Ephesians 6:1-3 “Learning to Live Under God”

Weekly Devotional Questions – Ephesians 6:1–3

Theme: Learning to Live Under God

Monday — Re-enter the Text (Return + Understand)

1. Read Ephesians 6:1–3 slowly. What commands does God give, and to whom are they directed?
2. What reasons does Paul give for obeying and honoring parents (“this is right,” “first command with a promise”)?
3. How does this passage connect to the bigger idea that learning to relate to parents teaches us how to relate to God?

Tuesday — See God Clearly (Understand + Hope)

1. What does this passage reveal about God’s authority and how He has structured the family?
2. Why would God tie blessing (“that it may go well with you”) to obedience and honor?
3. How does this passage show that God’s commands are for your good, not just your restriction?

Wednesday — Gospel Focus (Understand + Hope)

1. In what ways have you failed to obey or honor your parents perfectly?
2. How does Jesus perfectly fulfill what this passage requires (obedience, honor, submission)?
3. What does it look like for you to trust Christ not just for forgiveness, but for a new way of living under God’s authority?

Thursday — Heart Examination (Examine)

1. When you think about authority, what is your natural response—humility or resistance? Where do you see that most clearly?
2. If you are a child or teenager, where do you struggle most to obey—delay, partial obedience, or attitude?
3. If you are an adult, what is your heart posture toward your parents—gratitude, indifference, resentment, or something else?

Friday — Obedience in Action (Respond)

1. What is one specific way you can obey (if under authority) or honor (if an adult) your parents this week?
2. Are there practical steps you need to take—initiating a call, showing respect in speech, or meeting a real need?
3. Where do you need to submit to God’s authority in your life beyond your relationship with your parents?

Saturday — Relationships & Wisdom (Respond + Examine)

1. If you are in the “sandwich generation,” how are you currently balancing care for your spouse, children, and parents? What needs adjustment?
2. Using the framework from the sermon, how are you doing in: Heart (posture toward parents), Presence (relational connection), Provision (meeting real needs)?
3. Are you drifting toward neglect or toward guilt-driven overextension? What would honoring God look like more faithfully?

Sunday — Gospel Hope & Commitment (Hope + Respond)

1. How does the gospel reshape your desire to live under God’s authority rather than resist it?
2. What would it look like this week to treat your parents—and ultimately God—as “weighty” in your life?
3. What is one clear step of obedience or honor you will take today as a response to God’s Word?