How to Live Wisely

I want to say thank you and welcome back as we continue in our study of Ephesians.

Building on our Heritage

As we celebrate our 60^th Anniversary this year, we chose Ephesians for the beauty of the gospel truths revealed about what it means to be “In Christ” as well as the very practical application of those truths to our Christian walk.

Let me start us with a question again this week…

Can you think of a time in your life when you gave a lot more careful attention to your steps and you kept a close eye on your footing?

When we travel, I enjoy going to places where we can get out to places where we can see the horizon far off in the distance and not just when looking through the wind farms while driving on I65. I guess that is why some of my favorite vacations have been down in the Smokey mountains, or 3 years ago when our travelled to Colorado.

I love the views when we get away from civilization and you can see for miles…

Insert Pic Car 1

But even is when you can get out of the car and head on down the trail…and it might start on the simpler trails…

Trail 1

But at some point the terrain changes and you have to begin watching your step more closely…

Trail 2

The footing is not so smooth anymore or sometimes the trail is not so wide anymore.

Trail 3

Sometimes the danger reaches a level of life-threatening

Trail 4

If you are on this trail – How careful will you be with every step? How careful will you be about choosing what you will use to secure yourself…

There is an appropriate fear of the danger and consequences for not walking carefully, but instead stumbling and falling.

For most of us, it may mean that we would never go down that trail,

In our Christian walk, sometimes we do not get the choice of the trail that we must take…and we know that in this life, we will face trials and challenges, even when it feels like we are back on that first path, smooth and wide, we may still face dangers and consequences for our soul.

Jesus taught his disciples about the path they must take as he said the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Pay careful attention to the path you choose

Then after entering in through the gate, Paul cautions us to remain careful in our steps…

speaking to those who are saved by Christ, though who had chosen the narrow path

so that as we walk, we might learn

How to Live Wisely

Turn with me today as we continue in Ephesians…we will be in Chapter 5…if you are using the Bible in the chairs, you can go right to page 1173

Paul is speaking in general to all Christians before he uses illustrations from specific relationships in marriage, family, and work.

And in speaking to us all, he continues to illuminate the contrast between the non-Christian life and the Christian life.

Last week we looked at the contrasts of darkness and light and today we will focus in terms of foolishness and wisdom…

We started today talking about being careful in our steps because this is the language that Paul has been using to describe how we live our lives

He points to our past saying that we

Ephesians 2:2 - …formerly walked according to the course of this world…

And then God’s purpose for us because we are His workmanship, created in Christ for good works prepared beforehand

Ephesians 2:10 - …so that we would walk in them…

Then, if we believe the truths of the gospel in the first half of the letter, Paul charges us to

Ephesians 4:1 - …walk in a manner worthy of the calling…

Because we have been changed, and to reflect our testimony in Christ…

Ephesians 4:17 - …you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do…

But instead

Ephesians 5:2 - …walk in love…

and

Ephesians 5:8 - …walk as children of the light…

Bring us to our passage for today with instruction on

Ephesians 5:15 - …Therefore be careful how you walk…

How to Live Wisely (repeat title slide)

Join me as we read today’s passage…

READ Eph 5:15-21

And with our time today, from our passage, I believe we will find…

3 ways to live wisely

It begins with our first verse for today,

When Paul says to be careful how you walk, it is more than just putting one foot in front of the other, Paul is telling us to

I. Consider Carefully How You Are Living (v.15-16)

This is not something new from Paul, we find in Proverbs, chapter 14 where it says to us that the simple believes everything…there is no need to consider my steps because everything before me looks good in my eyes…but this proverb finishes by saying that the wise considers his steps.

God wants us to carefully consider the way that we are walking in our lives.

The first contrast that he gives to consider would be to walk

A. Not as unwise

Sometimes when I consider the steps of the trail ahead, I need to learn the lesson and get off of that path. I am considering my steps and they are dangerous…it is a warning, not just a risk to get what I want, but a warning that I should be on a different path.

Sometimes I need the consequences to learn my lesson so that I will never return to go back that way again, but that is not God’s desire.

But God’s way to wisdom is not through foolish lessons and consequences…God doesn’t want us to live like fools.

