MESSAGE TEXT
Ephesians 5:18-21
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INTRODUCTION
Paul presents two parties; two celebrations; two festivities in Ephesians 4-5. One party is wild with booze, slurred speech, sensuality, violence, rituals, blood-baths, and fighting. The other party is sober, with fascinating conversations, lots of smiles. Everyone shares a mutual submission without gender or class distinctions. There’s heartfelt, incredible music, and great food, and prayer over your needs rather than alcohol to drown it. Two parties. Choose your party!
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PROPOSITION
There are four activities that will cultivate genuine joy and lasting happiness according to our passage today. FOUR THINGS that are true of a Spirit-filled life. Grammatically speaking, our passage consists of two imperatives (the commands not to get drunk but to be Spirit-filled), followed by four present participles (speaking, singing, thanking and submitting).
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MAIN POINTS
Speak to one another when possible, regardless of your differences. Invest in relationships. Forgive and keep the conversation flowing. Create a joyful, positive interaction with others.
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Sing with each other, listen to great music, move your body, and get outside. Worship doesn’t always have to be an indoor experience. Be spiritually alive and growing.
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Express gratitude daily and live in contentment. Writing or speaking thanks for what you have rewires the brain toward joy.
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Submit to spiritual authority in your life and put others first. When you serve a cause bigger than yourself and use your gifts to bless others, your joy grows. Bless the people in authority
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APPLICATION
Speak to one another. Approachable.
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Sing with one another. Joyful.
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Give thanks with one another. Thankful.
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Submit to one another. Respectful.
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In summary: Approachable. Joyful. Thankful. Respectful.
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CONCLUSION
Are you drinking and craving more but still you’re thirsty? Intoxication is never the answer to the cares of life. Look at your life, what is it controlled by? Where do you find your joy? Where do you find your exhilaration? Where do you find your comfort? Tell me, what influences you the most? Is it alcohol? Is it work? Is it the pursuit of pleasure or power? Is it some radio or TV show that you listen to every day? You see, we can be intoxicated by more things than wine. We can be intoxicated by power. We can be intoxicated by work. We can be intoxicated by the pursuit of pleasure. The only problem is when we allow these things to master us, they enslave and eventually destroy us. Only the Holy Spirit can master us without enslaving us. On the contrary, when we allow the Holy Spirit to control us, He sets us free to achieve God’s supernatural plan for our lives.