Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:1-20 NIV)
This past week, thousands of kids in our area went back to school. The first days of a new school year are always filled with the same thing: Lots of rules. Right? Rules for the classroom and hallway and lunchroom and recess. Lots of rules! So you know what that means, right? There are a whole bunch of students thinking this weekend about how they can get around the rules. What can they get away with? How can they push the limits? Kids are so good at this! The teacher draws a line. Sets a rule. And kids try to get as close to the line as possible without going over.
But that’s not just what kids do at school. We don’t ever grow out of that. This is what we do as human beings: Get as close to the line as we can! The speed limit: How fast can I go and not get caught? Taxes: How little can I pay without getting in trouble? We never grow out of that! When we see a line in the sand, we think: “How close can I get to the line without going over?” But not just with human rules. We do that with God’s rules too. With God’s commands. “Where’s the line? How close can I get without going over? How far can I push it?” Does that sound like you?
Then watch out. Because when it comes to God’s rules for life, what God says is so different from what we normally hear. He says: “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.” When it comes to sin, how close does God want us to get? “There must not be even a hint.” Is that how you think about things that are sinful? “Not a hint.” Think of it like this: Sin is like poison. How much poison do you want with your food? “A little bit won’t hurt, right? Just as long as it’s not too much.” No way! Not a hint! Yet, are we content with poison in our hearts?
I think God chose the perfect example: Sexual sins. This is something you won’t hear at school. “Among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.” The Bible talks a lot about sex. Sex is God’s gift to one man and one woman in marriage. Sexual immorality is anything outside of that. And our sinful natures say, “So where’s the line, God? How close can we get?” And God says, “Not a hint.” In other words, “There’s no line.” A man is only meant in his whole life to see one woman naked—his wife. A woman is only meant in her whole life to see one man naked—her husband. That’s it. So that sex can be a blessing just between them in their marriage.
So here’s the uncomfortable question that God asks us today: Is there a hint of sexual immorality in your life? It’s not okay. A relationship you’re not living in line with God’s Word? It’s not okay. Do you use pornography? It’s not okay. How about movies or shows that are filled with sexual immorality? It’s not okay. I bet you’ve got an excuse. We always do! “It doesn’t hurt anybody else!” Go back to this: How much poison do you like with your food? You’re hurting yourself. You’re hurting your spouse. You’re hurting your future spouse. You’re hurting God who made you. “Among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality.” Not a hint.
It doesn’t just work that way with sex. God keeps going: “Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.” Obscenities. Bad words from our mouths. None. Not a hint. Foolish talk about others. About sex. About God. None. Not a hint. Coarse jokes? Like we hear everywhere? None. Not a hint. They aren’t funny to God. As always, our thoughts and words are just as important to God as our actions. Maybe you’re starting to think, “Pastor, to not have a hint of these sins in my life, I’d have to change what I watch. I’d have to live differently. I couldn’t do what I’m doing now.” Yeah! That’s the point!
We have ingrained in us by nature that sin really isn’t a big deal. That’s why we see how close we can get. But listen to this: “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” Oh. If you live your life in sin without repenting, you will lose your inheritance in heaven. Is that a big deal? Yes! Why is sin so serious? It’s idolatry. Idolatry is loving something more than God. If you love that other person more than God, that’s idolatry. If you love that entertainment more than God’s commands, that’s idolatry. If you’re an idolater, what happens? You lose heaven.
Actually, it’s worse. You don’t just lose heaven. “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.” There are so many empty words. So many deceptions. “It’s only natural.” “Love is love.” “I’m free to do what I want.” “God just wants me to be happy.” Compare that with “Not a hint.” So many empty words! “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.” Don’t let anyone deceive you. When we allow even a hint of sexual immorality—or any sin— into our lives, we deserve God’s wrath for our disobedience.
So here’s something really strange. Do you know what the Bible calls you? Look at the first verse: “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children…” What does God call you? His “dearly loved children!” Huh? After all our sin? How? Because of Jesus. “Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Christ loved us. He gave himself for us. He endured God’s wrath for us. He won forgiveness for us. So God calls you his dearly loved child. Every sin washed away. Sexual sins. Greed sins. Forgiven! This is the gospel!
