Ephesians 5:15-21 - Walk As Wise

Well, good afternoon, we're continuing our study in the book of, Ephesians heading into chapter 5, ican't believe. We're almost done feels like it's flown by quite quickly, but if you would turn to Ephesians chapter 5, I want to start by reading versus 15221 will be in this section of Ephesians together. Beginning in verse 15. Look carefully. Then how you walk not as unwise but as wise Making the best use of the time because the days are evil, therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is and do not get drunk with wine for that is debauchery. But be filled with the spirit addressing one, another in Psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing, and making Melody to the Lord within your heart giving. Thanks always and for everything to God, the father, in the name of our Lord. Jesus Christ submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. So this passage is concluding Paul section on what it means to walk. In a manner, worthy of the calling that you've received that was back in chapter 4. Verse 1, as he transitions into the, the application of the letter. He also said, 5:2 Walk In Love As Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. A fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. And then in verse 8, as we saw last week, he said walk as children of light. Now, these walking illustrations are meant to be metaphors of of our life. That what we're doing is as we're walking through life journeying through life. There's a certain way that the gospel changes us so that we walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which we've been called 4:1 and it takes a lot of wisdom to walk in this manner, we heard in Proverbs 3 Solomon's exhortations to his son to wisdom. In Proverbs is a fascinating book because you can't really it's very difficult to outline the Book of Proverbs cuz it's a collection of wisdom but if there's a a broad outline we can see that Solomon. Who's the king is giving wisdom to his son, the prince to say this is what it means to be wise and there's two pads to walk and he he pictures in the Book of Proverbs. This one path is chasing after lady wisdom. We could call her wisdom personified in the Book of Proverbs and the other path is to chase after Dame folly. And Solomon just Compares. This is what life looks like when you chase after foolishness and this is what life looks like. When you chase after wisdom and I love what he said in chapter 3 there were as I was reading it where he said, let steadfast love and faithfulness, buying your heart, right? Don't lean on your own understanding. Delight yourself in the Lord trust in him and he will make your paths straight. Well, this is the anticipation of the reality that we have. Now that we become Christians, in the spirit isn't dwelling us. He's the spirit of wisdom and knowledge in town. So, he's, he's the one. Who's the, the paraclete the helper that guides us into the very wisdom of God, revealing to us the Lord. Jesus Christ didn't fax back in 1:8, we see here, that in Jesus verses 7, we have Redemption through his blood, the Forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of the Fall. Others, Grace, which he lavished Upon Us in all wisdom and insight. And so at the very beginning of the book Paul mentions that the father has given us Jesus and because he gave us Jesus, he's given us all wisdom and insight. It's not interesting and this mystery that goes on, to be revealed. He he brings up this idea again in Chapter 4 verses, 17 and 18. That he says, I say this and testify in the Lord that you must no longer walk is the Gentiles do in the futility of their minds, their dark, and in their understanding is alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them. Do the hardness of their hearts. This is how we were, but now we're in the Lord. And so, we don't walk that foolish path anymore. We walk in wisdom that God has given us. And so, Paul is, in a way returning to this theme of wisdom that he started in chapter one. And he says, in verse 15, look carefully. Then how you walk or be careful how you walk is, how I have it in the outline, the idea is watch carefully. Watch carefully. How you walk? This is really important at times, isn't it? I know that every time I've gone hiking on a trail that goes up a mountain side, whether it's half dome at Yosemite, or we were in the Grand. Canyon walking a trail. When there's one side, that's a sheer cliff. You walk carefully and you watch where you're walking and you kind of make sure not to walk too closely to the side. That's what I do is make my kids do that, right? Hold their hand on that side, so cuz I'm a mean Dad that wants to scare The Living Daylights out of them. He says, watch carefully. How you walk? This idea of giving close attention and and when he says watch this, command is both important and Urgent. Now, what I love is that that he's rooted in the fact that we have the ability to watch carefully because the