THE FRUIT OF LIGHT (Ephesians 5:8-10)

Welcome on this cold cloudy day. I'm glad you're here. I know we've got a lot of sickness going around all over the community. We have a few families that are actually out with it. So. But we're glad that you're not sick and we're glad you're here.

I just want to say Welcome to all of our covenant members to the Lord's Day Gathering. And as I do every single week, I just want to thank you for Bringing your gifts what God has uniquely given to you for the benefit of this body and.

And as a reminder you are loved, right? You are loved all of you as our covenant members at this church. You are loved by the father. The father who chose you before the foundation of the world not because you were lovable because of his good grace.

You were loved by the Son Who who set out to redeem you and purchase you by blood ransom? You are loved by the Holy Spirit who now seals you for the day of glory. You are greatly loved. Do not forget it.

And this is a great time to come together and be reminded of it. But I also want to say thank you to our guests for being here. We're so grateful that you've chosen to join us today. We we pray that you're encouraged today.

We pray that God Grows you in the fear and knowledge of him and if you are a guest today I would like to ask you if if possible if you've got one of these and if you don't we can get you one. This is a connect card at the bottom of it.

It says, how can we pray for you? And I know something about you without even meeting you. You need prayer, don't you? I know that because I need prayer. We all need prayer. There's a great opportunity for that and then there's some check boxes on here on.

Some questions maybe that you might have about the church and and you can let us know those things. We would love the chance to get to know you. And if you could just drop that connect card into the offering plate when it comes by here in a moment our people Give from a heart of worship towards kingdom purposes and that would be your contribution.

So that we may get a chance to get you get to know you. And if you're interested in learning more about what it means to be a part of a covenant Community like this. We're actually going to be offering as we do every quarter a four-week new member class.

It's really just an informational class. It's starting in February to be every Wednesday in February starting on February the 7th that's a Wednesday night at 630 right here in the building and. And we'll just every Wednesday consecutively for four weeks in a row and you can find out where we come from.

You find out where we're planning on heading, right? We make our plans. God directs our steps. But you can also find out what we believe. And and how we function as a people together in covenant as just a great opportunity.

Even if you're not interested you say pastor, I'm not. I'm not looking to join anything at the moment. I totally understand that. This is really a first step. Towards that process, but mostly it's just informational for you to grow and understand what it means to be a part of a church.

Well some more announcements here before we get started for members if you missed past Sunday's Family meeting you missed a very exciting news. The exciting news that we have announced a elder candidate another pastor for this church a third Pastor to come alongside pastor Jeremiah and myself and that is our brother Keith Henick back there.

We are yes. That's very exciting time. So we are we are holding an ordination Commissioning service to officially bring him in as an elder here at 12 -5 on Saturday March 2nd, and that's going to be at 6 o 'clock here Saturday, March 2nd put that on your calendars right here at the building.

Please plan on being here guest if you want to come see what that's about. Please come visit but members plan on being here. This is a momentous time. You are gaining another pastor to come alongside and shepherd this flock.

Well with the exciting news doesn't in there more exciting news is a reminder that next week is our grand opening service and I know you're like, well, we've already been in here pastor. We've had a few weeks in this building and yes, we had to work the kinks out.

We didn't even know how we were gonna set up the chairs if we're being honest with you. We didn't know how all of this was gonna flow with this space. And so we need to get our bearings and then we just start letting the community know that we're here.

And so this is a great opportunity for you to maybe invite that family member the neighbor that friend that co-worker that. That you've really not had an opportunity to you know. Maybe a foot in the door to open up and and invite them to church.

But this is a great opportunity because of a having a grand opening service so please plan on being here if at all possible and Finally I would like to encourage our families with young children. You know, we are a family integrated congregation.

We are family integrated meaning that on the Lord's Day. We do not offer things like nursery or children's ministry, and I know some people. Have the question they're like well man the pastor, you know, my young child just doesn't understand.

They don't know what you're preaching about. They don't know the songs we're singing. They don't understand. And I'm I know they don't. But here's what we believe we believe that they know that you do.

