06PM April 9 Ephesians 5 15_21
April 9, 2006—Evening Worship
“The Glorious Grace of God” Series – Part 15
Wisdom on Display
The Distinguishing Marks of Developing Maturity
Ephesians 5:15-21
Intro: Warren Bennis wrote the book, “Why Leaders Can’t Lead.” Bennis, a university president & “management guru,” spent several years researching for his book, in which he wrote, “Many an institution is very well managed & very poorly led.” He went on to say there is a, “distinction between leaders & managers: Leaders are people who do the right thing; managers are people who do things right. Both roles are crucial, but they differ profoundly. I often observe people in top positions doing the wrong thing well.”
As Christians & examples of the work of God, we don’t want to do the wrong thing well. We want to be the people who do the right thing & do it well for the glory of God! & if that’s your heart’s desire tonight, then you are on your way toward spiritual maturity.
As you know, in most of Paul’s writings, the 2nd half of the letter is usually all practical applications of the doctrinal explanations of the 1st half of the letter. & so, we are right in the middle of the practical as we continue in the 5th chapter of Ephesians.
In our text for tonight, Paul speaks of the need for the wisdom of God to be displayed in our daily lives. It’s that special something about us, that makes us different from the world. Some people call that the “It” factor.
For our purposes tonight, we’re going to talk about the “It” factor in terms of the distinguishing marks of developing maturity. As we concern ourselves w/how to display the wisdom of God that others may be confirmed in their faith or confronted w/their sin.
& so, Paul writes to the believers in Ephesus & says…
Ephesians 5 15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, b/c the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 & do not be drunk w/wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled w/the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms & hymns & spiritual songs, singing & making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.
- Paul points out in the 1st 3 vv. of our text tonight that the 1st mark of your developing maturity is…
1. The Diligence of your life in Christ. (vv. 15-17)
- & he begins w/your daily activities which he calls…
A. Your Walk. (v. 15) 15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise
- In studying this verse, I’ve come to understand that the 1st half of this verse is worded in the original language to say, “You must discern accurately therefore, in what way you make use of opportunities.”
- Now that is a present tense command & means that we must continually be checking & evaluating w/great accuracy, the impact of our lives.
- We are not to be naïve enough to think that no one watches us.
- Christians are constantly under surveillance, constantly under scrutiny, constantly under the microscope of the rest of the world.
- We are not to be foolish enough to think that what we do is of little or no consequence.
- Just like Esther, God has placed each one of us right where we are, for such a time as this!
- Your life counts; your actions matter; your words have an impact; your example has an influence on everyone in your world!
[The Italian word for influence is influenza. The word influenza was introduced into English in the mid-1700s, coming from the Italian phrase influenza di freddo (influence of the cold). We are, by our very natures, very contagious people—our example tends to spread to others as easily as the flu. Everyone exerts influence.]
- & so, “You must discern accurately therefore, in what way you make use of opportunities.”
- Paul moves from your walk to write about…
B. Your Work. (v. 16) 16 redeeming the time, b/c the days are evil.
- The phrase “redeeming the time” could literally be translated “buying time.”
- Now we know that it’s impossible to buy time, so what is the Apostle saying here?
- Well we all know that time is precious – but why is time so precious to us?
- It’s b/c once it has past, it can never be regained! Once it’s gone, it’s lost forever!
- You can spend money & work & earn more. But you can never earn more time.
- Once you’ve spent your time, it’s gone; regardless of whether you made good use of it or not.
- & that’s Paul’s point here. Make wise use of the time you have; take advantage of every opportunity; make the best use of the time of your life.
- One reason that Paul makes that statement is b/c the word he uses for “time” literally means “the opportune time, the right time, a measure of time, a limited time.”
- You see, we don’t have all the time in the world! We only have a short, small, limited time!
- Our life is but a vapor – it’s like the grass of the field, here today & withered tomorrow!
- Therefore, we must use our time wisely “b/c the days are evil.”
- The word translated “days” is a general use of time & the word translated “evil” literally means “full of labors, hardships, toil, perils, pain & troubles.”
- In the physical sense it means disease & blindness.
- In the ethical sense it means wickedness & badness.
- Our days are full of all kinds of wickedness & we MUST make wise use of our time!
- So Paul is writing about the diligence of your life in Christ & says that involves your walk, your work &…
C. Your Wisdom. (v. 17) 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
- IOW Paul says, “Don’t become like foolish people who act rashly; don’t become like those w/o reason or intelligence, but rather join your minds w/the Lord to know His wishes; His commands; His desires; His purpose.
- The Bible tells us here that we are to put the wisdom we have obtained from God on display in our lives.
- We are not to act as ignorant, unskilled individuals who are unaware of God’s desire.
- We are to have “knowledge grounded on personal experience.”
- We are “to see w/the mind's eye, IOW to have a clear mental picture.”
