Smart Walking
Ephesians: Rooted and Grounded • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
Introduction
Introduction
Chapter 4 gave us a description of the inner conflict of the Christian. We saw the two natures walking through life with us. As we began chapter 5, we saw another way to show the conflict inside, two environments. This morning, we will see a final description of our walk. There are two types of people, foolish and wise.
The letter of Paul to the Ephesians, an important epistle in the Bible, has much to say on the subject of what our church should be. Paul has shown us the importance of unity, faithful leadership and biblical order in the church. We will see the vital part that their family plays in the life of every Christian. We have seen the blessings of God through His salvation. We will also see the reality of the spiritual warfare around us.
Written by Paul the Apostle, Ephesians is a letter that begins high on a mountain top in chapter one. We see the amazing blessings of the Trinity toward saved man. In chapter two, we see two paragraphs that give us the truth of grace for mankind. We are saved by grace. We are united by our sin and His salvation. Chapter three gave us insight into the task of Paul as an apostle and his prayer for the church at Ephesus. Salvation is a major focus of those doctrinal chapters in Ephesians. In chapter four, we see the way that we can live out these beneficent truths through a faithful walk in His unity. God has given us gifts, people, to help us in this walk through the local church. Walking requires two companions in the life of the Christian and each of us must chose which to listen to. Walking requires two environments that we must navigate and our choice ought to be toward the light that we have been saved to.
Remember, the central theme of Ephesians is the unity of believers, in Christ, as part of the local church.
This morning we see the final section in the book of Ephesians on our walk. We have seen that each of us is to walk daily according to our call. We have seen that God has given us resources to accomplish this command. This morning, we are looking at a way to classify people according to what choices they made.
I have done some unwise things in my life, as we all have. One day I was riding my bike through the neighborhood where we grew up. I had a mountain bike with gears and brakes and I enjoyed riding it around after school. I thought, as I was riding, I wonder what would happen if I put my feet through the spokes of the front wheel as it is rolling along. Let, me tell you, the answer is a front flip and possible damage to the bike! I put my feet into the spokes and immediately went over the handlebars and onto the street. Suffice it to say, I have not tried that again.
All of us do unwise things. However, our lives ought to be characterized by the wisdom of following the will of God.
In the passage this morning, we see that the words “fool” and “wise” are used. Throughout the Proverbs of the Old Testament, these two groups are contrasted in their interactions with God and the circumstances of life. The wise person is only wise because of his intentional growth in the ways and wisdom of God. The foolish person is only foolish by his intentional maintenance of a way of life that follows the desires of the world and the teachings of his own heart.
God wants us to be wise. Wisdom is attainable for the child of God. How do we get wisdom? We ask for it.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Don’t be a person who does unwise things like I did with my bike. Be wise today because the dangers that we face along the road of life are too great to face without the wisdom of the will of God.
Declaration
Declaration
Walking in between darkness and light requires carefulness and wisdom. Today, we need to follow the will of God in being filled with the Spirit in order to carry out this command. There are three characteristics of a smart walker.
1. Following
1. Following
See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
There is a command here to watch diligently where we are walking. We are to watch the walk of our Saviour and follow the details of the faith we have received. “Circumspectly” is an adjective that gives us the picture of a person who is constantly looking for anything that could affect the path ahead. If there is a stumblingblock, he avoids it. If there is a temptation, he flees from it. If there is a contention, he mediates it. The person who is walking in this way will be sure to follow the Light and walk on the path that God has designed for us.
The contrast created by this command is between those who will walk as such or those who will continue to follow their own ways. Foolishness is contrasted here with wisdom. Wisdom is following the Lord. Foolishness is following self. This is the only time that this word for fools is used in the New Testament. Foolishness is trusting in instinct and desire not the wisdom of God through faithfully following Him. Paul commands the Ephesians to walk as wise men. These wise men will be following the commands of the Word of God.
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes:
But he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.
Another command of Paul here is regarding effective time management. A quick search on Amazon for the phrase “time management” gives 40,000 results. If you have ever been involved in any business setting, you are likely familiar with this idea and perhaps some ways to carry it out. The Bible tells us to be “redeeming the time”. Redeeming is the choice to make sure that everything we do and every opportunity that we can take will count for the will of God. The focus is on the idea of opportunity. We have been given opportunities by God. Paul’s command here is to be a good steward of these opportunities for the glory of God.
Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
Why are we commanded to redeem the time? The days are evil is the reason. There is “moral corruption” all around us. That is the phrase used by multiple dictionaries when talking about the word translated “evil.” We see this today all around us. There are problems because of sin. There are crimes because of sin. There are deaths because of sin. Evil affects our opportunities. If we wait to obey God, sin advances in the world.
