Sermon 8-18-24

Pastor Ray Lorthioir

Trinity Lutheran Church

W. Hempstead, NY

Based on the Second Lesson for the 13th Sunday after Pentecost, Ephesians 5:6-21

New Ways

Christianity’s power has always rested in the news that Jesus of Nazareth was resurrected from the dead in a wholly righteous — first of its kind — immortal, health-perfect, death-free human body. In this same body Jesus ascended into heaven. His body exists there. And in this same body He will return to raise the dead and judge the living and the dead. In first century Rome this great news of eternal life in the face of death had the effect that it still has. Hope. Glorious hope. 

Now when this resurrection news grabbed the heart of any first century Gentile pagan, it brought mammoth change. It brought millennia of Jewish teaching into pagan lives. It still does. But the Gospel did so in a way that the Law of Moses never could. For, Christianity didn’t demand that pagans become Jews. Indeed, as we’ve seen recently in our study of Ephesians, Christianity brought something new by joining both Jews and Gentiles to the body of Christ — what we know as the Church.

The Church has distinct Jewish roots in the Law of God. But it also has Jewish roots in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is the good news that those who put their faith in the Messiah promised in Moses and the Prophets receive forgiveness of their sins, justification of their lives before God and entry into righteous eternal life with God. The Messiah promised in Moses and the Prophets turned out to be Jesus of Nazareth.

So what did the Gospel do to a first century pagan? First and foremost it introduced that person to the Creator of this universe. The first century pagan had no clue the universe has a Creator. Second, the Gospel introduced that person to the righteousness — the total goodness — of our Creator God. Next, the Gospel introduced the new believer to the doctrine of man — that we are all created in the Image of our Creator. Then the Gospel introduced the former pagan to the fact that we are not autonomous. Rather, just as we are dependent on air, water, food, shelter and clothing, our souls are dependent on our Creator for their very existence. Next, the Gospel showed the new believer that our Creator desires those made in His image to live with Him forever.

Finally, the Gospel introduced a new way of life on this earth to the former pagan. This new way of life is what we mostly find in today’s second lesson from Ephesians. But, the new way of life has a catch to it. It’s righteous life — righteous living — as our Creator defines righteousness, and not the way we define it. As we saw last week, it says in Ephesians 4:22-24, “22 . . . put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” And again it says in Ephesians 4:31-32, “31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” This is what life in Christ’s Church is meant to be like. It’s way different from anything on the outside.

When it comes to righteous life, Christianity actually caused a revolution in the Empire. For, when Christianity took root in the first century Roman Empire, it prompted a complete overhaul of the sexual ethics of the empire’s population.

The pre-Christian pagan ethics of sexuality was based upon the social status of men. Men of higher social standing were basically free to do anything they wanted sexually. The exception was with men of similar standing, their wives and slaves. That was taboo. On the other hand, women of higher status were not free to indulge themselves.

Now, there were many victims of such practice in the lower classes and especially among the slaves. This especially applied to women and children of both sexes. Historian, Kyle Harper, writes that “The mechanics of Roman sexuality were shaped by the presence of unfree bodies across the social spectrum. . . The ubiquity of slaves meant pervasive sexual availability.” “Slaves. . . were subjected to untrammeled sexual abuse.” Of course, slaves were considered mere property.

At first, Christianity was good news for those of lower class and the slaves. For it brought the news that all humans of whatever status or sex or age are created in the Image of God. As we read in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” In other words, in Messiah Jesus, every human has equal dignity as a human being.

Of course, being sinners, it’s not easy for us to accept this. Therefore, evil-doers of all kinds won’t believe it. But, this is Yahweh’s truth. And this truth will eternally prevail in the Kingdom of God. Evil-doers who won’t believe the truth will be discarded from the presence of their Creator and can eternally fend for themselves in the brutal outer darkness.