- We are to have “knowledge obtained by being close to what is known.”
- So as we walk w/the Lord daily & work wisely w/the time we have, we gain a personal knowledge, a clear perception of God’s will by being close to Him!
- The will of God is discerned by reading the Scriptures, communicating w/God in prayer & by the leading of the Holy Spirit.
- & wise believers, those who are developing spiritual maturity are always checking to see that their walk displays the wisdom they have received from God.
- Mature believers don’t just start out in one direction & keep walking that way all their lives b/c they think this is God’s will for them.
- They always check the leading of God to ensure they are walking w/Him & not alone!
- We can let our lights shine before men by being the personification of wisdom.
Proverbs 3 13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, & the man who gains understanding; 14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, & her gain than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies, & all the things you may desire cannot compare w/her. 16 Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches & honor. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, & all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, & happy are all who retain her.
[Bill Gothard once said that, “Wisdom is seeing life from God’s point of view.” & the great preacher, Vance Havner said, “If I could stand for 5 minutes at His vantage point & see the entire scheme of things as He sees it, how absurd would my dreads be, how ridiculous my fears & tears!]
- The diligence of your life, displayed in your walk, your work & your wisdom; are marks of developing maturity for the glory of God.
- & the 2nd mark of developing maturity that Paul writes about is…
2. The Duty of your life in Christ. (vv. 18-19)
- & here the Bible says that your life must exhibit…
A. A proper Restraint. (v. 18) 18 & do not be drunk w/wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled w/the Spirit
- Now there is no Scripture that says, “Thou shalt not drink alcoholic beverages.”
- I personally wish there was, but the reality is, in the days in which the Bible was written wine was the major beverage.
- Now what they had in those days did not have near the alcohol content of today’s controlled beverages, but if you drank enough of it, you could become intoxicated.
- So while the Bible never says you should not drink, it has a lot to say about drunkenness & this is just one example.
- Now Paul’s point here is that believers should never give control of themselves to anything other than the Holy Spirit of God!
- In fact, Paul says that being drunk w/wine leads to a life of excess; a life of riot; a life that is lived for the pleasure of the moment instead of for the glory of God.
- & anyone claiming to be a follower of Jesus Christ who lived a life like that could not possibly be considered one who is developing maturity in the faith!
[& that’s why our Church Covenant says, in part, “We also engage to…abstain from the sale & use of intoxicating drinks as a beverage.” As members of this church, we have agreed to abide by & hold one another accountable to that covenant. Why? B/c there are many things in this world which are permissible to the believer, but not all those things are beneficial to the believer.]
- So Paul warns us here NOT to be drunk w/wine & commands us to CONSTANTLY be being filled w/the Spirit of God!
- The only way to have the proper restraint to carry out the duty of your life is to be led by the Spirit; filled w/the Spirit; totally under the control of the Spirit!
- & so, the Bible is telling us here that we can lose our submission to the Spirit by desiring to have control of our lives.
- The Bible never teaches that you can lose your salvation but you can lose your submission by the sinful act of your stubborn will.
- & so, the proper restraint is obtained by your full submission to the Spirit’s control!
- Now vv. 18 & 19 remind me of the Great Commandment, which tells us to love God supremely & others sacrificially.
- These vv. remind me of that b/c, v. 18 speaks of our giving our total allegiance to God’s Spirit through submission & our giving ourselves in love to others through…
B. A personal Respect. (v. 19) 19 speaking to one another in psalms & hymns & spiritual songs, singing & making melody in your heart to the Lord
- Many pages have been written about this verse. Many have undertaken to explain the meaning of the words “psalms & hymns & spiritual songs.”
- But from what I can gather, there is a general consensus that the word “psalms” literally means “to sing the psalms of David & others from the book of Psalms.”
- The word “psalms” comes from a word that means “to pluck w/the fingers” & probably refers to an instrument like a harp accompanying the singing of the psalm.
- The word “hymns” probably refers to songs that are sung in direct praise of the Lord Jesus. They would be distinguished from the psalms somewhat in that the psalms are mainly directed to God.
- The “hymns” could be accompanied by music or not.
- The word “songs” is a general or generic term for a song & adding the word “spiritual” makes it mean a song of testimony that could include any music expressing spiritual truth.
- One commentator gave these examples: Psalm 23 or 84 set to music would be “psalms.” A Mighty Fortress is Our God & The Old Rugged Cross would be “hymns.” & O How He Loves You and Me & I’d Rather Have Jesus would be “spiritual songs.”
- & did you notice that the verse says we are to be “speaking to one another….”?
- The word translated “speaking” literally means to make a sound w/the mouth.
- That certainly would include singing but notice that it’s to be done “to one another.”
- The unsaved, pagan, non-believer cannot sing the songs of redemption & praise to God, b/c he does not have the Spirit of God w/in him.
