 Yeah, so let's look at Philippians, I'm sorry Ephesians, Philippians is what we're going to look at next. Okay, so we're looking at Ephesians chapter 5 and Paul you know after 4 after chapter 4 when he says, you know, do not grieve the spirit he he goes on to give us some instructions, you know from here on like even from chapter 4 We see that towards the end of chapter 4 he starts you know giving some instructions to the church about what you know how they should live there this this kind of a spiritful life and also in chapter 4 he's talked about the five-fold ministry and all that and What is the role of the saints and what is the role of the five-fold and so on so? So he's you know Very in a very detailed manner. This is what the church should be. This is what the saints should be you know going after and Everyone is involved in ministry And the church is growing up the body is being edified and all that so So he says from 4 chapter 4 verse 17 He says this I say therefore and testify in the Lord that you should no longer walk as The rest of the Gentiles do in the futility of the mind, right? So we looked at that. So he said, okay, this is You should not so you should not live like this But you should live like this. Okay, and then that's how he goes on and chapter 5 We also saw he says be imitators of God like mimic God Copy what God is not doing look at him and be like him So that is what it means, right? So which means first of all first step is to see God or study or observe to see what or who he is like and You follow you obey you mimic say saying be imitators of God and then walk in love and so on, right? Okay, let's go to verse 8 Maybe we'll just go through that again, right versus 8 to 14 To verse 8 says for you were once darkness, right? So before that he's saying Certain things should not be part of your life Because you are an imitator of God. You are a child of God and it's as dear children be imitators of God and Therefore walk in love and so on. So let foolish talking filthiness fornication Coarse justing You know or you know in the sense coast justing means like joking in a very crude man and let This not even be mentioned among you Which is let it not be named among you says And then and then he goes on to say you know a fornicator unclean person covetous man Has no inheritance in the kingdom of God, right? So let no one deceive you with empty words because because of these things The wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. So now that is the God is a loving God A God is a God of grace, but you know that our God is also a God of justice and the wrath of God The judgment of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. So Like we saw several scripture. We saw in Romans. We saw that God has given enough proof ample proof is and also is Exorting us the church through whom you know, he wants to manifest The wisdom of the glory, you know through even the principalities and power So so it is our duties commissioned the church commissioned us as believers disciples to go share the gospel so he you know enough ample proof to the church to the people and Romans talks about how people have exchanged the truth for the light Right or what may be known of God is is very clearly displayed even in nature so but people, you know said that aside and Because of their hardness of their heart right, so So the wrath of God is upon them Like Which means that that is something that cannot be that is inescapable The judgment of God the wrath of God So here's he says the same thing that it's coming upon the sons of disobedience So you don't be partakers with them. You don't have this kind of a fellowship or communion With them in these things Okay, let's look at verse 8 so verse 8 for you were once darkness But now you are light in the Lord Walk as children of light for the fruit of the spirit is in all goodness righteousness and truth Finding out what is acceptable to the Lord and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness But rather expose them for it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light for whatever makes manifest is light Therefore, he says awake you who sleep arise from the dead and Christ will give you light So this also we we looked at we saw that he is the light he gives light To those who are entering or come into the world. He is that eternal light In him the John talks about in him was life That is Zoe God kind of life and the spiritual life and this life was a light of men And he gives light to every man entering into the world. So he is true enlightenment Hey, so Christ is true enlightenment. So So he's saying no have no fellowship with the works of darkness It have no fellowship have no communion with the works of darkness because you you were darkness right spiritually ignorant and You had in you as a spirit of unrighteousness Right, it's a sin and your very nature itself So which means that he's saying your very nature itself was sin You were darkness, but now you are light or you see the difference Right exact opposite now you are light and he goes on to say in the Lord Right because you have fellowship with God because you are a new creation and you are one spirit with him and He is the wine and you are the branches. You are connected to the wine You are light. So your identity has changed from darkness to light It has nothing to do with the powers of darkness Nothing to do with sin, but you are completely different now Something has changed because of what Christ did on the cross So you are light in the Lord So you are which means that you are in the Lord because of Christ you are in Christ and The cause you are in Christ. You are light Okay So so that's the thing that the light of the world has made us light in the Lord So our