Ephesians 5:6-15

A1 Scripture

B1 Ephesians 5:6-15 WEL Don't let anyone deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God's hot anger comes on the children of disobedience. 7 Therefore, don't be partakers with them. 8 For at one time you were darkness, but now light in the Lord, so live as children of light. 9 For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. 10 Testing things [to see if] they are acceptable to the Lord. 11 Do not have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness rather reprove them. 12 For it is shameful even to talk about those things, which are done by them in secret. 13 Everything when exposed is revealed by the light, for whatever reveals is light. 14 Therefore, he says, "Awake you sleeper and rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." 15 See to it that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.

B2 Ephesians 5:6-15 GNB  Do not let anyone deceive you with foolish words; it is because of these very things that God's anger will come upon those who do not obey him.  7 So have nothing at all to do with such people. 8 You yourselves used to be in the darkness, but since you have become the Lord's people, you are in the light. So you must live like people who belong to the light,  9 for it is the light that brings a rich harvest of every kind of goodness, righteousness, and truth. 10 Try to learn what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the worthless things that people do, things that belong to the darkness. Instead, bring them out to the light.  12 (It is really too shameful even to talk about the things they do in secret.) 13 And when all things are brought out to the light, then their true nature is clearly revealed; 14 for anything that is clearly revealed becomes light. That is why it is said, "Wake up, sleeper, and rise from death, and Christ will shine on you."  15 So be careful how you live. Don't live like ignorant people, but like wise people.

A2 Outline

B1 Deception

C1 Through empty words

C2 Leads to God's wrath

C3 Empty words listened and acted upon show a life as a son of disobedience

C4 A warning to not be like or with them

C5 Your past. You were at one time in darkness, thinking darkness, and living darkness. Darkness is the opposite of light: John 3:19-20 NRSV  And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.  20 For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed.

B2 Children of light (in the Lord).

C1 To walk as children of light

C2 Evidences

D1 Goodness

D2 Righteousness

D3 Truth

D4 Seeking and finding what is acceptable to the Lord

D5 No fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness

D6 Exposing darkness

E1 Shameful acts

E2 Light manifests these shameful acts

D7 Wake up

D8 Messiah is the one who gives light

A3 Notes

B1 Empty words = something without success or empty of any purpose or meaning

B2 These things = the evil mentioned in the previous verses. We are to avoid:

C1 Sexual immorality

C2 Impurity

C3 Greed

C4 Irreligious talk

C5 Crude jokes

B3 Sons of disobedience =

C1 Sons of disobedience = this is the default position of every human. The disobedience is disobedience to God’s ways in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds.

C2 Disobedience

D1 Have no regard for authority =

E1 (Nehemiah 9:26 ESV)  "Nevertheless, they were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their back and killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you, and they committed great blasphemies."

E2 (Titus 1:16 WPNT) "They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him, being detestable, disobedient and disqualified for any good work."

D2 Rebellion

D3 Stubbornness

A4 Applications

B1 We are not to associate with those who live rebellious lives. Rebellion is understood as those who will not believe and live God’s ways. God’s ways are not what some church defines but what the New Testament defines. So be wary of church standards and don’t sign Church Covenants; often they are used to control and abuse.

B2 Our former life (our life before repenting and putting our faith into Jesus Christ) was just as described. It was rebellious in thoughts, words, desires, and deeds.

B3 God’s ways are seen in the Bible especially the New Testament. We read things we must do and believe, things we must NOT do and believe, principles, and examples of success and failure.

B4 We must not live our lives in lies. If we sin, confess it. We must not cover it up. Those who cover up their sins as most likely not true believers in Jesus Christ.

B5 Since the day we live in is evil, we must do what we can to live honestly as Christians in private and public. Time is fleeting.

Sermon Outline James Chapter 1

I won't be teaching Sunday School for awhile, because I resigned from teaching, so I thought I would post some sermon outlines I have done over the years.

The Epistle of James will be looked at for a few weeks.

A1 Chapter 1

B1 Introduction

C1 Self-description

D1 Servant of God

D2 Servant of Lord Jesus Christ

C2 Writing to the 12 tribes of Israel (the Christian, believing Jews, but it is applicable to all of us)

B2 Testing/Temptation (these are the trials of the Christian faith; but it may refer to the solicitation to sin, which is a trial)

C1 Attitude in: Joy

D1 Joy = cheerfulness, calmly happy

E1 An opportunity to see firsthand God's help in trouble

E2 Romans 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation works patience.

D3 This world/life is one of trouble, for the world is cursed because of sin.

