'14 EPH 5:18 BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT 5/25/14
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I)
V18 INTRO: And do not be drunk with wine in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit
a) FROM CHAPTER FOUR: Paul has been exhorting the Ephesians to live godly lives
1) Eph 4:22-24 Put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt
according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new
man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
II)
WHEN LAST TOGETHER: We noted that he continued teaching them concerning godly living
a) He told them to walk carefully, redeem the time, be not unwise, and to understand God's will
1) KEY: All of these commands hinged on their understanding the times they were living in
2) They were living in days where the entire atmosphere was in hostile opposition to them
III)
BECAUSE THE LAST DAYS ARE EVIL: Believers are instructed to live Christ honoring lives
a) REMEMBER: Our lifestyles demonstrate the sincerity and maturity of our faith in Jesus
1) We live in anticipation of being with Him
2) Titus 2:11-13 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching
us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the
present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus
Christ
3) 1 Th 5:5-6 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of
darkness; therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.
IV)
AGAIN: The quality of their lives demonstrated the depth of their love and devotion to Jesus
a) This love for Jesus is evidenced by consistency of their works and their words
1) Ps 27:4 One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house
of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple
V)
HE NOW CONTINUES: By giving the necessary ingredient to performing these orders
a) IN ORDER TO DO SO: We must be filled with the Holy Spirit (V18)
VI)
CHRISTIANITY: Is not simply a philosophy of life or a strategy for successful living
a) Genuine Christianity is a supernatural lifestyle
VlI) REMEMBER: Adam was created beautiful but initially had no life in him
a) He was perfectly formed by not alive until God gave him life by breathing life into him
1) Gen 2:7 The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils
the breath of life; and man became a living being.
2) ADAM FELL: And retained physical life, but died spiritually
VIlI) KEY: We have physical life but are devoid of spiritual life until regenerated
a) WE ARE SIMILAR TO: A Concept Car at the auto show
1) We need to receive spiritual life through faith in Jesus: born again
2) Ezek 36:27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will
keep My judgments and do them.
IX)
AGAIN: In order to be able to live lives that bring glory to God we need His Spirit
a) WITH THIS IN MIND: Paul therefore commands believers to not be drunk with wine
'14 EPH 5:18 BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT 5/25/14
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1) He contrasts the Spirit filled life with drunkenness
2) WHY: Because he is contrasting a Spiritual life with a carnal, flesh centered life
I)
REMEMBER: The ancient Greeks were idolaters who worshipped a variety of nature gods
a) One of the gods that was worshipped was given the name Bacchus
1) He was the god of fruitfulness and vegetation, especially known as a god of wine and
ecstasy
II)
WHEN DEVOTEES OF BACCHUS WORSHIPPED: They would drink and get drunk
a) After drinking, the priests would begin to prophesy under the influence of their god
1) As they were drunk, they would give their oracles
III)
THE WORSHIPERS: Would engage in excesses of every kind, including sexual orgies
a) They believed that getting drunk was an appropriate way to worship the god who invented
wine
IV)
KEY: Because they were changed after drinking wine, they believed he was influencing them
a) Whatever they did while drunk would be blamed on his influence in their lives
1) KEY: This is what Paul is speaking of when he speaks of dissipation (no self-control)
IV)
THIS BRINGS US TO THE OBVIOUS QUESTION: What about alcohol?
V)
FACT: There are Christians who have no problem drinking and argue in its favor
a) Some are alcohol evangelists and even attempt to argue people into their position: GRACE
1) Sadly, those who argue in favor of grace very often are more concerned with their wants
2) 1 Co 6:12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for
me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
3) 1 Co 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for
me, but not all things edify.
VI)
THESE QUESTIONS: Might help you as you consider the pros and cons of being a sipping saint
a) Is it costly? Is it something that I should spend my money on? Is it habit forming?
b) If I become addicted, how will it affect my life or the life of my family?
c) Can l make poor decisions while under its influence? Can my life and those I love be affected
by it?
d) Will it offend other Christians? Do I have to defend my drinking to others?
e) Will it harm my Christian testimony? Can I share the gospel effectively while drinking?
f) Is it right? Has it improved my testimony and made me more like Jesus?
VII) JOE FOCHT: Is pastor of Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia
a) Joe researched and presented these facts concerning alcohol and its effects
1) There are over 16 million alcoholics in the United States
2) 76 million Americans who do not drink have an immediate family member who is alcoholic
3) Between 10-15% of all Americans are alcoholics, alcoholism being the #1 drug problem in
the US
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VIII) in the last 50 years more Americans have died due to alcohol than the deaths of WW1/ WW2
combined.
25-40% of all hospital beds every day in America have people in them with a problem related to
alcohol.
50% of all traffic fatalities are related to alcohol (65 per day)
20% of all freezing deaths are related to alcohol. 25% of all choking deaths are related to alcohol.
50% of all falling deaths are due to alcohol. 52% of those who die in a fire, is related to alcohol.
60% of all suicides are related to alcohol. 64% of all murders are related to alcohol.
69% of drowning's are related to alcohol. 72% of robberies and assaults are related to alcohol.
