The Future Is Bright
Ephesians 5:15-20
“Be very careful, then, how you live…making the most of every opportunity…” vss. 15-16
2011 Predictions
I realized as I read some predictions for 2012 that we very rarely go back and look at how the predictions for the previous year turned out. I went on the internet and found some sites that had the 2011 predictions. So…let’s look at some of the predictions from 2011 and see how they did.
10. Hilary Clinton will win Nobel Prize
9. North Korea claims attack by the South, igniting a short but furious nuclear war.
8. China will bail out US debt.
7. Serious earthquake in California—over 8.0.
6. Paul McCartney makes a record with Yoko Ono in honor of John Lennon.
5. The Green Bay Packers will win the Superbowl.
4. Sarah Palin will get divorced.
3. A gold rush will occur in Hawaii.
2. The Royal Wedding will be a low key affair due to the economy.
1. Michelle Obama will have another baby.
December 2010
So how about you? What do you predict for yourself this year? Will you lose those extra pounds you want? Maybe find that job you have been seeking? Exercise more? Eat better? Read through the Bible? ) By the way…shameful plug… we have a reading plan to read through the Bible in a year in the back of the Sanctuary if you want to pick one up. Oh, and buy the way, today is the first so you can get started today…after the service of course. To start this year, let’s look at a passge from Ephesians chapter 5.
Read Passage – Ephesians 5:15-20
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Looking Ahead/Looking Back
Looking back at those predictions is easy for us now. Some of them seem ridiculous and others we can’t understand how they didn’t happen. You were probably encouraged at some point to anticipate what this New Year might hold by making a New Year’s resolution. In verse 15 it says:
“Be very careful, then…” vs. 15
I think this is an interesting way to put it, “be very careful then”. To me that implies that we want to look ahead and yet at the same time look back. We look back to assess where we have been and what is in our life but we look ahead to the areas of our lives that we feel we can improve, refine, and even things we can add that will benefit us in some way. You know the old saying “If you aim at nothing you’ll hit it.” So let me so you what I aimed for this last year.
Ex. Last year I made a visioning board. Here it is. (Show and review how I did)
Following His Example
It seems that the best way to move forward is to find an example, an ideal, or something to follow that we can trust and use to guage where we want to be. So this passage, which really starts in verse 1, tells us. Verse 1 reads:
“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Eph. 5:1
The key is to have an example you can trust, that is reliable and that has a proven record of success. Well, what better example than God himself so He tells us, “use me as an example.” He furthers that thought by explaining that the visible example we have is in Jesus Christ and his example of living a life of love.
Ill. As I think about doing another visioning board (Jan. 14th 9A.M. in Larson Hall) I kow one thing that God has laid on my heart. To be more loving. To love people in a deeper and unconditional way.
Intentional Planning For The New Year
So what are the criteria you are going to use as you look ahead? I think Eph. 5 gives us two ways to plan the New Year.
- Seek Wisdom
The first thing would be to seek wisdom. Verse 15:
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise…” vs. 15
This is more than just being smart or using common sense or giving it the old college try. It’s being intentional about seeking wisdom. Let me preface this with another passage; Prov. 2:3-5;
“…indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.” Prov. 2:3-5
We don’t always think about seeking wisdom, it is more like we assume that people seek it and want it. But Solomon in these verse encourages us to seek wisdom. To move to a deeper understanding of God and His will and plan for your life.
How do you do that? Two ways. First, ask for it. He says call out. State it. Be intentional about telling God what it is you want and even more specifically the wisdom you need.
Second, put it on a list and go after it. Pursue it and put it into action. Ask and then do something about it. I.E. read, discuss, put yourself in situations that allow you to find it.
Others might not get this but you and I have a secret weapon. We have God on our side and he gives us a promise in these verses; he promises us we will get his knowledge.
Ex. Use gold as an example. Go to gold country, buy gold panning equip. search out the best places, etc. But what if you had someone who knew exactly where to go and what you would get? That’s God.
- Make The Most Of Your Opportunities
Secondly, Paul tells us, make the most of your opportunities. Verse 16:
“…making the most of every opportunity…” vs. 16
We sometimes figure things just are what they are. We say things like, “it is what it is.” But that is really kind of fatalistic and defeating. To really head in the right direction, we look at each thing as an opportunity. We ask ourselves, “What will I do with this opportunity?” In order to make the most of every opportunity the passage gives us 3 things to do.
- By Seeking God’s Will
First, seek God’s will. Verse 17:
“Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” vs. 17
We all have the same 24 hours in a day. So every opportunity that comes is a chance for us to see what God’s will for us is. We don’t all have the same opportunities. We all have the same chance to seek God’s will in our opportunities. That is why the next verse is so important; vs. 18:
“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit…” vs. 18
Yes this verse talks about alcohol but the real point is; what are you filling your life with? Is it things that take away or waste your time? Really that is what alcohol does. You get drunk and you lose all that time. But there is good news, every opportunity is a new chance to change that and fill your life with good things, things that will benefit us, build us up, profit us.
- By Making Worship A Priority
And finally that means making our lives a living example of making worship a priority. That’s why verse 19 says:
“…speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord…” vs. 19
This verse is pointing us to that concept that we read about in Jesus in verse 1 of living a life of love. This verse talks about the on-on-one aspect of building each other up, not tearing down. Instead of judging and tearing down and putting down, we are called to sing together, to build each other up and to show the love that Jesus showed us. And we do that to God’s glory.
- By Living In Thanks
When we follow these steps, it allows us to live a life of thanks. Verse 20:
“…always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” vs. 20
Notice this verse is active and on-going.
Ex. Grace before meals. It may seem repetitious and somewhat meaningless to some. I was taught to say grace before every meal. There is not verse that tells us to specifically do this but we teach our kids to because it is a consistent way of living in thanks.
Challenge: Before you get out of bed this week, say thanks to God for 3 things you have in your life. I will ask you about it next week.
