SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON SEPTEMBER 24,2017, TOPIC: LIVE AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT

SEPTEMBER 24,2017. SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

Topic: Live as Children of Light.

Memory Verse: Ephesians 5:8. Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.

Lesson Text: Ephesians 5:8-33

Central Truth: Christians should lead spirit-filled Lives.

FOCUS: Identify and pursue a lifestyle that reflects Christ.

Lesson Outline:

1.Overcome Darkness with Light

A. Live in the Light

B. Expose the Darkness

2. Live Wisely and Joyfully

A. Walk in Wisdom

B. Walk in Spirit

3. Cultivate Christian Marriage

A. Christian Submission

B. Christian Love

                         Leaning Objectives

At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1.     Identify principles that will help them identify values and priorities consistent with their faith.

2.     Commit to pursue a lifestyle that pleases God

3.    Understand and practice the biblical command to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

                        Introducing The Lesson.

QUESTION: What does it mean to live as Children of Light?

    Throughout Scripture we see light contrasted with darkness. Light represents truth and holiness while darkness represents that which is false, unholy and evil. Almost everything that a person knows, believes, does, and thinks can ultimately be seen as rooted in spiritual light or spiritual darkness. Every person who is not a Christian toils under the oppression of darkness, while every believer is privileged to walk in the light of Christ. This week’s lesson provides practical insight into what it means to faithfully live in that light.

1.    Overcome Darkness with Light.

A.    Live in the Light. Ephesians 5:8-10

          Paul began Ephesians 5 by admonishing Christians to be imitators of God ( see verse 1). The fundamental way we do this is by loving others.

         In verse 8, Paul expanded on this theme, highlighting the contrast that must exist between the lifestyle of Christians and former way of living they practiced before Christ. Paul stated that we are to walk in the light, pointing that when his readers were unbelievers, there were not only living in darkness; they were darkness. There was no light in them. In a sense, the enemy of their souls occupied all of their lives. But now they were people of light. And, as such, they were to conduct their lives as those comfortable in the light, not better suited to darkness.

QUESTION: What does it mean to live as Children of the light?

       Children of the light will bear this fruit of light: goodness, righteousness, and truth ( verse 9). “Goodness” points to oral excellence and generosity, and commitment to God’s commands regarding our lives. “Truth” emphasizes our personal honesty and integrity. These qualities are to be seen in what we do, not just what we say. As Christians seeking to be imitators of Christ, we must do our best to discover what pleases God and do those things ( verse 10)

B.    Expose the Darkness.  Ephesians 5:11-14

       Paul directed Christians to stay far away as possible from the darks of darkness ( Ephesians 5:11). His instructions was twofold. First, they were to shun every appearance of darkness. Second, they were to go step further and seek to expose the unrighteousness that characterizes darkness. This reminds Christians at it is not enough to simply ignore evil, even though it can be tempting to stop there when it does not seem to be directly impact us. God calls believers to be proactive against evil. Sin must not be tolerated and should be exposed.

      Paul made an interesting declaration in verse 12: some sin are so despicable that Christians must not even mention them. We might conclude that graphically describing a sin might increase people’s disgust with it. However, Paul noted instead that people of light do better to simply proclaim that light, when the sin is unspeakable.

QUESTION: How can Christians expose the deeds of darkness properly, in such a way that it moves people to consider the truth of Christ?

      We expose the deeds of darkness with the light of God’s word ( verse 13-14). People who will listen to the word often become uncomfortable with their sin. One role of the Holy Spirit is to reprove the world of sin ( see John 16:8), seeking to bring people to repentance. Our greatest resource in breaking through the darkness is the light of God’s truth shining through our lives.

2.    Live Wisely and Joyfully

A.    Walk in Wisdom. Ephesians 5:15-17

         Paul diverted attention from the analogy of light and darkness to contrast wisdom and folly, in  Ephesians 5:15-17. In doing so, he directed Christians to pay close attention to the manner in which they live. Such living should reflect a desire for godly wisdom. Verse 17 refers to being wise by understanding the will of God. Once again Paul’s instructions points toward action. Christians must seek to be understand God’s will, which is possible through Scripture and prayers. The impetus to do so is strong in light of the evil existing in the world. Such wisdom will not be found passively.

QUESTION: What does Scripture mean when mentioning “opportunities” in verse 16 (NIV)?

         This refers to practical ways in which we demonstrate obedience to the Lord’s will, such as helping the needy, serving fellow believers, or sharing the gospel. Because there is much evil in the world, such opportunities may be missed if the Christian does not actively look for them. Foolish people don’t have a plan of action, but God’s people should commit to respond as He leads them into godly actions.

        God has called us out of darkness into light, and He has called us to walk in wisdom. In response, we should seek to understand God’s will for ourselves as well as for the Church all around the world. He has a role for us to play in His plan to redeem humanity.

B.    Walk in the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18-20

       It is perhaps no surprise that those who walk in true, godly wisdom should place great priority on being led by the Holy Spirit. Paul urged the Ephesian believers not to go back to darkness-to their old habits and spiritual encumbrances. Scholars note that in polytheism so prevalent in Ephesus, they have a wine god called Bacchus. As a result, drunkenness was a common feature of pagan worship among unredeemed Ephesians.

       But now these Ephesians to whom Paul wrote had put the pagan life behind them, they were to forsake getting drunk on wine. Instead, they were to be filled with the Holy Spirit ( verse 18), a reference to an ongoing experience of God filling them with the Holy Spirit. While baptism in the Holy Spirit was the first filling the Ephesians believers experienced. ( see 19:1-6), here Paul was describing the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit to guide and govern their lives.

