Transcript Out of the Darkness & Into the Light Eph. 5:1-21

Conquering the Darkness
Eph. 5:1-21
Christians conquer darkness by staying
in the Light.
I. Conquer Darkness by Imitating
God
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1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly
loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as
Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as
a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all,
He is holy and pure. Imitate this.
The light (Christ) shined in the darkness. . .
(Jn.1). He came to us. He gave up personal
possessions and honor to help us. Imitate
this.
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God’s passion is to love us and be loved by
us—to walk with us. Imitate this.
All that God does (creates, sustains,
redeems, teaches. . ) is an overflow of His
love. God is Love. Imitate this.
Stay in the light by imitating God. (this means
you will need to learn of Him and experience
Him through study, prayer, obedience, and
service.)
II. Conquer Darkness by NonParticipation.
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of
sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of
greed (excessive desires), because these are
improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be
obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out
of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can
be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such
a man 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 such things
God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7
Therefore do not be partners with them.
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Non-participation in DEEDS of darkness:
1.“Fornication” (porneia); 2. “Uncleanness” (not
cleansed); “or else” (ἤ ,hey) 3. “Excessive desire”
(pleonexia, greediness—used in 4:19). These
three terms are used of sexual irregularities which
dishonor God and ourselves and others. Three
terms are used to make sure that the arguments of
self-justification concerning sexual practices were
thoroughly challenged. “or else” “excessive
desire” = however you slice it.
Sex, like food or “substances” can be indulged to
the point of addictive and excessive craving. Selfcontrol brings these needs into “normalcy” of need
and fulfillment.
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Non-participation with WORDS of darkness:
1.Obscenity; 2. Foolish Talk; 3. Coarse
Joking.
Again, these three kinds of speech have to
do with sexual affront; sexual bravado; and
sexual inuendo.
“wash your mouth out” not with soap, but with
the Light of God’s Word. “Be holy, for I am
holy.”
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Non-participation with THOUGHTS of darkness:
immoral, impure, excessive desired people are
idolaters (use imaginary substitutes for God) and
have no place in the Kingdom of Christ and of
God.
You become what you think. Taking every
thought captive will make you right in thought,
word and deed: II Cor. 10 4 (For the weapons of
our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through
God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5
Casting down imaginations

, and every high thing
that exalts itself against the knowledge of God,
and bringing into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ.
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The preferred method of cleaning air, water, blood,
etc. now is ultraviolet light. “Thy Word is a lamp
and a light....” “Now are ye clean through the
Word which I have spoken unto you”. Are you in
the Word?
Conquer the darkness by staying in the light.
Walk in the light, as He is in the Light.
The UV lamp does no good if the air or water is not
continuingly exposed to it. Stop the exposure and
bacteria builds up.
As you are continuingly exposed to God’s Light, all
your Thoughts, Words, and Deeds, as well as your
attitudes and motives will continue to be clean.
III. Conquer the Darkness by
Exposing its Deeds
11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds
of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it
is shameful even to mention what the
disobedient (unbelieving) do in secret. 13 But
everything exposed by the light becomes
visible, 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.”
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The unbeliever (disobedient) cannot help
themselves. They are chained in darkness
and are ignorant of God’s will. We do not
“mention” the deeds they personally do in
secret, but we “expose” the darkness of those
deeds in general, teaching them (making
visible) God’s will and calling upon them to
“Awake from sleep and let Christ shine on
them”.
We pray that God will enlighten their
consciences again with His light and draw
them to the light of Christ. “No man comes to
me except the Father in Heaven draw him.”
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By just being who we are, and what we are,
we naturally “expose” darkness, because “we
are the light of the world” and “a city set on a
Hill cannot be hid.”
By just being who we are, people of the
darkness don’t like us. “Men love darkness
rather than light, because their deeds are
evil.” “Blessed are you when you are
persecuted for righteousness sake.”
By just being who we are, we conquer the
darkness, because “the light shines in the
darkness and the darkness cannot subdue it”.
“That which restrains must be taken out of
the way...”
IV. Conquer the Darkness by living
Carefully and Wisely.
