The Wise Walker (Ephesians 5:15-17)

WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:04.120 Well, if you're able to remain standing, please do and turn your attention 2 00:00:04.200 --> 00:00:09.189 to Ephesians five. Otherwise, I feel free to be seated. We're going 3 00:00:09.269 --> 00:00:14.910 to be reading from Paul's letter. I'm here continuing our reading and preaching through 4 00:00:14.949 --> 00:00:26.620 Ephesians. Paul began this letter by explaining of various things that which God has 5 00:00:26.660 --> 00:00:30.100 done and is he often does in his letter. He then turns to some 6 00:00:30.179 --> 00:00:35.460 particular exhortations, very practical things, about what it is God expects of us. 7 00:00:35.500 --> 00:00:39.570 How are we to live? What, what duties does he require of 8 00:00:39.649 --> 00:00:44.130 us? And we read some of those tonight, and as we do so 9 00:00:44.450 --> 00:00:49.689 we will lord willing thinking think of them and hear of them a very Christian 10 00:00:50.240 --> 00:01:00.799 way. So effusions five, of verses fifteen through seventeen. Look carefully then, 11 00:01:00.479 --> 00:01:07.230 how you walk, not as unwise but as wise making the best use 12 00:01:07.310 --> 00:01:11.549 of time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, 13 00:01:12.469 --> 00:01:19.459 but understand what the will of the Lord is. You may be seated. 14 00:01:25.459 --> 00:01:29.180 Well, last I don't even know now, maybe six months or so, 15 00:01:29.780 --> 00:01:34.209 we've been talking a lot about wisdom, and for good cause. We 16 00:01:34.370 --> 00:01:40.409 come to this theme again tonight as we are work our way through effusions and 17 00:01:40.489 --> 00:01:44.290 I hope you're beginning to see that this theme, the prevalence of this theme, 18 00:01:45.290 --> 00:01:51.719 is not some kind of pastor imposed emphasis, but does come to us 19 00:01:51.799 --> 00:01:56.959 from God's word. It's a prominent theme in scripture itself and it's something we 20 00:01:57.120 --> 00:02:01.269 ought to pay attention to. This theme of Wisdom. In a lot of 21 00:02:01.310 --> 00:02:07.230 ways it's kind of like love. I think it's a command to be wise 22 00:02:07.430 --> 00:02:09.909 is like the command to love, and that it sort of encompasses everything. 23 00:02:09.949 --> 00:02:15.620 Every aspect can be tied back to this in such a central and direct way, 24 00:02:16.539 --> 00:02:22.659 because to be wise directly affects how we think, how we know things. 25 00:02:23.300 --> 00:02:25.740 To be wise affects how we talk, how we carry ourselves, how 26 00:02:25.780 --> 00:02:31.370 we live with other people, how we serve God. And so, as 27 00:02:31.409 --> 00:02:37.370 we think about Paul's instructions here and how we walk, not as unwise but 28 00:02:37.530 --> 00:02:40.370 as wise, and then again the command to not be foolish but understand what 29 00:02:40.449 --> 00:02:46.039 the will of the Lord is, I want to draw your attention to three 30 00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:50.639 things that we find here tonight on the first is that the way in which 31 00:02:50.680 --> 00:02:55.759 we walk isn't an accidental way. We typically don't Stum bull into wisdom, 32 00:02:55.840 --> 00:03:02.270 and the second is that we see how wisdom relates to time and our use 33 00:03:02.389 --> 00:03:07.150 of time and the kind of world in which we live. And then, 34 00:03:07.270 --> 00:03:15.780 thirdly, understanding how wisdom is related directly to the will of God. I'm 35 00:03:15.860 --> 00:03:20.419 so first, carefulness, just to remind you what Paul says, look carefully. 36 00:03:20.539 --> 00:03:24.219 Then how you walk, notice wise, not as unwise, but as 37 00:03:24.379 --> 00:03:30.289 wise I'm walking. In the scriptures and I think in English generally even still 38 00:03:31.210 --> 00:03:36.490 refers to a kind of pattern of life, a way of living. I'm 39 00:03:36.530 --> 00:03:39.689 so when Paul says be careful how you walk, he's not just saying, 40 00:03:39.849 --> 00:03:44.759 you know, watch the sidewalk and look both ways before you cross the street. 41 00:03:44.800 --> 00:03:46.919 They'll certainly there is a lot of wisdom even there. Right. The 42 00:03:47.000 --> 00:03:51.879 sixth commandment, preserving your own life and the life of others, does in 43 00:03:52.000 --> 00:03:55.949 fact, I guess, have to do even with your walking literally, but 44 00:03:57.110 --> 00:04:01.669 of course it applies figuratively as well, and the ways in which we carry 45 00:04:01.750 --> 00:04:08.110 ourselves and the because it has to do with where we go, how we 46 00:04:08.189 --> 00:04:12.699 make decisions, the ways in which we move. This is a very common 47 00:04:12.780 --> 00:04:16.139 metaphor and in our language and and of course in the imagery of scripture. 