Walk As Children Of Light

3-15-26

Hoonah-Hadley

Ephesians 5:8-14

Call to Worship Psalm 23

Daily Verse: All of them

Walk As Children Of Light

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” To walk as children of light is to live and move and have your being in Christ. As the shirt says, “Be The Light”. It is the verses like these that remind us what a blessed, massive, beautiful life salvation lends itself to. The offerings from 1 Samuel, John 9 and Psalm 23 are an all-star cast, a list of hall of fame verses, one after the other, all part of the scarlet chord that leads us home. An assurance, a calling, a comfort, strengthening, sending, what to do and not to do, a higher way, a better way. Herein the foundation of the life of Watchman Nee, A.W. Tozer, C.H. Spurgeon, Matthew Henry, Jonathan Edwards, Maurice Brockenborough, Alex Ingro, Marcie Grimm, Dave Means, Terry Fletcher, Debra Muir, Daryl Neal, in fact, all those whose name is in the Book of Life. For those that come to the well, the rivers of living waters, the tree of life and dine day and night. Those that trust and obey, that sit when the Lord says “sit”, that walk when He says “walk”, and that stand, when He says “stand.” God not only shows us the way, He shepherds us, He leads us by still waters, makes us lie down in green pastures, restores our souls, comforts us, prepares a table before us, anoints us, follows us, provides a house for us to dwell in, all the days of our lives. (Ps. 23) It is a holy calling, a high calling, a wonderful, blessed highway paved, tried, tested and true, already written, His works finished, the victory wrought on Calvary’s shore, our tickets paid, our names inscribed on His hand, His finger writing His word on the tablet of our hearts.

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Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians though only 6 chapters, is one of life’s great treasures, its vastness far exceeds its pages, blessing generations for thousands of years and forevermore. Our first study with Malcolm, an obvious divine appointment, began here leading us on an unforgettable journey for a year and a half. At the end of that study, Malcolm said, “We’ve barely scratched the surface.” 1 Samuel 16:7 “…For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” The Epistle to the Ephesians looks at the heart. Once it enters your soul, it will follow you all the days of your life. Its authority in the life of Gods elect should, and if it should, it will transform you as it did the blind man in the Gospel of John 9:25 “He answered and said, ‘Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.’” By the grace, mercy, and power of God, this Epistle has the authority to transform you from darkness to light, to remove the veil that blinds your vision, it leads us beside still waters, walks us through the valley of the shadow of death, it is the rod and staff that comfort us in our great hour of need. It leaves us in total agreement with the blind man in John 9:38 when he said, “Lord I believe, and he worshipped Him.” We simply cannot be in the presence of a sovereign God, His Son, the Holy Spirit, His word, living and active, and not be raised from the dead. This as Oswald says, is God’s word in its undiluted sternness. 5:1-7 condensed, “Therefore be imitators of God… And walk in love…a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness…neither filthiness, nor foolish talking…but rather giving thanks. No unclean person…who is an idolator, has any inheritance in the kingdom of God. Because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience…do not be partakers with them.”

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Vs. 8 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” O Lord, that we could just camp out here in Your word and bask in the Son shine of Your wonder day and night that we might be warmed by Your radiance and grow heavenward, stretching our heart, mind and souls to Your light from above. Water us Lord! Shine Your face upon us! Relieve us of the darkness within, take us by the hand that we might walk closer with You and through You and only You, put our lamps on the table without apology for all the world to see. “For” is the preposition used to indicate the object, aim or purpose of the previous act or activity. It is used to indicate a destination, the beneficiary of an act. Namely God’s saving grace through His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. We are light in the Lord? What an astonishing thought, consideration, could we say fact? Let us reason with the “were” and the “are” here in vs. 8. For, at one time you “were”, but now you “are”. This is a transfer of being. From the old to the new, the dead to the living, darkness to light. 2:1-5 “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world…the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we conducted ourselves in the lust of the flesh…were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God…rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.” Herein the hard fought hallelujah, beaten, spit upon, dragging His cross up hill to the place of His crucifixion on our behalf. Lord have mercy upon our nature, “sons of disobedience…children of wrath…dead in trespasses”. Let not His word that dwells among us fall on deaf ears, but let it accomplish what He pleases, let it prosper in the thing for which He sent it. Transfer us Lord, from “were” to “are”.

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Vs. 9 “For the fruit of the Spirit is all goodness, righteousness, and truth.” Herein 3 pillars of the believers walk, goodness, righteousness and truth. 4:21 “if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus.” 1:13 “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth.” John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life.” John 8:32 “Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” The more we search, the more we see, the more we see, the more we hear, the more we hear, the more we’re taught, and the more we are taught, the more we understand. To make our election sure we meditate, meditate, meditate day and night that the fruit of the Spirit having done its work, produces goodness, righteousness and truth, taking this produce to the market place and sharing it, shining on the darkness in all that we think, say and do. 2:8-10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared before hand that we should walk in them.” Genesis 1:4 “God saw that the light was good.” Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Should we cover the 601 offerings for “good”? “I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” How bout righteousness? “The Lord watches over the way of the righteous…The Lord loves the righteous…He blesses the home of the righteous” Proverbs 11:4 “but righteousness delivers from death.” The moral of the story in vs. 9, the fruit of the Spirit, goodness, righteousness and truth, all found in Christ.

The overwhelming theme in this epistle, is “in Him…through Him…by Him…for Him.” Question: How do we get from “were” to “are”, from darkness to light, from dead to living? 2:2-5 “But God being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us…made us alive with Christ.” In Christ, with Christ, God changes our nature. Gods Spirit turns the light back on. “Walk As Children Of Light.” Amen!