Walking as Children of the Light (Eph. 5:8-16) (7/12/26)

Pray and ask the Lord to bless the preaching

of His Word. Our God and our Father, we thank

you for sending the Spirit to give us life and

to empower us for the call you have given us

to carry your words of life to the ends of the

earth. Please allow the words of my mouth and

the meditations of all our hearts to be acceptable

in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and nearest kinsman,

Redeemer, Jesus Christ, our risen Lord. Amen.

Our text this morning is found in Ephesians chapter

Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

5 beginning in verse 8. Ephesians chapter 5 beginning

Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

in verse 8. For you were once darkness, but now

you are light in the Lord. Walk as the children

of light, for the fruit of the Spirit is in all

goodness, righteousness, and truth. Finding out

what is acceptable to the Lord. and have no fellowship

with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather

expose them. For it is shameful even to speak

of those things which are done by them in secret.

But all things that are exposed are made manifest

by the light, for whatever makes manifest is

light. Therefore, He says, awake you who sleep,

arise from the dead, and Christ will give you

life. See then that you walk circumspectly, not

as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because

the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise,

but understand what the will of the Lord is,

and do not be drunk with wine, which is dissipation.

But be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one

another in Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,

singing and making melody in your heart to the

Lord. Giving thanks always for the things of

God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus

Christ, submitting to one another in the fear

of God. These are the words of Almighty God.

Receive them in your hearts. As Christians, there

are three things that I want us to get out of

today's passage. I want you to kind of hear it

as we go through it through these lenses. As

Christians, we are to reflect the light of Jesus.

We are to reflect the light of Jesus. We are

to redeem opportunities. We are to redeem opportunities.

And we are to sing, give thanks, and submit to

one another. We are to sing, give thanks, and

submit to one another. You may have noticed,

particularly in recent years, That what seems

obvious to you is not obvious to others It doesn't

matter what the subject is we think that if people

just had the facts That they would see the world

like you see it If they would just listen and

hear the right facts It would be plain to them

also We implore people to consider what is evident

of different political positions, conspiracies

by bankers and politicians, people groups, and

religious leaders. If they just had the right

information or arguments, they would see the

light and turn. Many of you have experienced

this same thing, making gospel pleas with family

members, friends. co -workers, and even occasional

strangers. Our approach often is that if we could

just make the right argument to them that they

would turn to Christ and be changed forever.

The problem is that if we treat the transformative

work in people as just an intellectual problem,

we have missed how God does things. Good study,

preparation, and rhetoric can be good. But in

our call to take dominion for Christ, to be fruitful,

and transform the world for the glory of God,

it is actually found in trusting God and doing

good. As we've been studying in the scriptures

in Psalm 37 and Galatians 5 and now in Ephesians

Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5, doing good is standing your post and

cultivating fruitfulness in the fruit of the

Spirit and ourselves and all others who are in

our realm of responsibility. We should plan,

cultivate, and experience the giving of ourselves.

the sacrificial life of ourselves for the glory

of God and the benefit of others in our care.

The Epistle to the Ephesians Church is really

divided into two sections. The first section

runs from chapter 1 all the way to chapter 4,

verse 16. In this section, the Apostle Paul declares

who God is. Jesus work of salvation for our behalf

and What our salvation practically means for

all of us our status before God in the very beginning

Paul calls the church in Ephesus saints Why because

they're in Christ Jesus not because they themselves

are righteous and holy But you know salvation

is not only a status for our eternal standing,

but it is actionable. In chapter 2 verse 10 it

says, for we are his workmanship, created in

Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared

beforehand that we should walk in them. Paul

continues to clarify God's work is not just for

the Jews but for Gentiles as well. and that there

is no longer a wall of separation between Jew

and Gentile, right? We can all enter the sanctuary

of God as long as we are in Christ Jesus. Just

prior to the end of the first section of Ephesians,

Paul points to the inescapable reality of the

unity and fellowship of the church. In chapter

four he says this, there is one body and one

Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of

your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

one God and Father of all, who is above all and

through all and in you all. You know how I like

to point out all y 'all when you see you many

times, most of the time in the epistles, right?

