WEBVTT 00:00:01.600 --> 00:00:05.200 Ephesians chapter 5, starting in verse 15. 00:00:05.839 --> 00:00:16.000 Pay careful attention then to how you walk, not as unwise people, but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 00:00:16.239 --> 00:00:36.079 So don't be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is, and don't get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord. 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:46.320 Give thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of Christ. 00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:47.840 Let's pray. 00:00:51.039 --> 00:00:53.439 Lord, we thank you for your word. 00:00:55.119 --> 00:01:00.479 We thank you for all that you want to do in these verses that we have here before us. 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:03.119 All that you want to do inside of each one of us. 00:01:03.359 --> 00:01:17.200 So, Lord, if there's any distractions in our mind, if there's something that's stealing our thoughts or attention or energy right now, I pray, God, that we would be able to just lay those things down before you and that we'd be able to commit our full attention to you. 00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:26.000 We'd be able to commit our full attention to what you want to do inside of each one of us and what you want to do in this church as a whole here this morning. 00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:30.480 So I pray that you would use your word as a chisel on our hearts. 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:44.640 Lord, that you would break away the things that you do not desire in our life, those fleshly things that we might be holding on to, and that we would continue to be in that process of becoming more and more like Jesus. 00:01:44.959 --> 00:01:48.159 Pray that you would use this passage here this morning to do just that. 00:01:48.319 --> 00:01:49.280 In Jesus' name. 00:01:49.519 --> 00:01:50.000 Amen. 00:01:50.400 --> 00:01:51.760 You may be seated. 00:01:52.480 --> 00:02:06.000 So as you can see, Paul's continuing on in this section of Ephesians, where we're talking specifically about holiness in the church and what that looks like in very practical ways in our life. 00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:12.400 And we're looking at that while he's also contrasting what that looks like to what the world looks like. 00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:18.000 What a Christian should look like, and what those that are not living for Christ look like. 00:02:18.159 --> 00:02:27.039 He's using analogies like light versus darkness so far, and how the church, as we saw last week, should be imitators of God. 00:02:27.280 --> 00:02:37.360 And that theme is going to continue on today, as you can see, of how to be light and what that light will look like when we're filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:43.120 As well as we're also going to be looking at the battle that goes on inside of Christians. 00:02:43.199 --> 00:02:45.199 We've been talking about this for a long time. 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:47.039 That continues on today as well. 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:52.240 Between our flesh, the old man, and our spirit. 00:02:52.719 --> 00:02:55.280 And the Holy Spirit's role in that. 00:02:55.439 --> 00:02:59.439 So we're going to start off in verse 15, and we're just going to take this verse by verse. 00:02:59.520 --> 00:03:01.039 So look at verse 15 with me. 00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:04.560 Pay careful attention then to how you walk. 00:03:04.800 --> 00:03:08.560 Not as unwise people, but as wise. 00:03:09.120 --> 00:03:14.560 First, we find right here some personal responsibility, don't we? 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:17.680 Responsible for how we walk. 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:21.520 And how we walk just means the manner of life in which we're living. 00:03:21.680 --> 00:03:29.280 You heard me say two weeks ago that as Christians, we're to walk by the Spirit, by the Holy Spirit. 00:03:29.520 --> 00:03:33.439 But we have to choose to walk by the Spirit. 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:41.599 And we can't force it, even though sometimes we try. 00:03:41.759 --> 00:03:45.039 Like, I'm going to move by the power of the Holy Spirit right now. 00:03:45.199 --> 00:03:46.479 It's not how it works. 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:50.400 We have to choose to walk in Him. 00:03:50.879 --> 00:03:54.560 Because the Holy Spirit never forces Himself upon us. 00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:57.120 We always have a choice. 00:03:57.280 --> 00:04:02.080 If we're going to walk by our flesh or if we're going to walk by the Spirit. 00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:17.759 God's will is for us to walk by the Holy Spirit. 00:04:17.920 --> 00:04:21.439 Walking by the Holy Spirit is accomplishing God's will. 00:04:21.680 --> 00:04:29.600 And God desires this maturity in us, not because he wants to control us, but because sin is detrimental to us. 00:04:29.839 --> 00:04:31.120 And he knows that. 00:04:31.279 --> 00:04:41.439 You know, we come to Jesus Christ, we're forgiven of our sin through the blood of Jesus, but we still pay for the consequences of our sin while we're still here on earth. 