His Family and Your Family - part 2 [39:03m]:
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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)
This passage is set before us with a beautiful balance. The first 20 verses of Ephesians 5 [+/-]Ephesians 5
[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.
[22]Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
[23]For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ
is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its
Savior. [24]Now as the church submits to Christ, so also
wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
[25]Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the
church and gave himself up for her, [26]that he might
sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water
with the word, [27]so that he might present the church to
himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such
thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. [28]In
the same way husbands should love their wives as their own
bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. [29]For no one
ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it,
just as Christ does the church, [30]because we are members
of his body. [31]"Therefore a man shall leave his father
and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall
become one flesh." [32]This mystery is profound, and I am
saying that it refers to Christ and the church.
[33]However, let each one of you love his wife as himself,
and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (ESV)
address what for Paul is the priority and primary environment in which believers are to live out our lives: the household of faith, the family of God, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 21 is a summary sentence consisting of three components that tie together beautifully the ten principles that are proclaimed in verses 1-20. And the next nineteen verses are all about life in the family. His family and our family. Twenty verses about His family and nineteen about our family with one verse in the middle that ties it all together. But the balance that is in this passage does not proclaim at all the balance to which we are too often very wrongly beckoned in our day.
Pastor Al mentioned William Tyndale in his open this morning, learn more about him here.
Learn more about this message by downloading the sermon notes here!
