It’s good to be back! I appreciate Dalton preaching for me and doing the blog post while I was away last week. This week, we will continue our study in Ephesians 5, looking at three ways we can honor the Lord through our lifestyle.
Walk Up
Three times in chapter 5 Paul uses the word “walk.” He starts off saying, “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us …” (v. 1-2). There is nothing like seeing a child take their first steps. Remember when you saw your child, grandchild, niece, or nephew learning to walk? In the same way, God wants to see His children learning to walk spiritually. Walk refers to lifestyle. What we think, what we say, what we do, should all be characterized by love. God is love. God’s love for us is sacrificial. His love is giving and it’s also forgiving. Jesus said to love one another, but He also said to love our enemies. Loving your enemies can only come from loving God. This is an upward walk. The road to the next level is always uphill. Anyone can go down. It is hard to walk up, but that is where we grow stronger and healthier!
Wake Up
Ephesians 5:14 says, “Therefore He says: ‘Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.’” Don’t walk in darkness. Don’t just go with the flow. When you walk in darkness, you go based on feelings. You also run into a wall! Don’t follow your heart and trust your feelings. Follow Jesus and what the Bible says.
Verses 3-13 give insight on how to wake up. We are to rid ourselves of fornication. Fornication means immorality. It’s where we get the word pornography. We are going to talk more about relationships, marriage, and family next week, but the Bible says sex is a sacred union between a husband and wife who have made a covenant to God. We are to put away uncleanness, greed, foolish talking, coarse jesting, and idolatry. Jesus is the Light of the World. Life is all about His majesty and His glory. Unbelievers live in darkness and darkness lives in them. It is a new day! Wake up! Stop sleepwalking.
Wise Up
Verses 15 and 17 warn us to be wise and not unwise. The surrounding verses tell us how. Verse 16 says, “redeeming the time.” A wise person makes the most of their time. Are you a good steward of your time? Do you plan your time/day? Life is short. Once it is gone you cannot get it back. Don’t waste time, or spend time, but invest your time. Verse 17 says, “understand what the will of the Lord is.” Every day we make choices between doing God’s will or our will. Understand the will of God for your life. Verse 18 warns us not to be drunk. It is all a matter of control. A drunk is under the control of a substance. Christians should be under the control of the Holy Spirit. We need to be filled daily (continuous action) with the Holy Spirit. We leak! Verse 19 says we are to speak to one another, “making melody in your heart to the Lord….” How do you talk to one another? Who do you spend time with?
This passage closes in verse 20: “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Chesterton said, “The saddest moment in the life of an atheist is when he realizes he has something for which to be thankful but no one to thank.” It is the will of God that you give thanks. Do you know the Lord? Do you thank Him daily?
Time here on earth is coming to an end. Eternity is when time will be no more. Don’t waste time or kill time, make sure you prepare now for where you will spend eternity forever! The devil’s tactic is delay. Don’t delay in getting right with God!
