Being Filled With The Spirit

Tonight is a Singing Night, So We are Going to Talk About Singing for a Few Minutes

We are Going to Take a Quick Look at What We are to Be Doing When We Sing and Why We Sing

We Learn the Answers to These Questions When We Read Paul’s Letters to the Ephesians and Colossians

When Writing to the Ephesians About How to Live Pleasing Lives to God, Paul Said…

Ephesians 5:15–17 (NASB)

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

He Tells Them to Walk Wisely

Walk Wisely = Understanding What the Will of the Lord is

Living According to God’s Will is What Makes a Person Wise

Ephesians 5:18 (NASB)

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

An Unwise Thing to Do is to Get Drunk

To Be Filled With Wine

The Wise Thing to Do is Be Filled With the Spirit

Drunkenness Has Always Been a Problem Throughout All Societies

Drunkenness is Caused By a Lack of Self-Control and it Leads to Debauchery

But to Many in the Greek and Roman Societies, Drunkenness was More Than Just Drinking to Much

It was a Way to Serve, Worship, Fellowship With, and Please the God, Dionysis/Bacchus

He was the God of Wine and Merry-Making

His Worshippers Would Get Drunk and Partake in All Sorts of Sinful Debauchery

To Be Filled with Wine was Foolish Behavior and Service to a False God

But to Be Filled with the Spirit was Wise Behavior and Service to the True God

What Does it Mean to “Be Filled with the Holy Spirit”?

Paul Isn’t Referring to the Miraculous Indwelling of the Holy Spirit as in the Book of Acts

He Uses a Completely Different Word for “Filled” and This is a Completely Different Context

Being Filled with the Holy Spirit in this Context Means to Live By the Authority of the Holy Spirit

It Doesn’t Refer to Being Controlled By the Holy Spirit

It Refers to Obeying the Authority of the Holy Spirit

Like Obeying the Authority of a Speed Limit Sign

You Aren’t Forced to Obey it, But You Choose to Submit to it’s Authority

So What Should We Do to Live Wisely, Righteously, and By the Authority of the Holy Spirit?

Ephesians 5:19–21 (NASB)

speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

This is How We are Filled with the Holy Spirit

This is How We Live Wisely, Righteously, and By the Authority of the Holy Spirit:

We Speak to Each Other in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs

We Sing and Make Melody With Our Hearts to the Lord

We Habitually Give Thanks for All Things to God

And We Subject Ourselves to One Another

Paul Then Moves On to Talk About Specific Examples of Submitting to One Another

Husband/Wife, Children/Parents, Slave/Master

Paul’s Letter to the Colossians Goes Right Along With His Letter to the Ephesians

Colossians 3:16 (NASB)

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Instead of “Be Filled with the Holy Spirit”, Paul Says, “Let the Word of Christ Richly Dwell Within You”

We are to Let the Message of Christ (the Good News of King Jesus) Dwell Within Us Abundantly

How Do We Do That?

By Teaching and Admonishing Each Other With Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs

By Singing with Thankfulness in Our Hearts to God

And in the Next Few Verses in Colossians Paul is Going to Tell Them to Submit to One Another

Did You Notice the Similarities in These Texts?

Speaking/Singing/Teaching One Another Through Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs

Singing with Melody and Thankfulness in Our Hearts to God

Submitting to One Another

To Be Filled With the Spirit (Walk Wisely, Righteously, and By the Authority of the Spirit), We Must:

Teach/Sing to One Another

Sing to God God

Express Thankfulness to God

Submit to One Another

To Let the Word of Christ Dwell in Us Richly, We Must:

Teach/Sing to One Another

Sing to God

Express Thankfulness to God

Submit to One Another

To Be Filled with the Holy Spirit = To Let the Word of Christ Dwell in Us Richly

So Getting Back to the Original Questions

According to Paul, What are We Doing When We Sing?

We are Teaching and Reminding Each Other of the Good News of Jesus

We are Encouraging One Another to Stay Faithful to God and the Christian Way of Life

We are Singing Praises to God and Expressing Our Gratitude to Him in Song

According to Paul, Why Do We Sing?

In Order to Be Filled with the Holy Spirit

In Order to Walk Wisely, Righteously, and By the Authority of the Spirit

In Order to Let the Good News Message of King Jesus Dwell in Us Richly

Application

When We Sing in Just a Moment…

Remember What You are Doing and Why You are Doing it

You Aren’t Singing Because You Have to or Because You Like to

You are Singing:

To Teach/Remind Your Siblings of the Wonderful Story of Jesus

But Also to Be Taught/Reminded of the Wonderful Story of Jesus Yourself

To Encourage Your Siblings to Remain Faithful

But Also to Be Encouraged to Remain Faithful Yourself

And To Praise and Thank Our God and Father

Tonight, Let’s All Be Filled With the Holy Spirit and Let the Word of Christ Dwell in Us Richly

This is How We Live Wise and Pleasing Lives to God