The Riches of Walking Wise
Sufficiency of Christ: Book of Ephesians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 38:32
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Life Lessons
Life Lessons
We have all had life lessons, some have been good lessons, others, well maybe not. Paul is going to give some life lessons (or direction for application) in our passage today.
Paul has challenged the church to be imitators of God (Eph5:1)
He had told us how to do it, walk like Jesus (Eph5:2)
He, like a good parent would, gave some sage advise, words of wisdom and warning (Eph5:3-13)
Some life lessons are cautions, others challenges.
Paul challenges the church to wake up! To be alert, to watch out
Paul tells them why, so Christ will shine (Eph5:14)
14 For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”
In our passage today Paul is addressing walking again, not in walking itself but how to walk. He will incorporate how we walk how we talk and even how we sing. May we learn from this on a personal level and interpersonal level.
He tells us to walk wise (Eph5:15-18)
He shows evidence of walking wise (Eph5:19-21)
We live in a world where there is much evil, heck you don’t even have to look for it, do you? It is before us always. There are many dangers out there that want to lure the Christian back into the world or to make their Christian witness ineffective.
I. Walking Wise
I. Walking Wise
Walking, a verb, in our passage today the walking is symbolized by the action the Church is to do, or not to do, either way an action. This section in a linchpin tying what Paul had previously said, warned about, to what will be the application that will impact all relationships. You will see some good contrasts as we look at this passage.
15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
Much instructions have already been given in chapters 4-5 and now comes the application of the instructions. I mentioned that this is a linchpin section due to the word therefore, but let me show you a few others therefore’s that Paul used that can help us today in grasping the picture in Ephesians.
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Do not be partakers with them (Eph5:7-8)
Be imitators of God (Eph5:1-2)
Lay aside all falsehood, speak truth (Eph4:25)
Walk in a worthy manner (Eph4:1-2)
Know what is going on around you, overcome evil with good (Rom12:21)
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7 Therefore do not be partakers with them; 8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light
So we have therefore be careful how you walk (Eph5:15); and in Eph5:7; therefore do not be partakers with them.
Paul tells them to be imitators of God too
1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
Then there was another warning with an admonition
25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.
And a urging to walk
1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,
Notice each one of these calls for action. Do not be partakers but be imitators to lay aside these things so that you can walk in a manner worthy.
In some versions in Eph5:15 it says to “walk circumspectly” and that gives us a couple of ideas
To walk (symbolically) in a circular fashion , to look around, to know what is going on around you.
It also means to walk exactly, accurately, diligently
We don’t want to be blindsided by evil in this world, we need to see what is going on all around us. We cannot hide from evil but we can overcome evil.
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
So, to walk carefully is to walk wisely for any other kind of walk would be foolish and lead to destruction. This crooked and perverse generation, this world (Php2:15) can try to trip us up. Sometimes we may see it coming, other times it may try to slip in unnoticed (Jude1:4).
15 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,
4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
So we need to be rooted and grounded, let me expand
May we be rooted and grounded in love (Eph3:17-19)
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
May we be rooted and grounded in love (Eph3:17-19)
Firmly rooted and established and built up in Him (Col2:6-7)
6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
May we be rooted and grounded in love (Eph3:17-19)
Firmly rooted and established and built up in Him (Col2:6-7)
All, so not easily taken captive the the elementary principles of the world (Col2:8)
8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.
So why do we need to be wise, why do we need to be careful how and where we walk? Because we need to:
16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
Because the days are evil we need to make the most of our time (time permitting expand on this briefly, 1-2 minutes only)
I mentioned that we would see some contrasts today; we have already seen
Walk not as unwise, but wise (Eph5:15)
We have been told why, because the days are evil (Eph5:16)
Our next one. Don’t be foolish, understand (Eph5:17)
17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Understand the will of the Lord; God wants us to understand His will
3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
How we walk, where we walk matters if we want to be good and acceptable, for we know His will is told to us here, that all men to be saved through knowledge.
With knowledge comes understanding from understanding comes wisdom, and then wisdom is the application that helps us to mature in Christ and is for the building up and maturing of the body of Christ.
All of this leading us to another contrast
Don’t be drunk, filled with spirits, be filled with the Spirit!
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
The Ephesians were an immoral society that worshiped several god’s Diana that lead to sexual immorality as a part of worship. There is also the god known as Baccus, that followers believed they needed to be in a drunken state to understand the will of god, for that is when god’s will would be revealed to them.
