Messages and Notes

Ephesians 6:1‭-‬4 NIV1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”  

• Colossians 3:20 NIV Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

• Deuteronomy 5:16 NIV “Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

• Colossians 3:21 NIV: Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged 

Background: Slavery  in  the  Greco-Roman  World. One  of  the  most  important  things  to  understand  about  the passage is  background  of  slavery  in the  ancient  world. Once  we  have  an  informed understanding  of  slavery  in  the  ancient  world  we will  be  able  to  make  better  sense  out  of  what  Paul  is  writing. Slavery as  practiced  in  the  New World  in  the  17th-19th  centuries  has  hindered more  than  helped  achieving  an  appropriate,  historical  understanding  of  social-economic  life  in the  Mediterranean  world  of  the  1st  century,  knowledge  of  which  is  absolutely  essential  for  a sound  interpretation of  those  NT  texts  dealing  with  slaves  and  their  owners.”
Slaves  were  viewed  as  property.  They  were  able  to  sell  themselves  into  slavery, purchase  slaves for  themselves,  earn  wages,  and  buy their  way out  of  slavery.  Slaves  could  come  from  any conceivable  background.  Some  slaves  were  doctors,  philosophers,  and  government  officials. For some,  slave  life  was  voluntary.  If  a  person  wanted  Roman  citizenship,  they  could  become  a slave  to  a  Roman  and  when  manumitted  gain  Roman  citizenship.  Slavery  was  not  a  racial matter,  rather  it  was  a  means  to  get  manual  labor  done.

Ephesians 6:5‭-‬9 NIV6 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 

• Proverbs 16:3 NIV Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

• Colossians 3:17 NIV And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.  9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

God is Always in Control 

Note: God desires the man to defend and protect what is most precious to Him

God desires man to be a vessel used by Him to protect His most precious institution (the family)

She is not to be treated as a piece of property, as was the custom in Paul’s day.

Ephesians 5:21‭-‬33 NIV21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.  22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.  

• Colossians 3:18‭-‬20 NIV Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.  Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.  Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

• 1 Peter 3:7 NIV. Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

Note: The marriage relationship is now set out as being a reflection of the relationship between Christ and his church. This raises it to an unimaginably lofty level.

• 1 Corinthians 11:12 NIV. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

• 1 Corinthians 13:7 NIV. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 

28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 
31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”  32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 

Note: Paul does not add the words “but I am talking about Christ and the church” as if he has been diverted from his theme. Rather, he is saying that so far as he is concerned, he refers the mystery to the relation between Christ and the church

33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Galatians 1:10 NIV Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Ephesians 5:15‭-‬20 NIV

15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 

• James 1:5 NIV If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 

• Romans 12:2 NIV Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 

• Ephesians 4:29 NIV Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

• Colossians 3:15 NIV Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Then Paul goes to the field (vv. 8–14) and reminds us that walking in the light produces spiritual fruit (Gal. 5:22–23). If we walk in the light, we cannot have fellowship with the darkness (2 Cor. 6:14–18).

Note: You are no longer the same and an agent of change.

Ephesians 5:8‭-‬14 NIV8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 

John 8:12 NIV When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Galatians 5:22‭-‬23 NIV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Note: When the light of Christ shines in the lives of believers it produces benevolence, fairness, and integrity. These three qualities counteract the dark influence of malice (4:31), injustice, and falsehood

Note: “To find out” (GK 1507) has to do with the testing of metals and so can mean to discover by examination, to verify, or to approve. Those who live as “children of light”

11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 

Note: But though they do not withdraw from the world, they refuse to adopt its standards or fall in with its ways. They are concerned to produce “the fruit of the light” (v.9).

2 Corinthians 6:14‭-‬18 NIV Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial ? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

Matthew 5:14‭-‬16 NIV “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

As he encourages us to live godly lives, Paul takes us to the temple (vv. 1–7) and reminds us of the sacrifice Jesus made for us.

Humans have five basic senses:

• Touch = Healing touch
• Sight = The blind to see
• hearing = Having heard the Word
• Smell = Fragrant offering 
• Taste = Taste and see the Lord is good

Ephesians 5:1‭-‬7 NIV
1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children  2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  

If we walk in love, our lives will be living sacrifices (Romans 12:1-2) fragrant to the Lord (John 12:1–8).

Romans 12:1‭-‬2 NIV. Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Mary gave her possessions and herself…

John 12:1‭-‬3 NIV Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

On the Contrary,  Sin is ugly and a stench in God’s nostrils

3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.  4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.  5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.  6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 

7 Therefore do not be partners with them.

• To be a partner is to be in this thing together…
• Jesus hates the Sin but loves the Sinner

Opening Thought
Galatians 6:9 NIV ‭‭Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Ephesians‬ ‭4:25-32‬ ‭NIV
25 “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 
26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 

(Dt 24:13) There is such a thing as righteous indignation, for anger is ascribed to God and to Jesus. Thus it is also legitimate for Christians to express anger. But it can easily degenerate into bitterness—hence, the appended prohibition. Under the Mosaic law all sureties were to be returned and all wages paid before sunset 

28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. 

“To share” (GK 3556) means to distribute personally rather than through some agent or official

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 

32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Remember Chapter 4 Opened With:

Ephesians 4:2‭-‬3 NIV
2 ‬‬Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 

What not to do:

• Live like the Gentiles v 17
• Darkened Understanding v 18
• Harden Hearts v 18
• Loss of Sensitivity v 19
• Deceive Others v 25
• Don’t Live Angry  v 26
• Don’t Steal v 28
• Don’t Trash Talk (Unwholesome Talk) v 29
• Don’t Grieve the Holy Spirit v 30

What To Do:

• Live a Life Worthy of the Calling v 1
• Be Humble v 2
• Bear With Each Other v 2
• Be The Peacemaker v 3
• Speak The Truth in Love v 15
• Put Off the Old Put on the New Self v 22 – 23
• The New Attitude of the Mind v 24
• Speak the Truth v 25
• Take Out the Trash v 31
• Be Kind v 32
• Be Compassionate v 32
• Forgive as you have been Forgiven in Christ v 32

Ephesians 4:7‭-‬16 NIV7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.”  9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions ?  10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,

1 Corinthians 12:4‭-‬6 NIV There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 

James 1:6‭-‬8 NIV But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

1 Corinthians 12:27 NIV. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Jesus did not come to make bad people good, but to make dead people alive.

Verses 20-26 Blessings and Warnings 

Verses 27-36 Love our Enemies 

Verses 37-42 Do Not Judge Others

Verses 43-45 A Tree and It’s Fruit

The Wise and Foolish Builders
Luke 6:46‭-‬49 NIV 46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?  47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like.  48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.  49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

Like a Tree Psalms 1:1‭-‬3 NIV Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,  but whose delight is in the law of the Lord , and who meditates on his law day and night.  That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.

Bear Fruit Galatians 5:22‭-‬23 NIV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Luke 6:43‭-‬45 NIV “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers.  A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

Find Wisdom During the Storms of Life

James 1:5‭-‬8 NIV If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

Ephesians 4:1‭-‬6 NIV
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 

1 Corinthians 13:4‭-‬7 NIV 4 Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 

James 3:18 NIVPeacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

Matthew 5:9 NIV Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Ephesians 3:6 NIV This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.