They know you believe it and they're watching you and we want them to watch you worship God together on the Lord's Day, so we don't offer that but even though we are family integrated. We we also know the nature of children, right?

Any of us parents that have had children young children. We understand don't we? So we offer a nursing room right back here in the back. The door can close. We've got the the feed coming in so you can hear the sermon and the music if you need to.

Because children get restless and fussy and we totally understand. But we also don't want to be a distraction to our brothers and sisters. Do we because it can be it can be a bad distraction and it can it can be used to keep people from hearing The truth that is being proclaimed specifically during the preaching.

So we don't want to be a distraction so we ask that when necessary to take advantage of that space back there. Like I said, we've got a TV back there. But we also want to make sure we don't want any of our parents to spend the whole of the service.

I want to be careful. Because there can be a propensity young mothers or even grandparents to just like immediately go back there. Just in case the child is gonna be upset. We would like to challenge you to try and get them to set to the service.

Otherwise, they'd never learn but you need to use discernment discretion and how and when to use that opportunity fair enough. Hey, I think I think that's a that's good for the announcements. So let's let's stop and pray for another local Congregation this morning as we do before we officially start off our service today.

We are gonna be praying for First Baptist Church of Walnut Ridge that is fairly local the Walnut Ridge just right up the road and First Baptist Church is a church that we want to lift up to the Lord this morning and pray that God would would move in Their midst and in their people and they would flourish.

Let's pray dear Heavenly Father Lord we thank you for all all of our brothers and sisters.

Not.

Just those that are here in this room God that we have covenanted with God, but but those all over the world. That today on the Lord's Day are preparing together or already gathering. Yeah, we ask for brothers and sisters at First Baptist Church of Walnut Ridge.

We ask that you.

Would.

Work in their hearts and minds. As you mold them. Christ you said that you will build your church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. We trust that you will do the work that you set out to do in their hearts.

Be with their pastors. Father, I pray you give them wisdom and boldness and clarity. I Pray that they would proclaim the full counsel of your word with boldness and without hesitation even at the even at their own peril.

Father I pray for their people that you would Mold them into the people that they should be a gracious people loving people people that longs after Kingdom purpose in your glory above all other things in this world.

We thank you for what you are doing and what you are going to continue to do. And we pray that they would understand and experience and know the great love from their brothers and sisters here In Christ's name.

Amen. Amen, let's stand for our call to worship as we officially start our day. And worship to the triune. God our our call to worship comes from the first seven verses of Psalm 147 for the psalmist he heals the brokenhearted praise the Lord.

For it is good to sing praises to our God. Hold on. Just say it go back to that go back to that slide. Before it is pleasant. And a song of praise is fitting. I'm not. I'm not reprimanding. Yeah, I know you just woke up.

You just walked in here guys, but we're not starting off worship like that. Are we we're not starting worship off like that. Let's start over. How about that? Right for it is good to sing praises to our God.

Oh the Lord builds up Jerusalem. He heals the brokenhearted. He determines the number of the stars. Great is the Lord and abundant in power.

The Lord lifts up the humble sing to the Lord with thanksgiving.

Before we make melody with the harp. I mean, I guess the guitar in our Circumstance, right? Let's go to that great God and a prayer of adoration. And I want you to bow your heads with me and in this moment.

I I want you to set aside The distractions set aside the this whole idea of trying to get your bearings and your seat and in your room and in your in the Surroundings and I want you to I want you to think about the goodness and greatness of our God.

And I want this prayer to be a true prayer of adoration To our God the one that is worthy of our praise this morning. So let's pray. Oh.

Dear Heavenly Father you are far above our Thoughts you are far above our.

Imaginations you are far above our our lofty understandings. God you You have given us all that we need to know you in your word. But we are so finite that we can only comprehend Just a small little glimpse of who you are.

And we can't even comprehend it. We can't even understand it Because you are altogether separate from us. You are sovereign you hold all things in your hands you Orchestrate every molecule of this universe to your will and you uphold us.

