Ephesians 5:15-21 (Part 1)

I. Walk in wisdom.
-be = blepo = to see, to look
-careful = akribos = accurate, careful; idea of examining and investigating
Examples of acting unwisely
1. Disobedience
2. Doubting God's word - Gal. 3:1-3
3. Focusing on wrong things - I Tim. 6:9
-Prov. 1:7
-Ps. 119:99
-Walter Liefeld "It (wisdom) is knowing God, maturing in our relationship with Him and walking close and perceptively that we are enabled to develop godly character, live thoughtfully and make proper choices in life."

II. Make the most of our time.
-making the most = exagorazo = to buy up at the marketplace
-time = kairos = time, season, age

III. Understand the will of the Lord.
-foolish = aphron = without understanding, senseless; idea of imprudence or folly
-understand = suniemi = understand, comprehend, perceive, insight into;
-"The ability to bring things together and see them in relation to one another." Exegetical Key to the New Testament
a. God's gracious plan.
b. God's gracious guidance.
What is God's will?
1. Sanctification - I Thess. 4:3
2. Submission to authorities - I Pet. 2:13-15
3. Giving thanks - I Thess. 5:18
4. May include suffering - I Pet. 4:19
5. Standing firm in God's will - Col. 4:12
6. Loving one another - John 13:34
7. Share our faith
-Ps. 37:4

Ephesians 5:8-14

I. Live as the light.
-John 8:12
a. Produce the fruit of light.
-goodness = agathosune; Moral excellence, that which is good in nature and in its effectiveness
-Rom. 15:14, II Thess. 1:11
-righteousness = dikaiosune = justice, what is right, uprightness
-truth = aletheia = truth, reality
b. Discern what pleases the Lord.
-trying to learn = dokimazo = test, examine, discern, approve, prove.
-I John 4:1, Rom. 12:2

II. Understand the incompatibility of light and darkness.
-II Cor. 6:14
a. Do not participate in the darkness.
-participate = sugkoinoneo = fellowship with, fellowship in, participate in
b. Expose the works of darkness.
-expose = elegcho = to bring to light, reveal hidden things, convince, correct, reprove

NAS- "everything that becomes visible is light"
NIV- "for it is light that makes everything visible"
-II Cor. 4:6

III. Wake up.
-Is. 26:19; 60:1-2