Ephesians 5:1-10
WALK LIKE AN EPHESIAN
Intro: We normally think of one's walk as their means of
locomotion, or how they move from one place to another. Our
walk is something that develops early in our lives, somewhere
around the age of 1. However, there is another sense in which
this word is used. It can also refer to a person's walk of life.
That is, what they do with their life and how they live their life
can be described as their walk.
In the book of Ephesians, Paul uses the word "walk" 6
times. Each time he does, he uses it in the sense of one's
conduct or manner of living their life. He is writing to these
Ephesian believers to show them how they are to live their
lives as they pass through this world as pilgrims and strangers.
He is writing to teach them how they are to live their lives.
I want to touch briefly on each of these 6 verses this
evening. You what Paul told these believers 2,000 years ago
is still valid for us, in our world, today. Let's take a few minutes
to look into these verse and learn how to Walk Like An
Ephesian.
I. 2:10 THE WORKING WALK
A. While we are not saved by our good works, Eph. 2:8-9,
we are saved to work, James 2:18. No amount of good
works can produce salvation, but salvation will produce
a limitless number of good works.
B. God has saved us to serve, and He has prepared the
works which we are to do as we pass through this life.
He has a special assignment for each person He saves.
1 Cor. 12:7, 11.
C. We are His workmanship, (Poem, Masterpiece). He
saved us to show us off and let the world know what He
can do with sinners. He has chosen to paint the glory
of His grace and love upon the canvas of our lives . He
has chosen us to show a lost world what a great God
can do with a lost sinner.
D. As we abide in Him, we will have no problem carrying
out the assignment which we are given, John 5:15.
II. 4:1 THE WORTHY WALK
A. The word "worthy" comes from a word that means "to
balance the scales." What Paul is saying here is this:
"Let your walk balance with your talk." Simple
stated, we are called upon to be what we claim to
believe!
B. Too many believers claim to believe on thing, yet live
another. Such things should never be! This verse
reminds us that we have been called by God to a part
of His saving plan. We are to walk "worthy" of that
calling. We are to balance our lives with the fact the He
has called us "out of darkness into His marvelous
light.", 1 Pet. 2:9!
C. Only one who's life balances is worthy of the name
Christian!
III. 4. 17 THE WHOLEHEARTED WALK
A. Paul's emphasis in this verse is that believers ought to
be different! They have been saved and they are no
longer to live like the world around them. Remember,
those who are in Jesus are "new creatures", 2 Cor.
5:17.
B. Ill. The corruption and vice of the Ephesus of Paul's
day. It was a wicked city filled with wicked men and
wicked worship. (Ill. The Temple of Diana (Artemis)
was there, Acts 19:24-28. It was a place associated
with paganism, prostitution and crime.). The Greek
philosopher Heraclitus said this about Ephesus and the
Ephesians, "the darkness of vileness. The morals
were lower than animals and the inhabitants of
Ephesus were fit only to be drowned." Ephesus was
no easy place to live. But, Paul calls upon them to be
different!
C. The same clear lines of demarcation should still exist
between the people of the Lord and the world around
us! We have been saved to be different. The way to do
this is to avoid the path of the lost, Eph. 4:17-19, and to
walk in the path of life, Eph. 4:20-32. We can live for
God!
IV. 5:2 THE WONDERFUL WALK
A. Paul tells the Ephesians that their lives are to be
characterized by love. Jesus said that love was to be
the earmark, or the defining trait of His disciples, John
13:35. The love Paul refers to here is the word
"agape". We know that this refers to "God's kind of
love." It is unconditional that is based on a conscious
choice, after close evaluation. In other words, it means
to love someone in spite of what they are, what they
have done, or what you know about them. It is
loving like Jesus. Spelled out clearly in 1 Cor. 13:1-8.
B. This love should be evident in our lives in three areas.
1. Love For The Savior - Matt. 22:37 - This kind of
love will keep us Holy.
2. Love For The Saint - 1 John 3:14 - This kind of
love will keep us Humble. (By the way, if you can't
love a brother, your claim to love God is a lie, 1
John 4:20.)
3. Love For The Sinner - Matt. 22:39 - When we learn
to love the lost around us like Jesus does, this kind
of love will keep us Hot!
C. The ability to love this way is not natural, but it is the
supernatural work of God in us!
V. 5:8 THE WITNESSING WALK
A. Note the contrast in this verse. We "were darkness",
lost folks still are. Now we "are light". Our whole
nature has been changed and we are to live that
change out before a world trapped in darkness.
B. As we do, our lives becomes living testimonies to the
awesome power of God to change the sinner! Lost me
see the change and are stirred in their hearts, Matt.
5:16. You see, it is not just enough to walk in the light,
we are light, 2 Pet. 1:4; John 9:5; Matt. 5:14. Because
who are who we are by the power of God, we are to live
out the Light of God's truth in every moment of life!
VI. 5:15 THE WISE WALK
A. The word "circumspectly" means, "accurately,
exactly, diligently." Paul's call is for believers to walk
with their eyes open. We are to watch each step we
take, looking diligently for the snares of the devil, 1 Pet.
5:8, and for the opportunities of the Lord, John 5:19-20.
B. The idea of this verse is two-fold. We can either live
our lives like fools. That is, we can fall for the devil's
traps, we can walk in disobedience, or it can be
something as simple as living your life for the wrong
things. All those make for foolish living. Or, we can live
as wise men. This means that we make every minute
count for the glory of the Lord, Eph. 5:16. We use the
opportunities God gives us and we watch out for the
traps and tricks of the devil. We don't just set our sail to
the wind and go where the day takes us, we plan our
time around the will of God so that we can accomplish
much for His glory.
Conc: So, how is your walk? Have you seen ways it could be
better? Are there things that need to be fixed this evening? If
so, Jesus is giving spiritual tuneups.
