Tuned In
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Title- Tuned In
Title- Tuned In
Passage- Ephesians 5:17-21
Introduction
Old school TV antenna....
Attention- There were times, like the Super Bowl or a Presidential address where people would spend a lot of time and effort into getting the TV tuned in...
Problem- When it comes to the Spirits role in the will of God for our lives we get distracted and never receive a clear signal
Historical Problem- It was no different in Paul’s day
In the past few weeks we have looked at several areas that the Holy Spirit is vital to. This week is no different.
CPS- The Holy Spirit is vital to knowing and fulfilling the will of God.
In these verses Paul
What is in these verses that can give us a better understanding of the Spirit’s role in the will of God?
Transition
There are three questions that Paul answers in these verses pertaining to the Holy Spirit’s role in the will of God.
The first question is....
I. What Is The Will Of God?
I. What Is The Will Of God?
Explain
Verse 17
The first command we find is that we are to “be wise”
Verses 1-16 have been dealing with walking…which refers to our lifestyle or our behavior.
Verse 17 begins with “Wherefore”… and any time we come across the conjunctions “wherefore” or “therefore” we need to take note what they are there for...
*Here the wherefore points back to the exhortation to walk
-In love as Christ did (2)
-Walk circumspectly (15)
*We are also told to be followers of God (1)
*Not to be partakers of the things of this world (7)
Because of these things in the following verses we are to given two parallel exhortations and here in this verse we are commanded to be wise and also commanded not to be foolish.
Paul in referring to being wise here he is referring to God’s will for the life of the believer.
Now when it comes to God’s will there can be many different perceptions behind this one idea
-One may be wondering what job
*who to marry
*Where to go to college
*And many other “big” decisions.
I believe, based on the context of the book and specifically this chapter, that Paul is not necessarily referring to these big areas of life.
**In the previous verses he is discussing…our walk....what we follow…what we partake in....what we love
Here Paul is referring to our daily life, the mundane....the little things in life.
In other words we could say “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding how God would have you to live on a daily basis”
Marriage…education....jobs....these are all very important decisions. The wisdom that Paul is talking about here is the wisdom that on a daily basis prepares you to make those big decisions.
Illustrate When playing football the worst parts of it were Monday through Thursday…the practices. All of us just wanted to go out on the field and make that big play....
None of us were going to go out on the field and make that big play without going over the basics…the fundamentals…when we were practiced in the little areas and executed in those areas the big plays came.
Refute- Now in the Christian life it is similar....when we are not faithful in the little areas…when we put ourselves before our God and the big decisions come we will begin the process of searching for the path God has for you
*What if you were already on that path…because of your faithfulness…and the big decisions came to you…then you would be prepared to face them...
Apply
Transition- But what does all this have to do with the Holy Spirit? The series is on the Holy Spirit and we haven’t even mentioned Him yet....patients.
Now that we have a better understanding of what the will of God entails
A second question is...
II. How can we ensure that we will NOT know the will of God
II. How can we ensure that we will NOT know the will of God
Explain Verse 18...
Do not be drunk....Now our society has a lot of ways of describing this.....
-Sloshed…tanked....inebriated
*But what if you go to court because you were drinking and driving....how do they describe it?
*Under the influence.....
So, Paul in essence is saying, do not be under the influence of alcohol....
Now…even those who are severely addicted to alcohol are not continually, in the physiological sense, continually under the influence of alcohol.
*But those who have an addiction to alcohol are continually desiring the next drink....Even when not physically drunk they are under it’s influence....
*Almost every Scripture reference to drunkeness is seen in a negative light....
*This is something that, in light of being in Ephesians, we could call “the old man”
-Part of our past…part of the flesh and this world system
So, back to our question…how do we ensure that we will not know the will of God?
-Be controlled by the flesh..the “old man”
-Give more attention and affection to the things of this world than the one who died for this world....
We can become so infatuated with the things of this world that we forget who’s we are...
Illustrate- After graduating high school most of the people I knew went to state schools and there were more than a few of them that dropped out....not because of grades but because of alcohol.
They went to college for a purpose and while there got distracted by the partying....
Refute
Apply- Christians, our lives have a purpose…and we cannot let the partying of this world distract us from our commission...
We ought to be continually seeking after the will of God...
This then leads us to the third question...
Transition
III. How can we ensure that we will know the will of God?
III. How can we ensure that we will know the will of God?
Explain
Paul commands the believers to “be filled with the Spirit”
Two quick things to note grammar wise...
1- The verb is an imperative… that means it is a command…not an option. If you want to know the will of God it is imperative that you be filled with the Spirit.
2- The verb is in the “present tense” which means that it is an action that started at a specific point in the past and is in process with no foreseen end in sight.
So whats the big deal with the grammar here…it is as if Paul is saying
*It is imperative that you be filled and continue on a regular basis to keep being filled with the Holy Spirit”
-As a reminder…what is the purpose of the filling?
-To know the will of God…what is the will of God?
-How to live life on a daily basis
So, in light of these verses, what can we conclude?
*If you desire to live a life that honors God and do so on a daily basis the filling and continual filling of the Holy Spirit is essential to you success.
So, how do I become filled with the Spirit?
1- Accept Jesus Christ’s sacrifice…this is the initial filling
2- It is NOT by any special prayers
3- We need the Word of God and prayer to be filled with the Spirit
Not just reading and asking but allowing the Word of God and prayer to bring us to a point of yieldedness.
*Note that verses 19-21 are not a checklist to filling but a picture of the effects of a Spirit filled life
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Both these verses describe the process of purposefully setting your mind to focus on spiritual things...
-This is a phrase we use often…what do we mean?
-Spiritual things= the Spirit inspired teachings…the words that have been recorded and preserved for us.
Paul gives us another part of this filling right here in
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
God wants to fill us…whats the hinderance?
-Us
-We ignore God and love the world
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Illustrate
Train your mind to focus on spiritual things.
Refute
-We can train our minds while dieting…quitting a bad habit but when it comes to spiritual things we say we can’t...
-Not only can you…you must!!
Paul’s primary concern is to urge his readers to live by the Spirit continually.
Conclusion
Review of the Principles and the Sermon Proposition
Living a life that is honoring to God is the will of God for our life…we will never be able to reach this goal if we are distracted by the world…we need to be training our minds to seek after the things of the Spirit in order to be filled by the Spirit.
Visualize Audience Implementation
How?....Prayer and the Word of God.
Do you want to know the will of God...
Do you want to fulfill the will of God in your life?
The Holy Spirit is vital to knowing and fulfilling the will of God.
Final Statement
Don’t tune Him out
Closing Hymn
105 Fill My Cup, Lord