This is confirmed in the first verses of Ephesians 5 just ahead of where today’s lesson begins. So we read in Ephesians 5:1-8, “1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

Let’s stop here for a minute and note something. Why should anyone be an imitator of God? Reason one: we are His beloved children, made in His Image. Second, He is the source of all righteousness and goodness. So if we imitate Him, we’ll be like Him in righteousness and goodness. And then there’s Jesus. No greater love has anyone than that He should sacrifice Himself for the unworthy. And unworthy we all are. Nevertheless, Jesus went to death on a cross for our justification and the forgiveness of our sins. We’re to imitate Him.

So going on, we read in Ephesians 5:3-8, “3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no 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 become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.”

Teaching like this eventually made a huge difference in Roman culture. You all probably know about the Roman city of Pompeii that was buried in 79A.D. by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Much of it has been excavated. And its pornography has been revealed. It’s on the frescoes found on the walls of wealthy homes. It’s on dinnerware. Even the public street lamps were porn. Notice that kids were exposed to this in their homes and in public. Buried long before Christianity became the religion of the empire, Pompeii probably preserves what things were like in many other Roman cities before Christianity. 

Into this corrupt system came Christianity. We can tell from the Roman cities that survived into the Christian era that if they previously had been loaded with public and private porn, it was all cleaned up going into the medieval era. That’s the sign of a momentous revolution in sexual ethics. Art, literature and music moved away from sexual impurity. It wasn’t until the so-called Renaissance and Enlightenment that impurity again began to enter Western culture. Even so, it was considered most scandalous until the present sexual revolution removed the scandal.

So this is the context that comes before today’s second lesson. It’s why we’re advised not to let anyone deceive us with empty words. For the context makes it clear that those who would deceive Christians with empty words primarily deceive them with false statements concerning human sexuality.

As we’ve said before, male and female, marriage and family are all Yahweh’s creations. They are His thing; His purposes for humanity. We read in Genesis 1:27-28, “27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it. . . .’” In this context multiplication means having kids. And we also read in Genesis 2:24, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Notice it’s man singular and wife singular. And one flesh is again kids. So, it’s clear that Yahweh has blessed human sexuality — but only in the context of the marriage of one male and one female.

Our rebellion and sin is why we break Yahweh’s parameters. And so the blessing of sexuality becomes a curse that the Apostle clearly states will keep rebels outside of the Kingdom of God. When we don’t handle the things of Yahweh correctly, then we simply show ourselves to be the sons and daughters of disobedience that we are by nature.

So, those who are in Messiah Jesus by faith in His blood cannot make the mistake of thinking that the corrupt ways of this world are somehow compatible with our Creator’s righteousness. We cannot make the mistake of thinking that the darkness is somehow light. Indeed, convincing believers that darkness really is light has been the work of Satan ever since Eden, when he convinced Eve that the darkness that would descend upon her and Adam by eating the forbidden fruit was really the light of the knowledge of good and evil. The one thing Satan never told Eve was that knowing evil, she wouldn’t be able to resist it. That’s the darkness that’s covered humanity ever since.

Among humans, Satan has had plenty of allies. Every major name in the current sexual revolution has played their role in the deception. This is true even within the larger Church. Therefore, finding our way out of deception and into light can only be done through the Word of God.

As we were told in verse 8, those in Jesus are light in the Lord. So, we continue reading in Ephesians 5:8-13, “8 . . . Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’”

This is an interesting passage. It equates bodily resurrection from the dead with spiritual resurrection in this life. And indeed, the two are related. All who are in the bodily resurrection to righteousness will shine with the very glory of the Lord Himself. For, Yahweh is the source of all righteousness. Therefore, even in this life righteousness makes people shine a bit.

In Christian history, we’ve heard of those who pursued the glory of righteousness, even in sexual matters. Both men and women have done this. Thus, marriage was held in high honor as the sacred, God-ordained institution it is.

