Ephesians 5:16-21

A1 Scripture

B1 Ephesians 5:16-21 WEL Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore, don't be foolish but understand what the Lord's will is. 18 Do not be drunk with wine, which is immoral excess, instead be filled by the Spirit: 19 Speaking among yourselves in psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, singing and making music in your heart to the Lord, 20 Always giving thanks to the God and Father for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 21 Place yourselves under one another in the fear of God.

B2 Ephesians 5:16-21 GNB  Make good use of every opportunity you have, because these are evil days.  17  Don't be fools, then, but try to find out what the Lord wants you to do.  18  Do not get drunk with wine, which will only ruin you; instead, be filled with the Spirit.  19  Speak to one another with the words of psalms, hymns, and sacred songs; sing hymns and psalms to the Lord with praise in your hearts.  20  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, always give thanks for everything to God the Father.  21  Submit yourselves to one another because of your reverence for Christ.

A2 Outline

B1 Living the Christian life

C1 Circumspectly

C2 Not as fools

C3 But as wise

C4 Redeeming the time. Because the days are evil

B2 Some rules

C1 Do not be unwise but understand what the Lord's will

C2 Do not be drunk with wine but be filled with the Spirit

D1 Speaking to one another in

E1 Psalms

E2 Hymns

E3 Spiritual songs

D2 Singing and making melody

E1 In heart

E2 To the Lord

D3 Giving thanks                            

E1 Always

E2 For all things

E3 To God the Father

E4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

D4 Submitting to one another in the fear of God.

A3 Notes

B1 Definitions

C1 Circumspectly—thinking carefully about possible risks before doing or saying something (Merriam-Webster)

C2 Dissipation—behavior that shows you are interested only in pleasure, money, etc. (Merriam-Webster)

B2 Walk carries the idea of living a certain lifestyle.

C1  1 John 1:7  (NKJV) But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

C2  Acts 21:21  (NKJV) ...but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise [their] children nor to walk according to the customs.

B3 The Bible has rules. The Bible is a revelation from God about Himself and His way of life. He wants us to have the same attitudes. He wants us to obey His laws and rules. Acts 15:20 GNB  Instead, we should write a letter telling them not to eat any food that is ritually unclean because it has been offered to idols; to keep themselves from sexual immorality; and not to eat any animal that has been strangled, or any blood.

B3 A fool is one who thinks he is smart, intelligent, clever but others know he is not. Some fools are naive, but many are premeditatedly evil. The word for "fool" here is used only one time. It is the opposite of being wise. σοφος asophos which is without wisdom.

C1 We can walk/live our life as a fool or in wisdom.

C2 What is our choice? It is foolishly or wisely?

B4 The time is evil. Read the headlines.

B5 What is redeeming the time?

C1 There is only so much time. What are we going to do with it? Live like God wants us or like the first verses of Chapter 5—

C2 The word "redeeming" here as the idea of using an opportunity.

C3 There is a reason to be redeeming the time/using the opportunity that we have. It is because the days are evil. The evil heart of humanity shows itself more clearly every day in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds.

B6 The word unwise in verse 17 is a different word than in verse 16. It is to be mindless, making a decision without any foresight or insight. Choices do have consequences.

B7 The word understand has to do with finding out something. We are to find out God's will. How do we do this?

C1 Some verses to consider:

D1 Jeremiah 4:22 GNB92 The LORD says, My people are stupid; they don't know me. They are like foolish children; they have no understanding. They are experts at doing what is evil, but failures at doing what is good.

D2 Romans 12:2 NASB77 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

D3 1 Thessalonians 4:1 GNB92 Finally, our friends, you learned from us how you should live in order to please God. This is, of course, the way you have been living. And now we beg and urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to do even more.

D4 1 Peter 4:2 GNB92 From now on, then, you must live the rest of your earthly lives controlled by God's will and not by human desires.

C2 The Old Testament is God's will for a NATION, while the New Testament is God's will for a PEOPLE, the Church.

C3 Somethings in the New Testament we MUST do. Some things in the New Testament we must NOT do. Some things we learn by example that we MUST do or must NOT do.

C4 Illustrations/examples abound in the Old Testament. We read of foolish decisions and wise decisions (from God's point of view). We MUST do the wise and must NOT do the foolish.

C5 God, the Holy Spirit, helps us, convicts us, disciplines us, encourages us what to do. If we are doing wrong, we must repent and not do it anymore. If we still fail at times, make sure we have the right attitude that it is wrong and seek the prayers and even the counsel of a BIBLE believing Christian.

C6 Consider this advice: Just as children follow the example of their parents, so Christians must follow the example of their heavenly Father. Their love, then, will not be mere words, but will show itself by self-sacrifice, just as Christ’s love did (5:1-2).

Converted pagans had a special problem in that many of the sinful practices they once engaged in were still widespread in the society in which they lived. One way to overcome the temptation to such practices was not even to speak about them. They should certainly not joke lightheartedly about them, because people who practice such things are enemies of God’s kingdom (3-5).

Besides being careful about what they say, Christians should be careful about what they hear. They must examine what people say, whether concerning religion, morals or anything else, to see whether such people are on the side of Satan (darkness) or Christ (light). Only by careful testing will Christians know whether a thing is pleasing to God or not, whether it belongs to the light or to the darkness (6-10). If the lives of Christians are pure, they will show up the sins of others, just as light shows up dirt. Any who stir themselves from their moral laziness can be cleansed, if they allow themselves to be examined in the light of Christ (11-14).