Back in Chapter 4, Paul pointed out the foolishness of not learning and being taught in Christ…He wants us to see that God’s way, our new path is different…

Ephesians 4:17-18 - So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind. being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart.

Our old foolishness, our lives before we came to know Christ as Lord – it was futile, foolish…it was unwise because it could be characterized as being without God.

As I consider how I am living…how would I know if I am being unwise? The scriptures describe the characteristics of unwise living such as…

Psalm 14:1 - The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; there is no one who does good.”

Are you living your life as if there is no God?

We may not say that outright, but we have to consider, is something or someone else filling the role of god in your life…even you…are you living as your own god?

Proverbs 12:15 - The way of a fool is right in his own eyes.

“You do you…” “Follow your heart…” “From my perspective…this is what I believe” I know the bible says ____, but that doesn’t really apply anymore…It is OK for me to ____, because God will forgive me…”

In comparison…the wise would say “let me consider what God’s Word says about that issue…and if God’s word says it, I will choose to believe it…and…I will choose to walk on that path…

Let’s just apply these thoughts to our own lives for a moment…

What areas in your marriage are you currently living by doing what is right in your own eyes without consideration, or worse by ignoring what God’s Word has to say?

Parents – how are you teaching and disciplining according to what god’s word says? Or are you walking in parenting based on what seems right for the moment?

For all of us, are you ordering your time and schedule based on what you think is right in your own eyes, or do you choose to honor God with your time. For example, I am thankful that you are here with us right now…do you walk carefully every week to be in the Lord’s house? Can I ruffle a few feathers? What about being in church on-time, being ready for worship at 9:30 (11:00) and even coming early to greet and fellowship with others? What steps would you need to carefully take to change the time you arrive to worship?

But it is not just about doing what is right in our own eyes, God also says that

Proverbs 14:9 - Fools mock at sin, but among the upright there is good will.

All of us are tempted to live foolishly and mock sin in our live. We may even be blind to the truth that we are doing it or we may simply dismiss our sin as no big deal…

We mock sinful anger and communications – because I was justified in what I said…If they had not made me angry – I wouldn’t have responded sinfully

We can mock sinful immorality – nobody knows what I do when I am alone…

We can mock at drunkenness or being controlled by the things of this world

We can mock at grumbling or complaining…

Think back on your week – were there ways that you mocked sin in your life?

Wise is the person who confesses and asks forgiveness walking in repentance – a changed life.

Paul does not want us to live like fools – nobody wants to live like fools, but on our own, the unwise is darkened in their understanding, ignorant, hard-hearted and living like there is no God…the fool mocks at sin.

In contrast, God wants us to live NOT as unwise,

B. But as wise, by making the most of your time

This is a good place to slow down and unpack what Paul actually said so that we do not miss the meaning because this phrase means so much more than just a call to be efficient in our time management…

The term that Paul uses that we translate to “making the most of” is a term of buying and redeeming. And time here is not the turning of the clock, but rather a reference to the whole of the time we are given in this life…

Thus to make the most of your time – is to consider carefully how our steps are gaining the greatest value, making a kingdom impact with the time, the life that we have…How will I redeem my time to bring God the glory for what He has done.

Jesus taught his disciples what making the most would mean as he taught – “we must work the works of Him who sent me as long as it is day” making the most of our time…for the night is coming when no man may work.

Walking carefully and making the most of the time, the wise Christian will seize and capitalize on the opportunities to serve the Lord and bring forth His kingdom…

How then does the wise Christian buy up and redeem their time…

Galatians 6:10 - So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.

I am thankful for those who have gone before me in our church to walk wisely and make the most of these times to love and serve our church family and to impact our community.

The fruit of that is so clear to me when I see the growth of FCS, the reach of FBCM, the beauty of the redemption found at VOH and Restoration and the love expressed through our community centers.

But making the most of our time is more than just about the major ministries, it is also about our individual spiritual growth…making the most of our time is also about how we redeem the time in fighting against sin…

When you encounter temptation or suffering, do you see that as a time to redeem and make the most of by not giving in to sin?