It is a plural you. It's all y 'all who are in

the church. Chapter 5 begins with this. Therefore

be imitators of God as dear children and walk

in love as Christ also has loved us and given

himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to

God for a sweet smelling aroma. This is followed

of course by a list of sins summed up in verse

5 as these three categories sexual sins covetousness,

and idolatry. And he says that those who practice

such things do not inherit the kingdom of Christ

and God. Our passage this morning picks up in

verse 8, which says this, for you were once darkness,

but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children

of the light. God does not tell us that before

we came to Christ that we were once in the dark

But actually that we were dark we were darkness

But now in Christ we are in we are light not

just in light we are light We are created in

the image of God who is light as you know in

Genesis chapter 1 right God created the heaven

Genesis 1 · chapter mention

and the earth and then what does it say? It says

that the earth was void of form and darkness

was over the deep. And God said, let there be

light. And he was the light that drove out the

darkness. And with the light that he had created

that was emanating from him, God gave form to

that which had no form. And he filled the void.

of the earth. God is teaching us that the light

is essential for dominion and fruitfulness. The

theme of the light is all over the scripture.

I'm going to just give you two examples, one

in Isaiah chapter 60, beginning in verse 1. Arise,

Isaiah 60 · chapter mention

shine, for your light has come, and the glory

of Yahweh is risen upon you. For behold, the

darkness shall cover the earth. and deep darkness

the people but Yahweh will arise over you and

his glory will be seen upon you the Gentile shall

come to your light and the kings to the brightness

of your rising and speaking of Jesus in John

John 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1 again this is speaking of Jesus when

it says him and is speaking of Jesus all things

that were made through him and without him nothing

was made that was made in him was life, and the

life was the light of men. And that light shines

in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend

or overcome it. We are called to be imitators

of God and Christ Jesus and so reflect the light

of God. We are reminded that we ourselves have

no light. It is actually the light of God in

Christ Jesus that reflects out of us and Reflecting

God's light we will see the world transformed

by the light shining from us Jesus said in Matthew

Matthew 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5 beginning of verse 14 You are the light

of the world a city that is set on a hill cannot

be hidden Nor do they light a lamp and put it

under a basket, but on a lampstand And it gives

light to all who are in the house. Let your light

so shine before men that they may see your good

works and glorify your Father in heaven. When

we reflect the light of God as the children of

light, darkness is either transformed, and so

men praise God because their hearts are changed,

they give thanks to God, or it flees. from it

One of the problems that we have is we have difficulty

believing God in this So what is the light that

we are shining in our realm of responsibility?

Paul continues saying that all y 'all in the

church should walk as children of the light For

the fruit of the Spirit, or in some translations

light of the Spirit, is in all goodness, righteousness,

and truth. Consider this. The fruit of the Spirit

flows in all goodness, righteousness, and truth.

So let us hear once again the fruit of the Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,

long -suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

gentleness, self -control. That's the light that

transforms the world. As one commentator puts

it, in the scriptures, goodness implies going

to right or wrong in a powerful way. Righteousness

is following the laws of God, and truth is doing

everything in life according to the Bible. That

is ethical obedience to God in all of life Or

as we sometimes say all of Christ for all of

life That is what transforms the world Light

allows us to see and to have the wisdom to make

good and fruitful decisions when you were when

you're not Reflecting light a person not reflecting

light who is darkness They can't make wise decisions

that transform the world. All the schemes of

men, all the things that they've tried to do,

even those who have done good, it accomplishes

just a little, and then it fades away. You see,

light allows us to see and have the wisdom to

make good and fruitful decisions for the glory

of God and the benefit of others. The light of

God reflecting from us helps us by exposing the

sin first in our own lives, that we may repent

and turn and do righteously, trusting God, standing

at our post and taking dominion to cultivate

the fruit of the Spirit in greater abundance.

