Sermons on Ephesians 5:15

Ephesians 5:15 Interpretation:

Living a Spirit-Filled Life in Unity and Wisdom (Solid Rock Plymouth) interprets Ephesians 5:15 as a call to daily, even moment-by-moment, introspection and intentionality in the Christian walk, emphasizing the need to avoid both extremes of being overly serious or flippant about life. The sermon uniquely frames "looking carefully" as a spiritual discipline of self-examination, not just at year-end or during major life transitions, but as a continual, Spirit-empowered process. The preacher draws a distinction between wisdom and foolishness, equating wisdom with discerning and living out the will of God in everyday decisions, not just in major life choices. The sermon also uses the metaphor of feeding either the "flesh" or the "spirit" (with a humorous analogy about feeding dogs) to illustrate how daily choices shape whether one is filled with the Spirit or with self, thus connecting the careful walk of Ephesians 5:15 to the ongoing battle between flesh and Spirit.

Living a Spirit-Filled Life of Purpose and Service (Crazy Love) offers a vivid and original analogy for Ephesians 5:15 by comparing the passage’s call to "make the most of every opportunity" to a childhood memory of a McDonald's orange drink dispenser that wouldn’t stop pouring, leading everyone to scramble to catch the overflowing punch so none would be wasted. The preacher explains that the Greek word for "make the most" is literally "ransom" or "redeem," painting time as a precious commodity that is constantly spilling away and must be intentionally captured and used for God’s purposes. The sermon also employs the metaphor of being "filled" with the Spirit as akin to being drunk—just as drunkenness is obvious and unhideable, so should the Spirit’s influence be unmistakable in a believer’s life, visible in every interaction.

Choosing Wisdom: Intentional Living for a Better Future (Andy Stanley) interprets Ephesians 5:15 as a challenge to move beyond the minimal standard of "is it wrong?" to the higher standard of "is it wise?" The sermon introduces the "maturity question"—"What is the wise thing to do?"—as the lens through which to view every decision, emphasizing that a choice can be not wrong but still unwise. The preacher uses the Greek phrase for "making the most of every opportunity" to highlight the idea of "redeeming" or "ransoming" time, and frames the passage as a call to intentional, forward-looking decision-making that takes into account one’s past, present, and future. The sermon is notable for its focus on the cumulative effect of unwise (but not necessarily sinful) decisions leading to regret, and for its insistence that wisdom is customized to each person’s unique circumstances.

Living Wisely: Embracing God's Transformative Work (David Guzik) interprets Ephesians 5:15 by focusing on the metaphor of "walking" as a representation of living the Christian life, emphasizing the variety of ways one can "walk" (using an extensive list of synonyms to highlight the nuances of Christian living). Guzik uniquely unpacks the word "circumspectly," noting its rarity in modern speech and explaining it as living with carefulness, situational awareness, and wisdom, as opposed to carelessness or thoughtlessness. He also draws attention to the Greek grammar of "be filled with the Spirit," explaining it as a continual, ongoing action, not a one-time event, which shapes his understanding of how Christians are to live wisely and be constantly receptive to the Spirit’s influence.

Seeking Wisdom: Foundations for a Fulfilling Life (Grace Bible Church) offers a notable analogy by comparing the Christian walk to traversing a dangerous hiking trail (Crawler’s Ledge), where every step must be taken with utmost care and attention, paralleling Paul’s call to "walk circumspectly." The sermon also highlights the linguistic roots of "circumspect" (to look around) and contrasts translations (CSB vs. NKJV), using this to stress the importance of intentional, attentive living. The preacher further explores the Greek roots of "sophomore" (sophos + moros) to illustrate the tension between wisdom and foolishness, connecting it to the passage’s call for wisdom.

Living Wisely: Embracing the Spirit's Guidance (Desiring God) provides a unique interpretive angle by distinguishing between two types of God’s will (will of decree/Sovereign will and will of command/revealed will), arguing that Ephesians 5:15-17 refers to the latter—God’s revealed, moral will that requires wisdom for application in daily life. The sermon also delves into the Greek term for "debauchery" (as?tia), explaining its etymology as "not saving" or "not healing," and uses this to frame drunkenness as a wasteful, destructive state that directly opposes the careful, wise living Paul commands. The preacher further emphasizes that most of life’s decisions are not covered by explicit biblical commands, thus requiring Spirit-empowered wisdom rather than mere rule-following.

Ephesians 5:15 Theological Themes:

Living a Spirit-Filled Life in Unity and Wisdom (Solid Rock Plymouth) introduces the theme that wisdom, as described in Ephesians 5:15, is not merely about making good choices but is fundamentally about discerning and living out the will of God in the mundane, everyday moments of life. The sermon adds the nuanced idea that the Spirit-filled life is evidenced by a continual process of transformation—putting off the old self and putting on the new—so that wisdom is inseparable from spiritual growth and sanctification.

