THE SUPREME MYSTERY – THE BODY OF CHRIST
ACT II: The Mystery of The Body Unveiled
7. FUELING THE BODY (Eph. 5:15-21)
INTRODUCTION:
Anyone remember Alice In Wonderland? Which wacky character in Carroll Lewis’ mushroom-induced world do you remember best? The Mad Hatter? Queen of Hearts? Cheshire Cat? For me, it’s the harried hare with the pocketwatch. I don’t remember if he had a name, but I’ll never forget his antics . . . (dramatize while describing) frantic, confused, darting first one way, then the next, looking about and exclaiming “I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date!” Can anyone guess why that might be the most memorable scene to me? Yes, it’s true, I have been called “Tardy Todd” a time or two. But, even more than that, that hare with a complex of always feeling like there’s more that has to be done (or should have already been done), no time to rest, somewhere to go, something to do too often hits a little close to home!
But, then again, I don’t think I’m the only one who can say that! Even up here in the country, one could say there are two kinds of people: the harried hares and the vegetative ones (notice, I didn’t say vegetable - vegetative). Us harried hares are always (dramatize) running around, chained to time, appointments, and tasks . . . running errands, at work, at home, sometimes even at church. No time to stop, no time to be quiet, no time for relationships or fellowship, no time for prayer . . . The vegetative hares, on the other hand, live everything in slow-mo and their favorite words are “later” and “tomorrow.” Which hare are you?
If you’re a harried hare, ask yourself: where, amidst this swirling sea of busyness and the dense forest of distractions and demands, do you possibly carve out a solitary place to commune with and serve God? If you’re a vegetative hare, ask yourself: how can you fuel your mind, body and spirit to recognize and respond to the fundamental truth that the only time any of us ever has is the present? For all of us – myself included, we need to re-examine how are we to wisely live every moment for God in spite of ourselves? As with all questions worth asking, let us look to God’s Word for the answer!
THE WORD: READ EPHESIANS 5:15-20
PRAYER
THE INSTRUCTION (vv. 15-16b)
“Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk . . .”
We’ve been talking for weeks about the importance of how we regularly “walk” - live, think, behave – and we are to do so in a manner that imitates and glorifies Christ.
To accomplish this, we must live and walk not carefree or careless, but very carefully; not unwisely, but wisely. Look carefully at where and how your walk takes you, so that you don’t stumble and become a fool!
The world is closely watching and scrutinizing us in every are of our lives. If we are to represent and bring glory to God, we need to give our full attention and concentration to living an irreproachable life.
Not As Unwise People, but As Wise. . . :
Fools Wise
Whatever, whenever Time Stewardship
Focus On Obstacles Focus On Opportunities
Procrastination Productivity
Aimless, Direction-less Purposeful
making the most of (redeeming) the Time: Wise Living is directly correlated with Time Stewardship!
In the original Greek, this phrase literally means “to buy back” or “take off the market.” That is, make the best possible use of all opportunities and circumstances just as a wise merchant does.
We need to take a hard, honest look at how our time is spent. How can we be imitators of God, walking in love and being light in darkness, as we live our schedules and commitments? Can we as our schedules and commitments currently stand? What do our daily planners say about our priorities? Are we enjoying and making the most of what the Lord has given us?
Illustration: “Click”
We need to give Jesus, and others, our time, energy and resources! And not just “in principle” or “on paper!” Not just, what we can “get by” with!
No matter how busy we are, there is always time ill spent and/or foolishly wasted (at least in light of how else it could have been spent).
(Note: This is NOT to say we should be busy 24/7 or that everything we do should be “religious” or “churchy.” But it DOES mean that everything we do should have the end result of being wise and bringing glory to God! Depending on our motives and circumstances, even such things as sleep, solitude and hobbies can accomplish this. But are they?)
Finally, it is important to note that this injunction is also given in Col. 4:5. And in both places it is given within the context of a call toward Christian witness in the world.
WHY? (v. 16c)
“because the days are evil.”
Whatever difficulties might be in our way and/or make for convenient excuses, there is no time to waste! Things will only get more difficult – NOW IS THE TIME (1 Co. 7:29)!
The present time is an “evil age” (Gal. 1:4), a time of wickedness and moral dissolution.
Because the days are increasingly “evil,” so too we are increasingly approaching “the end.” Humanity is gradually running out of time before the Final Judgment – what are we doing about it?
HOW? (vv. 17-21)
“So don’t be foolish, but . . .”
1.Understand God’s Will (v. 17)
If we are to live wisely, if we are to redeem our time for Christ, then first and foremost we must understand God’s will!
To understand is to firmly grasp, which only comes with much intentionality and effort. It is not a knee-jerk reaction to the blowing winds. It is to intimately know Him & His Word!
