Galatians 1:6-7 - I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
Galatians 1:10 - For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
Galatians 2:3-5 - But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.
Galatians 5:1 - It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:13 - For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Galatians 5:14 - For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
3 principles to help you grow in the light of Christ’s love
Ephesians 5:1-2 - Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
I. Let the Gospel Help You Grow in Personal Holiness - 5:3-7
A. Regarding the way you live - v. 3
Ephesians 5:3 - But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints…
James 2:26 - For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
B. Regarding the way you speak - v. 4
Ephesians 5:4 - …and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
C. Because eternity is at stake - v. 5
Ephesians 5:5 - For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
D. Realizing that some are trying to deceive you - v. 6-7
Ephesians 5:6-7 - Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them…
Romans 6:1-4 - What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
II. Embrace and Act Upon the Light You Have in the Lord - 5:8-10
A. Because of your new identity in Christ - v. 8
Ephesians 5:8 - …for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light…
Ephesians 5:8 - …for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord…
Ephesians 2:1-3 - And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
Ephesians 2:4-5 - But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)…
v. 8 - …but now you are the light of the world…
B. Because spiritual light can and must impact our daily walk - v. 9
Ephesians 5:8-9 - …walk as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth)…
Matthew 5:16 - Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
C. With hope because we realize this is a process - v. 10
Ephesians 5:10 - …trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.
III. Expose Darkness so Christ’s Light Will Shine on You - 5:11-14
A. Be careful what you participate in - v. 11-12
Ephesians 5:11-12 - Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.
Psalm 1:1-3 - How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.
B. Rejoice in the exposing power of the light - v. 13
Ephesians 5:13 - But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.
C. Look for ways for Christ’s light to shine on and in you - v. 14
Ephesians 5:14 - For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
Isaiah 60:1 - Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
- one of the challenges in evangelical Christianity, or “fundamentalist Christianity” if by that you mean an adherence to so-called fundamentals of the faith…ideas like the inspiration of the Bible, the virgin birth of Christ, His performance of literal miracles, His substitutionary atonement, His bodily resurrection and second coming…
- people who have believed those sorts of ideals (and we do)…have also struggled with what we might label “the ethical requirements of the gospel…”…
- how a person who says he or she is a Christian should live each and every day…what has that challenge looked like?...
- one extreme would be legalism…
- some of us are old enough to remember the days when there was a clear list of behavioral standards required of church members…the list of do’s and don’ts…
- like hair length on men…
- your sideburns could only be a certain length or you were displeasing God…
- it could only be so long in the back and no longer…
- and generally there were a few verses from the Bible taken out of context and used as ethical or behavioral standards or tests for all Christians…
- there was the issue of ladies wearing pants…and I realize you may have no knowledge of such matters…but those who have been around longer know exactly what I’m talking about…
- it wasn’t simply a preference or a suggestion…it was a test of spirituality…true Christians only wear such and such…
- so you might have a woman out gardening in a dress…which resulted in some rather inadvertently immodest movements that a pair of “britches” (that’s what we used to call them) would have surely prevented…
- there was the issue of church attendance – if you really loved God, you’d attend church for SS, Sun am, Sunday night, and Wed night…
- there was even the saying – people who attend church on Sunday morning love themselves, people who also attend Sunday evening love their church family, but people who also attend prayer meeting on Wednesday night love God…
- that one would really preach by the way…but man-made standards are being used to guilt people into doing things…
- or we could talk about music…oh, we could really talk about music…
- but the notion was – true Christians only listen to this…that’s an ethical requirement of the gospel…
- and if you loved God as much as I do, and if you knew your Bible as well as I do…then you would only listen to music on my approved list…
- the list goes on and on…not attending movies, insisting on a particular approach to educating your children…
- and since we’re in a year where we’re thinking about our 60 year history, the truth is that we’ve had some legalistic tendencies around here…and I don’t know of a church that hasn’’t…
- so for some of God’s people, it would be helpful to read the book of Galatians which is specifically written to address this issue…with words like…
• Galatians 1:6–7 - I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
• Galatians 1:10 - For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
• Galatians 2:3–5 - But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.
• Galatians 5:1 - It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
- so the extreme here is that there are man-made ethical requirements of the gospel that should be erected and then used as the test of another person’s spirituality or Christianity…
- that’s legalism…
- however, for what it’s worth…my observation as a pastor in this day and age would be that we are far away in most cases from anything that looks like legalism…
- so what’s the pendulum?...
- and please keep in mind one of my favorite quotes from Bible teacher Warren Wiersbe – delightful man who wrote and spoke during my predecessor Pastor Goode’s generation…balance is that illusive point I pass on the way to my next extreme…
- so what is the ditch on the other side of the road?...
