1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,160 If you have your Bibles Ephesians 5, this is where we're going to be. 2 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:11,640 Courage you to grab one of those, find it in your own Bible, follow along with us this 3 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:13,920 morning. 4 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:22,200 I don't know about you, but my family is not made up of a lot of mourning people. 5 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:28,360 When we do get up early, it's out of necessity, not because we really want to be up. 6 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:29,360 Right? 7 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:31,840 I'm not sure, I'm not the only one in that case. 8 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:40,840 So when minor inconveniences come up, like school, five days a week, my kids are not 9 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:45,160 the biggest fans of having to get up and get ready. 10 00:00:45,160 --> 00:00:49,440 It's one of those things I miss about being a homeschool family. 11 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:55,200 Now, when the kids were younger and we needed them to get up, Sina would quietly walk into 12 00:00:55,200 --> 00:01:02,480 their room and real softly tell them, hey, it's time to get up. 13 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:10,920 She might even lay next to them in their bed and stroke their hair so that they peacefully 14 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:14,880 wake up and then they would snuggle in the bed for a little bit, like really good quality 15 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:16,600 time. 16 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:20,360 That is not my style. 17 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:28,240 I would open their door, throw the lights on, walk in there, clap in, sing in a song that 18 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:31,200 I learned when I was a kid in church. 19 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:35,280 Rise and shine and give God, you know the song? 20 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:37,200 Give God the glory, glory. 21 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:43,560 I still even think to this day it's one of their favorite songs. 22 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:49,000 Now occasionally I will still do that to them if they refuse to get out of bed and get the 23 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:50,600 day started. 24 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:57,400 So as we study our text this morning, it appears that Paul is trying to get his readers to 25 00:01:57,400 --> 00:01:58,880 wake up. 26 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:00,600 And so Aria, right? 27 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:05,900 Aria is coming up this morning and she's going to lead us as we read verses 11 through 28 00:02:05,900 --> 00:02:14,040 14 of chapter 5 this morning. 29 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:17,040 I'd encourage you to stand. 30 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:26,960 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them, for it is shameful 31 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:30,400 even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 32 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:34,480 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible. 33 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:37,480 For anything that becomes visible is light. 34 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:43,920 Therefore it says, awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. 35 00:02:43,920 --> 00:02:44,920 Amen. 36 00:02:44,920 --> 00:02:45,920 Let's pray. 37 00:02:45,920 --> 00:02:50,040 I thank you for your willingness to read your text in this place this morning. 38 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:52,960 I pray God that those words will seep into our heart. 39 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:54,360 I pray that you'll speak through them. 40 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:57,280 I pray God that we will become awakened to them. 41 00:02:57,280 --> 00:02:59,400 And so we ask all these things in your name. 42 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:00,400 Amen. 43 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:04,480 Thank you, Aria. 44 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:10,520 Now it's always important, and some of you might get tired of hearing me say this, but 45 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:17,840 context is vital to understanding a passage of Scripture like this one. 46 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:25,840 If we don't keep in mind that Paul is writing to believers, it will be far too easy to dismiss 47 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:32,680 these words as merely a warning to the world around us rather than a wake-up call for those 48 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:35,040 of us that are followers of Jesus. 49 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:42,200 And without the proper context, it would be very easy to make some really bad applications 50 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:46,160 of what Paul is writing here in this text. 51 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:51,760 And so we need to understand that Paul is writing to believers here and not to those 52 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:52,760 who aren't. 53 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:53,760 Okay? 54 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:58,720 And so in this text, Paul is saying, wake up, believers. 55 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:02,800 Wake up. 56 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:08,440 We are actually going to work backwards this morning because I want us to make sure that 57 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:11,040 we understand the framework of this passage. 58 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:17,040 In verse 14, scholars believe that Paul is quoting an early Christian hymn that was influenced 59 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:18,960 by the prophet Isaiah. 60 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:25,120 So even like today, we take phrases from some popular songs and we put them on our wall, 61 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:26,120 right? 62 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:30,000 It is, Well with my soul. 63 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:31,000 Amazing grace. 64 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:32,000 How sweet the sound. 