This may sound strange – but it is true…

There will be a day when there is no more sin, suffering or pain. When that day comes, there will be no more time to glorify God by demonstrating our faith in His grace and power to help us to overcome sin, to respond well to suffering. I will praise that day and the fulfillment of His promises, but for today, can I make the most of this time by bring Him glory.

Today – in your marriage – is their brokenness? How can you make the most of your time by living wisely in your home.

In your family – are you concerned for your children that they would know Jesus? How can you make the most of your time with your children…they won’t be children forever?

At your work – Do others see you as wise, not because of your skills and experience, but because you make the most of your time working as unto the Lord

In the coming weeks, we will walk through several series on marriage, parenting, and work to consider how we can apply this principle…but so as not to steal from those sermons, and to stick to today’s passage, we will find our motivation for making the most of every occasion…

C. Because the days are evil

Friends, we are living in the last days, no I am not talking about end times, what I mean by that is that we are living in the times between the first and the second coming of Christ.

This present evil age is dominated by the rulers and authorities of the world, imperfect, and yes evil. Satan has not yet been bound and demonic forces are at work.

Part described this evil age apart from the power of Jesus…

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.

But these powers are not greater that the one who is living in me. We are not without hope when we have Christ…

Galatians 1:4 – …who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father…

When we carefully consider our steps in this current evil age, we will be able to capitalize and make the most of each opportunity to show love, do good and share the gospel in ways that will redeem the time we have while we wait in the assured hope of Christ’s return.

Carefully considering our steps will help us to live wisely in this evil age.

A second way that we learn how to live wisely is to…

II. Understand the Will of the Lord for Your Life (v. 17)

Paul takes us right back to the contrast of foolishness and wisdom…do not be foolish but be wise, understand what the will of the Lord is…

When we speak of the Lord’s will – we need to differentiate some things…In Ephesians, the will of the Lord is sometimes referring broadly to God’s saving plan –

Thus to understand the will of the Lord, we must

Know God’s overarching plan

Praise the Lord, He has revealed His will through the inspired Word we have in our hands and it all centers on Christ and it is all for His glory. Paul summed it up at the beginning of the letter saying.

Ephesians 1:9-11 - He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.

Most often when we consider what is the will of the Lord, we are consumed with what it means for us. How does it impact my personal desires and my plans? We want to open the Bible and find the chapter and verse that speak to my personal situation

But Paul would help us see that the wise will order their lives with a view of what God has purposed to do. His plans and goals matter most. So then, how will we know them? Praise the Lord, he has revealed it in His Word.

One way I would like to encourage you to grow in knowing God’s overarching plan is to know the biblical narrative really well…to see God’s plan as it flows from Adam, to Abraham, Moses and David, to understand why Israel was sent into exile and then to see the promises fulfilled in Christ, the growth of the church in Acts all the way to His rule and reign in Revelation…

This fall, one of the Faith Community Institute Classes we are launching is

The Bible Knowledge Certificate Course. The goal for this series will be to help our church family grow in their bible knowledge.

And for those who ensure…those who complete 6 classes, we want to celebrate with them and recognize their effort with a certificate of completion in either the OT or the NT.

Picture of certificate

When you know God’s overarching plan, it will help you to make wise decisions by understanding the will of the Lord.

And when we see the overarching plan, it also helps us to see God’s personal plan for each of us…so we must also

B. Consider your personal responsibility in God’s plan

Paul demonstrated his own understanding of his personal responsibility and calling

Ephesians 1:1 - Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God…

He was making the most of his personal responsibility to do good toward the church in Ephesus, even redeeming his time in prison writing letters to the churches, speaking truth in love and seeking to build them up…

Ephesians 3:1-2 - For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you.

As Christians and as members of our church, we too have been given a personal call to make the most of our time, to please the Lord and to do his will.

To understand what this looks like, I point you back to the principles we have studied together this summer…

Our personal responsibility in God’s plan begins with the putting off of the old self, corrupted by the lust of deceit, the renewing of our minds and the putting on of our new self. We are responsible for how we communicate in ways that bring unity…Speaking truth in love is the Lord’s will, abstaining from sexual immorality is the Lord’s will, putting off bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander is the Lord’s will.

