Sermon - Ephesians 5:1-14 - Littleby Baptist Church - November 4, 2018

Last week we ended with:

Ephesians 4:32

“And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.”

A great encouragement on how we should strive to live as we Follow Jesus. Keeping Christ rooted in our hearts as we turn from our old ways. A life long journey where we learn what Jesus has in store for us and others can see God at work in us. As we continue to learn to Love God and Love Others, our choices change from earthly things to Godly things.

As usual we will pick up where we left off.

Ephesians 5:1-2

“5 Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, ² and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.”

Children have a tendency to watch people around them to learn how they are supposed to act. You can sometimes see those learned behaviors and recognize which parent they get that from. Comes up in our house now and again about which parent they got their sense of humor or stubbornness from, as well as other things.

Scripture tells us that as followers of our Lord and Savior we need to be imitators of God like our children and grand children imitate us. We are to learn about Jesus’s behaviors, beliefs, teachings, and imitate them. We need to be passionate about what Jesus is passionate about.

Verse 2, starts with the word ‘and’ but really should be translated as ‘that is’… ‘be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, that is walk in love, as Christ also loved us’

Instead of imitating God and walking in love we are to imitate God by walking in love. It is not a by product or a also do, it is the key aspect of imitating our Savior. We need to love as Christ loved.

John 13:34

“I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another.”

Jesus loved each one of us so much that He gave all He had for us. We to are to give of ourselves to each other. That can be as simple as sharing with each other in times of need, being a shoulder to cry on, helping someone move, sitting in the hospital waiting room with someone, saying a prayer, providing a need, or to truly pay the ultimate sacrifice in love of others.

Whatever the sacrifice is, if you are giving of yourself it is seen by God as a fragrant offering, a pleasing sacrifice. From that 5 second prayer to laying your life down for another, you are imitating God as you Love Others.

Ephesians 5:3-4

“³ But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints. ⁴ Obscene and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks.”

Transitioning from the self-sacrificing actions of those who Love Others, to things that are the opposite of being an imitator of our God.

If you are striving to live a life that is Christ like, if the Holy Spirit is dwelling in you, if Christ is deeply rooted in your life, and you are choosing to follow Him every day, these things should not be a part of who you are.

These verses do point out several specific behaviors or sins, but the real message here is one of having the attitude or behavior of one who is imitating God, not the attitude or behavior of someone who is more interested in themselves.

If you are focused on yourself, you are not worried about how your sexual relationships impact others and you do not care if your greed makes it so those in need do not have enough.

What kind of message does the jet setting pastor portray with all his toys, one of greed or loving others. How about the stuff in the news about pastors having affairs, self-focused or other focused? What about when people hear ‘Christians’ use crude or vulgar language at work? Are they showing that they are imitating God or embracing the world?

If we look like the world, talk like the world, and act like the world… we are not being imitators of God. We are not living lives as the saints we are, we are not giving thanks for all that God has given us or embraced what it means to Love God and Love Others.

Ephesians 5:5-6

“⁵ For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things.”

Those that practice this sinful behavior, those that are so focused on themselves that are not imitating God, they are going to receive God’s wrath.

Now that is not saying if you are truly a believer who makes mistakes here or there that you are going to receive eternal damnation. What Paul is saying is that if a person is not imitating God and is choosing to live a worldly life, embracing their sin, and not following the teachings of Christ they are not truly part of the family of God. If you are not part of the family of God, you will receive wrath instead of the gift of grace you have been offered.

We are called to be Christ Like, we are called to Love God and Love Others, we are called to be witnesses, we are called to be Holy. Jesus died on the cross so that we can be forgiven of our sins, cleansed of our filth, and given a new life.

No mincing words here, if you are imitating God you are part of His family. If you are embracing this sinful world, you have not part in Glory.

Choose wisely.  

Ephesians 5:7

“⁷ Therefore, do not become their partners.”

Remember this letter was written to members of the church in Ephesians and the surrounding areas. It was written to follow believers, and Paul was making sure they understood the difference between how they should be living and how the other side lives. The world is self-focused, and followers of Christ are to be other focused.

If someone is walking in sin and you can come along side of them and pray for them, guide them, and give them Godly advice, but do not get into the sin with them in hopes of helping them.

Do not support their sin, do not walk in their sin, do not partner with them in it, do not make their sin yours. Comfort, guide, encourage, but do it as Christ would. He would lift people out of despair but He did not join in the sinful behavior.

Ephesians 5:8-10

“⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light—⁹ for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth—¹⁰ testing what is pleasing to the Lord.”

John 12:46

“I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me would not remain in darkness.”

You were once darkness… If you are alive today, you have been trapped in sin at some point in your life. Then you met Jesus and you were set free from that darkness. As you have moved from your old self, letting go of your old sinful life, and embracing the new life you have been given, the last thing you want to do is get pulled back into the darkness.

There was a time in my life that I would look at other Christians and say that I wanted to be more like them. They didn’t drink, they didn’t smoke, they shared their faith with others, and you could see the change in their lives. The way I lived at the time, I looked just like the world. One day someone asked me if as a Christian did I go to the bar with the guys after work or on business trips. Back then the answer was I would go have that drink, but I would only have 1 when they had to much.

God used that question to open my eyes. If I wanted to be more like the Godly men I truly respected, if I wanted to live as a child of light, I had to choose. I could not partner with the darkness and be a child of light.

Through Jesus you are light and are called to live as children of light, but that devil is a sneaky fellow. If you have turned away from one sin, he will try to catch you in another. Going to the bar to try and save your friends, is not a wise strategy. Instead, invite them to church or a Bible study. Let them know you are going to pray for them. Don’t be afraid to live differently.

Paul tells us that living differently, being a child of light, consists of goodness, righteousness, and truth. I like being known for this list a lot more than what is listed in verses 3 and 4. Paul is not saying we have to be perfect, what he is telling us is these gifts will become more evident in our lives. On day one, you might not see a difference but the longer you walk with Jesus the more goodness, righteousness, and truth become evident in your thoughts, words, and actions.

Ephesians 5:11-14

“¹¹ Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them. ¹² For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret. ¹³ Everything exposed by the light is made visible, ¹⁴ for what makes everything visible is light. Therefore it is said: Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

As a believer when you live the life God has called you to live. Living in the light, not the darkness people will see the difference. The men in my life showed me how to live in the light by simply modeling it. Their living the life they were called to live exposed the darkness in my life. It does not take Bible thumping, it does not take nagging.

Matthew 5:14-16

“¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

If you are being an imitator of God, living as a child of the light, Loving God, and Loving Others… your life will change. What you don’t know is how much it will impact others. Living as a light in this dark world, may lead someone to Christ and may help a fellow believer to take the next step in living a life filled with goodness, righteousness, and truth.

You are the light of the world, let it shine!


God Bless,

Robert