Good evening, church.
Let's turn to Ephesians chapter 5.
We're going to read verses 15 to 21.
It is found on page 978 in your pew Bible.
Page 978, Ephesians chapter 5, verses 15.
To 21.
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
making the best use of time because the days are evil.
Therefore, do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is
and do not get drunk with wine for that is debauchery,
but be filled with the Spirit,
addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,
giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus, we thank you for your blessing upon us,
and Lord, thank you for gathering us here this evening
to worship you, to worship you,
to praise you,
and to bring ourselves as we are.
And Lord, as we read your words and study it tonight,
Lord, open our hearts,
prepare our hearts like the good soil,
and Lord, let your words come into our hearts
and transform us to be more and more like you,
Lord Jesus.
In your holy name we pray.
Amen.
The world has a lot to say about how to live wisely.
I found some interesting books on Amazon.com
under the subject of living wisely.
And most of these books, you know,
they focus on finance, health, and relationships.
But I couldn't resist sharing some of the funny ones
with you tonight.
The first one, it said,
Grapes in my shower,
living wisely, simply, and happily.
I'm not making this up.
Go to Amazon.com and punch in
Living Wisely under the book section,
and there is this book called Grapes in my shower.
So I hope my family doesn't think that I'm crazy
when they see me carrying a bundle of grapes
with me into the shower.
Interesting title, Grapes in my shower,
living wisely, simply, and happily.
The next one is shoes wisely,
as in your shoes.
Shoes wisely, choosing the right shoe
for every occasion.
I know some of the ladies sitting here
and thinking, hey, I love that book.
Or maybe they're writing down the name of that book.
The next one,
how to choose the right mate,
a guy to choose wisely.
Now this book,
on the cover of this book,
there is a picture of
an eight-year-old Asian girl
dreaming of a future husband in her sleep.
So there's a picture of this girl sleeping,
and there's like a picture of her future husband.
And I'm sure my wife, Jane,
started to read this book
when she was about eight years old.
Now, what does the scripture say
about living wisely
or walking in wisdom?
I would like us to see the contrast
between the life of wise
versus unwise or foolish.
What does it mean for us to live wisely,
walking in wisdom?
And lastly,
how do we apply this
in our daily living?
First, let's look at the wise.
Verse 16 says,
making the best use of the time
because the days are evil.
Is Apostle Paul talking about
time management skill here
like the old saying,
time is money?
I mean, what does he mean
by the days are evil?
Are we in danger of being invaded
by the walking dead?
So what is he talking about?
The time and the days are evil.
The answer is found
in Colossians chapter four,
verse five,
here it says,
live wisely among those
who are not believers
and make the most of every opportunity.
And I don't think he's talking
about financial gain
among the non-believers.
I'm sure this verse is telling us
to seize every opportunity
in our daily living
to share Christ
with non-believers.
To share the love of Christ
and the good news of salvation
which comes through
our Lord Jesus Christ
with our friends,
with our coworkers,
relatives, and so on.
The wise also knows
how to number
his or her days.
We do not know
what tomorrow may bring.
And yet we live
like we own
our future.
But the days are evil
because
we may not have
another day
or another chance
to share the good news
with that someone.
Neither our future
nor that person's future
whom we are trying
to share the good news with
is guaranteed.
In James chapter four,
it says,
yet you do not know
what tomorrow will bring.
what is your life?
For you are a mist
that appears
for a little time
and then vanishes.
With this in mind,
we need to be wise,
making best of our time,
sharing the good news
with non-believers.
Verse 17.
Therefore,
do not be foolish
but understand
what the will
of the Lord is.
But understand
what the will
of the Lord is.
This topic alone
can be another sermon
in itself.
So I will briefly
point out
just a couple of things.
The Lord's will
is revealed to us
through his holy word
which are contained
in this book.
the Bible.
By reading it,
meditating upon it,
and studying
the scripture
earnestly,
we can start
to understand
what the will
of the Lord is.
One example
is from
Matthew chapter 22
verses 37 to 40.
the great commandment.
Here it says,
you shall love
the Lord your God
with all your heart
and with all your soul
and with all your mind.
And you shall love
your neighbor
as yourself.
It is God's will
for us to love him
with everything we got
and also to love
our neighbor
as ourselves.
And there are
many more
we can find
in the Bible
what his will
for us
is.
So we need
to constantly
read
and study
his word
seeking
his will.