very nature has changed Okay, so he's saying walk as children of light Okay, now you live In all that you think and speak and do Be Let let everything, you know, what you think what you speak what you do let it be in the manner of What becomes or what is becoming of? People walking in the light walk as children of light Okay For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness righteousness and truth So he's talking about the work of the Holy Spirit who is in us and the fruit of the Holy Spirit the end result of his work Of the Holy Spirit's work in our spirit is an all righteousness and truth and goodness Right, so you walk in this manner Finding out what is Acceptable to the Lord. So as you walk as you live out your life find out, you know So ask seek have this communion with God find out what is acceptable to the Lord. So the thing is this that it is our The Lord is leading us The Spirit of God is there to lead us to to take us into all truth The Lord Jesus said, you know, the Holy Spirit has come he will lead you into all truth So that's the ministry of the Holy Spirit the fruit of the Spirit a fruit of the Holy Spirit The the work in our lives is to take us to a place of righteousness and truth, right? So So that is that is what he does, right? So the thing is here is saying that Find out what is acceptable Okay, in other words, you know, the old English another translation it says Proving what is acceptable? So you What is acceptable unto God? right to Prove to examine to discern and to find out what is Acceptable agreeable to the Lord well pleasing to the Lord. Okay, so the thing is that that is the responsibility of the believer right to find out to to live a life of Intentionally pleasing God Okay, so there's no point in you know coming to a place saying oh, I didn't know I didn't know that this would displease him Find out what is acceptable to the Lord? in all aspects of our life In all aspects of our life in all You know human relations and in all aspects of our life, you know, find out what is accepted So so so our life is to be lived Pleasing to the Lord our life is to be lived Our walk is to be something that is always pleasing the Lord and It's not a difficult thing, right because the Lord Jesus very clearly said, you know The yoke that he will he will put on us. Hey, it's it's not burdensome at all right, it's not burdensome at all and even in Romans chapter 8 we see that Let me just read that out Romans 8 so there is no condemnation To those who are in Christ Jesus who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit So now we are walking according to the Spirit and and the Holy Spirit is enabling Us to walk in the Spirit And it's not it's not a difficult thing if we just allow the Spirit to to have the right of way Right, it is not a difficult thing. It's not an impossible thing. Yes So yeah to walk find out what is acceptable Verse 11 chapter 5 verse 11 have no fellowship With the unfruitful works of darkness. So when we say fellowship, we are talking about something that is Like, you know, you you don't have anything the word used there again is Sorry, just a minute. Let me just get that Yeah, so have nothing to share within the company or don't do not participate Don't be a partaker have no fellowship with the works of Darkness and unfruitful works of darkness. So you're saying it's not fruitful right, it is not something that is productive It is causing death. How can it be fruitful? Because it's a first of all, it's a work of darkness and it is Secondly, it is unfruitful It's not productive. So why do you want to take part in that have no Fellowship do not partner do not share in the Unproductive works of darkness. Okay, so literally it means barren Unfruitfulness it's not producing anything good So have no fellowship with unfruitful works of Darkness for it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret That's a reality those who are living in in darkness rather than in light So but all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light for whatever makes manifest is Light therefore says awake you who sleep arise from the dead and Christ will give you light Okay, so that's the Instruction so it continues on verse 15. Okay, so let's let me just share the notes here So we look at verse 15 Okay, so say says Let me just increase it a bit see then that you walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise Redeeming the time because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise but understand what the will of the Lord is and Do not be drunk with wine in which is dissipation But be filled with the spirit Speaking to one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Submitting to one another in the fear of God. Okay so So here again some instructions here Walk circumspectly Okay, so means be diligent be careful in your walk Be intentional Okay, and which means you think through about certain things that you're going to be making. Don't just rush in Don't be ignorant About some of the things that you're going to do another way that you're going to live Be intentional be diligent and so using walk circumspectly Not as fools but as wise so don't rush in foolishly don't take decisions rashly or foolishly God has given you know James talks about how we can ask God for wisdom and he gives us fine. So Walk circumspectly walk wisely redeeming the time Because the days are evil. So which means that you live a life so that in a way that That does not waste your time right Because time is a something that's precious and that something that cannot be Cannot be taken back Please, you know in when you when we walk in a way that is careful When we live in a way that is productive when we make the best use of our time best use of the days that we