65 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:35,560 We have those pieces of art in our home. 66 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:39,000 The same is probably true for the early Christian church. 67 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:43,840 Isaiah 2619 says, your dead will live, their bodies will rise. 68 00:04:43,840 --> 00:04:48,880 Isaiah 60 reads, arise, shine for your light has come. 69 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:55,280 Now, both of those passages support the idea that Paul is writing here to believers since 70 00:04:55,280 --> 00:05:00,280 they were addressed to God's chosen people and not addressed to other nations. 71 00:05:00,280 --> 00:05:06,760 By citing these words, Paul is reminding his readers how they were transformed from death 72 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:14,160 and darkness into life by the transforming light of the world, who is Jesus. 73 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:19,600 And so he's reminding us that we were once one way and now we are different. 74 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:28,000 The reminder of their conversion experience was to be a wake up call to Paul's readers. 75 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:35,200 But by thinking back to your conversion experience, they are reminded that just as light and darkness 76 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:40,120 are mutually exclusive, there is to be no middle ground. 77 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:45,640 There's to be no shade of gray for those who have the light of Christ in their lives. 78 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:52,920 We would do well to apply the very same wake up call into our lives as well. 79 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:59,800 Here perhaps many of you who don't have a lot of memory of your conversion because you 80 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:03,360 grew up in the church your whole life and you know nothing different. 81 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:04,360 That's my story. 82 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:10,320 So what I tend to do is I tend to think back or think about where would I be without the 83 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:11,320 Lord? 84 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:15,040 Where would I be if he didn't intervene in my life? 85 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:21,800 When I think about what he has protected me from by giving me Christian parents, when 86 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:27,520 I look at the world around me and how so many people come from broken homes, it makes me 87 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:31,160 grateful that the Lord spared me from that. 88 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:36,720 Now with my personality, I could have easily gone down a different path and tried things 89 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:38,720 that I shouldn't have. 90 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:46,600 Where would you be if the Lord had not intervened in your life? 91 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:47,680 Think about where you would be. 92 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:50,800 Think about what your life would look like. 93 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:55,080 Or maybe you haven't surrendered your life to him quite yet and he is ready to change 94 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:56,960 your life today. 95 00:06:56,960 --> 00:07:04,120 As we continue to go through this passage, I would encourage you to just pray to God 96 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:07,160 yourself that he would speak to you. 97 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:11,040 Begin to pray that you would hear the sound of his voice, that you would know the sound 98 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:12,720 of his voice. 99 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:14,000 So this is a wake up call. 100 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:18,960 This passage is a wake up call for all of us who proclaim faith in the Lord. 101 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:20,840 Romans 13 should be a great challenge for us. 102 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:27,760 He says besides this, you know the time that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. 103 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:32,200 For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 104 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:33,680 The night is gone. 105 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:35,080 The day is at hand. 106 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:40,920 So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 107 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:46,360 Again in that passage, Paul is writing to believers who were struggling with returning 108 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:48,000 to their former way of life. 109 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:52,440 So Paul warns them that they should lay aside the darkness and put on the light. 110 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:55,480 Does that sound familiar with what he said in Ephesians? 111 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:59,280 Take off your old way of life and put on your new way of life. 112 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:06,040 So if it was a struggle for them back then who had Paul walking with them, would it not 113 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:08,520 be a struggle for us as well? 114 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:11,080 We need to wake up to the reality. 115 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:16,680 We need to be on guard and make sure we aren't just hitting the snooze button because that 116 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:20,200 is so easy to do. 117 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:22,520 It's so easy to hit that button. 118 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:29,520 Your Christian life is a constant battle and the enemy is trying to keep you asleep for 119 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:36,440 as long as he can because it doesn't go well for him if you're awake. 120 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:43,680 How it works for me at times is I get in my head, I'll do that later. 