Walking in the Light
Year A - 2022-2023 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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8 You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord, so live your life as children of light.
9 Light produces fruit that consists of every sort of goodness, justice, and truth.
10 Therefore, test everything to see what’s pleasing to the Lord,
11 and don’t participate in the unfruitful actions of darkness. Instead, you should reveal the truth about them.
12 It’s embarrassing to even talk about what certain persons do in secret.
13 But everything exposed to the light is revealed by the light.
14 Everything that is revealed by the light is light. Therefore, it says, Wake up, sleeper!Get up from the dead,and Christ will shine on you.
Walking in the Light
Walking in the Light
In May 1855, an eighteen-year-old boy went to the deacons of the church in Boston. He had been raised in a Unitarian church, in almost total ignorance of the gospel, but when he had moved to Boston to make his fortune, he began to attend a Bible-preaching church. Then, in April of 1855, his Sunday school teacher had come into the store where he was working and simply and persuasively shared the Gospel and urged the young man to trust in the Lord Jesus. He did, and now he was applying to join the church.
One fact quickly became obvious. This young man was almost totally ignorant of biblical truth. One of the deacons asked him, "Son, what has Christ done for us all -- for you -- which entitles him to our love?" His response was, "I don't know. I think Christ has done a great deal for us, but I don't think of anything in particular that I know of."
Hardly an impressive start. Years later his Sunday school teacher said of him: "I can truly say that I have seen few persons whose minds were spiritually darker than was his when he came into my Sunday school class. I think the committee of the church seldom met an applicant for membership who seemed more unlikely ever to become a Christian of clear and decided views of gospel truth, still less to fill any space of public or extended usefulness." Nothing happened very quickly to change their minds.
The deacons decided to put him on a year-long instruction program to teach him basic Christian truths. Perhaps they wanted to work on some of his other rough spots as well. Not only was he ignorant of spiritual truths, he was only barely literate, and his spoken grammar was atrocious. The year-long probation did not help very much. At his second interview, there was only a minimal improvement in the quality of his answers, but since it was obvious that he was a sincere and committed (if ignorant) Christian, they accepted him as a church member.
Over the next several years, many people looked at that young man and were convinced that God would never use a person like that. And in doing so they wrote off Dwight L. Moody. But God did not. By God's infinite grace and persevering love, Moody was transformed into one of the most effective servants of God in church history, a man whose impact is still with us today. (Gary Inrig, Hearts of Iron, Feet of Clay.)
His Sunday School teach saw the darkness that the young Moody was living in and he pointed him to the Light, Jesus. He lived as a child of the Light to show Jesus to those entrusted to his care.
Paul in our text this morning says
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
That's quite the powerful expression. The words "you are light" are used rather than variations such as "you have light" or "there is light in you."
This must be understood with some qualification, given how little the light enjoyed by even the most devout believers in God. Nothing except the "unveiled face" is revealed to us. We have just a partial view of the world; our knowledge is limited.
So little we understand the splendor that is Christ Himself. Our understanding of the Lord's flawlessness is so limited. How little we share in the awe of the blood's atoning power. We don't really take in the "sweet savour" of that sacrifice enough to call it "sweet" in the spiritual sense.
Our imperfect understanding of God's absolute righteousness, which is "upon all" and "upon all" those who believe, is astounding. Our minds can only scratch the surface of Jesus's unfathomable completeness. And yet, however dim, our illumination is still, by definition, light. The Holy Spirit's activity in a person's heart and mind is a source of light that God never rejects, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. If only you didn't hate a gentle warning every once in a while.
Paul uses opposites in several places in this this letter to contrast a persons prior situation as a non-believe to their status today as a believer. In chapter 2 he used the contrast of being dead and being alive. He wrote of being far away but now they are near Christ. and here he writes that “they were once in darkness, but are now they are light.
This is a passage that you have to take in the entire context of what Paul is saying. We are to put off our past life and as Paul says Eph 4:24 “clothe yourself with the new person created according to God’s image in justice and true holiness.”
I feel like many get it wrong because many believe that when they became a Christian that they simply added to their life the title of a Christian. In fact when we become a Christian, when we are justified, born again, adopted into God’s family we have become an entirely different person.
Notice what Paul said there Eph 4:24
Ephesians 4:24 (CEB)
24 and clothe yourself with the new person created according to God’s image in justice and true holiness.
