THE WALK OF THE CHRISTIAN BELIEVER

F. THE BELIEVER IS TO WALK AS A CHILD OF LIGHT

-- { Ephesians 5:8-14 }  ⁸ For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light— ⁹ for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. ¹⁰ Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹ Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. ¹² For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; ¹³ but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, ¹⁴ for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, ‘Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ -- NRSV

Breath Prayer For The Week (A "breath prayer" is a brief sentence or simple phrase that can be repeated often to Jesus in one breath.)

Jesus, shine on me.

Dear Friend, grace and peace be unto you from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus, the Christ.  Amen.

There are two walks available for a person through life.  There is the walk of darkness or the life and walk of light.  There is a world of difference between the two.  In fact, a person’s eternity is revealed by which life and walk is taken.  St. Paul shares in this portion of his letter to the Ephesians on the qualities of light.

First, light, not darkness, is the nature of believers (5:8)  “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Live as children of light…”

Paul wants you to have a picture of what it is like to be without God in your life.  It is a state of darkness because you do not know God.  You may certainly have plenty of friends but they can’t do for you what God can.

1. A person in darkness does not know where he comes from.  He is blind to the creative purpose of God.

2. A person in darkness does not know why he is on earth.  He goes through life from day to day but never catches the purpose for which he was made.  He lives as though in darkness or certainly a fog.

3. A person in darkness does not know where he is going.  This has to do with life after death.  He has no understanding of God’s promise in Jesus for his eternal future.  The future indeed is dark for him.

Apart from God you are in darkness and you really have no clue as to the past, present or future.  It is all about Truth.  If you want the Truth about life and death you need to get to know the Author of Truth.

As this Truth is revealed to you, the light comes on in your life.  Jesus said, “I am the light of the world: he who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).  It is Jesus who brings light to your life.  

When you were baptized in the name of our Triune God you were snatched out of darkness and thrust into the light.  Your faith has grown as you have grown closer to Jesus.  You have now become light in this world of darkness.  The radiance of God’s presence now shines from your being.  You are a light on a hill that cannot be hide.

Second, light bears the things of life – the fruit of the Spirit (5:9)  “…(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)…”

St. Paul says that a life that illuminates, gives off light, will shine with three things.

1. Goodness (agathosune) which means being full of virtue and excellence, kindness and helpfulness, peace and consideration.  To be full of all good and to do all good.  This person has a good heart and good behavior.

2. Righteousness (dikaiosune) which means two things: to be right and to do right.  To be in God and be of God.

3. Truth (aletheia) means moral, saving, working, living truth.  It is not simply something to be known but something to be done.  This is the truth of “the inner parts” that David expresses in Psalm 51:6. 

God’s word is the Truth.  Jesus is the Truth.  

1. The truth sets you free from the shadow of doubt and despair.  

2. The truth sets you free from the bondage of sin on your life because Jesus and the Spirit live within you.

3. The truth set you free from the bondage of death.  You no longer have to fear death.  It is the gate to eternal life with your Creator because of Jesus’ death and resurrection for you.  You now have this certain hope to live eternally with your God.

4. The truth sets you free from the bondage of judgment and hell.  Your future is no longer a dark unknown.  The Light has come and revealed it to you.  Jesus is preparing for you a place in God’s eternal kingdom.

5. The truth sets you free to live to the utmost.  All the good of God is yours: love, joy, peace, hope…  You are saved and blessed completely for life now and in eternity.  The Good Shepherd will lead you.

Third, light shows what is acceptable (5:10)  “…and find out what pleases the Lord.”

Light proves things, exposes things, shows what is acceptable.  As you walk in the light…

Everything you do is to be done as “unto the Lord.”  You are to set your attention and energy on pleasing the Lord.

Fourth, light exposes the works of darkness (5:11-12)  “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.  For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.”

1. Paul is forceful here.  He states that you are not to have fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness.  Those things that give your life no real meaning or purpose in this life and don’t prepare you for the next one.  Paul has listed previously several unfruitful deeds that you are to resist doing.

2. Paul is forceful again in saying that you are to expose the fruitless works of darkness.  You are to expose, rebuke and convict others in their sinful works.  Your task is to reflect so much light that all the works of darkness around you are exposed and expelled.

3. Paul gives the reason for having nothing to do with and exposing the fruitless deeds of darkness.  It is shameful to even speak of those things he says.  You are not to even talk about the dark works of this world.  Rather, you are to talk of the Light of Jesus.

Fifth, light reveals and converts everything it touches (5:13)  “But everything exposed by the light becomes visible,…”

1. When light touches something it is lit up and even gives off a reflection of light itself.  You are changed, converted as the Light of Jesus touches you.  You then reflect that light to the world.  

2. As long as evil is done in secret it grows, but when light comes upon it, it dies.  One of your tasks as a follower of Jesus is to shine light on the evil of our world.  As St. Paul said in verse 8, “you are light in the Lord.”  As the sun has healing rays, so the Son radiates a healing presence through your life.  

Sixth, light awakens the sleeping (5:14)  “…for it is light that makes everything visible.  This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’”

If you are sleeping, bright light will wake you up.  Here Paul says the Light of Christ will wake the spiritually dead.  Most people in the world are sleeping when it comes to walking in the light of God.  If you are sleeping, Paul says, wake up.  

This is the point of this verse.  It is written to believers.  It is written to you and me.  Many times we slip back into the world and let life slip by without God’s light.  Are you asleep?  Are you living in the darkness of spiritual sleep?  Wake up and remember the great heritage and promises God has given you in your baptism and faith.  Jesus Christ is your heritage.  You are called to be like Him.  Let His Light and His Word shine on you!

For the person in darkness or the believer who slips back into the darkness of spiritual sleep there is only one Source of awakening – Jesus.  Jesus said, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness” (John 12:46)

Heavenly Father, let Your light shine on us so that we might shine forth for You.  Flood us with the Light of Jesus and Your Spirit.