Ephesians 5

1
Ephesians 5

• Learning to Walk in Love

2
The Plea and the Pattern

• 51 Be imitators of God,
• therefore, as dearly loved children
• 2 and live a life of love,
• just as Christ loved us
• and gave himself up for us
• as a fragrant offering
• and sacrifice to God.

Christ earned the love of His followers because
He forgave themnow He wants us to show this same
love Luke 736-47 And He entered the Pharisee's
house, .. there was a woman in the city who was a
sinner she brought an alabaster vial of
perfume, 38 and standing behind Him at His feet,
weeping, she began to wet His feet with her
tears, , and anointing them with the perfume.
41 "A certain moneylender had two debtors one
owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
42 "When they were unable to repay, he graciously
forgave them both. Which of them therefore will
love him more?" 47 , her sins, which are many,
have been forgiven, for she loved much but he
who is forgiven little, loves little."
1 Peter 114 As obedient children, do not conform
to the evil desires you had when you lived in
ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is
holy, so be holy in all you do 16 for it is
written "Be holy, because I am holy.Walking in
love is best way one imitates Godsacrificing
personal interests for the benefit of
others! Alexander the Great discovered a coward
in his army named Alexander. He said,
Renounce your cowardice or renounce your name.
Matthew 548 "Therefore you are to be perfect, as
your heavenly Father is perfect. 1 John 32
Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has
not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know
that, when He appears, we shall be like Him,
because we shall see Him just as He is.
3
The Perversion
Satans counterfeit of Gods true loveis
selfish, lustful and self-indulgent, always based
on the other persons fulfilling ones own needs
and desires, meeting ones expectations of
happiness, giving little and expecting much

• 3 But among you
• there must not be even a hint of sexual
  immorality,
• or of any kind of impurity,
• or of greed,
• because these are improper for God's holy
  people.
• 4 Nor should there be obscenity,
• foolish talk
• or coarse joking,
• which are out of place,
• but rather thanksgiving.

4
Warning of Deceit and Fakes

• 5 For of this you can be sure
• No immoral, impure or greedy person
• such a man is an idolater
• has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ
• and of God.
• 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words,
• for because of such things
• God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
  
• 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.

1 Corinthians 69 Or do you not know that the
unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?
Do not be deceived neither fornicators, nor
idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor
homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous,
nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall
inherit the kingdom of God.
God revealed His attitude toward perverted love
and sexual sin in Numbers 251-9 where Israel had
relations with Moabite women and God slaughtered
24,000!! He has not changed His opinion.
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Contrast with the Genuine

• 8 For you were once darkness,
• but now you are light in the Lord.
• Live as children of light
• 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all
  goodness,
• righteousness
• and truth)
• 10 and find out what pleases the Lord.

6
Command to Separate and Expose

• 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of
  darkness,
• but rather expose them.
• 12 For it is shameful even to mention
• what the disobedient do in secret.
• 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes
  visible,

Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for
my path. Psa 119105 As your words are taught,
they give light even the simple can understand
them.(Psa 119130) For these commands and this
teaching are a lamp to light the way ahead of
you. The correction of discipline is the way to
life. 24 These commands and this teaching will
keep you from the immoral woman Prov 623-24a
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Call to Abandon Darkness

• 14 for it is light
• that makes everything visible.
• This is why it is said
• "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead,
• and Christ will shine on you."

8
Horatius Bonar wrote

• I heard the voice of Jesus say,
• I am this dark worlds light
• Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise,
• And all thy day be bright.
• I looked to Jesus, and I found
• In Him my star, my sun
• And in that light of life Ill walk,
• Till traveling days are done

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Wise Living by Revealed Wisdom

• 15 Be very careful, then, how you live
• not as unwise but as wise,
• 16 making the most of every opportunity,
• because the days are evil.
• 17 Therefore do not be foolish,
• but understand what the Lord's will is.

