Redeeming the Time

Ephesians 5:15–21

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Introduction: Friend who didn’t want to disappoint himself with failed resolutions so he resolved to: eat more junk food, watch more t.v., and not exercise. As we begin a new year I don’t want to address resolutions so to speak but I do want to talk about taking the time to closely examine our lives…As Paul instructs us in Ephesians 5:15…Look carefully, study, observe, examine your life…so that we can “buy back time”…difference between Kronos and Kairos time…chronological, ticking away time which is impossible to gain vs. a season of time, which can be elongated or shortened, invested in and cultivated.

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. (καιρός)

καιρός a moment or period as especially appropriate the right, proper, favorable time

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. (χρόνος)

χρόνος, ου, ὁ (Hom.+)① an indefinite period of time during which some activity or event takes place, time, period of time

Ephesians 5:15

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,

“Because the days are evil” implies: (a) that they are problematic due to sickness, persecution, poverty, etc…or (b) they are morally corrupt.

Since the days are troubled or morally corrupt it would be easy to throw in the towel and either: hide away (becoming deflective or defensive), or go with the flow (eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die ….redeeming the time gives us an alternative…

Be Filled with the Spirit

a. EXP: filled with the spirit or be spirited as opposed to being drunk, unintelligible, out of control

b. ILL: Peter at Pentecost, Hannah at Jerusalem

c. APP: Be filled with the Spirit by

Speaking to one another in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs (vs. 19)

The Lexham Bible Dictionary (A Letter of Pliny the Younger to Trajan the Emperor (X.XCVI))

Christians met on a particular day and time: “On an appointed day, they had been accustomed to meet before daybreak, and to recite a hymn antiphonally to Christ, as to a god” (XCVII). This phrase does not specify which day the Christians met.

Singing and making melody to the Lord with all our Hearts (Vs. 19)

Giving thanks to God always and for everything (Vs.20)

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers 1.13: Saint Chrysostom: Homilies on Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus, and Philemon Ephesians 5:19–21

It is our duty to give God thanks, even for hell itself, for the torments and punishments of the next world. For surely it is a thing beneficial to those who attend to it, when the dread of hell is laid like a bridle on our hearts.

Submitting to one another (out of fear for Christ) (Vs. 20)

looking at 5:1 with Christ always being our example a primary principle of all Xian relationships is that of submission. We shall always have the best interest of the person above us or below us at heart.