“FIND OUT WHAT PLEASES THE LORD” (Outline)
March 27, 2011 - Lent 3 - EPHESIANS 5:1-10
INTRO: To find out what pleases the Lord” is our loft goal this morning. All people know how to please themselves. For the most part people generally also know what is pleasing to others. We try to please our family, friends, neighbors, and others. What is pleasing to us and others in this world is not always what is pleasing to the Lord. Sin infests this world. Sin infects our lives. Evil and wickedness corrupts, disrupts, and erupts every day in every way all around us. All of us are well acquainted with evil. "Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God" (3 JOHN 11). What a privilege and great blessing to gather together around God’s word. You have seen God by faith through grace. May we now
“FIND OUT WHAT PLEASES THE LORD”.
I. It is not the darkness. II. It is living in light.
I. “FIND OUT WHAT PLEASES THE LORD” - IT IS NOT THE DARKNESS
A. Paul writes about the negative aspect of living in a sinful, wicked world. He points out the darkness.
1. Verse 3. “Immorality, impurity, greed” were specific challenges in the church at Ephesus.
2. Verse 5. Sin is sin no matter what name it is given. Sin is described as idolatry.
a. Immorality, impurity = self-worship. b. Greed = money, possession worship.
B. Verse 4. Paul reminds these believers to watch their language. Foolish talk does not glorify God.
C. Verse 6. “Empty words” certainly include “obscenity, foolish talk, coarse joking.” They are empty.
1. “Empty words” are also those words that do not teach about the Savior or eternal salvation.
2. Ephesus had large temples for idols with many false prophets. They spoke “empty words.”
3. Verse 7. These believers needed to avoid the wicked, evil darkness in which they once lived.
D. “Find out what pleases the Lord” is the challenge placed before us. It is not an easy task. From the moment of our birth we live with sin. In fact, David stated in the Psalms that we are sinners from the very moment of our conception. At birth we continue the downward spiral of living in the sinfulness that is a part of our nature. We do not have to learn about evil. We do not have to teach children about evil. We do not need to go and learn how to become more evil. "Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults" (1 COR. 14:20). We want to grow in faith not evil.
E. The world, our world, grows colder and colder with every passing day. At times, as believers, we may feel more and more out of step with those around us. It is that darkness of wickedness, rebellion, and sin that is contrary to the Light. "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" (2 CORINTHIANS 6:14). Make no mistake: righteousness and wickedness, light and darkness have nothing at all in common. In fact, they are complete opposites. Opposites cannot and do not mix together very well. “Chrislam” is a new movement in religious circles. Some religious leaders are trying to combine Christianity and Islam together: “Chrislam”. These people contend that Jesus and Allah are the same. Jesus is part of the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Allah is not. Jesus rose from the dead. Allah did not. “Chrislam” tries to make the light dark. It is still only the light of God’s gospel that overcomes darkness.
F. The darkness in this world is not pleasing to the Lord. The darkness of this world surrounds all people. Mankind’s wisdom never matches up with God’s wisdom. Man’s words come and go, change and fail. The word of God makes every believer wise for salvation. In trying to explain the origins of all things man’s wisdom is dark. Darkness describes all the expert’s explanations of the extraordinary events in our world. "They know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken" (PSALM 82:5). The very foundations of the earth are shaken. Mankind still walks in the dark wondering, “Why?” The question ought not be “why?” but “Who?”.
“FIND OUT WHAT PLEASES THE LORD”.
The darkness of and in this world is not God-pleasing.
II. “FIND OUT WHAT PLEASES THE LORD” - IT IS LIVING IN THE LIGHT.
A. On one’s own every person is a lost and condemned creature. No one can save himself.
1. Verse 2b. Christ the Savior loved mankind so much that He died for the sins of the world.
2. Christ obeyed for the disobedient. Christ freely gave himself for all the selfish in this world.
B. Verse 1a. It is only by knowing the love of Jesus that any could or would “imitate God.”
1. Verses 1b 2a. The love of Jesus has miraculously changed the enemies of God into children.
2. As beloved children of a loving God believers will now want to do what pleases the Lord.
C. Verse 8. These believers at Ephesus (and elsewhere) were changed. Darkness became light.
1. By faith through grace these believers desired to live as children of light.
2. Verse 9. “Goodness, righteousness, and truth” are seen in the lives of children of the Light.
D. God has put faith in our hearts through his living and active word. By grace the Lord God Almighty has called us out of darkness. Now our lives are filled with “goodness, righteousness, and truth”. Well, maybe, not filled. We realize the challenges we face as lights in a dark world. The darkness of wickedness and sin tries to overwhelm us. In cannot. God is for us. Nothing can stand against us. “Goodness, righteousness, and truth” turns back the darkness. Until we reach heaven we continually battle against everything displeasing to the Lord. "Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses" (1 TIM. 6:11). These were the words of Paul towards the end of his life. “Find out what pleases the Lord.”
E. One of the great blessings God gives each of us is the gift to know what is right in God’s sight. This may be a gift that we overlook from time to time. Our world has changed truth into a relative term. This means that what one person calls the truth is their truth. It may not necessarily be the truth for the next person. This “relative truth” philosophy carries over into what is right and wrong. Just because this dark world and evil society considers something as acceptable does not make it right in God’s sight. "You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled" (1 THESS. 5:5, 6).
F. Christ Jesus lived a life of love. Jesus’ life reveals the depth of love God has for every sinner. By grace we do confess the love of Christ as a basic truth of our faith. To love others is contrary to the selfishness of this dark world. People in ever increasing numbers are only out for themselves. It is very, very sad that the love of most has truly grown cold. Believers, it is now more important than ever that our lives reflect the light of “goodness, righteousness, and truth”. It is only God’s living word that empowers each of us to live such lives. "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves"(ROMANS 12:9, 10).
CONC: “FIND OUT WHAT PLEASES THE LORD” is God’s challenge to each of us. We look around and see the darkness of wickedness so prevalent today. At times, we walk in the same darkness by our own wicked words and evil actions. Thankfully and joyfully our Lord God Almighty in his free and limitless grace has called us out of the darkness. "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’" (JOHN 8:12). We follow the Light of the world who gives us eternal life. May we always see the challenge of God as the greatest adventure in our lives as we “FIND OUT WHAT PLEASES THE LORD”. It is not the darkness. “Goodness, righteousness, and truth” is God’s light. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
LENT 3 rdgs.:
ISAIAH 42:14-21;
EPHESIANS 5:8-14;
JOHN 9:1-7, 13-17, 34-39;
(PSALM 143)
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