The Makings of a Beautiful Bride

Speaker: Jim Renie (Part2), Sunday April 1st

And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. - Ephesians 5:2 (ESV)

Qualities of a beautiful bride

• Sanctity (holiness)

• Happy heart (joy in the spirit)

• Submission to the lordship of Jesus Christ

The  three domestic examples in this chapter mirror a Christian's relationship with Christ

FAMILIAL RELATIONSHIPS (AS PART OF THE BRIDE)

Reading: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise),  “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”  Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ,  not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,  rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man,  knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.  Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him. - Ephesians 6:1-9 (ESV)

Teens' responsibility

• verse 1: addressed to children; the Bible indicates that adulthood is age-defined - 'From twenty years old and upward…' - Numbers 1:3 (ESV); God continues to mention the age of 20 fourteen more times; this number proved absolutely crucial as it was used to be the deciding factor in who got into the Promised Land and who did not; parenting is not meant to be for an indefinite length of time; significance of age 12 (Luke 2:41-52): recognition of the primacy of one's personal responsibility to God and to be in His house - at 12 a child has a responsibility to follow God for themselves 

• verse 2: these instructions are for all; honour is the positive practice of valuing; “Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death. - Exodus 21:15 (ESV); 'Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.' - Exodus 21:17 (ESV); in Ephesians God gives a promise instead of that dire warning from Exodus although the importance God places honouring parents has not diminished

Parental Responsibilities

• represent the heavenly Father by caring for and governing the child in age-approximate ways 

• to bring (introduce) the child to Jesus (Matthew 19:13-14)

• to promote the transfer of dependence and allegiance away from self (the parents) to God

Growing up

• the best teacher is the Holy Spirit, NOT by gaing our own 'experience'

• rebellion against parental authority is always a sin (2 Timothy 3:2)

• verse 4: instructions to fathers (they have the mandate to govern, not the mother); exasperation: lack of love, neglecting discipline, harsh or unfair discipline; there needs to be an even mix of love and discipline (let everything be done in love); the greatest influence is by love - for a father to teach control to his child he must be in control of himself (grace-based parenting)

Challenge to teens: are you prepared to submit (be obedient) to your parents and then to honour them always?