48 00:04:17.740 --> 00:04:20.379 So then getting to the way in which we are to walk. What does 49 00:04:20.420 --> 00:04:26.329 Paul say? He says look carefully to the way in which you walk. 50 00:04:30.569 --> 00:04:35.050 Have you ever met someone who is very careful about something? Perhaps you've hired 51 00:04:35.170 --> 00:04:44.480 someone who's very careful about something. I've had various repair repairs made to my 52 00:04:44.759 --> 00:04:48.639 cello and when that happens I want somebody who's going to be very, very 53 00:04:48.879 --> 00:04:56.149 careful, very very particular about the way they handle that. You can think 54 00:04:56.189 --> 00:05:00.509 of all kinds of examples where there are careful people, and it ways in 55 00:05:00.589 --> 00:05:04.629 which you yourself exhibit care and certain things. They might be small things, 56 00:05:04.829 --> 00:05:11.300 like the way you like the backsplash clean just so, or maybe it's the 57 00:05:11.339 --> 00:05:16.899 way you organize your sock drawer, or maybe it's more important things on the 58 00:05:16.939 --> 00:05:21.769 way you attend to a particular relationship with someone, thinking over every decision, 59 00:05:23.930 --> 00:05:28.689 working through everything you say. It's a lot of things we can be full 60 00:05:28.730 --> 00:05:32.370 of care about. Of course, you probably have met people who are careless 61 00:05:32.410 --> 00:05:36.879 about things, people who you wouldn't trust your you know, I don't know 62 00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:40.959 what the idiot would be, but that you would view would be. Are 63 00:05:41.000 --> 00:05:45.000 Very cautious about giving anything to them. That is important and a value, 64 00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:47.480 because you know there. They don't care. They don't care at least as 65 00:05:47.519 --> 00:05:53.949 much as you do, and they and something bad may happen. Well, 66 00:05:53.990 --> 00:05:59.389 my guess is you've probably been both of these things in one situation or another. 67 00:06:00.509 --> 00:06:04.139 Careful in some things, careless and others. We don't have to be 68 00:06:04.259 --> 00:06:13.459 careful in all things in the sense of overthinking everything and worrying about everything. 69 00:06:13.500 --> 00:06:17.420 That's not what the scriptures are saying. There are ways in which we often 70 00:06:17.569 --> 00:06:23.410 care about the wrong things right. Are Very careful about things that we shouldn't 71 00:06:23.410 --> 00:06:27.889 care at all about and then careless about the things that matter the most. 72 00:06:30.089 --> 00:06:32.759 Silly example, I remember one time getting in a really big argument way with 73 00:06:32.879 --> 00:06:41.800 my mom. Big argument, hours and hours of yelling and screaming and pounding 74 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:45.240 things and tears and on and on and on. It was a whole day 75 00:06:45.439 --> 00:06:49.470 wasted. Why? Well, my mom wanted me to clean my room and 76 00:06:49.589 --> 00:06:53.870 I felt that in order for that to happen I needed a certain kind of 77 00:06:53.990 --> 00:06:57.550 box, and that's all there was to it. If I didn't have that 78 00:06:57.750 --> 00:07:00.860 box will, then I couldn't clean my room. I was very careful and 79 00:07:00.980 --> 00:07:06.019 very fixed on this one thing and this one way, and my relationship with 80 00:07:06.100 --> 00:07:12.860 my mother getting the room clean. Nothing mattered except getting that box, and 81 00:07:12.939 --> 00:07:17.009 we still talked about this in my family. There are ways in which we 82 00:07:17.129 --> 00:07:23.810 can be very focused on things, sometimes very careful, to the neglect of 83 00:07:24.290 --> 00:07:30.079 much, much, much more important things. There's the classic example of Martha 84 00:07:30.120 --> 00:07:35.000 and Mary. Right, Martha, dutiful, careful in attending to various hospitality 85 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:41.680 tasks, tasks which aren't bad and on themselves, and yet not waiting properly 86 00:07:41.879 --> 00:07:47.029 the fact that the her lord and Savior was right there. I think about 87 00:07:47.029 --> 00:07:51.709 Jesus parables, of people working hard, so hard to fill up store houses 88 00:07:51.829 --> 00:07:58.189 of materials and resources. I'm thinking carefully, keeping good ledgers, doing all 89 00:07:58.269 --> 00:08:01.620 the things right you want to do, and yet neglecting their very own souls. 