Ephesians 5

Do every Bibles turn to the book of Ephesians chapter 5. It's where we're going to be this morning as we study through the Epistles, Galatians Ephesians will continue on as God guides us, some directions. This morning we will be participating in the Lord's Supper. So those of you that are here that know Christ as your lord and savior you're very welcome to participate in that with us. We do have in those small trees are do the single communion units we've been using in the past. I was a small trees have gluten-free. So if you need gluten-free you let us know at that point in time. We'll get to get the gluten free stuff and then there's the regular communion. It's all on one. If you remember the cellophane on the top is not easy to get into sometimes. So start early. So you're ready to prepared, it's not the original. Communion little cups in the Wafers that we usually do. So they're all together at 1 but will do that at the end. So prepare your hearts now because there's some guidelines that will read from 1st Corinthians, chapter 11 about that this morning. As we look into Ephesians chapter 5, the Apostle Paul continues to encourage us to live Godly lives. That's the key. That's the key to happiness. That's the key to having the peace that God wants us to be. That's the key to being all that God wants us to be. So we find a verses one through 47 that he takes us into the temple and the temple as we would think about it in biblical times, the place where they would go and worship. But today what we're looking at is this body that we we have that God has given us that he dwells within He encourages others, had to take got to, to live Godly lives. He reminds us of the sacrifices that Jesus made for us. If we walk in Love Our Lives will be living sacrifice and look what he says Galatians chapter or Ephesians chapter 5 verse 1 through verse 7. Therefore be imitators of God as your children stop right there for a second. Think about that being Emma taters. Of God. Our society is one in which we we love to be imitated by little children. We love to see the little children walking in our footsteps. They're doing the things that we do. What we do. Not love about the imitation of little children is, is when they copy a word that maybe we wish nobody ever heard us a right or an action or something that would embarrass us as a family. And let me just tell you as being in church, all my life and having taught Sunday school for many years, with a little children in my life, growing up in church, sometimes you learn more about families and you wish you did. You let you know from the love of children, that was a while. Mommy said this to Daddy and daddy said this to Mommy and you find out why? Because children are just honest and point-blank, they're going to share what they hear, what they know how many times it is not because people are trying to pull information out of them. They're imitating what they know. They're imitating what they hear. Sao Paulo say, hey be imitators of Christ. As dear children, be an imitator of the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who gave his life for you. The one who gave his life for those who hated him. Be Emma taters of God as your children first and he says, I'm walking love as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us and offering the sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. Don't answer this out loud but answered in your own heart. What kind of stench are you giving to God? What kind of smell is he smelling from you? I'm not saying right now because you hit you hit the driveway or the church and your change, okay? Time to go in and act like everything's well, that's not what I'm talking about. Cuz God knows our hearts, a man. He knows exactly where we are. He knows our pains. He knows our sorrows our worries. Are he knows everything about us. So, hitting the driveway and then We'll pick this up when we leave, but right now. Is that fight Christians, right? Not that anybody did that. Here that's at 8:30, service group, that shows up that did that.