King David
said in
Psalm 143
verse 8,
let me hear
in the morning
of your steadfast love
for in you
I trust.
Make me know
the way
I should go
for to you
I lift up
my soul.
Make me know
the way
I should go
for to you
I lift up
my soul.
How wise
was King David
seeking the will
of God
each morning.
crying out
to him
make me know
the way
I should go.
Verse 18
says
the wise
is also
filled
with Holy Spirit.
Let's look at
verse 18
to 21
again.
And do not
get drunk
with wine
for that is
debauchery
but
be filled
with the
Spirit
addressing
one another
in psalms
and hymns
and spiritual
songs
singing
and making
melody
to the Lord
with your
heart
giving thanks
always
and for
everything
to God
the Father
in the name
of our Lord
Jesus Christ
submitting
to one
another
out of
reverence
for Christ.
Christ.
When we say
being filled
with the
Holy Spirit
people may
have different
images
or ideas
but in
this
passage
when you
are filled
with Holy
Spirit
there are
four things
that you
can see.
The first
one is
you are
full of
encouragement
and love
towards
one another.
You have
a loving
heart.
You are
addressing
one another
in psalms
and hymns
and spiritual
songs
so you are
encouraging
one another.
You have
this
loving
heart
and second
it is
full of
joy
singing
and making
melody
to the
Lord
with your
heart
so when
you are
filled
with the
Holy Spirit
you have
this
joyful
heart
and third
you are
full
of
thanksgiving
giving
thanks
always
and for
everything
to God
the Father
in the
name
of our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
because
what
Jesus
has
done
for us
on the
cross
and lastly
you are
full
of
humility
submitting
to one
another
out of
reverence
for Christ
a humble
heart
and this
submitting
to one
another
will be
addressed
in the
upcoming
sermons
submitting
to
one another
between
husbands
and wives
between
parents
and children
and so
on
so
the life
of wise
uses
time wisely
seizes
every
opportunity
to share
the love
of Christ
and the
good news
with non
believers
and also
the wise
is constantly
seeking
what the
will of
the Lord
is
and the
wise
is filled
with Holy
Spirit
full of joy
full of
thanksgiving
full of love
and compassion
and humility
now let's
look at the
life of
unwise
foolish
and here
is the
big
contrast
now
when we
talk about
the unwise
or the
foolish
we expect
to hear
how the
unwise
just waste
away time
doing nothing
but
there's also
another side
of
time
that the
foolish
does
in Luke
chapter 12
Jesus tells
us a
parable
of the
rich
fool
so there
was this
man
and one
year I
guess the
harvest was
so great
he didn't
know what
to do
with himself
so in
his bed
he thought
to himself
wow
I have
such a
great
harvest
this season
I have
so plenty
I have
to tear
down my
my old
barn
and build
a much
much bigger
storage
and I
am pretty
much all
set
I guess
now I'm
going to
tell my
soul
to eat
drink
and be
married
for many
years
and this
is when
God tells
him
fool
this
night
your soul
is
required
of you
and the
things
you have
prepared
whose
will
they
be
remember
apostle Paul's
warning
in verse
16
because the
days are
evil
the rich
fool
thinks his
life is
guaranteed
to enjoy
his gain
for many
years
and on
top of
this
he is
just
greedy
and just
self-centered
again in
James chapter
4 it says
as it is
you boast
in your
arrogance
all such
boasting
is evil
the unwise
foolish
boast about
tomorrow
in his
arrogance
verse 17
it says
therefore
do not
be foolish
but understand
what the
will of
the Lord
is
fools
do not
seek to
understand
what the
will of
the Lord
is
Psalm
14
1 says
the fool
says in
his heart
there is
no God
never mind
seeking the
will of
God
the fool
rejects
God
altogether
there are
numerous
descriptions
of
what
fool
does
or is
like
in
book of
Proverbs
by the
mouth
of a
fool
comes
a rod
for his
back
a fool
takes
no
pleasure
in
understanding
but only
in
expressing
his
opinion
doing
wrong
is like
a joke
to a
fool
like
a dog
that
returns
to his
vomit
is a
fool
who
repeats
his
folly
so
fools
not only
reject
God
in
their
hearts
but
they
do
not
heed
any
practical
wisdom
either
they
repeat
their
follies
thinking
they
are
wise
in
their