With your mighty hand Father we ask this morning that we would sing to you with Thanksgiving in our hearts Father our worship that the greatest Possible part of worship that we have to offer you this morning falls so short of your magnificent Majestic holiness.

It.

Is if we are infants infants just mumbling almost nonsense and ability to comprehend just how. Overwhelmingly great you are. So forgive us as we fall short and thank you for knowing that we your children are small.

Forgetful.

Shortsighted you hold us.

And that the righteousness of your son Jesus Christ has been given to us So that we may stand righteous and holy before you as we worship in spirit of truth.

Be honored in our worship. We pray in Christ's name man. It's good to be in the house of the Lord this morning. Amen. Amen, I want to do that again. It's good to be in the house of the Lord this morning.

Amen. Amen. All right. Let's sing out. Let's lift our voices. We're singing to an awesome Savior this morning. Amen. The love of the Father.

Voices and lift up your praise. Join with the heavens declaring the wonders of his faithfulness. Come on the victory the hope of the world the Savior has risen the spirit has come to.

Us into oh we are singing.

Oh.

This is my mocking that it was my son had to turn his face. Was so grateful you chose lost.

Head to sin sinner that didn't deserve. Doesn't deserve the breath. That's in my praise you for saving me. Thank you so much Lord. I pray that you'd bless this offering this morning. Would be with the rest of this worship service in Jesus name.

So our scripture reading this morning. And y 'all may be seated. Our scripture reading this morning comes from Romans 6 Verses 23 23, I want you to listen carefully to the words of this passage. For when you were slaves of sin You were free in regard to righteousness.

But what fruit Were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the for the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God The fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end.

Its end is eternal life. Amen. For the wages of sin is death. But the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ. Our Lord, I'm gonna say it again. For the wages of sin is death the free gift of God.

The free gift of God is eternal life and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen, if that doesn't if that doesn't light your fire. Your fires out. It's wet. Amen. That should make you just want to jump out of your chair.

Eternal life, and it's a free gift. Amen. Stand with me. We got one last song. Jesus paid it.

The Savior.

In need of smallness watch and pray.

Because of the great righteousness.

Your hearts are ready go ahead and open your copy of God's Word to Ephesians chapter 5. Ephesians chapter 5 as we jump back into our study through this great epistle that the Apostle Paul had written to the church in Ephesus and to the surrounding cities and churches and Consequently to us today for these words have been recorded for us.

These words are just as meaningful. And they carry just as much truth in them for us believers today as they did to them Roughly 2 ,000 years ago. So let's read God's Word. We are primarily gonna start looking in verse 8.

But I want us to start reading in verse 1 so that we can be reminded of the context here in Ephesians 5. Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children and Walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.

For you may be sure of this that everyone who is Sexually immoral or impure who is covetous that is an idolater. There's no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. I'll let no one deceive you with empty words.

Because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them for at one time you were darkness. But now you are light in the Lord a walk as children of light.

For the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.

But when anything is exposed by the light It becomes visible. For anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says awake. Oh sleeper and array arise from the dead and Christ will shine on you.

Says the reading of God's Word. Let's go to him once again, and let's ask the Holy Spirit to help us comprehend and understand this truth. Guard us guard me. My lips would not.

Speak.

Wrongly.

Guard.

My brothers and sisters that their ears would perk up when they hear something that is not accurate according to your word. Give them wisdom and discernment. Holy Spirit help us to see these truths. We thank you for your word.

Be honored in.

The.

Proclamation of it in Christ's name. Amen. Well last week the ELCA it's the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America held its annual youth leader event called extravaganza. At this event a woman who claims to be a pastor.

The story's already off to a bad start, isn't it? Right, you know, the trajectories here because that's Obviously not accurate, but she claims to be. This woman was speaking about her 11 year old daughter.

She goes on to say that her daughter was Actually born a biological male and as as he was growing up. He preferred the color pink dressing up. Typical girly type of things. Then she Invited this young boy onto the stage to the cheer of the massive audience of youth leaders within that denomination.

Dressed and acting like a girl and this young boy. Speaking very proudly and honestly eloquently as I watched this video. Again the crowd is cheering him on. Stated and I quote. Being transgender means Just being myself.

