Knowing God's Will
Walking through Ephesians • Sermon • Submitted
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I. INTRO
A. Where We’ve Been
B. Where We’re Going
C. Main Text
17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,
20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Eph 5:
17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,
20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
D. Pray
E. Context
a. Who here has asked the question: “God, what is your will for my life?”
1. Who here feels like they’ve recieved an adequate answer?
2. So often, when we ask this question, we mean:
i. “God, what profession do you want me to do?” or
ii. “What house, location am I supposed to live?”
iii. “What big decision am I supposed to make”
b. I wonder is God’s will for our life has far more to do w/ how we LIVE than what we DO
1. W/that said, let’s have a serious look @ what it means to know God’s will
II. BODY
A. Don’t be foolish (just read 17a)
17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Eph 5:17
a. God’s will for our life starts with, “don’t be foolish”
1. what’s foolishness mean? Often we think it’s the lack of essential wisdom for life
i. What he means is, the opposite o knowing & doing God’s will is foolishness
b. foolishness is moral stupidity in action
word that suggests not so much a lack of essential wisdom (as does asophoi in v. 15) as a moral stupidity in action
i. foolishness is moral stupidity in action
2. Therefore, doing anything outside the will o God is moral stupidity in action!
Foulkes, F. (1989). Ephesians: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 10, p. 154). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
i. it’s clear then, that Paul is pitting the understanding God’s will to moral stupidity
B. We MUST Understand God’s will (just read 17b)
17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
a. understand means to bring or set together
to bring or set together,” is used metaphorically of “perceiving, understanding, uniting
1. one might say to understand is to “piece 2gether” God’s will & then act on it
-This happens by being sensitive to God’s prompting in our daily life
-Abraham as a test case:
i. part o the “piecing together” here is:
Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Vol. 2, p. 650). Nashville, TN: T. Nelson.
-discerning what pleases God
2. is used metaphorically of “perceiving, understanding...”
10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.
-Applying what u’ve discerned in2 ur current context &...
-Practicing what u’ve discerned over & over again even as ur circumstances change
ii. Let’s take a look @scripture & “piece together God’s” will in a general sense b4 we look @specifics
-oh, & by the way, this is not an exhaustive list, but a “bird’s eye view”
b. God’s will is we love God with our whole being
1. Context:
i. Pharisees gathered & 1 o ‘em who was proficient in the law o Moses tested him w/a question:
-Matt describes him as proficient in the law o Moses
*so, he was a rich & influential member o the Pharisees tested him w/a question:
*so, he was a rich & influential member o the Pharisees tested him w/a question:
Matt 22:37-38
37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
38 This is the great and first commandment.
2. W/Jesus’ answer, we c God’s primary will: Love him w/our entire being
i. Then, Jesus continued by adding the next greatest commandment:
b. God’s will is that we love others as ourselves
Matt 22:39
39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
1. Then, Jesus continued by adding the next greatest commandment: love others
i. Jn, in his 1st letter tells us it’s impossible to love God who we don’t c, if we can’t love our bro. who we do
2. whole law & prophets summed up...
i. how can we take his name in vain/put another god above him if we love him with our whole self?
ii. how can we steel frm some1, lie to ‘em, covet their stuff, commit adultery if we love our neighbor?
2. loving God & others is how we walk as light
1. loving God & others is how we walk as light
i. which we mentioned last week in
eph:5:8
8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
ii. whole law & prophets summed up...
-to walk as children o the light is to live out christ-likeness in a world w/out Christ
-how can we take his name in vain/put another god above him if we love him with our whole self?
*& christ-likeness is to love God & others (which is God’s will)
-how can we steel frm some1, lie to ‘em, covet their stuff, commit adultery if we r loving our neighbor?