own
eyes
they
are
too
busy
uttering
their
own
ignorance
fools
in
Romans
chapter
1
verses
21
to
22
apostle
Paul
tells
us
how
they
became
spiritual
fools
for
although
they
knew
God
they
did
not
honor
him
as
God
or
give
thanks
to
him
but
they
became
futile
in
their
thinking
and
their
foolish
hearts
were
darkened
claiming
to be
wise
they
became
fools
instead
of
worshiping
and
honoring
the
creator
oh my
god
they
created
images
and
idols
made
out
of
stones
metals
and
woods
they
clearly
see
God's
creations
but
instead
of
worshiping
the
creator
they
became
foolish
and
started
to
worship
the
creation
verse
18
it
says
do
not
get
drunk
with
wine
for
this
is
debauchery
now
when
you
are
drunk
you
lose
your
ability
to
think
clearly
therefore
your
actions
are
controlled
by
a
substance
called
alcohol
like
the
old
saying
don't
let
someone
else
do
the
thinking
for
you
are
letting
the
alcohol
control
your
mind
and
your
action
unlike
the
wise
whose
mind
is
renewed
by
Holy
Spirit
the
fool
lets
something
control
his
mind
and
action
hear
what the
proverb
says
about
the
condition
of
a
drunkard
in
Proverbs
chapter
23
verses
29
to
35
who
has
woe
who
has
sorrow
who
has
strife
who
has
complaining
who
has
wounds
without
cause
who
has
redness
of
eyes
those
who
tarry
long
over
wine
those
who
go
try
mixed
wine
do
not
look
at
wine
when
it
is
red
when
it
sparkles
in
the
cup
and
goes
down
smoothly
in
the
end
it
bites
like
a
serpent
and
stings
like
an
adder
your
eyes
will
see
strange
things
and
your
heart
utter
perverse
things
you
will
be
like
one
who
lies
down
in
the
midst
of
the
sea
like
one
who
lies
on
the
top
of
a
mast
they
struck
me
you
will
say
but
I
was
not
hurt
they
beat
me
but
I
did
not
feel
it
when
shall
I
awake
I
must
have
another
drink
doesn't
this
describes
accurately
the
condition
of a
drunkard
alcohol
is just
one
example
of which
can
control
your
mind
and
action
greed
lust
gambling
drugs
and
other
things
can
control
our
minds
and
actions
if
we
are
not
careful
so
now
we
saw
the
contrast
between
the
unwise
and
the
wise
by
examining
the
way
they
walk
so
how
do
we
walk
in
wisdom
in
our
daily
living
walking
in
wisdom
is to
use
our
time
wisely
seizing
every
opportunity
to share
the love
of Christ
and the
good news
of salvation
through
Jesus
with the
people in
our
community
and
people to
all
nations
so in
other words
do not
push this
off till
tomorrow
when you
have that
chance
when you
know
somebody
at your
work
at your
school
your
family
when there
is that
voice
I want
to share
Jesus
with this
person
I want
to pray
for this
person
don't push
it till
tomorrow
don't say
oh
maybe I'll
talk to him
tomorrow
or maybe I'll
pray with her
tomorrow
seize the
moment
walking in
wisdom is to
seek God's
will through
reading
meditating
and studying
his word
we have
Sunday
Bible
studies
at nine
in the
morning
and we
also have
many
small group
meetings
throughout the
week
you can
choose
and join
and get
together
to read
and learn
from the
scripture
there is also
wonderful
devotional book
called
morning and
evening
by Spurgeon
we have
that in
our
bookstall
downstairs
remember
remember how
King David
was seeking
God's
will each
morning
morning and
evening
it's a
wonderful
devotional
book
walking in
wisdom is
also a
life filled
with Holy
Spirit
as we read
verses 18
to 21
now what
would this
look like
for us
it says
address one
another in
psalms and
hymns and
spiritual songs
now normally
we would
greet someone
you know
like this
hi Pastor
Greg
how you
doing
how are
the kids
but instead
now we
say
hi Pastor
Greg
the Lord
is my
shepherd
I shall
not want
what a
friend we
have in
Jesus
all our
sins and
griefs to
bear
imagine
that if
we do
it if
we start
do this
and our
Presbyterian
friends will
think that
hey that's
why they're
Baptist
and our
fellow Baptist
friends may
think that
we are
Pentecostals
the Pentecostals
may think
well Pentecostals
don't really
care about
what others
think
so
but
all jokes
aside
what Apostle
Paul is
telling us
here is
that we
need to
encourage
one another
using God's
words
there are
so many
verses of
God's
unchanging
love and
his faithfulness
towards us