90 00:08:03.939 --> 00:08:07.860 We could go on and on and on. Carefully, then, does 91 00:08:07.939 --> 00:08:16.649 it mean blanket carefulness? Certainly doesn't mean carefulness to the wrong things. Careful 92 00:08:16.850 --> 00:08:24.009 to how you walk, careful. And then that is attached, as we 93 00:08:24.129 --> 00:08:26.600 will see, to the will of God. We were to be careful in 94 00:08:26.680 --> 00:08:31.480 the way we walk, by caring about the things he cares about, by 95 00:08:31.560 --> 00:08:37.480 caring about the things that are in important, important. The other thing I 96 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:41.429 want to mention before we move on about careful. I think this is understood, 97 00:08:41.429 --> 00:08:46.909 but just to be very explicit and clear, careful means diligent attention to 98 00:08:48.029 --> 00:08:54.070 details. Sometimes we satisfy ourselves too quickly with a kind of general understanding of 99 00:08:54.190 --> 00:09:00.580 things, sort of quick overview. Sometimes that's appropriate, that's all you need, 100 00:09:01.100 --> 00:09:05.820 but that's not the word that's used here. He doesn't say look in 101 00:09:05.899 --> 00:09:09.009 a sort of general way as to how you walk and it'll sort of sort 102 00:09:09.049 --> 00:09:16.250 itself out. What he says is attend carefully to the this the word has 103 00:09:16.330 --> 00:09:22.250 to do with this diligent attention to details. The word is used in one 104 00:09:22.370 --> 00:09:28.840 place where there is a preacher who is teaching well and doing doing good for 105 00:09:28.919 --> 00:09:33.000 the kingdom and yet was missing very important things, and then a priscilla and 106 00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:41.669 Niquila come alongside of him and teach him a more careful understanding, a more 107 00:09:41.830 --> 00:09:48.070 accurate, a more detailed understanding of the things of God. And so all 108 00:09:48.149 --> 00:09:54.299 of this teaches us that we are to actively seek to learn the will of 109 00:09:54.419 --> 00:10:01.019 Christ right. So if you are not actively seeking on paying attention to the 110 00:10:01.139 --> 00:10:05.220 way in which you walk, then you are not obeying God. Just to 111 00:10:05.340 --> 00:10:09.850 be very simple and clear, because that's how the scriptures put it, and 112 00:10:09.970 --> 00:10:13.570 this is what we are told. Look carefully, then, to how you 113 00:10:13.610 --> 00:10:18.370 walk, not as unwise but as wise. It's the unwise person who doesn't 114 00:10:18.769 --> 00:10:24.320 look where he's going. I've caught myself in bad situations, occasionally trying to 115 00:10:24.399 --> 00:10:28.440 walk and read at the same time, and I'm there use. I remember 116 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:31.639 in our old neighborhood there was a branch that hung out over the sidewalk and 117 00:10:31.720 --> 00:10:37.389 sometimes whack right and you're sort of look around one if any of the neighbors 118 00:10:37.429 --> 00:10:41.230 are watching. It's embarrassing. Right. I was foolish. I wasn't paying 119 00:10:41.269 --> 00:10:46.190 attention. This is the kind of situation we can get ourselves into end much, 120 00:10:46.230 --> 00:10:50.860 much worse if we are not careful, attentive, not just even in 121 00:10:50.980 --> 00:10:54.500 a general way, but to the details. And as we think about that, 122 00:10:54.740 --> 00:11:00.059 they are all kinds of implications that I hope you will apply to yourselves 123 00:11:00.139 --> 00:11:03.929 and think through. I'm just one examples. And the fact that there should 124 00:11:03.929 --> 00:11:09.970 be growth here. A wise person is someone who is continually growing in their 125 00:11:09.009 --> 00:11:15.450 ability to understand and discern things. If you find that you're constantly making the 126 00:11:15.529 --> 00:11:18.600 same mistakes over and over and over again, if you find that you're not 127 00:11:18.799 --> 00:11:24.039 learning anything if you find that I'm really foolish when it comes to walking. 