It means.

Being who God made me to be. It's not about how I act or what I wear. It's about who I Am. And as I listen to those words. My heart broke for this little boy my heart broke for this 11 year old boy. Because he does not know how right he is.

This is about who he is. He is darkness and that darkness has led him to believe that God actually made him this way mind you. This event isn't a political convention. It's not being hosted by a secular university.

It was being paraded by people who claim the name of Christ. And I believe this is why Paul had told us in verse 6 of what we just read. What did he say? He said let no one Deceive you. Hey Christian.

Don't let him pull the wool over your eyes. Don't be deceived. Let no one deceive you with their empty words. For because of these things because of this sexual impurity because of the any impurity because of covetousness and sin because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of Disobedience don't be deceived and he says there in verse 7.

Therefore do not become partners with them do not have fellowship with them and. And again, we talked about that very text three weeks ago and we looked at it and we saw that this obviously can apply to Not being partners not being in fellowship with those out in the world those that are in obvious darkness.

However, the context of what Paul is aiming at here is this very thing? He's saying don't be deceived by those who claim Christ yet deny him with their lives.

Why?

Verse 8 tells us.

For.

At one time.

You.

Were darkness. Every time we get to this text, I keep bringing it up. I want it. I want you to pay attention. It doesn't say you were in darkness. Does it. It doesn't say you were consumed by darkness does it?

It says you yourself at your very core were darkness. Just like that poor boy and his mother Says but now. Now there's there's a contrast here, right? You were darkness, but now there's a contrast you are light in the Lord.

We have darkness and we have light. And Paul had told us over in 2nd Corinthians chapter 6. You can drop this passage down if you're not familiar with it in verse 14. But he had told us there not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers.

Do not be connected do not be in fellowship do not be partners with those that are unbelievers and he says for what. Partnership has righteousness with lawlessness or what fellowship has light with darkness.

There is a contrast here. He says he says you were darkness, but now you're light in the Lord and now he gives us a command. He tells us he says hey Christian don't be deceived. Don't be deceived by empty words, right?

That the judgment judgment is upon that. No, you are not darkness anymore. You are light now walk as children of light. That's what he says there in the passage, isn't it? University says walk as children of light.

Well, if you've been with us through the study or you studied Ephesians. You may remember Paul switches gears in this letter doesn't he starting in chapter 4 remember chapters 1 2 3. They're just Doctrine there's information about how we've been brought into union with Christ.

And then he switches gears and look at what he said just flip back flip over in your Bibles to chapter 4. What did he say in verse 1? What did he do? What does he urge us to he urges us to walk? There's that word again, right to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called and then he Continues on to proceed.

He proceeds to hash that out showing us what that looks like. And by the time he gets to Ephesians chapter 5 in verse 2 He continues this type of language says walk in a manner worthy of this calling and then in 5 2 He says now walk in love.

I'm explaining to you. What does it mean to walk in a manner worthy of our calling? Well, he says walk in love walking in the love of God and now here in verse 80. He tells us to walk in in the light.

To walk as children of light. This is a lifestyle. That is the byproduct of a life change. It is a lifestyle. That is the byproduct of a life change. You're walking in light does not produce the change.

The change is already there. You're simply walking in the change. It's the byproduct of it. If you've been brought from death to life if you've been brought from darkness into light. Your walk will show evidence of that it will be present in your life and Before Paul finishes his thought there in verse 8.

As he tells us to walk as children of light he squeezes in a parentheses here if you notice it. I think this helps us define what he means look at verse 9. You can see in your Bibles you're gonna have like a little parentheses around the outside of this phrase.

It's kind of squeezed into the middle as an explanation. He says for the fruit of.

Light.

Is found in all that is good and right and true the fruit of light? He tells us you were darkness. But now you're light because you are in Christ the light of the world. You are light in the Lord is what he says now walk as children of light because you've been adopted right.

You've been brought in. As a child you've been brought in to this kingdom. You've been transferred from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of light. You are children and citizens of that kingdom. And oh by the way, here's here's the evidence.