121 00:08:43,680 --> 00:08:48,000 I'll share the gospel next time I run into them. 122 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:54,120 I'll start working on this sin issue later because it's inconvenient for me right now. 123 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:59,600 I'll spend time in prayer when I get home because it's been a busy day. 124 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:04,280 I'll disciple my kids when they're in a better mood. 125 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:08,360 Those are all the ways that I tend to hit the snooze button on what God is calling me 126 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:09,360 to do. 127 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:15,480 How is God trying to get your attention today? 128 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:19,960 Has he brought people to your mind lately that you need to call on, that you need to 129 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:22,080 check in? 130 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:27,480 Has he convicted you of some sin in your life that you need to confess? 131 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:34,240 Has he put a burden on you to reprioritize your life so that you have more room for the 132 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:37,240 things of God? 133 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:44,280 Maybe he's softly whispering to you and gently trying to wake you up. 134 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:51,040 Or maybe he's coming in, throwing the lights on, clapping his hands and singing a song. 135 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:54,720 Whatever his approach to you is, it's time to wake up. 136 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:57,640 Some of us are more stubborn than others. 137 00:09:57,640 --> 00:10:05,320 So God is, you know, God gently laying in my bed, stroking my hair, probably not going 138 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:08,440 to work for me, right? 139 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:13,720 And so for me to wake up, sometimes it takes a lot of those things. 140 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:18,360 Salvation is closer now than when you first believed. 141 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:20,840 Nighttime is over. 142 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:21,840 Nighttime is over. 143 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:25,360 It's working hours now. 144 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:26,920 It's time to get out. 145 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:31,520 And there is a lot of work that needs to be done. 146 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:37,160 When we are awake and in the light, we begin to understand and we begin to see that it 147 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:40,680 exposes things to us, right? 148 00:10:40,680 --> 00:10:42,880 That is what Paul writes in verse 13. 149 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:47,400 When anything that is exposed to the light, it becomes invisible. 150 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:52,000 The first thing that light does is that it exposes. 151 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:54,680 It exposes what is in the room. 152 00:10:54,680 --> 00:11:02,600 In particular, Paul is writing about how light exposes the fruitless deeds of darkness. 153 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:07,960 Now I'm not sure the reason why, but anytime I watch a crime show on TV, it always amazes 154 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:17,920 me that when the police show up to a building, they walk around with flashlights and instead 155 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:20,360 of just turning the lights on, right? 156 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:27,320 Like it would make, it seems to be a more efficient way to just turn the lights on. 157 00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:31,680 Maybe one of you that are police officers can share with me why they don't do that. 158 00:11:31,680 --> 00:11:36,400 Because maybe there's a reason why it just doesn't make any sense to me. 159 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:41,880 So when you are walking around in darkness and you are exposed to the light, you begin 160 00:11:41,880 --> 00:11:45,280 to see your sin nature more fully. 161 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:50,240 Jesus told Nicodemus in John chapter 3, everyone who does wicked things hates the light. 162 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:58,920 Jesus uses the very same word for expose that Paul uses here in Ephesians. 163 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:05,120 It's a word that not only means to bring something to light, but it also brings conviction. 164 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:11,840 When light is shined in the darkness, it not only exposes the fruitless deeds of the darkness, 165 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:17,560 but it also brings conviction about the sinful deeds of the darkness. 166 00:12:17,560 --> 00:12:23,680 So part of our wake up call as believers is to remember how God brought light into our 167 00:12:23,680 --> 00:12:30,640 lives when we were still darkness and how that light exposed the darkness in our lives 168 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:37,280 and convicted us of our need to do something about that darkness. 169 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:41,320 Now my daughter was and still is awesome. 170 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:44,720 For those of you who don't know that. 171 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:50,640 When she was little we played hide and seek and I loved playing with her because she made 172 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:54,440 it really easy. 173 00:12:54,440 --> 00:13:00,080 And her skill level as she grew had all these different stages. 174 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:05,560 At first she would think that if she couldn't see me, then I couldn't see her. 175 00:13:05,560 --> 00:13:09,960 And so she would just close her eyes and then I would pretend to be looking for her until 176 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:12,480 I found her. 177 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:14,840 And then she upped her level a little bit. 178 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:17,520 Okay daddy, we're going to go play hide and seek. 179 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:23,640 You go stand in the corner and count I'm going to go hide in your bed under the covers. 180 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:28,440 Little harder, but still. 181 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:31,840 Then as she got older it became a little more difficult. 182 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:33,000 She got wiser. 