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:47.839 And others pay for the consequences of our sin as well while we're still here on earth. 00:04:48.160 --> 00:04:56.800 And God just wants to protect us from the result of walking like the unwise, as we see in this verse right here. 00:04:56.959 --> 00:05:04.560 He wants to protect us from those consequences of our sin and protect others from the consequences of our sin as well. 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:14.639 Also, on top of that, the consequences we suffer, on top of the consequences that we suffer, people are watching us as well. 00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:17.759 Another reason why we need to be careful how we walk. 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:22.800 We are the visible example of God's love in this world. 00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:33.519 And when we choose to sin over God's will, when we choose to sin over walking by the Spirit, we are exemplifying to the world what God is not. 00:05:34.560 --> 00:05:41.360 That's why Paul is saying here, pay careful attention then, to how you walk. 00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:48.480 Because you might be the only example of Jesus' love in somebody's life. 00:05:48.959 --> 00:05:53.600 They may never have read a Bible, but they're reading you all the time. 00:05:54.160 --> 00:05:57.360 You know, this isn't to say, okay, let's go out and perform. 00:05:57.680 --> 00:05:59.759 Let's go out and try to look like Jesus. 00:06:00.079 --> 00:06:05.040 Being one person in public and then, you know, being somebody else in private. 00:06:05.360 --> 00:06:10.560 Jesus called people like that that are trying to look good on the outside but are messed up on the inside. 00:06:10.720 --> 00:06:14.000 He called people like that whitewashed tombs. 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:21.680 People that look sanitary and clean and nice on the outside while death and rot is taking place on the inside. 00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:31.199 But we're called to be light to this world that generates from the inside and then naturally shines out through. 00:06:31.360 --> 00:06:34.160 It's not a face that we paint on. 00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:39.040 It says paying careful attention to how we walk. 00:06:39.279 --> 00:06:49.199 That means surrendering to God on the inside and then letting Him transform us from that place until people can see it on the outside. 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:51.040 Now look at verse 16. 00:06:51.199 --> 00:06:52.720 Further instruction here. 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:56.959 Making the most of the time because the days are evil. 00:06:57.199 --> 00:07:02.240 The time, that phrase that we see right here, it means a season or a measure of time. 00:07:02.399 --> 00:07:06.160 So it's not a moment by moment thing that it's talking about. 00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:09.199 Not that that would be a bad thing, it's just not what's being talked about here. 00:07:09.439 --> 00:07:17.120 But here, this is the time that we have between accepting Christ and before we get to be with him in heaven. 00:07:17.360 --> 00:07:19.759 And it says here, make the most. 00:07:20.399 --> 00:07:22.879 And this was actually a business term. 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:31.360 It was one of the uses of this phrase in the time, meaning to take advantage of opportunities as they arise in business. 00:07:32.319 --> 00:07:38.000 So basically, if you have the opportunity to tell somebody about Jesus, do it. 00:07:38.480 --> 00:07:42.240 If you have the opportunity to pray for somebody, do it. 00:07:42.480 --> 00:07:48.720 If you have the opportunity to bless somebody or to give to somebody or someone, do it. 00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:52.959 You know, we shouldn't ever think as Christians, I've got plenty of time. 00:07:53.120 --> 00:08:00.959 You know, I've got plenty of time before I get serious about God or before I start using my gifts and talents that He's given me. 00:08:01.120 --> 00:08:06.800 I've got, you know, plenty of time in whatever way you fill in the blank. 00:08:06.959 --> 00:08:12.000 Maybe it's, you know, well, maybe when I hit my 60s, you know, then I'll get serious about the Lord. 00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:14.560 Maybe, you know, it's when I retire. 00:08:14.879 --> 00:08:17.199 Maybe when things slow down. 00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:18.639 You ever heard of that? 00:08:18.959 --> 00:08:20.720 That doesn't happen, by the way. 00:08:20.959 --> 00:08:23.680 It only goes faster and faster the older you get. 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:35.840 You know, or maybe when I get diagnosed and I know the end is near, then I'm gonna get serious about my relationship with Jesus and using the things that he's given me for his kingdom. 