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Stewarding Our Time · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Ephesians chapter 5.
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I'll just warn you on the front end, this is the longest word count I've ever had in writing a sermon.
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! And when I tried to make cuts, I just realized I only say important things.
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So, we're going to have to move quickly, and bear with me.
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But today I have the privilege, the joy, and the challenge of preaching on the topic of stewarding your time.
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Everyone in our world is interested in this topic for varied reasons.
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You can imagine the businessman, he wants to manage time better, to be more profitable, to make more money, to have more product.
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You can imagine the family man, he wants to get out of work as soon as possible and spend time with his family.
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Everything is oriented clockwise towards being with the family.
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And for the business owner, in his eyes, his family eats up too much of his time.
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Whereas for the family man, in his eyes, his job eats up too much of his time.
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Well, what's the difference? These two men have a difference in priorities.
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You might assume that the businessman is in the wrong and the family man is in the right in the given hypothetical.
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But the reality is both men have the potential to be wrong.
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The businessman could potentially rightly value work and profit.
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After all, 1 Timothy 5.8 says,
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But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household,
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he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
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Or perhaps the businessman is familiar with Proverbs 14.23.
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There is profit in hard work, but mere talk leads to poverty.
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So it's conceivable that the businessman may have started out with honorable motives that made him work really hard
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and have long hours at work.
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Not a 40-hour work week, but a 70-hour work week.
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In fact, he may be chiefly motivated to work for his family.
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And maybe he's wealthy and he wants to be a philanthropist for other families in need.
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And in that sense, he may be a truer family man, so to speak.
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But, as most of us have probably already thought,
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it is more likely that this individual is driven by a love of money,
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or a desire of security, or something wicked,
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because we just all instinctively know that this man is spending too much time at work.
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And by consequence, neglecting his family, his church, himself, and most importantly, God.
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Well, what about the family man who cannot wait to get home?
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He sounds like a good guy.
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But as I said, this man, he might sound better, but there's still the potential it's wrong.
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So let's just say he's hated by his co-workers.
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They say things like,
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he never stays to help during our busy seasons.
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Or he spends time at work FaceTiming his wife and kids all the time.
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When is he going to get anything done?
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Or perhaps they even say he's worthless and they hope he gets fired.
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So I think we all see the obvious problem with both of these men.
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They have an idol, one work, one family.
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The businessman turned God's good gift of work and provision into an object of worship for whatever reasons.
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Likewise, the family man turned God's good gift of the family into an object of worship for whatever reasons.
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So therefore, both are in sin and both consciously or unconsciously, intentionally or unintentionally,
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are poorly stewarding their time.
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So as I alluded, there are a number of issues with both of these men in the given hypothetical.
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But for our purposes today, I want you to notice the problem of time.
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If you were to counsel these two brothers, and I'm assuming they are Christians,
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and they came to you and they asked,
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how should I prioritize my time?
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What would you tell them?
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And frankly, I doubt you even need this hypothetical.
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If you look around the room, I guarantee every single one of us in every single season of our life
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has asked this question.
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How do I spend my time?
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How do I steward my time?
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And whenever we feel in life as though we've finally arrived,
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as though we finally have control over our time,
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as if we're stewarding it perfectly,
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something happens to disrupt that.
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A marriage, a new kid, a second kid,
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a new job, and so on and so forth.
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And like me, you feel like life just keeps getting faster and faster,
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and that you are losing more and more time.
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And so we ask,
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how should I spend my time?
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How do I find balance in life?
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That's a word we love in this discussion.
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How do I know I'm not neglecting the responsibilities God has given me at work,
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at home,
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and at church,
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and anywhere else He has placed me?
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So, of course, today I cannot tell you in specific detail
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how to manage your personal life with all its varied variables.
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But in principle, I can tell you what it should look like for every Christian.
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But in practice, no, it can look very different, and that's okay.
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So the goal today is simple.
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I want to show you from Scripture
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what should occupy our thoughts
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and determine our actions
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so as to better steward our time
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for the glory of God.
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So with that, we'll look at our text,
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Ephesians chapter 5,
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starting in verse 15.
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We'll be looking at verses 15 through 21.
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The Apostle Paul writes,
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Therefore, look critically how you are to walk,
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not as unwise, but as wise,
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redeeming the time,
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for the days are evil.
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For this reason, do not become fools,
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but discern what the will of the Lord is.
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And do not get drunk with wine,
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in this is debauchery,
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but be filled by the Spirit,
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speaking to one another in psalms,
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in hymns,
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in spiritual songs,
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singing and making melody to the Lord from the heart,
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giving thanks always for all things
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in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
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to God the Father,
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submitting to one another in fear of Christ.
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So in this text today,
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there are five commandments,
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some do's and some don'ts,
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and these do's and don'ts serve as contrasts.
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But we're going to divide the text in three parts
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based on the contrasts.
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So our outline for today,
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number one,
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be critical in your walk.
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And number two,
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understand the will of the Lord.
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And number three,
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be filled in the Spirit.
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And I'll repeat these as we go along.
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So our first section today,
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number one,
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be critical in your walk.
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Looking at verses 15 through 16.
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Specifically,
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let's start with the first half of verse 15.
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Paul says,
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look critically at how you are to walk.
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So that's the first of our five commandments,
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the word look.
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In Greek,
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it is the imperative blepete,
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which literally means look,
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or some translate it as consider,
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but it has the idea of looking with your eyes.
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And Paul modifies this commandment verb
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with the adverb critically,
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or some translations say carefully.
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But I prefer critically,
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because the way Paul is using this word
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is not in the sense that we should be cautious
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or timid in our walk,
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as the word carefully may imply.
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Rather,
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Paul uses this word in a way to convey
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that we are to be tedious,
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that we are to really examine
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every weight and grain of our walk.
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There's a high level of scrutiny
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in looking at our walk in this way.
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And our walk is simply Paul's way
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of describing our life with Christ
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and the progression of our sanctification over time.
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So regarding this walk,
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we are to weigh it or to judge it
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by looking at it constantly.
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Now, for those of us worried about time
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and wanting to accomplish more each day,
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this is a challenging command.
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It is challenging because Paul, I think,
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is essentially saying
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we should make time to think
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and to think specifically about our walk.
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And I also assume in this,
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just knowing a little bit about Paul
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and other things he's written about,
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that he has praying in mind,
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that we should pray that God
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would enlighten us,
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that he would give us wisdom
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to discern our walk rightly,
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to know the true state of our stance before him.
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And we don't like hearing that
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because we want to get something done
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that's tangible.
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We would never admit this,
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but functionally, sometimes,
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often, for some of us maybe,
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we treat prayer and quiet time
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as a waste of time.
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And nonetheless,
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this is what the word of the Lord says.
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Paul, by implication, says,
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make time to think,
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to look,
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and to pray.
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Discern your walk.
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So as you've lived this week
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and in the upcoming weeks,
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are you walking rightly with God?
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Are you examining yourself
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before God in prayer
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and in his word?
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Are you practicing repentance
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when necessary?
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Are you practicing obedience
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and growing in your faith?
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In the second half of verse 15,
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Paul describes how we are to walk.
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He says,
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not as unwise,
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but as wise,
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redeeming the time
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for the days are evil.
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Now, the very imagery of walking
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is a moment-to-moment progression.
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This world is full of sin and wickedness.
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Paul wrote in the beginning
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of his letter to the Ephesians,
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chapter 2, verses 1 through 3,
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all about mankind
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apart from Christ.
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And this includes you and I
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before Christ.
