Ephesians 5 | Elder Curtis Huntsinger
[Eph 5:1-7 NKJV] 1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
God is our ultimate example.
Don’t compare yourselves among yourselves, but rather imitate the example
[2Co 10:12 NLT] 12 Oh, don't worry; we wouldn't dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!
God’s behavior towards us becomes our measure for our behavior towards one another.
2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
Living in love and walking in love takes sacrifice.
As a child imitates the behavior he sees; we need to imitate Jesus
[Phl 2:5-8 NKJV] 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, [and] coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to [the point of] death, even the death of the cross.
[Eph 5:3-5 NKJV] 3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. [Eph 5:6-7 NKJV] 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.
“Empty Words” means words that are devoid of truth aka lies.
The world and the enemy is going to lie to you in an effort to deceive you from the truth.
[Eph 5:8-14 NKJV] 8 For you were once darkness, but now [you are] light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose [them]. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light."
8 For you were once darkness, but now [you are] light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
9 For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth, 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
Our lives should be marked by goodness, righteousness and truth. o A life lived in goodness, righteousness and truth will expose darkness.
Light always exposes darkness and we are the light of the world.
[Mat 5:14 NKJV] 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is
set on a hill cannot be hidden.
[Jhn 8:12 NKJV] 12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
[Eph 5:15-21 NKJV] 15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord [is]. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which isdissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.
15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Diligently: Stable, careful, and persistent.
Truth stabilizes us
We are careful with the Word of truth and His spirit
Careful meaning; watchful and meticulous
We are persistent in our walk with God
Persistent meaning we continue despite difficulty and opposion
Redeem as in take hold of what is yours. make the most of the opportunity we have now that Jesus is Lord of our lives.
17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord [is].
We understand God’s will by understanding His Word. His Word is His will.
18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.
The literal translation here is “Be being filled”
Not a one-time event, but a new life full of new wine, full of new opportunity, full of new power
Being filled with His spirit creates a desire to worship Him.
[Act 17:28 NKJV] 28 "for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'
20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.
Thankfulness is a mark of a Christian.
Submitting to one another = honoring one another.
I am honoring you because I love Him.
[Eph 5:22-24 NKJV] 22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so [let] the wives [be]to their own husbands in everything.
You submit to God out of love and honor so similarly you submit to your husband out of love and honor.
Husbands must be the leaders.
This doesn’t mean wives don’t get a voice. It doesn’t mean the husband is the dictator.
[Eph 5:25-29 NKJV] 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord [does] the church.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
The wife submitting part only works when the husband does this part.
Love (Agape): This means a love that loves without changing.
26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord [does] the church.
28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord [does] the church.
The husband and the wife are one. One body and one covenant.
This is why agreement is so powerful. The wife doesn’t do whatever she wants, and the husband does whatever he wants but rather they are one.
[Eph 5:30-33 NKJV] 30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. 31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife [see] that she respects [her] husband.
Bottom line on Ephesians 6 is this:
Be imitators of God. Think like He thinks, speak like He speaks.
Live in and through love.
[1Co 13:13 NKJV] 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these [is] love.
Don’t allow the lies of your past to corrupt the truth of your present and your future.
[Rom 1:25 NKJV] 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
You were created and saved on purpose for a purpose.
Wives are going to submit to love and husbands are going to get out front and lead and lay their lives down for their family.