There are so many pictures of the gospel in our lesson: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.” You and I were darkness. That’s a good description of sin, isn’t it? Of life without God? Darkness. Darkness of drugs or alcohol. Darkness of a relationship based on sex. Darkness of anger or bitterness. The darkness of sin. What did Jesus do? He pulled you into the light. He rescued you! He showed us God’s goodness and righteousness and truth. You don’t have to live in darkness anymore. “You are light in the Lord.” So, “live as children of light.”
Then Paul quotes a little poem. It must be something that early Christians sang or said, “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” We were sleeping. God woke us up. We were dead. God made us alive. It’s hard not to think about baptism. Baptism is how we are born again. How God gives us new life and forgiveness. Even though you’re baptized one time, it impacts every day of your life. Every day God wakes us up from our sins. Every day God gives us new life with his forgiveness. Jesus has brought you from darkness into light. Jesus has brought you from death to life. Jesus has made you God’s dearly loved child. This is the gospel!
I noticed a little phrase for the first time: “Everything that is illuminated becomes a light.” That’s common sense. Everything you light up becomes a light. Duh! If God’s light shines in you, what do you become? A light. This is how the Bible talks about our lives as Christians. You’re a light, not because you’re trying to earn God’s love, but because he already loves you so much. You’re a light, not to try to become God’s child, but because you already are God’s child. We imitate God, not out of fear or dread, but out of love, like dearly loved children imitate their parents.
This is what’s missing anywhere there isn’t Jesus. The right motivation. Our public schools want kids to be kind, forgiving, selfless, hard-working… Those are all great things. But do you know what’s missing? The right motivation. Why? The gospel is the power that changes our hearts. Jesus is the One who makes us lights in the darkness. “Christ’s love compels us” (2 Corinthians 5:14). Jesus gave his life for me. God brought me from darkness to light. From death to life. Jesus has loved me, forgiven me, cared for me every day of my life. “Christ’s love compels us!”
As children of light, we want to do what pleases God, right? How could we not? So here’s what the Bible says, “Find out what pleases the Lord.” Instead of doing what pleases us, we want to find out what pleases God. Here it is: “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.” Instead of asking, “How far can I go before it’s a sin?”, have nothing to do with sin. Hate it! We don’t want to get as close to the darkness as we can. We want to flee from it! Run away from it!
That’s what real wisdom is. “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Real wisdom isn’t learning math or science or reading. It’s understanding God’s will for our lives. God’s will is that everyone believe in Jesus and be saved. His will is that Jesus’ light shine in us. “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness.” Not even a hint. “Live as children of light.” “Walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us.” This is why the Bible says: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10).
Our lesson ends with a strange encouragement: “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Here’s the strange advice: Instead of being drunk on wine, be drunk—be filled—with the Spirit! Encourage one another with God’s Word. Sing and make music to the Lord. Give thanks to God for everything.
We’re trying something new this week to help us with that. This Wednesday, we’re having “God’s Word in Our Homes” night. We need God’s Word in our homes. We say that all the time, but do we know how to do that? Where do we start? Do you have a Bible that just sits on the shelf? Do you not have a Bible at all? Do you wonder what to do with your kids? Do you want God’s Word in your home? I hope you’ll join us at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday evening.
Because the more you are in God’s Word, the more drunk you are on God’s Word, you realize something: Jesus is better! That’s the only way you can say “Not a hint” to temptation. When your heart is convinced that Jesus is better. Jesus is better than sexual immorality. Jesus is better than alcohol. Jesus is better than crude jokes. So “not a hint.” Do you know what the first letters of “not a hint” spell? “Nah.” Isn’t that great? Drunk on beer? Nah. Jesus is better. Give in to peer pressure? “Nah.” Jesus is better. Live with anger and bitterness? Nah. Jesus is better. Lay all your sins down at the foot of Jesus’ cross. And say, “Nah. I’m a child of the light!”
Upside-Down Savior 