This new person that we are to be, this new person that we are to clothe ourselves with is created according to God’s image. As I read that I was drawn back to the very beginning in Genesis where we read:
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Jesus didn’t die on the cross to just patch us up. He didn’t just slap some duct tape on us and say that will work. He died so that we might have new life. This new life is a brand new life, it is not recycled.
Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
He said in Colossians 3 9 “since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him”
Jesus came to give us new life in the image of God who created us. If you are a Christian today, if you have repented of your sins and are walking in the spirit you a new person.
Paul says there in verse 1 of Chapter 5
Eph 5:1 “1 Therefore, imitate God like dearly loved children.”
Just like children will learn by imitating a parent or other significant person in their lives, we are to learn by imitating God. We are to be like God.
Jesus said Matt 5:48 “48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Jesus said that. Jesus, God, the second person of the Trinity said to be perfect just like our Father in heaven is perfect.
God said “You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.” (Lev 19:2)
Paul wrote 2 Cor 3:18 “1 We are being transformed into that same image from one degree of glory to the next degree of glory.”
Peter wrote 1 Peter 1:15-16 “15 you must be holy in every aspect of your lives, just as the one who called you is holy. 16 It is written, You will be holy, because I am holy.”
Those verses and so many others in the Bible point to the radical change that God wants to make in the life of a believer.
Let me back up a second. It is not a radical change in the life of a believe. It is a radical change that God wants to make in the life of a person who is currently living in Darkness. That change begins the moment begins when we put our faith in Christ. When we believe that he is God who came and died for our sins. That change or that transformation begins when we repent of our sins. Repenting is where it begins. On the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit poured down on those believers. Peter preached a powerful sermon and the people were broken with conviction. Peter told them “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.”
If you haven’t taken that step, then you are living in darkness. Darkness is the realm of evil and sin. Paul will write later in this letter: Ephesians 6:12
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
If you haven’t taken that step of repentance then you are following the rulers of darkness. A person might say that they are a good person. That might be true. I’ve met a number of not yet believers who are good people. We are not called to be good people. We are called to be holy people in the very image of God.
There is no room in a person for some light and some darkness. There is no room for holiness in sin. David in the 36th Psalm which is about man’s wickedness and God’s perfection wrote in verse 9
Psalm 36:9 (CEB)
In your light, we see light.
In Your light we see light. People are drawn to light. When we go into a dark room, we turn on a light. I have night lights along the wall over there so that when I walk through the sanctuary they come on and lighten my path.
David was saying that in God’s light we see light. That light is salvation.
In our text Paul wrote in verse 8
Ephesians 5:8 (CEB)
8 You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord, so live your life as children of light.
What Paul is saying here makes it abundantly clear that conversion to Christianity entails a profound and miraculous transformation of an individual's inner existence.
He does not state that you were engulfed in darkness or that you were forced to endure darkness. No! He reprimands us by stating, "You were darkness."
The unsaved, the ungodly are addressed in this manner throughout the Bible. You will trip if you try to walk in the light. Why? Because you are darkness. You are unable to and you will not attempt to live a life that is holy, religious, and godly. Why? Just because you are an impure, profane, and ungodly person yourself.
Those who sin and do not follow the Lord are the primary agents through which darkness and its rule are manifested in the world. They were the embodiment of the kingdom that they served, and as a result, they were darkness themselves.
In the beginning, there was darkness, and the only thing that could push back against that darkness was the creative word of God.
When speaking of death, sorrow, confusion, misery, devastation, and evil, the Bible uses the word "darkness" to refer to these abstract concepts rather than a specific physical attribute.
Light is the antithesis of darkness, and it possesses all of the components of life, blessing, and the completeness of power. It imparts clarity, joy, a fresh day, and a life that pours forth abundantly and cannot be contained.
God is the source of all genuine light in our world, whereas the devil is the source of all darkness.
Paul says this about the light.
9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)
10 and find out what pleases the Lord.
These are the qualities that distinguish those whose lives are flooded with the light of God. They are good, they are righteous, and they are the truth.
Let me ask you this: does any of this represent you? Are these the kinds of things that somebody who lives next door to you or works in your workplace may say about you?
Is this the response that your children give to their friends when they inquire about their parents? Imagine what your parents or friends would have to say if they were to comment about your children.
If you answered "No," then you need to take a serious look at your life and the choices you've made. Not money, not position, not worldly accomplishments. According to what Jesus said, a tree may be recognized by its fruit, and these are the fruits that develop in the light of his presence.