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He said of mankind
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that we are dead,
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that we are sinful,
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that we are following
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the way of the world,
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following Satan,
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controlled by the passions
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of our flesh.
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And Paul says all of that,
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and he says that we walked
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in that way.
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So he's building a contrast
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throughout his letters.
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Two paths,
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two ways of walking,
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two directions.
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So in chapter 2,
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verses 1 through 3,
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we see what walking unwisely
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looks like.
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But now,
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Paul tells us
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we ought to walk wisely.
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Well, what does that actually mean?
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So in the ancient world,
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wisdom was not merely
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something you possessed
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intellectually or in your mind.
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rather,
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wisdom was knowing
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the way things truly are
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in the universe
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and then living in accord
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with that truth.
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So you think about
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Stoicism,
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the ancient Stoics,
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this meant for them
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understanding the true nature
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of the universe
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through physics
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and math and literature
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and so on.
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And out of these things,
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they would create
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a philosophy,
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in their case,
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Stoicism,
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and then they would live
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in accord with that philosophy.
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To live outside of accord
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with that philosophy
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was to be unwise.
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So there was this
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obedience idea
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wrapped up in wisdom,
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not just knowledge.
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And this was true
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for the Christians too,
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except we are aligning
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ourselves with the truth
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of God,
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the creator of the universe,
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and learning to live
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in light of that truth
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so as to change
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our thinking,
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our acts,
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and our living.
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So walking in wisdom
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for Paul
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is walking in accord
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with the nature
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and the will
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of God.
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So we are to look
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critically at our walk
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to evaluate
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if we are walking
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in accord
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with the nature
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and will of God.
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And this commandment
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comes with a good
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and necessary
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consequence.
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So looking at
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verse 16,
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walking in wisdom
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leads to,
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quote,
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redeeming the time
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for the days
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are evil.
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So for those of us
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tempted to think
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that stopping,
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quietly considering
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our walk,
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praying,
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evaluating ourselves
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before God,
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those of us
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who are tempted
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to think that
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that is a waste
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of time,
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Paul says just
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the opposite.
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Paul says that
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by critically
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considering our walk
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so as to ensure
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that we walk
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in wisdom
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actually redeems
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the time.
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And what is it
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redeemed from?
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The evil
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we would have
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committed
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had we not
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taken the time
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to critically
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examine ourselves
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in our walk.
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Paul says
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for the days
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are evil.
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So we must be
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so careful
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in this world
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and through wisdom
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we not only
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avoid evil
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but we produce
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acts
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of righteousness
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when we live
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in accord
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with the truth
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of God
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and his word.
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So it is worth
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the time
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to stop
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and look
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at our walk
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with God.
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In this
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we actually
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make good use
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of our time
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and not only
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the time
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that we sit
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quietly
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but the rest
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of the time
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as we prepare
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our hearts
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and our minds
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for the day
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because we have
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prepared ourselves
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in thought
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and prayer.
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But there is
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more to walking
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in wisdom
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more that will
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help us
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use our time
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better
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and so Paul
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goes on
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in verse 17
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and this leads
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us to the second
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part of our
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outline.
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Part number two
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do not become
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fools
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but understand
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the will
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of the Lord.
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Part number two
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do not become
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fools
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but understand
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the will
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of the Lord.
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Paul writes
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in the first
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half of verse 17
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for this reason
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do not become
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fools.
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So this is our
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second commandment
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of five
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in this text.
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Do not become
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as the commandment.
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Do not become
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what?
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Don't become
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fools.
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For the sake
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of not wasting
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our time
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not wasting
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away our
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very lives
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Paul gives
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us the second
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commandment
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in this passage.
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We ought not
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become fools.
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Well who is
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the fool?
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Proverbs 18
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2 says
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a fool does
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not delight
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in understanding
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but only
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in revealing
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his own
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mind.
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He's a boaster
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a talker.
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Proverbs 29
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11 says
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a fool
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always loses
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his temper
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but a wise
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man holds
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it back.
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And we could
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go on and
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on but
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ultimately
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we know
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the fool
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is the one
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who rejects
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Christ as
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the cornerstone.
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Christ made
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this clear
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at the end
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of the Sermon
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on the Mount
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when he described
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the one who
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builds his
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house on the
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rock versus
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the fool
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who builds
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his house
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on the
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sand.
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So to be
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a fool
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is to be
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unwise.
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To be a fool
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is to not
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consider your
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walk with God
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and to be a
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fool is to
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waste away
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the time
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God has
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given you.
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Allowing your
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days to be
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in service
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to evil.
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So Paul says
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not to be
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foolish and he
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goes on second
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half of verse
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17 but discern
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what the will
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of the Lord
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is.
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That's
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commandment
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number three.
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Discern what
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the will of
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the Lord
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is.
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Well what is
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the will
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of the Lord?
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And Paul
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here is not
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speaking about
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what college
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you should go
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to, who
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you should
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marry, how
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many kids
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you should
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have, or
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any of those
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kind of life
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decisions though
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those are
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important.
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Paul is
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actually talking
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about the
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ultimate will
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of God for
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mankind and
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creation, the
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big plan.
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What is this
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plan?
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Well again, if
16:32
you read all
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of Ephesians
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you would know
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Ephesians chapter
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one verse
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four, Paul
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writes of
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God's will
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and he
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says, even
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as God
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chose us,
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referring to
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the church,
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so even
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as God
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chose the
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church in
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Christ before
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the foundation
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of the world,
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so there it
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is, he's
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planned this,
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that we
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should be
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holy and
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blameless
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before him.
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Paul
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continues,
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in love he
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predestined
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us for
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adoption to
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himself as
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sons through
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Jesus Christ
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according to
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the purpose
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of his
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will.
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And Paul
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goes on
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after describing
17:08
this plan of
17:09
salvation, it
17:10
says in
17:10
Ephesians chapter
17:11
one verses
17:11
nine through
17:12
ten, that
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God has
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made known
17:14
to us,
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these are
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Paul's words,
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known to
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us the
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mystery of
17:18
his will
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according to
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his purpose,
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which he set
17:22
forth in
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Christ as a
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plan for the
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fullness of
17:26
time to
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unite all
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things in
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Christ, things
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in heaven and
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things on
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earth.
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So, through
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Christ's
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death, sacrifice,
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resurrection,
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ascension, not
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only are we
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saved, but God
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is uniting all
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things, heaven
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and earth, creation,
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man, in
17:41
Christ for his
17:42
good plan to
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worship him and
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glorify him for
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eternity.
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So, clearly, when
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Paul refers to the
17:50
will of the Lord in
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our text in
17:52
chapter five,
17:53
verse 17, he is
17:55
building on the
17:56
will of the Lord
17:56
that he opened his
17:57
letter explaining.
17:59
So, in sum, the
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will of the Lord is
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to save his people
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by placing them in
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Christ and uniting
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all things in
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Christ for his
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glories.
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This is what we
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call the gospel.
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And so, you may
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wonder then, well,
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isn't Paul writing
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to the church in
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Ephesus?
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In other words,
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believers, wouldn't
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they already know
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the gospel?
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Why would he
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command them to
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discern the will
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of the Lord if
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they already know
18:26
it, if they
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already know the
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gospel?
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And again, Paul
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is discussing this
18:33
discernment in
18:34
light of the
18:35
walking that we
18:36
as believers are
18:37
called to or
18:37
commanded to
18:38
examine.
18:41
In other words,
18:41
Paul is saying
18:42
we ought to
18:43
consider and
18:44
know the will
18:45
of the Lord so
18:46
well that we
18:47
instinctively apply
18:49
it to our everyday
18:50
walk with him.