have then The thing is it is like taking back. It's like redeeming the time Right. It's like You know taking back the time. It's like, you know, which is Which is something that is not possible, you know in the natural Now you cannot take back time. You can you cannot reverse it, right? You can only go forward keep going forward but When we live a life of When we live a life that is walking circumspectly with diligence and Not as a foolish You know making best use of the wisdom That god has given us Then it will be it is it it will be like we are redeeming time itself Like we are taking back time itself Okay, so So that's Something that he says and that word I just want to just bring up that that word redeem right it's like The price we would have studied this. It's it's a word extra grid zone Which is Which is what we studied in who we are in christ, you know, it's like the ransom The ransom money that is paid to buy back someone from the slave market right So a ransom money that was amount that was given to Buy back a slave So So that's the word is using that redeeming the time. So buy back time Okay, live in such a way to buy back time. You know time that has gone by now. It's like you're taking it back right, so So that's the perspective. That's the f that's the um, that's how we are called to live and and it's a You know and it's it's so much. There's so much wisdom in that right To to live in such a manner in whatever season of life we are and Either we're young or you know young adult or middle middle age or whatever To live in such a manner so that our life is a blessing our life is fruitful our life is productive okay to live in that kind of a manner that kind of a You have that perspective outlook on life Right, okay. So let's look at The next verse so he says therefore do not be unwise but understand what the will of the lord is What does god want? What is god's desire? for you So understand that okay, so It means that we need to Take time and effort to be To be seeking him Because he is willing to reveal. He's willing to show He's willing to talk. He's willing to lead right he is the counselor and he is a shepherd instructing guiding um and And we have been privileged You know the romanzate again talks about the fact that as sons and daughters we are privileged to Be led by the spirit of god They that are led by the spirit of god they are the sons and their children of god So we have the privilege of all this So why not make use of the privilege you know live in such a manner right so saying understand What the will of the lord is do not I mean you have which means? We have the ability to understand And and that word understand is also to it means to continually understanding Okay, it's not just a one-time thing that understanding what the will of the lord is you know continuing to understand to to consider to be wise and to continue to understand so it's a continuous thing right okay So which is which is an instruction for all of us so in all our lives to understand the will of god so first thing is to to put away from our mind or put away from ourselves that mind block that oh I cannot understand the will of god right I I don't know what the will is I don't know what the plans are I don't know what the purpose put that away Right set that aside and say yes my god The will reveal his will his purposes for my life And I have the joy of participating of knowing and walking in it Right as his child as his son as his daughter right, so So first thing is to just put away you know is god cannot or I cannot know We can Understand the will the plan the purposes of god. Yes. There are certain things that he will reveal the set time But he will reveal he will guide Because that's who he is and just want to Sorry What I do Okay, yeah, just want to Read and remind us from one Corinthians again one Corinthians chapter two and verse nine But as it is written I has not seen nor you're heard nor I've entered into the heart of man the things which god has prepared For those who love him Verse 10, but god has revealed them to us through his spirit for the spirit searches all things. Yes, the deep things of god Okay, the spirit of god god has You know god has given us his holy spirit He is called the spirit of revelation and wisdom And god has revealed these things that what what we are what the natural I has not seen what the year has not heard What has not even entered into the heart of man? You know what has not entered our spirit But god the holy spirit reveals god reveals by his spirit He which means he gives us revelation now we need to be able to seek him intentionally and and walk in the revelation of what we what he gives right so Um, therefore do not be unwise Understand what the will of the lord is okay verse 18 Says do not be drunk with wine In which is dissipation, but be filled with the spirit Okay, so do not be drunk with wine in witches. So, um So don't don't be under the influence of wine okay, so Like a lot of people would say, okay Don't have to be drunk with wine You can probably take in small um, you know small Potions or whatever, but the fact is that you know, you're opening the door for the influence of being under the influence of wine, right? So So he's really he's challenging the children. I mean he's challenging challenging again the believer And you know, it's part of walking as children of light. So he's saying that you know, don't be Influenced by By don't be under the influence of wine. Don't be drunk with wine in which is dissipation So saying that there's only wastefulness right, uh, there's only, uh wastefulness and You know excess and you know, it just causes you to Live in a way where It it it brings you um to a to a point of A wastefulness. There's nothing productive