ourselves and all those whom God has given us

responsibility of. This causes the world to be

transformed from darkness into light. With the

light we form the world and the will of God in

heaven here on earth. We then fill it with more

light and fruit. Men and the whole of creation

is changed more and more. In this way, we expose

all darkness, sin, and all those who conspire

against God and His people. If the people of

God don't follow God and don't trust God and

don't do good, guess what? You don't reflect

light, and we don't expose those who are doing

evil. Paul continues in verse 12 saying this,

for it is shameful even to speak of those things

which are done by them in secret. Paul is teaching

the church in Ephesus that if they think that

the world is transformed by their speaking and

exposing of the evil deeds and conspiracies,

that's not gonna work. You see, conspiracies

have happened both currently and in the past.

It doesn't change the world. In fact, Paul says

that it is shameful, meaning without grace. This

passage confronts the false idea that if people

just have the right argument, if the right conspiracies

are exposed, it's all gonna fall like a house

of cards. You see, we'll think. They'll just

change their views and stop believing the lies

and turn to the truth and joy. It is not wrong

to study history or even the present to ascertain

the truth in what men have conspired to do and

share it. But intellectual facts do not transform

men. Now I'm going to pause here just for a second.

If you have, by God, been given a responsibility

in a certain area, That's your area to live righteously,

to reflect the light of Jesus, to live with the

fruit of the Spirit flourishing within you and

flourishing in your area of responsibility. And

yes, you may have to speak to what's going on

in your job, in your post, in your responsibility.

But it is not going to be transformed simply

because you point it out. It's going to be transformed

by the light. that you are reflecting of Christ

standing your post and flourishing in the fruit

of the Spirit. The grace of God comes to men.

Well, just a second, I missed something that's

very important here because we try to do so much

in our own strength, right? Who are we called

to follow? Follow Christ. Did Christ go around

Talking about all the conspiracies of the chief

priests in Sanhedrin, I can't think of a single

place where he did that. What did he do? He trusted

God, and he did good. He knew what he was there

for. He knew what he was called to do, and he

simply trusted God and did good, making others

flourish. and the gifts of God. And in that,

the world was saved. The grace of God comes to

men by the work of Christ, by the power of the

Spirit, through the light that His people shine

into the world, by trusting God and doing good,

by standing our post and cultivating the fruit

of the Spirit. Now all this is made evident Excuse

me in verse 13 Which says this? But in all things

that are exposed are made manifest by the light

that is they are revealed by the light For whatever

makes manifest or revealed is light The transformation

of men are made seen by the light goodness righteousness

and truth lived before all men Verse 14 says

therefore he says awake you who sleep arise from

the dead and Christ will give you light Dearly

beloved Waking up to trusting God wake up trusting

God to transform the world by the light coming

from him and being reflected By you I'm gonna

pause right there. That's pretty unnerving, isn't

it? Is that unnerving? I know it is for your

pastor. I know my shortcomings. I know the times

I was irritated this week. I know the times that

I sinned this week. Has my light been reflecting

Christ? What must I do? I must trust God and

do good. Stand my post. Sacrificially die for

others that others may flourish in the fruit

of the Spirit But it begins with trusting God

Right now He says this verse 15 see then that

you walk circumspectly not as fools, but as wise

Redeeming the time because the days are evil

Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what

the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk

with wine, which is dissipation, but be filled

with the Spirit. Please hear this next section

very clearly. Paul says to all y 'all, all y

'all now walk carefully, not deviating from your

duty as fools do, but be wise. There is a call

not to be a childlike fool But rather to be as

a steadfast man in your post redeeming the time

for the days of evil now The Greek word translated

here as time Can also be translated as opportunities,

and I think this fits even better so we are called

to redeem the opportunities that are put before

us. Are there opportunities to reflect light,

to make fruitful and multiply in your life before

you? For your mothers, those little children.