18:51
Whatever situation,
18:52
whatever encounter,
18:54
whatever the day
18:54
brings, we are
18:55
training ourselves
18:56
consciously,
18:57
intentionally,
18:57
intentionally and
18:59
daily to have
19:00
gospel criteria
19:02
informing our
19:03
every desire,
19:04
action, and
19:04
decision.
19:06
And we don't
19:07
have time to
19:08
examine all of
19:09
Ephesians, but
19:10
go read it for
19:10
yourself this
19:11
afternoon.
19:11
It's short.
19:13
And it will be
19:14
clear that Paul
19:15
has these things
19:17
chiefly in mind
19:18
concerning the
19:19
will of the
19:19
Lord and the
19:20
life of the
19:21
believer.
19:21
Three things in
19:22
my mind.
19:22
Number one,
19:23
submission to
19:23
Christ in all
19:24
things.
19:26
Number two,
19:27
loving and
19:29
living in
19:29
harmony with
19:30
the church.
19:31
And number
19:31
three, doing
19:32
everything to
19:33
the glory of
19:34
God.
19:35
And of course,
19:36
under this,
19:36
you'll see
19:37
things about
19:38
relationships
19:39
between wife,
19:40
husband,
19:40
slave,
19:40
masters,
19:41
children,
19:42
parents,
19:42
and so
19:43
forth.
19:44
But in
19:44
summation,
19:45
these are the
19:45
three big
19:46
areas, the
19:47
ideas.
19:47
And finally,
19:51
we have our
19:52
last section
19:53
where we will
19:53
spend most of
19:54
our time.
19:55
Section three,
19:57
do not get
19:57
drunk, but be
19:58
filled in the
19:59
spirit.
20:00
Verses 18
20:01
through 21.
20:03
Do not get
20:03
drunk, but be
20:04
filled in the
20:06
spirit.
20:09
So the first
20:10
half of verse
20:11
18, Paul says,
20:13
do not get
20:14
drunk with
20:14
wine, in
20:16
this is
20:16
debauchery.
20:17
And so we
20:18
have commandment
20:19
number four.
20:20
He says, do
20:20
not get
20:21
drunk.
20:23
Now this
20:23
commandment, it
20:25
may seem
20:25
random or
20:26
unrelated to
20:27
Paul's flow of
20:28
thought, but
20:29
rest assured, it
20:30
flows very well
20:32
with his line of
20:32
thought, and we
20:34
will examine that
20:35
in just a
20:35
moment.
20:37
But I
20:37
briefly wanted to
20:38
comment on
20:39
this, just
20:40
because I
20:41
know throughout
20:41
our lives,
20:42
maybe not
20:43
necessarily in
20:43
this church,
20:44
but various
20:45
relatives or
20:46
friends or
20:47
whoever,
20:47
different
20:47
traditions,
20:48
this is kind
20:49
of a
20:49
controversy,
20:50
should
20:50
Christians
20:51
drink or
20:52
not.
20:54
And of
20:54
course, I'm
20:55
not going to
20:55
dissect all
20:56
of that or
20:56
don't really
20:57
want to spend
20:58
a lot of
20:58
time on
20:59
that at
20:59
all.
21:00
I just
21:00
want to
21:01
note that
21:01
Paul's
21:02
commandment
21:02
here is
21:03
against
21:03
drunkenness,
21:04
not drinking.
21:06
There are
21:07
some Christian
21:08
brothers who
21:09
refuse to
21:09
drink and
21:10
they claim
21:10
it is a
21:11
matter of
21:11
wisdom,
21:12
and I
21:13
respect that
21:13
view a
21:14
lot.
21:15
I grew
21:15
up in a
21:15
dry family
21:16
for which
21:16
I'm so
21:17
thankful
21:18
personally.
21:20
In fact,
21:20
I've never
21:21
had a
21:21
drink,
21:21
I'm 26
21:22
years old,
21:23
but even
21:24
I will tell
21:24
you that
21:25
for Paul,
21:26
he does
21:26
not pit
21:26
living wisely
21:27
against merely
21:29
the act of
21:30
drinking
21:30
responsibly.
21:32
drunkenness.
21:33
In his flow
21:34
of thought
21:34
and discussing
21:35
wise walking,
21:36
he never
21:37
condemns
21:37
drinking
21:37
responsibly,
21:39
he condemns
21:40
drunkenness.
21:42
And we
21:42
see the
21:42
same idea
21:43
pop up in
21:43
1 Corinthians
21:44
6,
21:45
12.
21:46
Paul writes,
21:47
all things
21:47
are lawful
21:48
for me,
21:48
but not
21:49
all things
21:50
are helpful.
21:51
All things
21:51
are lawful
21:52
for me,
21:52
but I
21:53
will not
21:53
be dominated
21:54
by anything.
21:56
So as
21:57
believers,
21:58
we have the
21:58
freedom to
21:59
drink responsibly,
22:00
or we have
22:01
the freedom
22:01
to not
22:02
drink at
22:03
all,
22:03
and neither
22:04
brother is
22:05
the weaker
22:06
brother.
22:08
I cannot
22:08
tell you how
22:09
many times
22:09
in college
22:10
I had some
22:11
cage stage
22:12
bro come
22:12
up to me
22:13
and tell me
22:13
I was not
22:14
living in
22:15
freedom because
22:15
I didn't
22:16
drink,
22:16
that I was
22:17
being legalistic
22:18
even though I
22:18
held that
22:19
conviction
22:20
privately.
22:21
And I just
22:22
want to tell
22:22
you I think
22:23
that mindset
22:24
of trying
22:25
to convert
22:25
people to
22:26
drink or
22:26
not to
22:27
drink is
22:28
ungodly.
22:29
If you
22:31
want to
22:31
and they
22:31
want to,
22:32
that's totally
22:33
fine and do
22:33
it to the
22:34
glory of
22:34
God.
22:36
But don't
22:36
ram a drink
22:37
down someone's
22:38
throat.
22:39
And frankly,
22:40
the truly
22:40
weaker brother
22:41
in this whole
22:42
conversation is
22:44
the one who
22:44
feels the need
22:45
to tell others
22:45
what to do,
22:46
whether to
22:47
drink or
22:47
not to
22:48
drink.
22:48
We have
22:49
freedom to
22:49
enjoy or
22:50
not,
22:51
and that's
22:52
that.
22:54
So there
22:54
are just so
22:55
many other
22:55
more important
22:56
things to
22:57
discuss and
22:57
have unity
22:58
on,
22:58
and this
22:59
is just
22:59
not one
23:00
of them.
23:02
So with
23:03
that aside,
23:03
we can
23:04
return to
23:04
Paul's
23:05
flow of
23:06
thoughts.
23:08
I think
23:08
Paul picked
23:09
on drunkenness
23:10
in particular
23:11
in this
23:11
passage
23:12
because it
23:13
contrasts so
23:14
well with
23:15
the idea
23:16
of critically
23:17
considering our
23:18
walk,
23:19
walking wisely
23:20
and as we'll
23:21
see in a
23:21
moment being
23:21
filled by
23:23
the spirit.
23:23
it.
23:25
So the
23:25
contrast is
23:26
twofold in
23:27
my mind.
23:28
One,
23:29
drunkenness
23:29
represents the
23:30
opposite of
23:31
redeeming the
23:31
time.
23:32
Of course,
23:33
all sin is
23:34
sin,
23:35
but there's
23:36
something unique
23:36
about drunkenness
23:37
in that it is a
23:38
complete and
23:39
total waste
23:41
of time.
