EPHESIANS 5 V15.21New International Version

¹⁵ 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.

Paul in this passage is drawing a contrast between a pagan gathering and a Christian one, which we can associate with our world. He calls on Christians to walk wisely living different lives from the unbelievers. We are light and they are darkness, therefore we must live as children of light, therefore live wisely. A worldly gathering can fail to recognise God and Jesus, but the Church must have Christ at the heart of all worship

If we are going to profess ourselves as Christians then there is a certain lifestyle that we must adopt. If we really believe the great doctrines and commands contained in the Bible, then let us allow them to shape our lives so that we will live, as we ought to live.

Paul has been contrasting light with darkness, he here contrasts wisdom with folly. We are to be accurate in our lifestyle, so that our manner of life clearly proclaims accurately the Christian message. In other words, we are to live in such a way that there are no clear inconsistencies, so that the unbelieving world are clear concerning how Christians should live. This involves two things.

We should not give the impression that being a Christian means giving up things, unless the bible commands doing so. There are Christians who say we should not drink alcohol, or go to the cinema, or dancing; if a Christian truly believes such activities are wrong, then it is perfectly acceptable for them to abstain, but they should not try to force their feelings on to others. This can do more harm than may be intended, and give cause to criticise our faith as intrusive. Responsive drinking, dancing and cinema are perfectly respectable actions.

The alternative course is for Christians to feel, if the majority behave in a certain way, it is fair for them to do so, and then say God will understand, and so they fail to live the Christian life as it should be lived according to, the teaching we are given in Scripture. It is however totally unacceptable for Christians to think we can be casual in our lifestyle, indulging especially in moral conduct that gives an impression we are hypocrites, yet it is a sad fact that there are those who shamelessly parade their hedonistic lifestyle. If we are not ruthless with sin in our lives, then what impression is that giving to our world?

The world is shutting God out of their lives, and many are suffering the consequences. Let us provide the evidence that living according to that which God and Jesus laid down adds to a better and worthy life, and not subscribe to all the whims and fancies of society; people should be able to distinguish the nonbeliever from the true believer.

As Christians we maintain our life style into our workplace, in our homes, and essentially in our worship place, so that wherever we are we representing the Lord, we do so with credit and not shame.

Paul states, make the best use of time, for the days are evil. I remember in my training, an elderly Minister telling the class I was in that we have to value every minute, for once it is passed it is gone forever, and is one less period of time we have here on earth. As Christians we need to plan our time so that we do not use it wastefully.

Paul told Timothy to use every opportunity to spread the gospel,and we have to practise that advice wisely. This does not mean constantly harassing people with Scripture, but when there will be opportunities to do so which will fit in with the situation, we should be ready to encourage them to turn to the Lord. We all have limited time, so let's make sure that we do not waste the time God has given to us and let us look for those God given opportunities

It is so easy for the church to be so taken up with our own existence that we can become so indifferent to our evil world, so that we miss those God given opportunities and appointments to influence others for Christ.

The Bible reminds us we live in an evil world, and as you read the newspapers or listen to radio and television there is no room for doubting the extent. Listening to some programmes on television, it seems as if the producers are competing with each other to spread evil. I saw one programme, where literally hardly more than a few words were spoken without a four-letter word being inserted, which added nothing to the meaning of what was going on. When we realise people today are following a ‘me too’ way of life. If someone on television is seen doing something, then me too must be in the fashion, for there is a fear of being different.  People imitate elevision to an enormous extent, unable to discern fact from fiction.

If the Church is to make a difference, it has to be making its influence felt, instead of being fearful of upsetting the activists in society. A lifeboat is of no use standing polished and shiny in a station when people are in peril on the seas, it has to be out rescuing those facing being drowned; and that as Christians and the Christian Church is what we must be doing.

If the church is disunited and fighting within itself, then is that living out our faith accurately? Perhaps the church today is in great danger of failing to live out real Christianity, and it is giving the wrong impression about matters of conscience. When churches are loveless places, and when they are hypocritical places, then is it any wonder that people today have no idea what the Christian faith is all about.

. If someone asked me what the Church stands for, I would not be able to answer. I could of course tell what the Church should and was meant to stand for, which is now rather different.
So let us not contribute to the confusion of the unbelieving world; let us be a church and a people that live out the Christian faith accurately. There is no point professing to be children of the light, unless we live accurately as children of the light

We are called to not act thoughtlessly, but to understand what God wants you to do; meaning following the guidelines for life found in the Bible.

In v 18 the Bible states do not get drunk with wine, be filled with the Spirit. Wine was the staple drink in Paul’s time, and was fermented to preserve it from turning into vinegar. Whereas wine can control the mind and impair one’s judgement and lead to debauchery, in contrast being filled with the Spirit leads to self-control along with the fruits of love, joy, kindness patience and gentleness, and gives a regular pattern or life.

The early Church was a singing Church which came from being filled with the Spirit, joining in singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, and making music to the Lord. Psalms were canticles, and were separated from general music of praise.

Make music in our hearts to God (v 19) – Not only do we express out joy with audible singing of praise to our God, but we are to do so from our hearts. Our praise to God is not a case of singing audible hymns, but our hearts need to go out to God in joyful worship as well. This will mean that our thoughts about God will be so great, that we cannot help but sing praise to our great God in our hearts if not in audible voices. So true worship is not just singing a hymn or a modern song, but it involves engaging our hearts in joyful worship, and adoration of God through Jesus Christ God's Son, is what every sincere Christian desires to do. Even if our audible voices are not tuneful, it is what is in our hearts that counts, it might not sound pleasant to others, but if our heart is in, it is extremely tuneful to our God

The early Church was a thankful Church, giving thanks to God for all things which happened in their lives, and doing so in the name of Jesus thereby trusting him as a mediator with God the Father.

The early Church also was one where people honoured one another, and that was because they revered Jesus Christ,   and recognised the dignity of each person so mutual respect became easy.

Remember how God so richly blessed that early Church. The Bible states they devoted themselves to the teaching of the Apostles.  How blessed we would be if every Church taught that which the Apostles gave us.  It is called the New Testament.