For dads, your wives and children. Wives, what

about your husbands? What about all those that

you have responsibility for? Are there opportunities?

Redeem your time for them. What about your brothers

and sisters in this church? And yes, even in

fact, show the light in the places that you work

and the responsibilities that you have there.

God has given every one of you a realm that you

have authority over. Children, Yeah, look up

here. You have a realm of responsibility to one

another, to your parents, to your siblings, to

all the things that God has given you. So as

the light of God reflects out of you and you

see things, redeem it. Make it better. Make it

fruitful. If you're unsure of what that looks

like, talk to your parents. Ask them about that.

And parents. Be gentle and kind and enthusiastic

in inquiries like this Your duty is to reflect

the light of God and with that light You have

sight just remember just like God in the very

beginning He was teaching us this principle the

light emanated from him and then he could go

and transform the world from an empty blob, from

an emptiness, without form. With the light that

God reflects in you, you have sight for all that

you're doing. And now you can form it. Now you

can see it. Redeem the opportunities that you

see and take all the people and all the things

in your realm and make it reflect the will of

God. This steadfastness to our providential and

sovereignly given post is clarified further in

verse 18. Do not be drunk with wine, which is

dissipation, but be filled with the spirit. Now

here's this funny word. Who this week outside

of reading the text may have used the word dissipation?

Anyone? Right, that's a really foreign concept

for us So we know what drunkenness is with wine

But here it's described as dissipation You see

dissipation is defined as a scattered attention

wandering from idea to idea and pursuit of pleasure

Which is usually attended by careless exorbitant

expenditures in time and money and effort. I'm

going to say this one more time. Dissipation

is defined as scattered attention wandering from

idea to idea in pursuit of pleasure, which usually

is attended by careless and exorbitant expenditures

in time, money, and effort. Why does a person

get drunk? Now we can put a lot of reasons to

that. But drunkenness is an artificial emotional

stimulation. This artificial emotional stimulation

can be brought on by all kinds of things, not

just drugs and alcohol. The dopamine of porn

or the dopamine of constant scrolling through

your phone or computer. This kind of drunkenness,

which is dissipation, gives us an artificial

emotional stimulation that does not lead to improved

concentration and effort. I imagine, in some

fashion, this is hitting all of us. We sometimes

justify our constant scrolling or the things

that we're doing because we get artificially

emotionally stimulated because of our pursuits

for the newest enlightened conspiracy or problem

in the greater church and the world Satan uses

these things to stir us up to dissipation scattering

our attention away from our post. Dearly beloved,

put off all things that get you drunk with dissipation,

distracting you all. I'm in that you all. So

that you may be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Paul instructs the church as to how being filled

with the Spirit is lived out and he does it in

three ways. And this is how we remain productive.

and not needlessly distracted. Begin picking

up in verse 19, speaking to one another in Psalms

and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making

melody in your heart to the Lord. So that's the

first thing. So let's just reflect. What about

just yesterday? Were you singing Psalms to one

another? Were you making melody in your heart

to the Lord? How'd that work out? I know you

probably had your family worship and you did

some singing there. Just as an illustration,

just to show a little bit of my family here.

We used to have, when all our kids were at home,

we had this 12 passenger van. And so it was me

and my wife and my dad. And one of my younger

brothers who lived with us for a while, we'd

all pile into that van, all eight kids. So that's

a mass of people. And can you imagine some Sunday

mornings on the way out the door, we would get

flustered and angry and impatient with one another?

Can you imagine that? Now, one of the problems

we had Because we had a four minute ride to church.

What I found, we certainly prayed when we got

in the car, but what I found to bring unity,

to bring strength to one another, we would sing

a hymn together. We would sing a psalm. Singing

brings unity and strength and blessing. And when

we're doing it centered on the Lord, What a magnificent

transformation that is. It focuses us to be joyful

and full of gratitude, which brings us to our

next thing. We are to give thanks for all things

to God the Father and the Lord Jesus. We are

to be living a life of gratitude. If you're singing,

lest you're singing a dirge or thrash, man, I'm

all angry. What does all that anger do for you?