23:42
Drunkenness
23:43
does not do
23:43
anything or
23:44
accomplish anything
23:45
except lead the
23:47
drunk to ruin
23:48
apart from
23:49
Christ and
23:49
faith in
23:50
Christ.
23:52
Number two,
23:53
drunkenness is
23:53
the complete
23:54
opposite picture
23:55
of the man who
23:57
considers his
23:58
walk and is
23:59
thoughtful in
24:00
how he plans
24:01
to live so
24:02
as to pursue
24:03
life with
24:03
God.
24:05
But the
24:06
drunkard has
24:06
no aim in
24:07
life and gives
24:08
no thought to
24:09
tomorrow,
24:09
just the next
24:10
drink.
24:12
In fact,
24:13
Paul is
24:14
probably quoting
24:15
Proverbs 23
24:16
when he warns
24:17
of drunkenness.
24:18
So let me read
24:19
just a portion
24:19
of that to
24:20
give you an
24:20
idea of the
24:21
thought world
24:22
that he and
24:23
his readers
24:23
were in as
24:25
they considered
24:25
this.
24:27
Solomon writes
24:27
in Proverbs
24:28
23 verses
24:29
19 through
24:30
21, he
24:30
says,
24:31
Hear,
24:31
my son,
24:32
and be
24:32
wise,
24:34
and direct
24:34
your heart
24:35
in the way.
24:37
Be not
24:37
among drunkards
24:38
or among
24:38
gluttonous
24:39
eaters of
24:39
meat,
24:40
for the
24:40
drunkard and
24:41
the glutton
24:41
will come
24:42
to poverty
24:42
and slumber
24:44
will clothe
24:44
them with
24:45
rags.
24:46
And Solomon
24:47
goes on in
24:47
that very same
24:48
chapter in
24:49
verses 29
24:49
through 35,
24:50
which says
24:51
this,
24:52
Solomon asked,
24:54
Who has
24:54
woe?
24:55
Who has
24:56
sorrow?
24:56
Who has
24:56
strife?
24:57
Who has
24:58
complained?
24:59
Who has
25:00
wounds without
25:00
cause?
25:01
Who has
25:02
redness of
25:03
eyes?
25:05
And he
25:05
answers,
25:06
Those who
25:07
tarry long
25:08
over wine.
25:10
Do not look
25:11
at wine when
25:12
it is red or
25:13
sparkles in the
25:14
cup and goes
25:14
down smoothly.
25:15
In the end
25:17
it bites like
25:17
a serpent and
25:18
stings like
25:19
an adder.
25:20
Your eyes
25:21
will see
25:21
strange things
25:22
and your
25:22
heart utter
25:23
perverse
25:24
things.
25:25
You will
25:26
be like one
25:26
who lies
25:27
down in
25:27
the midst
25:28
of the
25:28
sea,
25:28
like one
25:29
who lies
25:29
on the
25:30
top of
25:31
a mast.
25:33
They
25:33
struck me,
25:34
you will
25:34
say,
25:35
but I was
25:36
not hurt.
25:37
They beat
25:37
me,
25:38
but I did
25:38
not feel
25:39
it.
25:39
When
25:40
shall I
25:40
awake?
25:41
I must
25:42
have
25:42
another
25:43
drink.
25:44
So clearly
25:46
the drunkard
25:47
described in
25:48
Proverbs 23
25:49
is enslaved
25:51
to the
25:53
bottle and
25:53
as a result
25:54
his life
25:54
amounts only
25:55
to what the
25:56
bottle allows
25:57
as his
25:58
master.
26:00
And
26:00
drunkenness
26:00
is a
26:01
cruel
26:01
master.
26:04
But for
26:05
those of us
26:05
in Christ,
26:06
regardless of
26:07
what prior
26:07
sins we
26:08
were enslaved
26:08
to,
26:10
we have
26:10
freedom in
26:11
Christ.
26:13
In
26:13
Ephesians
26:13
chapter 1
26:14
verse 13,
26:14
Paul says
26:15
upon believing
26:16
in Christ
26:16
in response
26:17
to the
26:18
gospel,
26:18
we were
26:19
sealed with
26:20
the promised
26:21
Holy Spirit
26:22
who is the
26:23
guarantee of
26:24
our inheritance
26:25
until we
26:25
acquire
26:26
possession of
26:27
it to the
26:28
praise of
26:29
his glory.
26:31
So Paul's
26:32
flow of
26:33
thought in
26:33
our text,
26:34
chapter 5
26:34
verses 15
26:35
through 21
26:36
continues then
26:37
and he's
26:38
saying no
26:38
longer shall
26:39
you be
26:39
filled with
26:39
wine or
26:40
in other
26:41
words,
26:41
do not get
26:41
drunk with
26:42
wine,
26:42
but he goes
26:43
on in the
26:43
second half
26:43
of verse
26:44
18,
26:45
but be
26:45
filled by
26:47
the Spirit.
26:49
And this
26:50
is the
26:50
fifth and
26:50
final commandment
26:51
in our
26:52
text,
26:52
be filled
26:53
by the
26:54
Spirit.
26:56
So for
26:57
us to
26:57
understand
26:58
what Paul
26:58
means by
26:59
this,
26:59
this phrase
27:00
be filled
27:01
by the
27:02
Spirit,
27:03
we have
27:04
to look at
27:04
the Greek
27:05
and the
27:05
Greek verb
27:05
here is
27:06
pleluste.
27:07
Now,
27:09
this verb
27:10
is a
27:11
present
27:11
passive
27:12
imperative
27:13
verb.
27:13
There's
27:13
your geeky
27:14
grammar for
27:14
the day.
27:15
And this
27:16
tells us
27:16
a few
27:17
things.
27:18
The
27:19
present
27:19
tense
27:19
means this
27:20
is an
27:20
ongoing
27:21
action that
27:22
we,
27:22
as believers,
27:23
are commanded
27:24
to practice
27:25
and obey
27:25
day to
27:26
day,
27:26
moment to
27:27
moment.
27:28
It's to
27:29
characterize
27:29
us being
27:30
filled by
27:31
the Spirit.
27:33
But Paul
27:34
is not
27:34
saying that
27:35
we gain
27:36
and lose
27:36
the Spirit
27:37
throughout
27:37
our lives.
27:38
We just
27:39
saw that
27:39
we are
27:39
sealed with
27:40
the Spirit
27:41
in Ephesians
27:41
chapter 1.
27:42
So clearly
27:42
that's not
27:43
what Paul
27:43
means.
27:44
No,
27:44
what he
27:45
means is
27:46
that we
27:46
are to
27:47
practice
27:47
obeying
27:48
the Spirit
27:48
as he
27:49
directs
27:50
us.
27:51
Not
27:52
obeying
27:52
the
27:52
drunkenness
27:53
of wine,
27:53
but obeying
27:54
the sobering
27:54
joy and
27:55
wisdom
27:55
of the
27:57
Spirit.
27:58
And the
27:59
passive voice
27:59
of the
28:00
Greek verb
28:00
tells us
28:01
that we
28:01
are being
28:01
filled
28:02
by the
28:03
Spirit.
28:04
In
28:04
other words,
28:04
we are
28:05
not being
28:06
more filled
28:07
with the
28:07
Spirit.
28:08
We fully
28:08
possess the
28:09
Spirit by
28:09
God's
28:10
grace because
28:10
of the
28:11
work of
28:11
Christ.
28:12
What Paul
28:13
is saying
28:13
here,
28:13
rather,
28:14
is that the
28:14
Spirit is
28:15
filling us
28:16
with something.
