–Ephesians 5.1-21–

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.  And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 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. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light(for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.  But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

 “Awake, O sleeper,

and arise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.”

 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwisebut as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

In our home, there is no question that I dread more than, “Do you want to go for a family walk?”

This question brings out feelings of pride, selfishness, and anger.

The unspoken thoughts of my mind race through sayings such as, “I didn’t put this on my schedule,” “I am not mentally prepared for this,” “No one is going to force me to do what I don’t want to do,” “This is not how I want to spend MY time,” and “I hate exercising,”

So, I would often say, “NO!,” before my wife was finished asking the question.

However, in the recent past, due to the desire to lose the 40 pounds of pregnancy weight that I gained, I have come to a place of begrudgingly agreeing to the pain, suffering, blood, sweat, and tears, that come with the physical activity of a family walk.

So, off we go!

I start out walking strong, both mentally and physically, but after some time has passed and some distance has been covered, I begin to perspire, to ache, and want to give up.

I now think, “This wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be,” “Let’s turn around,” “I can’t do this,” “I don’t want to do this,” “I hate this,” “Oh, sweet death, embrace me!”

In your life, there is no set of commands that you dread more than those found here in Ephesians 5.1-21.

The commands to “walk in love,” to “walk as children of light,” and to “look carefully how you walk,” filled out with the specifics of always being thankful, spending time discerning what the will of God and then actually following that will of God for you, being wise in all situations, seeking to understand all situations, making the best use of your time—meaning, always loving God and loving others, exposing the evil in the world, and always obeying God’s commands, often cause you to experience feelings of pride, selfishness, and anger.

The unspoken thoughts of your mind race through sayings such as, “God, I didn’t put this on my schedule,” “God, I am not mentally prepared for this,” “God, no one is going to force me to do what I don’t want to do,” “God, this is not how I want to spend MY time,” and “God, having to love ALL of the time is the worst!”

So, because of the sin that drives you to disobey God, you hear these commands and answer, “NO!”

You proclaim your defiance to God, your Creator and Redeemer, before He is finished speaking His perfect will for your life.

However, after you have heard and believed in the forgiveness of sins and eternal life that are yours through the person and work of Jesus Christ, you come to a place of agreeing to the pain, suffering, blood, sweat, and tears, that come with the spiritual, mental and physical activity of walking in love as Christ loved you.

You start out walking strong, spiritually, mentally and physically, but after some time has passed and some distance has been covered, you begin to perspire, to ache, and want to give up.

You find yourself thinking, “This wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be,” “I am going to turn around,” “I can’t do this,” “I don’t want to do this,” “I hate this,” “Oh, sweet death, embrace me!”

Here, in this letter to the Christians in the city of Ephesus, Paul reminds the Christians in that place that outside of Christ, they are darkness.

Outside of Christ, YOU ARE DARKNESS!

Therefore, you walk in the darkness of disobedience to God.

In sin you find pleasure and satisfaction in sexual immorality, impurity, never being satisfied with what we have and always wanting what others around you possess, while using your mouth to tear others down, to gossip, to insult, to verbally speak out filthy thoughts, and to share crude jokes.

In Christ, but still in the flesh, the saint in you still struggles with the sinner in you.

In Christ, but still in the flesh, the light in you still struggles with the darkness in you.

The beginning of Ephesians 5 speaks the good news to you that before God was finished giving Jesus the mission to live, die, and rise again, for the purpose of forgiving your sins and gifting you eternal life, to transfer you from darkness to light (Colossians 1.13), Jesus said, “YES!”

Jesus willingly agreed to the pain, suffering, blood, sweat, and tears, that came with the spiritual, mental, and physical activity of always walking in the light of God’s commands for you.

Jesus always walked in love.

Jesus always looked carefully at how he walked.

Jesus always walked as a child of light, even to the point of walking to His own death on a cross for you.

Outside of Christ, you walk in darkness.

But, in Christ you walk in the light of love.

Through faith in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, you have had your eyes opened to see the light of God’s love for you.

Therefore, walk continually and confidently, giving thanks to God with every step.

In another letter that Paul wrote to the Christian Church, he says,

…if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.  Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:1-11).

Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Ephesians 5.1-2).

 

When your children ask in time to come, “What do these stones mean to you? then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.

