Ephesians: The Believer's Bank

Children of Light

Ephesians 4:17-5:2

PSBC 9/10/00 PM

In a nutshell: A Christian must seek to be a light to the world. This process of being light involves both a Right Relationship and Right Decision Making. In this passage, Paul tells us how to develop a relationship that reflects God's light, and he identifies decisions that are key ones for reflecting God's light in a dark world.

I. Introduction

A. Sunday School Story

A little girl got home from Sunday school, where she had been taught the verse:
Matthew 5:16
16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

She asked her mother, when she repeated the verse, what it meant. Her mom said, "Well, it means that when you are good and kind and thoughtful and obedient, you are letting Christ's light shine in your life before everyone you know."

The very next Sunday in Sunday school, the little girl got in a fight with another student and this created quite an uproar in the class--to such an extent that the Sunday school teacher had to go and find the little girl's mother to help get her settled down.

The girl's mother was concerned when she got to the classroom and said, "Sweetie, don't you remember about letting your light shine for the Lord before men?" The girl blurted out, "Mom, I have blowed myself out."

B. Transition

Friends in our purpose statement we say something very important about LIGHT. We say "we will Love, Accept, Guide and Partner to share God's Truth and to be His Light. Letting our light shine for the spiritual benefit of the people in our unique circles of influence is what we need to be doing.

But maybe you've felt like the little girl in the story–maybe you've felt that because of what you did or what you said, or how you conducted yourself with one of those people in your circle of influence, that you have blown your light out. Maybe you think your testimony is in the toilet. Or your witness for Jesus Christ is "caput". How do you regain it?

Or maybe you're new enough to our church or new to understanding our purpose that you're asking a very important question... How can my life affect my world for Jesus Christ? How can I reflect God's light to the people that are in my circle of influence?

Illustration: If you ever looked at a door, you'll notice something universal. Every door has at least two hinges on it. Now, this is basic carpentry. Hinges enable a door to operate like a door. Without hinges, you just have a big heavy burden. Without hinges you have a large hunk of wood or metal that would be very difficult to set into place when you wanted security or when you wanted to be protected from the elements.

Well, letting our light shine is a lot like a door. Living a life that consistently reflects God in our daily activities could be a huge burden... unless you have some hinges to make it work. And Paul says that being Children of Light hinges on two very important things:
-A Right relationship;
-and making Right decisions.

So, if you want to understand how to go about being a source of light for the people who need to know Jesus Christ in your circle of influence, turn in your Bibles to Ephesians 4, starting with verse 17.

II. A Right Relationship with God

A. Three things involved in a Right Relationship with God

The first hinge is what I call a Right Relationship with God. But that's not always an easy concept to understand, because there are a lot of voices out there that are telling you and me what they think a right relationship with God looks like.

-One group of Christians will tell you that to have a right relationship with God, you have to speak in tongues or have a second work of grace take place in your life.
Another group of people will tell you that you have to go to a certain conference or take a certain course to have a right relationship with God.
-Still other Christians will tell you that you have to give at least 10% of your income to the church to have a right relationship with God.
-Another group will tell you to get involved in social issues that eliminate pain and suffering for the less fortunate.
-And one group I know says that you have to sell everything you have and live in a communal living situation with others of like faith to have a right relationship with God.

But friends, I'm not interested in what any human being has to say about having a right relationship with God. I'm interested in finding out what God says is important for having a right relationship with Him.

In Ephesians 4, the Holy Spirit of God tells us that three things are important to having a right relationship with God. And these are the three we need to focus on as we seek to make this first hinge as strong as possible.
1. How You Live

The first thing is in verse 17.

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.

The first thing that's important in having a right relationship with God involves how we live. In Ephesians, whenever Paul uses the term Gentiles he is referring to non-Christians. So the basic idea of verse 17 is that we must no longer live as non-Christians.

Now, in my mind, this brings up a question: "What do I have to do differently as a Christian, versus what I did when I was not a follower of Jesus Christ?"
I mean...
Do Christians get out of bed differently than non-Christians?
Do Christians wash their face or brush their teeth differently than non-Christians?
Do Christians mow their lawns differently?
Do they go to work differently?
How must I live my life differently to no longer live as a non-believer?

It is very simple..., Christians please God when their walk measures up to their talk.
-Don't think you can please God when your daily decisions aren't consistent with His values.
-Don't think you can please God when you do or say something that is diametrically opposed to the way you know God wants things done.
-Don't think you can please God when there are compartments in your life where you exclude God.
A good question to ask yourself is this...When I do what I please, does what I do please God?
Anything less, is living as the Gentiles.

2. Know God

The second thing that's important to having a right relationship with God is a desire to Know God. Look at verse 18...

18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.

People who don't Know God are in a "pickle". They are called darkened; separated from life; and ignorant. Which points out why we are so important in their lives. We are the ones God has chosen to bring His light into their darkness.