00:08:36.000 --> 00:08:47.200 You know, I'm gonna tell you right now, if you don't want to get serious about Christ now, it is not a natural progression to want to get serious about Christ as we get older. 00:08:47.519 --> 00:08:57.039 Not to say that that can't happen, but it's not a natural progression as we age and as we get older to want to become more like Christ. 00:08:57.120 --> 00:08:59.440 As I think some people think that is. 00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:02.480 Maybe later on I'll I'll figure all that stuff out. 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:05.360 And we need to remember Paul's talking to Christians here. 00:09:05.440 --> 00:09:07.440 He's not talking to non-believers. 00:09:07.600 --> 00:09:13.440 Paul's writing to a church about getting serious right now. 00:09:13.679 --> 00:09:20.799 In Revelation, Jesus says in one of his letters, I know your works that you are neither hot nor cold. 00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:23.279 I wish that you were cold or hot. 00:09:23.679 --> 00:09:30.720 So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I'm going to vomit you out of my mouth. 00:09:32.320 --> 00:09:34.639 That's serious words there, huh? 00:09:35.759 --> 00:09:42.159 Basically, it's better to not be a witness of Christ than to be a bad witness of Christ. 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:47.840 So he says, pay careful attention to how you walk. 00:09:47.919 --> 00:09:52.399 And that starts not by painting a face on it, it starts from the inside. 00:09:52.559 --> 00:09:54.240 Look at verse 17. 00:09:55.120 --> 00:10:00.639 So don't be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 00:10:01.279 --> 00:10:06.159 What's the Lord's will for this Ephesians church that Paul is writing to? 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:09.519 I think it's everything he's told them so far. 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:12.639 And it's also what he's going to tell them. 00:10:13.279 --> 00:10:20.720 To not live for self, if I'm to sum up the last two chapters, to not live for self, but to live for God and others. 00:10:21.120 --> 00:10:22.559 That is the will of God. 00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:33.679 You know, like Ben said last week, most of these Ephesians are coming out of some crazy idolatry with multiple gods and crazy things that they do in their worship. 00:10:33.919 --> 00:10:40.399 You know, they were used to drunken orgies where they would worship their gods in that way. 00:10:40.799 --> 00:10:48.000 And they thought that that is what honored their gods, and they thought that's how they would divine the will of their gods as well. 00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:52.799 So so much of what Paul is saying is it's not like that anymore. 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:58.960 Let me tell you how to honor and discern the will of the one true God. 00:10:59.679 --> 00:11:03.120 You know, that's one of the biggest questions in Christianity, isn't it? 00:11:03.360 --> 00:11:05.519 How do I know God's will? 00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:07.919 How do I discern God's will? 00:11:08.080 --> 00:11:14.799 I'll tell you right now, the easiest way to know and understand God's will is to read and understand God's word. 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:20.480 This is his word that we're holding in our hands here this morning. 00:11:20.720 --> 00:11:22.080 His will for us. 00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:25.759 His will is in his word. 00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:31.440 You know, I saw a meme recently that showed this man and woman having this conversation. 00:11:31.679 --> 00:11:36.399 And the man says, I wish God would speak to me. 00:11:36.720 --> 00:11:40.000 And the woman says, Then read your Bible. 00:11:40.240 --> 00:11:41.679 And the man says, No, no, no. 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:45.440 I mean, I wish God would speak to me out loud. 00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:48.799 And the woman said, Then read your Bible out loud. 00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:53.919 So true, isn't it? 00:11:54.159 --> 00:11:57.919 There is a reason it's called God's Word. 00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:14.559 There's a reason we place such a big emphasis on teaching God's word here on Sunday mornings and in home groups, and why we encourage you to read your Bibles on your own and to know God's word for yourself so that you understand it for yourself. 00:12:14.720 --> 00:12:19.360 So you're not dependent on somebody up here telling you what it means. 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:26.399 Not telling you how to think, but teaching you God's word so that you know how to think for yourself. 00:12:26.639 --> 00:12:34.320 You know, God spoke his word through the Holy Spirit to the authors of the Bible that just wrote it down for him. 00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:43.120 So we can hear his voice whenever we want by just simply opening his word and reading it. 