128 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:28.000 There might be various reasons for that, but perhaps one of them is you're 129 00:11:28.039 --> 00:11:33.909 not paying attention, you're not listening, you're not looking carefully. This is 130 00:11:33.029 --> 00:11:37.309 what the scriptures call us to do, to pay attention, diligent attention, 131 00:11:39.269 --> 00:11:43.789 to the way we walk, and this is characterized days being wise. It's 132 00:11:43.830 --> 00:11:50.259 being wise. The second thing, second thing I want to mention is or 133 00:11:50.460 --> 00:11:52.860 or point out to you, is what we have in the next verse for 134 00:11:54.059 --> 00:12:01.970 Sixteen. This careful walking and or looking carefully to how we walk is related 135 00:12:01.009 --> 00:12:07.169 to our time and in terms of the time we have and being good stewards 136 00:12:07.210 --> 00:12:13.049 make the best use of time, but it also refers to time in the 137 00:12:13.129 --> 00:12:18.240 sense of the age in which we live. We are to be good stewards 138 00:12:18.440 --> 00:12:22.720 of our resources, just as we are with our money and our possessions or 139 00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:28.679 relationships, are physical strength, these kinds of things, but we are also 140 00:12:28.919 --> 00:12:33.789 to think of our time, not just in terms of it as a resource, 141 00:12:33.909 --> 00:12:35.990 but we are also to be aware of the age in which we live. 142 00:12:37.110 --> 00:12:43.830 He says they make the best use of time because the days are evil. 143 00:12:45.340 --> 00:12:48.820 Other words, there are dangers. There are low hanging branches hanging over 144 00:12:48.899 --> 00:12:52.139 the sidewalk, there are cars that are going down the street. There are 145 00:12:52.299 --> 00:12:58.769 very real dangers that we have to be aware of and and and present to 146 00:12:58.970 --> 00:13:09.450 attentive to. Paul will, in chapter six, talk about the armor of 147 00:13:09.529 --> 00:13:13.679 God, putting on the armor of God, because we need to be able 148 00:13:13.720 --> 00:13:18.120 to stand against the schemes of the devil. There is one who wants to 149 00:13:18.320 --> 00:13:24.759 harm you, one who wants to attack you. There aren't just passive dangers 150 00:13:24.840 --> 00:13:31.830 around. There are people, spiritual powers rather than perhaps you, and people 151 00:13:33.870 --> 00:13:39.750 in accord with those spiritual powers that want to hurt you and your faith. 152 00:13:41.149 --> 00:13:46.059 There is evil in the world. You can't be blind to that, you 153 00:13:46.179 --> 00:13:50.500 can't be unaware of that. You must be attentive to it, because when 154 00:13:50.539 --> 00:13:56.970 you're not, you've fallen into traps, you hit things, you stumble, 155 00:13:56.330 --> 00:14:03.169 you fall. Sometimes it's minor, sometimes it's not, and all of us 156 00:14:03.169 --> 00:14:07.529 can point to things in our lives where we've fallen and fallen hard. We 157 00:14:07.730 --> 00:14:13.320 regret not paying careful attention to our own hearts, to the things around us, 158 00:14:13.399 --> 00:14:16.360 to the schemes of the devil. The thing that the counsel that we 159 00:14:16.399 --> 00:14:20.000 are being given here, the commands that we are being given here are the 160 00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:24.470 very will of God. Later will think about that. What is the will 161 00:14:24.549 --> 00:14:26.950 of God? Well, this is one of them. This is one of 162 00:14:26.990 --> 00:14:30.669 the things of God's will, and that is to pay attention because there are 163 00:14:30.750 --> 00:14:37.110 very real dangers around us. I would like to read to you from Paul's 164 00:14:37.110 --> 00:14:43.940 letter to the Galatians, a glacians, chapter one versus three and three through 165 00:14:43.059 --> 00:14:48.259 five, and I'll use this as our benediction as we close, so you'll 166 00:14:48.299 --> 00:14:52.570 hear it again. But listen to how Paul begins glacians. He says grace 167 00:14:52.690 --> 00:14:56.889 to you and peace from God, our father and the Lord, Jesus Christ, 168 00:14:56.370 --> 00:15:01.970 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, 169 00:15:03.009 --> 00:15:07.399 according to the will of our God and father, to whom be the 170 00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:13.360 glory forever and ever. Amen. So what is Paul saying here? Are 171 00:15:13.399 --> 00:15:18.360 He's saying that he is conducting his mission according to Jesus, the grace and 172 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:22.309 peace of Jesus Christ and God, the father and of Jesus, who gave 173 00:15:22.350 --> 00:15:28.590 himself up for a reason, because he was very much aware of these present 174 00:15:28.629 --> 00:15:35.350 days. They are evil, and he died to deliver you up from them, 175 00:15:35.460 --> 00:15:41.179 and Jesus, of course, did in fact accomplish that and has inaugurated 