There is a summation of this idea of following in verse 17. Being unwise is walking without discernment. Being unwise is squandering the opportunities that God has placed before us. Being unwise is choosing to allow the evil to move forward in these last days. Choose wisdom as that is God’s will for you! The importance of discernment is that we find out and follow what God wants for us. This is the will of God.
For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
Smart Walking is Following
2. Filling
2. Filling
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Alcohol
Alcohol
The second characteristic of smart walking is filling. Paul gives us contrasting commands here. He begins with the negative command. Paul commands the Ephesians “be not drunk with wine.” The verb “be drunk” is the complete intoxication of the body.
When a person is under the influence of alcohol, they are unable to fulfill the will of God. Christians ought not to partake in any activity that would cause them to be under the influence or power of anything other than God Himself. The key idea found here is influence. If you were to be pulled over for being drunk, your charge would likely be “driving under the influence”. Even our laws recognize the truth of this command of Paul.
In my studying on this subject, several commentators connected this passage with other commands about alcohol in the New Testament. The New Testament gives us at least two reasons to completely abstain from any form of alcohol. One is that we should not engage in anything that would negatively affect a fellow brother in Christ.
It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
A second reason is that our former life was characteristic of the uncontrolled desires and work of the flesh. The world is happy to engage in the consumption of alcohol. We as Christians are called to another filling!
For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
What does the Bible say about alcohol? Lets see three truths:
First, alcohol is deceptive.
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging:
And whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
The word “mocker” is the idea of voices talking and denigrating someone. The word “raging” is the idea of loud and chaotic. Solomon says here that anyone is deceived by alcohol is foolish. As Paul has said, they are “not wise”. Alcohol is deceptive.
Second, alcohol is destructive.
Who hath woe? who hath sorrow?
Who hath contentions? who hath babbling?
Who hath wounds without cause?
Who hath redness of eyes?
They that tarry long at the wine;
They that go to seek mixed wine.
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red,
When it giveth his colour in the cup,
When it moveth itself aright.
At the last it biteth like a serpent,
And stingeth like an adder.
Thine eyes shall behold strange women,
And thine heart shall utter perverse things.
Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea,
Or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick;
They have beaten me, and I felt it not:
When shall I awake?
I will seek it yet again.
In verse 31, Solomon says that the wine goes down well. It seems enjoyable. However, after all is done, it bites like a snake. What fights occur because of alcohol! What deaths happen because of intoxicated driving! What fear is placed in the hearts of people when a person drinks and become violent! It is a snake that will consume your life! Alcohol is destructive.
Third, alcohol is dissipating. This is a word that I had to look up as it was used by multiple commentators on this passage.
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Paul uses the phrase here “wherein is excess”. The Greek word translated “excess” is connected to dissipation, debauchery, and ungovernable behaviour.
dis•si•pa•tion \ˌdi-sə-ˈpā-shən\ noun
15th century
1: the action or process of dissipating: the state of being dissipated:
a: DISPERSION, DIFFUSION
b archaic: DISSOLUTION, DISINTEGRATION
c: wasteful expenditure
d: intemperate living especially: excessive drinking
2: an act of self-indulgence especially: one that is not harmful: AMUSEMENT
We see this word “excess” in Luke as it describes the action of the younger son in the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
On alcohol, Spurgeon said
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, Vol. XXXV Filling with the Spirit, and Drunkenness with Wine (No. 2,111)
Other sins may seem to go deeper into the soul, and are more subject to punishment by law; but for creating widespread suffering, suffering brought upon the innocent, upon the wife, and upon the child, this vice raises its head above all others.
Paul commands us “be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess!”
The positive command is to be filled with the Spirit. This filling is a passive allowance of the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts, develop sanctification and move us to be more like Him. On the day of Pentecost, the people believed that the disciples who were preaching under the influence of the Holy Spirit were intoxicated.
For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
Being filled with the Spirit is our allowance of God’s working. We don’t make ourselves filled with the Spirit. We allow ourselves to be filled. The Christian life is a conscious walk in the power and presence of God as He develops, teaches, and tests us to be what His will desires of us.
On being filled with the spirit, one commentator said
A Commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians Commentary
The man who has a right discernment will not seek refreshment or excitement from wine, but from the Holy Spirit.
Music
Music
Two great subjects are arranged under this idea of a filled walk. The first, as we have seen, is alcohol. The second in verse 19 is music.