D4 Testing/Temptation comes in many different forms

E1 Spiritual temptation: to deny Christ, to make someone bitter and blame God, etc.

E2 Emotional: to depression, to be lead astray by "voices" (in reality, demonic influence), false guilt, recurring bad memories

E3 Physical: to seek pleasure, appetites, food, sleep, sex, money

E4 The three most popular gods in the world: Honors, Riches, and Pleasures

D4 References:

E1 Matthew 5:11 HCSB You are blessed when they insult and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me.

F1 Comment: This is a temptation to leave the faith and deny Christ.

F2 Three persecutions mentioned:

G1 Insult

G2 Persecute, which may be verbal, financial, economic (as in our occupation), physical, spiritual, emotional, etc. or all the above

G3 Lie in every form it might be possible to lie

F3 These come against us because we are Christians

E2 1 Peter 1:6-7 GNB92 Be glad about this, even though it may now be necessary for you to be sad for a while because of the many kinds of trials you suffer. Their purpose is to prove that your faith is genuine. Even gold, which can be destroyed, is tested by fire; and so your faith, which is much more precious than gold, must also be tested, so that it may endure. Then you will receive praise and glory and honor on the Day when Jesus Christ is revealed.

F1 Comment: The results and rewards are when Jesus returns.

F2 This type of testing is not good to experience but does reveal if our commitment is genuine. Remember persecution is not just physical.

C2 James 1:2 Works Patience

D1 Happily awaiting deliverance, thus a test of faith. This is a showing of faith and hope. Faith = "God will deliver me." Hope = "I hope it will be today."

D2 Don't get in a hurry.

D3 God has a purpose waiting for God’s deliverance: James 1:4 WPNT but let that endurance have a complete work, so that you may be perfect and complete, falling short in nothing.

D4 God’s grace is always sufficient to endure: 2 Corinthians 12:9 NRSV but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

C3 James 1:5 Wisdom: lack wisdom; don't know what to do; unsure of everything? Pray for wisdom. God will not belittle us for asking. There are no stupid questions. If we need to ask God for wisdom 100 times a day, it will not make God angry.

C4 James 1:6-8 Prayer

D1 In faith (God can do this)

D2 We cannot manipulate God with a formula, self abasement, etc.

D3 Don’t doubt.

D4 There is no guarantee to answered prayer. 1 John 5:14 NKJV Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

D5 Asking for wisdom is pleasing to God. He is the source of wisdom. Colossians 2:2-3 NKJV that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

C5 James 1:9-11 Be glad if you're poor

D1 Riches can disappear quickly.

D2 Don't put your trust in riches.

D3 This is a temptation, for we should put our trust in God, himself.

C6 James 1:12 A reward for endurance: the crown of life.

D1 There are two different crowns mentioned in New Testament Greek

E1 The first is στεφανος, stephanos which is similar to a trophy. It is given for victory or efficient service. In our case for the Christian life. This is word used in James 1:12.

E2 The second is διάδημα diadema and is a crown signifying the right and authority to rule. Thus, a king or queen would wear a diadem. This is the word used in Revelation 12:3, 13:1, and 19:12.

D2 The Crown of Life is specific for endurance, steadfastness, faithfulness in persecution of any sort. It is also in Revelation 2:10.

C7 James 1:13-15 God does not tempt people.

D1 The principle of sin is in us.

D2 That principle is "Everything is for my comfort and pleasure." This is happiness, not joy. Happiness is not a fruit of the Spirit, joy is.

D3 The cure

E1 Repent and trust in the Lord Jesus who suffered for our sins and paid our penalty

E2 Humility: God help me

E3 2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

C8 James 1:20 Our anger does not do the will of God.

D1 Anger often comes from bitterness from injustice

D2 We seek revenge. Vengeance is up to God.

D3 Need to forgive

E1 Forgiveness does not mean that God lets them off the hook

E2 It means to turn the person, situation, to God to deal with it

F1 That person may repent

F2 You can have peace and rest

C9 James 1:21 Stop sinning. (God help us).

D1 The word "lay apart" means put or lay aside and leave it.

D2 Place yourself under God’s authority, that is, God's way is the right way. I will do this with the help of God.

D3 Engrafted is to place into or plant, which might mean the Gospel, so it brings salvation, but it could also mean a remembering of a Bible verse applicable to the present situation, which if we obey, we will be delivered.

D4 Another version James 1:21 GNB So get rid of every filthy habit and all wicked conduct. Submit to God and accept the word that he plants in your hearts, which is able to save you.

