Series: Lenten Grace
1. On the First Sunday of Lent we discovered that God’s grace extends beyond Eden.
2. On the Second Sunday in Lent we were reminded that God’s grace is a better way than our works way.
3. On the Third Sunday in Lent we observed in Jesus’ example that God’s grace knows no barriers.
4, Today…on the Fourth Sunday in Lent we see that God’s graces transforms darkness into light.
Title: Grace for Goodness: Transforming Darkness into Light
Text: Ephesians 5:8-14
Thesis: When we live into the grace of God the light within us produces what is good and exposes and transforms darkness into light.
Introduction: Culture
If you watch any cable television at all you know that there are numerous cultures within our larger culture as a country. Our country is not all Capital Hills and Cherry Creeks. It’s Duck Dynasty. Swamp People. Mountain Men. Diggers. Dickerers. Ice Road Truckers. American Pickers. The Kardasians. It’s NPR. It’s my favorite - Bizarre Foods America with Andrew Zimmern.
Bizarre Foods focuses on regional cuisine from around the world which is typically perceived by Americans as being disgusting, exotic, or bizarre. In each episode, Zimmern focuses on the cuisine of a particular country or region. He typically shows how the food is procured, where it is served, and, usually without hesitation, eats it. (Bizarre Foods America, Wikipedia)
Every culture is different or has its own unique culture. Culture is defined as a pattern of human belief and behavior or the customary belief and social norms of a social group. A culture is a group of people living by the same standards.
I read an interesting article that ran in the Washington Post last November citing the existence of 11 separate nation states in the United States where dominant cultures explain our voting behaviors and attitudes toward everything from social issues to the role of government. In mapping the 11 nation states within the United States they cited the distribution of linguistic dialects, prevalence of different religious denominations and a county by county breakdown of voting in every hotly contested presidential race in our history. (Reid Wilson, Which of the 11 American nations do you live in?, the Washington Post, November 8, 2013)
Among the 11 nations states are The Left Coast, The Far West, The Midlands, El Norte, New France, Deep South, Tidewater, Greater Appalachia, New Netherlands, and Yankeedom. All these regions reflect numerous cultures within the greater culture of our country.
Similarly we have two distinct cultures within the greater culture we may think of as Spiritual Cultures of Darkness and Light…
People living in darkness have beliefs and practice behaviors consistent with those beliefs that are normal and acceptable in the culture of darkness.
People living in light have beliefs and practice behaviors consistent with those beliefs that are normal and acceptable within the culture of light.
The first culture is the culture of spiritual darkness.
I. Living in Darkness
Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity or greed among you… obscene stories, foolish talk, and course jokes are not for you. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. Don’t participate in the things these people do. Ephesians 5:3-7
In reading that we see that it is written to Christians giving them instruction as “how not to live” so conversely we may understand that reading as descriptive of the person living in darkness.
So we might ask, why do people live in darkness? It is because
“Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.” Ephesians 4:17-19 And because “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News.” II Corinthians 4:4
There is a website called the “Experience Project” and describes itself as a place to share “life experiences from people like you.” As of January of this year the site had over 36 million visitors who were asked to share some thoughts about their life experiences.
In one post readers were asked to respond to the statement: “I prefer darkness over light.” This is what one young woman wrote: I prefer darkness over light because the darkness allows me to hide who I am and how I feel. In the light all things have a chance to be revealed… darkness makes it easier to hide. The darkness is a place you can lose yourself. Lost in the dark is a great place to be because then you are free from what you were and can be what you want. The darkness is bliss.”
Bliss is not exactly how our text speaks of darkness.
Our text speaks to three things that characterize people living in darkness.
A. Shameful Sins - Sexual immorality, impurity or greed (idolatry), 5:3 and 5
B. Unfitting Talk (Unsuitable) - Obscene stories, foolish talk and course jokes, 5:4
C. Excusing the Inexcusable (Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins…), 5:6
G.K. Chesterton once remarked, “Men do not differ much about what things they will call evil; they differ enormously about what evils they will call excusable.”
The great danger in living this lifestyle and despite any attempt to excuse it… the end of it is tragic.
Illustration: A classic question asks whether fear of punishment or hope of reward is more effective in influencing human behavior. A recent study from the University of Oregon answers the question—and in distinctly theological terms. Azim Shariff of the UO's Culture and Morality Lab commented: "The key finding is that a nation's rate of belief in hell predicts lower crime rates, but the nation's rate of belief in heaven predicts higher crime rates. At this stage, we can only speculate about mechanisms, but it's possible that people who don't believe in the possibility of punishment in the afterlife feel like they can get away with unethical behavior. There is less of a divine deterrent." Our thoughts about hell and heaven matter today. (PreachingToday.Online)
"The key finding is that a belief in hell predicts lower crime rates, but the belief in heaven predicts higher crime rates. It would seem that if those living in darkness knew about the outcome of their choices it would make a difference.