about that right, so So he's saying but be filled with the Spirit Okay, so what does that mean? That means that we have the privilege of being filled with the spirit um every day Okay, so we go we ask the Lord he's the one who fills us with his spirit We've seen the book of acts that people who are being filled with the spirit multiple times Right, so they might say, okay There was a point when I was baptized to the spirit uh, the holy spirit and I you know, I prayed in tongues and Um, or you know other other gifts were manifest and but that was some time back Okay, so But what now? Okay, the instruction is Be filled with the spirit. So being continually being filled or being under the influence of the holy spirit Is what we are called to do. We we even in the book of acts. We see that okay. Acts chapter two They were all filled. They were baptized on the spirit. They were filled with the spirit And you know, we saw we see what what happens, right? They Accepted to us for talks about they were all filled with the spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance and then we we continue to Read that and we go on to uh, let's say um acceptor three And uh, uh, except three or is it four? Right, um, yeah except before we read The that Four and verse 31 we see that they are praying for the for the for peter peter and uh, peter john and And so they uh, they because they've been asked not to Share the gospel. They've been asked not to you know, this is immediately after the miracle The the lame man began to walk And so they are praying and this is what happens and when they had prayed the verse 31 says they The place where they were assembled together was shaken and they were all filled with the holy spirit And they spoke the word of god with boldness. So we see you know multiple times. This is happening Right, they they were filled with the holy spirit and they spoke the word of god with gladness so With boldness, sorry So we we see that okay, and and then we we see further also, you know And how they were filled with the spirit of god. So we see that multiple times people are filled so so also for us And uh, we don't need to stop You know, let it be something in the past but continually We can be filled and be under the influence of the spirit So so which means that to be sensitive To respond to cooperate To yield and to obey in order to be led by him right so we welcome Welcome the work of the spirit and the and the and the greek word there Be filled means to be to be complete to be full of So how do we do that? We simply ask In faith and he fills us right we ask in faith and he fills us so Like well Will I know when how will I know where well we are asking in faith? You pray believing that you receive and you and you will have it And you know that this is scriptural So we know it's a will of god for the believer to be filled with the spirit So just go ahead and ask and be filled right, um, so What is the outcome of that? Okay, so he's saying be filled with the spirit speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your heart to the lord the spirit of god uh In your under the influence of the holy spirit that he enables you to do this Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to to to 85 one another to to minister to one another to Sing it says with with making melody in your heart to the lord Okay Giving thanks always for all things to god the father In the name of our lord jesus christ submitting to one another in the fear of god. So all this You know, it's just a outflow of Living a spirit filled life a spirit full life resulting in You know inspiration For psalms and hymns a spirit full life moving us to sing and make melody in our hearts to the lord help enabling us to worship Enabling us to even you know Inspiring us to write songs. Maybe you know come out with songs hymns spiritual songs And um to minister to the lord in worship making melody in your heart to the lord And the other things as well giving thanks for all things to god Giving thanks always for all things In the name of the to god the father in the name of our lord jesus christ submitting to one another in the fear of god Okay, submitting to one another. So yielding to one another and not bossing over one another and so And then you know So this is something that That paul writes and he says okay in the church that it's not like you want to take the upper hand over the other believer But be submitted to one another you know honoring one another Okay, so let's move on to us 22 Right 22 onwards. So here from 22 onwards paul talks about the the earthly relationships and he's talking about husband and wife children and parents And and so on and even also talks about you know an employer employee You know kind of a situation also, right? So so let's read through that. Okay, verse 22 wives submit to your own husbands as to the lord For the husband is the head of the wife as also christ is head of the church And he is the savior of the body therefore Just as the church is subject to christ So let the wives be to their own husbands in everything Husbands Love your wives Just as christ also loved the church and gave himself for her That he might sanctify and cleanser With a washing of water by the word That he might present her to himself A glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing But that she should be holy and without Glemish So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it Just as the lord does the church For we are members of his body of his flesh of his bones For this reason a mansion leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife And the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery But I speak concerning that it's concerning christ and the church Nevertheless, let