the Lord is
our ever
present help
pray for
one another
we ought to
spread the
joy of our
salvation
amongst us
by doing
this
we constantly
remind one
another
of God's
love for
us
in 1st
Thessalonians
chapter 4
verses 16
to 18
it says
for the
Lord himself
will descend
from heaven
with a cry
of command
with the
voice of
an archangel
and with the
sound of the
trumpet of
God
and the
dead in
Christ
will rise
first
then we
who are
alive
who are
left
will be
caught up
together
with them
in the
clouds
to meet
the Lord
in the
air
and so
will
always be
with the
Lord
therefore
encourage
one another
with these
words
we are to
encourage
one another
rejoice
together
comfort
and strengthen
one another
by constantly
reminding each
other of our
Lord's
goodness
faithfulness
and his
everlasting
love
towards us
and we
also need
to keep
point each
other
to our
final
destination
which is
our
father's
kingdom
in heaven
singing
and making
melody
to the
Lord
with your
heart
rejoice
in the
Lord
for what
Jesus
did for
us
it is
all about
what he
did for
us
I came
across a
song
last week
and I've
been listening
to it over
and over
again
the song
is called
you are
more
it's by
10th
avenue
north
so
just like
the verse
19
said
now I'm
going to
address you
all of you
in this
beautiful song
and he says
you are more
than the
choices you've
made
you are more
than the sum
of your past
mistakes
you are more
than the problems
you create
you've been
remade
because this
is not about
what you've
done
but what's
been done
for you
this is not
about where
you've been
but where
your brokenness
brings you
to
this is not
about what
you feel
but what
he felt
to forgive
you
and what
he felt
to make
you loved
isn't this
true
when we
think about
what Jesus
did on the
cross for
us
don't we
want to
give thanks
always
and for
everything
to God
in the name
of our
Lord Jesus
Christ
we are
living in
an age
where
information
knowledge
is so
readily
available
without
touching
our
fingertips
information
knowledge
is just
out
there
but
where
can we
find
the true
wisdom
in 1st
Corinthians
chapter 1
apostle Paul
tells us
Jesus Christ
is the power
of God
and the
wisdom
of God
once
apostle Paul
discovered
this wisdom
for himself
he regarded
all
his other
earthly
accomplishments
as nothing
but rubbish
he said
I count
everything
as loss
because of
the surpassing
worth
of knowing
Christ
Jesus
my Lord
so what
are you
chasing
after
what are
you struggling
with
are you
seeking
wisdom
all
what you've
gained
thinking
it was
wisdom
would that
give you
forgiveness
of all
your sins
would it
give you
everlasting
life
do you
say to
your soul
like the
rich fool
let's
eat
drink
and be
merry
for many
years
are you
running
from your
past
mistakes
or do
you think
you'll never
be good
enough
for Jesus
to love
you
listen
to these
words
again
and know
that Jesus
the wisdom
of God
did everything
for you
already
you are
more than
the choices
you've
made
you are
more than
the sum
of your
past
mistakes
you are
more than
the problems
you create
you've been
remade
because this
is not
about what
you've done
but what's
been done
for you
this is not
about where
you've been
but where
your brokenness
brings you
to
this is not
about what
you feel
but what
Jesus felt
to forgive
you
and what
Jesus felt
to make
you loved
receive Jesus
in your
heart
he will
love and
bless you
with his
infinite
wisdom
he will
give you
a new
heart
joyful
grateful
loving
and a
humble
heart
let Jesus
remake you
let him
renew your
mind
so you
can leave
the dark
path of
the fools
and start
walk
in wisdom
let us
pray
Lord
Jesus
we rejoice
in you
because
what you
have done
for us
Lord
we are
grateful
to you
because
of what
you have
done
for us
Lord
now
we can
encourage
one another
comfort
one another
strengthen
one another
point
each other
to our
final destination
our father's
kingdom
because
of what you
have done
for us
on the
cross
so
Lord
we praise
you
and we
thank you
and Lord
help us
to
receive you
in our
heart
as our
Lord and
savior
the power
of God
and the
wisdom
of God
so we
can
begin
and continue
to walk
in wisdom
in Jesus
name we
pray
amen