About This Guide
The online groups guide is designed as a teaching series companion to foster discussion, study, and prayer, especially in a group setting.
Join a weekly group for a meaningful way to connect to our community.
pdf download
Download this PDF to help you make a plan to follow Jesus in your everyday life, including diagnostic questions to help get you started.
Pickup a print version at our weekly in-person Sunday gatherings.
more Resources
Explore a curated online collection of recommended practices and resources to pursue presence, formation, and love in your life.
Questions about the series or looking for a way to get involved? Contact us.
Love
Teaching Text: Ephesians 6: 1-9
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
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. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people,because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.
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.
Themes
Consider these themes and ask your group what else they see in the passage:
Presence
Watch or listen to the sermon. Then take a moment of silence and think about these questions:
Ask God to open your heart and mind to understand Ephesians anew as we start this season.
Thank Him for the blessings He has given you already, even those you might be unaware of.
Consider the people in your life who had Power/influence over you and used it for your good/benefit
Name them and thank God for them in this moment (Parents, bosses, friends, teachers, headmasters, coaches, etc)
Formation
Thoughts and notes you can use for discussion:
Purpose: Paul is showing us how to life by the Holy Spirit no matter what life situation you find yourself in.
Paul begins a subversion of Roman norms rather than an outright cultural assault.
The way of going after change matters - Paul is not attempting primary to act first as a social revolutionary but apocalyptic imaginary - meeting the risen Christ changed his whole world
50% of the Roman Empire was slaves or indentured servants. In a world before machinery and electricity, there was no concept for how the work of the world could be done otherwise.
But Paul is saying here is how Jesus changes how we live and relate to life in a broken system
And one day that system is going to be put right.
The order matters:
Paul speaks to the people on the underside of power
It lends dignity and honor to those places of society that woud have been overlooked or taken for granted
And he gives the instructions to both with both present.
This is what was so scandalous about the early Christian community.
For children:
The time for obedience and the time for honor ***Cracker Barrell with my Dad***
The reason is to extend your life and cause flourishing in
An ongoing theme of the Scripture is the fractured world coming back together in covenant
None of us have perfect parents - some have downright atrocious parents. God's love can find expression anywhere
For fathers (and Mothers)
Do not wield you power in an abusive way
Do not exasperate your children - take their emotional formation into account
Do not be flippant about making them angry or frustrated
This is not just about what you do, but how you do it
bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. - DISCIPLESHIP IS AT THE HEART OF PARENTING
Equip -
Prepare for a long journey
Restore - when something has been damaged
Train - a soldier to fight
Set - a broken bone
How are you preparing your children from the critical freedoms of life
How are you helping them know God and learn to trust Christ?
Be a parent who apologizes
Have a vision for your children’s formation - things are not neutral. They are being formed
Walk daily with them in grace and love - find practical expression of that vision in daily life with grace soaking the process
Repair things quickly - learn to do confession and forgiveness
If you find yourself working in a broken system - remember Jesus
I don’t think this in any way means there is never time to work for societal level change
But if you are in a place where you cannot change the system, live in it with an eye towards Jesus and the reality of the coming Kingdom
Love
Read these notes and discuss the questions below:
If you are in positions of Power - how can you love as Jesus did those under you?
What response could you give in situations where you are on the receiving end of abusive power dynamics?
Pray for Grace to respond in Godly ways in either situation.
