"Put Away" - Don't Walk In The Dark

Ephesians 5:7–21 ESV

Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Emotions Should Not Dictate Behavior

Jeremiah 17:9 ESV

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Obedience Should Dictate Behavior

John 14:15 ESV

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

Emotions create a perspectional problem for us

Perspective is - a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.

Man Centered Reading

produces indignation and a lack of fairness

God Centered Reading

Produces contrition and repentance

2 Corinthians 7:10 ESV

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

Put Away Darkness

Put On Light-Be The Light

Put Away Foolishness

Opening Up Ephesians Lay Aside Foolishness, and Put on Understanding (5:15–17)

We are to lay aside “unwise” walking, and begin to walk wisely. We are to dispense with foolishness (v. 17), and to seek understanding. Indeed, one way we can be wise, Paul says, is in the use of our time (v. 16). Here is another miserable habit of many unbelieving people (and some believers as well)—whiling away the hours doing little or nothing useful! Television, the Internet, smartphones, apps, and all sorts of other things suck the very life out of men, women, and children—not only by turning our brains into porridge, but also by sapping the time we might have spent seeking to understand God’s will (v. 17) from the Scriptures or in good Christian books, or the time we might have spent loving other people (v. 2), or walking with God in prayer. Let us put aside these foolish things, Paul says in verse 17, and seek understanding!

Lay aside drunkenness, and put on the Spirit-fille

things that amount to nothing

Put On Understanding

Put Away Being filled by other things

Put On The Spirit Filled Life

Mark’s example last week of your eyes and ears adjusting to the surroundings.

Make Melody to The Lord With Your Heart

Put Away falsehood-Put On Truthfulness

Put Away Anger-Put On Kindness

Put Away Laziness-Put On Hard/Honest Work

Put Away Corrupting Talk-Put On Talk that Builds others Up

Put away Malice-Put On Benevolence

Put Away Bitterness-Put On Forgiveness

Be Imitators of God

Put Away Impurity-Put On Purity

Do Not be Deceived

Put Away Darkness-Put On Light

Watch How You Walk

Put Away Foolishness-Put On Wisdom

Be Filled By The Holy Spirit

Give Thanks Always

Submit to One Another OUT OF REVERENCE FOR CHRIST

Opening Up Ephesians Lay Aside Drunkenness, and Put on the Spirit-Filled Life (5:18–20)

There are ten items on Paul’s list—ten habits that are common to unbelievers, and to which believers are often tempted to revert as well, ten filthy old garments that we must shake off; and, just as importantly, ten sets of new moral clothes that we must put on instead. If you are in Christ, any moral attribute that hangs in his wardrobe is available to you in his name.

Why are these important? Why is the way we conduct ourselves really all that important?

Let’s focus on one phrase from Verse 8

Ephesians 5:8 ESV

for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

Walk as Children of Light

Why do this?

Because these are characteristics of God.

We are to be imitators of God.

We are children of God.

Ephesians 4:31–5:2 ESV

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Forgiving Love

Love characterized by forgiveness

Counseling is much about forgiveness

Ephesians: An Expositional Commentary Forgiving Love

In his book on confession John R. W. Stott quotes the head of a large mental hospital in England as having said, “I could dismiss half my patients tomorrow if they could be assured of forgiveness.”

Ephesians: An Expositional Commentary Forgiving Love

Do you know that, really know it? So long as you think you are a pretty good person who does not really need to be forgiven, you will naturally have a very hard time loving and forgiving others.

Romans 3:10–18 ESV

as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

I will wrap up today by providing an illustration that I hope will help us understand the need to put away the worldly behavior and put on the Godly behavior.

The Devil like to shine lights as well. So what is the difference.

Flashlight vs. Candle

Matthew 5:15–16 ESV

Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

When shine light the proper way,

Truth can be found

Forgiveness can be found

Thanksgiving can come

I pray there are some here or listening today that will see that light in us. See it in Fairlawn and then they will,

They will see the truth of their sin.

They will come to receive forgiveness

They will leave here with thanksgiving in their hearts.

Ephesians 5:1 ESV

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.