First Reformed Presbyterian Church of Cambridge, Massachusetts

The Lord’s Day January 19, 2003 Anno Domini

Ephesians 5:3-14

Some People Really Make God Angry: Don’t Be Like Them.

  I.  There is a division in humanity: two groups coexist.
 

      A.  No longer Jew and Gentiles (Eph 2:14).
      B.  Children of God and sons of disobedience.
         1.  Dear children (5:1) vs. children of wrath (2:3)
         2.  Heirs of the kingdom of Christ and God vs. heirs of God’s
wrath.
         3.  Light in the Lord, children of light vs. in darkness.
         4.  Awakened from the dead (5:14) vs. dead in sin (2:1).
         5.  Sealed by the Holy Spirit vs. led by the devil (2:2).
         6.  Showing forth the fruit of the Holy Spirit vs. showing forth
the unfruitful works of darkness (5:11)
      C.  God wants his children to learn, to remember, to review, and to
hold fast the blessings of knowing Christ (Eph 1:18).
     

  II.  There are two different paths leading to opposing consequences.
 

      A.  What matters most to you?
         1.  Inheriting the kingdom (1:11, 14) vs. fulfilling the desires
of the flesh and of the mind (2:3).
         2.  Being near God (2:13) vs. being alienated from the life of God
(4:18). Cf. 1 John 3:2-3
     
      B.  What is most pleasing to you:
         1.  Pleasing God: 5:10.
         2.  Pleasing the flesh.
      C.  What group to identify with.(1Cor 5:11; Heb 7:26).
      D.  The final outcome: Eph 6:23 or Eph 5:6.
     
     

 
   III. Walk as children of light: live clear lives in the light of God.
 
 

     
      A.  The world has no concept of sin, only the concept of
acceptability.
     
     

     
      B.  Engage in resistance to the enemy.(Eph 4:22, 23. 24; Eph 6:10).
     
     

     
      C.  Major sins that defile your body and lead you to idolatry are not
fitting for those in Christ. (Eph 5:3; Gal 5:19; 1Thess 4:7).
     
     

     
      D.  Sins of speech also are defiling, and should be replaced with
thanksgiving.
     
     

     
      E.  Partake of the fruit of the Spirit, not of the unfruitful works
of darkness.
     
     


 
Pastor Christian Adjemian, Dipl.Div., Ph.D.
 
pastor@reformedprescambridge.com phone: 617.864.3185