Bethel Baptist Church Service: June 24, 2018: 10:15 am

Paul’s Exhortation to Live on Higher Ground is message based on meditation on Ephesians Chapter 5. The letter to the Ephesians was a circular intended to be read at the Church at Ephesus and other Churches in the surrounding area. As so many of Paul’s Letters it has become a letter for churches in all ages. Paul’s exhortation comes by way of three contrasts and one command.

The first contrast is between Darkness and Light. As Christ is the light of the world so everyone who is darkness and receives Christ and becomes, as Christ is light in the world. Light is fruitful. It produces goodness, righteous and truth. Light exposes what is hidden. Light by its energy cleanses. Light corrects by revealing what is wrong. Christians are light. We must live in the light. We must expose our lives to the light of Christ in order to live moral lives marked by goodness, righteousness and truth.

The second contrast is living as fools and as wise. It is between foolishness and wisdom. Living as foolishly is living our lives in disobedience to God. It is facing evil without a plan. It is like building a house on sand in hurricane prone areas. Wisdom is facing evil with the plan to live according to God’s word, God’s way and God’s will. It is like building a house on rock, the Rock Christ Jesus.

The third contrast is being drunk with wine wherein is excess and being fill with the Spirit of God. Human being are not empty vessels. We must be filled with something. Being drunk represents excess, self-indulgence and abandonment. Being filled with the Spirt of God is being empowered to meet life’s challenges with joy, peace and confidence.

Pauls’ exhortation to live on Higher Grounds concludes with the command to unity by submitting to each other in mutual respect, reverence and love as unto the Lord.