But we do, we want people to see us in a different light than maybe what we really are. The key is, were worried about what people think, we're not worried about what God knows. And if we become worried about what God knows will be more more able to minister to those around us, if we straighten our lives at versuri, he goes on to say but fornication and all in clean is our Covington, just let him not even being named among you. As fitting for Saints, neither Filipinos nor foolish talking or coarse jesting, which are not fitting. But rather giving of things for this, you know, that no fornicator unclean person nor coverages, man, who is an idolater or has any, and has any inheritance in the kingdom of God and Christ? Let no one to see me with empty words for because of these things of wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore, do not be partakers with them. Football, is he takes us into the tablet? Says, Hey, listen. Here's a responsibility that you have, here's a responsibility that you had to be a good smelling. A Roman a Living Sacrifice before, God, that takes us to that gravers. We all know if I be a memorize, it one time I've heard at least and Romans 12:2 where it says and do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove. What? Is that good? Except on perfect will of God when we allow the things of the world to permeate our hearts and our lives. We start to live the way the world wants us to. We Are gnomes. But when we conform to the things of God, when we transform our minds are, the way that God wants us to be. So don't be conformed to The Way of the World be transformed by the renewing of your mind. So that we can prove who got is, we can prove that good except on perfect, will of God by living our life as that sweet-smelling aroma. T'god, remember I talked about last week changing my clothes and get all wet and sweaty and I don't put those same clothes on after I take them up because they're just nasty. And sometimes here's what needs to happen when we take those clothes off, and before we put other clothes on, if we don't shower, we shouldn't use, probably at least use some deodorant. Right? Because even though we may take the old clothes off and put some new clothes on. If we don't cleanse ourselves, we still stink. All I got nice clean clothes on. Will they stink to now Write. Because that stench that was on, you is now on them in the stench is going out to permit. Any of those around you that you come into contact with, that's the way sometimes we want to live this life with God. It's okay. Well, we're going to participate in the world but then we will put on the clean clothes and look, the part. And the stench is still there. So Hey listen, don't do that. Don't do that. Make yourself a Living Sacrifice. Don't conform to the ways, a world, transformed Yourself by the renewing of your mind. And by doing that you proved you don't have to prove it to yourself. You prove to the world around you that? Yes, this is my belief. This is that good and perfect will of God. Sometimes, sometimes God lets us go to the pigpens of life if you noticed. You did that with the prodigal son? Did he not? Look into the pigpens of Life. Why? Because he was more concerned about what the world had in store and not so much. What God had in the store. They got him in deep deep trouble. Philippians 2:17 says yes. And if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice of service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Paul Sherry his face. And listen, if I'm being poured out as a drink offering just so I can share your face. You're the face with you. I'm willing to do that. I'm willing to Take less to be more. Can you say that today? Can you share that faith in that? Walk that Paul is say hey I'm willing to be used of God whatever way whatever shape if it's a drink offering to be poured out so that your faith will grow. So be it. So be it. Yesterday I played in a golf tournament and I'm not, I'm not a good golfer, it all. I got probably one time a year. I just get good guys, on my team. I didn't pick this team. Somebody else pick the team and they picked me. Believe it or not and I said to them. I'm not a good golfer. I golf once a year and I stink I am not a sweet-smelling saver on the golf course. That's all right. Come on. We'll have a good time. And I apologize to him. I apologize to the other two guys on our four-man scramble group. I apologize him. Before we even started that I'm not a good golfer. I told Matt, I'm not a good golfer, I still think that's alright, we'll have a good time.

First Tee, I'm the first one to tee off. I peed off and it did what it normally does it goes.

And the guy says, if you got it out there, Clyde, yeah, I did on The Fairway over there.

that was a whole way, the whole game all 18 holes went In fact, the guy that asked me to be a part of his team had, two of his sons playing on another team that were as good as anyone of us on our team, 14 year old, and a 16 year old playing in doing well and sending the ball straight and out to where it needs to be in on the green and time to the sink, a putt for par or less. And here I am on this team of guys, who can hit it that far? Hit it straight. But as a team, we work together. And yes, I did take one of my drives and yes they did take one of my ships and yes they did take one of my pots and make it all legal because I had to participate in each one of those somehow someway. But I tell you what, we took their pots and their chips and their drives far more often than they took mine. But we work together as a team. We came in 10 under par, not bad, Dina beat us, 15 underpar. That's even better, right? I thought the higher, the score, the better. If that was the way you played, I would have won that game hands down. That's the way I play every other game. I'm in Then work, that way. But we worked the key as we work together and I looked a whole lot better because of the people around me. Then what I really am, and I knew that I knew that going in and I didn't try to hide that because he evidence are going to be out there. The moment I hit the golf ball, I mean here it is. I'm I'm looking to go this way and there's golf carts over here. I'm afraid of hitting the golf carts. That's a good talent to be able to do and there are many of you here that know I can do that. You see me do that and I didn't do that on one hole. You guys are boy. Glad we weren't there. I'm so glad you weren't either that would hurt. The point is as a team. We work together to build each other up. A man, why is it in Christianity? We have a hard time doing that. Why is it in the church? We have a hard time. Building each other up. Why is this Christians? We always want to fight and always have a battle. You know why? Because there's an adversary out there walking around seeking whom he may devour. Pulsating. Listen we need to be Living Sacrifice. I'm willing to pour ourselves out willing to be used up and John 12:1 through verse say. We're not going to read the whole story but we have married coming in the morning the feet of Jesus with her her boxes, spikenard her boxes, very costly ointments very fragrant ointment as she comes in and she begins to annoy Jesus and Judas gets upset. What are you doing? Why are you wasting this ointment? Don't you know, we could have taken it installed it and to feed the poor. All we hear a lot of that today with different things. You know, the rich or too rich a, how to get rid of the money to feed the poor. In all their faults, that are doing things. They shouldn't be doing that. We need to get rid of that so we can feed the needy take care in. The problem is the majority of people that are making those statements are just interested in themselves. There are those who are truly interested in helping others and they do that. But many times you just use this point was not to help the floor feed the needy it was because he wanted the money in the treasury box that he had hold of. So he could spend it as he wanted upon himself, don't believe me, read the rest of that portion. John 12:1 through verse Haiti, talks about that he had to drive through boxes hand, wasn't he used it for himself. So he was upset that Mary was annoying, the body of Jesus for his burial ahead of time.

