Bible Study - Why Church (5) - We Strengthen One Another - Ephesians 5:8-21 - August 23, 2020

 

Bible Study – Why Church (5) – We Strengthen One Another – August 23, 2020

This is lesson five (5) in our series entitled “Why Do I Need Church?”

Our focus scripture is Ephesians 5:8-21.

We strengthen one another to live as GOD desires.

As we live life upon earth, it is good to have someone to walk along with us. Someone we can trust to give us good counsel, encourage us, guide us and so much more.

I recall a very wise pastor, many of you may know, Dr. Kirk Neely spoke to the young people. He asked them to choose a friend who would partner with him or her to stand together when they faced the issues the teen years brought their way. Why? It is easier for two to face the issues of life than for a person to stand alone. Wise counsel.

As Christians, we read in GOD’S Word that the Holy Spirit referred to as a paraclete. The Holy Spirit comes along every Christian to provide strength, comfort and direction when he or she faces the issues of life.

The old saying of “Together we stand, divided we fall” captures the consequence of not being united in purpose. The Church is a body of believers who are united for one purpose and that is to present and represent JESUS to a world of people who are lost in sin and are bound to spend eternity in Hell unless they place their faith in JESUS CHRIST.

That is why Satan and those who do not know the truth attack Christians and the Church. Look around today. What is happening? Christians are not gathering to physically worship together. When we do not gather often giving slacks off and that in turn compromises that church. But I will quickly praise the people of our church because their giving has been great, needed and used wisely.

Please pray for all of our pastors, teachers and church staff who serve our LORD. The church is where JESUS is lifted up and is a beacon to those who are seeking eternal truth and that is faith in JESUS which results in eternally changed lives through the miracle of Spiritual birth. Placing one’s faith in JESUS will change lives instantly and eternally. CHRIST in a person is what results in a person being a Christian and not what organization he or she becomes a member.

So, once you become a Christian, do you still need to go to church? You need to go where the Bible is taught and lived. Just as a new born baby requires physical food, the new Spiritually born person must have Spiritual food. Ask GOD to lead and guide you to the place of worship HE desires for you to go to be fed Spiritual food.

In Paul’s day and especially in Ephesus, people had many choices of where to go e.g. plenty of pagan temples offering all sorts of physical pleasures, the Jewish Synagogue and the Christian church. Today, we have many choices of what we will do on Sunday or what day we have set aside to worship GOD. Spend time to focus on our LORD JESUS. HE came to earth in the flesh to live as 100% human among us to be tempted as humans are tempted, yet without sin. HE gave HIS sinless physical life to redeem all who will place their faith in HIM to be set free from sin and its consequence, eternal death. What does faith in JESUS do for you? At the instant you ask JESUS to forgive you for your sins and ask HIM to come into your heart, HE does. And you are Spiritually changed from being on the path to Hell to instantly being a Child of GOD and a citizen of Heaven. Your past, present and future sins are forgiven. Now, that is Good News but it takes a choice. How do you choose? No one can choose for you. Make the choice to choose eternity with GOD by placing your faith in JESUS, NOW. No, you do not have to dial all 2’s. Simply say “LORD JESUS, here I am as I am, I ask YOU to take my life as it is and make me into the Christian YOU desire for me to be. Thank you.” Did you mean it? Yes, then tell JESUS that you are reporting for duty. AWESOME!!! Ask HIM to guide you to the place HE would have you to go to grow Spiritually.

This leads us into the message the Apostle Paul was teaching the Ephesians Christians. That same message is preached today. Let’s explore!

First John 5:12 ¹² Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Whoever has the SON, JESUS, has the light and the person without JESUS lives in darkness.

The Apostle John states a profound, unchangeable truth in 1 John 5:12: – If a person has JESUS, he or she has the light that comes from GOD, which is confirmed by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Let’s read Ephesians 5:4-7:

⁴ Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. ⁵ For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.^[a]

Light versus Darkness

⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient^[b] because of these things. ⁷ Therefore, do not become their partners. 

What are these things? Read verses 4-5 above.

There are people who will tell you that GOD’S wrath is a myth but do not believe it. There will be “pay day someday.”

Let’s read Ephesians 5:8-14:

⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light— ⁹ for the fruit of the light^[c] consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth— ¹⁰ testing what is pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹ Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them. ¹² For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret. ¹³ Everything exposed by the light is made visible, ¹⁴ for what makes everything visible is light. Therefore, it is said:

Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.