183 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:37,880 She would actually find good places to hide and it would take me a minute or two to track 184 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:39,880 her down. 185 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:47,560 Now at every level of her skill I would always seek after her and I would always find her. 186 00:13:47,560 --> 00:13:51,080 The truth of the matter is she was never really far from me to begin with. 187 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:54,040 She always knew I would find her. 188 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:57,080 I don't think she ever went into a hiding spot thinking my dad's never going to find 189 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:58,840 me here. 190 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:00,960 I'm never going to see him again. 191 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:04,560 I don't think that ever once crossed her mind. 192 00:14:04,560 --> 00:14:09,960 But as a Christian that is the kind of games that we play with the Lord. 193 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:17,200 We think we're hiding, but he is still seeking after us and he will find us. 194 00:14:17,200 --> 00:14:23,680 By exposing us to the light the tendency is to try to put it back in the darkness because 195 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:26,600 it isn't as ugly there is it. 196 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:28,520 It's not as hard to look at there is it. 197 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:30,920 But God is seeking after us. 198 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:32,680 He's convicting us. 199 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:37,080 He's exposing us because he loves us. 200 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:43,560 We are his children and when he sees his children hiding in the dark he seeks after us so that 201 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:46,440 we will walk in the light. 202 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:48,960 Satan wants us to hide. 203 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:51,920 Satan wants us to pretend it isn't there. 204 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:55,960 Satan wants us to get comfortable with the darkness. 205 00:14:55,960 --> 00:15:02,280 But the problem is wicked things hate the light and we have a God who is constantly 206 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:06,160 pursuing and turning the lights on. 207 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:08,220 He's constantly exposing. 208 00:15:08,220 --> 00:15:15,120 If you are a believer in Jesus that conviction will never go away. 209 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:17,220 You really have two options. 210 00:15:17,220 --> 00:15:24,400 Put the work in confess it get the help you need to overcome it pursue the Lord in it 211 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:27,600 or live your life with constant conviction. 212 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:30,760 Those are really your only two options as a believer. 213 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:37,320 He's going to always expose it because he cares for you. 214 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:44,720 Don't keep leaving in the dark living in the dark until it blows up in your face where 215 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:50,800 it costs you your family or it costs you your job or it costs you potentially even your 216 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:52,760 life. 217 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:56,080 He's going to expose it. 218 00:15:56,080 --> 00:16:00,080 He's going to turn the lights on because you are light. 219 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:07,360 Now when I was a kid the only plants I could grow and probably still could grow was a chia 220 00:16:07,360 --> 00:16:10,440 pet. 221 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:14,080 I was reminded of them the other day when I was walking through my nards and they had 222 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:15,680 one I hadn't seen one a long time. 223 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:23,320 They had a Bert Reynolds chia pet. 224 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:27,680 My birthday is in September. 225 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:33,640 I had several chia pets growing up because again that's the only thing I could keep alive. 226 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:38,720 Now there's two rules to follow if you own a chia pet. 227 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:42,640 Water it and put it in the light. 228 00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:44,680 Really that's the only two rules. 229 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:49,600 If I learned anything in life science when I was growing up it's that the kind of things 230 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:56,360 that grow in the darkness are usually harmful for you. 231 00:16:56,360 --> 00:17:01,880 No one wants to put black mold on a salad. 232 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:06,440 For a plant to be healthy it needs sunlight. 233 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:12,800 If you want to be a healthy follower of Jesus come into the light because the darkness is 234 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:16,120 going to kill your spiritual growth. 235 00:17:16,120 --> 00:17:17,600 Bring things to the light. 236 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:21,720 That's why we spent time last week encouraging you. 237 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:23,040 Encouraging you write down these sins. 238 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:24,200 Write your name on it. 239 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:25,960 Own it. 240 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:26,960 Use it. 241 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:29,080 Bring it to the light. 242 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:32,000 Because by doing that you're bringing it to the light. 243 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:34,880 It's not a secret anymore. 244 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:39,880 And I hope that many of you if not all of you took a step this week and confessed that to 245 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:46,400 somebody else and got some help and started taking some steps in overcoming this sin because 246 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:47,720 it's hard. 247 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:49,040 Right? 