Medusa. Hey, leave her alone. What she is doing? Is to be done for a memorial for her. He didn't even look at it for himself. This is Donna as a memorial for her. It'll be cold throughout the ages and guess what it has been. We've heard that story many times but what she has on. She's made a fragrant smell for the Lord. She gave a fragrance smell to the Lord. What are we giving? What are we giving to the Lord and Isaiah 3:24? He says this instead of a sweet smell, there will be a stench in the nostrils of God. Santa's ugly. It is it takes us deeper than we want to go cost with more than we want to spend. And sometimes it's hard to get back from. it's a stench in God's nostrils and he tells us that when you and I do not obey God we send And when we send, there's a smell. That permeates from us to God all. It may sound good and look good to those around white because guess what there's a good illustration for those of you City Slickers, you come to my house every now and you stand in my front yard you got to smell cows. Right at one point in time. I remember doing a church picnic on a on a dairy farm. There are some of those people who has a smell those cows. They stink, who do a picnic on a dairy farm You know what, I found out. The more I live in the country and smell that smell The more I get used to it.

Can I get a witness? Is it just me? Travis, you get used to that smell.

Do you know? People that are used to that smell. Come out and gets low high. What is that form over here? Just opened up their, their pet.

But I don't smell it until they sent mentioned. Oh yeah, yeah hey yeah, that's that's money. That's gold, right? We do the same thing in our lives within it. It's causing its tension. There's a stairway light pink pan with the snatch. The smell is all around as everybody. Else is catching a whiff of it. We'd have no idea and God's up there. Go out What are you doing? Why? Because Santa's ugly that way. But we don't see it. Why? Because we participated in it to the point where we get used to what's going on. The devil is tricky that way he wants us to get used to it. Paul goes to the field and he begins to remind us in verses 8 through verse 15. That walking in the light produces spiritual fruit. Look a 8 just for you were once Darkness. But now, you are light in the world in the Lord, walk as children of light. for the fruit of the spirit is in all goodness righteousness and Truth finding out what is acceptable to the Lord, not to the world but to the Lord have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather expose them 40 shameful shameful, even to speak of those things, which are done by them in secret, but all things are to expose are made manifest by the light. For whatever makes manifest is Dwight. Therefore he says awake. You want to sleep arise from the dead in Christ will give you light Do we like walking in the darkness? Or do we like walking in the light? What do we prefer? What is our desire will? Our desire is one thing. What we prefer is one thing, what is your, right? Is something else, the ways of the world? Yes, they have a way of luring us and we'll do that. We'll get caught up and it would get stuck in it, but the way of God, when the light is turned on the light has shined it so much brighter and so much more beautiful. We see the beauty of his creation through his eyes. When we're walking in the light, The devil wants us to focus on ourselves, so take care of yourself, take care of your knees. And yes, we need to do that. The Bible tells us that we need to do that, but we also need to be willing to be a sacrifice poured out for others as well, looking up on the needs of others, taking care of them. If I'm taking care of others, but not taking care of my family. I'm not doing the right thing else as well, but if God has blessed us, if God has given to us the things we need, we need to take care of our families and help those in need. Now, I'm a strong proponent of this. I'm willing to help. Anyone who's willing to do something for it. I do not desire to do something for someone who does not want to do anything for it. They just want it given to him. I have a hard time with that. It's one thing if you can't work. I understand that is another thing. If you're not willing to work to get what you need is a big difference, scripture talks about that, we sort of messed that up in this world as well. Why? Because all were supposed to help anyway, no matter what, no scripture says, hey, if somebody is not willing to work, then they shouldn't be willing to eat.

