Walking in a Dark World; Ephesians 5:1-17

Introduction - Walking in a Dark World

Recap Series

Chapters 1-3 - How we are saved

God’s plan

That we individually were dead, but are now alive

That collectively we were alienated, and now we are people of God

Chapter 4 - Transition to how we live as believers

Noted a healthy church in 4:1-16

Last week - Sharp contrast between us and the lost world

Today - Walking in a Dark World

Living in a small community everyone sees you

Sin in the distant world is easy to see and oppose

Sins in Eph 5 are local, not just a Washington, New York, L.A. problems

Not all in a small town are saved

There should be the sharp contrast from last week should be prevalent in our community as much from the rest of the country or world

Ephesians 5:1–17 CSB

1 Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, 2 and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. 3 But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints. 4 Obscene and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks. 5 For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things. 7 Therefore, do not become their partners. 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 light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth— 10 testing what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret. 13 Everything exposed by the light is made visible, 14 for what makes everything visible is light. Therefore it is said: Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. 15 Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise— 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

Our lives should be a reflection of God to a lost and dying world.

PRAY!

Walk in Love

The church in the first century was mocked for their meekness and love

I am growing concerned that the American church is more like the Pharisees than they are the first century Christians

our theology may be correct and we are not shy about making sure people know

instead of sharing the love of God, we are just happy that we are not like those lost sinners that plague our country

Don’t think about changing the world like the first century church

what would Pawnee or Hodgeman Country look like if we loved people here in a radical way

Ephesians 5:1–6 CSB

1 Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, 2 and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. 3 But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints. 4 Obscene and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks. 5 For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things.

Imitators of God (v1-2)

Paul’s instruction is to imitate God as loved children

children will always imitate the people that love them

even when they do not want to; I told one of my daughters that they are just like their mother

they were offended, I reminded them that I love their mother

they will wear clothes the same way, do things the same way, say things the same way

though there may be some things that we do not want to do like God, as we grow closer to him we find ourselves more and more like him

what would we not want to do like God (just a couple)

giving - God gives radically to those who do not deserve it

non believers are blessed by things God gives; rain, sun, harvest

those are easy

God gave his son for anyone who would believe

forgiving - Psalms says that your sins are as far as the east is from the west, through the sacrifice of Christ, you are forgiven

ironically, these are the things we can imitate

your cannot imitate his power and glory

Radically love like Jesus

Jesus gave himself as a sacrifice for us

next week we will look at the sacrificial love of a husband

we are to love our wives as Christ loved the church

we are to walk in this type of love right now

walk in love as Christ also loved

denying who he was

God in the flesh, living a sinless life, taking the punishment for the sins of all who would believe

Not Imitators of the World (v3-5)

Romans 12:2 CSB

2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Paul tells the Romans not to be conformed

he does not use the same words with the Ephesians, but gives the same principle

Imitate God… but do not let these things even be heard of among you

These are things that are known to be a problem in Ephesus

It is also known that we have all of these problems today

not in a far away place, but right here in our communities

what is worse, we see these problems arise in the church today

things that Paul says is not to even be heard of, have infected the church

I know, because people will change their language around me

people will say things like, “I can’t believe you would say that in a church.”

All will face judgment (v6)

We have fallen for this

I have not figured out if

we believe that these things are not sins for us

we believe that we can tolerate a little sin

or if we simply do not fear God

All who do these things will face judgment

even the believers, will stand and give an account for the good and bad things that they have done

Do we really fear God so little that we think that the things he says are evil and wrong are really no big deal

Walk in Light

Ephesians 5:7–13 CSB

7 Therefore, do not become their partners. 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 light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth— 10 testing what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret. 13 Everything exposed by the light is made visible,

You are no longer part of the world (v7-8)

2 Corinthians 6:14 says do not be unequally yoked,

CSB translates it, do not be partners with unbelievers

this is more than just marriage

You were darkness and now you are in light in Christ Jesus

notice the language

you were not in darkness and you are not in light

you are these things

Ephesians 2:3 CSB

3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.

this is who you were, but now through Christ you are light

as such, you are to walk, or live, as people of light

You can tell the light from the dark by what is produced (v9-11)

some of us like verse 11, exposing the darkness

ironically we cannot expose the darkness without living out or producing v9-10

when we live as children of light Paul tells us that there are certain things that are a part of our life

goodness, righteousness and truth

we like to jump to truth without goodness and righteousness

we jump to truth without love

we end up exposing ourselves as hypocrites rather than exposing the sin we despise

Our life shows the contrast between godliness and evil (v12-13)

When we live in connection with God we cannot help ourselves from shining bright

the moon does no work

moses did not work

Paul takes different portions of scripture to tell the Ephesians and us to wake up, get up from the dead life and walk with Christ

as we do, he will take care of the light

you simply live in him

Walk in Wisdom

Ephesians 5:15–17 (CSB): Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—16 making the most of the time because the days are evil. 17 So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

We need to check what we are reflecting (v15a)

We are easily taken in by the world. Paul states, “Pay CAREFUL attention”

Illustration - Moon and Moses shining

when we are not walking as wisdom, people will remember the bad things

Illustration - Obama video, laughing in the reflection of a mirror, I do not know what the video was about, but I remember that the mirror was dirty

We need to live in wisdom, not foolish ways (15b-17a)

I do not want to give the impression that we are to simply put on a show

there is a difference between putting on a show and living in wisdom

putting on a show means when I am in front of you, I act one way, but inside my house I am another

I have been asked if some of the stories that I tell while I am preaching are made up… No, this is us

walking in wisdom means understanding the times, these days are evil

there is nothing that the evil one would like to do more than bring down the church

there have been discussions, community decisions or involvement that Heather and I have avoided in the past

we have our opinions, but we know who and what we represent

things that I do in a community will be seen by some as how FFC would want things done and can be distorted into something else

we are not to give satan space

the days are evil mean that we are surrounded by evil,

the darkness is all around us and we must be wise

We need to live in the understanding of God’s will (v17b)

then we will understand God’s will… and we make this so much more complicated than it needs to be

Paul is not talking about big decisions here… what career I am to be in, who do I marry, do I marry

He is answering the question how do I live in love, in light and in wisdom

Paul is going back to Eph 5:1-2

Ephesians 5:1–2 CSB

1 Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, 2 and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.