248 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:50,800 It's uncomfortable. 249 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:56,400 But in the end it will make you a mature follower of Jesus. 250 00:17:56,400 --> 00:18:02,080 So light exposes but it also transforms. 251 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:08,640 That's exactly what had already happened to all of Paul's readers and it is what has occurred 252 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:13,000 in our lives as well if we are followers of Jesus Christ. 253 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:20,680 As we saw last week when God shines his light into our lives and reveals the darkness and 254 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:25,200 brings conviction we respond to that light. 255 00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:29,240 And when we respond to that light we don't just become enlightened. 256 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:31,840 We actually become light. 257 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:33,600 We become the light ourselves. 258 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:38,160 Paul confirms that principle again here when he writes that everything that becomes visible 259 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:40,440 is light. 260 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:43,960 Paul describes this process in a couple of his other letters in Colossians chapter one. 261 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:49,280 He writes he has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom 262 00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:51,440 of his beloved son. 263 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:56,440 In 2 Corinthians chapter four he writes for God who said let light shine out of darkness 264 00:18:56,440 --> 00:19:01,600 has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face 265 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:03,280 of Jesus Christ. 266 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:10,440 So Paul is encouraging his readers first of all to remember the light. 267 00:19:10,440 --> 00:19:18,720 He's urging them to think back to the time when God brought light into their darkness 268 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:22,280 and allowed them to see the nature of their dark deeds. 269 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:26,440 And then God did something even more miraculous. 270 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:33,760 His light actually transformed their lives so that they became light themselves. 271 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:38,960 So remember when you were exposed to the light but also understand he's going to transform 272 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:41,040 you so that you become light as well. 273 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:44,360 That's the story of so many of you. 274 00:19:44,360 --> 00:19:46,600 So many people that's your story. 275 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:56,480 God has used your story of darkness and now uses it to shine light to those around you. 276 00:19:56,480 --> 00:20:00,480 Everyone likes the transformation story right? 277 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:06,920 Why do weight loss companies do before and after photos? 278 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:14,080 Because they're trying to sell you that that could be you if you buy their product. 279 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:19,000 Why do dentists use before and after photos? 280 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:23,680 Because they're trying to sell you that that could be your smile. 281 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:27,240 I mean that's how pyramid schemes work isn't it? 282 00:20:27,240 --> 00:20:32,600 They sell you on the potential of what you could make if you will join them. 283 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:37,480 In all those cases they're trying to show you that your life can be transformed. 284 00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:39,520 You can have a six pack. 285 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:41,320 You can have a beautiful smile. 286 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:47,040 You can have your own yacht and never have to worry about money again. 287 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:48,240 This is what God does. 288 00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:53,440 He transforms us from darkness into light so that we can be the light to those around 289 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:55,960 us. 290 00:20:55,960 --> 00:21:02,520 I was one way but then God did something to me and now I am more like him. 291 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:05,600 That's a powerful testimony. 292 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:08,600 Many of you have powerful testimonies. 293 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:13,880 I used to be legalistic but then God showed me his grace. 294 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:17,240 I used to be addicted but God gave me the strength to overcome it. 295 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:22,760 I used to treat my spouse like trash but the Lord changed my heart and now we have this 296 00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:25,680 awesome marriage. 297 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:33,200 Whatever your story is, God wants to use you so that you can be the light to others. 298 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:41,560 Do you know why groups like Life Recovery are so important? 299 00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:48,480 Because it gives people hope that their life can be different than it is right now. 300 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:52,440 When they're around people surrounded by people that have overcome it that are on the path 301 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:53,440 towards healing. 302 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:55,560 It gives them hope. 303 00:21:55,560 --> 00:22:04,120 At our last church we had this worship leader that had spent 26 years in prison. 304 00:22:04,120 --> 00:22:05,120 He was not a good guy. 305 00:22:05,120 --> 00:22:09,000 He must have done some horrible things to get that much time in prison. 306 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:14,320 In fact, when I first met him he had just gotten out of prison. 307 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:20,320 But during his time in prison the Lord got ahold of him. 308 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:27,920 You see for some it takes a wake up call like that to get our attention. 