28:18
And I
28:19
believe Paul
28:19
is referring
28:20
to the
28:20
fullness
28:20
of God.
28:22
In Ephesians
28:23
chapter 3,
28:23
verse 19,
28:24
Paul was
28:24
praying for
28:25
the church,
28:26
and he
28:27
prays that
28:28
the church
28:28
would know
28:29
the love
28:29
of Christ
28:30
that surpasses
28:31
knowledge,
28:32
that we
28:32
may be
28:33
filled with
28:34
all the
28:34
fullness
28:35
of God.
28:37
And Paul
28:38
prays this
28:38
because this
28:39
is not
28:39
something you
28:40
and I
28:41
can do,
28:41
only something
28:42
God in
28:43
his grace
28:43
toward us
28:44
in Christ
28:44
can do.
28:47
Daniel
28:47
Wallace,
28:48
an evangelical
28:49
Greek
28:49
professor,
28:51
tracing the
28:52
language of
28:52
fill or
28:53
filling in
28:53
Ephesians,
28:55
summarizes the
28:56
idea best when
28:56
he says,
28:57
quote,
28:57
believers are
28:59
to be filled
28:59
by Christ,
29:01
by means
29:01
of the
29:01
Spirit,
29:02
with the
29:03
content
29:03
of the
29:04
fullness
29:05
of God.
29:07
I love
29:08
that
29:08
Trinitarian
29:09
imagery
29:09
of God
29:11
working on
29:13
our behalf.
29:14
So Paul
29:15
is not
29:15
talking about
29:16
the indwelling
29:17
of the
29:17
Spirit.
29:18
That work
29:18
is done
29:19
and sealed
29:19
for us
29:20
who are
29:20
in Christ.
29:21
Now he
29:22
is saying
29:22
we are to
29:23
be sanctified
29:23
by means
29:24
of the
29:24
Spirit,
29:25
filling us
29:25
with the
29:26
fullness
29:26
of God.
29:29
And finally,
29:30
the verb
29:30
is in the
29:31
imperative,
29:32
which means
29:33
it is a
29:33
command for
29:34
us to
29:35
obey.
29:36
So you
29:36
might wonder,
29:37
how can
29:38
this verb
29:38
be a
29:38
command for
29:39
us to
29:39
obey,
29:40
and at
29:41
the same
29:41
time imply
29:42
that it
29:42
is the
29:42
Spirit who
29:43
is carrying
29:43
out the
29:45
action?
29:46
Well,
29:47
stick around
29:47
for our
29:48
series in
29:48
Romans.
29:50
But in
29:50
short,
29:51
it is
29:51
clear.
29:52
The Spirit
29:53
is filling
29:53
us with
29:54
the fullness
29:54
of God
29:55
and we
29:56
must be
29:57
willing and
29:57
obedient
29:58
participants
29:58
in that
30:00
work.
30:00
Not the
30:00
work of
30:01
salvation,
30:01
which is
30:02
entirely a
30:02
work of
30:03
God,
30:03
but a
30:04
work of
30:04
obedience,
30:05
a work of
30:05
sanctification,
30:07
in which we
30:07
cooperate by
30:08
grace.
30:10
So kill
30:11
off your
30:11
selfish desires,
30:13
your idols,
30:13
your values,
30:14
and your
30:14
thoughts.
30:15
Die to
30:15
self and
30:16
give of
30:16
yourself
30:17
fully to
30:18
God by
30:19
cooperating with
30:20
the leading
30:20
of the
30:20
Spirit,
30:22
as He
30:23
continually
30:23
fills you
30:24
with the
30:25
fullness of
30:26
God.
30:27
A simplification
30:28
of this idea
30:29
is found in
30:29
John 3.30.
30:31
Quote,
30:31
He must
30:32
increase,
30:33
but I
30:33
must
30:33
decrease.
30:37
Now,
30:38
here we are
30:38
and we
30:38
still have
30:39
three verses
30:40
to go,
30:41
but all of
30:42
Paul's
30:42
commandments
30:43
in this
30:43
section end
30:44
here in
30:45
verse 18.
30:47
Verses 19
30:48
through 21,
30:49
which we are
30:49
about to look
30:50
at,
30:51
describe the
30:52
results or
30:52
the activity
30:53
of the
30:54
one who
30:54
is being
30:55
filled by
30:55
the Holy
30:56
Spirit,
30:56
the one
30:56
looking
30:57
critically.
30:57
So we're
30:57
about to
30:58
see what
30:59
life looks
30:59
like for
31:00
those of
31:00
us who
31:00
obey and
31:01
keep these
31:02
five
31:03
commandments.
31:05
So verse
31:06
19,
31:08
speaking to
31:09
one another
31:09
in psalms
31:10
and hymns
31:11
and spiritual
31:12
songs,
31:13
singing and
31:14
making melody
31:14
to the Lord
31:15
from the
31:17
heart.
31:18
So as I
31:18
said,
31:18
we participate
31:19
in true
31:20
worship from
31:21
the heart
31:22
only when
31:22
we keep
31:23
these five
31:23
commandments
31:24
we've just
31:25
considered.
31:27
And note
31:27
that when
31:27
Paul says
31:28
one another,
31:29
he's not
31:29
talking about
31:30
you and
31:30
your friends
31:30
or you and
31:31
your family
31:32
primarily,
31:33
though those
31:34
would certainly
31:34
be good
31:35
relationships to
31:37
worship God
31:37
with.
31:38
But Paul
31:39
primarily has
31:40
the church
31:40
body in
31:41
mind.
31:41
He's writing
31:42
to the
31:42
church of
31:43
Ephesus
31:44
after all.
31:46
And Paul
31:46
goes on to
31:46
describe the
31:47
wise walker,
31:49
the one being
31:49
filled by the
31:51
spirit and
31:51
says in
31:52
verse 20,
31:53
giving thanks
31:54
always and
31:55
for all
31:56
things in
31:57
the name of
31:58
our Lord
31:58
Jesus Christ
31:59
to God
32:00
the Father.
32:01
Again,
32:02
notice that
32:02
communal
32:03
language.
32:04
Paul says
32:05
our Lord
32:06
Jesus
32:07
Christ.
32:09
The one
32:10
who critically
32:11
considers his
32:11
walk and
32:12
is not
32:12
drunk with
32:13
wine but
32:14
filled by
32:14
the spirit
32:15
with the
32:15
fullness of
32:15
God is
32:17
one who
32:17
gives thanks
32:18
always and
32:19
for all
32:20
things.
32:21
So again,
32:21
I ask,
32:22
is your
32:22
life marked
32:23
by a
32:23
practice of
32:24
thanksgiving?
32:26
Are you
32:26
generally
32:26
thankful for
32:27
everything at
32:28
all times in
32:29
your life,
32:29
the good and
32:31
the bad?
32:33
Now is an
32:33
opportunity to
32:34
critically examine
32:35
your walk.
32:39
And finally,
32:40
verse 21,
32:41
the last
32:41
description for
32:42
those of us
32:43
who keep
32:43
these five
32:44
commandments.
32:44
Paul writes,
32:47
submitting to
32:48
one another
32:48
in fear of
32:50
Christ.
32:50
I say yet
32:51
again,
32:52
Paul is
32:52
talking about
32:53
the church
32:54
primarily at
32:55
this point.
32:57
The church
32:58
ought to
32:58
submit to
32:59
one another,
33:00
and this
33:01
may sound
33:01
like a
33:01
commandment
33:02
in English,
33:02
and it
33:03
certainly is
33:04
a commandment
33:04
elsewhere in
33:05
scripture,
33:06
but in our
33:07
text,
33:08
in Greek,
33:08
it is
33:09
clearly not
33:09
a commandment,
33:10
but describing
33:11
the result
33:13
of keeping
33:14
the actual
33:14
commandments
33:15
in this
33:16
passage.