But it is not all just about sin…Trusting the Lord in the midst of suffering is the Lord’s will. Responding righteously to unjust suffering if the Lord’s will.

And serving others…for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works…that we might walk in them…

This is our personal responsibility in God’s plan…the foolish will choose their own steps and follow their own wisdom, but they are still fools…

we live wisely by considering carefully how we walk…we live wisely by understanding the will of the Lord for our lives…

and lastly, we live wisely by…

III. Be Filled With the Spirit (v.18-21)

Our final contrast between wise and foolish living centers on what we are filled with…are we filled with the Spirit, who is the fullness of wisdom, or filled with something else?

A quick aside to prevent any theological misunderstandings…Being filled with the Spirit does not mean to receive the Holy Spirit a second time, nor does it point to a spiritual baptism separate from baptism by immersion.

These would contradict what Scripture teaches in Ephesians 1 that we are sealed by the Holy Spirit given as a pledge of our inheritance at the moment of salvation. His indwelling presence is with is and will never leave us…The gift of the Holy Spirit is permanent.

To live as wise is to live as filled with the Spirit, to live as unwise would be to grieve the Holy Spirit who has sealed us.

To live as filled with the Spirit is to live with the active work of the Spirit, under His control and wisdom as contrasted with being drunk with wine and under the influence of wine or other substances. Wise living with the Spirit will change us to be more like Christ as we respond to the Spirit’s ministry in our lives.

Paul teaches similarly in Colossians saying…

Colossians 3:16 - Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

So being filled with the Spirit seems to parallel what it means to allow the word of Christ to richly dwell within you.

To illustrate the contrast to the wisdom of Spirit filled living, Paul points to a vivid contrast that is both a hindrance to wise living, but a counterfeit of being filled with the Spirit

A. Do not get drunk

Ephesians 5:18 - And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation…

In light of Paul’s earlier contrasts between light and darkness and wisdom and foolishness, His point here is that drunkenness is a mark of darkness and foolishness and that being filled with the Spirit is the source of a believer’s being able to walk in light and wisdom.

One of the reasons why drunkenness is foolish living is because of where it leads…dissipation…also translated as debauchery or reckless immorality. Drunkenness leads to destruction.

I do not want to turn this into a sermon on alcohol and its impacts, but let me briefly summarize what God’s word says on the issue…Scripture always condemns drunkenness for the impacts it makes on our choices and our words…and the sinful actions that come not because of an inability to choose, but because of the foolish and sinful nature of the choices we make when drunk with wine.

If alcohol is an issue in your life and you would like to discuss this more, I will be happy to discuss it with you and connect you with the help that can bring real change to choose to walk with wisdom as one filled with the Spirit.

Paul uses drunkenness to illustrate one of the many sins that characterize the path of foolishness and unwise living that lead to destructive results.

But in contrast to those who are drunk, those who are filled with the Spirit will be characterized by…

B. Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs

Consider the contrast here in the direction – to be drunk with wine leads to dissipation, debauchery, and destruction…but to be filled with the Spirit leads to a joy-filled response that builds relationships rather than destroys

Notice – the results of being filled with the Spirit involve us speaking to one another…in Wise living there is the wisdom of building relationships with other Christians for the purpose of bringing glory to God and praising Him, with psalms, hymns and songs. Paul describes a broad range of singing motivated by the Holy Spirit to edify and encourage one another in both good times and in times of sorrow. Building up and not breaking down.

Many of us can think of the songs that have brought comfort to our souls when shared with us in a time of trial or suffering.

Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs can be the balm that our souls need when a wound feels wide open or the encouragement that can get us moving when we feel stuck in the mud. They can also be the songs that join us together to lift up and exalt the only one worthy of praises.

The Songs we share will shape our beliefs and point to our affections…do the songs you share express that you are filled with the Spirit? If you gave a friend a playlist as an encouragement, ask yourself what would you include?

Will it build up your relationships centered on the Lord? It will reflect what you are being filled with…

Because being filled with the Spirit will also be characterized by

C. Singing and making music from your heart to the Lord

Being filled with the Spirit may be reflected by the words I speak and the songs that I sing, but it goes much deeper than that because being filled with the Spirit reflects what is that fills your heart…

Paul tells us to sing and make music in our hearts to the Lord, privately and publicly, because we are designed as emotional beings to feel the glory of the gospel in our guts, that we may give God the praise that he is due, and also so that others might see the one for whom we live.

