Light vs Darkness
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I. INTRO
A. Where we’ve been
B. Where we’re going
C. Scripture
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
7 Therefore do not become partners with them;
8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),
10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
7 Therefore do not become partners with them;
8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),
10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.
11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
Eph
D. Prayer
E. Context
II. BODY
A. Light & Dark do not mix
a. do not be deceived, the wrath of God is coming
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
Eph 5:6
1. what R the empty words of deceit?
what are the empty words?
deceit in the church
i. there is no hell
deceit in the world
ii. don’t worry about sin…etc.
what are these things?
-Paul makes it clear in:
5 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.
iii. Instead o inheriting KOG, these folks will receive God’s just wrath
coming for who?
deceit in the world
-That’s why Paul says, “because of these things (godlessness o sexual immorality, impurity, loving/prioritizing $$ & acquisition of material stuff above/instead of God) HIS wrath is coming
read any book, listen to any commercial, any radio program, any movie, any song…their all trying to sell you a message as though it’s true!
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
-Church if we r willfully living in sin, we r partners w/darkness & clumped together w/that darkness which will justly receive the wrath of God
*Yes, God is loving
*Yes, God is merciful
*but Yes God is just & Holy!
~what do we do w/this info?
2. Our response:
if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
i. humble ourselves by seeking God’s face in prayer,
ii. turn from our ways to HIS ways,
-God will respond!
Heaven is for good people, so be good
multiple ways to heaven
all ways leads to God
who’s the sons of disobedience?
read any book, listen to any commercial, any radio program, any movie, any song…their all trying to sell you a message as though it’s true!
Jesus is the way, truth, life, no one comes to the father except through him!
b. Light must not partner with darkness
Eph 5:7
7 Therefore do not become partners with them;
1. Partner with darkness means to partake in it (so don’t)
i. this does not mean avoid all contact w/unchurched folks, but avoid joining in their sin
ii. Expose:
11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
Eph 5:11
2. Instead, the light exposes darkness
i. Expose: reprove/convince that darkness is darkness
-no compromising that sin IS sin
-we r to do so w/out engaging in gossip, slander, etc (which is also partaking in darkness instead of exposing it)
-let us show what is dark by living a life in the light through good & wise interactions
*This does not mean judging the world!
9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—
10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.
11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?
13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
c. You are not darkness , so walk like light
8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
Eph 5:
1. walk means to live!
2. what makes us children of light?
i. we’re IN the Lord
ii. we r not children of the light because we r good people
-we r children of the light because we’ve accepted Jesus as Lord & savior…making us “in the Lord”
-now that we R children of the light, we r free to ACT like it.
*how do we know?
B. There is evidence we are light in the Lord
9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),
a. We know a thing by what it produces
1. Jesus said it this way in:
43 “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit,
44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.
45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
i. u can tell a bad tree by its bad fruit
ii. u can tell a good tree by its good fruit
-what’s in a person naturally comes out!
*that is to say, Christian virtues grow naturally & spontaneously & not by obedience to a book of rules
Christian virtues … grow naturally and spontaneously’ and do not come ‘by obedience to a book of rules
Salvation is the mechanism that changes us from a bad tree to a good tree (the old creation becomes the new creation)
iii. Salvation is the mechanism that changes us from a bad tree to a good tree
-the old creation becomes the new creation
*so what’s the good fruit from a good tree?
b. the fruit of light is doing good
1. good: What God says is morally honorable, pleasing to HIM, & therefore beneficial
10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
morally honorable, pleasing to God, and therefore beneficial
Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Vol. 2, p. 273). Nashville, TN: T. Nelson.
c. the fruit of light is acting just
1. right: that which is righteous & just as God ordains it
3. the fruit of light is doing
d. the fruit of light is being true
16 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances.
1. In this vs we see Jesus displaying what it means to be true
i. Jesus authentically lives & teaches God’s way w/out regard for any1’s approval
-
ii. Let’s do likewise by living authentically as a Christ Follower
C. Light must seek & live out what is pleasing to God
Eph 5:
10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.
f. , not partake in it
11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
a. What pleases God is living a life that is good, just & true in our daily lives
1. This means that we must lean on God’s spirit to guide us in practically being good, just, & true from moment to moment, decision to decision.