I like the description Leroy Lawson gives about people who don't Know God... (screen) "They can't see ahead because they live without vision and purpose. They can't see around or over, so their troubles defeat them. They can't see through, so they are easily deceived. They can't see in because they don't even really know themselves. And they can't see up because even God is hidden from their blind eyes." (Guidelines for Growing Christians)

Now, a clue on how we can increase in our Knowing God , is found in the word "hardening" in this verse. This is a medical term. It usually referred to stiff joints that were a result of arthritis or another medical condition.

Illustration: My dad had knee replacement surgery in Phoenix two years ago. Whenever I ask him how the knee is doing he always says that he has to keep exercising it on his stationary bike, or by climbing stairs, or by walking. That way the tendons and ligaments don't get stiff.

In other words he has to use it in order for it to get stronger and to keep if from hardening.

Friends, we exercise our spiritual lives when we read and study our Bibles; and when we pray. The more we exercise our spiritual muscles, the stronger our Relationship with God becomes. The less we exercise, the more "hardened" we become.

3. The Tragedy of Life without God

The third thing that's necessary to having a Right Relationship with God is understanding the tragedy of not having Him in your life. Look at verse 19...

Ephesians 4:19
19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

Illustration: When I participated in the Rockwood School District's Drug Free School Committee, in St. Louis, I was made aware of a study done in 1991 by James Patterson and Peter Kim. It is called, The Day America Told the Truth. It is a study based on an extensive opinion survey which guaranteed the anonymity of its participants. And the truth was shocking! Let me give you a brief sampling of their findings:

Only 13% of Americans see all Ten Commandments as binding and relevant; 91% lie regularly, both at work and in their homes; 52% of American workers admit to goofing off for an average of seven hours, almost one whole day per week; and 50% of our work force admits that they regularly call in sick when they feel perfectly well. One particular question on the survey really grabbed me: "What are you willing to do for $10 million?" 25% would abandon their families; 23% would become a prostitute for a week; 7% would murder a stranger!

The third part that's important to building your relationship with God is that you have to come to the realization, a conviction, and a fear that without a personal relationship with God that is viable, meaningful and active, you will morally decay, like our present day world has all around us.

Friends, you have to be honest. The difference between you and the people that participate in the Gay Pride Parade or the White Party here in Palm Springs, is not the difference between their sexual orientation or choice and your sexual orientation or choice. Honesty will tell you that it is one thing and one thing only that keeps you from that kind of downward spiral into lust, sensuality, impurity and a lack of sensitivity to anything moral–it is your relationship with Jesus Christ as your Lord. Without that issue of Lordship settled, you are lost to your sensuality. You don't have enough good in you, to be good enough.

B. What do I do?

But you might be thinking, "That's some pretty idealistic stuff, Tom. I want to know where to start? I'm not perfect. I'm a pretty carnal person at times. I'm not consistent. I am human. So if I want a right relationship with God and I want God's light to shine through me, how do I practically get to the point where I have Him as my focus; where I am getting to Know Him better and better; and where I can really see my utter need for Him?" This is answered in verses 20-24...

Ephesians 4:20-24
20 You, however, did not come to know Christ that way.
21 Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.
22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Paul identifies three practical steps that don't need much explanation...
1. ...examine your life and remove or throw out any old ways of doing things and old ways of thinking that would characterized a non-believer;
2. ...determine in your mind that following God is the best thing you could do;
3. ...and then look to obey Him exclusively–not your whims, your wants, or your lusts– that's the "new self" he talks about in verse 24.

Now, that brings up a logical question. What do I obey? What are the most important areas that can reflect the light of God to people in my circle of influence? Where do I start? That's what Paul addresses next. These are the things that make up the second hinge of shining your light...

III. Make Right Decisions

"Therefore..." Or in other words, "Because you have decided to have a right relationship– here's the practical decisions you need to start making... There are 5 of them"

A. Truth in the Body

Ephesians 4:25
25 ...each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

The first decision you have to make is to tell the truth to your Christian brothers and sisters.

Now, this isn't just telling the truth. That's a given. Even atheists are told to tell the truth in various contexts in society.

Rather, this is speaking the truth (in love, according to verse 15) to another brother or sister in this church who may be involved in some kind of practice, or behavior, or decisions or lifestyle that is not honoring to God.
-It means deciding that a person's right relationship with God is more important than any feelings of uncomfortableness or inadequacy or embarrassment you might feel, in approaching that person about the way they are living.
-It means deciding to love someone enough to keep them from destroying or eroding their relationship with God.
-It means deciding to preserve the witness and integrity of our collective lives–Palm Springs Baptist Church–over against what you think someone might think of you.

This decision honors God. Because it is putting the people He chose to die for, and the relationship He came to bring them, as a top priority to you.

B. Anger

Ephesians 4:26-27
26 "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
27 and do not give the devil a foothold.

Anger is a common human emotion. And it's interesting that Paul doesn't deny the fact that we are going to get angry.

Illustration: This week, the "puppies" and I went to Rialto for a Pastor's Prayer meeting of CBA pastors in this region. The guys drove in Greg's car, and I took my motorcycle.