It exhausts you. It exhausts you. Give thanks.

Be full of gratitude. Sing psalms and hymns and

spiritual songs to one another and making melody

in your heart before God. Finally, we are told,

submitting to one another in the fear of God.

This is mutual submission. For service for God's

glory and the benefit of others. That's back

to that sacrifice Romans 12 tells us this does

it not where to be living sacrifices And what

we like to do with that is turn it into some

sort of ethereal far away spiritual thing. I'm

a spiritual person I have the fruit of the Spirit

in me Right, but it's not for anybody else. We're

gonna button it up and cover it up. No light

reflecting out of me Once again, we are to bless

one another by speaking the Psalms of each other

singing and making melody to God Joyous music

overflowing from the heart and serving one another

pointing them to Jesus in song and attitude and

Sacrificial love planning and flourishing others

and what God has given us We are to always and

actively give thanks in all things. You see this

is the very this is the big thing we always think

my circumstances are so extraordinary They're

so hard man. No no other mother has ever had

a week like I have had Or No other man has ever

experienced the difficulties that I have for

those of you that serve in government service

What about Daniel? All the different things there

are other Christians that God has placed in similar

circumstances and He has transformed their lives

and they have been a light I argue that Nebuchadnezzar

repented of his sin. King Darius was a blessing

to God's people, although they all stumbled.

And finally, we actually see that Cyrus, a converted

king, pays for the rebuilding of the temple and

sends important people that belong to him to

go oversee it. Remember in Isaiah 60, kings will

be drawn to your light. You know, the final way

we are to be living is to be filled with the

Spirit. Here is submitting to one another in

the fear of the Lord. Remember chapter five began

with, therefore be imitators of God as dear children

and walk in love as Christ has also loved us

and given himself for us as an offering, a sacrifice

to God, a sweet smelling aroma. How do you smell?

By that I mean by your activities Are you a sweet

-smelling aroma to God? What about the others

in your household? What about the people you

work with or live with? We are to submit to one

another loving one another as Christ has demonstrated

To us by giving himself for us as an offering

to God for a sweet -smelling aroma We're to submit

to one another serving one another as a sacrifice

and an offering to God Saints of God, we are

to submit sacrificially of ourselves for the

glory of God that others may be lifted up and

drawn to God, illuminated by the light that we

reflect of Jesus. So there's all this. It's a

bit overwhelming. Trust that God do good. How

do we do this? As you know, Jesus has not left

us without hope. We talked about this last week.

He hasn't left us without hope to fulfill these

things. He isn't telling us to make bricks without

straw. No, He has sent the Holy Spirit. And He

did this after He died for us and rose again

for the forgiveness of all our sins. And He sent

the Spirit to you, and He has called all of you.

All light comes from Jesus. Dearly beloved, lean

more upon Jesus and the grace and the life that

he has given you all. Reflect the light of Jesus,

redeeming your opportunities, singing and giving

thanks, and submitting to one another. Let us

pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for who you

are, holy, righteous, and good. We give thanks

for the life you have given us in Christ Jesus,

being saved unto a life of good works that you

have prepared for us beforehand. Let us not become

distracted from our post. Help us, we pray, to

walk in the light, trusting that obedience to

you, that you will bless and transform the world

to your glory and our benefit. We ask all this

for the sake of Jesus, your Son, our Lord, who

reigns with you in the Holy Spirit. world without

end. Amen. Let us continue our worship by the

giving of our tithes and offerings. Blessed are

you, O Lord God, for through your goodness we

have these gifts to share. Accept and use your

tithes and offerings for your glory, for service

in your kingdom. Blessed be God forever and ever.

Amen.