176 00:15:41.340 --> 00:15:46.299 your salvation, which he will bring one day to a completion, where you 177 00:15:46.340 --> 00:15:52.490 will banish all evil, all wickedness, all injustice and everything that is hated 178 00:15:52.570 --> 00:16:00.730 by him and separate US completely from it. But until that time, we 179 00:16:00.929 --> 00:16:03.919 walk as those who live by this heavenly light, who belong to a heavenly 180 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:11.039 city. And yet our inner world that is a present evil age, days 181 00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:17.279 that are evil. That requires wisdom to know how to navigate that, to 182 00:16:17.440 --> 00:16:22.950 live as a sojourner, as an exile, as a pilgrim. How do 183 00:16:22.029 --> 00:16:27.870 you how do you navigate a situation where you don't really belong, where you 184 00:16:27.909 --> 00:16:33.580 don't fit in, it's not quite right, it's never comfortable and they're always 185 00:16:33.620 --> 00:16:37.220 pressures. Well, there's a lot of answers. So that a lot of 186 00:16:37.259 --> 00:16:41.860 good answers, but one of them is open up your eyes, pay attention, 187 00:16:41.179 --> 00:16:47.169 be careful, don't be a fool. It's also a reminder to us 188 00:16:47.210 --> 00:16:52.250 that we walk according to the wisdom and the will of God, that when 189 00:16:52.289 --> 00:16:56.730 we walk according to faith and because of what Christ has done, we are 190 00:16:56.850 --> 00:17:03.759 walking in his strength. We can find our wisdom in him. So, 191 00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:07.359 going back to Ephesians, then Efhesians chapter five. Look carefully then, how 192 00:17:07.400 --> 00:17:11.599 you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of 193 00:17:11.720 --> 00:17:17.750 time, because of the days are evil. I'm finally, we have this 194 00:17:17.869 --> 00:17:22.230 verse for Seventeen. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the 195 00:17:22.309 --> 00:17:29.150 will of the Lord is. Now. What Paul is saying here, then, 196 00:17:29.190 --> 00:17:33.660 is is if we are to walk in the right way, it asked 197 00:17:33.700 --> 00:17:40.900 to be always connected to the to the path that God has set, to 198 00:17:41.059 --> 00:17:47.730 the his will. In other words, you can't create your own reality and 199 00:17:47.890 --> 00:17:52.130 then try to walk according to that. If I take a map of mordor 200 00:17:53.210 --> 00:17:57.410 and I try to get my way home tonight, it's just not going to 201 00:17:57.529 --> 00:18:03.720 work. I can be as attentive to it as I want to, charting 202 00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:08.000 all the caverns and tunnels and forests and mountains and that all the rest, 203 00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:12.589 pay attention to the people's and the boundaries, and dutifully pour over my map, 204 00:18:12.750 --> 00:18:15.630 and yet I will never make it to where I'm supposed to be. 205 00:18:18.230 --> 00:18:22.349 It's the same way with the will of God. You can create your own 206 00:18:22.470 --> 00:18:27.019 reality, your own way, or you your own sort of imagine how things 207 00:18:27.180 --> 00:18:30.740 ought to be according to your will, but you never going to make it 208 00:18:30.900 --> 00:18:36.539 home. You're going to fond, constantly fall into traps, fall into the 209 00:18:36.619 --> 00:18:41.450 temptations and stairs of the devil. You need the real map, and the 210 00:18:41.529 --> 00:18:45.450 map is the will of God, who created the world and all the things 211 00:18:45.529 --> 00:18:48.009 in the world and has sent his son into the world to rescue us out 212 00:18:48.049 --> 00:18:52.049 of the world. He's got the map. He it's his will, it's 213 00:18:52.170 --> 00:18:56.880 his way, and so we have to be attentive to that. We have 214 00:18:56.960 --> 00:19:02.559 two care deeply about that. That's why we read so much scripture and pray 215 00:19:02.759 --> 00:19:07.240 so much scripture and sing so much scripture in our services and in our life 216 00:19:07.319 --> 00:19:11.349 as a church. That's why we constantly try to know it better and better, 217 00:19:11.710 --> 00:19:15.990 push ourselves more and more to understand it more and more deeply, because 218 00:19:17.069 --> 00:19:21.990 looking carefully to how we walk is directly tied to what God says in his 219 00:19:22.150 --> 00:19:27.779 word. We need to learn to discern the will of the Lord. That's 220 00:19:27.819 --> 00:19:34.259 what wisdom is, understanding what the