Attaining Relational Potential Attaining Your Potential

 Ephesians 5:21 – 6:9 ●Living by the power of the Spirit in your most prevalent relationships ▪Jesus – Church ▪Husband – Wife ▪Parents – Children ▪Masters - Slaves  Ephesians 5:21 – 6:9 ●Living by the power of the Spirit in your most prevalent relationships ▪Jesus – Church ▪Husband – Wife ▪Parents – Children ▪Masters - Slaves

I. The Husband and Wife, vs  Submit to one another ●Submission – voluntary choice to be under the influence of another ●Mutual dependence, not demanding or dominating ●Practical instructions for both husband and wife  Submit to one another ●Submission – voluntary choice to be under the influence of another ●Mutual dependence, not demanding or dominating ●Practical instructions for both husband and wife

 For wives ●Submit to your husbands as the church submits to Christ ●Husband is the head ▪Position only – not superiority  For wives ●Submit to your husbands as the church submits to Christ ●Husband is the head ▪Position only – not superiority

 For husbands ●Love your wife – as Christ loved the church ●Gave up his life ●Washed with the Word ●Present to himself a glorious (NIV- radiant) church, without spot or wrinkle of any other blemish ●Love your wife – as your own body ●Care for it – as Christ cares for the church  For husbands ●Love your wife – as Christ loved the church ●Gave up his life ●Washed with the Word ●Present to himself a glorious (NIV- radiant) church, without spot or wrinkle of any other blemish ●Love your wife – as your own body ●Care for it – as Christ cares for the church

 Husband and wife united into one ●Husbands – love your wife ●Wives – respect your husband  Husband and wife united into one ●Husbands – love your wife ●Wives – respect your husband

 1 Peter 3:1-7 ●Wives – accept husbands authority ▪Win over unbelieving husbands without words, but by them observing your pure and reverent lives ▪Clothe yourself with unfading beauty – a gentle and quiet spirit  1 Peter 3:1-7 ●Wives – accept husbands authority ▪Win over unbelieving husbands without words, but by them observing your pure and reverent lives ▪Clothe yourself with unfading beauty – a gentle and quiet spirit

●Husbands ▪Treat your wife with understanding ▪Equal partner in God’s gift of life ▪Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered ●Husbands ▪Treat your wife with understanding ▪Equal partner in God’s gift of life ▪Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered

II. Parents and Children, vs. 1-4  Children obey your parents  Honor your father and mother ●Honor – timao ̄ tim-ah'-o to prize, that is, fix a valuation upon; by implication to revere:— honour, value. ●Things will go well ●Long life on the earth  Children obey your parents  Honor your father and mother ●Honor – timao ̄ tim-ah'-o to prize, that is, fix a valuation upon; by implication to revere:— honour, value. ●Things will go well ●Long life on the earth

 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger ●Bring them up with discipline ●Bring them up with instruction that comes from the Lord ▪Genesis 18: “For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. 19I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.” ●Train a child in a way that stimulates honor  Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger ●Bring them up with discipline ●Bring them up with instruction that comes from the Lord ▪Genesis 18: “For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. 19I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.” ●Train a child in a way that stimulates honor

III. Master and Slaves, vs. 5-9  Paul is not condoning slavery, but dealing with a cultural reality ●Does obliterate slave/master relations in the church ●Galatians 3:28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.  Paul is not condoning slavery, but dealing with a cultural reality ●Does obliterate slave/master relations in the church ●Galatians 3:28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.

 Slaves ●Obey masters as though you were working for the Lord ●The Lord rewards you for the good you do  Slaves ●Obey masters as though you were working for the Lord ●The Lord rewards you for the good you do

 Masters ●You have the same master as your slave ●Treat your slave as you want your Master to treat you  Application – Employers and Employees ●Employees – work as for the Lord – He is the one who rewards you ●Employers – remember you are employed by God  Masters ●You have the same master as your slave ●Treat your slave as you want your Master to treat you  Application – Employers and Employees ●Employees – work as for the Lord – He is the one who rewards you ●Employers – remember you are employed by God

Interactive Time  How does the principle of sewing and reaping work in relationships?  How can men effectively make a change in their wife? How can women effectively make a change in their husband?  How do children learn to honor and obey? How do Proverbs 22:6 and Proverbs 13:24 apply?  How will the master/slave admonition affect you in your work relationships?  How does the principle of sewing and reaping work in relationships?  How can men effectively make a change in their wife? How can women effectively make a change in their husband?  How do children learn to honor and obey? How do Proverbs 22:6 and Proverbs 13:24 apply?  How will the master/slave admonition affect you in your work relationships?