May 12, 2014
CULTURE-LED OR GOD-LED?
Ephesians 6:1-9
Shari Macfee
Central Truth
For parents to lead well and train their children in the instruction of the Lord, we must learn to rest in the Father and not be enslaved to the culture.
Key Verse | Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)
Ephesians 6:1-9
Children and Parents
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Bondservants and Masters
5 Bondservants, 1 6:5 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; also verse 6; likewise for bondservant in verse 8 obey your earthly masters 2 6:5 Or your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. 9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master 3 6:9 Greek Lord and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.
Dive Deeper | Ephesians 6:1-9
"Rules without relationship equal rebellion." I love this quote from James Dobson. It has become my checkpoint when my daughter rebels against my parenting. I am rebellious toward my Father in heaven when I am out of relationship with Him. I lean on my own understanding and do life on my own terms, much like our children; however, the more time I spend resting in His presence, the more peace I experience.
Social media and activities have become the center of our world, and busyness threatens to rob us of our time with our children and the Lord. When we become overwhelmed trying to keep up with the culture, our relationship with our Heavenly Father, and our children, suffer, and our sense of peace is lost. Due to busyness, my parenting becomes more about rules and good behavior than nurturing a well-trained heart. My parenting becomes exasperating -- I become more focused on outward behavior rather than inward growth.
The Bible calls us to train our children in the instruction of the Lord. But how can we do that when we are not modeling for them how to find rest in the Lord? Hebrews 4:11 says, "Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience." If we are to discipline our children, we must first discipline ourselves to invest in a relationship with them.
Keeping our children busy with activities does not constitute a relationship. We must go against the culture that tells us we must keep busy, instead of teaching our children to rest in the Lord. If we, as parents, are not laboring to enter into His rest, how can we lead our children to go to a place where we ourselves are not going? When we say "no" to the culture, we are able to say "yes" to God. When our children turn away from our discipline, we must welcome them home with God's help, just as God welcomes us when we stray from His instruction.
Discussion Questions
1. How do you teach your children to enter a place of rest with the Lord?
2. What can you remove from your busy schedule today to free up time for your relationship with your children and the Lord?
3. Do your priorities line up with the world's agenda or the Lord's agenda?
4. Do your priorities reflect your heart?