Does not sound like God’s way does it?
So, what does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? How are we filled? When are we filled (Eph5:18)?
There is no place in the scripture that tells us that we are to be baptized by the Spirit outside of conversion. (1Cor12:13)
13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Well this once and for all experience happened on Pentecost when they (the apostles) were filled with the Spirit (Act2:4; Act1:8)
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
They were filled with the Spirit with a purpose, and with power as stated.
8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
Power to be His witnesses
The being filled today, while not with the power the apostles had, is not for the select but for the elect Not for a few, but for all who are God’s elect (1The1:2-4; Eph1:4-5)
2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; 3 constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father,
4 knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you;
He chose you! Not only that then may we remember we are the church and He chose us!
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
So, the elect, the chosen are those who by faith labor in love, are holy and blameless, all according to the kind intentions of His will. This being filled with the Spirit helps us to talk in harmony in this world in all our relationships which Paul addresses in the section we will look at next week. This filling “command” is to “be filled” and it is one we should obey, not just a few of us, but all of us, the whole body of Christ. It is written in present tense so we know it is a continuous action and that we need to keep being filled It is a passive verb, we don’t fill ourselves, the Spirit fills us and fills us with a purpose to accomplish the task that is set before us! Think of it this way
The baptism of the Spirit meas that I belong to Christ (point of my salvation); I belong to Christ’s body; the filling of the Spirit means that my body belongs to Christ’s.
Paul uses several terms of application that cannot be put into action if we are drunk with wine.
II. Walking wise: The Evidence of
II. Walking wise: The Evidence of
Words are fine, but actions speak louder than words and evidence of wisdom, well it speaks for itself.
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;
21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.
Evidence presented
Speaking
Singing
Thanking
Subjecting; now onto proving the evidence
Speaking - we are to speak in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs
Why? it brings unity when we speak the same language (psalms, hymns, spiritual songs); it brings maturity, it brings joy to the spirit filled Christian. This is one of the proofs of us walking wise, so evidence and proof provided.
The Spirit filled Christian who is walking in wisdom is obeying the commands and will sing and make melody with his heart. (expand on this; time permitting; look at the clock first)
Singing - Lifting our voice in praise is evidence of us being Spirit filled, and walking in wisdom.
Again, why do this, because we know what we have in Him and we know what He commands us to do and we do it for it is not burdensome. It is a command, but let’s make it a joy, a pleasure from our heart to God’s!
This is part of our joy in the Lord in expression of joy and thankfulness that go hand in hand for the Spirit filled Christian. The Spirit filled Christian is not controlled by circumstances but by the Spirit who leads him.
Giving thanks - in our speaking, in our singing, in our doing
20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;
So how often is the Spirit filled Christian to give thanks? ALWAYS, for what things are we to give thanks for ALL THINGS. How are we to give thanks? IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, giving thanks to the Father through the Son. Why are we to give thanks? Because we know what we have in the Son and through the Son. It is through the Son we have the relationship with the Father knowing we can cry out “Abba Father” (Gal4:6; Col3:17; Col3:23-24; Jam1:2)
6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
We give thanks with our speaking, we give thanks with our singing, we give thanks with our doing!
17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
We give thanks in our working too
23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.
We give thanks, even count it a joy in the hard times
2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
And that leads us to our last proof, or piece of evidence to be presented this morning of being Spirit filled.
Subjecting (or submitting) to one another (Eph5:21)
21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.
Subjecting or submitting to one another is a link, in looking backwards it is the unity of all the believers and in looking forward in the passage it is in all the relationships we may have. (Scriptures references: Php2:1-4)
Paul gives illustrations of this from Eph5:21-6:9 but we are not going there today or you would never get out of here and go and apply what we are looking at But here let me give you a few passages before we close to consider
1 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.
3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
Submitting to one another is to think of others and their interests
Submitting is being Christ like, for He submitted, may we maintain the same love, united in Spirit and intent on one purpose.
Submitting to needs will result in submitting to authority, the authority of Christ which is where we have our unity.
Lead to invitation (Invitation slide 1)
Christ submitted for us (expand)
May we submit to Him and His authority (expand)
Results: Sins forgiven, Spirit filled, empowered to walk in a manner worthy of the gospel, able to walk wisely and there will be proof of it.
Are you submitted, subjected to Him?
(Invitation Slide 2) - song - (Exit slide)