Ephesians 5:1-21
Ephesians • Sermon • Submitted
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Walk in Love
Walk in Love
Opening
Opening
What is the “Love Movement”?
Do you think love is really based on acceptance?
Can you love someone but not accept their behavior?
There is this driving view in our society that love is fully based on acceptance and that simply disagreeing with someone or their choices is the opposite of love, “hate”.
Think about it. Today, to say that you disagree with someones life style is considered hate speech. This may sound crazy to you, or it may not. The question we want to answer tonight is, “Is this view of walking in love, biblical?”
The Word
The Word
Lets turn to
Someone read vs. 1-10 and someone 11-21
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 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. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
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.
Ephesians 5
The Contrast
The Contrast
Wow! Kind of surprising for a section label Walk in Love”.
Does this scripture fit with today’s concept of love?
Why not?
Do you think some people today would see this as “hate speech”?
This is a prime example of how God’s will does not match up with our culture’s.
But what is the truth? Does walking in love mean acceptance of everyone and everything or is it something else?
The Truth
The Truth
Verse 1 tells us to “be imitators of God, as beloved children”.
How do children imitate their parents?
When my child imitates
There is a sense of doing what they believe their parents would do in a situation. They are actually trying to act in a way they know pleases their parents.
When beloved children imitate the Father they are seeking to act in accordance to the Father’s will. In another word, obedience.
We see this clearly in the next verse.
And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Why did Christ “give Himself up”?
Yes, He did love us and gave himself up for us, but he did it as a sacrifice to God. He acted in a way to imitate His Fathers love..., He acted in a way to please His Father..., He acted in accordance to His Father’s will..., He acted in obedience!
Paul is teaching us that to walk in love is to walk in obedience.
But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 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.
That is just horrible to say, isn’t it! that those who live these lifestyles have no inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God!!! that is bigotry and hate speech! If God is loving how could he condemn people just because of their lifestyle? True love accepts everyone no matter how they choose to live.
Do we truly think this is a new argument, that our generation cooked up? Don’t you think Paul heard these very words from the people around him? Love is acceptance and anything else is hate!
So how do we respond to this and know the truth? Look at verse 6.
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
Paul established for us in verses one and two that to walk in love is to walk in obedience, not disobedience.
So, why is it that those who practice these things in their lives have no inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God? because they do not walk in love
Let no one deceive you with empty words. Listen to those who scream tolerance and acceptance. They are often the most intolerant and unaccepting people there are. There words of no substance, no backing. Do not let their empty words deceive you in understanding what it means to walk in love.
Ephesians 5:7
Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
Do you think verse 7 means to shun these individuals? Does it mean to spue hatred at them? Of course not. Some people use this as a chance to be outright nasty. But that is not in obedience either.
What Paul is saying is don’t join their cause and support them, even though you know it is against the will of God.
Don’t walk in their parades and argue their cause. Don’t give support to what you know to be wrong.
for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.
for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
You were darkness. you were completely consumed so that it was who you were. But know you are not darkness, so don’t tamper with it, take no part in it, instead walk in the light which is good and right and pure.
You were darkness. you were completely consumed so that it was who you were. But know you are not darkness, so don’t tamper with it, take no part in it, instead walk in the light which is good and right and pure.
When you are presented with a choice to support something or not pray about what would please God and walk in obedience, walk in love. Then don’t be afraid to call it what it is.
Paul is telling us in verses 11-14 that we should call sin, sin.
Will someone be offended, YES.
So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
and
“A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
Christ is offensive and His gospel is offensive because it brings the darkness into light.
People do not like having their dirty little secrets exposed, or their inappropriate actions brought to light. but this is exactly what the gospel does and what we are called to do as well.
When we call someone’s actions sin, they will be offended, and say that is unloving, but that does not make it any less sin. If walking in love is obedience than disobedience is not love and should not be treated as love.
Might you be treated differently? Of course
Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
But these people will hate me. Maybe.
Christ warned us about this in Matthew 10:22
and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
We discussed this some last week when we said you cannot live two different ways. You cannot be a follower of Christ when in the presence of some and a follower of Satan in the presence of others. You either follow Christ or you don’t. And to follow Christ means to walk in love. To walk in obedience!
Verses 15-21 continue on to tell us what it looks like to walk in love as wise individuals making the best use of our time.
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.
Paul tells us when we walk in love we do it as wise individuals Wise people contemplate what is the appropriate action. Paul wants us to contemplate what God would have us do.
Then Paul goes on to talk about drunkeness. When we are walking in the will of God, our source of joy and peace should not come from temporary substances but from God himself through His Spirit.
This leads directly into how we should relate to one another. With that same spirit filled joy but also with that same obedience.
Paul transitions to the next section with a simple phrase at the end of his sentence.
submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
What does this mean, to submit? Is it a harsh position of being dominated? Is it a position of weakness? Is it a position of less than? Or is it a beautiful expression of in our relationships with each other? An obedient sacrifice to God out of reverence for Christ. Maybe we will see next week that Paul has not really transitioned from talking about walking in love after all.