spirits been given to us, he had said in Chapter 4 verses 1 to 6, that were called into this new relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and verses 7216 that we have received a special gifting from the resurrected Christ, which is the spirit himself. We've been taught the truth that is in Christ chapter 4 versus 20 and 21. And we've put on the new self verse 24 of chapter 4 and we are light in the Lord 5:8. So this reality, when he didn't send it to us, watch carefully. How you walk? He's not giving us a command that's impossible. Isn't that encouraging the Old Testament, would say the same thing. Watch carefully, how you walk? But the Old Testament Saints, didn't have the spirit to help them. They needed a circumcision of the heart, Deuteronomy 30, they needed the Heart of Stone taken out, Ezekiel 36, they needed a goal, all written on the heart, Jeremiah 31, they needed the New Covenant, what we have in Jesus. And so, because we have all of this when Paul says, watch carefully, how you walk? Not as unwise, but as wise, he's understanding the foundation is you have the spirit of God. Going to enable you to do so and he's going to return to this application of the spirit. When he says Verse 18, be filled with the spirit the next command. So be careful how you walk verses 15 to 18 in the first contrast. He says, is not as unwise, but as wise so, this idea of walking wisely, In the book of Ephesians, the wisdom of God in the mystery of God, go together and the in the word mystery back in chapter one is not something. As I said that we have to figure out like a good detective story with a Twist at the end know, this is something that was previously, unrevealed, but now is revealed in Jesus to understand the mystery is to be wise, and it makes us commit to bringing our lives into Conformity with God's plan for saving men and women in Christ. Turn back to Ephesians chapter 1. I want to take a moment and and walk through this, I know, I bounced around a lot and I am not apologetic for it. I want you to get the context of the whole letter, but let's slow down a little bit here in. And look at this progress of thought, by Paul 1:8, which I mentioned. The father lavished Upon Us in Jesus for seven, in all wisdom, and insight verse 9. Now is where I want to go making known to us. The mystery of his will according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ. So, when the father gave us Jesus, he revealed this mystery. The Jesus is the Eternal Son of God, who is the Messiah? Who is the one that God is bringing about reconciliation of the world and Redemption. And the restoration of all things, we understand the story. Now we understand the end. Now then go down to verse 17 of chapter one, that the god of our Lord Jesus Christ. The father of Glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and of Revelation in the knowledge of him. Remember, this is the first prayer in the book of Ephesians and Paul's praying that they would understand more. And more of what they already have. In Jesus verse 18, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened. So, what a picture our hearts, pictured, as having eyes, meaning, we have the ability to take something into our heart that which we see. I mean, a heart with eyes is kind of graphic. Yeah, let's not have a I created for us. That would be good for Halloween. And that's about it. No, the idea is were able to receive into our hearts through illumination and understanding of these realities. We already have this true of us and he gives us three realities here that you may know the hope to which he's called you. The part of the Revelation. The mystery is that we have great hope and he called us to it and it's a hope that will never put us to shame. Isn't that encouraging? I don't know what you went through this week. I know what some of you went through this week. I don't know what all of you went through this week, but it might have been deep valleys for various reasons, and the fact that we have a hope that will never put us to shame. And that the eyes of our heart would be enlightened to understand what is the hope to, which God has called us with him forever in heaven. No more pain. No, more suffering, no more, no more sorrow. War. No more. Stay in the hope that which is called us. And then second, he says, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the Saints and it's subtle here. But look at the word, whose inheritance is it, the father's, and what is he considered his own inheritance us that we are the Glorious inheritance of the father and he considers us his glorious. Inheritance, that is an incredible reality that we need. The eyes of our hearts enlightened understand that when the father looks at us, he sees us as his inheritance. He sent the sun to go get us. The sun, purchased us, the spirit sealed us verse 14. And the father is going to receive us to himself that we would be holy and blameless in his presence for ever. He had said in chapter 1 verse,