33:19
This
33:19
submission is
33:20
to be done
33:20
in fear
33:21
of Christ.
33:23
The idea
33:24
here certainly
33:24
is reverence
33:25
for Christ,
33:26
but it is
33:26
certainly also
33:28
a genuine
33:29
fear of
33:29
Christ's
33:30
chastisement
33:30
for disobedience.
33:33
How better
33:34
and how much
33:35
more satisfying
33:36
it is for
33:37
us to simply
33:38
obey Him.
33:39
So in
33:42
summary,
33:42
Paul tells
33:43
us in
33:43
this passage
33:44
that we
33:45
are not
33:46
to be
33:46
unwise or
33:47
foolish or
33:48
waste our
33:48
time in
33:49
drunkenness.
33:51
Rather,
33:52
we are to
33:52
look critically
33:53
at our
33:53
walk.
33:55
We are to
33:55
discern the
33:56
will of the
33:57
Lord with
33:57
gospel criteria
33:58
for any
33:59
given
33:59
circumstance,
34:00
any given
34:01
encounter in
34:01
this life.
34:03
And we
34:03
must be
34:03
continually
34:04
filled by
34:05
the Spirit.
34:08
And when
34:08
we obey
34:09
these
34:09
commandments,
34:10
our life
34:10
will be
34:11
characterized
34:11
by speaking
34:12
and singing
34:13
scriptural
34:14
truths,
34:15
giving thanks
34:15
always to
34:16
God and
34:17
submitting to
34:18
one another.
34:19
And all
34:19
of this is
34:20
in the
34:20
context of
34:21
the local
34:21
church.
34:25
So there
34:26
you have it.
34:28
Now you're
34:28
all wondering
34:29
what did
34:30
most of that
34:30
have to do
34:31
with me
34:31
stewarding
34:32
my time
34:33
better?
34:34
What happened
34:35
to those
34:35
questions asked
34:36
at the
34:37
beginning?
34:38
How should
34:38
I spend
34:38
my time?
34:39
How do
34:39
I find
34:39
balance in
34:40
life?
34:40
How do
34:40
I know
34:41
I'm not
34:42
neglecting
34:42
the
34:42
responsibilities
34:43
God has
34:44
given me
34:44
at work,
34:45
at home,
34:47
and at
34:47
church?
34:50
But based
34:50
on our
34:50
text today,
34:51
and others
34:52
that we do
34:52
not have
34:52
time for,
34:54
I want to
34:55
suggest
34:55
strongly that
34:57
these are
34:57
the wrong
34:57
questions.
34:59
These are
34:59
not questions
35:00
we as
35:00
Christians
35:00
should really
35:02
be all that
35:02
worried about.
35:03
and I
35:06
would even
35:06
say they're
35:06
the wrong
35:07
focus.
35:09
But Paul
35:09
has provided
35:10
a different
35:11
way,
35:11
a better
35:12
way to
35:12
spend our
35:13
lives,
35:13
to consider
35:14
how we
35:15
spend our
35:15
lives,
35:16
to the
35:16
glory of
35:16
God.
35:18
If you
35:18
notice,
35:19
Paul's
35:19
emphasis
35:19
in this
35:20
text is
35:21
not on
35:21
a checklist.
35:23
It is
35:23
not on a
35:23
pie chart
35:24
for how
35:24
you should
35:25
break up
35:25
your hours
35:26
and minutes
35:26
throughout
35:26
the day,
35:27
nor is
35:28
a step-by-step
35:29
process for
35:30
better managing
35:31
your time.
35:33
In fact,
35:34
the aspect
35:34
of time
35:35
in this
35:35
text is
35:36
not even
35:36
the focus
35:37
or the
35:37
main thing.
35:37
It is
35:38
a footnote
35:39
to Paul's
35:40
larger
35:40
concern.
35:43
And it
35:43
is a
35:44
footnote
35:44
that is
35:44
taken good
35:45
care of
35:46
if Paul's
35:47
larger
35:47
concern
35:48
is rightly
35:49
accounted
35:49
for.
35:51
So imagine
35:52
that,
35:52
this time
35:53
management
35:53
thing,
35:54
this thing
35:54
we're all
35:55
wondering
35:55
about,
35:55
this thing
35:56
that there's
35:56
an article
35:56
published on
35:57
every single
35:58
day from
35:58
all kinds
35:59
of people
35:59
with all
36:00
kinds of
36:00
views,
36:01
not a
36:02
big deal
36:02
to Paul.
36:05
And yet,
36:06
Paul includes
36:07
this pervasive
36:08
phrase,
36:10
redeeming
36:10
the time.
36:11
He literally
36:12
says,
36:12
all of your
36:13
time is
36:14
redeemed
36:15
in the flow
36:16
of his
36:16
larger concern.
36:17
Now that's
36:18
an astounding
36:19
claim.
36:20
And it is
36:21
an astounding
36:21
claim he does
36:22
not pause
36:23
to make.
36:24
I think if
36:25
you went and
36:25
found all
36:25
these 20
36:26
year old
36:26
bloggers who
36:27
think a lot
36:27
of people
36:28
are reading
36:28
their blogs
36:28
but they
36:29
aren't,
36:29
talking about
36:30
time
36:30
management,
36:31
and they
36:31
haven't
36:31
figured it
36:32
out yet
36:32
because they're
36:32
20,
36:33
would be
36:34
shocked when
36:35
they read
36:35
this passage
36:36
because it
36:36
is such
36:37
a brief,
36:38
brief footnote.
36:42
But Paul
36:42
makes it.
36:43
He says,
36:43
all the
36:44
time is
36:45
redeemed.
36:47
And so I
36:47
think what
36:47
this reveals
36:48
to us is
36:49
that we
36:49
are 21st
36:50
century
36:51
American
36:52
Christians.
36:52
In other
36:53
words,
36:53
we still
36:54
ask the
36:55
kinds of
36:55
questions the
36:56
world,
36:56
the culture
36:57
around us
36:57
ask.
36:58
We don't
36:58
realize how
36:59
much our
37:00
thinking really
37:00
is of this
37:01
culture,
37:02
this time
37:02
and place
37:03
rather than
37:04
biblically
37:05
informed.
37:07
We have
37:08
thought about
37:08
time the
37:08
way the
37:09
world around
37:09
us has
37:11
thought about
37:11
time and
37:11
therefore we
37:12
have asked
37:12
the questions
37:13
they ask
37:13
about time,
37:15
though we
37:16
try to give
37:17
our Bible
37:18
answers.
37:20
But hear
37:21
this,
37:22
God is
37:22
less concerned
37:23
about how
37:24
you spend
37:25
your time,
37:26
less concerned
37:28
about how
37:28
you spend
37:29
your time,
37:29
and more
37:30
concerned about
37:31
what kind
37:32
of person
37:32
you are
37:33
and if you
37:33
are faithful.
37:36
And of
37:36
course,
37:37
if you are
37:37
the kind
37:38
of person
37:39
God is
37:39
calling you
37:40
to be,
37:41
and if you
37:42
are faithful,
37:43
then you
37:44
will use
37:44
your time
37:45
wisely.
37:47
You see
37:47
the freedom
37:48
in this
37:49
kind of
37:49
thinking.
