Family in Christ

As the Apostle Paul addresses the family unit in the latter half of his epistle to the Ephesians, a brief word to our youth is appropriate here. Early on in my adolescence, I quickly came to realize that the Bible wasn’t simply written for adults. Like many children, memorizing Ephesians 6:1-2 was a common passage to learn and for good reason. Here, Paul directly speaks to the children of the home. The essence of his message is simple—obey your parents and honor your parents. But the reality is, simple does not mean easy.  We all can agree that honor and obedience can be hard work. Keep in mind, Paul is talking more about heart-obedience rather than mere compliance. These two commands are not mutually exclusive. In order for one to fullfill an act of obedience, honor must be present. This kind of obedience means obeying your parent’s instructions with respect even when you don’t feel like it. To act counter to our feelings is a battle we all face. By nature, our feelings are self-absorbed and given to prideful lazy tendencies. This is why Paul provides instruction to live by, but also, reasons why we should obey and honor our parents. He clearly states that obedient behavior is the right thing to do.  In other words, it’s fitting for children to obey their parents as God has designed it. This is why Paul qualifies this obedience as obedience that is “in the Lord.” True obedience is driven by a love for God and the reality that you are ultimately obeying the Lord as you obey your parents. Obedience matters to God because you matter to God. Your obedience no longer has to be out of duty or drudgery, but rather our of right affections. Paul says that such behavior is the pathway to experiencing God’s blessing (6:3). May your obedience be motivated by a heartfelt desire to do what is right because of the joy and love you have in Christ.  – Pastor Nate

Sunday at Liberty

9AM: Josh De Leon–Storm Surge, 2–Job 14-17

10AM: Pastor Rory Martin–Ephesians 6:1-5 –Family in Christ (sermon notes)

6:20PM: Pastor Rory–Proverbs 6:20-24–The Way of Life