The text for last Thursday's sermon was originally going to be over Ephesians 5:15-20, but I ended up expanding it to cover Ephesians 5:1-21. The reason for expanding the text was that I did want to flesh out the 'cautions' given to us in the verses prescribed to us by the Lectionary. Particularly, the verses warning about sexual misconduct, we don't need to belabor the sexual content of these verses credited to Paul, but there is a definite sexual connotation and we would be at fault if we chose to just disregard or discard it entirely.
What the author is trying to get across to us is that we are to be 'changed', we are no longer to walk the walk of an unbeliever. Rather, we are called to a higher standard of behavior and belief, we are to set an example for others by the way we live and conduct our lives.
To this point, we are called to live lives of celebration to God. We are called by these verses to "sing psalms and hymns... singing and making melody to the Lord in your heart, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Praise be to God for the innumerable blessings that we receive, blessings that we don't and can't even begin to list and recogonize, blessings that come to us moment by moment, day by day, year by year... blessings that stretch out to include each and every day of our lives in this world.
Let us lift a song of praise and glory to our Lord today and all days...
Be a blessing to someone today!
In His Love,
Roy
Ephesians 5:1-21 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
5 1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and live in love, as Christ loved us[a] and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But fornication and impurity of any kind, or greed, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving. 5 Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure person, or one who is greedy (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be associated with them. 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.”
15 Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, 20 giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
21 Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Footnotes:
a) Ephesians 5:2 Other ancient authorities read you
prof·li·ga·cy
ˈpräfləɡəsē/
noun
1. reckless extravagance or wastefulness in the use of resources. "the government returned to fiscal profligacy"
2. licentious or dissolute behavior. "the emperor's sexual profligacy"
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