- perhaps we could call it “libertine-ism”…
- where there are no behavioral expectations…even biblical ones…
- and to speak about such matters is labeled moralism…or legalism…
- one wave of that emphasis that moved through the church in the last 10-20 years was the “grace only” emphasis…
- the notion, it seemed, that to talk about any ethical or behavioral standards was a form of sanctification by works, or an appeal to please God in the flesh…
- so now, everything is legalism and the worst possible name you could be called is a legalist…
- and Paul anticipated and therefore addressed that extreme in Galatians as well when he said deeper into the book… Galatians 5:13 - For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
- and then Paul cites the summary of the second great commandment [i.e. “law”] to further develop that idea… Galatians 5:14 - For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”
- that in and of itself is an ethical requirement…it requires adherence to a behavioral standard…
- so what’s the balance in all of this?...
- certainly a belief that salvation – establishing a personal relationship our holy God begins by trusting in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection…
- we’re saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone…
- but on the foundation of God’s unmerited love and mercy for us…we are choosing to allow Him to work His will in and through us which results in our behavioral obedience to Him in all sorts of ways…and for all sorts of reasons…including how that difference in the way we live can draw others to a saving knowledge of Him…
- I hope you would say to all of this – well, how we can we get in the sweet spot of that balance?...
- that’s what the next section in the book of Ephesians is all about…
- Please open your Bible to Ephesians chapter 5…that’s on (FE) page 152 of the back section [FW – page 1172] of the Bible under the chair in front of you…
- our theme this year is Building on Our Heritage…so we’ve been working our way systematically through the book of Ephesians…
- if you’re new to attending church, or at least this kind of church…I realize that might surprise you…that we would take the majority of an entire year to study a small epistle in the NT comprised of just 6 chapters…
- but our pastors were talking about that not long ago and commented how much we have enjoyed this study and how we could very easily go back and take another year and pull out different emphases and principles from the very same book…
- that tells us something about the uniqueness of the Bible…as the writer of Hebrews says, Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
- our verses this morning bring us to Ephesians 5:3-14…where Paul challenges us to Live in the Light…please follow along as I read…
- read Ephesians 5:3-14
- so we’re talking about Living in the Light, and with the time we have remaining, let’s look for 3 principles to help you grow in the light of Christ’s love
- let’s take a minute and even think about that proposition…
- because there is no doubt that the verses I just read are all about ethical requirements of being a follower of Christ…or the gospel imperatives…
- but this is why it is so important to study the Bible verse by verse…and it goes a long way to helping us avoid the extremes we laid out in the introduction…between legalism and libertinism…
- our ability to keep any command is grounded in the power of the gospel…it’s fueled and directed by God’s great love for us…
- Ephesians 5:1– 2 - Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
- if you’ve been wondering this morning – well, how can I even know if I’m being legalistic?...
- here’s one answer – if your obedience makes you proud…or if your adherence to certain behavioral standards makes you self-righteous or harshly judgmental of those who behave differently than you…
- any sense in which our lives are in any way in line with verses 3-14…is only because of the transforming grace of God working in and through us emphasized in verses 1-2…
- so, three principles to help you grow in the light of Christ’s love…
I. Let the Gospel Help Your Grow in Personal Holiness – 5:3-7
- here’s a question to consider – Is Faith a “holiness church”?...
- that’s almost a trick question (which is almost unholy for a pastor to do, I think…)
- but if you’ve been around Christianity for a period of time, you might remember so-called holiness churches
- delightful people in many ways …they had a great zeal for behavioral standards…but could also be perfectionistic and somewhat man-centered…
- I remember a family coming to Faith out of a holiness background and they commented after being here a while…Faith really is a holiness church…if by that we mean we’re taking growth in holiness seriously…but it’s viewed as a process over time based on the transforming grace of God…
- but the net effect – at least their view -- is actually more practical holiness over time than some so-called holiness churches…
- now, I don’t use that illustration to draw unfair or needless comparisons…but here’s the answer to the question…we very much are a holiness church…in all sorts of ways…like…
A. Regarding the way you live – v. 3
- Ephesians 5:3 - But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints;
- that is the essential point of this section of the book of Ephesians…if you are a genuine follower of Jesus Christ, that ought to be evident in the way you live compared to those who don’t know the Lord…
- so no, we’re not behaviorists…but any approach to so-called Christianity that doesn’t eventually get around to changing someone’s behavior is sub-standard…and essentially powerless
- that’s what James meant when he said -- James 2:26 - For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
- we already have an important question following out of this passage for people like you and me…are there essential differences between you and those who don’t know the Lord that are obvious for anyone to see?...