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
The first component of this command is to speak to the church as a group. We are speaking to the church as a body. Three ways are given for this speaking.
Psalms - Old Testament songs of praise that were recited in church services and as encouragement to one another. Psalms have been sung since the days before Christ. Even today, we can sing and encourage one another with Psalms.
Hymns - Religious songs that give praise to God. These were man created but in the early church, we see that there is much truth in these hymns even to be quoted by Paul in certain letters. Hymns teach doctrine and help us to remember to praise God.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Spiritual Songs - The word “spiritual” here is combined with the word “song” to show that we are to make sure that our songs are about something beyond ourselves. These songs are about the Holy Spirit who has changed our lives and will change others as well. The word “song” here is the same word used of poetry in the Greek world, the word “ode”. These were poems of praise to God set to music.
James commands us,
Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
The second component of this command is internal. Making melody in your heart is internal. This is singing either with or without an instrument in our hearts to God. We are to participate both in corporate worship and personal devotion to God. I remember growing up in church and seeing the change in the actions of kids as they got older. In childhood, we all love to sing. We enjoy making up songs or recalling sections of songs we have heard. As teenagers, we believed that singing was for kids. I remember seeing many teenagers who thought they were too cool to sing out in worship. Don’t be that person! God has commanded us to sing both in church and by ourselves.
This is something that I have started doing in my devotions each morning. I am going through the lyric psalms of Isaac Watts that he has set to tunes for song. Singing encourages the soul, reminds the mind, and employs the heart in the pursuit of the will of God.
And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
One example of singing a psalm is Ps 18. It gives encouragement of God’s victory in the battles of our lives.
I Sing the Mighty Power of God
The Works of the Rev. Isaac Watts, Vol. 9 Psalm 18 Part II. [C. M.]
PSALM 18 PART II. [C. M.]
The conqueror’s song.
1 TO thine almighty arm we owe
The triumphs of the day:
Thy terrors, Lord, confound the foe,
And melt their strength away.
2 ’Tis by thine aid our troops prevail,
And break united pow’rs;
Or burn their boasted fleets, or scale
The proudest of their tow’rs.
3 How have we chas’d them thro’ the field,
And trod them to the ground,
While thy salvation was our shield,
But they no shelter found!
4 In vain to idol saints they cry,
And perish in their blood:
Where is a rock so great, so high,
So pow’rful as our God!
5 The Rock of Isr’el ever lives,
His name be ever blest;
’Tis his own arm the vict’ry gives,
And gives his people rest.
6 On kings that reign as David did,
He pours his blessings down;
Secures their honours to their seed,
And well supports their crown.
Following
Filling
3. Fearing
3. Fearing
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
The final characteristic of smart walking is fearing. Who are we fearing? We fear God.
Fear in this use is connected with respect and reverence. We show this reverence to God through recognizing and being grateful for what He has done for us. We saw this same idea above in contrast to the evil speech of the world.
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Submission is the decision to allow another’s desires to be placed before your own. The ultimate submission of every person in the church is to God Himself and His revealed will as we have seen in this passage. The will of God has been given to us to walk as wise. Wisdom is submission to those who God has placed around us as we are humble in the salvation that God has given us. We will see this more next week in our relationships.
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
The connection between submission and the fear of God is that we center all that we do together on the common salvation that we have in God through Christ. Because we have chosen to trust Him for salvation, we can also trust Him for power in the church.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge:
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Foolishness and wisdom are the two choices along the road of life. The will of God is wisdom. The will of man is foolishness.
Following
Filled
Fearing
Conclusion
Conclusion
Walking in between darkness and light requires carefulness and wisdom. Today, we need to follow the will of God in being filled with the Spirit in order to carry out this command.
There is a connection here between alcohol consumption, time management and wisdom. Paul is bringing these under the umbrella of the will of God. The Holy Spirit has a priority for our church, the Gospel given to the world. We need to be in touch with the Spirit for this to be possible.
How in touch are you with the Spirit? Are you walking wisely? Where are you on the path of life? Smart walking is following Christ, filled with the Spirit, and Fearing God. Wise men tend to stay together. Foolish men do as well. Look at those around you and what do you see?
He that walketh with wise men shall be wise:
But a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
Paul commands the Ephesians to walk wisely. How are you walking today?
Walking is something that we have done throughout our life. What if you are still walking in darkness? Jesus has hope for you today! He has died on the cross and rose again to give you new life. Accept the Light today. Believe in His sacrifice for your even now. God’s will is your salvation. You can choose to follow His will today.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