Somewhere in 325. There it is. Verse 4. What an incredible thoughts and how we need that ride. This idea of this is the mystery. In the wisdom of God, is that what you are experiencing? You may not think you're worth anything to God. You might think that the father has forgotten all about you. That is not true. The father sees you as his inheritance and he has been planning from eternity past, A Plan of Salvation that includes you to bring you safely home to take him. So he would receive you to himself. That is incredible. That's not even the last thing that Paul reserves, that's the greatest, he says third verse 19. What is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us? Who believe right now, the father is working power toward us, who believe do you feel like you're not saying prayer answered. Do you feel like you don't see the power of God at work in your life, man? This, this life can be Avail of Tears. And it's our circumstances can blind us. It could be like a like a filter, an Instagram filter that just changes the whole color of the scenes where it's not even what's truly there. but what's really going on right now is that the father is working his immeasurably, great power toward us, And he says you want to know what kind of power it is. Well, the end of verse 19, it's according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the Heavenly places. This is the same kind of power that raised Jesus from the dead and exalted him. That's the power that's at work toward us, who believe.

He doesn't stop there. Go over to 3:10. Paul says, actually lets us 82 me. The one, the least of all the saints, this Grace was given to preach to the Gentiles The unsearchable Riches of Christ and to bring to life for everyone. What is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God? Who created all things? So that is why I want to get divorced in. So that threw the church. The manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in Heavenly places. Paul says this is how God is reviewing his wisdom and his mystery is through the church that that the church is not an appendage to God's plan. The church is Central to God's plan and that it's through the church. That the father is proclaiming the mystery of the Gospel concerning his son, Jesus, Christ and working out the power of the spirit. So that even demonic forces, these powers, and principalities and rulers, and authorities in Heavenly places that are our foes in chapter 6, the father is preaching Victory through the church to them, their defeated foes, their time is coming, everything's going to be made, right? This is the wisdom of God. This is the power of God. And so, then when he gets to chapter 5, where we are in verse 15, and he says, therefore don't walk is unwise, but walk as wise,

What an incredible thought, the unwise are those who live and discuss, who live is, as those who just despise and have no true understanding of God's plan and purposes in Christ. Paul wants us to live with God's Redemptive plan. Always before our eyes, we need to understand God's intention for the universe. To sum up all things in his son, chapter 1, verse 9, and 10. And to live out our part to walk as children of light in a manner worthy of our calling. This also means and verse 16 will have the right attitude about time. We should desire to make the most of every opportunity to seize the day. Right Carpe Diem in the Latin. That we would why? Because the days are evil, he says in verse 16 the days are evil. They're under the control of the prince of the power of the air 2:2, who's supposed to God, and His purposes. Although we live in these evil days, we shouldn't avoid them or fear them. Rather we should see them as an opportunity to walk as wise to, to walk in a manner worthy of our calling. This is this is when the gospel shines most brightly

I remember being at the Jiu-Jitsu Academy with all of my friends who don't yet know Jesus and I'm praying for him. That they would come to Christ. But I remember, I was unemployed during covid for four months. Alongside of a, number of friends, who are unemployed And in that time of Crisis because the days were evil and we couldn't provide for our families, we're sitting there talking about it and they proceed Ryan, there's something different about your attitude about this whole thing. What is it? That makes a difference. Why aren't you angry? While I was a little angry, I just hit it a little better. Maybe, why aren't you fearful and anxious? Because I know God is my father and he loves me and he's in control and he's going to provide for me. And so this reality. Oh my goodness. I don't mean to interrupt this sermon but praise the Lord. That is a baby. And that is wonderful. Hallelujah. Yes,

Can I just take a moment and pray and thank the Lord and I'm so sorry. I didn't embarrass you. I didn't mean to do that. I just am. So it worth small church and I am so happy. Father, thank you for your kindness. And what is thank you? Lord for this healthy baby in this delivery and I cannot believe they're already her in our gathering. May you bless them? May you just show your favorite pain? This Little Child praise you. We praise you father. Amen. Wow. What a blessing. What a blessing. So so Paul wants us to live with this Redemptive plan in mind before our eyes. And although we live in these evil days, it's an opportunity to walk in a manner worthy of our calling. And to say that, yes, I can commiserate with my friends who don't yet know Jesus and say yes, the days are evil. The news shows us the wickedness of the world, but we have a whole and savior.

Going on verse 17, he says, walking his wise means we're not foolish, but work understanding the Lord's will, this isn't just a a restatement, he's slightly changing the rather than wise, an unwise he's saying, wise and foolish foolish refers to the wisdom literature in the Old Testament. It it's what we heard in Proverbs 3. It's the Greek word. In fact, translates the Hebrew word in proverbs 10, + 14, +, 17 describing the fool who is careless and lacking understanding in despising wisdom. And in contrast, we should understand the Lord's. Will we've heard this already when we were in chapter 1 earliest, but he says that this will of God is the mystery, the plan to some of all things in Jesus. The father is working all things into Conformity with the purpose of his will 1:11. And if you turn over to 6:6, We see that he's not done talking about the will of God, he tells Bond servants in verse 5, Obey your Earthly masters with fear and trembling with a sincere heart as you would Christ. Not by the way of eye services people-pleasers but his bond Servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man knowing that, whatever good anyone does. This he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is Bond servant, or is free. And so this idea of of understanding the, the will of the Lord not being foolish is to know that everything we do in life. Is we're doing it to please him and not men. We're doing it understanding that our reward is in heaven with our father and Ed. That's the great amazing thing about this idea of Grace is that everything we do for God is done in the power of the spirits are really. God is doing it through us and yet he's going to reward us for the things. He does through US. Isn't that incredible? And he thinks that we are his. He doesn't just think it. He tells us that we are his very inheritance chapter one that he's going to receive us back to himself. He's working to be with him forever. We can even now draw near to the throne of grace 2:18, we can draw near through the Sun and and what an incredible thoughts. This living in the knowledge and understanding that the will of God As revealed in the mystery of the Gospel has implications on our day-to-day life, understanding the Lord's will is not just head knowledge. It leads to gospel conduct, its the Lords will the will of Jesus Christ. It this focusing on the truth of the Gospel gives us the tools. We need to know that that we need to know 2 verse 10 to look at 5:10 when we try and discern what is pleasing to the Lord Jesus. The gospel in his wisdom revealed in scripture. Gives us the knowledge to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.

