Ephesians 5:1-20

Chad Myhre

Ephesians • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

Ephesians 5:1–20

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Verse by verse study through Ephesians

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Eph 5.1-

Intro..

A very popular question that Christians often ask, is:

“What would Jesus do?”

They face a situation.. they encounter a temptation.. they come up against a dilemma..

And they filter it… through their own speculation.. of what Jesus might do.. if He were there in that very place..

Inevitably.. different people will conclude different things..

.. about what they think: Jesus would do..

I just walked up here.. a few moments ago.. to this little music stand..

And if I asked.. first: wwjd?

I might conclude..

That Jesus went into the synagogues.. opened the scroll.. read from it.. and then expounded upon it..

So.. I would continue in this action.. open the word.. and expound..

That’s what Jesus would do, if He were in a teaching situation…

But wait a minute..

Jesus also denied the masses from receiving the instruction He gave..

He either spoke in parables.. revealing truth to a few.. and hiding it from others..

Or.. He left the masses all together..

And waited till His faithful followers joined Him up on the mount..

And there.. He gave His instruction..

So.. if I answered my question.. wwjd? That way..

I’d probably walk away right now… quietly.. awkwardly… head out to the picnic tables.. and wait for the faithful few who really hunger for the Word..

To come out there.. and hear what I’ve prepared..

But wait a minute..

Jesus sometimes taught through dialogue..

He would get the student talking..

And then use their logic.. and their conclusion..

As a launching pad for the lesson he was about bring home..

So.. if I would have answered the question: wwjd?.. according to that example..

I’d come down there on the floor..

And begin dialogue with individuals..

I’d come to the ones that I knew.. were having issues..

And I would lead them, by their own words..

To a place of revelation..

Here I am, preparing to teach the word, and I ask, WWJD? And I have several answers.

Sometimes.. WWJD? Is not the most appropriate question.. - It leaves too much room for us to pick and choose… interject our own ideas… project our sympathies onto Jesus… Find an answer the best fits our preference…

If Jesus were standing before you right now, with a scroll of Isaiah in His hand… I have absolutely no idea what He would do…

So, maybe… the better question to ask is: What did Jesus do?

Last week.. we ended our study with vs. 32 of chapter 4..

And there.. we learn about one very significant thing that Christ did..

“He forgave us”

But that testimony.. was intimately attached.. to a challenge..

What did Jesus do?

He forgave me..

What then, should I do?

I.. should forgive others…

When my brother or my sister in the faith offends me… I don’t need to ask, WWJD? - I already know what Jesus did… and I already know that He has told me to do the same thing.

But… forgiving people is not easy… -Especially when those people aren’t willing to face up to their errors..

Some of those people said mean things to me.. some of them made a face.. some of them walked by me w/o saying “hi”.. some of them forgot my birthday.. some of them, did not like.. my opinion!!!

They did me wrong..

Which raises the question..

Did we do Christ wrong?

Did our imperfection lead to His suffering on the cross?

It absolutely did..

Our offense caused greater pain and heartache upon Christ..

Than any pain or heartache that some individual could ever inflict upon us..

And yet.. even as we were partially responsible for scourging and the mocking and the crucifixion..

.. He still.. forgave us.

Wow.. what a revelation.. He forgave me out of my pit of despair.. all the way.. to a place of holy acceptance in His presence..

The least I can do… is follow His example.. and forgive those who have hurt my feelings.. or offended me.. or didn’t agree with me.. or cut me off in traffic..

Not: wwjd? But rather.. What did Jesus do?

This question becomes paramount.. when we consider the first two verses of chapter 5..

Ephesians 5:1–2 ESV

1 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.

Notice.. we’re still walking..

Walking has been a theme for Ephesians ever since the beginning of chapter 4..

Chapters 1-3.. talked about who we are.. where we stand… or where we sit w/ Christ.. –this was the doctrinal stuff

4-6… make our standing w/Christ practical..

In chapter 4.. we talked about.. walking in unity.. walking in the gifts.. walking according to our newness in X.. and.. walking in purity..

The call to walk in purity is going to pick up again in vs. 3..

but first.. we are called to follow the example of Christ..

to ask not.. “wwjd?” but rather..

to ask: “What did Jesus do?”

The answer to that question.. is in vs. 2..

Jesus.. walked in love..

Jesus.. gave of Himself for us..

..by offering Himself.. up to God..

And in this example.. is where we find the actions.... that we are called to imitate…

Imitation is a common encouragement in scripture..

Leviticus 11:45 ESV

45 For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”

Luke 6:35–36 ESV

35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

1 John 4:11 ESV

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Here in Eph 5:2.. the first example echoes I Jn. 4:11

Step one..

Walk in love..

