Ephesians 5 Series #1
"WISDOM AND GOD'S WILL!
TEXT:
Eph. 5:15-17; Gal. 6:10;
Col. 4:5; 1 Tim. 3:7; Philip.
4:9
INTRO: There is
one thing that nearly all famous (good or
bad!) people have in common, no matter what it was they became famous or
successful in they had a set of fixed principles that they passionately built
their lives on. Some built no doubt
on wrong principles ... some built on the right ones, but both groups
tenaciously adhered to those principles with a
passion.
i.e.
Famous:
a.
athletes
b.
authors
c.
statesmen
d.
preachers
e.
businessmen
f.
inventors etc.
This
was no less true of the early church and the apostles, they had great success
because of their tenacious adherence to Godly principles with a passion, a
quality sometimes lacking today ... a passion for following through on right
principles in our lifestyle no matter the culture we live
in!
PROP. SENT:
Great events and great men and women in history were made during ages of
GREAT CONVICTIONS followed with GREAT ACTION! Today we live more in the age of GREAT
OPINIONS with LITTLE ACTION! God's Word teaches us to KNOW and DO His will, to take
opportunities and accomplish His Will!
I. WISDOM'S GIFTS Eph. 5:15-17a; Col. 4:5; 1 Tim. 3:7; Gal.
6:10
A. Minutes! Eph.
1.
The first couple of sentences in the text suggest 2
things:
a. "Be very
careful" — idea is be WISE.
b. "How you
live" — idea is be DISCIPLINED.
c.
Some people are disciplined, but unwise ... no good! (Rigid but unfocused
life!)
d.
Some people are wise, but not disciplined ... no good! (Opinionated
without action!)
e.
The idea is to be BOTH "wise" and
"disciplined!"
2. We
are to be good stewards of "opportunities!"
"...making the most of every opportunity, because the days are
evil." Eph. 5:16
3.
Wisdom involves 3 things always:
a. Right use of
TIME!
b. Right use of
OPPORTUNITIES!
c. Right use of
VALUES!
ILLUS: A waitress, a
fine Christian woman, works in a restaurant. The tax law states that tips received
from customers should be declared as "taxable revenue." But the Christian waitress begins to
rationalize: "The others do not declare them; why should I? If I do, I shall get them in
trouble." The element of
benevolence enters this situation and a sinful action is justified as one of
protection of fellow workers. In
reality, however, the non-declaration of tips, altogether or in part, is due to
the fact that so much tax has to be paid. What, then, does this Christian waitress
think of doing? Do not count the
tips but declare a flat sum for each working day. Her will hinders her from reporting her
actual earnings. The human will is
the hardest horse to tame; it is the hardest part of our personality to subject
to the will of God. Sometimes we
even want the will of God to appear as our own will. -- Source
Unknown
4.
Time is something we waste or misuse a great deal ... we have more free
time on our hand than any other generation that has ever
lived!
a.
Yet those who lived many years ago sometimes did more for God than we
do!
b. We
have the time and technology to do more than they did ... we need the passion
they had, and the principles they had!
5.
God is real fair with everyone ... NO ONE has ever had more than 24 hours
in a day, our priorities in life should reflect wisdom in how those hours are
used.
B.
Moments! Eph. 5:16; Col. 4:5; Gal. 6:10
1. "Making the most
of every opportunity"...
a. We
should be on guard for those creative moments of
ministry!
b.
Too many times we miss a great opportunity because we just didn't feel up
to it ... I'm sure the Apostle Paul in prison wasn't up to singing hymns at
midnight after being scourged, but he discovered this was an opportunity to
witness to a captive audience!
c.
Jesus on the cross bleeding and in great pain still utilized His
opportunities to minister, time was of short duration here but He would not die
until He had fulfilled all things.
He forgives sinners who don't know what they are doing, He puts his
mother Mary in the care of John; He promises a thief paradise that same day ...
He is thinking of others in His greatest moment of
suffering.
d. I
wonder if we have developed so many excuses to ignore opportunities that we have
become soft ... I wonder what Jesus and the Apostles would do if they lived in
our days of freedom, technology, and
travel?
2. The idea in
this verse suggests that God will create the opportunities for us, all we need
to do is be ready to take advantage of
them!
ILLUS: You don't have
vision just because you have an idea. If you don't have risk, you probably just
have an idea.
-- Max De Pree, Leadership, Vol. 15, no.
3.
3.
The present and the future hold the promise of many opportunities ... let
us be ready to respond!
C.
Morality Eph. 5:17a; 1 Tim.
3:7
1. "Therefore, do
not be foolish" in the original Greek this word implies a "MORAL"
FOOLISHNESS ... in other words; don't be unwise in the moral area of
life,
a.
This is a real up-to-date verse!
b. If
there was ever a day in which God's people ought to be passionate over godly
principles of morality it is today!
c.
While we need to compassionately minister to those living immoral
lifestyles, we must not become politically correct just to become
"accepted."
2.
Paul's use of the word "FOOLISH" here is NOT the one used normally for
intellectual wisdom or knowledge; it implies "MORAL"
ignorance.
a.
This implies more than just the area of sexual
morality!
b. It
also means MORAL INTEGRITY!
ILLUS: The late Dr.
Wernher Von Braun once was asked what it would take for man to reach the moon,
and he replied, "The will to do
it." This answer holds good in
nearly every field of human endeavor.
