I don't like
to think
of Paul getting the images for. his theological affirmations from the billboards he passed
on his missionary journeys, but some of what he says
reminds us of classic advertising techniques.
He doesn't mind using "Before and After" or "New and Improved" imagery to describe the transformation accomplished by Jesus Christ in the life
of the believer. In the verses before this text he
has spoken of our pre-Christian stare as "darkness" and our Christian
state as "light". In chapter two he spoke of those outside of Christ as "dead in trespasses and sin" and spoke of those in Christ
as having been "raised to
new life." In this passage he says we have moved from a state of foolishness to
a state of wisdom.
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Where do we find the wisdom we need to live
for Christ?
According to Paul it
has already been given to us
by Christ. Paul wanted the Ephesians to demonstrate that God-given wisdom in their lives. It is God's desire for every Christian.
This is the message of Ephesians 5:15-17.
That wisdom which is ours through Christ ought to be demonstrated in our lives.
The directives Paul gave the Ephesians can help us discover how to wise
up and live for Christ.
As Christians we live wisely as we ....
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I
PRUDENTLY
STRIVE TO DO GOD'S WORK (16)
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1. "Redeeming the time ... " comes from the marketplace. It
implies that we are buying back our time from some less meaningful use. If we are prudent (wise) we will "buy" up the time.
1:1 J.B. Phillips: "Make the best
use of your time." Amplified: "buying up each opportunity. "
Oliver Cromwcll--the English Puritan gave up hunting, not because he believed
it to be an evil pursuit, but because he was such a bad shot he believed it to be a misuse
of his time.
1 :2 Based on the fact that our time is
limited.
Raymond Patzia comments, "Time
is a precious commodity entrusted to believers for the purpose of doing good
in an evil world. " 1:21 The
practitioner and prophet of false religion has only 24 hours a day to spread his lies; the
Christian has only 24 hours a day to spread the Truth of Jesus Christ.
In the old novel The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk, Willie Keith, a junior officer
on a mine-sweeper, receives a letter from his father. His father explains that he is dying from
an incurable disease. Since the doctor
knows Willie cannot be home before his death he offers some advice. He says, “There is nothing, nothing more
precious than time…. Wasted hours
destroy your life just as surely at the beginning as at the end.”
Indeed, how we use the time we have
reveals our priorities.
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2. Why must we be so prudent in the use of our time? Because "the days are evil... "
2:1 Paul recognized
the pervasive, persistent, and persuasive character of evil. .
2: 11 He may have looked ahead with prophetic insight to a time when
witnessing and working for God would be more difficult.
A few years ago Hong
Kong changed from the freedom of British rule to the uncertainty
of Chinese rule. At that time, our Chinese brothers and
sisters in Christ knew they had make the best use of the time they had
because they didn't know what the future would bring.
2:2 We can't expect the world which does not know Christ to cut us any
slack.
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3. If we do not seize the time to do good, to live for God and work for God in the real world, the influence of evil may rob us of the opportunity.
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3
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In an old MASH episode the
surgeons have only a short time to save a patient’s life. To add to the drama a clock is superimposed on screen. Tension mounts as the doctors work away. Perhaps, we need to see the clock!
If we
could see the clock we would not waste our time in fruitless fighting.
If we could see the clock we
would make the
most of our time with our children and youth, in
missions, in our communities.
If we
could see the clock we would spend more times with our families.
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II
PASSIONATELY SEEK TO DISCOVER GOD’S WILL
(17)
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1. We ought
to make the will of God the
object of a determined quest.
1:1 "What
does God want me to be and do?" ought to be a question on every Christian's lips.
1 :2 We should be encouraged to know that
God wants us to know his will.
Robert Ashcroft: ''All heaven
is waiting to help those who will discover the
will of God and do it.
"
1 :3 God does not reveal his will to us so we may have one more option to consider as we ponder our life's choices: he reveals his will to us so we may
identify the only real choice.
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2. The general will of God for all
his people is spelled out in
the Bible.
2:1 His will for the world (I Timothy 1:3-4--"God.
.. wants all to be saved and to came to
a knowledge of the truth.}
2:2 God's general will is summarized in
classic passages such as the Ten Commandments or the Love Commands (Mt 22:37-40).
2:3 Historically the church has tried to capture the essence of God's will in simple succinct statements.
(ILL) Westminster Catechism: "What is the chief
end of man?"
"Man's chief end is to ~ '6old and to enjoy him forever."
2:4 There comes
a point when every Christian must embark on a
search for God's personal will for
life. (v 17)
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~
'
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2:41 We must not embark on this search with preconceived notions
about what we will find.
Commenting
on CT Studd's remark, "If Jesus Christ be God and died for me,
then no sacrifice
can be to great for
me to make for Him, "
Anglican Michael Green wrote, "Don't run away with the idea that this sort of dedication to Christ, this sort of commitment and
sacrifice will necessarily lead to a missionary ticket or to a dog-collar. "
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3. The specific, particular, personal will of God for you must be sought and discovered.
3: 1 Scripture will guide our decision making about God's will. It sets the boundaries.
3 :2 Your greatest happiness and peace lie in discovering and doing God's special
will for you; the wise person will seek
that will,
3:33 As you seek to discover that will, remember that God wants you to
discover his will; He has no
reason to hide it from you.
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4. How can you discover God's will for you? Leslie Weatherhead offers some practical suggestions:
• If you are a Christian, do not be afraid to heed the voice of your conscience.
• Give place to 'common sense'; but remember that God
sometimes calls us to abandon common
sense.
· Consult mature
Christian friends.
· Consult the minds of Christian
thinkers: read good books on the issue.
· Listen
to the voice of
the church.
·Listen to the 'voice' of God. (It may seem strange to put the voice' of God so far
down on the- list, but
if that 'voice· contradicts· all these· others, you need to be· very, very cautious.)
• Act in
faith.
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CONCLUSION
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Over the
centuries there has been debate about how to live the Christian life.
1.
Should it be a life of activism or a life of contemplation?
2. The-wise Christian seeks a balance.
In the gospels we see Jesus going about doing good; and going apart
to seek God.
3. Have you wised-up yet?
[The formatting on this post is not what I would prefer but it has defied my efforts to change it. It may reflect the age-old conflict between PC and Mac. If you read this far, thank you for your patience.]
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