Life Together Walk Worthily – Lights in the Darkness Ephesians 5:7-14 “We Don’t Act Like Jesus Because We Don’t Spend Enough Time With Jesus” People Living in Sin are in Darkness Morally – Evil Intellectually – Ignorance & Lies People Living in Christ are in Light Morally – Holiness Intellectually - Truth 2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Romans 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 1 John 1:5–7 5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1. Don’t participate in Sin. 2. Understand the extremely corrosive power of some sins. 3. Learn the Truth to share with others. 4. Live and speak consistently before a lost world knowing that your witness and testimony expose sin and brings conviction. 5. Anyone can be changed through the resurrection power of Christ. Life Together Walk Worthily – Changed to Make A Difference Ephesians 5:7-14 “We Don’t Act Like Jesus Because We Don’t Spend Enough Time With Jesus” 1. Christ Commands His Followers to Live Differently (vs.7) 2. Christ Followers Live Differently Because They Are Different (vs.8-10) Contrast Darkness Light Dark Morals Dark Minds Dark Master Goodness - Moral Excellence especially with others Righteousness - Relationship to God Truth - Truthfulness, honesty, integrity 3. Assurance and Approval Naturally Follow when the fruit of the Spirit is present. (vs. 10) Every follower of Christ has a past they have been saved out of Every follower of Christ has a present they have saved to live in Life Together Walk Worthily – What Would Jesus Do? Ephesians 5:1–7 1. Imitate Your Lord A. Imitate the Father - Love Like the Father - Forgivingly B. Imitate the Son Love Like the Son - Sacrificially 2. Live as Holy People Immoral Works Immoral Words 3. Don’t Be Deceived “A Problem is Different than a Pattern”> 1 Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19–21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 1 John 3:7–10 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.