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:54.399 And yes, as Christians, there are other times that God speaks to us through that still small voice, through the Holy Spirit, through other believers sometimes as well. 00:12:54.879 --> 00:13:00.399 But how do we know if it's God or if it's our flesh? 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:08.399 If we just kind of have a feeling inside or something like that, or somebody tells you, you know, I think this is what God wants you to do. 00:13:08.720 --> 00:13:14.879 Know the word for yourself, because the Holy Spirit will never contradict the word of God. 00:13:15.600 --> 00:13:16.320 Know the word. 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:18.960 I cannot express that enough. 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:25.200 Best way to understand God, understand God's will for your life is to understand God's word. 00:13:25.519 --> 00:13:28.799 Paul goes on with some warnings about living unwisely here. 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:30.159 Look at verse 18. 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:36.080 And don't get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless living. 00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:40.639 The result of being drunk is losing self-control, right? 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:43.039 It's losing inhibitions. 00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:49.679 You lose that voice inside of you, the voice of your conscience that says, you probably shouldn't do this. 00:13:50.559 --> 00:13:59.759 Getting drunk is a great way to give your flesh free reign to do whatever it wants and ignore the Holy Spirit. 00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:05.679 There's a reason they call being drunk under the influence, right? 00:14:05.840 --> 00:14:07.279 Have you ever thought about that? 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:13.759 If you have that liberty to have a little bit, you better stop at a little bit. 00:14:14.240 --> 00:14:20.799 Before you can tell that you've had any, before you are under the influence of any alcohol in your system. 00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:24.000 If you're an alcoholic, that means none for you. 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:28.960 If you can't stop at a little bit, that means none for you. 00:14:29.679 --> 00:14:35.120 If you're with somebody that's an alcoholic or can't stop at a little bit, that means none for you as well. 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:38.000 So you don't stumble your brother or sister. 00:14:38.240 --> 00:14:46.960 You know, I was curious about something for a long time, and I finally did a little bit of digging this week to see why hard alcohol is called spirits. 00:14:47.200 --> 00:14:48.559 You ever thought about that before? 00:14:49.360 --> 00:14:51.759 And here's a little history that I found. 00:14:51.919 --> 00:14:53.759 I want to put it up behind me. 00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:58.960 It's because of the historical association with alchemy and distillation. 00:14:59.200 --> 00:15:12.960 In medieval medieval alchemy, the process of distilling alcohol was thought to extract its essence or spirit, as the vapor produced during distillation seemed like a mystical ethereal substance. 00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:21.120 The Latin term spiritus, meaning breath or spirit, was used to describe these volatile substances. 00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:25.440 You know the word used for the Holy Spirit in the Latin Bible? 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:26.799 Spiritus. 00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:29.279 It's the same word. 00:15:30.559 --> 00:15:34.559 What spirit do you want influencing you? 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:37.600 And look at what Paul says next. 00:15:37.679 --> 00:15:38.720 It leads right to it. 00:15:38.960 --> 00:15:40.080 Verse 18. 00:15:40.399 --> 00:15:46.000 But be filled by the capital S spirit. 00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:52.559 There's only one spirit that we should allow to have influence over us. 00:15:52.799 --> 00:15:58.320 There's only one spirit that we should be filled with. 00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:01.840 And you know, the grammar here is kind of fun. 00:16:02.320 --> 00:16:04.799 That we don't fully grasp in our English text. 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:09.759 In the Greek, it reads, be being filled by the Spirit. 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:13.279 We don't talk like that in English, but gives you an idea. 00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:14.960 Be being filled. 00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:18.960 It speaks of a constant process of being filled. 00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:22.159 When we come to faith, the Holy Spirit dwells in us. 00:16:22.240 --> 00:16:27.840 There's an indwelling that takes place, a sealing that takes place by the Holy Spirit. 00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:31.840 But Scripture tells us that we can quench the Holy Spirit. 