God’s will is THE prism through which we are to see everything and in accordance with which we are to live our lives in every aspect (Eph. 1:1,5,9).
Of course, this leads us to the ever popular question: How do I know the Lord’s will? I can assure you, this is a question I have asked many times myself. It hasn’t always been easy, and hindsight has proven me wrong more than once! There is not the space here for a full exposition, but let me provide a few key guidelines I’ve learned:
1.Pray about it and take the time to be still and attentive so that you may recognize it.
2.Spend time in the Scriptures. 90-99% of the time your answer is right there!
3.Learn to trust and test your spiritual discernment. Often times we do know in our hearts what His will is, we just don’t want to believe it because we are too shocked, afraid, excited, it is so different from what we expected, and/or we just don’t want to believe it. Sometimes God tells us to wait and we are too anxious. And sometimes He tells us to “go” or “act” and yet, we remain paralyzed in indecision and lack of faith.
4.Consider that God’s will is exactly where you are at that moment. Perhaps you simply feel like His will must be different than your present reality, because you don’t like that present reality and don’t have the omniscience of God to see how important and necessary is your situation. Of course, keep in mind that God’s will never involves any sinfulness, disobedience or paralysis.
Be Wise! Do not waste time, energy, money, and talent in those things which are apart from the Lord’s will. Lost opportunities are lost forever. Only after one understands God’s will can one carry it out in his/her life.
2.Be Continually Filled With The Holy Spirit (vv. 18-20)
What Does This Mean?
It is only as we are filled with the Holy Spirit that we may understand God’s will in order to make the most of our opportunities and live wisely to His glory! No substitutes will do – in fact they will only produce the opposite effect.
Paul’s reference here is not simply a prohibition against alcoholic drunkenness. More than this, it is a picture and example used to make a point. Other vices could be substituted.
Let’s compare and contrast the differences:
Drunk With Wine Filled With the Holy Spirit
Foolishness God’s Discernment
Time Wasted Opportunities Maximized
Lack of control Self-control
Acts as a Depressant Acts as a Stimulant
Results in spewing filth Results in overflowing godliness
Bad for the one drunk & others around Blessing to one filled & others around
Notice that, in reference to the affect of the Spirit, the verse does not say “drunk” but “filled.”
Regarding our time, we can allow ourselves to get “drunk” guzzling away our schedules and opportunities (what a waste!), or we can get “filled” (and fulfilled) in the will and blessings of the Lord God Almighty.
To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be filled with the power and presence of God Himself.
The verb “be filled” appears in the original Greek in the imperative present passive tense. The imperative means that it is a command and expectation for all Christians. The present tense means that a continuous filling (literally, “go on being filled”) is implied. This is a daily, continuous exercise – not a once-for-all event. The passive nature of the verb (“let yourselves be filled”) is a clear expression that the we are simply the receivers not the producers of the filling.
The question is not “do you have the Spirit?” Rather, the question is, “does the Spirit have you?”! Are you regularly asking and allowing the Spirit to fill, direct and replenish you such that it is overflowing within you? John 14:26
What Are The Results (how do we know)?
If you are following God’s will and the Spirit is filling you, then His fruit (Gal. 5:22-23) will overflow out of you and into the lives of others.
Illustr: Shake soda bottle. What if I unscrew it, just a little? Does this reflect your life of godliness?
Paul goes even further in detailing at least 4 ways in which our lives will reflect this:
1.“Speaking to one another in psalms,hymns and spiritual songs,” (v. 19a)
2.“singing and making music to the Lord in your heart,” (v. 19b)
3.“giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (v. 20)
4.“submitting to one another in the fear of God.” (v.21)
Illustration: “Got-ta Sing!” Couldn’t contain it if he tried; no amount of rejection will dampen or thwart him.
What about you? Are you similarly filled and driven by the Spirit of God that you can’t help but praise Him and live every moment for Him? If not, would you like to be?
This doesn’t mean that we are to be a real-life Gene Kelley character and sing our words. Rather, it is reflective of a deep, powerful presence inside of which you can’t help but to burst out in a living symphony of “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness and self-control”.
QUICK REVIEW
FINAL THOUGHTS
1.Consider keeping a detailed journal of how you spend your 24 hrs. each day. Do this meticulously for at least several days. Then prayerfully go through your inventory and ask, “Is this use of my time consistent with the Lord’s will?”
2.Are you so filled and driven by the Spirit of God that you can’t help but praise Him and live every moment for Him? If not, would you like to be? It is there for the offering – all you have to do is genuinely ask and receive – for the one who is faithful with a little will receive much more (Luke 19:11-27).