Write the simple process there, but if you can't work because maybe you're injured or something. Okay, we have a responsibility. But the moment I'm at, you know, how many people they told me they need more. Can I say this guy's looking for working. This guy's working for looking for work and they're still those folks are still looking for work.

I grew up. I've been working extra since I was ten, I always said 13 but I had a paper route when I was 10 if I wanted something extra outside of what Mom and Dad provided, I had to earn it for myself. So my paper out of 10 years about age riding my bicycle, all over creation and throwing out these papers every morning. Sunday, morning, Monday morning, to you every morning. Morning. Paper route, boom, boom. Boom. There goes I even had a job where I would go door-to-door selling Donuts. Right? I would like Daylight Donut shop. I had a little basket and I think I had a dozen baskets or dozen. I had I had a dozen bags. Of a dozen donuts going door-to-door. Three months. Remember three bucks. You get a you get a dozen donuts for three bucks or talk on a 1969. I think Right door to door. I'd have those donuts sold in 3 hours. I can go door-to-door sell those donuts and for every dozen I sold, I got not for every thousand I got $3 for all those that I sold, that's what I made every day. I went door-to-door selling Donuts. Three bucks a day Always came back at the end of the day and they always left cuz I was always there to you today at one of my three bucks earned it, I made it. And I also thought about buying a bag of donuts and take it home. There goes my three bucks. Right, I'm thinking, man. If I buy a bag of donuts and take him home, I'm not going to get to eat them all. I'm going to have to share them. With the rest of the family. Probably a good thing. But I'm processing all of this. Do I want to share my donors with the family or do I want to take my $3 and put it in my piggy bank? Nobody'll see that. Every now, and then I splurge. And I buy a bag of donuts, take him home, and sure, enough, brothers, and sisters, Mom, and Dad's. I need all my Donuts.

But I had money that piggy bank, cuz I had to work for it and then I could go buy something that I wanted for myself. That that's the process of God. Be willing to work. If you're willing to do the work, God's going to bless you. If you just want God to bless him by doing nothing, he can He might. But we can't expect him to do much for us. If we're not willing to do for him, we live in today, we we don't look at him, we don't we don't listen to what he has to say. We don't want to do anything about what God has an order for us to do and then tragedy strikes and who's the first one we're calling on. Lord help us.

