Living as Children of Light
Notes
Transcript
Ephesians 1:1–2 (ESV)
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Text: Ephesians 5:1-21
I. A Life Worth Imitating
I. A Life Worth Imitating
Story: We can easily go through any point of history since the incarnation of our Lord, of which he stepped down into history over 2000 years ago and see that since that point every generation after has many who have carried the torch of faith onward. Lives of men and women who have lived out lives of faith, some martyred for this belief, some shining a light so bright that they changed the world around them, and others who have remained steadfast in the belief and confession of our faith. Those who have stood up to tyranny, those who have remained faithful when the society around them caves, and even during the reformation we see many who called to bring the church back in line with scripture, the sole norm and authority as to which we can see all truth revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Catchy Line: Just as these figures left a lasting legacy by the way they lived, we are called to leave a mark by imitating God in our daily lives.
Transition: Paul, in Ephesians 5:1-21, lays out a blueprint for how we, as followers of Christ, can live a life worth imitating—a life characterized by love, light, and wisdom.
II. Walk in Love Ephesians 5:1-7
II. Walk in Love Ephesians 5:1-7
Last week we talked about discernment and putting on Christ. Someone once explained the difference between wisdom and knowledge, and it goes like this knowledge is knowing that a tomato is fruit and wisdom is knowing that you do not put it in a fruit salad. When we have put on Christ we no longer walk as gentiles, or unbelievers, but now that we live a new life, a changed life one that now seeks after holiness, a life lived for our neighbor, not merely for the sake of doing good to merit something, but as a result of knowing what God first had done for us through sending his son to die on a cross in our place. Not just knowledge but wisdom. Continuing them in this same idea we read:
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
This again is where we emphasize context. Paul is not writing to unbelievers to become good, but to the faithful in the church at Ephesus. They are believers as us here today, where through the waters of baptism, through the working of the word, through the power of the Holy Spirit, He has washed us and made us new, creating in us a new and clean heart. Being made new, therefore we should not continue in our old ways, and now even we should be imitators of God.
For when we are children of God, we do as our very nature being children, we imitate our fathers. Parents you know exactly what this entails, as we watch our children grow, they look to us, and often imitate the things that we do. Every parent has had the child say a word they themselves say many times, but shocking when a three you old uses an expletive unexpectedly.
My second eldest son used to love to come to work with me, watching as we cut meat, breaking down halves of beef to quarters, down to primal, then to cuts and packed then on to the freezer. Fascinated by this he used to have a plastic knife, his own bump cap and even a small white coat, pretending to cut as I was, and imitating the movements, helping put meat into packages and so on. Today he is a butcher carrying on as a fourth generation in a line of tradition of which obviously I am no longer doing.
We imitate those whom we love and admire. God being our father and knowing the great sacrifice he is given only strengthens that love, by showing the great love he has for us.
Now is where this reading can get a bit tricky especially in the climate of the world today, but it needs said.
Ephesians 5:3-4
But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.
We have to walk a line here, understanding that this is tough and at the same time we cannot sugar coat it. Paul does not mince words and again this is not calling for works as a way of salvation, but there are some things by which we obviously should no longer being doing if we have become children of God and desire to be imitators of God. If we are to follower our father, loving as he first loved us, then these things are not even up for debate, even though today it seems nothing is off limits for some, this clearly is teaching that there is ultimately a standard as to which we should live.
Namely now sexual immorality, all impurity, covetousness must not even be named among you. Let along done among the saints. Those who are called by his name. There should not even be filthiness, foolish talk or even crude joking. This one even I find myself struggling with for I am always like a good laugh and who doesn’t like a good joke, there are somethings however that should not even be joked about.
Rather we should be giving thanksgiving in everything that we do. Then Paul doubles down on this and troubles us some more, and rightly so.
