A Challenge for God’s People
Notes
Transcript
Objective:
Proposition:
Keyword: Because
Rationals:
1. The Sins of the Disobedient (3–5)
2. The Peril of Those Who Practice Sin (6–7)
3. The Plan for the Children of Light (vv. 1, 2, 8–14)
Ephesians 5:1-14
Ephesians 5:1–14 (CEB)
Therefore, imitate God like dearly loved children. Live your life with love, following the example of Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us. He was a sacrificial offering that smelled sweet to God.
Sexual immorality, and any kind of impurity or greed, shouldn’t even be mentioned among you, which is right for holy persons. Obscene language, silly talk, or vulgar jokes aren’t acceptable for believers. Instead, there should be thanksgiving. Because you know for sure that persons who are sexually immoral, impure, or greedy—which happens when things become gods—those persons won’t inherit the kingdom of Christ and God.
Nobody should deceive you with stupid ideas. God’s anger comes down on those who are disobedient because of this kind of thing. So you shouldn’t have anything to do with them. You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord, so live your life as children of light. Light produces fruit that consists of every sort of goodness, justice, and truth. Therefore, test everything to see what’s pleasing to the Lord, and don’t participate in the unfruitful actions of darkness. Instead, you should reveal the truth about them. It’s embarrassing to even talk about what certain persons do in secret. But everything exposed to the light is revealed by the light. 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.
Opening:
Opening:
On All Saints Sunday, it would only be appropriate to begin this sermon with a quote from an Early Saint and Apologist Justin Martyr one who defended the Christian Faith, and wrote on vital topics such as Christian Ethics, Morality, Exegesis and the list goes on.
In connection with our Epistle Reading today He wrote in 1 A.D.
“We who were formerly the slaves of lust now only strive after purity; we who loved the path to riches above every other, now give what we have to the common use, and give to everyone that needs; we who hated and destroyed one another, now live together, and pray for our enemies, and endeavor to convince those who hate us without cause, so that they may order their lives according to Christ’s glorious doctrine and attain to the joyful hope of receiving like blessings with ourselves from God, the Lord of all.”
As believers of Jesus
Body:
Body:
Rational 1: The Sins of the Disobedient (3–5)
Rational 1: The Sins of the Disobedient (3–5)
Verses: Ephesians 5:3-5
Verses: Ephesians 5:3-5
Sexual immorality, and any kind of impurity or greed, shouldn’t even be mentioned among you, which is right for holy persons. Obscene language, silly talk, or vulgar jokes aren’t acceptable for believers. Instead, there should be thanksgiving. Because you know for sure that persons who are sexually immoral, impure, or greedy—which happens when things become gods—those persons won’t inherit the kingdom of Christ and God.
Immorality. This includes sexual perversion of almost every kind.
All that works against the lifelong union of one man and one woman within the sanctity of marriage is condemned.
The Christian must live by God’s standard, not the world’s.
Paul did not say, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
Instead he commanded, “When in Rome, do as a Christian should do” (see Romans 12:2, J. B. Phillips paraphrase).
Greed. This means “over-reaching.” Greed is selfishness.
The greedy person is an idolater according to Colossians 3:5 “So put to death the parts of your life that belong to the earth, such as sexual immorality, moral corruption, lust, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry).”
If we are determined to get what we want, no matter what, we have made that person or thing another god.
Evil talk. “Obscenity, foolish talk, and coarse joking” abound today.
The Christian can easily be drawn into watching TV programs and movies that include all three.
Many popular books and magazines are no better.
Rational 2: The Peril of Those Who Practice Sin (6–7)
Rational 2: The Peril of Those Who Practice Sin (6–7)
Verses: Ephesians 5:6-7
Verses: Ephesians 5:6-7
Nobody should deceive you with stupid ideas. God’s anger comes down on those who are disobedient because of this kind of thing. So you shouldn’t have anything to do with them.
God’s wrath is upon “those who are disobedient.”
The biblical warning is clear: whatever a person sows, he will one day reap. Galatians 6:7 tells us
Make no mistake, God is not mocked. A person will harvest what they plant.
The light of Scripture shows the true nature of things (v. 13).
The person who commits sin has no inheritance in the kingdom of God.
You may fool your spouse, your parent, your child, your preacher, your neighbor—but you cannot fool God.
In contrast, the apostle shows how God’s people are to behave.
Rational 3: The Plan for the Children of Light (vv. 1, 2, 8–14)
Rational 3: The Plan for the Children of Light (vv. 1, 2, 8–14)
Verses: Ephesians 5:1-2
Verses: Ephesians 5:1-2
Therefore, imitate God like dearly loved children. Live your life with love, following the example of Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us. He was a sacrificial offering that smelled sweet to God.
You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord, so live your life as children of light. Light produces fruit that consists of every sort of goodness, justice, and truth. Therefore, test everything to see what’s pleasing to the Lord, and don’t participate in the unfruitful actions of darkness. Instead, you should reveal the truth about them. It’s embarrassing to even talk about what certain persons do in secret. But everything exposed to the light is revealed by the light. 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.
Follow God (v. 1). The challenge for God’s people is to leave behind the sinful past, and to live as children of light in the present.
Walk in love (v. 2). We follow the example of our Lord who gave himself in love for us.
Reprove darkness (v. 11). We are not only to avoid sinful acts, but to expose them. We are in one of two camps—the Lord’s or the devil’s.
Closing:
Closing:
Christians must correct error, oppose wrong, and set an example of holiness.