Here's the fruit of that light. This is what it looks like. This is evidence. It's the product of something isn't it? It what is fruit in Scripture, it's the evidence of something. It's the byproduct we see evidence of whatever is true.

Whatever is right you plant an apple tree. You don't get an orange. Right. I hope not. The light in Scripture is obviously a metaphor for righteousness for godliness. For whatever is good and pure and holy because God is light.

And.

We are obviously Aren't walking around as Christians with beams of physical light shining out of our eyeballs and through our fingertips. That probably scare most people away, and it'd be quite annoying obviously.

That's not what scripture speaking of and so our walk the way that we live. The things that we say the things that we do. Our perspectives our insight our very countenance. Is that light? It's fruit of that light in our lives.

And There are those Who through their empty words claim to be walking in that light. They claim the light. So, how do we distinguish? How do we distinguish between those truly walking as children of light and darkness masquerading as light?

What are we looking for? How do we distinguish. How do we how do we look and evaluate what's the same way we look for the fruit of physical light. The exact same thing you walk into a dark room and the power has shut off because we have another ice storm.

Right. You walk into a dark room, and you flip the switch, and it doesn't come on what happens. You just walk in the room completely unaware that the light never came on.

It.

Doesn't work like that is it it's a good way to stub your toe. Or if you have kids step on a Lego, and that will truly test your faith won't it? No, there's evidence when you flip the switch when there's no power.

There's no light and if there's no light. There's no visibility. It's very obvious isn't it? Becomes very obvious very quickly that that switch didn't work. There was no fruit of light. The spiritual light of goodness and righteousness is just as obvious.

It may not seem like it is but it it is. It's just as obvious. Look at what Paul says in verse 13, but when anything is exposed by the light It what what happens to it it becomes visible. When anything is exposed to the light it becomes visible.

It's obvious. Because it's shining into utter darkness. Where there is nothing good where there is nothing right where there is nothing true? And this is what Paul is telling us here is he tells us to walk in the light.

He says hey the fruit of light. Hey, it's found in all that is good and right and true. Paul gives us three things here as examples of fruit. I Think I've got the points up on the screen that we can walk through and if these are the fruit of light of righteousness.

Then they then they contradict the fruit of darkness. We have the fruit of light and we have the fruit of darkness. This is what Paul is showing us here. The first one that he mentions there in verse 9 is that good in contrast to bad?

Good in contrast to bad. Over in Romans chapter 3 Paul begins to quote some of the Psalms and It's in Romans 3 12, I think he I think he quotes psalm 53 here, I believe. When he says all have turned aside Together they have become worthless.

No one does good. Not even one. You know what this means. Don't you it means that there is absolutely no good outside of Christ. Nothing good. No good fruit. You remember what Jesus said to the rich young ruler.

When the rich young ruler comes to him and and calls him good teacher, right? He says why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. God alone. Of course Jesus wasn't denying that he's good.

He he himself is God. He's simply questioning this young man's Intention. Jesus knows his intention. He's just revealing it to the young man. Because God is good. That's why the psalmist declares Oh taste and see that the Lord is good.

Because it's God and God alone. That is good. If this is true, then the only thing that represents goodness is What God declares good, right? If he's the only good Everything else is bad. Then whatever he declares good is the only thing that is good.

If you want to know if that fruit is truly good. Does God say it's good. Does God say it? Because if God says it's evil then no matter how you package it no matter how Benevolent and kind you may seem no matter how sincere no matter how you slice it or dice it that fruit is bad.

You know, we have pear trees in our backyard. I'm not a big pear fan. But these are some of them. They're excellent. You pick them right off the tree. They're so good. But let me tell you something there's a certain time in the season when they start to fall off the tree and land on the ground and rot and That is a stench.

You don't soon forget. We kind of avoid the backyard during that particular season and wait for the deer to come eat them all off the ground because somehow they Like them, but it is bad. So you can go out and you can scoop some of those pears up off the ground all rotten and stinking you can put them On fancy China, you can put them on a fancy plate.