will of the Lord is. And this, 221 00:19:34.420 --> 00:19:38.529 of course, is is not a surface level thing. Notice what Paul 222 00:19:38.569 --> 00:19:42.690 says in Ephesians. So this is just the next chapter a chapter six, 223 00:19:44.690 --> 00:19:48.930 he's speaking to slaves in particular, talking to them about how they are to 224 00:19:48.410 --> 00:19:53.839 walk wisely or pay careful attention to their walk. He also to dresses, 225 00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:59.359 wives and husband's children and parents. But here in chapter six, verse five, 226 00:19:59.400 --> 00:20:03.160 he says, slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, 227 00:20:03.640 --> 00:20:08.750 with a sincere heart, as you would Christ. That's how we serve the 228 00:20:08.869 --> 00:20:14.430 Lord, with a sincere heart, not by way of I service as people 229 00:20:14.549 --> 00:20:18.950 pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the 230 00:20:18.109 --> 00:20:22.579 heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to 231 00:20:22.779 --> 00:20:27.339 man. You see what he's saying. He's sang to these slaves, even 232 00:20:27.380 --> 00:20:33.819 in this difficult perhaps relationship that you have with your master, as you will 233 00:20:33.859 --> 00:20:38.490 obey your master, do give that obedience ultimately to the Lord. Walk according 234 00:20:38.529 --> 00:20:45.210 to Your the master, of Master's way, his desires, his plans, 235 00:20:45.250 --> 00:20:49.440 and you will be doing well. Well, if that can apply to slaves, 236 00:20:51.079 --> 00:20:55.559 certainly that can apply to all of us, and Paul does apply similar 237 00:20:55.720 --> 00:21:02.400 things to to other relationships and other situations we find ourselves in. Our obedience 238 00:21:02.519 --> 00:21:07.470 is ultimately not just to the people around us or societal norms. Are Things 239 00:21:07.549 --> 00:21:12.509 that we might want today, but it's to the Lord in all things. 240 00:21:12.589 --> 00:21:18.900 It's his will that we must discern. It's his will that we must obey 241 00:21:18.539 --> 00:21:23.700 from the heart. Now, this is very different, I might say, 242 00:21:25.019 --> 00:21:27.700 from the way that we used to walk. You remember what Paul said. 243 00:21:29.019 --> 00:21:30.779 I we're skipping around a lot in effusions, but you remember what Paul said 244 00:21:30.819 --> 00:21:38.289 back in Ephesians chapter two. He says about walking Ephesians to verse one, 245 00:21:41.970 --> 00:21:45.930 he says, and you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you 246 00:21:45.210 --> 00:21:49.880 once walked. And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you 247 00:21:51.000 --> 00:21:56.400 once walked, following the course of this world, following the Prince of the 248 00:21:56.720 --> 00:22:00.519 power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons 249 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:06.750 of disobedience. We used to follow a different map, a different master, 250 00:22:06.990 --> 00:22:10.829 walk in a different way. But as Christians who have been brought into the 251 00:22:10.910 --> 00:22:14.950 light, who have been made children of the heavenly father, who have been 252 00:22:15.069 --> 00:22:23.779 given the an inheritance in heaven, a body to belong to, we walk 253 00:22:23.980 --> 00:22:30.250 in a different way, not according to our death and our sinfulness, but 254 00:22:30.329 --> 00:22:37.849 according to his life and his righteousness. And this last thing I said takes 255 00:22:37.890 --> 00:22:45.079 us to our third and final point about the will of God. To discern 256 00:22:45.200 --> 00:22:52.400 the will of God certainly means knowing his law, the things that we are 257 00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:56.079 commanded to do and not do. If you don't know what God would have 258 00:22:56.200 --> 00:22:59.869 you do and not you do, then you don't know the will of God. 259 00:23:00.029 --> 00:23:04.750 God has given us many commands, instructions on how we ought to live 260 00:23:04.789 --> 00:23:10.309 our lives, and we've read some of them here tonight. But to know 261 00:23:10.390 --> 00:23:15.259 the will of the God, to know the will of God as his children, 262 00:23:15.859 --> 00:23:22.460 requires knowing more than the law. It also requires knowing the Gospel. 