Ephesian 6:5-9

Last week was very rough for me.  I had a meeting at work and I was accused of something that I came to find out never really happened.  to be lied about in such a manner really got to me for days.  Apparently last Sunday's service and this bible study were meant for me and maybe you need it as well.  The Sunday before I went to the meeting Pastor Micah said "You need to worship God especially when you're depressed."  That is something I have been dealing with lately.  When you're upset and depressed that's the last thing we want to do but it's the best step to recovery.  While slavery is not prevalent in America like it used to be we still have masters or employers so these verses are for you and me. 

5.  "Slaves obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear.  Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ."  Do your best no matter what. 

6.  "Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you.  As slaves of Christ do the will of God with all your heart."  If you have done your best at your job it doesn't matter what other people think because God knows what you did.  it's also very good work ethic to do your best all the time.  As a person part of my problem is I'm so passionate about doing my job right that I get frustrated when it doesn't work out right. 

7.  "Work with enthusiasm as though you were working for the Lord rather than people."  People pleasing is tiring but God pleasing is rewarding.  Personally I have a hard time with being enthusiastic about work. 

8. "Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free."  If someone at the workplace says something ill of you when you are doing good God sees the good you're doing and he is going to reward you in his perfect time. 

9.  "Masters treat your slaves in the same way.  Don't threaten them; remember, you both have the same master in heaven and he has no favorites."  Employers treat those under you well.  if you treat your emploees badly they aren't going to want to help you. 

If you're having a bad day this songs will fix your heart. 

My heart is set on you by Point of Grace https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm7pVOeb63I

Salvation is here by Lincoln Brewster https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiL6xqmMQoc    

Do everything by Steven Curtis Chapman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVTeIMursb8 

Ephesians 5:21-33

I've been married for almost 2 years.  This means I am not an expert on marriage.  After we got married my wife found these shirts that say "I love my wife" and "I love my husband."  See our marriage means something to both of us.  I have been in the workplace for sometime and the things I have heard said by married people tends to disgust me.  If you are married do not speak ill of your spouse.  When you speak ill of your spouse you speak badly about marriage which I meant to be a picture of Jesus and the church.  You're disrespecting and hurting the person you married along with hurting something God has put together.  Marion and I have made a promise to one another.  No matter how bad the fight divorce is not an option.  We will no allow the fight to be spoken of to others or on social media.  See marriage is a picture of God's relationship to the church.  In pre-marital counseling and in our wedding my dad made it a point to show in scripture how a husband and wife should interact with one another and point to God. 

21."And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."  If you read Matthew thru John you find Jesus to be the ultimate servant.  Submission is not a bad thing it's only bad in mixed martial arts and pro-wrestling.  In God's kingdom submission is a good thing. 

22.  "For wives this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord.  I know some women may get mad at me but the last part of this verse says "as to the Lord."  That's why you do this.

23.  "For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church.  He is the Savior of his body, the church."  Great rich imagery. 

24.  "As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything."  More imagery that points to Christ.  I've heard women complain about submitting to their husband but it's something holy you are being asked to do. 

25-26.  "For husbands, this means love your wives just as Christ loved the church.  He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean washed by the cleansing of God's word."  one of the greatest lines in a movie came to mind when I read this.  In Robin Hood Prince of Thieves Robin has just crashed thru a window and fought off the Sheriff of Nottingham.  Maid Marian says "You came for me!" "I'd die for you!"  Husbands are you willing to lay down your life for your wife because that's what God has called us to. 

27.  "He did this to present her to himself a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish.  Instead she will be holy and without fault."  That perfect white wedding dress is a picture of Christ's bride the church. 

28.  "In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies.  For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself."  If you take care of your wife she's going to take care of you. 

29-30.  "No one hates his own body but he feeds and cares for it. Just as Christ cares for the church and we are members of his body."  Jesus cares for and takes care of the church.  If you are part of the body of believers He's going to take care of you. 

31-32.  "As the scriptures say `A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife and the two are united into one'.  This is a great mystery but it is and illustration of the way Christ and the church are one."  Marriage math: man and wife are an image of Christ and the church.

33.  "So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself and the wife must respect her husband." 

For those that are married I have learned this I have to put my wife's needs above my own.  Compliment your spouse and tell them you love them as often as you can.  Love is not a feeling love requires action and it's a choice.  love is very much a verb.  your spouse needs love and affection.  your spouse needs you to pray for them and you need to point each other back to God.  Pray together. 

This song has stuck with me for ys because it's a reminder of building your life and your relationship on "the rock of Christ Jesus"  I can tell you many times the line of "and again God provided for bills they've incurred" to be very true in my life.  This is Two sets of Jones by Big Tent Revival.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQE5PNRLZ40

Tuesday night I was driving home from work after getting this study ready when I heard this song on my mp3 player.  It will blow you away.  Arms wide open by Misty Edwards. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-QcBtMp9VI

Ephesians 5:1-20

First I want to apologize it seems in the last study I mislabeled verse 29.  I thought I hadn't included it altogether but I did.  something seemed off to me even after I mailed it but it wasn't until the next day that I figured out what I had done. 

  So this time we come to living in the light part Deux.

1.  "Imitate God, therefore in everything you do, because you are his dear children."  The first 2 words in this verse just demand our attention.   

2.  "Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ.  He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God."  If you don't believe God loves you, you seriously need to step back and take another look at the cross.  It's the greatest love story ever told.  God sent his son to be born to die for your sins.  He was tried, falsely accused, whipped, beaten, killed on the most brutal device in history and he did all this because of love. 

3-4.  Are you ready to live in the light because you are going to have to be different.  "Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you.  Such sins have no place among God's people.  Obscene stories, foolish talk and coarse jokes-- these are not for you.  Instead let there be thankfulness to God"  People notice when you don't talk like them.  From experience I have a group of friends that have openly stated "it drives me nuts that you won't cuss."  I've also had people say "I set that remark up perfectly and you still wouldn't make a sexual remark."  My parents raised me in such a way that the only time you should make remarks of a sexual nature is in the privacy of the bedroom with your spouse.  The example here in scripture backs this up.  I used profanity once as a child and got spanked made an impact on me.  Once you encounter the holiness of God that kind of talk should offend you. 

5.  This verse lays things out very clearly.  "You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy persons will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God."  For a greedy person is an idolater worshipping the things of this world."  Need a few examples of greed here's a few.  Ananias and Saphira, Larlfleezee, Scrooge McDuck, Ebenezer Scrooge.

6-9.  "don't be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall o0n all who disobey him.  Don't participate in the things these people do.  For once you were full of Darkness, but now you have light from the Lord.  So live as people of light.  For this light within you produces only good right and true."  Christian musicians DeGarmo and Key have a song based on a sermon by Jonathan Edwards called Hanging by a Scarlet Thread that depicts part of these verses.  Because of our sin nature God's anger is upon humankind but as Christians we "are covered by the Savior's blood without it we'd be dead cause we're hanging by a scarlet thread."

10.  "Carefully determine what pleases the Lord."  Pay attention to God and his word.

11-14.  "Take no part in worthless deeds of evil and darkness, instead expose them.  It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.  But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them.  For the light makes everything visible.  This is why it is said awake o sleeper rise up from the dead and Christ will give you light.  God's light makes all things visible. 

15-18.  are warnings how not to live. 

19-20 tell you how to live. 

The Message Medley by 4 Him https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTbRpAkNzKU

Keep the Candle burning by Point of Grace https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxRk23WJfxg

Evidence of God by Geoff Moore and the Distance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdC_fV8Ak88