- Our singing is to be a form of worship & true worship is only done by those who know God & who are His children.
- But our purpose in speaking to one another is to encourage, strengthen, challenge & confirm other believers in their faith that they may live for the glory of God!
- & that demonstrates our love for them as brothers & sisters in Christ!
- Paul says that the diligence of your life in Christ & the duty of your life in Christ are distinguishing marks of developing maturity.
- & he goes on to say that the 3rd mark of your developing maturity is…
3. The Desire of your life in Christ. (vv. 20-21)
- That desire is expressed through…
A. A Heart of gratitude. (v. 20) 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
- I say it all the time – “God is good, Amen!”
- God is worthy of our praise; He is worthy of our heart felt gratitude!
- He is weaving the fabric of our lives into the tapestry of His master plan!
- & everything that comes into our lives comes through His filtering hand.
- I once heard a preacher ask the question, “Has it ever occurred to you, that nothing has ever occurred to God?”
- He knows everything & He always has known everything & there will never be anything that happens to you that catches Him by surprise!
- & we also know that the Bible teaches us that everything God does is right b/c He is righteous!
- Therefore, we never have to question whether God is watching out for our best interests. He always does all that He does for our good & His glory!
- & b/c of that, we can always give thanks for all things to God!
[My life is but a weaving—between my Lord & me. I cannot choose the colors—He worketh steadily. Oft’ times He weaveth sorrow—& I in foolish pride—forget He sees the upper—& I the underside. Not till the loom is silent—& the shuttles cease to fly—shall God unroll the canvas—& explain the reason why. The dark threads are as needful—in the Weaver’s skillful hand—as the threads of gold & silver—in the pattern He has planned.]
- Ladies & gentlemen, do you have such a heart of gratitude to the Master of your soul, that you can praise Him whatever comes your way?
- If the desire of your life is to have a heart of gratitude, then your life should also display …
B. A Humble spirit. (v. 21) 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.
- The word translated “submitting” comes from a Greek military term meaning "to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader."
- In the non-military use, it means "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, & carrying a burden."
- We’re talking about true humility here; a spirit that doesn’t always have to be recognized; one that doesn’t always have to have its way.
- We’re talking about people who are willing to cooperate, willing to give in to one another.
- People who have voluntarily put aside their own ideas & opinions for the sake of unity.
- & they have done so b/c they have a reverent fear of God.
- The Greek word that’s translated “fear” is the word from which we get our word “phobia.”
- But it doesn’t mean to fear God in the same sense that we usually use the word.
- It means to have a healthy respect & reverence for God.
- It means that we honor Him above all else.
- It means that we are voluntarily submitting to each other b/c as we do so, we honor God!
- The desire of your life will speak volumes about the maturity or lack of maturity you’re developing.
- If you must be noticed; if you must be recognized; if you must be right; if you must be called upon publicly; if you must be 1st; if you must be honored—then you lack maturity b/c you have a haughty spirit rather than a humble spirit!
- But if you are grateful & humble in heart—your maturity will shine like a beacon giving glory to God!
Conclusion: [Alexander Grigolia immigrated to America from Soviet Georgia. He learned English, earned 3 doctoral degrees, & become a successful professor at the University of Pennsylvania. But despite his freedom & achievements, he had a misery in his heart.
One day while getting a shoeshine, he noticed that the shoeshine boy went about his work w/a sense of joy, scrubbing & buffing & smiling & talking. Finally Dr. Grigolia couldn’t stand it any longer & said in his funny-sounding accent, “What always you so happy?”
Looking up, the shoeshine boy replied, “Jesus. He loves me. He died so God could forgive my badness. He makes me happy.” The professor snapped his newspaper back in front of his face, & the shoeshine boy went back to work.
But Dr. Grigolia never escaped those words, & that eventually brought him to faith in Jesus. He later became a professor of anthropology at Wheaton College, & taught, among others, a young student named Billy Graham.]
If God can teach a college professor w/the wisdom of a shoeshine boy, what could He do w/the wisdom you display?
You see, the wisdom of this world is foolishness, but the wisdom of God is to be displayed in your daily life through your diligence toward faithfulness & through your duty toward godliness & through your desire toward effectiveness.
Invitation: Are you convinced by the Spirit of God that if you died tonight, you’d go to heaven? If not, would you confess your sinfulness to God & seek His forgiveness & place your faith in Jesus Christ alone to save you?
Or maybe God has shown you an area of your life that is displeasing to Him. Maybe you are as diligent or faithful as you should be; maybe you are not as committed to godliness as you need be; or maybe your desire has little to do w/God will b/c you are seeking your own.
Would you come tonight in repentance & surrender yourself to Him as a living sacrifice? Would you allow God to work in you according to His will by His grace for your good & His glory?
God is calling – are you listening – will you come?
Hymn 275 I Surrender All