Before we get into our text for today I want to remind you exactly where we are in this letter written by the Apostle Paul. His audience was the church in Ephesus who, as we’ve said, was a pretty healthy church. There was no particular problem that he had to address or resolve, so Paul was writing to them about the blessing of the church. The first half of the epistle (1-3) was the doctrinal portion about what the church is and who is part of it. Then, beginning in chapter four, Paul moved on to the practical portion of his letter, the application of all that he had previously said. A few weeks ago we saw Paul call for unity in the church and reminding the congregation that everyone has a role to play. He told them that the church only worked as she was intended to when everyone, all her parts, worked together. Last Sunday, Paul talked about the main thing that the church does, and that is to assist the saints with the putting off of the old self and the putting on of the new. If you recall, I said last Sunday that this was going to be the main focus of Paul for the remainder of this letter. In fact, I could have almost given this sermon the same title as last weeks and just added “Part 2” onto the end.
As a matter of fact, the first few verses of chapter 5 are actually part of the same paragraph as the final verses in chapter 4 in the original Greek. If we just look at the flow of things from the end of four to the beginning of five it’s hard to see a difference. “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” So, in Paul’s calling us to shed the old life of one who is not found in Christ and put on this new life in Christ, he reminds us repeatedly of the sacrifice of Christ and calls us to be imitators of God. Now, maybe you just glossed over it, but think about how impossible imitating God truly is. Look, I’m not very musically inclined. I’m trying to learn, but it’s a struggle. Telling me to imitate God is kind of like handing me a guitar and telling me to just go do what Eric Clapton or John Mayer or Jimmy Page can do. Sure, I can do something, but it’s not going to look much like an imitation. And the truth of it is that I’ve got a better chance of playing guitar like Clapton than I do imitating God. Although, Paul does make it a bit easier on us by only picking one attribute of God to imitate, His love. Now, it’s still impossible to adequately imitate God’s love, but at least it’s only in one area. And Paul is going to spend a great deal of time talking about how our imitating, or our trying to imitate, God’s love helps us in the putting off the old self and putting on the new. We’re going to see two things today that Paul mentions in this letter. We’re going to see what it means to walk in the light, and what it means to be filled with the Spirit.
Have you ever tried to walk in the dark? I don’t mean outside where there’s a little moonlight to lead you and guide you, I mean the pitch black dark. I get up at 5:00 am each day so that I can go run before it gets too hot. The first thing I grab each morning is my phone, not just because it’s my alarm clock or because I want to check my email, but because it’s my only source of light (at least the only source that won’t wake up Amy). Even the small amount of light that comes off of my phone is enough to give me the ability to navigate my way around the house and avoid the dog and his toys as he circles around me. When we’re in a dark place, the greatest piece of advice or wisdom that we can make use of is the simple warning to stay in the light. If we walk off into the dark, then it’s easy for us to get lost, hurt, or something even worse. Well, this world is a dark place. No, it wasn’t created that way, but because of sin, there is a danger that awaits us seemingly around every corner. Just because we don’t see it or recognize it doesn’t mean that it isn’t there.
Paul points out a few areas of darkness as he perceives things to be in Ephesus. He points out sexual immorality, impurity, covetousness, filthy and foolish speech, and crude joking. Paul says that these things can’t exist amongst Christians. He says that they’re out of place amongst those whom he has previously referred to as saints. He’s trying to get them to understand the severity of these things. Honestly, when we read this list we think that it’s not all that bad. After all, there’s no murdering or stealing on there. The worst thing on there is sexual immorality and that is something that our world seems to be growing less and less cognizant of or concerned with every day. However, these are dark things, and once we stray from the light (i.e. Christ), then it can become very easy to get lost in the darkness. Instead, Paul tells us to “let there be thanksgiving.” In other words, there is to be a sense of thankfulness for what we do have instead of a lusting or longing for what we don’t have. One of the fathers of the Reformation John Calvin interprets this verse to read “let there be grace.” His expounding of it goes on to say that by all we do and all that we say, that we might show abundant grace instead of the selfish and sinful motives mentioned previously by Paul.
Paul goes on to make the connection of light and dark with new and old selves. He says that the old self walked in the darkness and that the new self is found in the light. He exhorts his audience to “walk as children of the light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true)…Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them…Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise.” Basically, Paul is trying to get across to his audience that they are responsible for their actions. They are responsible for the actions of those in their community. They owe it to God, to themselves, and to each other to conduct themselves in such a manner that is keeping with the new selves that the Holy Spirit has given to each of them. And we owe it to God, ourselves, and each other to do the very same thing.