so, the Verse 18. So we have this idea of being careful how we walk and he uses three examples not as unwise but wise not as foolish but Discerning the will of the Lord to another way of being wise and then not drunk with wine but filled with spirit. So you can see the parallel of wise Discerning the will of the Lord and being filled with the spirit. Unwise foolish drunk with wine is the other parallel. When he gets the verse 18, He says, do not get drunk with wine for that is debauchery. But be filled with the spirit, Paul's primary concern in this versus not to speak out against drunkenness, as simple as that may be. But rather to urge his readers to live by the spirit continuously. Since verse 17 Paul has been contrasting 4:17, that is Paul has been contrasting. The life of the unbelieving world and the life of God's people. He gives gospel motivated commands. That we saw two weeks ago from 4:25 252, he contrast, dark and light that we looked at last week and now he's contrasting, wisdom and Folly. Giving you the big picture of Paul's argument, cuz we broke it out into a couple sermons. Why does he, why does he pick on drunkenness? Well, the commentators have lots of thoughts on this. What I would say is drunkenness. In some way, epitomizes the life of Darkness, it leads to dissipation that is sexual excess and debauchery. Paul says here and really what it's an issue of is what is filling you in controlling you What is controlling your life? Are you being controlled by the drunkenness of the world in that state that it brings you to? Or are you being controlled by the Holy Spirit? Unwise wise dark light outside of Christ in Christ.

So what does it mean? Then to be filled with the spirit while we could have a whole sermon on just that thought. But let me walk through Ephesians one more time to go back to 1:23.

