Ephesians 5:8-14

Ephesians 5:8–14 ESV

8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

In our media driven culture it is often difficult to tell the good guys from the bad guys. And not just on TV. But even sometimes in our own conversations. We are often confused when we make choices that are good and right. But other see them and portray them as evil.

We expect young children to have difficulty with this.

The Bible talks of wisdom, discretion, discernment as something one can gain by assiduous searching and practice. And that's why two-year-olds don't have it, they're not born with it, and they haven't had time to gain it. Proverbs says. If you seek it like silver and search for it, as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God, for the Lord gives wisdom.

But adults should be practiced in looking around and testing what we see by the standards contained in the Bible and in God's created world to discover whether what we're looking at is good guy or bad guy. Paul tells the Ephesians in this very passage, try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.

In this passage. Paul tells us that we ourselves were darkness. We weren't just in it, we were it. But thankfully, when anything is exposed by the light. Paul says, it becomes visible. We Christians were exposed to the light. And are supposed to live in such a way that our goodness, righteousness and truth shines that light exposing the wickedness around us.

We can't ever forget that we ourselves were at one time darkness, and we are called to live in this world not to leave it, and to live with love for God and neighbor. As we worship this morning, be thankful that we have been given the light of Christ and each other.