Children Of The Light Series

Children of the Light: Ephesians 5

Good morning! Please turn to Ephesians chapter 5.

Does anyone know who came up with the idea of street lights? In America, at least, it was Benjamin Franklin.

Franklin’s autobiography tells of the time he wanted to convince the citizens of Philadelphia to light the streets at night as a protection against crime and as a convenience for evening activities. He wanted to show his neighbors the difference a single light could make. He took a lantern and hung it from a long bracket on the front of his house. Each evening he lit the lantern. His neighbors soon noticed the warm glow in front of his house. Passersby found that the light helped them to avoid tripping over protruding stones in the roadway. Soon others placed lanterns in front of their homes, and eventually the city recognized the need for having well-lighted streets.

Part of our passage this morning is Ephesians 5:8–9

“8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

I want you to think about Ben Franklin and his little streetlight. People were attracted to its warm glow. The could walk without stumbling. And they followed his example.

Wouldn’t you love for these things to be said about you? What does it mean to be children of light? That’s what we are going to be talking about this morning. Join me in prayer.

Walk in Love

Ephesians 5 Ephesians 5 is all about teaching the children of light how to walk. First, says Paul, we are to walk in love. Verse 2:

2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Imitate God and walk in love. That pretty much sums up the chapter.

There is probably no other topic that dominates songs, movies, or the Hallmark Chanel more than love.

But for all the talk about love, what we often see in in pop culture is a perversion of true love. It’s a “love” that has been reduced down to lust.

Tina Turner had the most honest song ever written about how we confuse love and lust in our culture. “What’s love got to do with it? What’s love but a second hand emotion? Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken?

The devil has made “love” a secondhand emotion. Satan cannot create anything. He can only twist and pervert what God has already created. So we grow up believing that love is conditional. I love you if. I love you because.

But then you meet Jesus, and you discover that loves you unconditionally. He values you. He adopts you. He forgives you. You don't deserve it, but he lavishes love upon you.

Now, Acts 20:31 tells us that Paul spent about three years in Ephesus. After he left, Timothy took over as pastor. Following Timothy was the Apostle John. He most likely wrote his gospel, 1, 2 and 3 John, and the book of Revelation from Ephesus. And in these writings, the word love is used 74 times. Specifically the phrase “love one another” is used sixteen times.

On a side note, no church in history has been set up for success by its first three pastors than Ephesus. Paul. Timothy. John.

But if you go to Ephesus today, it's in ruins. There is no church of Ephesus. Islam, not Christianity, is by far the dominant religion.

In Revelation 2:4-5, John wrote

you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

You have abandoned your first love. You don't love me as much as you did at the first. You don’t love each other like you did before. And maybe Ephesians 5 shows us what went awry.

Let’s look at Ephesians 5:3-7 for Paul’s second lesson about learning to walk: Walk in the light

3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them;

While we can’t say for sure, based on what John said in Revelation 2, the Ephesians seem to have become partners with those who practiced these things mentioned in verses 3-7.