Christ, the Wisdom of God

Ephesians 5:15-20

Pentecost 12B, August 19, 2012

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

The last two Sundays we have been hearing God’s Word from St Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church. So far we have heard that we are made God’s children and unified with Christ in Baptism by the one Holy Spirit, and that as God’s children we are to imitate Christ, loving as He loves and forgiving as He forgives.

In this week’s epistle reading Paul continues to plead with the church in Ephesus, and us, to live as the people we have been born again as; the redeemed and forgiven children of God. Not as the people we once might have been, following our sinful ways or living according to what is right in this world.

In light of our salvation Paul says, Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, as the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Look carefully then how you walk. The walk referred to here is the walk of faith that by the grace of God began at Baptism and goes all the way to eternity. But this journey is not an easy one, for the days are evil.

The devil and his demons are at work in the world to lead the children of God astray. Satan wants to distract you. He wants to direct you off the path of faith, down the path of sin, unbelief and despair. He knows he can’t snatch you out of God’s hand, His hold is too tight. So the devil works to coax you away from God by sowing seeds of doubt in God’s grace or by leading you into temptation and accusing you of unforgivable sin.

Don’t listen to the devils lies! Stay with God, flee to Christ in whom you were joined to in Baptism. Listen to God’s voice proclaimed from His Word, and then you will be wise and understand what the will of the Lord is.

From God’s Word we all know God’s will; regarding the Law it means to keep the Ten Commandments and regarding the Gospel; God’s will is that we believe in the One whom He has sent as our Saviour from sin (John 6:29). God’s will is that you have His Word fixed in your mind so that you look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, as the days are evil.

Only by the grace of God are you kept from wandering away from the Lord. He gives His grace through Word and Sacraments. Listen to, read, study and memorise God’s Word that you might not sin against Him. Receive Christ body and blood in Holy Communion for the forgiveness of your sins, that Christ grows in you, deepening your faith and strengthening the bond of peace between you.

God’s will is many things, and it includes His desires that all people be saved (1Timothy 2:4). So Paul says, make the best use of the time. Be strengthened in your faith through the gifts God gives in the Divine Service, then go in the power of the Lord to live as the child He has made you to be. Let the light of Christ shine in your home in the way you speak and act, in your devotions and prayers. Let the light of Christ radiate into the life of your neighbour.

Paul tells us to make the best use of the time, because he thought Jesus was returning immediately. And he was right of course. Christ can return at any moment. This shaped the way he lived and encouraged other Christians to also live. In his letters we can hear the voice of a man who has an urgent mission to tell his neighbour, and the world, that by the cross of Christ God loves them in the most amazing way. For without the Gospel message many will perish and never taste God’s amazing love in Christ.

I think that we have become complacent, because we look back over 2000 years of Christian history and see Jesus has not returned. We then apply that to the next 2000 year or so and assume Jesus’ return is a long way off. But, that is not true. At any moment the trumpet could sound and all people have to appear before the judgment seat of God, who desires that all people be saved.  

God is on mission in this world through you and I. Through the Spirit living in us by faith and Christ whom we receive in the Sacrament, God is looking for opportunities to share the Gospel. His Spirit prompts us to serve one another in love, to share the Gospel and witness to our neighbour about Jesus and what He has done to save all people from sin and grant life everlasting. Let God do His work through you that you may bring honour and glory to Him.

When the journey of faith gets tough do not get drunk with wine (or beer for that matter), for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

How do you be filled with the Holy Spirit? Simple. Go where God’s Spirit is; God’s Word and Sacraments. The Spirit works through the Word to create and nurture faith in Christ so we know that when we hear God’s Word that His Spirit is at work in our hearts. If we think the Holy Spirit is speaking to us outside of the Word we need to be careful, it may be an unclean spirit whispering lies.

God’s life giving Word is so precious to us we cannot help but put it to music and give thanks to our gracious and merciful God. The prophets put the faith to music and wrote the psalms. Christians of every age have put God’s Word to music so we can sing hymns and spiritual songs about our loving God and His Jesus who died on the cross for our sins. Sing the Gospel with thanksgiving in worship and your devotional life to lift your down cast souls and that you may be encouraged.

Gospel centered psalms, hymns and spiritual songs proclaim what God in Christ has done for the world. They speak of our lost condition and God’s love to rescue us from sin. They preach the cross of Christ, His blood shed for our forgiveness, the joy of the resurrection and life everlasting. They declare the power of forgiveness in the absolution and the Sacraments.

Martin Luther speaks highly of singing God’s Word, saying, ‘the evil spirit is not at ease when one sings or preaches God’s Word in true faith… it drives away the devil and makes people cheerful’ (What Luther Says #3091, 3098). During some of the darkest times in his life, Luther sang God’s Word to lift his eyes to heaven to focus Christ and His victory over sin, death and the devil. This is why he wrote his famous hymn A Mighty Fortress is our God (LHS 195).

All this – walking carefully in faith, making the best use of our time and singing the Gospel – are the actions of the wise. Those live by the wisdom of God listening to Him in His Word and walking in His ways. The wisdom in the Bible is about far more than great advice. The wisdom it proclaims is Jesus.  1 Corinthians 1 says, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24)… and Christ Jesus, who became for us the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:30).

Jesus is the wisdom of God not just because He is God and knows all things. But in Christ there is a wisdom that humans could never imagine or achieve. God’s Son became one of us in order to die for all of us. In Christ, God died for you, achieving your salvation. Jesus took all the sins of the world on His body and paid the price we deserve, dying on the cross for us all.  

We could never achieve salvation by ourselves. We are full of sin. In God’s wisdom He does it for us. Salvation is a free gift. Now that is the wisdom of God.  We couldn’t even dream up the idea of God dying for us. But that my friends is the truth. Jesus died to save you from sin and eternal death and rescue from you the accusations of the devil. In Him you have pardon for sin, peace with God and the hope of heaven.

In light of God’s grace, look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, as the days are evil. Walk in God’s ways as the wise ones of God, redeemed by Christ. These days are evil, I don’t have to convince you of that, and the devil would love to entice you into sin and accuse you to the point of despair. But you know God’s will, you know the commandments and you are filled with His Spirit through Baptism. You also know the Gospel, the good news that you are God’s child by Baptism and faith. You are marked with the Holy Spirit as the redeemed of God. Your Saviour Jesus dwells bodily in your bodies through His body and blood given and received in Holy Communion.

Christ is leading you to live the life He saved you to lead. The Spirit brings God’s Word to life for you, directing your steps in Christ’s footsteps so you walk in wisdom. Live free from the power of sin, filled with the grace of God. Love your neighbour as yourself. Love them as much as God leads you to. 

Wisdom comes from God alone, for He alone is all wise and knowing. Salvation comes from Christ alone, the wisdom of God for us. Be wise, even as you have been made wise. Amen.

Let’s pray. Lord Jesus, the wisdom and power of God, make our bodies holy by Your Word, Your Spirit and Your body and blood given in the Sacrament, that we may walk in Your footsteps and follow You into eternal life. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.