06PM April 2 Ephesians 5 8_14
April 2, 2006—Evening Worship
“The Glorious Grace of God” Series – Part 14
An Impossible Combination
Practical Statements to Energize Powerful Christian Living
Ephesians 5:8-14
Intro: Water & oil don't mix b/c they are 2 different kinds of molecules. Water is a polar molecule, which means one side of the molecule has a positive charge & the other has a negative charge (just like a bar magnet). Scientists call polar molecules hydrophilic, which means, that they "love" water, or will mix w/water. Oil is a non-polar molecule; it doesn't have ends w/positive & negative charges. Scientists call non-polar molecules hydrophobic, which means that they "fear" water, or won't mix well w/water.
B/c water & oil don't mix it’s hard for water to wash oily dirt out of your clothes, off your dishes, or out of your hair. But detergent helps water & oil mix together. When the water can mix w/the greasy dirt, it can wash it away.
Detergents are special molecules that have a hydrophilic end (one that mixes w/water) & a hydrophobic end (one that mixes w/oil). Detergents can mix w/both water & oil at the same time. They are like molecular ambassadors, allowing the water-fearing non-polar molecules to mix w/the water-loving polar molecules. When you add detergents to your laundry, suddenly the water can dissolve the stains on your clothes & wash them away.
Now that’s a scientific explanation of how to create an impossible combination in the physical world. Water & oil alone cannot mix together! There are other combinations in the physical world that are impossible; for instance, light & darkness. It is impossible to mix light & darkness b/c the instant that light appears – darkness flees. However dim the light may appear in comparison to the vast darkness, it is still light that dispels the darkness; they cannot mix!
However, we not only live in a physical world but a spiritual world as well. & there are, in the spiritual realm, combinations which are impossible. & in our text tonight, the Apostle Paul uses the familiar example of the contrast between light & darkness to describe the changed lives of believers.
Our text tonight is Ephesians 5:8-14 from which we will discover practical statements to energize powerful Christian living.
As Paul writes to the believers in Ephesus, he says in…
Ephesians 5 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, & truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 & have no fellowship w/the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, & Christ will give you light."
- Paul’s words are as applicable to us today, as they were to the Ephesian believers.
- He begins this train of thought w/the practical statement of…
1. Who you are in Christ. (vv. 8-10)
- & Paul cannot begin to describe who you are in Christ w/o 1st speaking of…
A. Your Past life w/o Christ. (v. 8a) 8a For you were once darkness….
- The way that’s worded in the original language it means that your darkness was continuous & repeated.
- It means that your whole being was darkness; your heart, your mind, your will.
- It means that there was w/in you a complete, utter darkness w/no light present at all!
- It means that you were totally engulfed by absolute darkness!
- & the darkness was your ignorance of the things of God.
- It was your spiritual blindness to the ways & word of God.
- It was your ungodliness & immorality which were evident in your behavior & which held you captive to the devil & all that is depraved & evil in nature.
Ephesians 2 1 [says that you were] …dead in trespasses & sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh & of the mind, & were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
- IOW Paul says that we all were once darkness; we didn’t care about God or the things of God!
- We thought that we were the only ones that counted!
- We didn’t worry about pleasing God b/c we were out to please ourselves!
- But Paul quickly moves from how wicked & evil you were w/o Christ as he moves to…
B. Your Present life w/Christ. (v. 8b) 8b …but now you are light in the Lord.
- Look closely at what Paul says here.
- He does not say you are a lamp that shines light.
- He does not say you are a reflector of light.
- Paul says that, now you are light in the Lord!
- You’ve been changed from darkness; changed from the blackness of unbelief!
- You’ve been illuminated, not just in your heart & mind, but you’ve been illuminated – set on fire, lit for the glory of God – bright & shining light in the Lord Jesus!
- The word that’s translated “now” means “at this time, in the present time, right now.”
- Paul said you were at one time darkness but now, in the present, right now you are light!
- & that light was placed in you by God Himself!
2 Corinthians 4 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
- In that verse Paul says that it was God who commanded the light of Creation to shine out of the darkness & it’s the same God who has given the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in Jesus Christ!
- The light that you are is the light of the knowledge of the glory of God!
- You shine from that knowledge & that others may gain that knowledge for God’s glory!
- As a child of God you shine w/the brilliance of the sun that others may see & know Him!