60% of all rapes are related to alcohol. 80% of all criminal court cases in the United States related
to alcohol in one way or another. Up to 50% of teen driving deaths are related to alcohol.
l)
INTERESTINGLY: In the US, alcoholism is classified as a disease
a) Why are their breweries and distilleries? Why are there liquor stores and bars licensed to sell
it?
1) Why do you have to be a certain age to get it, and why do you pay taxes on it?
2) One web site said that Americans spend approximately $57 billion on alcohol yearly
II)
IF THERE WERE: Places making and selling hepatitis or meningitis, they would be closed down
III)
77% of all high school students in America claim to have used alcohol or are using alcohol
44% of all 8th graders have used or are presently using alcohol
6.6 million American children under 8 live in a home with at least 1 alcoholic parent.
In the US there are 500,000 children between 9 and 12 that are already alcoholic dependent.
11,000 under-age young people try alcohol for the 1st time every day in the United States
IV)
KEY: If you believe you have liberty to drink and still walk in the Spirit, please don't evangelize
a) Some seem bent on changing other people's minds and attitudes concerning social drinking
1) If you have a friend or girlfriend/boyfriend who seems bent on converting you, be careful
2) Ro 14:13 Let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a
stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way.
3) 1 Co 6:12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for
me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
V)
ONE THING TO REMEMBER: Drunkenness is always condemned in the Bible
a) Both the Old and New Testament condemns drunkenness (ls 5:11)
1) Pr 23:29-35 Who has woe (anguish, impending doom)? Who has sorrow? Who has
contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those
who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when it is
red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls around smoothly; At the last it bites like a serpent, And
stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, And your heart will utter perverse things. Yes, you
will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, Or like one who lies at the top of the mast,
saying: They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I
awake, that I may seek another drink?"
VI)
IN THE NEW TESTAMENT: Paul specifically condemned drunkenness
a) Why condemn a disease? It is not a disease but a choice
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1) Ro 13:13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in
lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.
b) 1 Pe 4:3 We have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles--when we
walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.
VII) INTERESTINGLY: If it were a diseas then why would someone with a disease be excluded from
heaven
a) 1 Co 6:9-10 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not
be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor
thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God
VIII) THE FACT IS: We are created by God to serve Him as kings and princes (Rev 1:6)
a) Pr 31:4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Nor for princes
intoxicating drink
1) Craving intoxicants is not for a king: It clouds judgment and reveals a weakness of
character
I)
PAUL'S POINT IS VERY SIMPLE: Christians are not to yield to this kind of control over them
a) Just because it may be legal to drink does not make it morally right or spiritually wise to do
so
1) QUOTE: No one starts out to be an alcoholic. Everyone begins with a defensive attitude
saying, ‘I’m just a social drinker and there is nothing wrong with it!’ No one says, ‘It is my ambition that
someday I want to lose my job, my health, my self-respect, my marriage and my family. Someday I want
to be dependent on alcohol to get through my day.’ yet, this is the destination at which several millions
of people have arrived. Why do you suppose that is? It is because alcohol is promoted and elevated as
a normal/sophisticated activity in life…. It is also expensive, addictive and enslaving. (The sad fact is):
people get hooked by America’s number one legal drug
2) Pr 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is intoxicated by it is not
wise
II)
QUOTE: The Bible doesn’t say, “Thou shalt not drink,” and you may be able to handle it. But what
about your children who are introduced to the use of alcohol by your example and who are not able to
handle it?
III)
WHAT CAN WE DO TO BE STRONG: The church needs God's power to be effective
a) Seeing that the pressures to conform to the world are constant, we need His power
constantly
lV)
KEY:The argument seems to be how much alcohol can we consume and still be solid believers
a) Why are we not more interested in the second part of this verse
V)
V18 NOTICE HOW HE SAYS: But be filled with the Spirit
a) KEY: Without the power of God working in us, it is not possible to walk circumspectly
VI) INTERESTINGLY: To reach this generation requires more than a church with a little more wine in
them
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a) lt requires a church that has more of the Holy Spirit in them to get the job done
VII) BEFORE THE DAY OF PENTECOST: 120 believers were gathered in an upper room, isolated from
others
a) On Pentecost, they left the room and began reaching the world
1) They had received the promise of the Father, and it radically transformed them
VIII) WE DON’T NEED: More of the spirit of this age because it already has infected us
a) The Spirit needs to anoint, fill, be poured out, and baptize us that we might be transformed
1) We need to be filled with the Person of the Spirt, Who has His own will, thoughts, and
direction
IX)
KEY: We need Him to lead us in the way He would direct us in
a) Jn 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for
He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things
to come.
b) Ro 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
X)
XI)
AS A PASTOR: l desire to reach all generations, including the younger generation
a) They do not need an old man trying to be cool, with an earring and cool hair and clothes
1) They see right through this kind of nonsense because they know what is geuine
2) Chuck Smith was older, balding, and a bit heavy in a room full of hippies: but we saw truth
THE FACT IS: There was a move of the Holy Spirit then, and we need Him to move again
a) Paul is saying: Don't be intoxicated by the influences of this world
1) You have greater potential, cultivate it: be continually filled with the presence of the One
who's all wise, all knowing, who will guide you in everything. That's what you were constructed for.