After telling his audience the wonderful privilege that it is to be found in the light and exhorting them to imitate the love of God by remaining in the light and following Christ, Paul then moves on and gives them some information about the Holy Spirit and what it means to be filled with Him. I love the subtle pattern of the Trinity used here (imitate God, Christ’s sacrifice and our being found in him as the light, and now being filled with the Holy Spirit). “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” Now, this verse is often used to condemn drinking alcohol. However, it doesn’t condemn strong drink categorically, but only drunkenness and debauchery. Two things could be Paul’s focus here. The first being the drunkenness that we see today where someone drinks in order to fill a hole that exists inside of them (a hole which only God can properly fill). The second is the pagan worship of Dionysus, the god of wine. The worship of this god involved rampant drunkenness and would classify as debauchery. However we wish to interpret Paul’s words here, the point remains that he exalts being filled with the Spirit. Now, this is different than being baptized by or sealed in the Spirit. The latter is a one-for-all, life-changing event, whereas the former is something that Paul is clearly teaching should be striven for regularly. In fact, being filled with the Spirit has more to do with being under the control of the Holy Spirit. Although when I say under control here I am not referring to a speaking in tongues, prophesying, or performing miracles type of control, but a being led by Him type of control.
Have you ever just had that urge to do something and you didn’t know why? I’m sure it’s happened to us all and it’s not always God calling us to do something. But have you ever just felt like God was pushing you or leading you to do something that was maybe a little bit outside of your ordinary? Several years ago I got a letter from a guy that was in my youth group in Mississippi when I worked in youth ministry. It was a simple note that he wrote and mailed to me and it basically said that for some reason he felt like he needed to write to me and thank me and Amy for exemplifying Christ in his life and for the impact that it has had on him and his faith. Now, the interesting part about all of that is that it came at a time when I needed it. I was in a place where I wasn’t seeing much fruit in ministry and there was seemingly a lot of stress and work with very little results. Reading that note reminded me that all I’m supposed to do is make sure that the seeds get planted and get enough water and nourishment. God’s going to take care of the growing. Whether it’s today, tomorrow, or years from now, God’s in control of the seed taking root, not me. You see, that student who has become a friend of mine allowed himself to be led by the Holy Spirit to carry out God’s work; he was filled with the Spirit. Was it something simple? Yes, but it had a huge impact upon my life and my ministry. Maybe you’re being filled with the Spirit to do something similar. Maybe you’re being filled with the Spirit to do something much bigger, much more global. Either way, we are to seek to be filled with the Spirit so that it is God who is leading our lives and not ourselves. However, we don’t like that because we’re all control freaks and we don’t want anyone else in control of our lives, even God. We think we know what’s best for us and we say we’re willing to follow God but what we really mean is that we’re willing to follow Him as long as His plan seems to coincide with our plan and what we want for our lives. We must decrease so that He can increase in us. We must step out of the way; get out of the way of what God is doing in our lives. Yes, we’re the ones who are living, but our purpose isn’t to enjoy life or to have fun but instead to glorify God and enjoy God. It’s not about us, but it’s about him.
Do we want to be imitators of God? Absolutely! Do we want to be imitators of God’s love? Absolutely! Do we want to continue the putting off of the old self and the putting on of the new self? Absolutely! Well, walking in the light of Christ and being filled and led by the Holy Spirit are great ways to ensure that we are carrying out the will of the Father. Do you see the work of the Triune God there? The will of the Father, the light of the Son, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In this epistle about the Church, the instrument and institution by which we worship God and grow in our faith, Paul is continuing to stress the importance of remaining closely affixed to Him. Over the last several decades, we’ve seen a number of individual church congregations change denominations (especially in our Presbyterian circles), and the main reason that is listed for churches moving from one group to another is that the Bible-believing, Christ-centered churches will not tolerate any straying from God, from Scripture, or from Christ as our only hope of salvation. God has given us the map. It’s up to us to follow that map. We have to stay closely fixed to Jesus, both collectively and individually. If we stray from the path, it’s as if we’re wanting to put on those same grave clothes again.
We have to continue to strive to put away our former life that was apart from Christ and put on the new life that is found in Christ. Two of the ways that we do that are by walking in the light of Christ and being led by the Holy Spirit. This is the only hope that we have of remaining in the light and not stumbling into the darkness. Are there going to be times where we drift into the darkness? Probably, but we have to recognize those time quickly and return to the light. The only place where was can safely dwell is closely tied to Christ, and we have to do everything in our power (and rely upon God as well) to keep ourselves and those around us close to Christ.
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