00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:39.519 Scripture tells us that we can grieve the Holy Spirit inside of us, but as believers, he never leaves. 00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:51.759 You see, when we partake in anything that is against the Holy Spirit, against God's will, and we feed our flesh in that moment, we're essentially saying, scooch over, Holy Spirit. 00:16:51.840 --> 00:16:54.639 You need to make some room for my flesh. 00:16:55.279 --> 00:17:01.679 Being filled with the Spirit speaks of a continual yielding to the Spirit. 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:07.519 A continual saying no to the flesh and saying yes to the will of God. 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:13.119 And therefore, being filled is something that we need to do often and constantly. 00:17:13.279 --> 00:17:15.359 We need to be being filled. 00:17:15.599 --> 00:17:17.839 Being filled does not happen by accident. 00:17:18.319 --> 00:17:20.640 It's not like, oh, wow, now I'm filled. 00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:21.440 You know. 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:29.119 It's something we need to ask for, and it is a constant yielding to the Spirit, is what being filled with the Spirit is. 00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:39.279 You know, as much as we sin in our thoughts and in our actions and in our apathy, we need to be being filled constantly. 00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:48.000 And I think it's important to know that being a spirit-filled Christian shouldn't be a title. 00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:52.720 Being a spirit-filled Christian should be a condition. 00:17:53.759 --> 00:18:00.559 A condition that we live in and that we are constantly living in on a daily basis. 00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:04.000 We need to be being filled. 00:18:04.400 --> 00:18:09.599 Alright, now we're going to kind of shift gears here a little bit this morning as we go into verse 19. 00:18:09.920 --> 00:18:17.359 As I'm sure you noticed, for us at least, we have a pretty short passage compared to how much we normally cover on a Sunday morning. 00:18:17.759 --> 00:18:24.960 But I've been wanting to do a special one-off sermon for a while regarding corporate worship and why we do it. 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:36.720 But I decided instead of doing that, we're just going to sit with this verse for a little while, especially in verse 19, to just speak on worship and to speak on some corporate worship, different things of it. 00:18:37.359 --> 00:18:41.279 Because it's a very large part of what we do here on Sunday mornings. 00:18:41.440 --> 00:18:43.920 And I want to make sure that we always know why. 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:46.000 Why are we doing this? 00:18:46.240 --> 00:18:49.359 Why do we spend so much time singing to the Lord? 00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:55.759 And make sure, as I like Amy's phrase, like, make sure it never becomes Jesus karaoke. 00:18:56.000 --> 00:19:05.039 You know, where we're just like, I know the words, I know the song, I can sing this, but not actually understanding them or singing them from the deepest places of our heart. 00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:14.400 So, and what we're going to see here in verse 19, is that corporate worship is the result of being filled with the Spirit. 00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:16.319 So look at verse 19. 00:19:17.359 --> 00:19:26.720 Speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord. 00:19:27.039 --> 00:19:38.720 Being filled with the Spirit means we will be praising God with thanksgiving and awe and all that he is from our heart to one another. 00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:45.119 Verse 19 is the result of being filled. 00:19:45.440 --> 00:19:53.440 And if you're wondering why Paul didn't say, you know, just sing to the Lord, and he uses three different words here, I think it's kind of twofold. 00:19:53.599 --> 00:19:57.920 I think one of it is that it's important that we worship God in different ways. 00:19:58.079 --> 00:20:04.400 We don't put them in a box and say, it's only like this, it only sounds like this, this is the only kind of songs we can sing. 00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:11.440 I think one of the ideas here is it needs to come out in natural expressions in a lot of different ways from us. 00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:17.839 But I do want to take a look at each one of these words because they all have different definitions in the Greek. 00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:20.160 So I want to put some of those up behind me. 00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:21.839 The first word here is Psalms. 00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:29.599 And that's a striking twanging of a strike in the chord of a musical instrument of a pious song, a psalm. 00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:34.480 Now I think that means some of our worship needs to be country and western. 00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:37.440 Twanging. 