- & that’s why Paul moves on to declare…
C. Your Potential life in Christ. (vv. 8c-10) 8c …Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, & truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.
- The Bible here gives us an imperative; it’s a command to let our walk match our talk!
- If you claim to be a child of God, a child of light, then your life will reflect that – your life must reflect that!
- & Paul gives the Ephesians & everyone who reads v. 9 an explanation of what it means to walk as children of light.
- The children of light bear the fruit of the Spirit!
Galatians 5 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
- These are the nine qualities we are to possess as children of light.
- These qualities are not qualities which show up in our lives from time to time.
- All 9 of them are to be evident in our lives all the time!
- But Paul reduces the list here in v. 9 to a manageable list of 3 categories.
- Goodness means the kindness & uprightness of your heart & life.
- Righteousness means the integrity of your life; the purity of your life; the correctness of your thinking, feeling & acting.
- Truth is what is true of any matter under any circumstances.
- So if your life is characterized by goodness, righteousness, & truth, then you will be bearing the fruit of the Spirit & walking as children of light!
- & v. 10 says that as you do that you are finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.
- The word translated “finding out” literally means “to discern, to prove, to examine, try.”
- IOW you are learning from Him as you walk w/Him & you apply what you learn to life.
- Therefore, you are in a sense, proving that you are a child of God by being well pleasing to Him.
- & your potential is that through your life, the light of God & the evidence of eternal life is demonstrated through your actions, as well as your words.
[One day St. Francis of Assisi said to one of the young monks, “Let us go down to the town & preach!” Delighted at being singled out to be the companion of St. Francis, the young monk obeyed. They passed through the principal streets, turned down many of the byways & alleys, made their way into the suburbs, & after a great while, returned to the monastery. As they approached the gate, the younger man reminded St. Francis of his original intention.
“You have forgotten, Father, that we went to the town to preach!” “My son,” St. Francis replied, “we have preached. We were preaching while we were walking. We have been seen by many; our behavior has been closely watched; it was thus that we preached our morning sermon. It is of no use, my son, to walk anywhere to preach unless we preach everywhere as we walk.”]
- & that is your potential life in Christ!
- It’s one thing to know who you are in Christ; however, it’s another thing to know…
2. How to live in Christ. (vv. 11-12)
- & so Paul tells us to live…
A. A life of Separation but not isolation. (v. 11a) 11a & have no fellowship w/the unfruitful works of darkness….
- Now that’s a command not to have fellowship w/those who do the works of darkness.
- & the word translated “fellowship” means “to become a partaker together w/others.”
- IOW believers, children of light, are not to become partners w/others in evil deeds.
- We are not to be comrades or partners or partakers w/those whose works are evil!
- The word translated “unfruitful” literally means, “w/o fruit, barren, not yielding what it ought to yield.”
- So these could be pagan unbelievers or carnal Christians. But, as children of light, we are to be separate from them – but not isolated from them.
- How can we affect their lives for the glory of God if we isolate ourselves from them?
- How can we impact them w/the truths of the gospel if we avoid them like the plague?
- We are not to gather in “Holy Huddles” & live out the truths of the gospel!
- If fact that might be a contradiction of terms in the grossest sense!
- Jesus walked among sinners; He lived among the fishermen, tax collectors, & common workers.
- Jesus did not isolate Himself from us – He immersed Himself in us – that we might be immersed in Him!
- We are to live a life of separation; we are to be separated from the pleasures of this world; separated from the love of possessions; separated from the evil desires of self.
- & we are to be separated to the love; grace; mercy; forgiveness & use of God!
- God didn’t call us to be monks who live in monasteries; God called us to be saints who live among sinners!
- God called us to be light in the dark world & therefore we are to live…
B. A life of Illumination but not condemnation. (vv. 11b-12) 11b …but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.
- You will notice that the Apostle does not tell us to be separated from sinners or to condemn sinners – but rather to shine the light of Christ in the world that their sins may be exposed!
- It’s not your job to be judge & jury over other people!
- You should not “sit in judgment” of others! It’s so easy to do that isn’t it?
- It’s so easy to see the sins of others & be judgmental of them.
- But that’s not what we’ve been called to do!
- We are to illuminate the sphere of our influence w/the light of Jesus Christ!
- We are, by the lives we live; by the words we speak; by the deeds we do; we are to expose the sins around us.
