EPHESIANS LESSON 11


     We will begin this lesson in Ephesians 6:1 "Children, obey your
parents in the Lord: for this is right."

     Notice, parents, in the Lord. One of the lessons most important
to the spiritual growth of a child, is to teach them to obey the Lord.
Obedience to the Lord is taught a child in obedience to his parents
who are in the Lord. Disobedient children are a problem to themselves,
their parents, and to the Lord.

     Ephesians 6:2 "Honour thy father and mother; which is the first
commandment with promise;"

     "Honour" means to have high regard for those in authority above
you. The reason they are over you, is because it is by God's plan for
them to be over you. God thought so highly of this commandment, that
He attached a promise with it. There is an exception to this, as well.
If your parents were to go completely against God teachings, then your
first obligation would be to keep God's law.

     Ephesians 6:3 "That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest
live long on the earth."

     We find in Christian families that parents are very interested in
their children's welfare. Children, who honour their parents, can
learn from the parents experiences. Children, who are obedient to
parents, do not get on drugs and alcohol. They stay in school and do
well. Discipline follows in their life and they become responsible
adults. Discipline and success go hand in hand.

     Ephesians 6:4 "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to
wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

     Parents must discipline their children in love. To be hateful and
short with children is setting a bad example for them. Parents should
be loving and caring for their children. Criticism of children makes
them feel discouraged. Parents should encourage them every chance they
get. Parents who are unstable tend to have unstable children. Parents
who are disciplined loving people have disciplined loving children.
The most important thing to teach a child is the love of God. They can
always depend on God, even when things are going bad in their life.

     Ephesians 6:5 "Servants, be obedient to them that are [your]
masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness
of your heart, as unto Christ;"

     We must be careful to see in this that the servant is a servant
in the flesh. To keep your job and to advance in that job would be
more likely, if you were obedient to your boss. Sincere loyalty toward
an employer, not just lip service, will make you an employe who never
has to look for a job. The boss rewards such loyalty. One thing in our
society that I believe this is leading to, is after you have agreed to
work for a certain sum of money for a certain time, do not go back and
renegotiate. Be true to your own word.

     Ephesians 6:6 "Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the
servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;"

     This is just saying again, that you should be loyal to your boss.
The heart is what makes you loyal to your boss. This is saying, the
person is loyal when the boss is looking, and then he is sneaking
around and doing things he should not when the boss is not looking.
All of us, whether we are servants, or the boss, will stand before the
Judge of all the world to be judged. We can have no secrets from Him.
He knows even the thoughts we have. If you find yourself in a position
of serving, be the very best servant you can possibly be. Do it as if
you were serving God.

     Ephesians 6:7 "With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and
not to men:"

     We will be judged by what we did in the position the Lord put us.
Everything we do in this life, is as unto the Lord. What ever position
you are in, if you are a Christian, you are there because that is
where God wants you for the moment. You really are doing the job for
yourself, your boss, and for God. To be the head of the company, it is
better if you start at the bottom and work yourself up, because then
you know the functions of all the jobs.

     Ephesians 6:8 "Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth,
the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether [he be] bond or free."

     The rewards for every job well done is given in heaven. The boss
will be judged, and so will the servant. Each person must give an
account unto God. Those who have more are judged more harshly, than
those who have less to do with. Lay up your treasures in heaven.

     Ephesians 6:9 "And, ye masters, do the same things unto them,
forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven;
neither is there respect of persons with him."

     Everyone has someone over them. Someone who is in charge on the
earth will have to answer to His boss in heaven. We will receive the
same type of treatment that we have treated others with. We are all
servants of Christ. Kindness to servants gets much more work done than
harsh treatment. The master will have to give an account to Jesus the
same as the servant. God is not a respecter of persons. Use what God
has given you to the best of your ability, and be kind to others
around you in the doing, and great will be your reward in heaven.

     Ephesians 6:10 "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and
in the power of his might."

     We find that muscles is not what this is speaking of. This is
speaking of the strength of the Lord working through you. Christians
have great help in their endeavors on this earth. The Spirit of the
risen Christ within us strengthens us to whatever task the Lord has
for us to do. Most of us find that we can do all things through Christ
who strengthens us. God will not call you to do any job for Him,
without equipping you with all that you need to do the job. Paul is
speaking to believers here, because he says brethren.

     To sum this lesson up, I would have to say that the Lord is
telling all of us to be thoughtful of others around us, as we do the
job at hand. Sometimes wives feel useless, because they are not
bringing in a paycheck. We should never feel that way, because there
are many jobs around home that we can do to help the family progress.
One of the greatest jobs a woman can do is to be a homemaker and
mother. Many of the great men in the ministry, such as John Wesley,
were greatly influenced by godly mothers. We know that Timothy was
greatly influenced by his mother and grandmother. One job is no less
than someone else's job. We all must work together to get the job done
that God wants us to do. Husbands should respect the wife for
sacrificing and becoming a servant to him and the family. If he had to
pay someone to do her job, he would probably have to hire 3 or 4
people to fill his wife's shoes. Wives, on the other hand, should
appreciate a husband who will go out and work and provide the
financial needs of the family. Our society has changed so that now
many wives have to work outside the home to help with the family
expenses. This lesson is just saying, whatever your job in life is, do
it to the very best of your ability. If you are not rewarded on this
earth, God will reward you in heaven.

     Wives love and respect your husbands, husbands love your wives.
Children listen to your parents and respect them. Parents love your
children and guide them in love. Everyone, remember, you are really
doing all these things as unto the Lord in heaven.

     All of the instructions in this lesson to wives, husbands,
children, and servants were all given, so that we might live
peaceable, productive lives while here on earth. God was thinking of
us, when He gave these instructions.


















                        Ephesians 11 Questions


1.  Children, _______ your parents.
2.  What is one of the most important things in the spiritual growth
    of a child?
3.  Which is the first commandment with promise?
4.  What does "honour" mean?
5.  Who is your first obligation to?
6.  What is the promise?
7.  What helps children become responsible adults?
8.  Fathers, _________ not your children to wrath.
9.  Bring them up in the ________ and the ___________ of the Lord.
10. Criticism of children makes them feel _____________.
11. What is the most important thing for a parent to teach a child?
12. The servant, in verse 5, is a servant in the ________.
13. Verse 6 says, do not be _________.
14. Who are all of us really servant to?
15. How is the best way to become head of your company?
16. Why is this so?
17. Who must give an account to God?
18. A master dealing with a servant should remember what?
19. Finally, my brethren, be _______ in the Lord, and in the _______
    of His _______.
20. Why should we not worry about any job God calls us to do?
21. How can you sum up this lesson?