309 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:33,400 But from the time the Lord got ahold of him until today he has the joy of the Lord all 310 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:36,400 over him. 311 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:41,680 He now uses his talents to shine the light on to those around him. 312 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:47,400 He didn't get those talents when the Lord saved him but now he uses those talents for 313 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:49,560 the kingdom. 314 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:53,280 His life is one of transformation. 315 00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:59,640 And now he uses his transformation story to help transform others. 316 00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:06,960 God can take your messed up life that's in the darkness and he can transform it into 317 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:12,400 light but you have to be willing to be exposed. 318 00:23:12,400 --> 00:23:14,480 You have to be willing to take that step. 319 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:16,900 You have to trust the process. 320 00:23:16,900 --> 00:23:21,000 You have to trust that his ways are better. 321 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:23,000 And I know that's hard. 322 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:25,680 And I know it's the last thing you want to do at times. 323 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:31,600 But the reality is that light transforms you for a reason. 324 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:36,600 There is a reason why the Bible says that iron sharpens iron. 325 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:38,920 So one man does another. 326 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:46,840 It's the reason why Peter says that the genuineness of your faith is tested by fire. 327 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:50,120 But those are not easy processes to go through. 328 00:23:50,120 --> 00:23:55,320 We have to be okay with going through the moments of being uncomfortable for our faith 329 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:57,280 to be strengthened. 330 00:23:57,280 --> 00:23:59,520 When sparks start flying. 331 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:02,080 When the heat gets hot. 332 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:07,640 Trust that God is forming you into something that is going to be better and that you are 333 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:12,120 going to be used by him. 334 00:24:12,120 --> 00:24:16,600 It exposes but it also transforms. 335 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:20,320 Now again remember that this passage is written to believers. 336 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:27,680 So we can't take verses and think that it's our responsibility to expose the sins of everyone 337 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:29,960 around us. 338 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:32,480 God is the one who reveals sins to unbelievers. 339 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:34,600 Not us. 340 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:36,200 God is the one that brings conviction. 341 00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:37,200 Not us. 342 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:43,280 Unfortunately, many well-meaning Christians have taken verse 11 out of context and used 343 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:50,120 it trying to justify trying to be the Holy Spirit to unbelievers. 344 00:24:50,120 --> 00:24:58,160 They honestly believe that this verse gives them not only the right but the obligation 345 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:05,120 to point out and expose sin in the lives of unbelievers. 346 00:25:05,120 --> 00:25:08,680 But there are several problems with using this verse in that manner. 347 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:16,800 When we try to be the Holy Spirit we actually are putting ourselves in the place of God. 348 00:25:16,800 --> 00:25:22,280 The Bible is clear that the work of the Holy Spirit to convict the unbelieving world is 349 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:23,280 his job. 350 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:25,440 It's the Holy Spirit's job. 351 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:32,600 However God does often use his children in that process. 352 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:36,840 When our lives produce the fruit of the light which is goodness and righteousness and truth 353 00:25:36,840 --> 00:25:43,000 God can often use our lives to dispel the darkness in the lives of others. 354 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:48,400 But that's as bad as far as it goes with our responsibility in that area. 355 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:57,080 This is why I'm 100% against Christians protesting at abortion clinics. 356 00:25:57,080 --> 00:26:05,120 By bringing shame to a woman who is probably living out one of the worst days of her life 357 00:26:05,120 --> 00:26:08,960 does not sound like Jesus to me. 358 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:14,920 Our time and resources will be better served by volunteering at pregnancy centers. 359 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:17,600 Loving men and women as they navigate that process. 360 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:22,160 We should be praying that the Holy Spirit would convict the doctors and the nurses and 361 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:27,080 the women at the abortion clinic but we don't need to shame them. 362 00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:34,080 When I came into the sanctuary this morning it was completely dark in here. 363 00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:35,920 There was no sun coming from the windows. 364 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:38,680 There were no lights on. 365 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:44,760 But I didn't get rid of the darkness by trying to switch it off. 366 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:49,720 I turned on the light and the darkness disappeared. 367 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:51,800 Darkness is not the problem. 368 00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:54,640 It has not been the problem. 369 00:26:54,640 --> 00:27:00,480 As we discussed last week darkness is merely the absence of light. 370 00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:08,320 So the problem is not darkness, it's the lack of light from those who claim to be followers 371 00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:10,760 of Jesus Christ. 