Wednesday, March 6, 2024

We pick back up tonight in the book of Ephesians. We have been talking about the practical walk of the believer. The walk of the believer is the day-to-day life of the believer. How we function as a follower of Jesus Christ. What does that look like? In our walk, we either contribute to the well-being and building up of society, or we contribute to the tearing down of society. When we consider our walk in those terms, that puts a huge responsibility on our shoulders. We need to consider these things daily.

Ephesians 5:15-21 NASB

15 So then, be careful how you walk, not as unwise people but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, in which there is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to our God and Father; 21 and subject yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ.

- Five ways we can have a positive impact on the world around us through our Christian walk.

I. By looking around and watching every step (v. 15)

Ephesians 5:15 NASB

15 So then, be careful how you walk, not as unwise people but as wise,

Because our life is a constant walk, a constant moving forward, God warns us to be careful in HOW we walk. Paul says we are to walk

- CAREFULLY carries the idea of doing something carefully and accurately.

That requires a constant state of attention to achieve.

In this verse,

- Paul references two individual ways to walk

; as an unwise person or a wise person.

1. The unwise person

- The unwise person is someone who acts constantly without thinking. They are thoughtless, careless, and uncaring.

They don’t consider where they are going or how any of their words or actions will impact others around them.

- They are self-focused and worldly-focused.

- They never consider God or His ways and will.

The thought this just doesn’t take place in their mind.

- The unwise person thinks they will be accepted by God just by living life.

Their thought is, “I’m a decent person, I’ve never committed any major crimes or killed anyone, so I’m good. The unwise person thinks they can pay their DUES to God here and there and that’s all that’s needed.

The unwise pay no attention to their steps. They do not watch what they are doing. They don’t care what they are doing. Following any kind of careful or disciplined life is a foreign concept to them, and they sure ain't going to submit to what someone else believes about their life.

2. The wise person (Galatians 5:16, Colossians 2:6, 1 John 2:6)

- The wise person is careful, thoughtful, caring, and spiritual-minded in all things.

- He knows God personally and knows that he has been given a purpose and a testimony in this life.

In all his daily affairs, he considers the ways and will of God. He considers how his actions and words impact others and acts and speaks with intent.

- Sin matters. Mistakes matter. Others matter. Action matter.

- Therefore, the wise man is very careful and attentive to his walk.

Each step is purposely and intentionally placed. He understands that the answer to the problems of life and sin is found only in Jesus, so his mind is centered on that always.

Galatians 5:16 NASB

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

Colossians 2:6 NASB

6 Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

1 John 2:6 NASB

6 the one who says that he remains in Him ought, himself also, walk just as He walked.

The first part of our walk – look around and be careful of every step.

II. By redeeming the time (v. 16)

Ephesians 5:16 NASB

16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

The KJV reads, “Redeeming the time.”

The idea of redeeming time is not to BUY time.

- Time is a thing God has created. We live in the realm of time and space.

- The time we have to live on this earth has been set and established by God as a gift.

It is not something we earn or spend, it is simply something we have, and we have it in limited availability. To redeem that time is to turn it in for something of value. It is to use the time for a purpose, not wasting it.

1. Use time wisely; don’t waste it

Time exists with or without us. We don’t have to earn any, but we should use what we do have wisely.

There are a lot of things in our world that allow us to waste our time. Our phones are probably the biggest time wasters we have. I’m guilty of mindlessly scrolling through social media, worthlessly wasting time.

- Instead of wasting this time, we could dedicate that time to our work, our worship, or meeting the needs of others.

2. Use time by making the most of the opportunities that come through the day. (2 Corinthians10:5, Colossians 4:5, Psalm 90:12)

There are only so many opportunities we are presented within a day’s time to make an impact. We all get the same 24 hours; we just don’t all use those 24 hours as efficiently or effectively. At the end of the day, when we look back,

- Can we say we used our time for the opportunities it presented?

Did we take the opportunity to be the most productive we could? Were we diligent in our duties and responsibilities? Were we faithful to God and our families? Did we speak up for Christ, righteousness, and justice? Did we share Christ? Did we pray or study the Word of God instead of allowing our time to be wasted?

These are all things we should consider in our Christian walk. To be careful and intentional in how we live requires us to make the most of the time we are given to make the largest impact we can.

Look at the reasoning behind why

- Paul says not to waste our time because “The days are evil.”

- This references the evil that the believer faces every day, the temptations that come our way constantly.

To keep from falling, we must be careful of where we place our feet, or we might end up tripping over Satan’s trap. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “An idle mind is the devil’s playground,” or, “Idle hands are the devil’s playground.” There’s a lot of truth to that. If we do not guard our minds and our walk, we end up as a target for Satan.

- The time to stand up for righteousness, love, prayer, witnessing, ministry, etc., will pass. Are we making the most of it?

