Be Filled

Bible Passage: Ephesians 5:15-20

Our lives are full of stuff aren’t they? Sometimes it good things that fill up our lives. Time with family, activities for our kids, hobbies that help us relax or find fulfillment. Sometimes it’s not so great things. Jobs that demand your constant attention and focus, hobbies that distract from God and/or family, the constant pursuit of more. Sometimes it more about what we fill ourselves with that is the most life giving or life stealing.

My problem is I fill my time with stuff. Things that maybe don’t really matter but are stealing so much attention and effort.

Thursday I decided to do some work on my truck. Nothing serious, just putting in somethings i got for my birthday. Well, what I thought would take an hour took 4 hours. Not a huge deal, but I had more important things to do that day. I allowed something that was not important to distract me from what really matters.

So how do we break the cycle of being filled with things instead of being filled with God? How to we make that switch? Is it even possible?

I’m glad you asked. Ephesians 5 warns us to live like the wise, not the foolish. It also describes what the looks like and how to break the cycle.

1. Pursue Purposeful Living

Ephesians 5:15–16 NLT

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.

I don’t think any of us would argue that we are living in good days. It’s obvious that evil is taking the win right now.

So often we assume that, as Christians, we will just naturally do the right thing. Like Jesus is our auto-pilot. We believe that we will do whatever we feel is right and God will understand because He is love. We can just go through life completely checked out.

This verse is saying we have to be careful how we live. Why? Because we will live like fools and we are supposed to be wise. Stepping into wisdom is not easy or natural. It takes humility and hard work. It means sacrificing what feels good in the moment for what is best.

Purpose is not free. It means making the most of every opportunity, because you won’t get many. The world is not going to help us.

So how do we make sure that we are pursuing purposeful living?

2. Prioritize Spiritual Fulfillment

Ephesians 5:17–18 NLT

Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,

As Christians, Jesus followers, we are over and over again called to be wise, thoughtful, aware of the times.

Why does Paul say “don’t be drunk with wine? Wasn’t Jesus first miracle turning water into wine?”

John 2:1–11 NLT

The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

Context is extremely important when reading the Bible. Because there are other verses that saying things like…..

Proverbs 20:1 NLT

Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls. Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.

So how do we reconcile Jesus turning water into wine when the Bible tells us that alcohol leads us astray? Well, you have to understand wine in the Bible. Wine in those days covered 2 types of drink. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

Alcoholic, or fermented, wine was juice from grapes that had gone through the process of being fermented. This product changed the consistency of the juice and made it more bitter.

The non-alcoholic, or unfermented, wine was much more common. It was sweet like grape juice. During a time when there weren’t many flavored drinks, this type of wine was considered “choice” wine. The best wine. You could drink large quantities without any ill effects.

This is why alcohol, in any quantity or form, is bad for you. You only know you are drunk once you are drunk. When we are drunk we act thoughtlessly. We are filled with something that takes a control away from us. We are filled with something that is meant to dull our senses and lose control.

That is why here Paul is comparing it to being filled with the Holy Spirit. When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, self control is a fruit of that. When you are filled with the Holy Spirit you can act wisely and from a place of authority. Being filled with the Holy Spirit day and day after day is what empowers us to live according to God’s purpose and will for our lives.

Let’s look at a comparison of being filled with wine and being filled by the Holy Spirit..

Let’s compare the “fruit”:

Filled with Wine Filled with the Spirit

Impaired thinking Renewed mind

Self-indulgence Self-control

Emptiness Gratitude and joy

Temporary escape Eternal purpose

Division and strife Unity and worship

Before you come at me I want you to consider something. If this makes you angry, mad, frustrated, upset. Consider why this topic is making you feel that way.

3. Proclaim Praise and Gratitude

Ephesians 5:19–20 NLT

singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Singing is mentioned over and over again in the Bible. We are called to sing the praises of God, sing about the works of God, sing to God. This is an expression not only of joy, but deep emotion. David sang when he was joyful and miserable. When he was a king and when he was a Shepard. As Christians, when we sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, we are building ourselves up spiritually. We are forcing our mind and body to come into alignment with our spirit. It’s easy to get sidetracked by what is happening in life. It is some important to remember that no matter what Jesus has not changed.

We are going to take a minute to worship Jesus together. Maybe you don’t feel like singing or worshipping God. Forget y our feelings and do it anyway. When we worship Jesus, especially when we don’t feel like it, we are reminding our selves that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He never changes therefore He is always worthy of our worship.