37:51
And it's
37:51
worth mentioning
37:52
just again
37:53
to show you
37:53
how culturally
37:54
informed we
37:55
are in the
37:55
way we
37:55
think about
37:56
time,
37:57
that the
37:57
idea of
37:58
the eight
37:58
hour work
37:59
day or
37:59
the recreational
38:00
weekend or
38:01
even the 90
38:02
minute church
38:02
service are
38:04
all man-made
38:05
ideas.
38:06
And that's
38:07
not to say
38:07
they're inherently
38:08
evil,
38:09
it's just to
38:09
recognize these
38:10
are not
38:10
biblically
38:11
authoritative
38:12
establishments
38:13
that we
38:13
often treat
38:14
as biblically
38:15
authoritative
38:16
establishments.
38:18
And in fact,
38:19
in all of
38:19
scripture,
38:20
you will never
38:20
find God
38:21
say anything
38:23
about hours
38:23
and minutes
38:24
that we
38:24
must do
38:25
this or
38:25
that.
38:27
You won't
38:28
find it.
38:29
The Bible
38:29
just does
38:30
not discuss
38:31
or talk
38:32
about time
38:32
the way
38:33
we 21st
38:34
century
38:34
Americans
38:35
do.
38:37
So we
38:37
need to
38:38
change the
38:38
way we
38:39
think about
38:39
time to
38:40
conform to
38:42
the larger
38:43
concerns that
38:43
God has
38:44
breathed into
38:45
Paul in the
38:46
writing of
38:47
Ephesians.
38:47
things.
38:50
Now to
38:51
offer some
38:51
practical
38:52
advice,
38:53
I'm going
38:53
to lean
38:53
on an
38:54
author named
38:55
Rick Siegel.
38:56
Perhaps
38:56
you're familiar
38:57
with him
38:57
from Desiring
38:58
God.
38:59
He offers
39:00
five ways
39:01
to use
39:02
time wisely
39:03
and not
39:04
waste time
39:05
thinking about
39:06
time management.
39:08
And we'll
39:08
cover these
39:09
quickly.
39:11
So five
39:11
ways.
39:12
Number one,
39:13
as a Christian,
39:14
know you are
39:14
never going to
39:15
run out of
39:17
time.
39:18
What a
39:18
wonderful
39:18
thought.
39:19
We have
39:19
all of
39:20
eternity to
39:21
do the
39:21
things we
39:22
dream to
39:22
do and to
39:23
do it all
39:23
to the
39:24
glory of
39:24
God without
39:25
sin.
39:27
It's
39:27
irrational to
39:28
be concerned
39:29
about running
39:30
out of
39:30
time.
39:32
Number two,
39:33
remember people
39:34
are the object
39:35
of your
39:36
Christian vocation,
39:37
not the
39:37
means.
39:39
So do not
39:39
view people as
39:40
anything other
39:41
than people,
39:42
the mission
39:42
field, and
39:43
you will see
39:44
priority take
39:45
shape in your
39:45
life.
39:46
That is God
39:47
inspired.
39:49
And everyone
39:50
you meet either
39:51
needs to know
39:52
Jesus or know
39:52
more about
39:53
Jesus.
39:54
And we as
39:54
Christians can
39:55
offer both.
39:57
One to the
39:57
believer, the
39:58
other to the
39:59
unbeliever.
40:01
Number three,
40:03
seek to
40:03
de-automate
40:04
your relationships.
40:07
So spend
40:07
less time, and
40:08
I would argue
40:09
preferably no
40:09
time, wasting
40:10
your life on
40:11
social media,
40:12
and other
40:12
places where
40:13
you fake
40:13
relationships.
40:14
go spend
40:16
time somewhere
40:17
with someone
40:19
and develop
40:19
a true
40:20
friendship.
40:22
Siegel adds
40:23
that we
40:24
ought to see
40:24
unexpected
40:25
interruptions
40:26
from people
40:26
in our
40:27
day as a
40:28
divine
40:28
appointment,
40:29
opportunities for
40:30
God to use
40:31
us in some
40:31
way to
40:32
encourage or
40:33
equip or
40:34
evangelize
40:35
somebody else,
40:36
to serve
40:37
others.
40:40
And number
40:40
four,
40:41
detox on
40:43
output and
40:44
thrive instead
40:44
on the
40:45
greatest
40:46
commandments.
40:47
Don't worry
40:48
as much about
40:49
productivity if
40:50
you are faithful
40:51
to God and
40:51
concerning your
40:52
walk.
40:52
Productivity
40:53
will come.
40:55
But instead
40:55
thrive on the
40:56
greatest
40:57
commandment.
40:58
Love God
40:59
and love
41:00
neighbor.
41:01
This is the
41:01
greatest commandment
41:02
that dictates
41:03
everything we
41:04
do.
41:06
If you find
41:07
that all of
41:07
your time is
41:08
not geared
41:09
towards loving
41:10
God and loving
41:10
neighbor, I
41:11
guarantee you,
41:11
you are wasting
41:12
your life away.
41:15
This is
41:16
scripture.
41:18
And number
41:19
five, make the
41:19
glory of God
41:20
the goal of
41:22
all your
41:23
activity.
41:23
As Paul says,
41:24
whether we eat
41:24
or drink or
41:25
whatever we do,
41:25
do it all
41:26
unto the glory
41:27
of God.
41:29
Your job,
41:30
your family,
41:31
your church
41:31
involvement,
41:32
your chores,
41:33
your reading,
41:34
your entertainment,
41:35
everything,
41:36
your vacations,
41:37
you don't get a
41:38
break from God.
41:39
God is your
41:39
rest.
41:40
And it
41:42
should be
41:42
redeemed in
41:43
such a way
41:43
so as to
41:44
glorify God.
41:48
So that's
41:49
what Rick
41:49
Siegel has
41:50
to say,
41:50
but there's
41:51
something close
41:52
to home here
41:52
at CFC
41:54
that we need
41:54
to discuss
41:55
before we
41:55
close,
41:56
something
41:57
specific.
42:00
It's my
42:01
concern as
42:01
well as the
42:02
elders that
42:03
not that there's
42:05
a list of
42:06
names or
42:06
anything like
42:07
that,
42:07
but it's
42:07
just a
42:08
growing
42:08
recognition
42:09
that more
42:10
and more
42:11
people are
42:11
not making
42:12
time for
42:13
our church
42:14
outside of
42:14
Sunday morning.
42:16
It's been a
42:17
hectic season
42:17
these past few
42:18
years.
42:19
Babies are
42:20
flying out all
42:20
over the place.
42:22
People are
42:22
getting married
42:23
and just life
42:24
is moving.
42:27
But it's been
42:27
our observation
42:28
that many are
42:29
turning more
42:29
and more
42:30
inward to
42:31
their families
42:31
at the
42:32
expense of
42:33
the church.
42:35
And please
42:36
hear me,
42:36
families,
42:37
extremely
42:38
important,
42:39
extremely,
42:41
but I fear
42:41
they're being
42:42
used as an
42:43
excuse far
42:44
too often.
42:46
Our cleaning
42:47
crews,
42:47
just for example,
42:48
barely exist.
42:50
Just last
42:51
week,
42:51
Madison and
42:52
I,
42:52
it took us
42:53
about three
42:54
hours to
42:54
clean the
42:54
building by
42:56
ourselves.
42:57
Sarah Kohler
42:58
was there
42:58
helpfully
42:58
watching the
42:59
kids so we
43:00
could work.
43:00
So I guess
43:02
the three of
43:02
us were
43:02
there,
43:03
but the
43:04
point is it
43:04
took us way
43:05
longer than
43:06
it should.
43:07
And there
43:08
should be way
43:08
more volunteers.
