NBBC Kids' Club - Ephesians 5:1-6

Introduction: Blessings of Being Saved review (Transformation, Ephesians 1:4; Adoption, Ephesians 1:5; Redemption, Ephesians 1:7; Union, Ephesians 1:10; Inheritance, Ephesians 1:11; and Holy Spirit, Ephesians 1:13). Last week, we wrapped up chapter 4 by considering what God wants us to lay aside and what He wants us to be: kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving. Tonight, we’re going to consider in what way God wants us to live like His children.

Ephesians 5:1 “1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;”

When we see the word “Therefore,” we need to ask, “What’s it there for?”

Glad you asked!

Paul is building off of the truths that he has taught so far in chapter 4.

We need to live like God’s children: humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another in love, promoting the unity of the Spirit, encouraging one another to be like Christ, not living like unbelievers pursuing our sinful desires, telling the truth, not letting anger control us, sharing, using our words to encourage others, not making the Holy Spirit sad through our sin, putting aside bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice and being kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving.

So, based on these things, Paul is going to make his next statements.

What does it mean to imitate something?

To try to act like someone else.

Have you ever tried to act like someone else?

Example: ministry team (acting like a soldier).

Who is it that we are supposed to imitate?

God!

Acting like God pertains to everything that we have looked at in Ephesians 4 that I just reviewed!

In what way are we supposed to act like God?

“As beloved”

To be “beloved” means that you are loved by someone.

Here, God’s love is in view.

Therefore, God’s love for us motivates our desire to act like Him!

These are beloved children; therefore, this is the great love of God the Father for those that He has called as His children.

Illustration: Children try to act like their parents.

In working on our house, Harold will pick up his toy hammer and hit the wall.

This is not to be destructive.

He is imitating the actions that he sees Carrie and I doing.

Therefore, since God loves His children, His children desire to act like Him.

Ephesians 5:2 “2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”

What is it that we are supposed to walk in?

Love.

Does this mean that we are to use our two legs in a loving manner?

No!

We are to act lovingly towards others always!

Who is our example of love?

Jesus!

How is it that He loved us?

He died on the cross to save us from our sins.

This was something that He did willingly (offering).

This was something that He offered to God (sacrifice).

How is Jesus’ sacrifice described?

A fragrant aroma.

This refers to a pleasing smell.

Like the smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.

Or the smell of grilled chicken.

What happens when you smell something that you like?

You smile, indicating that it’s a good smell.

Jesus’ death on the cross pleased God.

Therefore, our goal in loving like Jesus loved in being willing to sacrifice for others will please God.

And we want to please God with our lives!

Ephesians 5:3 “3 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints;”

Immorality is acting in anyway like you’re married when you’re not.

Impurity refers to anything sinful that we do with our minds.

Greed refers to living your life just to get what it is that you want.

This is a life that is all about you.

You do not care about others.

You do not care that if what you want means that it hurts someone else.

Should anyone who is a believer (saints) do these things?

No!

They must not even be named among believers.

That is, no believer should be immoral, impure, or greedy.

These things are against what it means to be a believer!

What is a saint?

Someone who has believed in Jesus to save them from their sins that is being made holy by God through the Holy Spirit.

If immoral, impure, and greedy actions should not be named among saints, what should saints be characterized by?

Holiness.

Holiness looks like Living like God’s children in humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another in love, and protecting the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; telling the truth, not being controlled by angry emotions, sharing, encouraging others, being kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving.

They should love others as Christ loves us.

Friends, this is the Blessing of Being Saved that we have reviewed that God is doing in each believer: transformation.

This is God’s promise to us to do this work in our lives!

We can be confident that God will complete this work that He has promised to do because God always keeps His promises.

Ephesians 5:4 “4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.”

Filthiness refers to anything that we say or do that is disgusting and trying to get people to pay attention when they shouldn’t be.

Silly talk is when you say things that make no sense just to get others to pay attention to you.

Coarse jesting relates to talking about something that is disgusting in such a way as to try to make it funny when you should not be talking about it at all.

Instead of speaking filthy, silly, and coarse words, what should we be speaking?

Thankful words.

What does it mean to be thankful?

Because someone has shown you kindness, you verbally acknowledge that by saying, “Thank you,” or talking about how kind their action was.

Who is it that we have the most to be thankful to?

God

Why?

Because He has rescued us from the punishment for our sins through Jesus if we have believed in Jesus as our Savior.

Friends, you know what this means?

If we should be speaking about how grateful we are to God for what He has done for us in Jesus instead of speaking filthy, silly, and coarse words, then that means we have a lot to be thankful for.

