This document discusses dysfunctional families and parental responsibilities according to Ephesians 6:1-4. It defines a dysfunctional family as one with continual conflict, misbehavior, or abuse. Paul instructs children to obey their parents and honor them, promising blessings. He tells fathers not to provoke children to anger but raise them with discipline and instruction. The document advises parents to nurture, instruct, and discipline children fairly without abuse, and warns blended families against choosing children over new spouses.

1. Title Layout

2. Ephesians 6:1-4
Got a Perfect
Family?

3. Dysfunctional?
•Dictionary says: A dysfunctional
family is one in which conflict,
misbehavior, and often child neglect or abuses
on the part of individual parents occur
continually and regularly , leading other
members to accommodate such actions either
by fear or apathy

4. Dysfunctional?
•Children who grow up in such
families have the understanding
that such an arrangement is normal and they
often live in the same manner with their own
children
•God’s family is dysfunctional too, but not
because He abused us; WE abused our
relationship with Him by sinning

5. Dysfunctional?
•That’s why Paul taught us
‘submission’ in Ephesians 5:21
“…submitting to one another in the fear of God.”
• We went from wife submitting to her
husband, to husband loving his wife as Christ
loved His church and gave Himself for her
•We are still within this theme of mutual
submission to one another

6. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for
this is right. 2 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND
MOTHER (which is the first commandment with
a promise), 3 SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU,
AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.
4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to
anger, but bring them up in the discipline and
instruction of the Lord.”
Ephesians 6:1-4, NASB

7. A. To Children…
•Understand the context here—
•Paul is speaking to children
who are believers of Jesus Christ
and are the children of born-again believers

8. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for
this is right. 2 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND
MOTHER (which is the first commandment
with a promise), 3 SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL
WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON
THE EARTH.”
Ephesians 6:1-3, NASB

9. A. To Children…
•Understand the context here—
•Paul is speaking to children who
are believers of Jesus Christ and
are the children of born-again believers
•Kids- obeying your parents is part of how you
serve Christ– Jesus obeyed Mary and Joseph…
•God has them in authority over you because you
need the wisdom, guidance and Protection they
can provide

10. A. To Children…
•Your parents have been
entrusted with teaching you
the Bible and all you need to
do: become a disciple of Christ
•What if my parents are Lost?
•What if they tell me to disobey God?
•God will Bless you for your efforts

11. B. To Parents…
•Paul then turns to the Dads, as
heads of families

12. “4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to
anger, but bring them up in the discipline
and instruction of the Lord.”
Ephesians 6:4, NASB

13. B. To Parents…
•Paul then turns to the Dads, as
heads of families
•What does “Provoke…” really mean?
•The Bible is full of examples of what happens
when you let a child “do his own thing”
•David and Absalom, Isaac and Esau, Jacob
favored Joseph,

14. B. Parents Take Home…
1. Nurture your children
2. Instruct and encourage your
children with training and admonition
3. Discipline your children
Proverbs 13:24 says, “He who spares his rod hates
his son, But he who loves him disciplines him
promptly.”

15. B. Parents Take Home…
Here are some necessary points
on disciplining your children
•Abuse is unfair, extreme and degrading
•Discipline is fair, fitting and upholds the
child’s dignity
•Give your children room to grow, to make
mistakes (different from rebellion)

16. B. Parents Take Home…
Here are some necessary points
on disciplining your children
•Abuse is unfair, extreme and degrading
•Discipline is fair, fitting and upholds the
child’s dignity
•Give your children room to grow, to make
mistakes (different from rebellion)

17. C. To Blended Families…
•With high Christian divorce
rates, there are many like
•Discipline can be a very HOT
POTATO within the new family
•Remember--God first, your spouse second,
then your children– DO NOT choose child
over spouse!

18. B. Parents Take Home…
1. Nurture your children
2. Instruct and encourage your
children with training and admonition
3. Discipline your children
Proverbs 13:24 says, “He who spares his rod hates
his son, But he who loves him disciplines him
promptly.”