2 Corinthians 10:5 NASB

5 We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

Colossians 4:5 NASB

5 Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.

Psalm 90:12 NASB

12 So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.

We must walk carefully and make the most of our time.

III. By understanding the Lord’s will (v. 17)

Ephesians 5:17 NASB

17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Again, we find Paul referencing both the foolish or unwise and non-foolish or wise man.

- The foolish man does not understand or even care about the will of God.

- The wise man understands and seeks the will of God in all things.

To conquer the evil mentioned in verse 16, the wise man must understand the will of God. We must be able to grasp and comprehend His will.

- How do we do this?

· Knowing the Word of God (John 8:31-32, Psalm 119:9)

John 8:31-32 NASB

31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Psalm 119:9 NASB

9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word.

· Being sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26, Psalm 143:10)

John 14:26 NASB

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you.

Psalm 143:10 NASB

10 Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

Walk carefully, make use of your time, and follow the will of God.

IV. By rejecting drunkenness (v. 18)

Ephesians 5:18 NASB

18 And do not get drunk with wine, in which there is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

Drunkenness here doesn’t apply just strictly to alcohol as many assume, but also includes the intoxicating effect of harmful drugs.

- Paul says drunkenness leads to debauchery. Debauchery is excessive behavior.

- In Greek, it meant:

· The dissipation and wasting away of the Body,

· Uncontrolled behavior,

· Rioting, wild, and outrageous behavior and conduct

- Drunkenness is about what destroys the body and causes you to lose control of behavior and actions when taken in excess.

Drunkenness is an act of the flesh and often leads to other sinful behaviors.

- The Bible says several things concerning drunkenness.

1. A life of drunkenness excludes someone from the Kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NASB

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor those habitually drunk, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-21 NASB

19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, 20 idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

2. Drunkenness leads to other forms of sin and bad behavior. (Luke 15:13)

Luke 15:13 NASB (Prodigal Son)

13 And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his estate in wild living.

3. Drunkenness makes it impossible to grasp the opportunities of time

- Avoiding drunkenness is about what controls you.

Drunkenness causes a loss of control in behavior, actions, and inhibitions. To be filled with much wine leads to drunkenness. Instead of being filled with much wine and surrendering control to that, we should be filled with the Holy Spirit and surrender control to Him.

V. By being filled with the Holy Spirit (v. 18-21, John 14:21-22, Acts 4:31 Acts 13:52)

Ephesians 5:18-21 NASB

18 And do not get drunk with wine, in which there is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to our God and Father; 21 and subject yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ.

- This is not speaking of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

At salvation, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within the life of the believer. This is a dwelling that does not cease. To be filled with the Holy Spirit is different.

Paul gives this command in the present tense;

- We are to be constantly filled with the Spirit and to keep being filled.

This is the Holy Spirit’s personal manifestation of Christ to the believer who walks obediently to Him daily.

- The responsibility of being filled rest on the shoulders of the believer.

This special revelation can be seen in:

John 14:21-22 NASB

21 The one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) *said to Him, “Lord, what has happened that You are going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?”

This references a special manifestation of the Spirit in the heart of the believer; a unique consciousness of the love between God and the believer.

- This is only given to believers who do two things:

1. Receives the commandments of Christ

2. Keeps the commandments of Christ

In that special revelation,

- God shows His person, nature, and goodness, and illuminates HIMSELF within the heart and lives of the believer.

Acts 4:31 NASB

31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

Acts 13:52 NASB

52 And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

- Three traits of the individual who is filled with the Holy Spirit.

1. Has a singing spirit (1 Corinthians 14:15, James 5:13)

The mention of singing is tied to joy and happiness. The foolish person seeks their joy in drink and debauchery. The Holy Spirit-filled person sings.

What do we sing: Songs and hymns.

1 Corinthians 14:15 NASB

15 What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit, but I will sing with the mind also.

James 5:13 NASB

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.

2. Has a thankful spirit (Philippians 4:6, Colossians 3:17)

Ephesians 5:20 NASB

20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to our God and Father

Note that

- Paul says they are thankful ALWAYS and for ALL THINGS.

God guides and directs the life of the Holy Spirit-filled person. He shows us the way and leads us. His fingerprints are on every aspect of our life. Therefore, we can be thankful in all situations.

Philippians 4:6 NASB

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Colossians 3:17 NASB

17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

3. Has a submissive and respectful spirit

- The Spirit-filled person does not have an attitude of criticism, dissension, envy, or selfishness.

They consider others before themselves.

- Likewise, a Spirit-filled church is the same.

They are submissive – going out of their ways to minister to and care for others.

Romans 12:3 NASB

3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.

Philippians 2:3 NASB

3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves;

Let’s evaluate our Christian walk, and see if it lines up with these things.