We cannot exhaust how thankful we are to God for rescuing us!

Friends, what are some ways that you can say “thank You” to God concerning His salvation?

Ephesians 5:5 “5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”

Friends, this is the reason that believes should live like God, love like Jesus, be holy, and be thankful.

What does it mean to know something with certainty?

You know that something is true.

It’s so evident that something is true you cannot miss it.

What is it that Paul says we know is absolutely true?

An immoral, impure, or covetous (greedy) person has no inheritance in God’s Kingdom.

What does God’s Kingdom refer to?

Heaven.

If someone does not go to God’s Kingdom, where is it that they go?

To hell.

Hell is a place to punish sinners.

Therefore, the actions being referenced here all are sins that God hates, that keep people away from God.

Friends, God is making clear that, if we love Him, we are going to live to please Him, and not ourselves.

If we live to please ourselves in sin, that deserves God’s punishment in hell, forever away from Him.

But Jesus died on the cross for our sins so that we can be forgiven, made God’s children, and given new life to live in holiness before God as we battle our sin.

You see, friends, God through Paul is giving us a pretty important warning.

If you find that your life is characterized by immorality, impurity, greed, filthy talk, silly speaking, coarse joking, then you might not be on your way to heaven.

However, you can believe in Jesus to save you from your sins and God will begin transforming you to live a life that is more holy than it is sinful.

Friends, I want to encourage you, if you have any questions about what it means to believe in Jesus, please talk with one of the leaders or me about this.

Ephesians 5:6 “6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”

What does it mean to be deceived?

You believe a lie.

The temptation here is to believe the lies that someone else tells.

How does Paul describe the lies that he is going to discuss?

They’re empty words.

What does it mean to be empty?

There’s nothing there!

There’s no substance, no truth behind this kind of teaching.

What does this kind of teaching that tells people lies consist of?

Telling people that it’s ok to sin.

Telling people that God’s wrath is nothing to be afraid of.

These are lies, friends.

Paul makes it clear that God’s wrath is against sin.

The sons of disobedience refers to individuals who have refused to obey God as demonstrated by their choice to sin (Boles).

Friends, God’s wrath is nothing to take lightly.

God hates sin!

Sin deserves God’s wrath.

We all deserve God’s wrath because of our sins.

But Jesus died to take God’s wrath on the cross so that we can be forgive of our sin and be made God’s children.

If sin deserves God’s wrath that Jesus took on Himself when He died, we should want to avoid sin as much as we can.

Conclusion: Memory Verse Review - Ephesians 5:1 “1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;” (X3)

Question: According to Ephesians 5:1, Who are we supposed to act like?

Answer: God

Question: In what way should we act like God, according to Ephesians 5:1?

Answer: as children who love their Father

Question: According to Ephesians 5:2, how is it that believers (God’s children) should live?

Answer: walk in love

Question: Who is our example of how to walk in love, according to Ephesians 5:2?

Answer: Jesus Christ

Question: In Ephesians 5:2, what is it that Jesus did that is our example of how we ought to love others?

Answer: He sacrificed His life for us (our sins)

Question: In Ephesians 5:2, how is Jesus’ sacrifice described?

Answer: as a fragrant aroma to God (i.e. Jesus pleased God through His sacrificial love for us)

Question: Name one of the 3 things that should not be characteristic of saints in Ephesians 5:3.

Answer: 1) Immorality; 2) Impurity; and 3) Greed

Question: According to Ephesians 5:3, If being a saint refers to God’s work in a believer to make them holy, what should saints be defined by?

Answer: holiness (God’s holiness)

Question: According to Ephesians 5:4, what kinds of things should believers (God’s children) never talk about?

Answer: 1) filthiness; 2) silly talk; 3) coarse jesting

Question: In Ephesians 5:4, what kinds of things should believers (God’s children) be talking about?

Answer: giving thanks (gratitude; our gratitude to God)

Question: According to Ephesians 5:5, who is it that does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God (i.e. heaven)?

Answer: anyone who is 1) immoral, 2) impure, or 3) covetous [greedy; an idolater]

Question: According to Ephesians 5:6, what is it that comes upon the sons of disobedience?

Answer: God’s Wrath

Question: Who wrote this letter to the Ephesians?

Answer: Paul

Question: Who did Paul write this letter to?

Answer: The Ephesian people that made up the church in Ephesus

Question: What is one of the Blessings of Being Saved?

Transformation, Ephesians 1:4

Adoption, Ephesians 1:5

Redemption, Ephesians 1:7

Union, Ephesians 1:10

Inheritance, Ephesians 1:11

Holy Spirit, Ephesians 1:13