John 13:34–35 ESV

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Sometimes.. it’s easy for us to go out there and love those we have pity on..

The lost.. the weary.. the misguided.. the weak..

We are burdened to help them..

But love.. w/in the church..

Love.. across denominational lines..

Love.. across the church split..

Love.. even in the midst of our own church family..

Sometimes.. that’s more difficult…

A conversation with many Christians..

Will reveal an enemy.. that is not vile and demonic..

No.. many conversations w/Xtians.. reveal an enemy..

That is devout.. faithful.. loving God..

Yet.. having a slightly different doctrinal disposition..

The enemy isn’t the one who opposes the faith.. it’s the one who supports, just like you… but with a slightly different doctrinal viewpoint.

What does the old song say?

They will know we are Christians by our????

Apologetic dissertations refuting the 7 points of Calvinism???

… venomous attacks against a certain denomination’s style of government?

.. no.. – They will know we are Christians… by our love..

In fact.. if you look through the NT.. at the call to love..

You’ll find.. that the majority of the verses there.. are not about us.. loving the lost..

The majority of them.. are about..

Loving one another..

I’ll throw a list of references at you…

I Thes. 4:9, I Tim 4:12, I Pet. 4:8, I Jn. 3:11, I Jn. 4:20,21

Love who? Love one another…

This does not.. however, discount our call.. to extend our walk of love..

Beyond the walls of our Xtian fellowship..

I Cor 16:14 says: “let all that you do, be done w/love”

Jn .3:16.. “for God so loved… the world”

Where as some who struggle with their love for the brethren..

Others struggle.. to extend love and compassion..

.. to those who are “outside” of the faith..

they are repulsed… by behavior that is foreign to our faith?

Do we sneer and scowl at those who look and behave differently?

Are we freaked out and disgusted by: homosexuals.. transvestites.. punk rockers.. gangsters.. or criminals???

Know this…

Jesus never equated love with affirmation… and we shouldn’t either..

You don’t have to affirm someone’s lifestyle as being true, to love them.

You don’t have to agree with someone’s viewpoint, to love them.

In fact…

When it comes to our human condition… there’s nothing really worth affirming.

Our human condition… the broken system of our personage that leads us to claim identities outside of Jesus…

It is not worthy of affirming. It is broken, corrupt, and all too often, opposed the identity that we are called to have in Jesus.

Every human should be a recipient of Christian love, in spite of how they identify themselves… They bear God’s image, and if they are not believers… your rejection will not contribute one bit to their salvation.

Jesus was not afraid..

To hang out.. with prostitutes and tax collectors..

w/ lepers and Samaritans..

W/Roman Centurions..

He wasn’t distracted.. by the outward things.. that so easily offend our religious nature..

In all things.. He walked in love.. as our example.. ++

So.. Christ loves us.. – that’s example number one.. ++

Next: He gave Himself.. for us..

Think about that for a moment..

That life.. those 30 some years.. the miracles.. the teaching.. the perfection.

All of that.. was part of the “giving process” ++

Each day, that Christ lived.. was for me.. and for you..

He didn’t operate like we do.

We think differently..

We think.. “Oh, I can give a bit of myself here and there.. to serve, or to help out others..”

Just a bit.. here and there..

As long as it’s convenient..

Because I have a great big life.. for me..

Activities.. programs.. long term goals.. for me.. ++

We have a bunch of “me” stuff..

So when it comes to giving of ourselves.. to help, or to serve others..

Well.. it just comes out.. in bits and pieces.. and it’s dictated by convenience.. ++

But Christ didn’t have the “me” stuff..

Every day.. was lived for the ultimate goal..

He was headed for the cross from day one.. in the manger..

It was all about the cross.. ++

When Christ was giving Himself for us.. there was no inconvenience..

Inconvenience only comes.. when we are pressured to do things.. that are contrary to our own agenda.. and our own wants..

Christ’s agenda.. was 100%.. the cross..

Christ gave Himself perpetually and continually.. to us..

Why? ++

Because He was fulfilling the will of the Father..

Folks.. that’s where we find it..

We don’t give of ourselves to people.. because of the people..

We give of ourselves to the people.. because of God..

Otherwise.. we would only serve those we like.. ++

But.. if we love God..

Then we will serve those.. whom He loves..

We too, can experience a live devoid of inconvenience..

If our lives are lived.. all for the glory of God..

Then the thing we enjoy… are for God’s glory.. ++

Even our personal time..

Work.. sleep.. eating.. all can be part of a life.. lived for God..

And when the phone rings.. and someone’s in need..

But we’re about to watch our favorite tv program..

It’s not an issue.. because we know.. that our goal in life.. every day.. is to glorify God..