And gases will, where were you yesterday or the day before last year and now tragedy has struck. Now, you're calling me. Have you been with me over here? Maybe that might not have happened. I said maybe because I don't know the mind of God. I don't know exactly how he works, but I do know that his way is best even when it seems foolish. Do you want to me? Baby saying, hey, here's what you need to learn to do, learn to walk in the light. Don't walk in the darkness, the devil want you to walk in the darkness but he says it again and verse 14, awake, you who sleep arise from the dead and Christ will give you light. So we've gone from the temple. To the field in the world around us to do the work. If we walk in the light, we cannot fellowship with darkness is what he tells us and 2nd 2nd Corinthians chapter 6. Someone one, one of my favorite verses west of the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, that's very important for us to understand. Don't walk with the ungodly. You want to be blessed by God. Walk The Path. He's called you there with us there around us, we have to rub elbows with him because we need to be light to them, but if they're looking at your life in my life and they don't see any difference because of our faith in God and our life, and their life, why would they want? What we've got? Why would they want what? We're trying to give away for free. It's not working in your life. Why would I want it in mine? Belight, let them see. Go back to my little golf tournament thing yesterday. I was a part of I look forward to it. I was wanting to do it. I said yes. When the guy asked me to be up on his team, but I stink at golf and I told him that. So, why would anybody want me to play golf with them? you know what I found myself doing and this golf cart and standing at The putting green and all other places that we were on the 5th. I'm getting questions asked of Me by. These other guys, they know that I'm a minister they know where I where I stand and and they're asking me what about this? What about that? How does this work? So I think I might have stunk up the golf course with my golfing abilities. But I think I might have please God. By striving to be light and a dark world. What do you mean light in the dark world with these people Wicked? So I don't, I don't know where they stood with God. I didn't ask him that question. All I do is I needed to be light to them so they would ask me a question and answer. Trust in the Lord will seek. God. God oh God will take care of it if you trust him he'll take care of the way he sees it that she that's the key. We want God to fix it our way many times a man. Not his way. Our way is always the best way, isn't it? No, that's not that being poured out as a drink offering for the sacrifice of others, cuz that's not our way. Our way is know somebody pour out themselves as a sacrifice for me, so I can be, if we are being a blessing to others, guess what we're being blessed? God wants us to be blessed. He wants it to be blessed in the temple. He wants to be blessed in the field. Verses 15 verse 17. He takes us to the marketplace. Look what he says. See, then that you walk circumspectly circumspectly, not as fool's but as wise Redeeming the time because the days are evil, therefore do not be unwise. But understand what the will of the Lord is, and do not be drunk with wine. Where is in, is accessible to be filled with the spirit. Speaking to one another in Psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord giving. Thanks always for all things to God. The father in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, submitting to one another, in the fear of God, there's that word that we don't like That's emitting. We're submitting to one another. Not you submitting to me, not me getting my way, not you getting your way. But we're working together. That's the way it's supposed to work. That's what guy says, hey here, you want to be blessed. Submit the one another But then he goes on in the verse 22 and he starts metal. And when he starts talking about the home, a man, But look what he says in verse 22. Why is you got to say that s words wives? I didn't hear that.

Right. Wives submit to who Your husband's, how? Ask who the Lord? Is that a suggestion? Or is that a commandment, you think? Wives submit to your own husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of our wife. Yes. Is also crisis ahead of the church and he is a savior of the body there for just as the church is something to cry. So let's wise be subject to their husbands in some things.

No, it's not what it says, is it?

Best object to your husbands and what? There's a picture that he's trying to portray here. Husband's, you're going to get it here in a second, right? Be ready. Buckle your seatbelts. Wives submit to your husbands as if you're submitting to the Lord. Why because God has put him in the position as the head of the house as Christ is to be in the position as the head of the church. Now, listen. If Christ is not in the right position in our lives, none of the rest of us is going to work the way it's supposed to. Let me say it again. If Christ is not in the right position and our lives, none of the rest of this is going to work. The way it's supposed to, soak rice has to have 3 minutes. He's got to be the one we're looking to, we're learning from and everything trickles down from him. And when he is in that right position in our lives, the rest of, it doesn't really matter. As long as we're being obedient, it'll work is going to work perfectly. I don't listen in the mckaskle household, in my household, my wife, and I submit to one another. Okay, that means I don't always get my way and that means she doesn't always get her way. We work for a common place. A common ground. A man. Harry already. Everyday, she probably will ask me. What? What do you want to eat today?

I don't know. What do you want to eat? That's the answer. I don't know what you want to eat. You choose and not every day, doesn't happen this way. But some days YouTube. Okay. Well, how about this? And I'll give an answer and I hear that.

Okay. If I'm choosing. And you don't want to have it. What am I choosing? So none of us is because nobody knows what we want. We eat. Sometimes, it's what I want. Will be happy. I mean you asked me how I can live on a sandwich every day. That's fine. I was raised on sandwiches. I can eat a sandwich. No matter what. I can make a mean sandwich.

She doesn't always want sandwiches like she may want something of more substance like a three-course meal. I don't know.

But we have those. Ideas for those thoughts. And then we get into the, let's go out to eat. Okay, where you want to go out to eat? I don't know, you choose know you chose. Okay. Well, how about this now, I don't want to go there.