00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:38.400 You see that right there? 00:20:38.880 --> 00:20:39.920 No, I'm just kidding. 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:41.359 I'm just kidding. 00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:48.000 But this is a making of music to the Lord with instruments, obviously. 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:52.400 I when I think of this, I think of David with his harp on a hillside. 00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:54.079 So I see some people in the back. 00:20:54.240 --> 00:20:54.960 Like, yeah, gosh. 00:20:55.519 --> 00:20:57.200 I didn't realize that we had that many. 00:20:57.759 --> 00:20:59.359 The next one is hymns. 00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:05.279 A song in tithe praise of God's heroes, conquerors. 00:21:05.440 --> 00:21:08.000 A sacred song hymn. 00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:10.000 This is vertical worship. 00:21:10.160 --> 00:21:20.000 This is a celebration of God for all that he is, but also a recognition of God's ownership and of God's omnipotence. 00:21:20.400 --> 00:21:27.519 So recognition of God's greatness being sung out in praise together. 00:21:27.759 --> 00:21:32.640 And then the third definition here, it's two Greek words pushed together, spiritual songs. 00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:44.160 So spiritual, relating to the human spirit or rational soul, as part of the man which is akin to God and serves as his instrument or orient. 00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:49.039 And then the song just simply means song, lay, ode. 00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:54.640 So these are songs about our spiritual walk in relation to God. 00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:59.599 And notice it says to speak these things to one another. 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:02.160 You can't do that alone. 00:22:02.240 --> 00:22:04.960 We can't do this in private. 00:22:05.440 --> 00:22:15.440 We can worship God through song in private, but what we're talking about here is corporate, singing them to one another, a result of a spirit-filled life. 00:22:15.759 --> 00:22:22.160 And this is a big part of why we do this on Sunday mornings and why we sing to the Lord. 00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:35.920 In Warren Wearsby's book, Real Worship, one of my favorite quotes of all time, he says, When we gather to worship, we do so to testify to God, to testify to each other, and to testify to the world. 00:22:36.880 --> 00:22:41.920 When we worship together, part of it is to encourage one another. 00:22:42.880 --> 00:22:49.359 When we sing that song, our God is greater, our God is stronger, our God is higher than any other. 00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:50.880 We're saying, our God. 00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:58.480 It's encouragement to one another, a reminder to one another of how amazing and wonderful our God is. 00:22:59.039 --> 00:23:03.680 We get to remind each other we are not alone. 00:23:03.920 --> 00:23:08.480 We get to remind each other that we're worshiping the same one true God. 00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:14.559 We get to remind each other of how much he loves us and how powerful he is. 00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:18.160 Something that we can't do on our own. 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:28.480 The problem that we run into is it's easy to make worship music, worship through music, selfish. 00:23:29.920 --> 00:23:32.240 Well, I don't sing because I don't have a good voice. 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:37.119 Or I don't express myself in worship because it's embarrassing. 00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:40.799 Or I don't like this type of music, so I'm protesting. 00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:41.599 You know. 00:23:42.240 --> 00:23:54.799 Corporate worship is not about us, but is about God, and it is about encouraging one another and testifying about his faithfulness to each one of us. 00:23:54.960 --> 00:24:00.559 And as Paul ends verse 19, we simply need to make sure that it's from our heart. 00:24:00.880 --> 00:24:11.039 You know, if we're singing along and we're thinking about something else, we're thinking about what's for lunch today, you know, don't bother singing. 00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:23.119 Like just wait until that lunch thought passes, and you can put your full focus back onto God and into the words that you're singing from your heart. 00:24:23.359 --> 00:24:45.359 You know, if I found a poem that somebody else wrote and I read it to my wife like this, my heart's a rose in bloom for you, with petals soft, and love so true, your smile's the sun, your eyes the stars, you like my world no matter how far. 00:24:46.240 --> 00:24:48.400 Do you think she's gonna swim over that? 00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:50.720 Like, oh wow, you know. 00:24:51.759 --> 00:25:02.960 I truly believe that corporate worship is the height of intimacy for the body of Christ to collectively worship God together. 