Sermon Tone Analysis

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)

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

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.

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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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

Then there was another warning with an admonition

And a urging to walk

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.

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).

So we need to be rooted and grounded, let me expand

May we be rooted and grounded in love (Eph3:17-19)

May we be rooted and grounded in love (Eph3:17-19)

Firmly rooted and established and built up in Him (Col2:6-7)

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)

So why do we need to be wise, why do we need to be careful how and where we walk?

Because we need to:

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)

Understand the will of the Lord; God wants us to understand His will

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!

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)

Well this once and for all experience happened on Pentecost when they (the apostles) were filled with the Spirit (Act2:4; Act1:8)

They were filled with the Spirit with a purpose, and with power as stated.

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)

He chose you!

Not only that then may we remember we are the church and He chose us!

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

Words are fine, but actions speak louder than words and evidence of wisdom, well it speaks for itself.

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!