-so then, walking as children o the light is to love God w/our whole being & love our neighbor as self
*to walk as children o the light, then, is to love God w/our whole being & love our neighbor as self
c. God’s will is that HIS Kingdom comes to earth
d. God’s will is we walk as light
10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
1. (how do) We bring God’s kingdom here by...
i. notice God’s coming Kingdom is directly tied to HIS will being done on earth!
ii. God’s will being done is living out & promoting God’s heavenly values on earth (which is)
*Not just obey the commandments we read, but follow the Spirit’s prompting in our day-to-day life
-loving God
-loving others
~
*Kingdom expansion is tied directly to the 1st 2...
~If we love God, we’ll b about his business o sharing w/others God’s desire for a forever rel. found in repentantly accepting Jesus as Lord & Savior
*Not just obey the commandments we read, but follow the Spirit’s promting in our day-to-day life
~If we love others, we will urgently seek to communicate this because outside of God’s forgiveness for our sins & being made new by his spirit they will go to Hell!
-make disciples
Matt 28:1
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
*making disciples is reproducing one’s self & therefore expanding his kingdom by
~adding citizens who then learn to live & promote God’s heavenly values on earth of loving God & others
*making disciples is tied directly to the 1st 2...
~If we love God, we’ll b about his business o sharing w/others God’s desire for a forever rel. found in repentantly accepting Jesus as Lord & Savior
~If we love others, we will urgently seek to communicate this because outside of God’s forgiveness for our sins & being made new by his spirit they will go to Hell!
C. God’s will for my life Practically
a. God’s will is contextual
1. Meaning, how do we love God, love others, & expand God’s kingdom on earth in our current circumstances
1. When we’re seeking God for his contextual will for MY life, we often want the whole blueprint don’t we?
2. Or at least the 1st few steps...
i. instead, maybe we should start living out his general will where we’re currently @
-expanding his Kingdom by loving God, loving others, making disciples
-look @ this somewhat cryptic vs in Phil...
ii. God will begin to adjust us
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
1. working out our salvation is not works salvation!
2. We work it out based on our context
i. work out salvation, does not contradict Paul’s letter to the Eph
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
i. Salvation is a grace gift frm God we can’t & don’t earn
2. “work out” one’s salvation is piecing together what being a Christ-follower looks like in one’s current context
i. What does a Christ-following parent look like w/my kids?
ii. What does a Christ-following employee look like where I work?
*that is 2 say, God’s will of living out our salvation is contextual!
iii. What does a Christ-following friend look like to my friends & family?
-that is 2 say, God’s will of living out our salvation is contextual!
* I propose that, if we start living out His general will (described here as working out our own salvation) through:
~expanding his Kingdom by loving God, loving others, making disciples
* God will begin to steer us
~it’s far easier to steer a ship that’s moving…It’s the same w/us
-The good news is, we rn’t figuring it out alone!
3. God wants us to relationally partner with HIM to live out His will personally
13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Phil 2:13
i. God works in us to develop a desire to serve him & then act on that desire!
-So, we must stay connected to God’s spirit as HE daily guides us (relationship, not rule following)
ii. in Summation:
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
1. “Be”: be being
iii. U might ask, what about
-we must piece 2gether how 2 love God, love others, & expand God’s kingdom on earth in our current context?
2. Paul draws a contrast btwn drunkenness & excess in the spirit:
i. excess in wine causes
ii. excess of the spirit causees
6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands,
7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
-Power, Love, Self-control (sound mind)
B. Being filled with God’s Spirit looks like:
19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,
a. Addressing each other spiritually
1. Notice it says 1another!
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
i. be being filled is not an individual experience, but a personal experience!
-why author o Heb says:
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Eph 5:
b. Addressing each other spiritually
b. Praising God with our whole being
c. Thanking God in Jesus’ Name
20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
d. Submitting to one another
21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
1. Submitting:
how are we continually filled w/God’s Spirit?
C. be being filled practically
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
heb 10:
a. meet together
b. stir up ea. other
1. stir up:
c. encourage one another
1. Encourage: