Wk 6 - Ephesians 5:15-20

Choices

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.

Ephesians 5:14 NRSV

14 for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

—> Are you a morning person?

—> Our writer is saying its time to get up, to wake up to the reality of what is going on.

Ephesians 5:15 NRSV

15 Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise,

—> Our writer goes back to his pairings. He starts with wisdom.

—> Going back to the Old Testament drawing on the idea that to be truly wise means that you are reliant on the will of God and the things of God and not on the ways of man.

Ephesians 5:16 NRSV

16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil.

—> Be wise, hurry, time is short. There is an urgency in the tone.

—> v. 14 Sleeper, AWAKE

—> v. 16 Hurry, time is short

—> our author understands the reality that this like is short and that we do not know the day or the hour when our time will be done. This isn’t morbid its just reality.

Ephesians 5:17 NRSV

17 So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

—> foolish = like the world

—> instead, take time to listen to God, take time to seek God, understand the reality that God wants what is best even if we don’t comprehend it in the moment.

Ephesians 5:18 NRSV

18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit,

—> What are you filling yourself with?

—> What are you sustaining yourself with?

—> Is your life full of the things of this world or the things of God?

Ephesians 5:19 NRSV

19 as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts,

Ephesians 5:20 NRSV

20 giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.