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15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as
unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every
opportunity, because the days are evil. 17
Therefore do not be foolish Lord’s will, but
understand what the is. 18 Do not get drunk on
wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled
with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with
psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make
music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving
thanks to God the Father for everything, in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Care has to be exercised in order to live wisely.
Take Care:
When we live wisely we:
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Take Care to Witness—make the most of every
opportunity since not many opportunities will be
forthcoming. We know it is foolish to go through life
not witnessing because we understand that God’s
will is that all should be saved.
Take Care with Wine—it was the customary drink, so
be careful not to drink the wrong formula or too
much of a certain formula, because this leads to
debauchery; and this is not wise
Take Care with Worship—we are constantly being
filled with the Spirit through singing & giving thanks.
It is not wise to live with worry and resentment.
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Conquer the darkness by staying in the light.
Staying in the Light means you will have to
live wisely by “taking care” with some things in
your life.
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What things in today’s world might keep us
from witnessing, lead to debauchery, and
produce worry and resentment? Are you
taking care not to live unwisely?
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Satan goes about as a “roaring lion” seeking
whom he may devour...
V. Conquer the Darkness by
Submitting to one another.
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for
Christ.
 This is THE MOST DIFFICULT thing for any of us
to do in our lives. We must live in the Light in
order to do it.
 Seeing the submission of Christ, we follow His
example, living in the light of His example.
 Our inbred nature is to “nest”. We must “control”
everything around us in order to successfully nest.
This need grows exponentially to infect all life.
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Teens and young adults are usually the most
dominated by the “nesting” “controlling” drive.
They often give the impression that “life revolves
around them” or that “life is good only when I am
in control.” We can be patient with them because
we understand the natural drives they are dealing
with.
The older we get, the less control we need, as our
“nesting” has been accomplished.
But no matter what our drives are, or how old or
young we may be, we are still told “submit” to one
another. If we don’t, we will always be fighting
each other, instead of “conquering the darkness”
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This “submission” is to each other as
Christians. Of course, we do not submit to
the evil wishes of non-Christians.
The “submission” Jesus taught in the Sermon
on the Mount was to “occupying forces”:
slaps, carrying loads, giving supplies, legal
evils of such a time. . .
In normal times and with normal people, we
live and speak the truth lovingly and
forthrightly. As light is warm and stimulating
and non-assaulting, so we live and speak,
completely surrounding those upon who we
shine with friendliness and love and truth.
Questions about Conquering the
Darkness
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Are you imitating God and living a life of love?
Are you refusing to participate in all kinds of sexual
impurity in deeds, words, and thoughts?
Does your daily witness and teachings expose the
darkness of unsaved people around you?
Are you taking care to witness, to worship, and to
walk above the debaucheries of our culture?
Do you find it difficult to submit to other Christians?
Are you able to be patient with those who are too
controlling because you understand their drives?
The Light of the World is Jesus 287 (f)
The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin
The Light of the World is Jesus
Like sunshine at noonday His glory shone in
The Light of the world is Jesus
Come to the Light, ‘tis shining for thee
Sweetly the Light has dawned upon me
Once I was blind, but now I can see
The Light of the World is Jesus
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Perhaps you see that darkness is not being
conquered in your life. If so, join me in this prayer:
Dear Father, it is my true and deep desire to
imitate you, to live a life of love, to refuse all
darkness and even to expose it with the love and
warmth and truth You have put within me. Lord, I
will live carefully and wisely. Forgive me for failing
to witness, for failing to walk purely, and for failing
to worship. Fill me with your Spirit. Enable me to
submit to my fellow Christians so that I can engage
the real battle with darkness. I commit my life to
you. By Your grace, I will stay in the Light of Your
presence so that I can conquer the darkness
through Christ, Amen.
No darkness have we who in Jesus abide
The Light of the world is Jesus
We walk in the Light when we follow our Guide
The Light of the world is Jesus
Come to the Light, ‘tis shining for thee
Sweetly the Light has dawned upon me
Once I was blind but now I can see
The Light of the world is Jesus
No need of the sunlight in heaven, we’re told
The Light of that world is Jesus
The Lamb is the Light in the City of God
The Light of the World is Jesus (chorus)