Living a Spirit-Filled Life of Purpose and Service (Crazy Love) brings a fresh angle by connecting fulfillment and Spirit-filled living to the intentional, grateful, and worshipful use of time. The preacher’s focus on gratitude ("always giving thanks for everything") and relational harmony ("submitting to one another") as outworkings of being filled with the Spirit adds a distinctive layer, suggesting that wisdom is not just about personal piety but about communal and relational transformation.

Choosing Wisdom: Intentional Living for a Better Future (Andy Stanley) presents the unique theological theme that wisdom is a personalized, context-sensitive pursuit that must account for one’s past experiences, present circumstances, and future hopes. The sermon’s insistence that wisdom is a higher standard than mere legality or morality, and that it is the gateway to avoiding regret and achieving a preferred future, reframes Ephesians 5:15 as a call to proactive, holistic life stewardship.

Living Wisely: Embracing God's Transformative Work (David Guzik) introduces the theme that wise living is not merely for personal benefit but is crucial for honoring God, edifying the church, blessing one’s family, witnessing to the world, and even for one’s own well-being. He adds the distinctive idea that the urgency of the present moment ("the days are evil") demands a heightened commitment to wise, Spirit-filled living, making the passage especially relevant for contemporary believers.

Seeking Wisdom: Foundations for a Fulfilling Life (Grace Bible Church) presents the fresh theological theme that wisdom is deeply tied to humility, and that true wisdom is evidenced by a life of submission—not as a matter of rank or authority, but as a surrender of one’s own authority for the good of others. The sermon also uniquely distinguishes between praising God for who He is and thanking Him for what He has done, arguing that this order is essential for proper Christian worship and gratitude.

Living Wisely: Embracing the Spirit's Guidance (Desiring God) offers the distinct theological insight that wisdom is not simply about following a list of rules but about the Spirit-enabled application of God’s revealed will to the countless situations not explicitly addressed in Scripture. The preacher also highlights the contrast between the dulling, wasteful effects of drunkenness and the enlightening, empowering effects of the Holy Spirit, framing the Spirit’s filling as essential for true wisdom and discernment.

Ephesians 5:15 Historical and Contextual Insights:

Living a Spirit-Filled Life of Purpose and Service (Crazy Love) provides a linguistic and cultural insight by explaining that the Greek word for "make the most of every opportunity" is "ransom" or "redeem," and that in the first-century context, time was seen as something fleeting and even adversarial ("the days are evil"), requiring active effort to capture and use for God’s purposes.

Choosing Wisdom: Intentional Living for a Better Future (Andy Stanley) also highlights the Greek phrase for "making the most of every opportunity," noting that it literally means "redeeming or ransoming the time," and connects this to the cultural reality that both ancient and modern societies are prone to carelessness and unwise living, necessitating intentionality in the use of time.

Living Wisely: Embracing God's Transformative Work (David Guzik) provides historical context by explaining that the word "submit" in Ephesians 5:21 is a military term in the original Greek, meaning "to come under rank." He elaborates on the importance of rank and order in the Roman military, drawing a parallel to the order and mutual submission expected within the Christian community, home, and workplace in the first-century context.

Living Wisely: Embracing the Spirit's Guidance (Desiring God) offers contextual insight by discussing the cultural prevalence of drunkenness and debauchery in the Greco-Roman world, referencing 1 Peter’s description of Gentile lifestyles and the social expectation that Christians would join in such excess. The sermon uses this to highlight the countercultural nature of Paul’s command to live wisely and avoid wasteful, destructive behaviors.

Ephesians 5:15 Cross-References in the Bible:

Living a Spirit-Filled Life in Unity and Wisdom (Solid Rock Plymouth) references Romans 8, where Paul discusses the indwelling of the Spirit and the contrast between life in the flesh and life in the Spirit, using it to reinforce the idea that the Spirit empowers believers to choose life and righteousness in daily decisions. The sermon also references Galatians 5, particularly the contrast between the "works of the flesh" and the "fruit of the Spirit," to illustrate the ongoing battle between flesh and Spirit and the practical outworking of walking wisely.

Living a Spirit-Filled Life of Purpose and Service (Crazy Love) references Acts 2, where the coming of the Holy Spirit is linked to repentance, baptism, and the beginning of a new, Spirit-filled life. The preacher uses this to explain how the Spirit enters a believer and how baptism symbolizes dying to the old life and rising to a new, Spirit-filled existence. The sermon also alludes to the following verses in Ephesians 5 (verses 19-21), which detail the participles that describe Spirit-filled living: speaking, singing, giving thanks, and submitting.

