Welcome to Good Shepherd!
Whether you are new to the area, the United Methodist Church or new to being a Christian, there is something here for you.

We glad you have chosen to spend a few moments discovering our church family. As we describe Good Shepherd to people, we use words like...Belong...Believe...Become.

We are a group of people devoted to showing radical hospitality, having passionate worship, becoming fully devoted followers, serving together in mission, and giving extravagantly. That means we love people where they are no questions asked. Our hope is that all people will feel loved and belong at Good Shepherd.

And once here, we pray that you will meet God and as a result of meeting God, give your lives to Jesus Christ. We want that for you. Come as you are. Check us out. Come home.

Paul says we who were dead in our sins and unbelief have been made alive with Christ. And by grace we have been saved! A good question though now in our study of Ephesians is: “How does the God who saved me from my sins want me to live?” In other words, how do we give thanks? Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, answers that question for us.

In our Ephesians 5 text alone, in these six verses, we find five essentials to guide us in our life of grateful response to the Lord’s love and salvation and how to live that out as Christians in the world. What are those five essentials? Join us this weekend for Ephesians 5:15-20 as we continue getting Geared Up for Life with Giving Thanks.

In Ephesians 5 in these six verses, we find five essentials to guide us in our life of grateful response to our Lord’s love and how to live that out as Christians in the world. He calls Christians to be careful, be wise, use their time, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and give thanks.

Paul urges us to live as children of light, to find out what pleases the Lord.
and to realize that by a miracle of God’s grace we are spiritually alive. So, he begins with one statement that says it all in another translation, "Look carefully then how you walk." That is the supreme thing, not where you walk, but_______ you walk.

Paul intends us to be aware that our faith is not separate from our life. Be careful and let your life bear witness to your faith. Being wise means that we can discern between what is good and right and what is not. It means, too, that we can recognize the constant danger we face as Christians living in a hostile environment.

The Greek word (exagorazo) means to redeem something by payment of a price. Or something many of us are familiar with like on Amazon buying something quickly while it is available—I’m the king of ”striking while the iron is hot.” When used for redeeming time, it means making the most of one’s time—________ the _________—take advantage of one’s opportunities.

He isn’t interested in fixing what is wrong in this world but in preparing us for living in the next one. He doesn’t challenge the social order but asks how we can make it as much like the kingdom of heaven as possible.

After all, we are in the business of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We are looking to make a difference in the world, right? Well, maybe not.

Notice it doesn’t say to make the world better or to make a difference in the world. Yes, that is how we sometimes hear that mission. Leave the world a little better than it was when you found it. Nice idea, but not really the gospel. We are in the business of____________ the world.

If Paul were advising us to manage our time more effectively, he would use the word ____________—chronological time— the kind of time we see on the face of a clock— the kind of time that we use to keep track of appointments or to measure progress.

But Paul uses a different word, ___________, which is significant time—the decisive moment—the fork in the road that makes all the difference. A kairos moment divides past from future—ushers us into a new kind of life.

Paul’s use of kairos in this verse is a clue that he is thinking about the divide in Godly time that separates the present age (where evil rules) with
the age to come (when God’s rule will be fully established).

Paul wants us to seize every opportunity to be strengthened and built up by the means of grace – Overcome evil with good

But these verses say more than just watch out for yourself. It could also be read to say live full of care in a difficult time. There are many who are struggling; there are many who succumb to the demons of this age, to addiction, to hatred, to oppression, to fear, to lies. So, live full of _______.

Pay attention to the world around you, to the need around you, to the despair around you. Live fully invested in the kin-dom we proclaim, not in fear of the world that is less than that.

This is where true wisdom is to be found. This is where a person can learn to be wise. But what is the will of the Lord for us and our world? So, the days are evil, writes Paul, so be careful. Careful? Meaning we watch out for ourselves? Do we keep ourselves separate and unstained from the world?

Well, yes and no. There is certainly a call to higher living—“live a life worthy of the __________”—remember? That is how the first part of this passage goes in one direction.

As we are filled with the _______ ________, he gives joy in the midst of sorrow and suffering. He heals wounds and gives peace. He brings us comfort. The tool the Holy Spirit uses to do all this wonderful work inside of us is the Word and promises of the Lord.

And Jesus has called us together to be His Church. We gather together and live our lives, filled by His Spirit. A Christian then should be a person of joy. Not that there aren’t moments of sorrow, times of struggle, and of pain.
But that the default mode for the follower of Christ is an attitude of joy that grows out of the second source of strength, __________.

This isn’t just good advice for getting along with people and serving God.
Gratitude is a condition of the heart and a driver for all sorts of action, ministry, and service. Gratitude is the foundation of ___________. It requires an awareness of our need for grace and an appreciation of the source of that blessing.

He is calling for non-stop thanksgiving, not only at times of success and at happy events but for everything! That is the “at all times” part of the text.
This isn’t just about being thankful for food and plentiful harvests. It is about finding blessings in everyday living. And even when that living doesn’t feel so blessed.

And while this text points to the gratitude toward _________, it is also how we are supposed to be in relationship with each other within the human community. Because of our overwhelming gratitude toward God, we can also begin to appreciate _______ ___________ and indeed all of creation as a part of that gift and a reminder of that presence.

Giving thanks is underneath, the foundation of our journey of faith. It drives stewardship and mission. It brings us faithfully to worship week after week.
It drives us to our knees in devotion and prayer. It opens the living Word of God as we explore the scriptures.

“Giving thanks at all times and for everything . . .”
It’s a powerful way to live.
What better way to exercise giving thanks than with an attitude of gratitude?

Answers

How Seizing the Moment
Transforming Chronos Kairos
Call Care
Holy Spirit gratitude
Discipleship
God appreciate one another