His Family and Your Family [38:50m]:
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Ephesians 5:1-21 [+/-]Ephesians 5:1-21
[5:1]Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
[2]And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up
for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
[3]But sexual immorality and all impurity or
covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper
among saints. [4]Let there be no filthiness nor foolish
talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead
let there be thanksgiving. [5]For you may be sure of this,
that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is
covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the
kingdom of Christ and God. [6]Let no one deceive you with
empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God
comes upon the sons of disobedience. [7]Therefore do not
become partners with them; [8]for at one time you were
darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as
children of light [9](for the fruit of light is found in
all that is good and right and true), [10]and try to
discern what is pleasing to the Lord. [11]Take no part in
the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
[12]For it is shameful even to speak of the things that
they do in secret. [13]But when anything is exposed by the
light, it becomes visible, [14]for anything that becomes
visible is light. Therefore it says,
"Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you."
[15]Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but
as wise, [16]making the best use of the time, because the
days are evil. [17]Therefore do not be foolish, but
understand what the will of the Lord is. [18]And do not get
drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with
the Spirit, [19]addressing one another in psalms and hymns
and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord
with your heart, [20]giving thanks always and for
everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, [21]submitting to one another out of reverence for
Christ. (ESV)
The is the second in a series on Marriage.
Paul absolutely loved order. It was the key word for him in addressing all the issues that he faced in the chaos of the church in Corinth. He gave attention to issue after issue after issue, at the end of which he spoke this summary sentence, “let all things be done decently and in order.” But before we interpret this word “order” through our own sinful structures: it means formality to some, it means the repetition of ritual to others, it means rigid routine to still others and it may even mean unchanging tradition to some. It meant of these things to Paul. The word that he used literally means “under authority.” He knew that the ultimate authority is God who by His Spirit and through His Word has established the way He wants things done. We do not establish order. It has been established by God. We simply submit our lives to that which God has already established and the result is lives that are well-ordered.
Learn more about this message by downloading the sermon notes here!
