Jesus and Me A Study of the Book of

Build discussion Ephesians

Chapter 5
Objectives
1. To see the importance of walking in love, light and, wisdom
2. To understand the responsibilities wives and husbands have toward each other
3. To appreciate the high esteem and great love the Lord has for His church

Summary
In Ephesians 5, Paul wanted us to look at a picture of our Heavenly Father and His Son---- a
picture of the Lord who has reached out and invited us in, treating us with inestimable kindness and
dignity. He wanted this picture to imprint its message on our hearts and lives too, so that we would
reach out to others with compassion and respect. Let's study the message in this picture and learn to
illustrate our Lord's heart in our own lives.

Outline
I. A stirring summons to purity (Eph 5:1-7)
A. A living picture of love
a. He gave Himself up for us
b. He became an offering and sacrifice

B. Strong words against love's enemies

a. Immorality and impurity
b. Greed
c. Filthiness, silly talk and, coarse jesting
-filthy, foolish, vulgar talk leads us unto five danger zones:
1. it plays too near the edge of what can degenerate into grossly
inappropriate words and actions,
2. it breaks down our resistance to things that hinder our intimacy
with God,
3. it promotes a warped and degrading view of sex and marriage,
which God created to be beautiful,
4. it promotes mental habits of sensuality and disrespect for others,
and
5. It silences any opportunity to make Christ known.

C. Ramifications of Sin
D. Advice to Counter Sin

Living Insights
We've spent a lot of time looking at specific sins, but how sure are that we understand what sin
in general does and why God opposes it so fiercely? The following words of Professor Cornelius
Plantinga Jr. in his book Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin are well worth your time
and meditation:
 The webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfilment, and delight is what
the Hebrew prophets call shalom.... Shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness and, delight---- a
rich state of affairs....Shalom, in other words, is the way things ought to be...

…God hates sin not just because it violates His law but, more substantively, because it violates
shalom, because it breaks the peace, because it interferes with the way things are supposed to be...

Sin offends God not only because it bereaves or assaults God directly, as an impiety or
blasphemy. But also it bereaves and assaults what God has made. Sexism and racism, for example,
show contempt both for various human persons and also for the mind of God...

In sum, shalom is God's design for creation and redemption; sin is blameable human vandalism of these
great realities and therefore an affront to their architect and builder.

II. This little light: is it really mine? (Eph 5:6-14)

A. Light in scripture
B. The purposes of light
1. light dispels darkness
2. light attracts attention
C. The source of light
D. Lights in the world
1. do not be partakers
2. walk as children of light
3. do not participate
E. Closing challenge

How well is God's light shining through the lamp of your life?
Do you have a vibrant witness where God has placed you? Are you making a difference in your home,
in your school system, in your workplace? Or have the pressures and stresses of keeping peace with a
busy world dimmed God's light in your life? Has sin crept in and threatened to extinguish whatever
flicker of light remains?

III. The Christian Life 101

A. Growing in wisdom
1. Time
2. Decision-making
3. Control
4. Submission

Quiz!
Think through the following questions, and rate how well you're doing on a scale of 1 to 10,
with 1 showing the need for the most growth.

1. Are you careful and wise in your behaviour? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

2. Are you disciplined and discerning in the way you spend your time? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
3. Are you actively and correctly pursing the Father's will? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4. Are you living under the influence and control of the Holy Spirit? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
5. Are you deliberately and often finding ways to honour and serve others out of reverence for
Christ? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
 If you are not doing so well in some areas, there's some good news for you. You're not alone on
this one----- you do not have to work at becoming wise all by yourself. As Paul told us, “For it is God
who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His pleasure,” and the Lord “who began a good
work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:13, 1:6).

IV. The Most Challenging of Relationships (Eph 5:21-33)

A. The context of this passage
B. A word to wives
1. Support your husband
2. Honour the Lord
C. A word to husbands
1. Love as Christ loves
2. Love your wife as you love yourself

The key to submission

Many readers have struggled with the advice Paul gave in Eph 5:21. This simple sentence sets
the tone for all that follows: we are to submit to others because of our reverence for Christ. In other
words, in any human relationship---- husband and wife, child and parent, slave and master---- a third
party is involved, Christ himself. Paul urges us to conduct those relationships in light of Christ’s own
spirit.

References

International Bible Society. (1984). Holy Bible, New International Version. USA: Zondervan
Publishing House.

Swindoll, Charles. (2001). Becoming a people of grace. USA: Insight for Living.