Living a Spirit-Filled Life in Unity and Wisdom
Summary
### Summary
As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of our church, we reflect on the journey and the people who have been part of our community since its inception. Today, we recognize those who joined between 2006 and 2010, a period that also marks the beginning of my pastoral leadership. Our current series in Ephesians focuses on living a life filled with the Spirit of God. Ephesians 4:1 urges us to walk in a manner worthy of our calling in Christ, emphasizing that we have been elevated from darkness into light. This elevation calls us to unity, righteousness, and holiness, empowered by the Spirit.
Unity in Christ is foundational, as Paul highlights in Ephesians 4:1-16. Without unity, we miss out on the fullness of what the church is meant to be. Paul also speaks about putting off the old self and putting on the new self, which involves rejecting sin and embracing righteousness and holiness. This transformation is not self-righteousness but a righteousness that comes from Christ. Grieving the Holy Spirit occurs when we resist this transformation and fail to pursue Christ wholeheartedly.
In Ephesians 5:15-18, Paul advises us to be careful in how we live, avoiding extremes of being overly serious or flippant. We are to be introspective, evaluating our lives daily to ensure we are walking wisely and making the best use of our time. The days are evil, and we must not be swayed by the world's distractions but instead seek to understand and follow the will of the Lord. This involves being filled with the Spirit rather than indulging in worldly pleasures like drunkenness, which leads to debauchery.
Being filled with the Spirit means immersing ourselves in God's Word, prayer, and community. It involves daily decisions to walk in the Spirit, which leads to life and righteousness. The Spirit empowers us to overcome our flesh and live in a way that glorifies God. This Spirit-filled life results in worship, thanksgiving, and mutual submission within the body of Christ. We are called to be introspective, wise, and discerning, continually seeking to align our lives with God's will.
### Key Takeaways
1. Unity in Christ is Essential: Unity is foundational to the church's identity and mission. Without it, we miss out on the fullness of what it means to be in Christ. Unity involves recognizing our shared faith, baptism, and Lord, and working together to equip the saints for ministry. This unity is a reflection of our elevated status in Christ and is essential for living a Spirit-filled life. [31:30]
2. Transformation Through the Spirit: Putting off the old self and putting on the new self is a continuous process of rejecting sin and embracing righteousness and holiness. This transformation is not about self-righteousness but about becoming more like Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Grieving the Spirit occurs when we resist this transformation and fail to pursue Christ wholeheartedly. [33:27]
3. Living Wisely in Evil Days: We are called to be introspective and careful in how we live, making the best use of our time because the days are evil. This involves avoiding extremes of being overly serious or flippant and instead seeking to understand and follow the will of the Lord. Wisdom is knowing and doing God's will in our daily lives. [36:04]
4. Being Filled with the Spirit: Instead of indulging in worldly pleasures like drunkenness, which leads to debauchery, we are to be filled with the Spirit. This involves immersing ourselves in God's Word, prayer, and community, and making daily decisions to walk in the Spirit. Being filled with the Spirit leads to life, righteousness, and a deeper relationship with God. [49:31]
5. Daily Discernment of God's Will: Understanding and following God's will is not just about big life decisions but about daily choices. When we learn to discern God's will in everyday decisions, the larger decisions become clearer. This daily discernment involves being Spirit-dependent, learning from God's Word, and being part of a supportive Christian community. [43:39]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[29:13] - Recognizing Long-Time Members
[29:52] - Introduction to Ephesians Series
[30:34] - Elevated in Christ
[31:30] - Unity in Christ
[32:30] - Putting on the New Self
[33:27] - Transformation and Holiness
[35:09] - Living Wisely
[36:04] - Introspection and Daily Living
[37:12] - The Evil Days
[38:02] - Making the Best Use of Time
[39:44] - Wisdom vs. Foolishness
[42:34] - Understanding God's Will
[44:40] - Avoiding Drunkenness
[49:31] - Being Filled with the Spirit
[52:41] - Baptism, Indwelling, and Filling of the Spirit
[55:02] - Life Through the Spirit
[56:26] - Walking by the Spirit
[58:15] - Results of a Spirit-Filled Life
[59:37] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Ephesians 4:1-16
2. Ephesians 5:15-18
3. Galatians 5:16-17
#### Observation Questions
1. According to Ephesians 4:1, what does Paul urge believers to do, and why is this significant? [30:34]