372 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:14,480 Too many Christians are sound asleep. 373 00:27:14,480 --> 00:27:24,600 The problem with darkness is that there's too many followers of Jesus who are not shining 374 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:26,520 the light. 375 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:32,040 These passages indeed a much needed wake up call to us as a church. 376 00:27:32,040 --> 00:27:35,000 God is saying to his children, wake up. 377 00:27:35,000 --> 00:27:37,280 Hey, wake up. 378 00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:41,800 There is death and darkness all around you. 379 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:46,040 You are getting enveloped by the darkness. 380 00:27:46,040 --> 00:27:49,520 Remember the light that I brought into your life. 381 00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:53,000 Remember that I exposed that darkness. 382 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:59,560 Remember that I exposed that sin and transformed you from darkness to light. 383 00:27:59,560 --> 00:28:06,440 He's saying repent of any fruitless deeds of darkness and don't even talk about them. 384 00:28:06,440 --> 00:28:11,840 Live as children of light so that others might see the light and give God glory to the Father 385 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:15,080 in heaven. 386 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:17,560 Wake up. 387 00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:20,800 Wake up. 388 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:22,680 That's a call for all of us. 389 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:24,200 Is it not? 390 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:28,800 Wake up. 391 00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:33,440 And so instead of bringing shame to those around us who are walking in darkness, can 392 00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:37,960 we just love them better? 393 00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:45,320 Instead of pointing out all their sinful deeds, can we just show them the light that's in 394 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:48,240 us and hopefully they see the difference? 395 00:28:48,240 --> 00:28:49,880 It's not our job to bring conviction. 396 00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:51,400 That's the Holy Spirit's job. 397 00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:59,600 And so we need to fall on our knees and beg that He will do that. 398 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:01,400 When I came in this morning, again, the lights were off. 399 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:02,480 I turned the lights on. 400 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:06,080 Like I do every Sunday morning. 401 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:08,840 I come in here and I just pray for you. 402 00:29:08,840 --> 00:29:09,840 Pray for these seeds. 403 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:11,840 Pray for me. 404 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:19,800 Pray that my words will not be of me. 405 00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:25,720 So I never try to play on your emotions. 406 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:30,640 I really just try to portray what I feel like the Lord is telling us as a church. 407 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:37,000 And I think we need to repent. 408 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:41,080 I think we need to repent of the fact that you and I have not been light in dark places 409 00:29:41,080 --> 00:29:46,760 as best as we should. 410 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:51,800 We fit the snooze button far too many times. 411 00:29:51,800 --> 00:30:01,680 And if you have a spouse that hits the snooze button multiple times, it drives you crazy. 412 00:30:01,680 --> 00:30:03,160 So I'm going to pray for us. 413 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:14,120 I'm going to ask our elders to be up front. 414 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:16,320 And we want to pray with you. 415 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:22,480 I'm going to have the altar open. 416 00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:26,920 If you need to come lay those things before him. 417 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:30,120 Maybe you brought some things into the light last Sunday and you've put it back there. 418 00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:33,640 Maybe you need to bring it into the light again. 419 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:46,160 See, sin a lot of times is like a child that you're trying to take from the fun station. 420 00:30:46,160 --> 00:30:52,600 They usually, when they're young, they leave kicking and screaming because they want to 421 00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:54,280 stay. 422 00:30:54,280 --> 00:30:55,920 Sometimes that's our sin. 423 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:58,880 We bring it out and it's kicking and screaming and it wants to go right back in. 424 00:30:58,880 --> 00:31:02,240 So sometimes we need to go in there and get it again, right? 425 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:04,800 So let's bring some things to the light. 426 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:05,800 Let's wake up. 427 00:31:05,800 --> 00:31:09,880 So if you've been hitting the snooze button, my prayer for you is that you would turn it 428 00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:11,880 off. 429 00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:14,280 The night is over. 430 00:31:14,280 --> 00:31:19,000 The day is here and we got a lot of work to do. 431 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:20,000 So let's pray. 432 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:28,880 Father, I pray that as we sing and respond to your words that you will speak to our hearts. 433 00:31:28,880 --> 00:31:35,160 I pray, Father, that you will not only expose our sin, but you will help us see that you 434 00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:44,240 will transform our lives as well. 435 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:48,000 So God, we pray that your voice will be heard in our hearts. 436 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:55,000 Again, I pray that you will take away any pride that's in this room. 437 00:31:55,000 --> 00:32:03,520 And I pray, Father, that you will replace it with obedience as we sing and as we pray 438 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:04,520 and as we repent. 439 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:05,520 Turn in your prayer. 440 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:21,320 Okay.