E1 God implants a verse from the Bible in our mind. "Ah, that verse—O yes, I remember."

E2 We obey that Bible verse (with discernment).

E3 We will have deliverance.

C10 James 1:22-25, If only a hearer of the Bible, then it is nothing. It is the doer who is doing the will of God. Words are cheap; actions speak louder than words.

C11 James 1:23-27 One test of a true Christian

D1 Mouth control

D2 Visiting the needy, the fatherless and the widow.

Copyright © 2001-2018 by Len Gane. All Rights Reserved.

Colossians 1:9-20 Notes

Chapter 1:9-20

 

A1 Scripture

B1 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. (Colossians 1:9-20, NKJV)

B2 For this reason we have always prayed for you, ever since we heard about you. We ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will, with all the wisdom and understanding that his Spirit gives. Then you will be able to live as the Lord wants and will always do what pleases him. Your lives will produce all kinds of good deeds, and you will grow in your knowledge of God. May you be made strong with all the strength which comes from his glorious power, so that you may be able to endure everything with patience. And with joy give thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to have your share of what God has reserved for his people in the kingdom of light. --- He rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us safe into the kingdom of his dear Son, by whom we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven. Christ is the visible likeness of the invisible God. He is the first-born Son, superior to all created things. For through him God created everything in heaven and on earth, the seen and the unseen things, including spiritual powers, lords, rulers, and authorities. God created the whole universe through him and for him. Christ existed before all things, and in union with him all things have their proper place. He is the head of his body, the church; he is the source of the body's life. He is the first-born Son, who was raised from death, in order that he alone might have the first place in all things. For it was by God's own decision that the Son has in himself the full nature of God. Through the Son, then, God decided to bring the whole universe back to himself. God made peace through his Son's blood on the cross and so brought back to himself all things, both on earth and in heaven. (Colossians 1:9-20, GNB92)

 

A2 Outline: The Preeminence of Christ

B1 Paul's Prayer for the Colossians' Christian Life Colossians 1:9-14

C1 Continual Prayer

D1 For them to be filled with knowledge of His will

E1 In wisdom

E2 In spiritual understanding

E2 To walk (live the Christian life)

E1 Walk worthily

E2 Fully pleasing Him

E3 Fruitful in every good work

E4 Increasing in the knowledge about God

E5 Strengthened with all power

F1 That comes from God

F2 For patience

F3 For longsuffering with joy

C2 Giving thanks to the Father who

D1 Has qualified us to be partakers of the saint's inheritance

D2 Has delivered us from the power of darkness

D3 Has conveyed us into His Son's kingdom. The Son has given us

E1 Redemption

E2 The forgiveness of sins

B2 The Preeminence of Christ Colossians 1:15-20

C1 He is

D1 The image of the invisible God

D2 The firstborn over all creation

C2 He has

D1 Created all things

E1 In heaven

E2 On earth

E3 Visible or invisible

E4 Ranks/levels

F1 Thrones

F2 Dominions

F3 Principalities

F4 Powers

C3 All things were created through Him and for Him

C4 He is before all things

C5 All things consist in Him

C6 He is the head of the body (the church)

C7 He is the beginning

C8 He is the firstborn from the dead

C9 He has the preeminence in and over everything

C10 He has all the fullness of God

C11 He is the only Savior, the Reconciler

D1 Of things in heaven

D2 Of things on earth

D3 Made peace by/through the blood of the Cross

 

A3 Notes

B1 The idea of always praying does not mean they pray 24/7/365 as if there is nothing else to do. It is a prayer life day by day whether in a scheduled prayer time or when he thinks about them.

B2 The knowledge of His will refers to knowing God's will.

C1 What God's will is. How to apply this knowledge.

C2 This can only be done by studying the Bible.

C3 The word knowledge here refers to not just knowing by rote but in knowing the ins and outs, the principles, and the application.

B3 The knowledge of His will.

C1 Knowledge of what His will is.

C2 Two possibilities

D1 To be wise and have spiritual understanding, thus how to apply God's will in whatever situation we face and to do this with wisdom and spiritual understanding.

D2 To handle this knowledge with wisdom and spiritual understanding.

B4 Wisdom is taking knowledge and using it correctly in any situation.

B5 Understanding is knowing the ins and outs of something.

C1 I can know that a certain medicine is used for an illness, but understanding would be to know why and how it works.

C2 Spiritual understanding would be the highest as in why does God offer salvation to humans, what God is against covertness.

B6 The whole purpose of knowing God's will in wisdom and spiritual understanding is to live a Christian life in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds. It would also include the correct motive.