- not because you’re all pious and self-righteous and acting like you’re better than someone else…but it’s clear that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior…
- and the choices that you make each and everyday reveal a different allegiance….a different source of truth…a different reservoir of power…it’s just different…
- even if there’s a price to pay…you may not be the popular person at school or work…you may be teased or ridiculed for your faith…are you are willing to pay that price…
- or will you compromise your testimony when it suits you in order to blend in with the crowd?...
- perhaps you’ve heard the old story of the elderly man and his wife who were unable to have children until late in their marriage…
- they prayed and prayed and eventually God gave them a son…
- so they their very best to raise their boy to know Christ and live for Him…
- but when he reached high school graduation, he had to go off to work before starting college…and jobs were hard to come by so he went off to a logging camp quite a distance from his home…
- his father knew what the conditions were in places like that and started praying that his son would not be ridiculed too badly for his faith…
- that entire summer he just lifted his son up before the throne of grace but often worried about the kind of treatment his boy would endure…
- finally when the summer was over his dad met him at the train station and asked how badly he had been persecuted for his faith…
- and his son said – its OK dad – they never found out…
- I wonder how many so-called Christians live that way…they never get around to following the ethical commands of the gospel…certainly not in any way that would make them stand out from their unsaved co-workers, or neighbors, or extended family members…it’s OK dad, they never found out…
- can I ask you this morning…have the people around you who don’t yet know the Lord…found out?...simply by watching the way you choose to live?...
- next Paul layers on…
B. Regarding the way you speak – v. 4
- Ephesians 5:4 - and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
- it hasn’t been that long ago that there was a group of pastors in evangelical churches who thought it was cool or trendy to use profanity in the pulpit…
- trying to outworld the world…
- the gentleman who helped us start FCS, Pastor Bob Leffew used to say, if you want to make a difference, you have to be different…and Scott Grass and his team have certainly carried on that tradition…why?...
C. Because eternity is at stake – v. 5
- Ephesians 5:5 - For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
- I hope this principle has marked this church over our 60 year history…we truly believe there’s a heaven to be gained and hell to be shunned…
- and one of the reasons we are begging the Lord to help us keep the gospel imperatives is because of our compassion for those around us who don’t yet know the Lord…
- we would never want our life, as Paul explained to the Romans…to cause another person to stumble…
- [develop – fall readiness, fall ministries, ministry catalog, etc…]
D. Realizing that some are trying to deceive you – v. 6-7
- Ephesians 5:6–7 - Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them;
- what empty words?...words that none of this matters…that you can come to Christ and then live any ole way you want because we’re all under grace…
- and to be clear – we are under grace…but it’s a sanctifying grace… Romans 6:1–4 - What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
- there it is…so that we too might walk in newness of life…
- and I would ask you this morning…how’s that going for you?...it’s doesn’t do a whole lot of good to take a year studying the book of Ephesians if progress isn’t being made behaviorally…please don’t listen to anyone who would tell you differently…
- and this can take on zillions of forms…[cf. first year on a pool crew, bowing my head and praying before lunch…]
II. Embrace and Act Upon the Light You Have in the Lord – 5:8-10
- if verses 3-7 are the task…you have to drive your car to Indianapolis…then verses 8-10 are the fuel…here’s five gallons of high quality gas to get you there…
- [and btw, if it takes you five gallons of gas to get to Indy…you might want to consider a tune up…]…
- but how can people like you and me ever hope to attain any measure of personal holiness?...well, in part…
A. Because of your new identity in Christ – v. 8
- Ephesians 5:8 - for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light…
- Paul apparently loves reminding followers of Jesus about our identity in Christ because it’s a frequent theme in this book…
- we encouraged you at the beginning of this study to look for opportunities to read through the entire book of Ephesians in one sitting…
- here’s what I would encourage you to attempt the next time you do that…circle all of the identity statements…because this book is full of them…
- in chapter 1 alone you’d have circles all over the page…and perhaps one of the most powerful is also one of the most succinct…
- it’s the phrase in Christ…in Him…
- v 7. – in Him we have redemption through His blood…
- v. 9 – which He purposed in Him
- v. 10 – the summing up of all things in Christ
- v. 10-11 – In Him also we have obtained an inheritance…]
- we’re not just talking about being children of Light…Paul says in our passage…- Ephesians 5:8 - for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord…
- that’s a great way to answer the question…who are you?...I’m in Christ…
- I’ve been washed by His blood…clothed in His righteousness…sealed by His Spirit…
- [by the way – if you don’t think you could honestly say that about yourself…what a great day to become a Christian…develop]
- I mentioned this is a frequent theme in this book – you might say – the idea of us formerly being this but now we’re that…that sounds familiar…
- it’s almost exactly what we learned in chapter 2…Ephesians 2:1–3 - And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
- aren’t you glad that’s not the end of the story?...Ephesians 2:4–5 - But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
- which makes it possible for us to say…v. 8 – but now you are the Light of the world…
- praise the Lord for the reality of…but now…and therefore…
B. Because spiritual light can and must impact our daily walk – v. 9
- Ephesians 5:8–9 - …walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth),
- what an incredible evaluative tool, huh?...in the last week, have you been walking in the light?...