And that person’s need. Is our opportunity.. to glorify God.. ++

Can we help everybody.. all the time?

Absolutely not.

Peter and John healed a lame man in Acts 3.. that Jesus definitely walked by several times..

Every need, is not necessarily our need..

Every call… is not necessarily.. our call.. ++

Jesus walked by that guy.. and didn’t heal him..

Jesus knew.. that this man was going to be ministered to.. by Peter and John..

And there was going to be a purpose in that.. ++

The key.. is discernment..

If I run off to help one person in need.. when I should be studying to help 100 people..

I may rip-off 100 people from what I’m s’posed to give them.

I might also be interfering with.. that one guy.. that one gal.. who was led by God.. to help the person in need. ++

But then again.. maybe I’m s’posed to leave my studies and help that person…

The key.. is discernment.. ++

Do we immediately say: “yes, or no”..

Or do listen for the still small voice???

Christ.. loved us.. gave Himself for us.. and: was offered up to God..

If we are to imitate Christ..

We too.. need to understand what it means.. to live our lives.. as an offering to God… ++

In Phil. 2:17 and II Tim 4:6..

Paul said.. that he was being poured out.. as a drink offering.. ++

when I take my cup of water.. and pour it out..

The cup.. is completely surrendered.. to my will..

The contents there in.. are completely surrendered.. to my will..

If I’m the cup..

And I’m to be poured out..

I too.. must be completely surrendered .. to the will of God..

When an offering was poured out.. it was done to worship.. to honor and to glorify God..

If we surrender ourselves to God..

We don’t have to worry about our strength.. or our energy..

For we know.. that He is in charge.. He is using us.. for His honor and His glory.. ++

In addition.. He loves us.. and He is knowledgeable of our needs..

Folks.. let God use you.. let God pour you out..

Let God direct you.. to the place where you can give of yourselves to others..

Let God lead you.. to walk in love..

We’ve been called to imitate these positive things..

And then, moving on into verse 3.. we are to be warned.. about the negative.. ++

Remember.. we are called.. to walk in purity..

these .. are examples.. of impurity..

In a moment.. we are being called.. to walk in the light..

Compared to that…

these.. are examples.. of darkness.. ++

You can sum it all up.. by following the instruction of:

1 Thessalonians 5:22 ESV

22 Abstain from every form of evil.

There are those.. outside of Christ.. who live by a code of: fornication.. uncleaness.. covetousness, and idolatry..

They don’t share our inheritance in X..

They are destined to receive the wrath of God..

We are called.. to not identify.. to not participate.. to not even dabble..

It’s not appropriate.. it’s not decent.. ++

Vs. 7 says:

Don’t be partakers.. w/them..

Don’t eat at their trough..

Don’t partake.. in the same kind of nourishment that they partake in.. ++

And I’m not talking about the 4 food groups..

I’m talking about the stuff that feeds their desire..

The stuff that drives their idolatry.. their fornication.. ++

Our world.. our motives.. our actions..

Should bear no resemblance..

That stuff.. is darkness..

We are called.. to the light: ++

Ephesians 5:8–21 ESV

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. 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.

This is our positive call:

walk.. in that which is: good, righteous and true..

search out and learn.. question and discover.. those things.. attitudes and behaviors.. that are acceptable to the Lord..

Don’t fellowship.. with the darkness..

But let it be known.. what the darkness is.. ++

Walk.. carefully..

That means.. don’t be flippant about your actions..

But consider the Word, and consider that which is honorable to the Lord..

Regard your time..

Make it useful.. valuable for the Lord..

Just as you discover what is acceptable to the Lord.. also discover.. what His will is..

Revealed in His word..

And, revealed in your life..

Avoid drunkenness..

Don’t surrender control, unless, you are surrendering it to the H.S. ++

Be edifying.. in your speech..

Make it glorifying to God..

And finally.. ++

Submit to one another..

Look for the wisdom and the instruction of God..

In and through.. our fellow believers.. ++

Consider the words of:

Philippians 2:3 ESV

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Walk.. not in darkness.. not in impurity.. not in the ways of wickedness..

But rather.. in purity. In wisdom.. in the light..

So that we are seen..

As servants of Christ.. ++

You shouldn’t have to tell anyone that you are a Xtian..

Nobody should be surprised to find out.. that you follow Christ..

For you.. are called to walk it..

You are called.. to live it.. in a way.. that is seen.. ++

When I stand up.. on my feet.. and move my legs.. and transport this body from place to place..

you know what people see as being my obvious action?

Walking.. ++

They say.. “that guy.. is walking.. his feet are moving.. his legs are moving.. and his body is traveling..”

On a spiritual level.. it should be the same thing..

When people observe our lives… may they too, make just such and obvious observation, about who and what we are as believers.