each of you In particular particular so love his own wife as himself and let the wife see that she Respects her husband. So he's talking about a husband and wife relationship. So start by saying in verse 22 Wives submit to your own husbands So he's saying, you know wives accept The leadership of your husband Okay yield to the leadership of the husband Okay, so So that's uh, that's uh That's an instruction for the wives And he says so for the verse 23 for the husband is the head of the wife as also christ is head of the church And he is the savior of the body. So he's talking about a divine design Okay, a design something that has been designed by god God himself and And something that god has placed a design that he has placed In human relationships right in marriage Something that has been designed by god for marriage to work well Okay, so when we say that you know when we say, okay Any product of phone, you know, it's it's it's got a certain way of working It has been designed And you know that it functions in a certain way And it has certain instructions, you know you for switching on you have Something that you need to do for charging the phone, you know, you need something to do so similarly God who designed Marriage is giving certain instruction based on the design and he's saying, okay, this is how I designed it This is how I have, you know, I have created. This is how I have made so Wives submit to your own husbands as unto the lord Okay, but the husband is the head of the wife. So Uh, so we read, you know, even just before that We read You know in verse 21 Submitting to one another in the fear of the lord, you know living the spirit for life Is to be filled with the spirit and to be submitting to one another Okay, each other in the fear of the lord and so it's both ways Here With regard to marriage specifically he says wife submit Eel to the headship of the husband. So When he says husband, he got us created. Okay husband to be the head of the wife As christ is the head of the church and he is the same as christ is the savior of the body So this is how he has designed that does not in any way mean that The the the wife is lower in in any way To the husband because you know, we we read in other scripture that we are as together In christ, right? I think Where do we see that that we are joint as with christ, I think we see in evictions itself, right? We see that Uh, we have redemption and you know, we see that We are his workmanship. So he talks about both the husband and the wife We are we are his workmanship and we are we are is together with christ And and so on so which means that So there is there is no inequality there right as There is no any inequality between the husband and the wife. So it is a divine design And and this is something that we saw in I think that we see in galesh galeshians Okay And I'm just trying to Share that verse Okay, I'll I'll just share the reference a little later So so so this is something that um that christ has Christ has made us and so And and when we read, you know, when we read further we go on to see that You know in verse 24 we see that just as the church is subject to christ So let the wives be to their own husbands and everything. So that's that's just one part of the instruction Okay, so if if he's going to be instructing the wife, then we can be sure that there is a you know an instruction following Following this instruction an instruction for the husband as well Okay, so Okay, so for the husband He says this husbands verse 25. Okay before that, you know, it's he's saying to your own Husband so it's not like okay Man, you know Woman needs to be submitted to man, you know, he's particularly talking about a husband and wife Okay, it's not any other man, but to their own husbands Right the wife to the to her own husband to be submitted to be yielded and and to consider the husband as As the head of that relationship, right that as a as a leader who will lead in in that Particular relationship, right? Okay. So we see in verse 24 swear 25 Says husbands love your wives just as christ also loved the church and gave himself For her, you know, that's the you know, that's the instruction for the husband. So which means that Husband you you love You know, it is going to be a very sacrificial love radical Sacrificial love because that's the kind of love that christ has for his body the church Right, so he's saying husbands Love your wives just as christ also loved the church and gave himself for her That he might sanctify and cleanser with a washing of water by the word Okay, so this is what the lord does that he that he cleanses the the body of christ that he cleansed every believer In the you know, who is who is the church? With the washing of the water and sanctifies by the and cleanses by the washing of the water The word of god cleanses. It's like water washing away all impurities. It's like water cleansing The body right physically. So that is what the word of god does It does a work of cleansing all impurities is it has the ability to To take away and make new and bring about a freshness To take away all the dirt to take away everything that is that is harmful and Makes a person dirty The word of god has the ability to do that and so the word and god does this by his word or through his word Right, he washes he sanctifies he cleanses us Uh cleanses, you know the church us So with the intention that he might present Himself or present the church to himself As a glorious church without having any Spot or wrinkle or any such thing and any blemish right any any kind of uh Uh, you know any lack in any way, right? Okay, so we'll we'll stop here Um, and then we'll we'll take a break and then we'll come back again, right? We'll come back in 10 minutes, right?