Live Wisely

Ephesians 5:15–20 NRSV

15 Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, 20 giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Trouble in the text

How was the church living unwisely? How were they acting foolishly? Worldly ways instead of God’s ways? If we look at this passage in the original context. We might ask these questions.

Culture in Paul’s time - indulge in pleasures such as money and drink. Think back to the prodigal son type of living. This was common to the culture. Overindulgence was common and the ruin of many person. If the people in the church partook of overindulgence, then what witness could they provide that Christ will make them different? Paul had an issue with another church where even the communion table meal was a place where people overindulged and other went without. Here is place where the poor came to find a place of hope but if they witnessed the same thing they witnessed in the world, over indulgence and missing out because of other’s over indulgence, then how is Christianity a better life?

As Paul said, they needed to live wisely, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Trouble Today

How are we living unwisely and acting foolishly? How is our behavior and words lining up with God’s vision versus the world’s vision?

These are some of the same questions we need to ask ourselves about today’s church. Is the church a place that demonstrates what Christian life is like? It is not too hard of a stretch of the imagination that overindulgence just might be happening today. I know that in many ways we have not lived wisely but have lived foolishly for ourselves. We have made sure to take care of our wants and ignored others’ needs. We have made sure and had our fun or we have made sure and got the extra sleep we wanted or extra rest time or time to ourselves.

Church has become a place we occasionally come but there are millions of excuses why today is not one of those days. Could it be we found other indulgences to replace our hunger for encountering God? Could it be we have become foolish in our living where the church needs to be a place that meets our desires? Perhaps the church treated like a restaurant or place of entertainment where if we don’t feel satisfied with our service or that it met all of our expectations then we skip church altogether. We then move on and fill that time with some other indulgence.

As Paul said, we need to live wisely empowered by the Holy Spirit

Grace in the text

How did the church move to wise living? How are they demonstrating God’s wisdom in their lives?

These are questions we might have for how did the Ephesians respond. Paul commended them to live a life filled with the Spirit as demonstrated by worship and thankfulness. The Ephesian church was a refuge from the world’s ways. The church focused on this very thing, being filled by the Spirit. The church focused on worship and a lifestyle of thankfulness. This does not mean they did not struggle with overindulgence but that the Spirit empowered them to cast off those chains. No longer did they accept that life was just that way but that there was an alternative. Paul saw this in the church and encouraged that they not let any culture ways blend into the church’s ways.

On their own, this was impossible. The Spirit empowered not just leaders but each member to know what right living should be. The Spirit empowered them to demonstrate this right living. The Spirit captures the hearts and minds of those who sought an alternative to the bleak wordly ways that lead to destruction. The Ephesian church was a place of hope that not only taught but lived in Christ like ways.

The Ephesian church was empowered by the Holy Spirit to live wisely.

Grace Today

How has your life been changed by Jesus? How have you experienced being filled with the Spirit of God instead of deceptions of this world?

These questions we ask ourselves. While I could spend a sermon beating up ourselves about how much we have failed to uphold the standard of God for Christian living, I want to focus on the same grace the Ephesian church was granted, we too are granted.

What I ask of you today is to look at what hangups you have on the church and its abilities to meet your needs or desires. Instead of waiting for the church to become the perfect church that will receive your five star review, go anyway and leave the things that you do instead of church behind you.

God wants you to see and experience what living by the Spirit means. No longer do we need to indulge in things of this world for temporary satisfaction that it may offer. Instead, let the Holy Spirit in you. Listen to what God is telling you today. By giving up these worldly things, by giving up these things which we overindulge in, we can indulge in the things of God. If we give up the things that take us away from church, and start coming to church, perhaps you will find something there that was not there before. Something special happens when God’s people gather to worship and be thankful. The Holy Spirit is there amongst them. Maybe God is waiting on you to make that decision to follow God instead of your own wise ways. God has to offer wisdom that no one else can offer.

Let God’s grace fill you up today. Let the Holy Spirit’s wisdom guide you in what you do today. You can be empowered by the Holy Spirit to live wisely.

Concluding Prayer

For our closing prayer, I want us to do something different. We are going to spend more time in prayer this morning. We will be asking for two things, (1) what foolish behaviors do we need to give up and (2) ask God to fill us with the Holy Spirit to live wisely. In between each short prayer, we will have a period of silence where we need to be still and listen for God to speak to us. Lets start by closing our eyes and taking a few breaths to quiet and calm our minds.

Take a deep breath hold it for 3 seconds and let it out

again, take a deep breath hold it for 3 seconds and let it out

and again, take a deep breath hold it for 3 seconds and let it out.

Now lets begin to pray.

Holy Father in heaven, we come to you today as your children. We have been wayward in over indulging in the things of this world that temporarily satisfy us but always leave us wanting for more. We have forsaken your church and ignored your Spirit’s wisdom. God, right now we are listening to you. We are ready to hear from you on what foolishness we need to give up.

At this time, we want to sit in silence and listen for what God may be wanting to speak to you.

[Pause for 1 minute]

God of mercy and grace, we thank you for for your abundant grace and mercy you extend to us every day. We have listened to scripture, we have heard a sermon, we have sung songs of praise. God we want to replace the hunger for worldly things with a hunger for You. Today we ask you to fill us completely with Your Holy Spirit so that we may be empowered to live wisely as You would have us to live. We are hungry God for more of you in our lives and in the life of this church.

At this time, we want to sit in silence and listen for what God may be wanting to speak to you.

[Pause for 1 minute]

Lord, we thank you for listening to us today and speaking. Amen.