Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.

Transcription

1 Ephesians 5:1-21 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.

2 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

3 Focus Point: An imitator of God is one who is both thankful and filled with His Spirit. 1. The command to be filled with the Spirit It is a command, not optional, but obligatory. The language is imperative. It is written in the plural form which has two implications: 1) Everyone is to be filled and 2) It is to happen within the community of believers, not just privately. It is to be an ongoing reality. Paul literally writes keep on being filled with the Spirit. This is not to create pressure to be filled or bring condemnation, but rather hope! The NEB says, Let the Holy Spirit fill you.

4 This idea speaks of God s sovereignty and human responsibility. We must desire to be filled, ask to be filled (Luke 11:5-13) and we must understand that God desires to and will fill us! Note the contrast and comparison of the command. The contrast is that alcohol acts a depressant or suppresses your control over yourself. The Holy Spirit stimulates us to holy action. He gives us self-control. The comparison is when someone is drunk with wine, they act in ways in which there is no doubt that they are drunk. When you are filled with the Spirit, the evidence should be such that there is no doubt you are filled with the Spirit.

5 Paul envisions a community of people (the church) whose lives are so totally given over to the Spirit, that the life and deeds of the Spirit are obvious in their case as the effects of too much wine are obvious in the other. - Gordon Fee 2. The evidence of being filled with the Spirit Paul says being filled with the Spirit is evidence by how we walk. 1. Walking in Love 2. Walking as Light 3. Walking as Wise Walking as Love and Light Paul identifies six things that are inconsistent with walking in love and light: Sexual immorality, impurity, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talk and crude joking.

6 NIV says, There must not be even a hint. Not talking about perfection, but rather what dominates a person spiritual or habitually. 1. Sexual immorality not just adultery, but more specifically all sexual activity outside of marriage between a man and a woman. This would include all homosexual activity, any sexual activity that leads to and includes sexual intercourse before marriage and sexual activity with anyone who is not your spouse (if you are married). What does that look like beyond sexual intercourse and does it include those things? Yes. Anything that tempts you towards impure thoughts or actions, must be avoided. Verse 10 try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.

7 2. All Impurity more than just sexual impurity. Paul is broadening his scope to include ethically or morally that which is impure. Not suggesting that being good morally results in being a believer, but rather that because one is a believer, because they are filled with the Spirit, their lives will express a Godly morality. What areas are you impure? Thought life, truth telling, talking or gossiping about others if what is said is true? Being filled with the Spirit, walking in love and light, means these things are not to dominate our lives. 3. Covetousness Paul has now increased the broadness of his list. Not simply money, but anything, relationships, homes, etc. that we either want sinfully or complain about not having.

8 4. Filthiness, 5. Foolish Talk, 6. Crude Joking Talk about anything that is impure. It is the expression of one who is so filled with impurity, that it spills over into what they say. It includes a lack of respect or gratitude for anything good, including all that God has made. Some translations say, silliness or flippancy or buffoonery ; the mocking of that which is good. All six have one thing in common, a lack of gratitude. Notice Paul s antithesis of these six things: gratitude. All these sins lack gratitude for what God has provided for us. To walk in love is to be thankful.

9 Gratitude is what you feel when you believe God is for you and not against you. It s what you feel when you believe that he gives you only what is good for you and withholds no good thing (single or married!). It s what you feel when you trust him, that the tragedies of your life are not evidences of his meanness or his incompetence; but rather that they are the discipline of a loving Father who values your holiness above your fleeting worldly happiness. - John Piper Paul s second example of being filled with the Spirit, is to walk as light or children of light. He does not say, walk in the light but walk as light. Once we were darkness, now we are light. This is about who we are not just what we do.

10 We are to expose the unfruitful works of darkness. The take no part does not mean remove yourself from. You cannot expose sin from afar. This gives us insight as to how this exposing of darkness happens. Not just in what we say, though at times we must speak out; but more by what others see regarding the differences in our lives. Exposing light has two aspects: 1) It reveals or shows darkness for what it is and 2) It can make darkness light or convert one who is dark to light. Third example of being filled with the Spirit, is walking as wise.

11 There is a contrast to walking as wise is to walk unwisely. Paul illustrates the unwise with being drunk with wine and living a life of debauchery. Paul talks illustrates walking wisely in three ways. The first is in how we interact with each other as believers. We are to address each other in psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, again giving thanks. The focus would be in what we sing more than how we sing. The second way we walk wisely, is by submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. This is having an attitude of reverent submission towards each other. Often your perspective could be wrong or limited.

12 Finally Paul says walking wisely is found in making the best use of time because the days are evil. The days are evil speak to the seriousness of Paul s admonition. He is trying to set a tone. Best use of time means taking advantage of every opportunity we have. When we don t, ask forgiveness and repent. Here repentance looks like when you have opportunity again, take it! In v. 10 Paul says Try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. In v. 17 he tells us, But understand what the will of the Lord is. Here, the will of the Lord is, walking as wise, being filled with the Spirit. This IS the will of the Lord!

13 Application Questions: 1. Why do you think gratitude is such an important characteristic to have in your struggle against sin? 2. What area(s) in your life do you need to allow God to more fully fill you with His Spirit? 3. Are unbelievers able to see the difference in your life versus theirs? Do they see the expression of that difference as merely a list of do s and don ts, even a judgment of how you are morally superior to them or do they see the action of the love of Christ in you and if so, what do you think they see?

14 Application Questions: 4. How do you see being filled with the Spirit as a communal or church body thing instead of a personal thing? 5. What are some practical, specific ways you can make the best use of your time in relation to being filled with the Spirit? 6. What are some practical, specific ways that you need to put to death any of the six sins that Paul lists in vv.3-4?