Ephesians 6:1-3 Outline

God’s New Family: An Exposition of Ephesians (LIV)
God’s Household Rules: Marriage and Family (9) Children’s Obedience
Ephesians 6:1-3

Introduction:
Ephesians 6:1-3 1 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 BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.

Christian children, in order to live out the Gospel in the home, in order to live out their embrace of the Lordship of Christ, must obey their parents, because it is right, commanded and rewarded

Paul gives three reasons or motivation to Christian children for obedience . . .

I. Christian children are to obey their parents because it is the right thing to do (1) [The obedience of children to parents is rooted in the natural, created order]
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

II. Christian children are to obey their parents because God has commanded it in his word (2) [The obedience of children is based on the express command of God]
2 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise), 3 SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH

III. Christian children are to obey their parents because of God’s gracious promise (3) [The obedience of children is accompanied by a gracious promise from God]
2 . . . (which is the first commandment with a promise), 3 SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH

Applications to children of different ages and life stages:
Younger children in the home
Grown children on their own
Grown children caring for aged parents

Applications to different kinds of responsibilities, problems and challenges:
Care of older parents and the pressure this sometimes entails for young marriages
Parents trying to relate as equals to children
Disrespect for parental authority on the part of young people
What about the exceptions? Abusive parents, incompetent or neglectful parents