263 00:23:22.740 --> 00:23:30.970 Why? Because it is the will of God. Let me remind you what 264 00:23:30.130 --> 00:23:34.930 I read earlier and what I will read yet again back in Galatians. Grace 265 00:23:36.049 --> 00:23:38.250 and peace to you from God, Our Father in the Lord Jesus Christ, 266 00:23:38.930 --> 00:23:45.599 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age. 267 00:23:45.640 --> 00:23:52.319 According to the will of God, of our God and father, the will 268 00:23:52.440 --> 00:24:00.710 of God was to deliver Jesus Christ over to suffering on the cross so that 269 00:24:00.910 --> 00:24:06.670 we might be delivered out of this present evil age. That's part of the 270 00:24:06.750 --> 00:24:17.539 will of God. If you go also to John, John, Chapter six, 271 00:24:23.220 --> 00:24:30.809 John Six, verse Thirty Five. Here we have Jesus's words after feeding 272 00:24:30.849 --> 00:24:36.130 the five thousand. He says to the crowds, I am the bread of 273 00:24:36.250 --> 00:24:40.559 life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me 274 00:24:40.720 --> 00:24:45.319 shall never thirst. But I said to you, or but I said to 275 00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:49.680 you, that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that 276 00:24:49.799 --> 00:24:55.029 the father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I 277 00:24:55.190 --> 00:24:59.549 will never cast out, for I have come down from heaven not to do 278 00:24:59.829 --> 00:25:03.349 my own will, but the will of him who sent me, and this 279 00:25:03.430 --> 00:25:07.940 is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of 280 00:25:08.180 --> 00:25:11.619 all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day, 281 00:25:12.660 --> 00:25:17.339 for this is the will of my father, that everyone who looks on 282 00:25:17.500 --> 00:25:21.930 the sun and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise 283 00:25:21.970 --> 00:25:27.089 him up on the last day. This is the will of God. Right, 284 00:25:27.130 --> 00:25:33.170 Jesus says it very explicitly, and Jesus refers to different things regarding God's 285 00:25:33.170 --> 00:25:37.880 will. First, he refers to his own mission, a mission which doesn't 286 00:25:37.880 --> 00:25:41.359 belong to any one of us, a will, a mission that was given 287 00:25:41.480 --> 00:25:48.160 only to the son as our designated mediator. None of US came down from 288 00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:52.470 heaven as the Eternal Son of God to obey the father's will in this way. 289 00:25:53.109 --> 00:25:57.269 But Jesus did. And what was that will? That I should lose 290 00:25:57.470 --> 00:26:00.630 nothing of all that he has given me but raise it up on the last 291 00:26:00.670 --> 00:26:07.500 day. So Jesus came as a servant to accomplish this task, to die 292 00:26:07.619 --> 00:26:11.339 on a cross, to forgive us our sins, to deliver us from the 293 00:26:11.380 --> 00:26:18.380 present evil age and raise us up into eternal life. And that was his 294 00:26:18.569 --> 00:26:23.809 job and he did his job. He did it perfectly. Jesus never got 295 00:26:25.089 --> 00:26:32.170 distracted by the crowds knee. Jesus never got pressured by his disciples or pilot 296 00:26:32.329 --> 00:26:37.440 or anyone else. Jesus always, in an every moment, walked with perfect 297 00:26:37.559 --> 00:26:41.039 wisdom according to the perfect will of God in order to accomplish this task. 298 00:26:42.119 --> 00:26:48.190 But this relates directly to us, because his will, or the rather the 299 00:26:48.349 --> 00:26:52.710 will of the father that he was obeying, was a will that concerned us, 300 00:26:53.029 --> 00:26:56.190 as he says in verse forty, for this is the will of my 301 00:26:56.349 --> 00:27:00.500 father, that everyone who looks on the sun and believes in him should have 302 00:27:00.660 --> 00:27:07.619 eternal life. So this thing that Jesus did relates to us and in some 303 00:27:07.779 --> 00:27:12.700 ways to the things that we ought to do and do do. When we 304 00:27:14.019 --> 00:27:18.609 look on the sun and put our faith in him, we are among those 305 00:27:18.690 --> 00:27:25.049 who God is raising up, delivering up from this present evil age, from 306 00:27:25.089 --> 00:27:30.240 these days that are evil. So, in other words, it is we 307 00:27:30.400 --> 00:27:36.920 think about how we ought to live our lives, to walk wisely in according 308 00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:41.240 to the will of God. We can't just get A to due list and 309 00:27:41.319 --> 00:27:45.630 sort of run out and start trying to accomplish it. Why? Because none 310 00:27:45.670 --> 00:27:48.190 of us are capable of raising ups our it elves out of this present evil 311 00:27:48.269 --> 00:27:52.430 