, those who God has given you charge of, as if they were the Lord. As if they were Jesus Christ, you serve them with a good attitude, doing your best. And not just when they're watching. And do it unto the Lord. Because there's no partiality with Christ. Your position does not put you in better standing before God. You don't stand before the Lord at the end of days and say,

God just kind of gives you like a little, you know, handshake. I know what it's like, man. I had to manage people too. No, you're judged without partiality on whether you served wholeheartedly as to the Lord. Serving those that God has given to you as managers or as employees as if they were Jesus Christ. You will be judged by the same standard. Do you do your job as unto the Lord? Treat them well. Treat them as if they were the Lord. And that's something to think about. How would you treat Jesus?

If he was your employee, he would say, well, but he would be the perfect employee. Yes, he would. But that doesn't change the way that you're to treat others. You're to treat them as if they were the Lord. Paul deals with the nitty gritty in our hearts this morning, doesn't he? Children, fathers, employees and employers. This is real Christianity that Paul is talking about. As he's teaching us to walk circumspectly, to walk in wisdom,

He's dealing with some very difficult and practical areas of our lives. It's not just an attitude and a face that we put on during Sunday and Wednesday services, but it's a lifestyle that we are to live. It's a lifestyle that cannot be lived without the power of God, without being born again. You know, you can fake being a Christian here at church. It's so easy here. You know, you just carry a Bible and say, Hallelujah, praise the Lord, brothers and sisters. How you doing? I'm blessed.

Man, that guy's doing good. That's a Christian. In the home, and it's in the workplace, that it's really demonstrated if you have been touched by God or not. Because chapters 1 through 3, Paul says, this is all that God has done for you. When you receive that, believe that, and understand that, these things that he's sharing with us are the result of knowing what God has done for us. You can fake it here at church, but can you live your life for the glory of God?

Without the strength of God? Without receiving what He has done? No. You can only do it with God living within you. Being surrendered completely to Him. This morning, I would ask, are you tired of faking it? Putting on the smile here, but miserable at home. Miserable at work. Because you've got one foot in the world and one foot in the Lord. God is calling you to come to Him completely.

and to let your relationship with God impact and affect every aspect of your life. And there's great joy. You don't have to be miserable. You can find the joy of the Lord as you surrender completely to Him. This morning we're preparing our hearts now for communion. If I could have the ushers come forward and the worship team prepare as well. As we prepare our hearts for communion, I invite you to come to the cross.

To come to Jesus Christ, there is we have the cup which represents His blood that was shed for us. And the bread which represents His body that was broken for us. And all of the things that Paul shared with us in Ephesians 1-3, everything that God has for us is found in the person of Jesus Christ. Beginning with His work at the cross and then all of the blessings and things that He has in store for us. And so I invite you, if you've never been born again,

God wants to give you forgiveness and grant you peace and hope. And I invite you to partake with us this morning. And as you do, just receive what God has done. Just say that in your heart to the Lord. Lord, I receive what you did for me on the cross, the forgiveness of sins. Come in and make me a new person. And for those of you who are believers, those of you who have been born again, I invite you to the cross. Maybe some of these areas that Paul is dealing with is areas of struggles in your heart and in your life.

What you need is to come to the cross and to ask God, because of what Jesus did on the cross, to do that work in your heart, that you might be obedient in all things, that you might have an understanding of what God has done for you, that it might change your life, that it might impact your home, your workplace, wherever you are. Dealing with these practical areas will often reveal problems

where our heart truly is. Because when I understand what God has done for me, these things will be the result. And if I'm willing to be obedient in these areas, then I come to the cross. Say, Lord, I'm willing. My flesh is weak. But I thank you for the work that you did for me. Live in my heart and give me the strength and the ability to be obedient to your will. But you know, if I'm not willing to apply these things and be obedient to my parents' will,

or train up my children, submit to my boss, or treat my employees as the Lord. If I'm not willing in those areas, I know something's wrong in my heart. This morning, if there's something wrong in your heart, you need to come back to the one who can do something about it, the one who can give you a new heart. You need to come back to Jesus and ask Him to come into your heart to cleanse it and to change it. You know, often we want Jesus to be our Savior first,

but we're not willing to let Him be our Lord. And that is that we don't want Him to have this much control in our lives. We don't want His commands in our marriages, in our families, in our workplaces. But this morning as we partake of communion, let it be in your heart an invitation to God to come and be the Lord of your life. Let it be in recognition of what He has done for you and that you are willing to submit to Him in every aspect.

As children, as fathers, as employees, employers, as husbands, as wives, let God rule and reign in your heart. So the ushers are going to pass out the bread and the cup as we worship. Hold on to your portions. And as we worship, allow God to speak to your heart. Ask Him in these areas specifically to be Lord of your life. Let's worship the Lord together.

We pray you have been blessed by this Bible teaching. The power of God to change a life is found in the daily reading of His Word. Visit ferventword.com to find more teachings and Bible study resources.