Work and Family

15th Sermon in the Series: Who is the Church? A Study of Ephesians
Rev Leo Schuster 22 January 2012

Ephesians 6:1-9
1Children, 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"that it may go well and with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."

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

5Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7Serve wholeheartendly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

9And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

WAS CHRISTIANITY THE GENESIS OF OVERTHROWING SLAVERY?
--should it have condemned it forcefully instead of being passive agressive?
--or was it conding slavery?
SLAVES ARE ADDRESSED AS EQUAL TO MASTERS
--potentially plants the seeds of equality
--is this enough?

DO I SENSE GOD'S PLEASURE IN MY WORK?

HONORING AND RESPECTING OTHERS ULTIMATELY HONORS GOD