But look. Does it look like we meeting? So somewhere along the line we've submitted Where's your desire of each other? And he said, well, let's just do something simple fast and pray, why would you have me to do? God is Not wishy-washy. We are wishy-washy. He says, hey, here's what I want you to know. I don't want to do that guy. We do the same thing with God that we do with our loved ones. Cuz I always always better. A man, our way is always the right way in God, may take us down a path, we don't want to go. So what does he know? Submitting the one another wives that make your own husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. He's a savior of the body there, for just as the Church of sub you to cry. Why is me to their husbands and everything husband. You ready? Husbands love your wives. How Just as Christ. Loved the church and gave himself for her that he may sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of the Water by the word that he may present her not himself. A glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but had he should be hope she should be holy and without blemish, that's being poured out as a drink offering for someone else. Building them up. There's a picture. He's giving us Christ took care of the church. We are to take care of our wives are families. We're to work together to make this happen. So husbands ought to love their wives. How As their own bodies. Why? Because You become one in Christ, right? For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes, it just says the Lord does the church. For, we are members of his body of his lashing of his bones. For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and join to his wife and the two shall become one flesh. He says this is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church never left each. One of you, in particular, soul of his own wife, as himself and let the wife, see that she respects her husband, That's what God is after. That's what he wants. In the church, with one another, the body working together as it should are. We always going to agree? No, we're not. Does the toilet paper, go up and over, or back and under? Who cares? As long as it's there? Right? Some people care who I know some people care. I'm just glad it's there when I need it. Weather won't be swayed in any way it's going. I can use it.

we all have opinions, we all have desires, we all have things that we think will be better if it's done this way but what if nobody else can do it that way and and here we are, Learning in our own abilities. The way God wants us to be how can we work with that?

That's what God's doing with us, a man. We're not on the same level of spirituality in the same position. We all are in different levels, in God's working with us to make us what he wants us to be. We follow him, he guides us. He directs us and he makes us. What he wants us to be. Listen Church, Christ loves us a man. Christ died for us. But today, he loves us and cares for us. He didn't die and leave us all alone. He cares for his, he's providing the best for us. What we need to do is tap into that. we think the message maybe over here know, he says, the best is right here on this path and he's giving us This intimate life. Is pictured in the Song of Solomon. You said take some time and and read that someday it can be a reality for all who will yield to him. I read that on her more than my morning Bible reading a while back. That was a tough one for me to try to read through. Out loud. Knowing somebody else is listening to me every morning. Is that way. Because of the character of that passes, but it's the word of God. He's at 8. Here's what we need to have an intimate relationship with God. There's a song that was written years ago. George dunfield. He penned these words. Those are being been in church for a while, you know, it says, stand up. Stand up for Jesus. Stand in your strength alone. The arm of Flesh will fail you. You dare, not trust your own, put on the gospel armor, each piece put on with prayer where duty calls or danger, be never wanting there. Then it goes into stands up, stand up. Stand up for Jesus, amen. See when we try to do it ourselves. We are going to fail, but when we trust God, he will guide us. He will direct us even though we may not understand that. That's what he tells us is that there is a great mystery. We don't understand how it works out, but we know that when we trust God. It'll work out. Transcend, the announcements for our church picnic. You know, we don't want to cook 500 hamburgers and hotdogs or 20 people nor do we want to cook, 20, hamburgers, and hotdogs for 500 people, but guess what is the origin of those 20? Hot dogs work? the scripture about a guy who did 33 fish in a few loaves of bread and fed a few thousand people. Donald say we try that, I was looking to do 20, hot dogs. See, people are doing that. These days, trying to prove God and God said that's not the way it works. It's not the kind of thing. Now, you're not going to because it's not about using about building ourselves up. So you just trust me, I'll get you there. Is that wisdom thing about me going out and having faith out here in the middle of the road to prove my face before God, I'm going to stand in the middle of the road. I'm in a Dodge car just come down through that stupid. Can I get an amen? But I tell you one thing, if I see one of my grandkids on to run in the road in a car, and I'm going after him, I'm going to have the faith that God will guide me and direct me and get me across the road with them safely, maybe it won't happen, but that's where Faith really kicks in. Not trying to prove something God has nothing to prove. He's already done it. By sending his son, Jesus Christ for you. And for me,