43:10
I remember
43:10
the days here
43:11
when our
43:12
clean crews
43:12
averaged 15
43:13
to 20
43:13
people and
43:15
it took 40
43:15
minutes.
43:16
And it
43:16
was fun.
43:20
And that
43:21
happens regularly
43:21
because so
43:22
few are
43:23
volunteering.
43:25
I've asked
43:25
before and I
43:27
can't tell you
43:27
how many times
43:27
someone has
43:28
said,
43:29
well it's
43:30
busy with
43:30
a new
43:30
baby.
43:34
And I
43:34
just,
43:34
you know,
43:34
really like,
43:35
I didn't
43:36
realize both
43:36
parents needed
43:37
to be home
43:37
to watch
43:38
one baby.
43:39
Let alone
43:40
you could
43:41
both come
43:41
and we
43:41
have people
43:42
like Sarah
43:42
Kohler or
43:43
whoever watch
43:44
the kids
43:44
while the
43:44
rest of us
43:45
clean.
43:46
It's not
43:47
difficult to
43:48
figure out.
43:50
Likewise,
43:51
our volunteers
43:52
for child
43:52
care also
43:53
barely exist.
43:54
The same
43:54
few people
43:55
are taking
43:57
care of that
43:57
burden every
43:58
week for the
43:59
rest of us.
44:00
And the
44:01
sad one
44:01
about this
44:02
is that
44:03
most of
44:03
us are
44:03
here any
44:04
given Sunday
44:04
so why
44:05
is it a lot
44:06
of us
44:06
can't volunteer
44:07
our time to
44:08
help out
44:08
with child
44:10
care?
44:12
And I
44:13
could go
44:13
on but I
44:14
just offer
44:14
these as a
44:15
few simple
44:16
and basic
44:16
examples that
44:18
show our
44:18
church is
44:19
being neglected
44:20
by some of
44:21
its own
44:21
members.
44:22
members.
44:23
And I
44:24
don't know
44:24
what to
44:24
conclude about
44:25
that other
44:26
than seeing
44:26
people become
44:27
less willing
44:28
to sacrificially
44:30
make time to
44:31
serve the
44:31
body.
44:33
And this is
44:34
something we
44:34
need to remind
44:35
ourselves.
44:35
God is not
44:36
merely calling
44:36
you to serve
44:37
the church
44:38
when it is
44:38
convenient or
44:39
mutually
44:40
beneficial.
44:42
Far more
44:43
often, in fact,
44:44
almost exclusively,
44:46
the New Testament
44:47
describes believers
44:48
serving sacrificially
44:49
through their
44:49
time and
44:50
their talents
44:51
and their
44:52
money.
44:53
So notice that
44:53
key word,
44:54
sacrificially.
44:55
It's not easy,
44:56
but it's normal
44:57
for the believer.
44:59
We throw
45:00
around phrases
45:01
like,
45:01
whatever is
45:02
best for my
45:02
family as
45:03
our all
45:03
encompassing
45:04
criteria.
45:07
But have you
45:07
considered that
45:08
what is best
45:09
for your
45:09
family may be
45:11
to take them
45:11
to church at
45:12
an inconvenient
45:13
time, to
45:14
sacrificially
45:15
serve, and
45:16
by that example
45:17
teach them,
45:18
your wife,
45:18
your husband,
45:19
your kids,
45:19
teach them,
45:20
life is about
45:21
the glory of
45:22
God, not
45:23
the comfort
45:24
of man.
45:28
I mean,
45:28
consider
45:29
Christ.
45:30
He left
45:31
the glories
45:31
of heaven
45:32
for fallen
45:33
earth.
45:33
He was
45:33
worshipped
45:34
continually by
45:35
angels in
45:36
heaven.
45:36
He had
45:36
comfort,
45:37
power,
45:37
glory beyond
45:38
imagination.
45:41
And yet,
45:42
we know from
45:42
Philippians,
45:43
he took the
45:43
form of a
45:44
man, took
45:44
the form of
45:45
a slave.
45:47
He was
45:48
mocked,
45:48
despised,
45:49
rejected,
45:50
and ultimately
45:50
killed.
45:53
And yet,
45:53
this was his
45:54
plan.
45:54
He came to
45:55
do it.
45:56
A 30-year
45:56
project in his
45:57
earthly life,
45:58
by the way,
45:58
a project in
45:59
eternity, but
46:00
that's for
46:00
another day.
46:02
Acts 2,
46:03
verse 23,
46:04
this Jesus
46:05
delivered up
46:06
according to the
46:06
definite plan
46:07
and foreknowledge
46:08
of God,
46:09
you crucified
46:09
and killed
46:10
by the hands
46:11
of lawless
46:12
men.
46:13
Christ allowed
46:14
and sovereignly
46:15
planned great
46:16
wickedness and
46:17
great shame
46:18
to be done
46:18
to his
46:19
son without
46:20
sin.
46:22
And why?
46:23
To serve
46:24
and establish
46:25
the church,
46:27
the people
46:27
of God.
46:29
We needed
46:29
someone to pay
46:30
the penalty we
46:31
owed for our
46:32
sins to God
46:33
the Father.
46:34
And Christ
46:35
did not merely
46:35
suffer a few
46:36
nails on a
46:37
cross,
46:37
but he
46:38
suffered the
46:39
wrath of
46:40
God,
46:41
something far
46:41
more terrible
46:43
and unimaginable
46:44
that we will
46:44
never experience
46:45
as believers.
46:48
And he did
46:49
all of this
46:49
to serve
46:50
his bride,
46:51
the church,
46:52
for his
46:53
glory.
46:56
Now what I'm
46:56
about to say
46:57
is a massive
46:58
understatement,
46:59
but imagine
47:00
the inconvenience
47:02
this would have
47:03
been for
47:04
Jesus.
47:06
And yet we
47:07
struggle to
47:07
show up on
47:08
Saturday morning
47:09
to vacuum
47:09
the carpet.
47:13
Now you may
47:14
be strongly
47:14
agreeing with
47:15
me and the
47:16
elders about
47:16
this growing
47:17
concern.
47:18
You may
47:18
strongly disagree
47:19
right now.
47:21
Whatever your
47:22
thoughts,
47:23
whatever your
47:23
conclusions,
47:25
in light of
47:26
our text today,
47:26
I just ask
47:27
that you pray
47:27
about it.
47:29
That you look
47:29
critically at
47:30
your walk
47:30
and discern
47:31
the will of
47:33
the Lord.
47:34
Be honest
47:35
with yourself
47:35
and be open
47:36
to the Spirit's
47:37
leading if you
47:38
begin to see
47:38
that you
47:39
could serve
47:40
more.
47:42
So in
47:43
closing,
47:43
if you want
47:44
to spend
47:44
your time
47:45
well,
47:46
then watch
47:47
your walk
47:47
closely and
47:48
discern the
47:48
will of the
47:49
Lord.
47:49
Use this
47:50
as your
47:51
criteria for
47:51
everything
47:52
you do.
47:54
Do not
47:55
worry about
47:55
managing time
47:56
so much.
47:57
That's merely
47:57
a symptom.
48:00
Look critically
48:00
at your walk
48:01
before God
48:02
and all of
48:03
your time,
48:03
all of it,
48:04
whatever you
48:05
are doing,
48:05
it will be
48:06
redeemed time
48:07
for the good
48:08
of man
48:08
and the
48:09
glory of
48:10
God.
48:10
So to that
48:11
end,
48:11
let's pray.
48:11
Let's pray.
48:11
Let's pray.
48:11
Let's pray.