Prepare your heart for the Sermon by looking through these suggestions that will assist you in making the most of our time together hearing God's Word.

You will find suggestions for thinking more critically through the passage, meditating more intently on the text, and prayerfully seeking wisdom to deepen your understanding of the passage to be preached this Sunday.

Carefully Think

• Read Ephesians 6:1-4
• Who is the first group being addressed in this passage? In other words, who is the command being directed towards (vs 1-3)
• What are they being commanded to do? What is the role of the children in their relationship with their parents?
• Which of the ten commandments is being quoted in verses 2-3? What is the promise that is attached to this commandment? What does this promise mean?
• Who is the second group of commands being addressed in this passage? (vs 4)
• What are they being commanded to do? What is the role of the parents in their relationship with their children?
• What does it mean to bring children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord?
• Why is Paul addressing children and parents at this point in his letter to the Ephesians? What is the context?

Prayerfully Meditate

• On what grounds are these commands being made? In other words, why should we obey and honor our parents? Why should Father’s not provoke their children to anger, and raise them up in instruction? List a few reasons.
• What happens when we do not abide by these roles? How have you seen these roles ignored or misused in the world? Did it work out?
• Why has God designed families to function with these roles? Why is his way best?
• How does the body of Christ function as a family? Consider how God has given believers spiritual fathers, mothers, and siblings in Christ. (Cf. Romans 8:14-17, 1 Timothy 1:1-2, and 1 Timothy 5:1-2)
• How do we see Jesus model obedience to God the Father? (Cf. Philippians 2:6-8 and John 6:38)