2. What are the two extremes Paul warns against in Ephesians 5:15, and how should believers find a balance? [35:09]
3. In Ephesians 5:18, what does Paul contrast with being filled with the Spirit, and what does he say it leads to? [44:40]
4. How does Paul describe the transformation process in Ephesians 4:22-24, and what does it involve? [32:30]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is unity in Christ essential for the church, according to Ephesians 4:1-16? How does this unity reflect our elevated status in Christ? [31:30]
2. What does it mean to "put off the old self and put on the new self" in the context of Ephesians 4:22-24? How does this transformation occur? [32:30]
3. How does Paul’s advice in Ephesians 5:15-18 about living wisely relate to the concept of making the best use of our time? [36:04]
4. What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit, and how does this differ from indulging in worldly pleasures? [49:31]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you struggle with unity within the church? How can you work towards fostering unity in your community? [31:30]
2. Think about a specific sin or old habit you need to "put off." What steps can you take this week to embrace the new self in Christ? [32:30]
3. How do you currently use your time? Identify one area where you can make better use of your time to align more closely with God's will. [36:04]
4. What are some practical ways you can immerse yourself in God's Word, prayer, and community to be filled with the Spirit daily? [49:31]
5. Consider the distractions in your life that may lead to "debauchery" as mentioned in Ephesians 5:18. What specific changes can you make to avoid these distractions and focus on being filled with the Spirit? [44:40]
6. How can you practice daily discernment of God's will in your everyday decisions? Share a recent decision where you sought God's guidance and the outcome. [43:39]
7. Identify one person in your life who exemplifies a Spirit-filled life. What qualities do they exhibit, and how can you incorporate similar practices into your own life? [49:31]
Devotional
Day 1: Unity in Christ is Foundational
Unity in Christ is essential for the church's identity and mission. Without unity, we miss out on the fullness of what it means to be in Christ. Unity involves recognizing our shared faith, baptism, and Lord, and working together to equip the saints for ministry. This unity is a reflection of our elevated status in Christ and is essential for living a Spirit-filled life. Paul emphasizes this in Ephesians 4:1-16, where he speaks about the importance of maintaining the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Unity is not just a nice idea; it is a divine mandate that reflects the very nature of God. When we are united, we can better fulfill our calling and witness to the world about the transformative power of the Gospel. [31:30]
Ephesians 4:3-6 (ESV): "Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."
Reflection: Think of a relationship within the church where you have experienced conflict or misunderstanding. How can you take a step today to seek reconciliation and promote unity in that relationship?
Day 2: Transformation Through the Spirit
Putting off the old self and putting on the new self is a continuous process of rejecting sin and embracing righteousness and holiness. This transformation is not about self-righteousness but about becoming more like Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Grieving the Spirit occurs when we resist this transformation and fail to pursue Christ wholeheartedly. Ephesians 4:22-24 speaks about this transformation, urging believers to put off their old self, which belongs to their former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of their minds. This renewal is a daily process that requires intentionality and dependence on the Holy Spirit. [33:27]
Ephesians 4:22-24 (ESV): "To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."
Reflection: Identify one area of your life where you are still holding on to your old self. What practical steps can you take today to put off the old self and embrace the new self in Christ?
Day 3: Living Wisely in Evil Days
We are called to be introspective and careful in how we live, making the best use of our time because the days are evil. This involves avoiding extremes of being overly serious or flippant and instead seeking to understand and follow the will of the Lord. Wisdom is knowing and doing God's will in our daily lives. Ephesians 5:15-18 advises believers to be careful in how they walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time because the days are evil. This wisdom involves a daily evaluation of our lives to ensure we are walking in a manner worthy of our calling. [36:04]
Ephesians 5:15-17 (ESV): "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is."
Reflection: Reflect on how you spend your time each day. What is one change you can make today to use your time more wisely and align it with God's will?
