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The Blue Letter Bible

Chuck Smith :: Sermon Notes for Ephesians 5:11

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I. "HAVE NO FELLOWSHIP WITH THE UNFRUITFUL WORKS OF DARKNESS."
A. In verse nine Paul spoke of the fruit of the Spirit, now he speaks of the unfruitful works of darkness.
1. Nothing of true value or worth comes from the works of darkness.
a. How many universities do you know of that were created by the Atheists Society.
b. Most of them were started by the church and then later taken over by the atheists.
c. How many hospitals?
d. How many orphanages?
2. Not only are the works of darkness unfruitful, but they are destructive.
3. Note how Hollywood is devoted to the corrupting of the values, and the polluting of the minds of the nation.
4. As the result of the unfruitful works of darkness our nation is at the brink of destruction.
B. In his letter to the Corinthians Paul questioned, "What fellowship has light with darkness?"
C. Not only are we not to have fellowship with them, we are to reprove them.
1. We have been silenced by worldly pressure.
2. Imagine what would happen to a guest on the Donahue show that would take a stand for righteousness.
3. There is all of this talk now about political correctness. It is only politically correct to speak against those who would speak up for righteous causes. You should never say anything negative against the homsexuals, only say negative things against those who would say that it is a sin.
II. "IT IS A SHAME TO EVEN SPEAK OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE DONE OF THEM IN SECRET."
A. The problem is they no longer do them in secret, but openly.
1. They now parade down the streets doing openly things that are unspeakably vile.
B. Some of the practices of the homosexuals are so vile that you could not speak of them in a public forum. Yet they demand special treatment and privileges because it is their desire to live this way.
1. How they have changed the whole political climate. It was once against the law to engage in their vile practices, but now they are given special considerations in the work place or in renting a home.
2. Thanks to President Clinton the government now rewards them for being gay.
C. It is not just a shame to speak of the things they do, it would be repulsive and repugnant to decent minds.
III. "WE ARE TO REPROVE THE UNFRUITFUL WORKS OF DARKNESS, FOR ALL THINGS THAT ARE REPROVED ARE MADE MANIFEST BY THE LIGHT."
A. Jesus said that the world loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. He declared that everyone that did evil hated the light and would not come to the light because it reproved their evil deeds.
B. When I was a boy my mother used to always point out to me how that the bars were always dimly lighted.
1. It is interesting the things that people will do in the dark.
2. It is interesting how behavior changes radically when the light is turned on.
C. Paul tells them whatsoever makes manifest is light.
1. Light not only dispels the darkness, but it shows what was going on in the darkness.
2. You are the light of the world, but don't be surprised when the world tries to put you out.
IV. WHERFORE HE SAITH, "AWAKE THOU THAT SLEEPEST."
A. During the Nixon administration there was a belief that the majority of the people in the nation were moral. They called them the sleeping giant.
1. The problem was that they were so busy with other pursuits in their quest for a comfortable life, that they let the liberals become so entrenched in the political process that our nation was destroyed.
a. The liberal Supreme Court ruled not only prayer but God out of the public life of America.
b. A child this week in a school in New York state was prohibited from saying how many days it was till Christmas on the public address system. They were not allowed to mention Christmas by name.
c. Yet under the freedom of speech amendment they can use all kinds of profanity, or burn the American flag.
2. We slept while our nation went down the tubes.
3. There was always that hope that the moral majority would wake up and begin to assert it's rights.
4. Jesus seemed to hit the nail on the head when He said that the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light.
5. To the Romans Paul wrote,
ROM 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now [it is] high time to awake but of sleep: for now [is] our salvation nearer than when we believed.
ROM 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
B. "Arise from the dead and Christ will give you light."
1. It would seem that Paul would say, "Christ will give you life," that it might contrast with arising from the dead.
2. But he said, "Christ will give you light."
C. Light and life are associated in the scriptures.
PSA 27:1 { [A Psalm] of David.} The LORD [is] my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD [is] the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
PSA 36:9 For with thee [is] the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
PRO 6:23 For the commandment [is] a lamp; and the law [is] light; and reproofs of instruction [are] the way of life:
PRO 16:15 In the light of the king's countenance [is] life; and his favour [is] as a cloud of the latter rain.
JOH 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
JOH 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
V. SEE THEN THAT YOU WALK CIRCUMSPECTLY.
A. Paul began to speak of the believers walk in chapter 4. He first told us to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we were called.
1. Next he told us to not walk as the Gentiles who were empty headed.
2. Then he said to walk in love.
3. Then to walk as children of light.
4. Now he exhorts to walk circumspectly.
5. To the Galatians he adds, Walk in the Spirit.
B. In telling us to walk circumspectly Paul is saying to walk with all care, in perfect and upright manner.
C. In describing what he means by circumspectly he says, "Not as fools, but as wise."
1. So many times we have done foolish things, made foolish decisions.
2. When Aaron joined with his sister Miriam in murmuring against their brother Moses, Miriam turned leprous. In fear Aaron said to Moses, "Alas my lord, I beg you, lay not this sin upon us for we have done foolishly."
3. When Saul intruded into the priestly office and offered a sacrifice on the altar when Samuel had not appeared at the appointed time, Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly you have not kept the commandment of the Lord."
4. When God's judgment came upon the nation of Israel because of the census that David took, David cried to the Lord, "Take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly."
5. When king Asa relied upon the arm of flesh rather than on the Lord for deliverance, the prophet came to him and declared, "You have done foolishly, from now on you will have wars."
D. God wants us to be circumspect. The wisest thing we could ever do is to seek the will of God for every situation.
Sermon Notes for Ephesians 5:8 ← Prior Section
Sermon Notes for Ephesians 5:15 Next Section →
Sermon Notes for Galatians 1:3 ← Prior Book
Sermon Notes for Philippians 1 Next Book →
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