Be Filled With The Holy Spirit... Submitting To One Another (Ephesians 5:15-24) Series

Today's verses build directly off last weeks, so I'm going to go ahead and start reading from 5:3. Hopefully, as I read them, you'll find yourself thinking, "Hey, I understand these verses."

(3) Now, sexual immorality and all uncleanness or greediness must not even be named among you,

just as it is fitting for the holy ones,

(4) and shameful behavior and foolish talk or coarse/crude joking,

which aren't proper,

but rather thanksgiving.

(5) For this you know,

knowing that every sexually immoral or unclean or greedy one-- who is an idolater-- does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

(6) No one must deceive you with empty/valueless words.

For because of these things God's wrath is coming on the sons of disobedience.

(7) And so then, don't be/become companions/accomplices with them.

(8) For you were formerly darkness.

Now, [you are] now light in the Lord.

As children of light walk.

For the fruit of the light [is] in all goodness and righteousness and truth,

(10) testing and approving what is pleasing to the Lord,

(11) and don't participate in the unfruitful works of darkness.

Now, rather even, expose them.

(12) For the things in secret being done by them are shameful even to talk about.

(13) Now, all things being exposed by the light are made visible.

(14) For everything being made visible, light, it is.

Therefore, it says,

"Wake up, O sleeping one,

and rise from the dead,

and the Christ/Messiah will shine on you.

Paul says that there are two ways you can live. You can live as children of the light, or you can live as children of the darkness. You can live as a people who have risen up to a new life in Christ. Or you can live as spiritual zombies, as the walking dead. The question that faces you, every single day, is which of these you will choose.

On the one hand, you can choose to live as children of the darkness. You can do the types of sins that are shameful to even talk about: sexual immorality, moral uncleanness, greed, shameful behavior, foolish talk, and crude joking. If you choose this, there are two things you need to understand. First, these things aren't fitting-- they aren't proper-- for God's holy people. Second, these things will keep you from inheriting God's kingdom. If you are this type of person, you don't get eternal life. So if you choose the life of darkness, you need to understand that there is a very real cost.

Your other option is to walk as children of the light. The starting point for this way of life is thankfulness. You value what God did for you in Jesus. You know you were dead in your sin, without hope, without God, on the outside of God's family. And God forgave your sins in Jesus, and made peace with you. God brought you into his holy family, to live as holy people. And you understand that if God brought you into his family, to be part of his holy people, you need to live as holy.

So how will you live? Which will you choose?

This brings us to Ephesians 5:15, and the beginning of our passage today.

(15) And so then, watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,

(16) making the most of the time/age, [Wisdom 2:5?; Hebrews 9:9]

because the days, evil, they are. ["evil" is focused].

There are two ways to live, two paths that we can take in life. We walk unwisely, or wisely. And the thing that distinguishes those two ways to walk, in this verse, is how we use the time we have to walk.

My wife really enjoys going on walks when it's nice out. But her idea of a good walk, revolves around walking fast. She only has so much time. Many people want her attention, and her cooking skills, and her help in all sorts of areas. And it's hard to go on even a half hour walk. She makes the most of her time by walking incredibly fast. A walk, for her, isn't just about getting some sunlight, or a little peace and quiet, or maybe, once in a great while, some quality time with her husband. It's about getting a workout in, and if you walk with her, you expect that you'll be walking fast.

We've all felt the pinch of not having enough hours in the day to live exactly how we want. As we walk through life, we make decisions about how we'll divide up our hours, working, eating, relaxing. How much time will we slow down, and spend with family, and friends, and this church? How much time do we spend on our hobbies, or interests? How much time do we privately spend reading the Bible, or other books? How much time do we spend seeking God's face, and trying to hear God's voice?