- in the last month…so far this year?...
- or locationally – at work, do you walk in the light…at home…at school…in your neighborhood…
- Jesus said it this way in the Sermon on the Mount - Matthew 5:16 - Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
- There are clearly ethical responsibilities of the gospel…and the question before us this am is…what would need to change for you to be a brighter light to those the Lord has placed around you?...
- the good news is – there’s beauty in allowing this to develop in you…don’t you love the phrase “the fruit of the light”…hey, what’s that growing in your spiritual garden?...”fruit of the light”…
- this is great summer for this metaphor with all the rain we’ve had – the fruits and vegetables have been amazing…the strawberries, blueberries, watermelons, sweet corn…
- strawberry juice running down your chin…sweet corn juice spraying you in the eye…
- that’s what God has called us to be, and enabled us to be…the fruit of the light…and I want to thank the many folks who have functioned that way in ministry this summer…VBS, the Community Picnic, our teen serving trip, Mother’s and Father’s Day celebrations…there have been many opportunities to take a delicious sampling of “fruit of the light…”…[let’s keep that going right into the fall…]
- and I realize you might say – but I have a long way to go…well, we all do, which is where verse 10 fits into all of this…
C. With hope because we realize this is a process – v. 10
- Ephesians 5:10 - trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.
- Don’t you love the humility of those words?, the “heavenly patience” of those words?, the hopeful nature of those words?...
- embrace and act upon the light you have in the Lord…increasingly over time…
- so how does this section of the book conclude…in ways that should be very carefully considered…how does that work in this day and age?...because we’re told to…
III. Expose Darkness so Christ’s Light Will Shine on You – 5:11-14
- the command is to…
A. Be careful what you participate in – v. 11-12
- Ephesians 5:11–12 - Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.
- isn’t it amazing that we’re back to the issue of speech…don’t even speak of the things which are done by them in secret…
- instead of being involved in what might be called precipice living…let me see how close I can get to the edge of sin without falling off…
- even in the things we listen to, and the subsequent way we talk…it eventually becomes participating in the unfruitful deeds of darkness…
- and you may remember the progression in Psalm 1:1–3 - How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.
- the question of how that applies in real time are not easy to answer…
- do you go to that party or not go to that party?...
- do you attend that wedding or not?...
- do you engage in that conversation or stay away?...
- I do know this…light can’t expose if the light’s not present…and Paul goes on to say that we can…
B. Rejoice in the exposing power of the light – v. 13
- Ephesians 5:13 - But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.
- aren’t you glad for that promise?...the light will always prevail…
- and I realize you might say – but the darkness in my family is so pervasive…or at my workplace…or my neighborhood…in so pervasive…how can my little light make a difference?...
- often that happens when someone’s in trouble…
- so that guy in the office who has mocked you and ridiculed your faith all of a sudden has wife who’s diagnosed with cancer…and he desperately needs to find somebody—anybody who knows how to pray…
- be sure you haven’t let his mockery cause you to previously extinguish your light…
- so you can point them to the true light of Christ…
- so where does that leave us?...well, maybe for some, it’s like the alarm clock going off…
- and you might say – I don’t like that thing…it’s a whole lot better than oversleeping…
- the principle is…
C. Look for ways for Christ’s light to shine on and in you – v. 14
- probably alluding to Isaiah 60, Paul says…Ephesians 5:14 - For this reason it says,
“Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
- the verse in Isaiah literally reads…Isaiah 60:1 - “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.
- if this is what Paul is referring to, and we have many reasons to believe it is…what an incredible affirmation of the deity of Christ…who is “the glory of the Lord that has risen upon you?...
- Paul says it’s Christ shining on you…
- we’re not a perfect church, but I’m thankful for the many men and women who over the years have taken the ethical commands of the gospel very, very seriously…
- every so often I have a Sunday where I’m not scheduled to speak at any of our campuses…