It was a beautiful day for a ride, and I enjoy it thoroughly. It was a pretty uneventful ride until I got off at Riverside Avenue in Rialto, and started driving up the hill to the church. I was cruising in the left lane, when a car in the right lane decided that he had to turn left at the next intersection. I was almost right next to the driver's door when he started to come over into my lane. I pressed my horn button and yelled "Watch Out" as loudly and as angrily as I possibly could to the driver of the car, who had his window down. He heard me and swerved back in his lane until I passed. What got me angry was that this man wasn't even paying attention to traffic. Because I was right next to him, I know he didn't even look for any other traffic that might be around him. Was I acting in a "Christian manner" in getting angry at his driving etiquette? You bet I was. Anger is not un-Christ-like.

We're going to get angry in life. And there will be many times when we are justified in getting angry. But Paul's point to us is that we must decide not to allow anger to control us.

He gives some great advice in these verses–if you do get angry, don't let the sun go down while you are still angry. In other words, don't go to bed angry–husband/wife; parent/child; friend to friend. Don't go to bed angry. That anger will only fester and get worse. If you go to bed angry, the anger will become a settled disposition when you wake up.

Deal with your anger as soon as possible. If you don't, the devil will gain a foothold in your life. And when he gains a foothold, you will find that doing something else that is not honoring to God will get that much easier. Decide to handle anger properly.

C. Decide not to Steal, but to Share

Look at the next decision in verse 28...

Ephesians 4:28
28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

There is more to this than just refraining from robbing a bank. Howard Hendricks wrote recently in Leadership magazine, "The average person has the idea that his vocation is his penalty."

Friends, if you view work that way, you are setting yourself up to be a thief. You see you can steal by failing to give your employer a day's work for a day's pay. You can steal by manipulating the system so you get what you don't deserve. You can steal by not being completely truthful.

But Paul is saying, "What matters to God is that you decide to honestly work for what you get... NOT so you can become rich... but so you can have the honest opportunity to help someone who is in need with what you honestly earn.

You see, friends, ministering to those who have little ,is pleasing to God."

Example: In the book of Acts, when a man by the name of Cornelius, was seeking after God, God sent an angel to him to tell him about a visit he could expect the next day, from Peter... But look at the thing that grabbed God's attention in Cornelius' life...

Acts 10:4
4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.

The point is, decide to honestly derive an income, then use what you earn to help those in need.

D. Decide not to use unwholesome talk

Ephesians 4:29
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Ed Cole is a favorite author of mine–mainly because he is a man who writes to men, and gets right to the heart of an issue. He writes this in the book, 7 Promises of a Promise Keeper...

In the early days of my Christian experience, we were taught to "sanctify our speech," because a person's words reveal the nature within. Gosh and darn were considered euphemisms for God and damn. Such minced oaths were consciously removed from our vocabularies. So concerned were we with our words that we regularly practiced using King James English. When Nancy and I traveled with our children through Nevada, we joked that we wouldn't even say "Hoover Dam" but instead "Hoover Water-stopper." Salvation was, to us, a total experience. Inside and out, the Holy Spirit was at work to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I'm not saying to use King James English. But I want to ask you, "How careful are you with your speech?" It is obviously very important to God. He wants you to decide that your speech will be wholesome. So, decide to think before you speak, and when you speak, speak in a wholesome way.

E. Decide to forgive

Finally, a basic decision He wants you and me to make is to forgive another brother or sister when they hurt us.

Ephesians 4:30-32
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

To forgive someone involves three things.
First, it means to forego the right of striking back. You reject the urge to repay gossip with gossip and a bad turn with a worse turn.
Second, it means replacing the feeling of resentment and anger with good will. You seek the other person's welfare, not harm.
Third, it means the forgiving person takes concrete steps to restore the relationship.

To decide to forgive is one of the most important decisions we can do in God's eyes.

IV. Conclusion

A. Muggeridge quote

I am the light of the world, the founder of the Christian religion said. What a stupendous phrase! And how particularly marvelous today, when one is conscious of so much darkness in the world! Let your light shine before men, he exhorted us. You know, sometimes ... someone asks me what I most want, what I should most like to do in the little that remains of my life, and I always nowadays truthfully answer--and it is truthful--"I should like my light to shine, even if only very fitfully, like a match struck in a dark, cavernous night and then flickering out." (Malcolm Muggeridge in Jesus Rediscovered., article in CT)

Friends, listen to me...You can do this. You can shine. The door of "being God's Light" hinges on two things...

1. Commit to having a Right Relationship with God, and...
2. Make right decisions based on that relationship. And if you don't know which decisions are most important, Paul just listed 5 of the tops ones where you need to get started.

As a person who is part of Palm Springs Baptist Church, we should expect you to Love, Accept, Guide and Partner to share God's Truth and to be His Light. Tonight you just found out what "being His Light" really means. Now, let's do it! 

Amen.