age. None of us are capable of walking with perfect wisdom according to the 312 00:27:52.470 --> 00:27:56.589 perfect will of God, so that we can step into the glorious gates of 313 00:27:56.670 --> 00:28:03.500 Heaven and say except me, because I'm wonderful. It's ridiculous, because those 314 00:28:03.539 --> 00:28:08.380 are so were so far from that. But Jesus, Jesus is a different 315 00:28:08.500 --> 00:28:15.130 story. Jesus is the eternal son of God who is perfectly holy, perfectly 316 00:28:15.289 --> 00:28:22.609 blameless, perfectly wise in everything that he did. And when he stepped into 317 00:28:22.609 --> 00:28:29.400 the heavenly places and yet even more sat down with confidence and authority on the 318 00:28:29.480 --> 00:28:33.680 throne of God, he didn't do so presumptuously. He did so because that 319 00:28:33.920 --> 00:28:41.000 was his rightful place as the king, as the Lord had said, I 320 00:28:41.119 --> 00:28:45.470 will set my king on my Holy Hill and no one will be able to 321 00:28:45.549 --> 00:28:51.390 break apart the bonds between me and him psalm, to paraphrase a little bit. 322 00:28:52.269 --> 00:28:56.420 That's what he said, that's what he promised. And so Jesus wasn't 323 00:28:56.420 --> 00:29:00.420 presumptuously going into the Throne Room of God, because he was God and he 324 00:29:00.900 --> 00:29:06.299 is God and he always will be God. He is the Son of God, 325 00:29:06.460 --> 00:29:12.569 Eternally Begotten from his father before all world's light, of light, Very 326 00:29:12.690 --> 00:29:22.250 God, of Very God. And because that's because it's him that we're talking 327 00:29:22.289 --> 00:29:25.960 about, when Jesus comes into the world to do the will of his heavenly 328 00:29:26.039 --> 00:29:30.480 father, and he says all who look on me and believes shall have eternal 329 00:29:30.519 --> 00:29:36.599 life, then I tell you, look on Jesus and walk that way. 330 00:29:37.960 --> 00:29:42.630 That's wisdom. To hear the revelation of the son of God and of his 331 00:29:42.789 --> 00:29:47.750 saving power and of his eternal life and to turn away from that. That 332 00:29:48.269 --> 00:29:56.099 is foolish, that is stupid. But to hear about the free grace of 333 00:29:56.220 --> 00:30:02.019 God given to you and to accept it with open hands, because you ain't 334 00:30:02.019 --> 00:30:07.210 got nothing to bring and to walk firmly and confidently in faith that him who 335 00:30:07.250 --> 00:30:11.369 died for you as him who will save you to the uttermost. That is 336 00:30:11.609 --> 00:30:18.529 wise, and you can have confidence in that wisdom, because it's not yours 337 00:30:18.650 --> 00:30:26.160 either. It's the wisdom of God given to you, wisdom that opened up 338 00:30:26.279 --> 00:30:30.519 your mind to see these things, opened up your heart to believe these things. 339 00:30:32.559 --> 00:30:37.230 And Corinthians Paul says that he preaches this message in this way to shame 340 00:30:37.509 --> 00:30:41.630 the wise of this world, as is we read earlier what Jesus said. 341 00:30:41.630 --> 00:30:47.630 I say these things and not to the wise, but I give them, 342 00:30:47.670 --> 00:30:52.579 even two little children. This message that I'm telling you about is the very 343 00:30:53.099 --> 00:31:00.660 wisdom of God, and so that's why Hebrews tells us to look to Jesus, 344 00:31:02.619 --> 00:31:07.049 the author and perfector of our faith, throw aside every sin which clings 345 00:31:07.130 --> 00:31:15.250 so closely, follow him, even run. Run for him, run in 346 00:31:15.410 --> 00:31:21.119 him. That's what it means to walk in the way that Paul is talking 347 00:31:21.160 --> 00:31:26.920 about, an Ephesians, so beloved. What is God commanding us to in 348 00:31:26.039 --> 00:31:33.710 Ephesians Chapter Five? He's commanding us to pay attention, to pay attention to 349 00:31:33.829 --> 00:31:37.109 God's law, the things that he wants, the things that he doesn't wants 350 00:31:37.470 --> 00:31:41.190 to look attentively to what we're doing and what we're not doing, to do 351 00:31:41.430 --> 00:31:45.549 so with a sense of the time that we're in, but also with a 352 00:31:45.750 --> 00:31:52.180 sense of who we are in Christ, according to the will of God. 353 00:31:52.900 --> 00:31:56.779 That has been accomplished for us in him and that is being accomplished as we 354 00:31:56.940 --> 00:32:02.650 walk in him by faith. Let's go to the Lord now and as that 355 00:32:02.690 --> 00:32:07.289 you would help us in these things, empower us in these things, enable 356 00:32:07.410 --> 00:32:09.170 us to walk for him and in Him.