- IOW our lives are to be such a contrast w/the way the rest of the world lives that our mere presence helps them see the difference!
- How many times has someone cursed in your presence only to turn & ask your forgiveness?
- It’s your faith; your example; your Christ-likeness being seen; it’s you doing what Christ said we should do.
Matthew 5 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp & put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, & it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works & glorify your Father in heaven.
- We don’t expose the hidden secret sins of others just to have something to talk about.
- We don’t do it to be able to tell gossip or spread rumors.
- We expose them by the light of Jesus Christ in us so that sinners may call upon Him as they see the difference in us!
- In the vv. we’re looking at tonight, Paul not only tells us who we are in Christ & how to live in Christ, but he also tells us…
3. What to expect from Christ. (vv. 13-14)
- It is true; we have received grace & mercy & love & forgiveness & all things from Jesus!
- But that’s not Paul’s point here. What Paul points out is that we are to…
A. Expect His glory to Reveal sin. (v. 13) 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.
- Darkness has never exposed anything! You can’t see anything in the darkness!
- & in the darkness of sin, there is a total absence of light so that sinners “grope in darkness!”
- They don’t see where they are walking & cannot see b/c of the blindness of their hearts!
- Only the light makes things manifest or reveals things.
- Only light reveals the truth about what is hidden.
- Even a black light is still a light!
- Even those things that glow in the dark are still a reflection of absorbed light!
- & so the Bible says that, “whatever makes manifest is light”
- So the glory of God; the light of Christ in you; will reveal the sin of those around you.
John 3 19 & this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, & men loved darkness rather than light, b/c their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light & does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
- You are light, lit by the glory of God!
- & so, it is the glory of God in you that reveals the sins of others.
- But God uses that, & you can expect His glory to reveal sin & you can…
B. Expect His grace to Renew lives. (v. 14) 14 Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, & Christ will give you light."
- You see, your life is a compelling testimony for the grace of Jesus Christ.
- Your life is the means by which many will come to know Christ.
- Your life is the book from which many people read about Jesus as God; Jesus as Lord; & Jesus as Savior.
[Alexander Maclaren, a great preacher of years gone by, once said that, “The word “grace” is a kind of shorthand for the whole sum of unmerited blessings which come to men through Jesus Christ.”]
- None of us deserve salvation; none of us deserve God’s grace!
- But God gives it anyway & what we have here in v. 14 is an open invitation to all who would hear & respond to the grace that God offers in Jesus Christ.
- This invitation may be given to those who work the unfruitful works of darkness.
- It may be given to saint who have found themselves associated w/them.
- Yet, nevertheless, this invitation is the call of God through the lives of His children.
- Christ gives the light. Christ calls men from the dead. Christ awakens those who sleep.
- & yet He does it all through His Spirit at work in us; through His word spoken by us; through His influence shared through our lives!
Conclusion: An anonymous poet once wrote:
I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day.
I’d rather one would walk with me than merely show the way.
The eye is a better pupil and much sharper than the ear.
Fine counsel can confuse me, but example is always clear.
The lectures you deliver may be very wise and true,
But I’d rather get my lesson by observing what you do.
[G. Campbell Morgan once received a letter from a man who was converted under his ministry. The man spoke of coming into the church as a boy, neglected & hungry, & as he listened to the great preacher he resolved that he, too, would like to become a preacher of the gospel. Not only was he converted & become a minister, but in the course of time his son also went into the ministry. In the letter the man said: “From that night you became my great human ideal.… I think I have read every book you have written. I placed your picture on the fly-leaf of my Bible. It somehow helps me as I have stood to preach.”]
Is your life calling others to repentance? Is your influence exposing the sins around you? Are you aware of the great potential of your life by the power of Christ in you?
Invitation: God may have exposed your sinfulness tonight through His word. God may have illuminated your heart w/the knowledge of the glory of God in Jesus Christ. God may have drawn you to Himself tonight & if that’s true, would you come to Him in repentance of sin & place your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord & Savior?
Or maybe God has exposed your association w/the unfruitful works of darkness. Maybe you’re holding on to friendships that are defiling your faith. Maybe you’re walk does not match your talk. Maybe you’re life is not a compelling testimony for the power of Jesus Christ to change a life & if that’s true, would you come back to God tonight? Would you repent of your worldly ways & seek to walk w/your Lord daily?
Hymn 241 Breathe on Me, Breath of God