The outcome of either knowingly or unwittingly, the people who live in darkness will not inherit the Kingdom of God, 5:5 and 6
Someone wisely said, “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you’re willing to pay.”
The second culture is the culture of spiritual light.
II. Living in the Light
Once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! Ephesians 5:8-10
Coach Lou Holtz is a retired football coach who has coached in 6 major universities. He is known for his quick wit and ability to inspire his players.
Rule #1 – Do right. “Just do the right thing,”
Rule #2 – Do everything to the best of your ability with the time allotted.
Rule #3 – Show people you care.
Our text is not so much a listing of three rules but it does outline three specific spheres that reflect the life lived in the light.
You might easily presume from this text that the Christian is to stay as far away from those who live in darkness as possible… and in some cases that is absolutely true. But it is unlikely that we will ever be salt and light or take Christ to the ends of the world without being with people who live in darkness. So the point I want to make is simply this: In every relationship you are either the influencer or the one being influenced. The old adage, as well worn as it is remains true, “You can be in the world without being part of the world.
A. Sphere of Influence (Who do you hang out with… are you the influencer or the influenced?)
Don’t participate/partner with in the things these people do. 5:7, II Corinthians 6:14-16
The second sphere is the:
B. Sphere of Activity (What you do)
Produce only what is good and right and true. 5:9 (4:20-5:2)
Paul uses a series of juxtapositions in 4:20-5:2 to illustrate the actions of those who live in the light.
• Don’t lie but do tell the truth, 4:25
• Don’t be angry but do reconcile, 4:26
• Don’t steal but do work hard so you can help others, 4:28
• Don’t use foul language but do say what is good and helpful and encouraging, 4:29
• Don’t be bitter or angry or speak harsh words but do be kind, tenderhearted and forgiving, 4:31-32
The third sphere is the:
C. Sphere of Decision Making
Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. 5:10
The idea is to examine or discern what it approved. Put it to the test… what criteria?
“Fix your thoughts on what is true, honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and excellent and worthy of praise…” Philippians 4:8
We’ve talked about life lived in darkness and life lived in the light. Now we will look at how light lives in the darkness.
III. Light living in the Darkness
Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead expose them. Their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. Ephesians 5:10-14
Yesterday in Men’s Bible Study we were talking about the influence of light in utter darkness. Several of the guys remarked of having seen a story of how one a dark, dark night in the desert a single flickering candle can be seen from two miles away. I decided that demanded some research so later in the day I dug into it and found that it is true… the human eye can see a flickering candle from a distance of two miles but that is largely because of the curvature of the earth’s surface. Scientists say that if you are high enough the human eye can see a candle from a distance of 30 miles. Even the smallest light flickering in the darkest place can be seen.
There are three ways people of light may be seen as we live among people of darkness.
A. Let your light do its work: be an Example
Take no part in the deeds of evil and darkness, 5:11
B. Let your light do its work: Expose ungodliness
Evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them…, 5:12 and13
C. Let your light do its work: Transform the darkness into light
…for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” 5:13-14
God who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus. II Corinthians 3:18 and 4:6
Let your light/life be positive influence transforming darkness into light.
A story from Decision Magazine tells of how Shawna Pilat had had enough of her philandering husband. She had a three year-old little boy and once again her husband had stayed out all night… she’d had enough of worrying about his unfaithfulness and losing sleep over where he was and if he was okay.
She was washing dishes on Sunday morning when she heard a man speaking on the television. He was funny and warm and when he invited the listening audience to join him for worship later that morning… she dressed her son and went to church.
On the way all she could think about was getting emotionally strong enough to kick her husband out… and reminiscent of the old Hound Dog song by Mama Thornton in 1952, she “wasn’t gonna feed him no more,” so to speak.
At the conclusion of the service the pastor invited people to give their lives to Christ and Shawna repeated the prayer the pastor prayed and received Christ into her life… she became a new person in Christ.
Three weeks later her husband asked if he could go to church with her. He knew his addictions were hurting his family. Five weeks later he recognized his need for the forgiveness and power to change his life that Christ offered. And he became a new person in Christ.
Their lives changed. Their marriage changed. Their parenting changed. Their habits changed. And today he says, “If Christ could do it for us, he can do it for anybody.” (PreachingToday.online, Decision Magazine, 2006)
Transformation is what happens when our light exposes darkness and the darkness becomes light.
Conclusion: Changing Spiritual Culture
They say, “People don’t resist change… they resist being changed.” Change of heart and life means a person has to literally change cultures and to change cultures a person has to eliminate his or her old belief system and abandon his or her old behaviors. Then that person has to introduce a new belief system and adopt new behaviors. And when and where there is culture change transformation happens.
God is at work in the life of every person in this room…
When we are in darkness - God is at work in bringing us to the light. This morning God is calling you to the light.
When we are living in the light - God works through us being light to others. This morning God is sending you into the darkness as light.
This is what true culture change means in your life: For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For the light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Ephesians 5:8-9