–Joshua 4.6-7–

People use the mantles and shelving in their homes to display items of importance.

Some of these surface areas hold pictures or painted portraits of family members. Some of these storage spaces hold trophies, medals, special gifts, and mementos of relatives long passed. I have even seen the remaining ashes of loved ones and loved pets proudly displayed in fancy urns and boxes as the centerpieces above the house warming fireplace.

In our home, I wish we had a glass jar filled with half of my tongue for all who entered our home to see (note: my wife probably disagrees with my choice of this home décor piece).

Sounds strange (and possibly grotesque and nauseating), doesn’t it?

The reason that I wish for this mad-scientist like appendage containing jar in our home is because that half tongue represents a memorial in my life—that half tongue (that is now in some medical waste container) was cut off 10 years ago in an act that saved my life.

God, the Great Physician (Matthew 9.1-13), used His gift of medical professionals and medical procedures to remove a cancerous tumor that was plaguing my body and threatening to take my life all the way to the grave.

After the discovery of the corrupted growth and the removal of the half of my tongue that was home to this group of diseased cells, the doctors have declared my body cancer free.

The reason I would want to have my tongue preserved is because I would want my sons, family, and friends to be able to ask, “What does this tongue mean to you?” And, I shall tell them, and all others that ask, “that this tongue was cut off in order that His miraculous power to heal and save the human from the effects of sin would be known throughout the world. So, this tongue shall be to our family and friends a memorial forever.”

God commanded His people, whom He was actively working to save, to remove stones from the middle of the Jordan River. This was the river that God, the one in control of all things, including nature, stopped from flowing in order that Joshua and God’s people could cross safely on their journey to the Promised Land—a place that God was preparing for them and a place where they would find provision, rest, and peace.

God desired for His people to have a visual representation of God work of providing a safe river crossing so that when sin crept in and grumbling and complaining against the perceived shortcomings of God to provide, they could look back at the pile of stones taken from the dry ground in the middle of the river and be reminded of God’s goodness and faithfulness to them. The pile of stones would also act as a conversation piece between those who saw it and God’s people who experienced God’s saving grace in their lives. In other words, the 12 stones provided continual opportunities to share the good news of God’s love.

There is one item that every Christian can place on a mantle that acts as a reminder and testimony to God’s love and provision for those who have faith.

That memorial piece is the cross.

It is on the cross of Jesus Christ that God forgave your sin and gave you eternal life (John 3.16).

It is on the cross of Jesus Christ that God took you who were unwise for salvation and gave you the knowledge of and belief in His Son’s life, death, and resurrection (Ephesians 1.15-22).

It is on the cross of Jesus Christ that God made you who were dead in sin come alive in righteousness (Ephesians 2.1-10).

It is on the cross of Jesus Christ that you who were once far away from God have been brought near to God (Ephesians 2.11-22).

It is on the cross of Jesus Christ that you who did not have access to God, the Father in Heaven, have been given access to God, the Father in Heaven (Ephesians 3.1-13).

It is on the cross of Jesus Christ that you were weakened by sin have been made strong to love God and love your neighbor (Ephesians 3.14-21).

It is on the cross of Jesus Christ that you who were naked before God have been clothed with the holiness of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4.17-32).

It is on the cross of Jesus Christ that you who were walking in the darkness of sin have been brought into the light to walk in love (Ephesians 5.1-21).

It is on the cross that God took you who were corrupted and impure and made you pure (1 Corinthians 6.9-11; Proverbs 25.4).

It is on the cross of Jesus Christ that God took sinners and made them saints.

Romans 10:8-13 gives you comfort and a command when Paul writes,

“…The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

In addition to a cross, each of us has many other specific items that are able to tell the story of God’s grace, mercy, faithfulness, and love toward us.

What items of importance would you be able to place on a mantle in your home that gave direct testimony to the miraculous and saving work that God did in your life?

With faith in God’s saving grace for you through the person and work of Jesus Christ, be strong, bold, courageous (Joshua 1.6, 9; Ephesians 3.12) and,

“Tell the world that Jesus lives;
Tell the world that he died for them;
Tell the world that he lives again” (Hillsong, Tell the World).

Amen,

Pastor Fred.

June 29, 2017