00:25:03.440 --> 00:25:10.319 Where the bride of Christ can engage with her groom intimately from our hearts. 00:25:10.640 --> 00:25:25.839 You know, there was a couple at our previous church, I don't think any of you know them, so I feel comfortable telling you this, at a previous church that I served at that would intentionally come into service late because they didn't want the fluffy warm-up music stuff. 00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:28.079 They just wanted God's word. 00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:30.880 And they weren't quiet about it either. 00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:32.880 People knew about this. 00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:38.720 They saw no value in corporate worship through music, so they intentionally skipped it. 00:25:39.279 --> 00:25:47.359 They wanted the knowledge of God, but they didn't want to participate in the corporate worship of God through music. 00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:58.079 And all I could think of when I thought about them or talked to them or heard other people talking about it, is I'm glad my wife has never said that same thing to me. 00:25:58.640 --> 00:26:07.119 I really want to get to know you in my head, but I want to skip the intimacy part of our marriage. 00:26:08.160 --> 00:26:09.839 I'm not interested in that. 00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:16.720 I mean, that's not a true loving marriage relationship of just having this of each other. 00:26:16.960 --> 00:26:30.400 When we worship through song, it's a time to collectively get our eyes off of ourselves and give our full expression of love to God together, collectively. 00:26:30.640 --> 00:26:33.680 And in that process, we get to encourage each other. 00:26:33.839 --> 00:26:38.000 We get to testify to the world about how great God is. 00:26:38.400 --> 00:26:44.480 There's a reason that this section comes right before the marriage section. 00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:46.400 It was not an accident. 00:26:46.640 --> 00:26:58.720 You know, next week we're going to talk about how God's design for marriage is the husband giving himself 100% to his wife, and the wife giving herself 100% to her husband. 00:26:59.039 --> 00:27:03.599 It's the same thing with us, the body of Christ and Jesus. 00:27:03.839 --> 00:27:15.119 He already gave 100% of himself to us and continues to lavish us in love, but he's desiring that 100% of us to be given back to him. 00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:26.880 Corporate worship is a time where we can collectively do that as a church body to give ourselves 100% to the groom, to Jesus. 00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:28.319 From our hearts. 00:27:28.400 --> 00:27:30.559 That's why it has to be from our hearts. 00:27:30.720 --> 00:27:33.200 We can't just sit there and quote words that we know. 00:27:33.279 --> 00:27:35.119 It needs to come from here. 00:27:36.559 --> 00:27:43.920 You know, a huge part of this worship is a result, as I was saying, of being filled by the Spirit. 00:27:44.079 --> 00:27:46.960 Being filled with the Spirit. 00:27:47.920 --> 00:27:49.440 Verse 20. 00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:51.279 It continues on. 00:27:51.599 --> 00:27:59.759 Giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:03.680 Being filled with the Spirit means an attitude of gratitude. 00:28:04.640 --> 00:28:10.400 You can't be filled with the Spirit and also be known as a chronic complainer. 00:28:12.799 --> 00:28:15.119 You can't have both at the same time. 00:28:15.839 --> 00:28:22.240 But giving thanks always, if we're honest with each other, it's hard, isn't it? 00:28:22.400 --> 00:28:24.160 To give thanks always. 00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:26.480 Especially in pain. 00:28:26.960 --> 00:28:29.519 Especially in heartache. 00:28:30.079 --> 00:28:32.319 Especially in difficult circumstances. 00:28:32.480 --> 00:28:37.599 It's hard to look at the positives and the goodness of God in those moments. 00:28:37.920 --> 00:28:49.440 You know, and this isn't saying, like, you know, you're hopping around one foot in your house, like, thank you, Lord, for this freshly stubbed toe that's throbbing so bad and shooting pain through my leg. 00:28:49.680 --> 00:28:50.720 It's not talking about that. 00:28:50.880 --> 00:28:53.680 This isn't saying to thank God for the stub toe. 00:28:53.920 --> 00:28:58.000 But even in the stub toe, that's just a ridiculous example. 00:28:58.319 --> 00:29:02.079 We can thank him that he is always the same. 00:29:02.880 --> 00:29:05.519 That he always loves us. 00:29:06.880 --> 00:29:13.519 That he can even work a stub toe or whatever else it might be together for good. 00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:20.079 We can always thank him that he's bigger than whatever our problem and whatever our circumstances at that time. 00:29:20.319 --> 00:29:26.400 We can thank him that our inheritance is secure and it's sealed in him. 00:29:27.119 --> 00:29:34.640 That we have an eternity to look forward to with him that will not include pain and will not include suffering. 