Listening to a recent panel podcast on dating, it was most disappointing to see the deception that has entered the general culture. The sole young man asked the half dozen young women present to name one benefit that a man receives from marriage. They couldn’t. So, he concluded that outside of religious reasons, there’s no reason to have a wedding ceremony. And the women couldn’t correct him on this. For, they basically defined a wedding ceremony as their big day to look good among their friends. A worldview that denies a Creator God is destined to come to such foolish conclusions. Without Yahweh, a wedding ceremony for the sake of a wedding is mere nonsense.

On the other hand, the Word of our Creator God is most holy. A man is to leave the authority of his father and mother. He is to establish his own authority, publicly forsake all others and take one wife with whom he is to become one flesh. Together, they are to author life in the form of offspring and raise them to maturity. But even thereafter, they are still a sacred unit of one flesh until death parts them. This is the perfect and holy will of our Creator. Therefore, a ceremony that reflects His will and purposes is superbly meaningful. The vows exchanged at such a ceremony should bend the knees of those who have made them in submission to the perfect will of their Creator.

But sexuality is not the only aspect of life that Lord Holy Spirit wants to bring into the light of Messiah. If we look over the commandments, we find many things. Should we bring healing to ourselves by taking one day of rest out of the seven in a week? Should we devote ourselves extra to our Creator on that day? Should we not steal but make a living in a godly way so we can give to others? Should we honor God by helping people protect their reputations and good names? Should we rid our hearts of killing grudges and angers toward others? Should we honor our parents? Should we not rightly raise and protect children? Should we honor the legitimate authority that the Lord has established over us in government? Should we pass good laws in agreement with our Creator’s will and apply them rightly? Should we stop those bent on evil from doing their thing? Should we honor the rights our Creator has given every human? Should we bend the knee before Yahweh and declare male to be male and female to be female in accordance with His original Words in creation? And the list can go on.

Finally, we come to the Church itself. Ephesians 5:15-21, “15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

Point one: the days are evil. Notice the Apostle could say that of his time. The days will always be evil as long as this world lasts. So, don’t moan just because they get a little more evil at any given time. Point two: Anything that causes us to roll in the mud of debauchery must be given up.

Point three: What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? Unfortunately, in the last thirty years we’ve seen in the church those who preach that instead of rolling in the mud of sin, we should stupidly roll in some kind of spiritual mud. That’s not what being filled with Spirit means at all.

If you carefully check the book of Acts, you’ll see that in every situation where the term “filled with the Spirit” is used, the Apostles were being opposed in some way. Even on the Day of Pentecost itself they were opposed by scoffers who called them drunks. Therefore, in those situations Lord Holy Spirit gave the Apostles an extra boost of strength so that they could endure the persecution and hold fast to the truth of Jesus Christ in spite of the scoffing and danger. That extra boost of faith and strength is what being filled with the Spirit is.

Being filled with the Spirit is something God’s people need amidst the deceptions and lies of evil days. On the Day of Pentecost being filled with the Spirit caused the apostles and disciples to publicly declare the mighty works of God. And this is what Paul advised the Ephesians to do. Singing unto the Lord of His mighty works is one way to do this. Indeed, it’s why the Church uses melody and music. And in music we can also give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of Jesus.

Last point: Submit to each other out of reverence for Christ. In this situation the submission refers back to what we heard in Ephesians 4:31-32, “31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” That’s the kind of submission being called for.

And such submission is done out of more than mere reverence for Messiah. The Greek word translated reverence is actually the word for terror or fear. Baptized in Messiah Jesus, the sinful old nature has been drowned to death. No one else can do this for us. Therefore, we need to stand in awesome fear of the one who can do this by His blood. And if the old nature is dead with Jesus, then especially in Church the new nature is to rise up to the praise of Messiah’s glory. Only Lord Holy Spirit can do that. Therefore, let it be so, O Lord. Amen.

All Bible quotes are from the ESV.