Christians must be alert at all times. They must act wisely and display the worth of Christianity to a sinful world (15-17). In former days they might have tried to overcome depression or find enjoyment by drinking till they became drunk. Now that they are Christians, they should open their lives to God and allow God's Spirit to control them. They will find true joy in having fellowship with other Christians, singing praises together and giving thanks to God (18-20)."Bridgeway Bible Commentary by Don Fleming. The comment is on Ephesians 5:1-20.

B8 We know what drunk with wine means, so what does filled with the Spirit mean? Acting drunk with Holy laughter?

C1 Being drunk means not be clear headed. It is a person who has their judgment clouded, standards loosened, and the central nervous nervous system depressed.

C2 Being filled with the Spirit would be the opposite of being drunk with wine.

C3 It is the Holy Spirit helping and empowering us to do God’s will, a holy boldness, faithfulness, etc.

D1 Philippians 2:13 NRSV  For it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

D2 Ephesians 3:16 NLT - I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.

D3 Acts 4:31 NRSV  When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.

D4 Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

C2 Being drunk with wine leads to acting stupid without judgment or insight or even a memory of what happened (Proverbs 23:35 GNB92 I must have been hit,” you will say; “I must have been beaten up, but I don't remember it. Why can't I wake up? I need another drink).

C3 Here are some examples from the Scriptures of people filled with the Spirit. I ask you; as they acting like they are drunk (with wine)?

D1 Exodus 31:3 NKJV And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all [manner of] workmanship.

D2 Luke 1:15 NKJV For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.

D3 Luke 1:41 NKJV And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

D4 Luke 4:1 NKJV Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.

D5 Acts 4:8 NKJV Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel.

D6 Acts 13:9 NKJV Then Saul, who also [is called] Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him.

C4 It means instead to be doing things the way God wants us to. Galatians 5:22-25 NKJV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those [who are] Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

C5 Being filled with the Spirit leads to the activities of verse 19

B9 Ephesians 5:19 NKJV ...speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord...

C1 Even if we are gagged and unable to speak, we can still sing in our hearts.

C2 Acts 16:25 GNB  About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

B10 We are commanded to give thanks for ALL things. How is this possible seeing all the evil, troubling, sad things in life?

C1 We cannot thank God for the evil things that happen to us, because those things come from a world cursed because of sin.

C2 We can thank God that in the midst of evil we can

D1 Thank Him for His holiness: Psalms 97:12 GNB  All you that are righteous be glad because of what the LORD has done! Remember what the holy God has done, and give thanks to him.

D2 Thank Him for His mercy: Psalms 107:1 NKJV  Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

D3 We can thank Him that He is with us through whatever we face: Matthew 28:20 MKJV  Teaching them to observe all things, whatever I commanded you. And, behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the world. Amen.

D4 We can thank Him that this life doesn't last forever. It ends, then eternal life begins. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 NLT - Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.

D5 We can thank Him for the Lord Jesus. 2 Corinthians 9:15 NKJV  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

D6 We can thank Him that the Lord Jesus has suffered too.

E1 Hebrews 2:18 NKJV  For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

E2 Hebrews 10:32-33 NKJV  But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings:  (33)  partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated.

E3 1 Peter 2:21-23 NKJV  For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:  (22)  "who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth";  (23)  who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.

E4 1 Peter 5:10 NKJV  But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

B11 Submit. What is Biblical submission?

C1 The Greek word, G5293 Ὑποτάσσω hupotassō, means to place under. It does not imply overcoming resistance or that one is resisting and must be conquered. The English word does imply that meaning, but the Greek word does not. It is a placing under authority.

C2 It is so translated: Ephesians 5:21 GW  Place yourselves under each other's authority out of respect for Christ.

C3 Ephesians 5:21 WEL Place yourselves under one another in the fear of God.

C4 We are not to be stubborn to push, fight for our own way, thoughts, desires, words, and deeds.

C5 We are to place ourselves under each other’s authority.

C6 The Lord Jesus, when He was 12, placed himself under the authority of Joseph and Mary. It was not because God obeys humans, but it was in honor of them. The Lord Jesus did not say, “I have a right to be here. I will not do what you say. You need to grovel before me.” He simply went with them. Luke 2:48-51 GNB  His parents were astonished when they saw him, and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been terribly worried trying to find you."  49  He answered them, "Why did you have to look for me? Didn't you know that I had to be in my Father's house?"  50  But they did not understand his answer.  51  So Jesus went back with them to Nazareth, where he was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

B12 Fear of God

C1 Being afraid of God

C2 Why?

D1 Guilt from sin (as Adam)

D2 Judgment Day someday.

D3 Eternal punishment.

D4 God's majesty.

D5 God's power.

C3 The fear of the Lord is to run TOWARDS Him, not away from Him.

D1 Adam and Eve ran away from Him: Genesis 3:8 NRSV  They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

D2 The Prodigal Son went towards his father: Luke 15:20 GNB  So he got up and started back to his father. "He was still a long way from home when his father saw him; his heart was filled with pity, and he ran, threw his arms around his son, and kissed him.

C4 There is a contrast between the 2 attitudes: John 3:19-21 GNB  This is how the judgment works: the light has come into the world, but people love the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds are evil.  20  Those who do evil things hate the light and will not come to the light, because they do not want their evil deeds to be shown up.  21  But those who do what is true come to the light in order that the light may show that what they did was in obedience to God.

A4 Applications

B1 God wants us to know His will. We must read and study the Bible.

B2 God wants us to do His will.

B3 God wants us to be filled with His Spirit, so we can know His will, do His will, think His will, and be faithful to His will.

B4 God wants us to worship Him in song.

B5 God wants us to be thankful.

B6 God wants us to not push for OUR rights, but for truth and helpfulness to each other.