You can create a five-star restaurant presentation with it with all of the fixins and everything around it in order to serve it to me. But it doesn't change the fact that fruit is bad. You see God's words are clear on what he deems good and what he deems bad.

He he has given us everything we need for life and godliness, right? He's not left anything out for us to be able to discern what is good and what is bad. It's all there and The fruit of light is always good.

So anyone who claims to be a child of light and produces bad fruit is Nothing but a liar. You realize that right. There are nothing but a liar in Matthew 7. Jesus said a healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit.

Nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Pretty cut and dry, isn't it? And this good fruit can only come forth from a changed heart.

That's it. If God is the only one that's good and no one else is good. I can't produce anything good. I can't bring to the table any goodness whatsoever. Even though I try and do it externally. I am incapable of it and We actually see this in the word that Paul uses here for good.

Because this word in the Greek is referring to the achievement of moral excellence. Yes. Right, that's what we've been talking about right. God is moral excellence and so the achievement of moral excellence however, this word also is combined with a generous spirit.

You see the difference? Between Being able to just do good things. But you see it all the time, don't you we have political parties of Unbelievers who they will stand for things that are are seemingly good, aren't they?

They will stand against abortion. They'll stand against things that God has declared in his word as bad. However, if they are not in Christ, they are not producing actual fruit as Paul is pointing to here.

Because it's a matter of a genuine spirit combined with the achievement of moral excellence. The affirmation of what is good. Meaning the intent of the heart is at the core of this fruit. Right. We can't just look at the outside.

We can't just look at the appearance we it has to be at the heart. That's why we see we see people who seem to produce Good outward fruit all the time and later prove that their heart was never really changed.

Don't we we've seen got people apostate who seem to be producing a tremendous amount of good fruit. And you seem to see light in their lives and then at some point they reject it all and turn from the faith.

Did they lose that salvation? Well, no, they can't you can't Jesus said I've not lost one of them. I you can't strip your hand. You strip yourself from the hand of Christ. What happened? It's because of what Paul is saying here.

It's not just the outward Acknowledgement of what's good. It's the outward acknowledgement of what's good from a heart of worship gratitude to God. That only a believer can accomplish. Sometimes only they knew that their outward expression of what seemed to be good fruit was never truly from a genuine heart and from a generous heart heart that desired to do all to the glory of God.

You see that distinction? Sometimes we want to do the right thing for the wrong reasons and that's not the fruit of life. That's not the fruit of life. That's just just being a Pharisee, but when the heart is truly changed and Desire is good for for the glory of God for for the goodness and and what God deems right and good.

The fruit is ongoing it perseveres. This is good in contrast to bad. I Want us to look at the second thing that Paul points out? And it is right in contrast to wrong. Right right in contrast to wrong.

And no, Paul is not talking about right and left-wing politics here. Okay, that's not what Paul's referring to obviously Paul is referring to a righteous rightness a Righteous rightness. That is in contrast to an unjust unrighteous wrong an unjust unrighteous wrong.

This is we see God defining what's good. We see God defining what's right and what's just in Proverbs chapter 11 in verse 1 He writes a false balance. An unjust balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight.

What is he saying here? He's he's speaking of he's using the the analogy of.

A.

System of weighing out let's say it's grain and So someone comes and they've picked X amount of grain and they set it on and to be Counterbalanced so they know how much grain they've brought and then they pay that person accordingly.

Well, it was not uncommon to have Fake weight like an imbalanced weight. And so what it what is what is Proverbs telling us? Unjust false balance. Oh, that's an abomination of the Lord. That's not just a Just weight is his delight.

And not only that a just weight a true heart changed. Justice only comes from God because in Proverbs 16 11 He says a just balance and scales are the Lord's. All the weight in the bag are his work. So anything that is just anything that is good anything that is true coming from a genuine heart a generous heart is Only from God directly.

It's nothing you do. It's nothing I do. It's purely a work of him and him alone. All that he does is fair. All that he does is just all that he does is right. He cheats. No one. It's not in his nature.