10
Wise living in the Power of the Spirit

• 18 Do not get drunk on wine,
• which leads to debauchery.
• Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

11
The Consequences of the Filling

• 19 Speak to one another with psalms,
• hymns
• and spiritual songs.
• Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,
• 20 always giving thanks to God the Father
• for everything,
• in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• 21 Submit to one another
• out of reverence for Christ.

12
Spirit filled wives follow Examples

• 22 Wives,
• submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
• 23 For the husband is the head of the wife
• as Christ is the head of the church,
• his body,
• of which he is the Savior.
• 24 Now as the church submits to Christ,
• so also wives should submit to their husbands
  
• in everything.

13
Spirit filled Husbands Follow Example

• 25 Husbands,
• love your wives,
• just as Christ loved the church
• and gave himself up for her
• 26 to make her holy,
• cleansing her by the washing with water
• through the word,
• 27 and to present her to himself
• as a radiant church,
• without stain
• or wrinkle
• or any other blemish,
• but holy
• and blameless.

14
How can we love like Jesus?

• When you are forgotten or neglected or purposely
  set at naught, and you sting and hurt with the
  insult or the oversight, but your heart is happy,
  being counted worthy to suffer for Christthat is
  dying to self. When your good is evil spoken of,
  when your wishes are crossed, your advice
  disregarded, your opinions ridiculed and you
  refuse to let anger rise in your heart, or even
  defend yourself, but take it all in patient
  loving silencethat is dying to self. When you
  lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any
  irregularity, or any annoyance, when you can
  stand face to face with waste, folly,
  extravagance, spiritual insensibility, and endure
  it as Jesus endured itthat is dying to self.
  When you are content with any food, any offering,
  any raiment, any climate, any society, any
  attitude, any interruption by the will of
  Godthat is dying to self. When you never care to
  refer to yourself in conversation, or to record
  your own good works, or itch after commendation,
  when you can truly love to be unknownthat is
  dying to self. When you see your brother prosper
  and have his needs met and can honestly rejoice
  with him in spirit and feel no envy nor question
  God, while your own needs are far greater and in
  desperate circumstancesthat is dying to self.
  When you can receive correction and reproof from
  one of less stature than yourself, can humbly
  submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no
  rebellion or resentment rising up within your
  heartthat is dying to self.
• MacArthur, J. 1996, c1986. Ephesians. Includes
  indexes. Moody Press Chicago

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The Manner of Love

• 28 In this same way,
• husbands ought to love their wives
• as their own bodies.
• He who loves his wife loves himself.
• 29 After all, no one ever hated his own body,
• but he feeds and cares for it,
• just as Christ does the church
• 30 for we are members of his body.

16
Motive for Unbreakable Bond

• 31 "For this reason a man will leave his father
  and mother
• and be united to his wife,
• and the two will become one flesh."
• 32 This is a profound mystery
• but I am talking about Christ
• and the church.

A key verse 1 Peter 37 You husbands likewise,
live with your wives in an understanding way, as
with a weaker vessel, since she is a woman and
grant her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of
life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
3 commands 1)BE CONSIDERATE, understanding,
sensitive, communicative, 2) BE CHIVALROUS,
courteous, serving, respecting her limits,
uniqueness 3) GIVE HER HONOR, make her feel like
a princess or queen NOTE Your prayers depend
upon it!!
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Church Father John Chrysostom

• Hast thou seen the measure of obedience? Here
  also is the measure of love. Wouldst thou that
  thy wife shouldst obey thee as the church doth
  love Christ? Then have care thyself for her as
  Christ does for the church, and if it be needful
  that thou shouldst give thy life for her, or be
  cut to pieces a thousand times, or endure
  anything whatsoever, refuse it not. Christ
  brought His church to His feet by His great love,
  not by threats or any such thing, and so do thou
  conduct thyself toward thy wife.

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Mutual Commitment

• 33 However, each one of you also must love his
  wife
• as he loves himself,
• and the wife must respect her husband.

19
Mutual Submission