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Ephesians 5:22-6:9
“Playing House”
Kids love acting out little versions of adult life. Under our staircase, our kids have a built-in playhouse designed to look like our Tudor-style home. There's a play kitchen, play cars, toy phones, and little plastic laptops — miniatures of the grown-up world. Playing house, they imagine parenthood and pretend to go to work.
Our home and work lives model a bigger reality as well. In Ephesians 5:22-6:9, each Christian household member must build relationships around the Lord.
The secret strength behind Christian relationships is our love and honor for Jesus.
THE BIG IDEA
After showing that being "filled with the Spirit" leads to "submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ" (Eph. 5:18-21), Paul illustrates mutual submission in different roles. Our "reverence for Christ" transforms our attitudes and behaviors towards others (Eph. 5:21ff).
A household table is a format used in other ancient literature to outline the home’s proper order. But where other household tables focused on wives, children, and servants, Paul insists that those in authority also reflect Christ's love. Husbands, fathers, and masters must learn from Jesus that leadership isn't the right to "exercise lordship" for their pleasure but the responsibility to "serve" as a leader (Matt. 18:25-27).
This vision of marriage requires husbands to imitate Christ's self-sacrificial love (Eph. 5:25) and wives to follow them with respect (Eph. 5:24), forming oneness like the unity Christ has with his body (Eph. 5:30-32). Submission and sacrifice might sound outdated or unpleasant, but they're defining traits of Jesus. He surrendered his will to the Father and yielded his rights for us. We joyfully submit to him, knowing he sanctifies, nourishes, and cherishes us (Eph. 5:26,29).
Children must obey parents "in the Lord" (Eph. 6:1) and servants should work "as to the Lord and not to man" (Eph. 6:7). It's no longer about consequences or society's expectations. Our drive comes from a place no one can see or alter through force. We serve the living Christ.
Do you interact with others "as to the Lord"?
THE BIG QUESTION
The Household
Reflect Christ in Your Relationships
INTRODUCTION
Launch the study with a CONVERSATION STARTER on the Big Idea.
Read or watch “Playing House” (above). What do you take from that Big Idea and Big Question? ICE BREAKER — Get everyone engaged and talking.
What's your favorite or LEAST favorite wedding tradition?ACT I
FINDING JESUS — Ephesians 5:22-6:9
What does this passage teach you about Jesus?Of all that Paul tells us about Christ’s work and character, what strikes you the most?Why?How can reflecting on and applying this passage draw us closer to Christ?
ACT II
DO YOU UNDERSTAND? — Questions About Husbands & Wives, Parents & Kids, Masters & Servants
Study and prepare to discuss the questions below.1. How do the specific directions below connect to the command to submit to one another in 5:21? 2. What are we meant to learn about Christ and the church from marriage? 3. How do we apply church-like submission and Christ-like headship in our marriages?4. In 6:1-4, what do “in the Lord” and “of the Lord” mean? What does it mean to “obey your parents in the Lord” and bring up your kids in the “discipline and instruction of the Lord”?5. Do the commandments to slaves mean that Christianity is pro-slavery?6. What should Christians take from the servant / master commandments?ACT III
REACH OUT — Connect with each other with this question.
How has your view of marriage changed as you've matured in the Lord?
WRAP UP
THE CHALLENGE — Ready to put it into practice?
Find a way to do something extra at work without letting anyone know about it.REQUEST — Go to God in a closing prayer.
"Help me become a loving and productive member of my family and community, looking to Jesus in every relationship" (cf. Eph. 5:22-6:9).NEXT SESSION — Spiritual Warfare
Prepare by reading Ephesians 6:10-20.