B7 Walk worthy of the Lord means life my life in such a way that God would be pleased.

B8 Fully pleasing is God is pleased. No one can do this, of course, except the Lord Jesus himself. (Matthew 3:17).

B9 Being fruitful in every good work.

C1 The result/s of our life, what we do, what we say, and what we think.

C2 Fruitful relates to the fruit of the Spirit, not material success. (Ephesians 5:9 and Galatians 5:22-23).

C3 Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches that bear fruit. (John 15:5)

C4 God prunes the branches so more fruit can be produced. (John 15:2)

B10 Increasing in the knowledge of God.

C1 Know more about how He thinks, does, and is.

C2 Characteristics of God.

B11 Strengthened with all might. God helps us to achieve the above. He is the one who works these things into our lives. (John 15:4-5)

B12 Patience and longsuffering. The Christian life is filled with many perils whether they are spiritual, emotional, or physical.

C1 These perils are solely because one is a Christian.

C2 We all stumble and need to realize others stumble as well.

C3 For this we need prayer and forgiveness.

C4 We need to know that God does have a standard and need to encourage each to follow this standard. C5 A particular group of people, church group, or whatever may have a standard, but that is a church or personal standard, but we need to foremost know and follow God's standard.

B13 Joy is the emotion of peace and something pleasing that has happened. The Greek stands for cheerfulness. It is hard to imagine but with God's help we can endure longsuffering with joy.

B14 The Father is the one who qualifies us to be partakers of the inheritance of God's people. We do not qualify ourselves. Qualify is to be up to a set of standards.

B15 Partakers are those who have some action in common.

C1 A group of people can each have a piece of a pizza; they are partakers.

C2 In this case the partakers are those qualified by God to each partake in the saint's inheritance, which is heaven with all its blessings. (Matthew 25:34, Acts 26:18, 1 Peter 1:2-5)

B16 In the light is opposite of in darkness.

C1 Darkness is illustrative of sin and punishment.

C2 Light is illustrative of righteousness and heaven.

B17 He, God, has delivered us from the power of darkness to convey us to the kingdom of His Son.

C1 The power of darkness is sin and the devil's way. (Ephesians 6:12, 1 Peter 2:9)

C2 The deliverance was accomplished by ministry of Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 53:12, Acts 26:18, Hebrews 2:14)

C3 Conveying is the idea of carrying from one to another.

D1 The Greek word has the idea of transfer.

D2 We are transferred from being slaves to the devil, sin, and death, so being bond-slaves of God, righteousness, and life. (Titus 3:3-6)

B18 Redemption is a buying back.

C1 We have been sold to sin by birth and deeds and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

C2 Jesus died.

C3 His blood was the atoning sacrifice for sins.

C4 No shed blood, no redemption.

C5 The wages of sin is death.

C6 Someone has to pay this debt.

C7 We cannot, so the Lord Jesus did.

C8 Sins are forgiven, because the debt, death, has been paid.

B19 Some things about the Lord Jesus

C1 Image of the invisible God. Through our various senses we connect to the world around us. God is not material so we cannot connect physically to Him. Jesus is God in the flesh which could be. (1 John 1:1)

C2 Firstborn. This is the position of special privileges. Jesus is not the first created but the creator who is the authority over everything created.

C3 The creator of everything. Jesus was not created but the creator.

C4 Jesus is the creator of everything in heaven--the angels, and everything on earth.

C5 Thrones, dominions, principalities, or powers. Most believe these to be angelic orders, ranks, positions of authority and privilege.

C6 Everything was created for Him. For His pleasure, enjoyment, and fellowship.

C7 Consist has the idea of holding together. Because of the physical laws of today's universe things run down. He is the one who holds all together. (Hebrews 1:3)

C8 Head of the body. The body is the church. The church are the believers who have placed their faith into Jesus Christ by believing in what He has done and who He is. The Epistle to the Ephesians speaks much about this. He is the Lord, the boss. He is the highest position and power.

C9 The firstborn from the dead is the fact that Jesus was the first to be resurrected who will never die again. The other resurrections died again.

C10 All these things about Christ show that He is the highest of everything and everyone.

C11 All the fullness. That is Jesus, the man, is Jesus, the Son of God--God himself.

C12 There is no reconciliation between God and man except through Jesus. No religious leader, nothing a person can do, no ritual, no assistance from us. It is Christ and only Christ--Jesus is the only Christ (Messiah). This was done because Jesus paid the penalty for sin by dying and the shedding of His blood.

Updates

I have updated the Sunday School series and the Bible Studies series.