For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Good thing jokes are not mentioned here, and I do not mean to make light of this for this is a serious thing, especially today. The sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is an idolater) has no inheritance in the kingdom of God. Today this is considered hate speech, but it is the word of God saying it, I just agree with the word, and for those who may be offended take it up with God, not me.
This does not mean we wish any harm on anyone that wants to live this way, we are saying they have no place among the saints and that they themselves have excluded themselves from the kingdom, for this is a sign they are not repentant, and where there is no repentance there is no forgiveness and this is what leads to that calloused and hardened heart we talked about last week. And just to remind you if you think you have a hardened heart, and you are worried about it, you haven’t and the fact that you even are concerned shows the fact that you haven’t because that is the Holy Spirit still at work in you.
One other important note on this passage Paul equates coveting with idolatry and this is important, I would even say that it even ties in with the sexually immoral for it all amounts to the selfish desires of the heart which does not look to the things of God, but the ways of the world. Then runs after those things for their own pleasure at the expense of others.
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
Again those empty words, the vanity, they will lead you astray if your heart is not filled with the word of God, it will find something else to fill the void.
Therefore do not become partners with them;
We should not even partner up with people who do these things.
III. Walk in Light Ephesians 5:8-14
III. Walk in Light Ephesians 5:8-14
Now I know in all of this, it sounds hard and like we are being judgmental, call it what you will but there is some important truth to all of this and that is if you keep on these paths, if there is no repentance, if you say you are in the light but continue in darkness, then you have to ask who are you really worshiping God or the self?
for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
Our key verse, for we were at one time in darkness, we did not know the light of Christ, we lived our own way, did our own thing, and yet there always seemed to be something missing. Something wasn’t quite right, it is an undeniable fact of the world that something isn’t as it should be, life is difficult, troubles come, life doesn’t go as we planned, death seems to overshadow everything, and yet for us it has become very clear. The problem as we discover or the answer is found in the fall, that something went really wrong, but God has set it right.
That is what it means to now be in the light, out of the darkness, we now see clearly how we are saved, how life makes sense, how even in the times of trouble, we do not worry or even in the face of death, we do not fear like those who have no hope, for we know what the end means, we know that it isn’t the end, that there remains assurance for us in the resurrection, and a promise given that if you are baptized and believe you will be saved!
(for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),
Ephesians 5:10–11 (ESV)
and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
Not only are we to discern what pleases the Lord, we are to not take part in the deception that is going on in the world, or the unfruitful works of it, but we are to expose them. Everyone who comes to one of the Bible studies I lead can tell you that I put a huge emphasis on this all the time. Its why we study the Bible, why we dive deeper, to know the truth, for in knowing the truth you can see the lies and schemes of the devil, and even know how to refute them.
For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible,
Ephesians 5:14 (ESV)
for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
One of my all time favorite passages, “Awake of sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” It is a quote from Isaiah 60:1, telling us what God does for us, he takes us even when we were dead in our trespasses and sin and brings us to life, even life eternal.
IV. Walk in Wisdom Ephesians 5:15-21
IV. Walk in Wisdom Ephesians 5:15-21
It isn’t all bad news as it almost seemed there at the beginning, but how are we to really see the good-news if we do not first hear and understand the Law, that we are to no longer live as we once did, stumbling around in darkness, but now that we are in the light, everything is so clear. IF it isn’t for you, please do not neglect this truth and wonderful gift that is so freely given.
Now I am going to run through this last little bit quickly as I can. For it is very important to bring the message home.
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
Warning us not to not slip back in to the darkness.
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.
That will of the Lord is simple, trust in him, believe in his salvation won for you by Jesus on the cross, and know that you are saved for you have been baptized and believe. The days are evil and only getting more so by the day, do not be deceived by the empty promises of this world or the devil.
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
Again I do not need to say much other than clearly we are to live int he promise and hope that is found in Christ.
and finally Ephesians 5:19-20
addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with 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.
As you are now in the light, let your light shine before others so that when they see your good works they glorify your father in heaven. Amen.