Verse 22 to get the context. He the father put all things under his, the son's feet and gave him his head over all things to the church, which is his body. The fullness of him who fills all in all the church is, Christ's body. The fullness of him who fills all things and always. And so you have this first reality in 1:23 that where the body of Christ and where the fullness of him, who fills all things and always turn over to 3:19. This is in the second prayer. When he said that though that you would know the love of Christ how high and deep and wide and long it is. But at the end he says verse 19 to know the love of Christ, that surpasses knowledge that you would be filled with all the fullness of God, Casey have this connection to the church is Christ's body. And Christ is the, is the fullness of God, who fills all things and always. And now as we understand the love of Christ, how high and wide and deep and long it is which actually is beyond all knowing verse 19, you're filled with the fullness of God, the Father. Then 4:10. He Jesus, who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens that he might fill all things. So Jesus is going to fill all things, not just the church. And let's go back to 3:16 to see that. According to the riches of his glory, the father's Glory. He may Grant you to be strengthened with power, through his spirit, in your inner being. So in the context, it seems clear. The spirit is the one who fills us with the fullness of the Triune God. And as were filled with the fullness of the Triune God, we're understanding the love of the father in Jesus applied by the spirits, and it causes us than to walk in a manner, worthy of the calling, with which we've been called. We keep in step with a spirit, being sensitive to the spirit leading and bearing his fruit in our lives. The golden is to attain what we already have in principle. We have Jesus, we have fullness, we have spiritual maturity in principal. And now, we are living out of what we already have. We're becoming what we already are. It's this mystery of the already, not yet age that we live, but we know this. Don't we? We know that we're Saints already but we know. We're not yet wholly. We know that we're in Jesus but we're not yet like him completely. We know that we are now children of God adopted into his family. We know that we have the father's name but we know that are the image of God that's in us. Needs to be fully renewed, so that we completely resemble Our Father in heaven. So this is why Paul is saying, don't get drunk with wine. That's debauchery, you know, all about that cuz you live that in your previous life, instead, be filled with the spirit and then the remaining versus in the versus 19221, it's a command be filled with the spirit. And I would say that these five verbs participles, these five words that are explaining what it means to be Spirit-filled. These are not, the means by which you get Spirit-filled, but rather, these are the manifestations of someone who is Spirit-filled, they give us tangible. Evidence is of spirit filling. We can simply say the command is to display it. The spirit of God is in you because of the New Covenant display, the fruit of the spirit, what it means to be filled by the spirit and the five words and verses 19 to 21 are addressing or speaking to one another second singing, third making music or melody in our hearts. Fourth giving, thanks to God and 5th. Submitting ourselves to one another, those all explain what it means to be filled by the spirits, or be filled with the spirit, that the first three have to do with music. What that tells us is the first three this context of actually. All of these are in the context of the corporate Gathering, not primarily our individual lives. Why is this important will? Because Paul had already set in chapter two, that we are the temple of God where God Spirit resides. And As We Gather corporately the manifestation of our spirit filling will be heard in our singing and in our speaking and in our giving, thanks and in are submitting to one another inappropriate relationships. So speaking in Psalms and singing songs, verse 19, addressing one, another in Psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs. These three words are are parallel, but describing the the same activity from different perspectives. Horizontally in our relationships, with one another were to speak to one another or address one another in Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Now, these three words, Psalms, hymns. And spiritual songs are common synonyms. Their used interchangeably. For example, in the title of the song homes in the Old Testament when it was translated into Greek called the Septuagint, the headings that are there. We'll use these three words and if I say the Greek words, you go, yeah, yeah. Song Mas psalmist, is songs of coon-asses. Hymns and Odis is spiritual song. So I get sodes spiritual olds, these are just synonyms to what I think Paul is getting at is where to mutually encourage and exhort one another. By the full range of singing that the spirit prompts What does that look like? Will forgive me. I know I've used this illustration before, but this is, this is what it looks like as we gather together in the corporate Gathering. And we come in and maybe we're weary, maybe we are tempted to think that man is all of this even true. I'm tempted to abandon the face, and I'm wondering if it's my believing in, Jesus, is a waste of time. But I'm coming to church because I know I'm supposed to. I, I want to be there, but I kind of don't want to be there, and then I'm gathering. And then I stand there. And I see these words on the screen that speak of All Creatures of our God and King the first song that sang or perhaps the second song when I fear my faith May Fail Christ will hold me fast and I'm standing next to my brother or sister and I know what's going on in their life and I know that they're struggling with the same struggles, I'm struggling with and I hear them singing the song and there's still believing the gospel and I know that the circumstances in their life are actually worse than the circumstances in my life and there's still believing that it's true and it gives me encouragement to still believe the gospel is true. Have you ever experienced that I have? This is how we speak to one another address one another in our singing as we stand together corporately and we sing, this isn't an act of being a priest to the Believers to one another to encourage one another, in the face that we're believing the same things that God is faithful, that he's good and he does good. Even when our eyes don't see,

Paul says it's not just horizontal though. Vertically the next two words, singing and making music verse 19. Making Melody to the Lord with our hearts. This is vertically to God as we offer up our crazed weirdest, things of the Lord Jesus Christ, this isn't out working of the spirits filling. And so we know is we seeing or not Jew singing to one another worst together. Singing to the Lord, Jesus, giving praise to his name. And then verse 20 giving thanks always and forever thing to God, the father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. This gracious. Gratitude filled thankful attitude is an attitude of worship. In fact, the passage is very trinitarian. The spirit empowers us to give thanks constantly for everything you said. Be filled with the spirit, in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ to God, the father. And I wanted mention this, our English word, thanks. It's not quite the same or English word means to express. Gratitude for what we've received, the Greek word of Thanksgiving has more the idea of phrase not simply for what we receive from God, but also for who he is. Woohoo. Yes. When we give, thanks for everything. We're giving. Thanks not only for what God does but for who he is.

We thank him for who he is. That he is good, and he does good and he's on his throne and he's Sovereign over all things.

And then when he says, give thanks and everything, it doesn't mean we give. Thanks for the horrors of this world, the murder the abuse, the cruelty that hate. But rather we give thanks for a savior who alone can answer and redeem those Horrors.