Choosing Wisdom: Intentional Living for a Better Future (Andy Stanley) references Proverbs, specifically the verse "The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty," to support the idea that wisdom involves foresight and proactive decision-making, not just avoiding what is wrong. This cross-reference is used to anchor the "maturity question" and to show that biblical wisdom is about more than rule-following—it’s about living with intentionality and margin.

Living Wisely: Embracing God's Transformative Work (David Guzik) references 1 Corinthians 5 to illustrate the concept of submission to apostolic authority, showing that mutual submission in Ephesians 5:21 does not negate the existence of God-ordained authority structures. He also alludes to other passages in Ephesians (e.g., 5:8) to reinforce the metaphor of walking as living in the light.

Seeking Wisdom: Foundations for a Fulfilling Life (Grace Bible Church) draws on several cross-references: Romans 11:33 to highlight the depth of God’s wisdom; Proverbs 4:26 to reinforce the idea of pondering one’s path; Ecclesiastes 3:1 to stress the importance of time management; Hebrews 4:12 to emphasize the power of God’s Word in discerning how to live wisely; Colossians 3:5 to warn against being controlled by anything other than the Spirit; Philippians 4:11 to illustrate contentment; Psalm 95:2 to connect praise and thanksgiving; and Philippians 2:3 to support the theme of humble submission.

Living Wisely: Embracing the Spirit's Guidance (Desiring God) references Ephesians 1 (God’s will of decree), 1 Thessalonians 4:3 (God’s will of command), Romans 12 (lists of commands), and 1 Peter 4 (the flood of debauchery) to clarify the distinction between God’s sovereign will and His revealed will, and to illustrate the wastefulness of drunkenness and the necessity of Spirit-empowered wisdom.

Ephesians 5:15 Christian References outside the Bible:

Seeking Wisdom: Foundations for a Fulfilling Life (Grace Bible Church) explicitly references Warren Wiersbe, quoting his insight that "the word gratitude comes from the same root word as grace. If we have experienced the grace of God, then we ought to be grateful for what God brings to us. Thank and think also come from the same root word. If we would think more, we would thank more." This is used to deepen the congregation’s understanding of gratitude as a response to grace and as an intellectual as well as emotional act.

Ephesians 5:15 Illustrations from Secular Sources:

Living a Spirit-Filled Life of Purpose and Service (Crazy Love) uses a detailed childhood story about a McDonald’s orange drink dispenser at a Chinese church picnic as a metaphor for time slipping away, with the community scrambling to catch every drop to avoid waste. This vivid analogy is used to illustrate the urgency and intentionality required to "redeem the time" as commanded in Ephesians 5:15. The sermon also uses the illustration of being drunk (including a personal anecdote about trying to hide drunkenness) to parallel how being filled with the Spirit should be equally obvious and unhideable, making the Spirit’s influence visible in every interaction. Additionally, the preacher shares the story of a church member, Charlene Jackson, who lost 115 pounds through discipline and intentionality, using her physical transformation as a metaphor for the visible, gradual change that comes from consistently practicing Spirit-filled living.

Choosing Wisdom: Intentional Living for a Better Future (Andy Stanley) employs several secular analogies to illustrate the human tendency to "snuggle up to the edge" of irresponsibility: the "five minute syndrome" from his teenage curfew experience, the habit of driving just above the speed limit, and the broader pattern of living as close as possible to the line between legal/illegal, moral/immoral, or responsible/irresponsible. He also references common adult behaviors—one more drink, one more business trip, one more swipe of the credit card—to show how small, seemingly harmless decisions accumulate into regret. The sermon further uses the story of a friend, Steve, who was advised to seek counseling after marriage due to his family history, as a real-life example of how wisdom is context-specific and often requires proactive, sometimes uncomfortable, steps.

Seeking Wisdom: Foundations for a Fulfilling Life (Grace Bible Church) uses the detailed analogy of hiking the Kalalau Trail in Kauai, specifically the treacherous section known as Crawler’s Ledge, to illustrate the concept of walking "circumspectly." The preacher describes the narrow, dangerous path with a sheer drop to the ocean on one side and a cliff on the other, emphasizing the need for careful, deliberate steps—mirroring Paul’s exhortation to live with intentionality and awareness. The sermon also references the etymology of "sophomore" (from Greek sophos and moros) to humorously illustrate the tension between wisdom and foolishness. Additionally, the preacher recounts a personal story from a bowling league, where the team’s joy and fun without alcohol served as a testimony to others, reinforcing the point that Spirit-filled living produces genuine joy and contentment apart from worldly substitutes.