All humans are or were in the darkness of sin but those who have asked JESUS to forgive them for their sins and for HIM to come into their lives have gone from darkness into the light. Now, Christians walk in the light. How do Christians know they are walking in the light? Their lives produce fruit.

Let’s consider fruit. Fruit has been connected to a rooted source e.g. a tree, vine, plant, etc.. Most fruits are good for us, some have to be eaten in moderation and there are some we must avoid. Most fruits are good, tasty, nutritious and help supply the body its needs. Fruits have seeds to reproduce the source of its origin.

What does the fruit of Christians look like? What does our scripture reveal to us - Walk as children of light— ⁹ for the fruit of the light^[c] consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth— ¹⁰ testing what is pleasing to the Lord. 

The Holy Spirit produces fruit in our lives as we read in Galatians 5:22 ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.^[g]

Notice the word “fruit” is singular. The fruit of the Holy Spirit produces fruit that has these stated characteristics and attributes. The fruit of the Holy Spirit has a seed that can be planted into the lives of others for the purpose of Spiritual reproduction.

What does a plant need? It needs light, water, air, soil or a way to develop a root system, nutrients and care.

Paul stated in verse ¹⁰ testing what is pleasing to the Lord. Christians are to run a test on their lives as measured against GOD’S Word/The Bible and critical review of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Are we, as Christians, still on target or have we drifted off course?

I recall the story of a flight instructor. When teaching the young cadets, he stressed to his students the importance of keeping a check on the instruments in their air plane when flying and especially when flying in bad weather. A young cadet asked him why he was so emphatic about checking the instruments when flying in bad weather. The instructor told the cadets that he was flying in zero weather conditions, he kept feeling like his plane was leaning to the right and he would make the correction. He continued to make corrections without checking his instruments until his shoulder harness was digging into his shoulders. He decided to check his instruments to discover that he was flying upside down and in the wrong direction.

Paul told Christians then and it applies to Christians today to study GOD’S Word and ask the Holy Spirit to examine our lives to make certain we are not drifting from the truth of the Gospel of CHRIST.

Paul continued in verses 11-14: ¹¹ Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them. ¹² For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret. ¹³ Everything exposed by the light is made visible, ¹⁴ for what makes everything visible is light. Therefore, it is said:

Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.

Christians who remain silent in essence endorse the things that evil people are doing. Christians are to shine the light on the things that are done in secret that are contrary and could compromise Christian living.

It is easy to turn a blind eye to the things that go on in the world rather than exposing them to the light of GOD. Christians can ignore what is going on around them or take action to prevent them from taking hold. So, America, it is time for us to wake up to what is going on in America. It is time for us to wake up. What can you do? We have a Presidential election coming up that will shape America for years to come. Don’t not vote. Wake up from your sleep. Rise up from the dead and let the light of CHRIST shine. Take a stand!

Consistency in the Christian Life

Let’s read Ephesians 5:15-17: 

¹⁵ Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise— ¹⁶ making the most of the time,^[d] because the days are evil. ¹⁷ So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 

Christians are to realize that they influence others. Their everyday should reflect their walk/life as a Christian. People who deny CHRIST are foolish and spend their time on things that are foolish. The unwise waste time which could be spent on the things that could make life more meaningful upon earth.

Christians are to use their time upon earth wisely. How can they do that? Allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide their lives. Focus upon the things that please GOD as revealed by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Christians must focus upon the will of GOD for their lives.

Is what you are doing pleasing to GOD? I hope all who read this can say, YES!!! What can cause Christians to compromise their walk with JESUS?

Let’s read Ephesians 5:18-21:

¹⁸ And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit: ¹⁹ speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.

DO NOT ALLOW other things, attitude, strong drink, drugs, pornography, promiscuity, wild living and the list goes on to lead you into a life without JESUS. Christians are to set the example by the way they live/walk. Christians are to reflect CHRIST in their lives.

But what do we, as Christians do? We gossip, we do the things that the world does. We are sinners saved by grace but it is time for us to ask the Holy Spirit to give us a thorough Spiritual checkup. Submitting to one another by asking our brothers and sisters in CHRIST to critique us. WOW! That would be interesting. How do others see us? How does GOD see us against HIS plan and purpose for us?

We all have rough edges and “iron sharpens iron.” Do we need sharpening? YES, FATHER, sharpen me that I might serve YOU to the max. Time is running out and it is time for me to be serious about YOUR business. I must know that YOU will be with me and be my strength. Onward and upward!

When church is done right, going to church keeps Christians sharp.

Blessings!!!