As to the Lord

Paul in Ephesians 6 sets a single standard for home and work: “as to the Lord.” The command does not wait for other people to be perfect. Christ becomes the audience, so obedience and service become worship, not transactions. Paul starts with children: “obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” In a world where a father’s word could keep or discard a newborn and even sell a child later, the command still stands. The command is written into the way the world works; whole societies unravel when children despise authority. Obedience is not blind if parents command evil, but the general posture shows a gospel-changed life that parents can actually see.

The promise then steps forward: “honor your father and mother.” Honor reaches beyond childhood and lasts a lifetime, even when full obedience no longer applies. Paul calls this the first command with a promise and widens it beyond Israel’s geography to a general good: “that it may go well with you.” God knows parents know things, and God pledges to bless the child who receives their care as authority given by him.

Then the text goes after fathers, which in that culture was shocking. “Do not provoke your children to anger.” Be the adult. Put away harshness and ego, and bring children up “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” The verb leans tender: nurture. Instruction must be God-shaped, not parent-shaped. Children are not clones; wisdom meets them as persons, with firm boundaries and patient love.

The gathering itself is radical. Children hear God’s word. Women are taught. Slaves and masters sit side by side. The gospel levels status. To bondservants Paul says, obey “with a sincere heart, as you would Christ,” not with “eye-service.” Do God’s will from the heart and render service “as to the Lord,” even when the boss is not worthy and the pay feels thin. The Lord sees. The Lord repays. Such work adorns the teaching and dismantles lazy stereotypes about believers.

Finally, masters hear, “do the same to them, and stop your threatening.” Authority answers to a higher Authority. Both servant and supervisor have the same Master in heaven, and “there is no partiality with him.” Power must protect, pay well, speak carefully, and treat every worker as someone God made. In every role, the refrain holds: as to the Lord.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Live every role as worship [01:40] The standard “as to the Lord” reframes home and work. Service becomes an altar rather than a bargain, and Christ becomes the One being served. This frees obedience and leadership from the mood or merit of the other person. Worship, not worthiness, drives faithfulness. [01:40]
• 2. Obedience and honor hold a promise [13:19] “Honor your father and mother” is the first command with a promise, widened by Paul to “that it may go well with you.” God knits blessing to the humble reception of parental care. Even when full obedience ends, lifelong honor keeps opening pathways of wisdom, stability, and favor. [13:19]
• 3. Parents nurture without provoking [17:29] “Do not provoke” requires adults to be the adults, exchanging control for patient, tailored care. “Bring them up” leans tender, then binds tenderness to “discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Authority that listens, sets clear boundaries, and forms the conscience will outlast fear and force. [17:29]
• 4. Work for Christ, not eye-service [23:58] Bondservants are told to obey with a sincere heart, not only when watched. Translated to today, the worker’s audience is Jesus, so excellence is steady, not situational. Even if raises do not come and peers resent diligence, the Lord sees and repays, and the gospel gains credibility. [23:58]
• 5. Authority remembers the shared Master [31:27] “Do the same to them” pulls masters under the same ethic and ends threats. Supervisor and staff answer to one Master in heaven, and with him there is no partiality. Power must protect dignity, pay fairly, and speak gently, because leadership is stewardship before Christ. [31:27]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:24] - Spiritual warfare teaser
• [01:40] - “As to the Lord” standard
• [02:26] - Children obey in the Lord
• [03:21] - First-century father’s absolute power
• [06:28] - Church as radical equality
• [07:53] - Gospel transformation of children’s obedience
• [11:47] - Honor parents as a lifelong call
• [17:29] - Nurture, discipline, and instruction of the Lord
• [19:05] - Bondservants obey as serving Christ
• [23:58] - Not eye-service but wholehearted work
• [27:45] - The Lord rewards faithful service
• [28:35] - Masters do the same; stop threatening
• [31:27] - One Master in heaven; no partiality
• [35:26] - Everyday moments done “as to the Lord”
• [37:12] - Prayer and invitation to Christ

Bible Reading
Ephesians 6:1-9 (ESV)
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. 5 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. 9 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.

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Observation Questions

1. What two specific instructions does Paul give to children and fathers in Ephesians 6:1-4? How does the cultural context of a father’s absolute authority in the first century make these commands radical? [02:42]
2. The phrase “as to the Lord” appears multiple times in the passage. What actions or attitudes does this standard reframe, according to the sermon? [01:40]
3. What promise is attached to the command to honor parents, and how does Paul expand its application beyond Israel’s context? [13:19]
4. How does the sermon describe the radical nature of the early church’s gatherings, and what groups of people were included as equals? [06:28]

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Interpretation Questions

1. Why does Paul distinguish between “obedience” (for children) and “honor” (lifelong for all)? How might honoring parents look different in adulthood compared to childhood obedience?
2. Paul tells masters to “do the same to them” (bondservants) and to stop threatening. What does this imply about the mutual responsibility between those in authority and those under authority? [31:27]
3. The sermon emphasizes that “as to the Lord” frees obedience from the “mood or merit of the other person.” How does this principle address situations where a parent, boss, or leader is unfair or unkind?
4. In a culture where slavery was normalized, how does Paul’s instruction to bondservants and masters undermine systems of exploitation? [20:36]

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Application Questions

1. Think of a relationship where obedience or honor feels difficult (e.g., a parent, employer, or leader). How could viewing your actions as “to the Lord” shift your attitude or choices this week?
2. Parents: What is one way you might unintentionally provoke your children to anger (e.g., harshness, unrealistic expectations)? How could you replace that with “discipline and instruction of the Lord”? [17:29]
3. At work or home, when are you most tempted toward “eye-service” (working hard only when watched)? What practical step could help you serve “from the heart” instead? [23:58]
4. If you’re in a position of authority (parent, manager, leader), what specific habit (e.g., threatening language, favoritism) do you need to repent of to reflect God’s “no partiality”? [33:07]
5. Honor often involves practical care, even for parents who were (or are) hurtful. What is one tangible way to honor them this month—whether through communication, forgiveness, or support?
6. The sermon says, “Your attitude at work can cause the gospel to be lifted up or reviled.” How could your diligence or integrity in a frustrating job situation point others to Christ? [23:17]
7. Reflect on a time when you treated someone differently due to their status, wealth, or role. How will you actively reject partiality in your relationships this week? [34:10]