In medicine, determination and persistence have paid off in spectacular
breakthroughs in conquering diseases.
In transportation the dream of traveling around the world in a matter of
hours has become a reality because the will to do so was strong. "The will to do it!" How vitally important this attitude
is in Christianity! If you really
want to do God's will, you can, but you must will to do it. This is true in so many areas of our
lives. -- Source
Unknown
c.
Honesty, ethical
d.
Consistent character
e. By the way, this is really what the
"belt of
truth" means in Eph.
f.
David meant the same thing when he said "truth in the
inward parts" (KJV) in Psalm
51:6
g.
Our integrity is essential to be a real
Christian!
3. "Biblical
morality" involves the entire area of character, not just the
sexual.
a.
God's call on believers then is to be wise in the area of moral
character!
b.
Too much disrespect for Christianity has already been created due to
moral failures; both sexual and character wise, we need to be wise as believers
in these areas of our lives!
c.
The world will not positively respond to frauds; to those who say one
thing but live another. Nor should
they!
II. WILL OF GOD Eph. 5:17b; Philip.
4:9
A.
Mental Eph. 5:17b; Philip.
4:9a
1.
The first part of God's will is simply educational, learning what His
principles are!
a.
These are found in His Word ... the reason He gave us the written
Word!
b. This is what makes Bible study so
important! "Faith comes by
hearing, and hearing by the Word of God."
Rom.
c. It
is actually impossible to increase your faith without the Word of
God!
(1.
Personal studies.
(2.
Corporate studies — the church.
d. We cannot
afford to be Biblically illiterate in this day and
age!
ILLUS: You can learn
more about human nature by reading the Bible than by living in
2.
The will of God is not without knowledge, it is not just a mystical thing! It is not about walking around
mystically waiting for Him to reveal it ... much of God's will is
recorded in the pages of Scriptures, such lines in the Word like, "and this is the
will of God concerning you" is found many times over! (or similar
language)
a.
And such phrases usually talk about qualities, not mystical
things!
b. Such as 1 Th
c. Paul told Timothy to "STUDY
to show
himself approved unto God!" 2 Tim.
d. We
are to use our brains in God's will as well as our spirit and
body!
e. We
thus don't have to guess at much of God's will ... much of it is spelled out in
the Bible; and most of these statements have to do with our character and
values!
B.
Message Philip.
4:9b
1.
Information however without understanding the message is
useless!
a. how many times did Jesus say to his
disciples, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up
with you? Matt.
ILLUS: Never try to
explain God until you have obeyed Him.
The only bit of God we understand is the bit we have obeyed. -- Oswald Chambers in Run Today's Race. Christianity
Today, Vol. 35, no. 11.
b. It
is an old problem ... knowing without
really understanding! It can be
a dangerous combination!
(1.
One can know how to make an atom bomb and if they don't understand
its destructive capability it can be extremely dangerous to
all!
(2.
You can know about germs in terms of information, but if you don't
understand how to use that knowledge it may not help you
much!
2.
Jesus taught in parables for this reason,
some wanted information but weren't interested in understanding God's will -- so
they didn't get far, those who understood however grasped great truths about the
kingdom!
3.
Notice Paul encouraged the saints at Philippi to not only accept what
they heard from him ... information, but what they also saw in him!
a. Phil 4:9
"Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me --
put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." (Underlined
for emphasis) They could look
at how he used it so they would understand what the information
meant.
b. Jesus made a similar statement to
His disciples: Luke
c.
These 3 stages are important:
(1.
Information
(2.
Understanding
(3.
Application
d. We are not
Biblical until we do all 3!
4.
Understanding vital principles as information is the second stage and
opens the doors for action ... wise
action!
5.
This is part of God's will, information -- and understanding
it!
C.
Manifestation! Philip.
4:9c
1.
The 3rd stage must also be applied ... APPLICATION!
a.
We are not ACCOMPLISHING God's will if we are not APPLYING the
Biblical principles for believers.
b. We can be smart
in our knowledge of the Word, and be poor in application which really leaves us
foolish!
2.
Notice in the verse to the Philippians Paul puts the finishing touches on
this process when he says to them: "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, OR
seen in me, PUT IT INTO
PRACTICE!" in other words: DO!
3.
The will of God is not being done if we only know the
Word!
ILLUS: Sir Astley
Cooper, on visiting
4.
Notice then the connection between WISDOM AND THE WILL OF
GOD?
a.
The go together!
b.
They cannot be separated!
c. We
need to be wise, which means doing the will of God as we study, understand, and
apply it ... looking all the time for opportunities and taking
them!
d.
NOTE: the word for "MAKING THE
MOST" in Ephesians 5:16 was a
merchant term meaning literally to "BUY UP THE OPPORTUNITY," in other words,
MAKE AN INVESTMENT OF YOUR OWN RESOURCES AND
TIME!
5.
Get behind wise principles and passionately adhere to them ... this is
what makes productive and successful (by God's standards)
Christians!
6.
Let this year be the best year in your Christian
walk!
CONCLUSION: Wisdom and the Will of God
go together! The wisdom to know His
will, and the passion to DO it!
Every new day has new possibilities to it, there are always
opportunities! So, don't ignore
them or you may miss God's will today!
Be wise ... and DO God's
will!