TITLE: Living as Children of Light

• TEXT: Ephesians 5:8-17

• THEME: The believer should live as children of light because it pleases God.

"A saint is someone God shines light through."

The light of the Lord in a dark world is a common biblical

metaphor.

The Psalms speak of the Lord and his Word as our light.

Psalm 27:1

• "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?"

Psalm 119:105

• "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

The gospels speak of Jesus as the light

Matthew 4:16

• "The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned."

Luke 1:78–79

• "Through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."

Luke 2:32

• "A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel."

John 1:4

• "In him was life, and the life was the light of men." Jesus said of himself in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

Matthew 5:14

• "You are the light of the world."

Ephesians 5:8

• "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light."

Ephesians 5:14

• "Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light."

Philippians 2:15

• "…blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world."

1 Thessalonians 5:5

• "You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are neither of the night nor of darkness."

1 Peter 2:9

• "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

What does it mean to live as children of light?

I. Will bear the Fruit of the light (8-9)

Ephesians 5:8-9

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

Other Parallel Metaphors

• Waking in darkness vs. walking in light.

Other Parallel Metaphors

• Waking in darkness vs. walking in light.

• Walking the flesh verses walking in the Spirit.

Other Parallel Metaphors

• Waking in darkness vs. walking in light.

• Walking the flesh verses walking in the Spirit.

• Taking off the old clothes vs. putting on the new

Other Parallel Metaphors

• Waking in darkness vs. walking in light.

• Walking the flesh verses walking in the Spirit.

• Taking off the old clothes vs. putting on the new.

• Getting rid of the old man vs. putting on the new.

Other Parallel Metaphors

• Waking in darkness vs. walking in light.• Walking the flesh verses walking in the

Spirit.• Taking off the old clothes vs. putting on the

new. • Getting rid of the old man vs. putting on the

new.• Crucifying the old nature and alive to the

new.

Fruit of Walking in Light

• A. Goodness: Speaks of moral goodness and refers to our character. The contrast of walking in darkness in living immoral lives devoted only to self.

Fruit of Walking in Light

• B. Righteousness: As believers we are justified at salvation. The word means to be “declared righteous.” They both have the same root word. It means we live in accordance with the will of God. The contrast of walking in darkness is living self-centered, unrighteous lives.

• C. Truth: Speaks of reality. It sees and speaks of things as they really are. We are neither deceived of hypocrites. We live in reality as revealed by God. The contrast of walking in darkness means being deceived and living a lie

Fruit of Walking in Light

• C. Truth: Speaks of reality. It sees and speaks of things as they really are. We are neither deceived of hypocrites. We live in reality as revealed by God. The contrast of walking in darkness means being deceived and living a lie.

1 Peter 4:3

• "For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries."

What does it mean to live as children of light?

II. Want to know and do what pleases God (10-11)

Ephesians 5:10

• “and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.”

Romans 12:2

• "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God"

Paul says unbelievers

• "have their understanding darkened"

• "and alienated from the life of God because of… ignorance… because of the blindness of their heart."

1 Timothy 4:2

• describe those who depart from the faith as "having their own conscience seared with a hot iron."

What does it mean to live as children of light?

III. See things as they really are (13-14)

Ephesians 5:13

• But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper,

rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.”

The Nature of Light

• “Light makes everything visible”

The Nature of Light

• “Light makes everything visible”

• “Christ will shine on you”

What does it mean to walk as children of light?

IV. Will be wise (15-17)

EPH 5:15

• Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, [16] making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. [17] Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. [18] Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

“Make the most of every opportunity”

Eugene Peterson, Run with the Horses

"The puzzle is why so many people live so badly. Not so wickedly, but so inanely. Not so cruelly, but so stupidly. There's little to admire and less to imitate in the people who are prominent in our culture. We have celebrities, but not saints. Famous entertainers amuse a nation of bored insomniacs.

Eugene Peterson, Run with the Horses

Infamous criminals act out the aggressions of timid conformists. Petulant and spoiled athletes play games vicariously for lazy and apathetic spectators. People aimless and bored amuse themselves with trivia and trash. Neither the adventure of goodness nor the pursuit of righteousness get headlines."

“Understand what the will of the Lord is”

William Golding, Lord of the Flies.

• "With filthy body, matted hair, and unwiped nose, Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy."

Romans 6:6

• "…our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin

• The problem is not two natures, but a new person living in an old body, a person of light living in a body of darkness. The desire for sin does not come from within but from without. Therefore we must retrain our bodies under a new master