The Distinction of Children of Light
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8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Ephesians 5:
Introduction
Introduction
There could not be a stronger example of contrast than the example of ...light vs darkness.
EXAMPLES:
That is exactly the contrast that Paul is presenting to us here in Ephesians chapter 5.
Getting out into the country away from the city light pollution and seeing the stars more vibrant than ever
For all of us that are Star Wars fans the whole premise of the series is based on the forces of good vs the forces of evil…and the evil is described simply as the “dark side”. In life we say things like… “its simply black and white” to describe the difference between two opposing views.
In the very beginning pages of Scripture you find God’s example:
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
God called the light good
God made a division between dark and light
That is exactly the contrast that Paul is presenting to us here in Ephesians chapter 5. He is presenting to us the distinction of a child of light!
Declaration: When we have light in our life it makes a difference, it provides clarity and vision and it provides distinction
Declaration: When we have light in our life it makes a difference, it provides clarity and vision and it provides distinction
Proposition: Are we taking advantage of the clear vision in our lives offered to us by the presence of God’s light and are we allowing it to make us distinct
Proposition: Are we taking advantage of the clear vision in our lives offered to us by the presence of God’s light and are we allowing it to make us distinct
Proposition: Are we taking advantage of the clear vision in our lives offered to us by the presence of God’s light and are we allowing it to make us distinct
Proposition: Are we taking advantage of the clear vision in our lives offered to us by the presence of God’s light and are we allowing it to make us distinct
Transition: I want us to take a look at 3 products of light in the life of a believer
Transition: I want us to take a look at 3 products of light in the life of a believer
Transition: I want us to take a look at 3 products of light
Transition: I want us to take a look at 3 products of light
Notice first of all that....
I. Light Radiates
I. Light Radiates
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
ILLUSTRATION: My Old Coleman Lantern - it has no wick and no fuel. Without these elements, it is a useless instrument that just sits in the garage.
A. Light radiates from the core (the inner change)
A. Light radiates from the core (the inner change)
“ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord...”
Notice that it says “ye were sometimes darkness” - not just that we were in darkness but that we actually were part of the fabric of darkness
Notice that it says “ye were sometimes darkness” - not just that we were in darkness but that we actually were part of the fabric of darkness
We were actually part of the worlds system- the Devil, the Demons and the men that make up that system
ILLUSTRATION: Knots per Square Inch- Rugs that are woven have a certain number of knots per square inch known as “knot density”. The higher the quality of the rug the higher the density - similar to a thread count on a bed sheet. Each knot makes up a part of the whole.
Before we were saved we were part of Satan’s tapestry of darkness!
i. Did the works of Satan
ii. Ruled by Satan’s Kingdom - there is no freedom in the Devils system
iii. Under the penalty wrath - () “…the wrath of God is revealed...”
iv. Eternal Punishment of Hell - “children of the kingdom” - those who were Jews in name “religious”
12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
But now… but now we are “children of the light”
B. Light radiates into our conduct (the outer conduct)
B. Light radiates into our conduct (the outer conduct)
“The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth...”
Everything that is inside eventually comes outside
This light family that we now belong will eventually grow into fruit & evidence in our lives
You will never find Salvation in the Bible that does not have evidence!
C. Light radiates into our considerations (the outer conduct)
C. Light radiates into our considerations (the outer conduct)
“Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.”
Not only does light Radiate but light also...
II. Light Repudiates
II. Light Repudiates
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
We live in a world that has the idea that you must conform to make things easier and more fair for everyone living around us. If some thing is right than something must be wrong. If something is light, then something must be dark. If you were to pay attention to popular culture, you will notice that everything is painted with the color gray as not to offend anyone or make anyone anywhere uncomfortable.
But we are not called to join the spirit of the age and ride the raft of easy down the current of destruction! We are called to stand!
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
A. light repudiates by refusing to compromise
A. light repudiates by refusing to compromise
“have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them...”
Fellowship - this has the idea of approval, agreement and connection with
We are not to be in approval or agreement with the darkness of this world
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. 15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. 16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
”13-16
WARNING: This does not mean that we are to be isolated and completely insulated - just distinct!
WARNING: This does not mean that we are to be isolated and completely insulated - just distinct!
B. Light repudiates by refusing to converse
B. Light repudiates by refusing to converse
“It is a shame to even speak of those things which are done of them in secret...”
Paul goes further here to the very conversations we have about the world around us
ILLUSTRATION: Various forms of News - Trash, Tabloids…etc...
Conversations about office romance and worldly behavior
We don’t need to abstain from all conversation about darkness - we just need to mind the fact that we are not to glorify it in any way - We need to teach our children..
We have looked at the radiant effect of light, the repudiating effect of light and finally we will look at the regenerating effect of light...
III. Light Regenerates
III. Light Regenerates
13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
A. The regenerating work of the Spirit
A. The regenerating work of the Spirit
“all things that are reproved...for whatsoever doth make manifest is light”
Reproved - means to convict of wrong
ILLUSTRATION: Turning over a Rock - the bugs underneath flee at the presence of light
The Holy Spirit is the convicting power
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
B. The regenerating work of the Saviour
B. The regenerating work of the Saviour
“Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light”
Light & Life go hand in hand
You cannot have light and no life and you cannot have life with no light!
12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Before Christ we were a part of the fabric of darkness that covers this world. But now we have been made children of light. The product of that light is 3 fold:
Light Radiates - from within and changes the nature of our conduct
Light Reproves - We are allowed to stay in this world as a reproving force for the Glory of God
Light Regenerates - When we allow the Spirit of God to work in our lives he will reveal the dark places where sin resides and point us to our one source of light Jesus Christ!
Reminder of the Proposition:
Proposition: Are we taking advantage of the clear vision in our lives offered to us by the presence of God’s light and are we allowing it to make us distinct
Proposition: Are we taking advantage of the clear vision in our lives offered to us by the presence of God’s light and are we allowing it to make us distinct
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.