And his last words, submitting. The last display of the spirits filling, his submission verse 21, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Its submission within divinely ordered relationships were going to look at these in the coming weeks marriage, the household parents and children slaves and Masters. And we'll talk about that when we get there. But these relationships, God is created in divinely order. Some of taking this verse to be teaching that all believers submit to each other but I, I think what Paul's getting at here, the context is clear, it's not Universal, Mutual submission but rather submission within divinely ordered relationships. So verse 21, it's the last A verb participle. That's connected to the command to be Spirit-filled but then versus 22 of chapter 5 all the way down to 6:9, are these divinely ordered relationships that he's talking about. In fact the word submit means to arrange under it was used a military rankings in the Roman army and it introduces the whole topic and explains Spirit-filled submission within the household structure. And the church at Ephesus, probably met in a house, which is why Paul used the house. Imagery if his argument had gone a different way. As it did in other letters, he might have said, 1st Corinthians 16. The church members are to submit to their leaders Romans. 13 that citizens are to be subjected governing authorities, Ephesians. 5:24 he even mentions the church being subject to Christ. This submission in verse 21 submitting to one another out of reverence or fear of Christ. I like the word reverence for the translation cuz it's not a paralyzing fear. We don't submit to one another because we're scared to death of Jesus. But rather because we honor him and Revere him as our Lord and savior. This is why we submit we're in all of the one whose presents were in the Lord Jesus. The one who saved us, the one who redeemed us, the one who has given us, all of these things that we've seen throughout the book of Ephesians and we've rehearsed today. Oh, that we would know how high and wide and deep and long. The love of Christ is that we be filled with all the fullness of God. This is why we submit to one another. In our divinely ordered relationships is because we know we're actually submitting to the Lord Jesus Christ. When we do so Now, by way of conclusion, I just want to show you that both the Holy Spirit and the wisdom. We we obtained through knowing Jesus in the context of the corporate Gathering that is centered on Jesus. This is what Paul is getting at what it means to walk as wise We are so prone to individualize everything because of our American culture. It's so individualistic but when Paul gives this command to walk as wise, he's giving it in the plural to all of us together. Wisdom is seen when we rehearse the gospel, when we sing the songs, when our service takes the shape of the Gospel, going from a call to worship and then a confession in a lament and then Assurance of forgiveness, and then taking the table and hearing a sermon in rehearsing everything we have in Jesus and then giving, thanks and then enlisting for service to say these are our marching orders as we go and even closing with a a benediction of a word of blessing Until We Gather again, the very shape of our service is meant to be a rehearsal of the wisdom of God in the gospel. So that you would walk as wise That I would walk as wise that we together would walk in wisdom. Making the most of the time, because the days are evil that we would buy back the time, that we would be living with gospel. Intentionality, we receive the father's wisdom through the spirit in the context of the corporate Gathering that centered on Jesus. And just as the spirit of God, filled the temple in the old Covenant, the spirit still fills the temple Us in the New, Covenant, isn't that incredible? The spirits with us right now. Filling us as the church. He's the one who is opening our eyes to see the wisdom of God, who is the Lord Jesus Christ. And as we walk in wisdom, we are making the most of our time. Father, thank you for this word, thank you for the encouragement that it is to just rehearse these things and remind ourselves of these things that are true.

All we have to do, father is read the news for one week and we get on settled and we get fearful and we get anxious. And this week has been a week of fears and anxieties. Week of Sorrow week of anger. Because of the evils of sin in this world. And we know we have an enemy. We know that the prince of the power of darkness is at work in the sons of Disobedience. We see it. And we can be prone to fear and thinking that that is the end of the world. And we need a reminder that Jesus who is raised to seated. At your right hand has been exalted high above all rulers, and authorities and Powers. And that he hasn't left us alone but he's poured out. His Spirit stealing us, father, you have sealed us until the day of redemption. And the spirit is the down payment and Pledge Of The Inheritance. We will receive and your plan is to make all things new and you were working your plan and no one will thwart it. Encourage my brothers and sisters. Is there hardcire weary when you bring them peace? if they're fearful and anxious, may you calm their troubled Minds by your spirits If they're angry filled with rage, may you remind them in your sovereignty. Did all judgment is given over to the Sun and we don't have to repay evil because Jesus will make all things right. Vengeance is yours. You will repay. if they're filled with joy and energy because of what you're doing in their lives, made their lips give you praise

In all of this father. even now as we turn to the table, may we be filled with a heart of gratitude and Thanksgiving. And may the fruit of our lips, the praise of our lips in the Gratitude, in our hearts, rise up into your presence. As a fragrant Aroma, well, pleasing to you. May you take joy in what you hear. Maybe Sweet Sound to your father. Prayers in the singing. And the worship of your people in Jesus name. Amen.