Prepare
Opening Prayer
Thank God for the day and the blessing of his Word, and ask the Father to care for and bless his people so they follow his ways.
Read
Scripture Passage
Walk in Love
1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.
Walk in Light
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says:
“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”
The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Eph 5:1-14
A — About
What Is This Passage About?
As beloved children, Christians imitate God by walking in Christ's sacrificial love. Sexual immorality, uncleanness, covetous idolatry, filthy speech, and partnership with disobedience belong to darkness and God's wrath; those made light in the Lord instead bear the Spirit's fruit, discern what pleases him, expose darkness, and awake to Christ's light.
B — Best Verse
Which Verse Best Summarizes the Passage?
Ephesians 5:5-7; Ephesians 5:11
Bryan explicitly says verses 5-7 best summarize the passage and also identifies verse 11 as underlined. These warn against inheriting darkness and partnership with disobedience while calling believers to expose its fruitless works.
C — Called or Christ
C — Called to Do & Christ Connection
Follow Christ's path of sacrificial love and live according to the new nature he has given. Put away sexual immorality, uncleanness, covetousness, and dark habits through concrete safeguards, generosity, obedience, and Spirit-enabled light.
Devotional Study
Transcript of the devotion. Minor transcription errors may remain.
Ephesians 5:1-14
Watch
Read
Walk in Love
1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.
Walk in Light
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says:
“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”
The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Eph 5:1-14