Some of us may have been raised in the Home or church where motions were not expressed or encouraged. We may need to pray the guard would open our lips so that others might see the praise from our hearts.

Others may have been raised in an over emotional or even sentimental culture and we need to ensure that in the songs of our heart we are expressing the truths of the word of God and not something that just feels good.

But notice that singing is not optional… singing is commanded by Paul because the nature of God expressed in the gospel is grace and salvation to which it is necessary to respond with the joy-filled songs of our heart and

D. Always giving thanks to God for everything

When should we give thanks…see it there…Always…constantly…we always have a reason to give thanks to God.

Paul models this for us over and over again…

While in prison, when he hears what is happening at the church

Ephesians 1:15-16 - For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers.

Paul can’t stop giving thanks…but is it just about seeing other people’s faith in action.

Paul also tells us in his other letters what to give thanks for…

1 Thessalonians 5:18 - …in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

That is both significant and challenging at the same time, because our thanks is to be for everything.

How can I do that?

To give thanks for everything you must truly believe in the wisdom of God, and His wise purposes for my life, even when my life is not how I would choose for myself.

How do I give thanks for a job loss, a broken relationship, cancer, or temptation?

I have to believe God when He says

Romans 8:28-29 - And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.

This can seem so unsatisfying when my brother in Christ shares this verse with me when I am in the middle of a trial, when the suffering feels most raw…

Why would I give thanks? Because your gratitude reveals that you believe that God is all-wise…it also shows that you believe that his and controls the universe and that He is good. It means that you believe that God loves you, he cares about you and He knows every details of what is happening to you.

Your thanksgiving also expresses that you believe that God’s plan is greater than your plan, that His thoughts are higher than your thoughts, His ways higher than your ways…

So that even when everything is happening to you, and you feel like everything is against you, you know that God is for you, and your thanksgiving shows that you appreciate his love, care and character and that you desire his plan for you – that you become conformed to the image of His Son.

When you get home today – before you have time to forget the things that I have said consider this wise action.

- Make a list of everything that you have complained about this week…everything you have been dissatisfied with…Have you complained, even in your heart about your husband, your wife, your children, your boss, your co-workers, or complained about your situation.

- Then take that list and choose to give thanks…give thanks for how God is using each of the items on your list to show you more why you need Him, why you need His love and His care and His work in your life to conform you to the image of His son

As a church family – let me put an opportunity for thanksgiving on your calendar…We have been giving thanks all year for what God has done through these 60 years at Faith, and He is not done. Join us on Aug 4^th at Church Family night to give thanks for everything to include our school.

And lastly, one more result of being filled with the Spirit is…

E. Submitting to one another in the fear of Christ

Living wisely involves the fear of the Lord, for it is the beginning of Wisdom, and someone filled by the Spirit will joyfully submit in relationships and to the authorities the Lord has established. We will see this in greater detail in specific relationships, but we must see that it begins with us all…not that we would all be subject to everyone else, that would be a matter of chaos where God’s wisdom brings order, but rather as a foundation of the one who is filled by the Spirit, that they will be able to submit in the relationships that follow, because the one who is Spirit filled, walks in the fear of Christ.

As Paul has been contrasting the wise and the foolish, as God’s word has described the characteristics of the unwise…Are you here and God is putting it upon your heart that this is what is characterizing your life? No thought of God, doing what is right in your won eyes, not taking your sin seriously…

This is what characterizes the life of anyone apart from Christ.

The good news is that Jesus Christ is our very wisdom given from God. You can receive him, trusting that He died on the cross for your foolishness, taking the consequences that you deserve for your sins and He rose from the dead showing that He has the authority and power over sin and death and He offers new life and wisdom to anyone who would believe in Him.

And for all would believe

When we choose to walk carefully, knowing the will of Lord for our lives and being filled with the Spirit…

Christ is our wisdom and he will give us the wisdom to live a life pleasing to God.