QUESTION: What are some of the blessings and benefits of being continually filled with the Spirit?

     The presence of the Spirit brings Joy to Christians, both individually and as a member of the body of

Christ ( verse 19). This joy is evidenced in worship such as that mentioned by Paul. He described Psalms set to music as well as hymns of praise. The term “spiritual songs” may refer to musical testimonies or perhaps singing in other tongues. In the Early Church, music was a means by which Christians received instruction and edification.

     The practices Paul noted in verse 20 would reflect a heart of thanksgiving. This verse emphasizes the focus of our gratefulness: God that Father, who is revealed in His son, Jesus Christ. Such gratitude was to be present in every circumstance, giving evidence that the Christian’s life is distinct and transformed from what he or she used to be before Salvation.

3.    Cultivate Christian Marriage

A.    Christian Submission. Ephesians 5:21-24

         Ephesians 5:21, in combination with the verses that follow, was quite radical in a society dominated by men. While this passage is often debated, it is important to keep one factor in view: Verse 21 establishes the foundation upon which the verses that follow are built. It describes a vital attitude that is to be present in all who follow Christ and walk as children of light. Christians, like Christ himself, are to be characterized by submissiveness.

      The principle of mutual submission is intended to govern corporate life in the church as well as individual relationships. In the verses that follow, Paul examined a common example of relationships: families. A Christlike attitude is the foundation of all Christian relationships.

      In its original language, verse 21 makes it clear that submission to one another cannot be coerced. Some form of the term submission is found about nine times in the new testament, and in every instance it refers to voluntary submission.

     Submission is also intended to be mutual; Christians submit to one another, which helps eliminate sins of pride  and superiority that can plague the Church. Such sins are entirely out of character with Christ, who humbled himself by coming to earth and making himself a servant (Mark 10:45).

       Ephesians 5:22-24 must not be seen as enduring inequality between men and women in the eyes of God ( see Galatians 3:28-29). Rather, it speaks to the husband’s responsibility for spiritual leadership within the family. A wife is no way expected to submit to any unscriptural expectation of her husband; the term “head” in Ephesians 5:23 speaks to the husband as the Spiritual leader of the family. Husbands are to emulate the attitude and actions of Christ toward their wives, and wives voluntarily submit to husbands as a reflection of their obedience to God.

QUESTION: Why is a healthy Christian marriage a good example of how children of light should relate to one another?

  In the next subpoint of this lesson we will observe how husbands have a sober responsibility to sacrifice in caring for their wives. When this principle is combined with the command for willful submission to his wife ( verse 21), a powerful model of Christ’s relationship with the church emerges. A marriage is the most intimate of all human relationship- and a healthy marriage can be profane example of mutual love and sacrifices. While no marriage is perfect, God’s intention for marriage is provides a powerful illustration of our relationship with Him.

B.    Christian Love. Ephesians 5:25-33

       The relationship between the husband and the wife is compared to that of Christ and the church throughout Ephesians 5. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it. Such love is sacrificial, and it defers to the other even at great expense to oneself.

  This love forms the special, fundamental responsibility of the husband. The love described here often stands in the direct conflict with what many in the world defines as love. Worldly love is often based on perceived merit or worthiness: appearance, personality, and other subjective traits that place emphasis on area of importance when defining godly love. When a man becomes a follower of God, he began to cultivate a love that is patient, kind, trusting, and persevering. It is not rude, angry, or self-seeking. This is the kind of love God expects of husbands, a love that bears evidence that he is a child of light ( see 1 Corinthians 13)

      The impact of Christ love is fully described in Ephesians 5:26-27. He loved us in other to bring spiritual cleaning to us. The process of spiritual cleansing is ongoing within the Christian and the church. Furthermore, Christ has a clearly defined goal:that the church be presented to Him as  unblemished at the end of the age.

      Returning to  the marriage analogy, Paul likened Christ’s loving action toward the church as husband’s love for his wife (verse 28-30). Such love is to reflect the truth that husbands and wives are one flesh. To love one’s wife is to love oneself. She was not to be treated as subordinate person, much-less a pieces of property, as was customary in that day. Instead, she was part of himself. As such, he must place her in highest regard and do whatever is necessary to secure what is best for her, even at expense to himself. In short, he was to love her with Christlike love.

QUESTION: What does it mean to practice Christlike love?

      Such love is enduring and unbreakable (verse 31). Verse 31 cited Genesis 2:24, when God said that in marriage a man and a woman become one flesh. This is symbolic of the relationship Christians share with Christ. We are united with Him, a mystery beyond our comprehension ( verse 32-33). Yet because of the union we are to emulate His sacrificial love and compassion. This takes place in our relationships: marriage, friendship, and ministry. How we live with and love one another should reflect our relationship with the Saviour.

             DISCIPLESHIP IN ACTION

  Ephesians 5:15-17 reminds us to walk in wisdom, seek to know God’s will, and live as children of light. Sometimes in the rush of everyday responsibilities, we lose sight of how to walk in the light. We place our focus on things that better resemble our priorities when we were children of darkness. Take stock of your life to day. Have you lost insight of the importance of walking faithfully in the light?

     If God brought a particular point of concern to your attention during this lesson-something that needs to be change-ask Him to show you how to change. Pray that He will help you be faithful to Him as you grow in faith and obedience to His word.

                    MINSTRY IN ACTION

    Christ calls Christians to be light in the world, even as He calls unbelievers out of darkness into the light. Close the class session with prayer, asking God to help students live in such a way that they minister to one another even as they proclaim Jesus to the lost by their words and actions.