Day 4: Being Filled with the Spirit
Instead of indulging in worldly pleasures like drunkenness, which leads to debauchery, we are to be filled with the Spirit. This involves immersing ourselves in God's Word, prayer, and community, and making daily decisions to walk in the Spirit. Being filled with the Spirit leads to life, righteousness, and a deeper relationship with God. Ephesians 5:18 contrasts being drunk with wine, which leads to debauchery, with being filled with the Spirit. This filling is not a one-time event but a continuous process of seeking God's presence and guidance in our lives. [49:31]
Ephesians 5:18-20 (ESV): "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Reflection: What is one worldly pleasure or distraction that you need to let go of to be more filled with the Spirit? How can you replace it with a spiritual discipline like prayer or Bible study today?
Day 5: Daily Discernment of God's Will
Understanding and following God's will is not just about big life decisions but about daily choices. When we learn to discern God's will in everyday decisions, the larger decisions become clearer. This daily discernment involves being Spirit-dependent, learning from God's Word, and being part of a supportive Christian community. Ephesians 5:10 encourages believers to try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. This discernment is a daily practice that requires us to be attentive to the Holy Spirit's leading and to seek wisdom from God's Word and from fellow believers. [43:39]
Ephesians 5:10 (ESV): "And try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord."
Reflection: Think about a decision you need to make today, no matter how small. How can you seek God's will in this decision through prayer, Scripture, and counsel from other believers?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "If you put your faith and your trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you have been placed into the family of God. You've been elevated. You've been elevated. You've been brought out of darkness into light. And so we are celebrating this kind of idea of being elevated in Christ as the Apostle Paul is telling us that we're to walk worthy of the manner in which we were called." [30:34] (24 seconds)
2. "We are to look carefully at how we live or walk in this life, this Christian life. And I would encourage you that this is something that we're to learn how to do as those who are in Christ, as Christians, that we're to be introspective, that we're to be concerned with how our life is being lived, with what we say and what we do and do those things match up." [36:04] (26 seconds)
3. "Life is short. Even though sometimes, it feels long. Life is hard. Life can be difficult. We have, we go, circumstances of up and down constantly. And so we're to make the best use of that time as wise, looking for wisdom, wisdom from God." [41:38] (25 seconds)
4. "The will of the Lord is not so much about the big ticket decisions that you have to make. It's about the everyday decisions you make. That when you learn to be filled with the spirit and walk in the spirit and listen to the spirit of God through his word and have other people, other believers who are also doing that, holding you not only just accountable, but have prayer and encouragement." [43:39] (23 seconds)
5. "To be filled with the Spirit... You need to learn the Word of God. By the way, men wrote the Word of God, but who inspired them to write it? The Spirit. And so, if you want to know how to be filled with the Spirit, then you need to read the Word of God that the Spirit inspired for us to read." [49:31] (20 seconds)
### Quotes for Members
1. "And so this is a huge deal for us to understand that God has planned for us to become more like Christ. And as we step into that calling, we're to walk worthy of that calling. And as we step into that, as we learn and grow into that, that the Spirit of God is the one who empowers us and enables us to become more like Him." [30:34] (17 seconds)
2. "If you're not in unity with other believers, then you're not in Christ the way you could be. You're not being elevated to the extent that you want to experience in the unity that we have in Christ." [32:30] (11 seconds)
3. "What it looks like to grieve the Holy Spirit is to not change and to not grow into the new person that you are in Christ, to not transform, to not become who He's called you to be, that a lot of us grieve the Spirit of God because we aren't pursuing Christ like we should." [34:11] (22 seconds)
4. "The Spirit-filled belief, the believer learns the Word, obeys the Word, is Spirit-dependent, not dependent on self. The Spirit-filled life and the walking worthy of Christ, as we talked about at the beginning, involves the unity of the Spirit, a new self that He's transforming us." [58:15] (19 seconds)
5. "And so we are called to then look carefully at how we live our lives. To be introspective. To be wise. To discern. To learn how to discern the Lord's will. To be filled with the Spirit in such a way that we walk in the Spirit, bringing glory to Him by becoming more like Jesus Christ." [58:53] (22 seconds)
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