Ephesians (Mentor Expository Commentary | MEC) The Characteristics
Alexander Maclaren explained, ‘The true way to adorn a life with all things beautiful, solemn, and lovely, is to open the heart to the entrance of Jesus Christ.
This takes effort on our part by consecrating our lives to God. By daily living a life that pleases Him. Jesus said John 15:5 “5 I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, then you will produce much fruit. Without me, you can’t do anything.”
We are meant to produce fruit. Paul wrote next
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.
We are forbidden to take part in activities that encourage immorality and wickedness. Christians are instructed to abstain from participating in an activity or attending an event if such activity or event is spiritually fruitless, if it symbolizes the values of darkness, or if it is not good, right, or true.
This covers on a wide variety of aspects of our modern pagan society. Yet, it will most certainly prevent us from engaging in a great deal of what is found in the entertainment business and in topics pertaining to sexuality. Because of this, we will be more conscientious about upholding ethical standards in the workplace and maintaining healthy relationships with one another.
Paul is saying that it is even shameful to talk about things that are done in secret.
Ephesians (Mentor Expository Commentary | MEC) (The Command)
John MacArthur wrote: ‘Some things are so vile that they should be discussed in as little detail as possible, because even describing them is morally and spiritually dangerous.’
Richard Phillips in his commentary summarized this passage and I want to paraphrase him.
Paul desires for us to expose immorality simply by the way we live our lives, but in order to do so, we will unavoidably need to speak up as well.
It is important for Christians to be clear that abortion is the unjustifiable termination of a human life. We need to make it very clear that we believe homosexuality is a sin, that we believe marriage should only be between a man and a woman, that adultery is a sin, and that having sexual relations before marriage is also a sin. We ought to condemn pornography. We need to bring attention to the obvious problems that are associated with gambling.
We need to make ourselves heard.
But, and this is very important, before we worry about anything else, let's make sure our lives are in order. The sequence is very important.
To have the credibility to expose evil in a manner that is convincing, we must first live as children of light, then refuse to take part in the activities of darkness, and only then will we have that credibility. It was only because the prophets themselves followed God's commands that they were able to convince the people to change their ways. Before we hold up the Bible before the world, let us first make sure it is the rule of our own life.
Paul has called us to walk in the Light. He ends our text with these words
Ephesians 5:14 (NKJV)
14 “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”
This is the urge need today. The light is dim in the world today. It seems that the darkness is overcoming the light. Paul says to wake up. This is a life or death situation. The eternal consequences are beyond what we can imagine.
When God decides to bring a genuine revival, he always, without fail, starts by first reawakening the sleeping church. This has always been the case and will continue to be the case until the end of time. When Christians become serious about kindness, righteousness, and truth, when they begin to meet for passionate prayer, and when they take up a fresh thrill for God's Word and a feeling of the splendor of Christ's reign, then is when God uses his people to rock the world.
Our generation and our nation are in desperate need of a revival from God that will dispel this terrible darkness and lead people to recognize the wonderful light that is Jesus Christ. But first, God cries out to us, saying, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead."
If we did it, will it truly make a difference?
Would such enthusiasm be for nothing in the end?
Will God answer our revitalized faith by showering us with an abundance of grace in fresh new ways?
I believe it will truly make a difference. I believe that God is ready to shower us with and abundance of grace in a fresh new way.
President Abraham Lincoln once related the following tale to those individuals who continued to criticize the administration that he led: When evening fell on the frontier, a traveler found himself in an uncharted section of the land. His predicament was made more worse by a violent rainstorm. He continued to struggle until his mount collapsed, at which point he was forced to dismount in order to guide him. The sole indication of the route was provided by brief lightning bolts, and the terrifying sound of the thunder accompanied each lightning strike. One of the lightning strikes caused him lose his balance and fall to his knees. It gave the impression that it was crushing the earth beneath him. His supplication was succinct and to the point, despite the fact that he was in no way a prayerful man: "Oh Lord! If you don't mind, we'd appreciate it if you could turn down the volume and give us a tad bit more light. Treasures from Ephesians (II. The Concepts of Imitating Christ (5:2–20))
Despite the fact that they are not saved, those who do not believe have expectations of us that we need to fulfill.
If we claim that we have a relationship with the Lord, then we had better act as though we do. I pray that everyone of us will be a beacon of light in our families, places of work and our families. Don't let the darkness overcome you! Walk in love!