00:29:35.440 --> 00:29:41.200 We can always give thanks in every circumstance for all of those things and so much more. 00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:48.960 And if we allow him to, the Holy Spirit will teach us how to praise God even when we don't feel like him. 00:29:49.279 --> 00:29:54.559 How to praise him in the midst of those really, really hard times. 00:29:54.880 --> 00:30:02.799 And I really think that it's in those hardest times that our worship of God is in its purest form. 00:30:03.680 --> 00:30:11.519 When we're worshiping and thanking him, even when the circumstance is saying we should become a bunch of complainers. 00:30:11.680 --> 00:30:16.480 I think when we're able to worship him in those moments, it's in its purest form. 00:30:16.799 --> 00:30:21.200 And Paul adds one last thing here that is evidence of walking by the Spirit. 00:30:21.279 --> 00:30:22.640 Look at verse 21. 00:30:23.200 --> 00:30:26.880 Submitting to one another in the fear of Christ. 00:30:27.039 --> 00:30:36.559 You know, so much of chapters 4 and 5 have been about living in unity, have been about preferring one another. 00:30:36.880 --> 00:30:44.319 It's been about placing loving God and loving others above our own desires and above our flesh. 00:30:44.720 --> 00:30:50.960 And Paul goes as far as to say right here, submit to one another. 00:30:51.279 --> 00:30:56.960 Now, this does not mean that there is no authority or order in God's kingdom or in God's church. 00:30:57.200 --> 00:31:01.200 This doesn't mean that kids can boss their parents around and parents need to submit. 00:31:01.359 --> 00:31:03.359 That's not at all what this is talking about. 00:31:03.680 --> 00:31:13.039 God gives leadership and authority to elders, as we're going to see next week, to husbands, the following week, to parents, the following week to masters. 00:31:13.279 --> 00:31:23.680 What he is saying in this context is that walking by the Spirit will result in us not pushing our own agenda and acting selfishly. 00:31:24.240 --> 00:31:31.920 Which means we will not be pressing our own will and desires on each other or on the church as a whole. 00:31:32.480 --> 00:31:34.960 And that includes those that are in authority. 00:31:35.039 --> 00:31:39.680 This is just as much for me and the other elders as it is for anybody else. 00:31:39.920 --> 00:31:48.640 Because walking by the Spirit means desiring God's will and allowing his will to be done in and through us. 00:31:49.359 --> 00:31:59.359 Higher authority in the kingdom of God means more responsibility to seek God's will and die to self, not press your own agenda. 00:32:00.000 --> 00:32:06.319 I want to read to you Philippians 2, 1 through 4, because it sums up this idea of submitting to one another so well. 00:32:06.400 --> 00:32:37.279 It says, if then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose, do nothing out of selfish, selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourself. 00:32:37.519 --> 00:32:44.319 Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others. 00:32:44.799 --> 00:32:47.519 That's what verse 21 is talking about. 00:32:47.839 --> 00:33:04.079 This is the result, another result of walking by the Spirit, being filled with the Spirit is submitting to one another, not pressing our own agenda, but considering others as more important than ourselves. 00:33:04.480 --> 00:33:10.400 So in all of this, Paul admonishes them pay careful attention to how you do these things. 00:33:10.720 --> 00:33:14.720 Pay careful attention to how you walk. 00:33:14.799 --> 00:33:21.680 And to sum it up with the focus off of self and on God and on others. 00:33:42.960 --> 00:33:46.880 To place your will above our will. 00:33:47.359 --> 00:33:49.519 But Lord, we pray for help. 00:33:50.079 --> 00:33:57.519 We pray that the helper, the Holy Spirit that dwells inside of us, would help us in all of these things. 00:33:57.680 --> 00:33:59.119 And we ask for it, Lord. 00:33:59.359 --> 00:34:01.119 We need to desire it first. 00:34:02.319 --> 00:34:08.960 And we know that you will be faithful to help us through these things that we don't have the strength to do on our own. 00:34:09.119 --> 00:34:10.559 So would you strengthen us? 00:34:10.719 --> 00:34:19.760 Would you empower us to live with our focus on you and with our focus on others? 00:34:20.320 --> 00:34:30.159 Help us to die to the flesh daily and to desire your will and the filling of your spirit above all else. 00:34:31.119 --> 00:34:38.639 Lord, we do pray as we just constantly sin and we constantly ask the Holy Spirit to scooch over. 00:34:38.800 --> 00:34:44.639 First, we thank you that you forgive us of those times, that you forgive us of those sins. 00:34:44.880 --> 00:34:50.480 That they are already forgiven and washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ. 00:34:50.800 --> 00:35:02.559 But we pray, Lord, in those times that we would continually pray for that fresh filling, desiring the filling of the Holy Spirit, desiring your will in our life in every possible way. 00:35:02.800 --> 00:35:08.239 Lord, help us to be being filled by the Holy Spirit constantly. 00:35:08.400 --> 00:35:14.079 Remind us to pray for that and to think about that and to continually yield to the Spirit in our life, we pray. 00:35:14.239 --> 00:35:16.239 In Jesus' name, amen.