Children of Light. Ephesians 5:1-14. 08/04/24.
Children of Light
Ephesians 5:1-14
Rev. Rhonda Blevins
August 4, 2024
Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But sexual immorality and impurity of any kind or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints. Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving. Be sure of this, that no sexually immoral or impure person or one who is greedy (that is, an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore, do not be associated with them, for once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness; rather, expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly, but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore, it says, “Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
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Some of you may know that I was in an automobile accident back in May—I was t-boned going through an intersection. I’m great now, but I had some significant pain in my lower back after the accident, what I now understand to be low-back whiplash. But on the way to that diagnosis, I had x-rays. I had CT scans. I had MRIs. I suppose doctors were trying to make sure there were no fractures (and trying to make an easy dollar or two as well!).
As I was doing all of this imaging, I thought about the different ways these technologies use light:
· X-rays use high-energy electromagnetic waves that have a much shorter wavelength than visible light. They produce 2D images of bones and dense tissue as the x-ray light is absorbed differently by the various tissues, bones, etc.
· CT scans use the same kind of light but can create 3D images using rotation around the body.
· MRIs are different. MRIs use no light at all. Rather, they use strong magnetic fields and radiofrequency waves. With MRIs, light only comes into play at the point of viewing the images, usually on a screen.
Despite their differences, all three tools seek the same thing: information or truth (“enlightenment” if you will) about what’s happening underneath the surface.
When the Apostle Paul tells his friends in Ephesus that they are “children of light,” I don’t think he had x-rays or CT scans or MRIs in mind, but I do think he was thinking about enlightenment—he was concerned with truth. Listen again to verses 6-9:
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore, do not be associated with them, for once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.
Paul uses the word “light” three times in this short passage:
1. “You are light.”
2. “Walk as children of light.”
3. “The fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.”
Paul’s use of this “light” metaphor has roots in the Old Testament, like in Isaiah 9:2 for example:
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined.
You often hear that verse during Advent or Christmas as prophecy that points to the coming Christ as the “great light” that will lift people out of darkness.
Paul seems to be alluding to that verse in Isaiah: if Christ is the “great light,” each of us is a little light. Christ is the flame; we are the spark.
Let’s think about what this means.
Paul writes, “You are light.” This gets at our very identity. Our spiritual DNA is light. Each of us shines differently, in the same way that if you look into a fire some flames are red and some are orange and some are yellow and some are blue. But we are borne of the same substance. Christ is the “great light.” Through Christ, we too are light.
Paul writes, “Walk as children of light.” This speaks to our behavior, specifically our morals and ethics. Occasionally in my role as a parent, I’ve had to correct one of my sons, as all parents do. I’ve been known to use the phrase, “In our family, we don’t do that.” There is an expectation for behavior—for right actions—if you’re going to be a part of this family. The same is true for Christ-followers. We are part of the family (remember our spiritual DNA?). And with that identity, there is an expectation for how we are to live. Paul names a few of the expectations earlier in the passage: walking in love, avoiding sexual impropriety and greed, and banishing unwholesome talk. Paul sums up the entire ethical code for Christians this way: “Walk as children of light.” ‘Nuff said.
Paul writes, “The fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.” This speaks to our understanding or our mind. How do we know if something or someone has the light of Christ in them (like we do?) We’ll know by the fruits! We can use reasoning and discernment, observing the “fruits” to see if someone exhibits the light of Christ. The light of Christ manifests in three ways, according to Paul: goodness, righteousness, and truth. Our job, Paul writes, is to not be deceived. In all ages and all times, there are those who pretend to be of the light, and “deceive you with empty words.” Paul warns us to disassociate from those people. There is nothing wrong with setting a boundary with those who seek to deceive you. I’ve certainly set some boundaries with deceitful people along the way. You can love people while maintaining your boundaries with them. I call it “loving from a distance.” Put people around you in your life that bear the fruit of the Christ light: goodness, righteousness, truth. This is good biblical wisdom, and good practical wisdom as well.
Our identity: we are light.
Our behavior: we walk as children of light.
Our understanding: we know light because of the fruits of goodness, righteousness and truth.
Once again, it’s a total body makeover when we become a follower of Christ! Hearts, hands, heads.
I close with a story.
One evening a man took a candle from a box. He lit the candle and began to climb up a long, winding stairway. The candle asked the man, “Where are we going?” The man answered, “We’re going up, up, up—higher than a house! We’re going to show the ships the way to the harbor.” The little candle said, “But no ship in the harbor could ever see my light. It’s so very small.” The man said, “Yes, your light may be small, but just keep on burning as brightly as you can and leave the rest to me.”
When they reached the top of the long stairs, they came to a large lamp. The man took the little candle and lit the lamp. Soon, the large, polished mirrors behind the lamp sent beams of light out across the miles of sea.
We are God’s candle. We are little lights. Our job is simply to keep on shining. Whether we succeed or fail—it’s all in God’s hands. You know as I do that a small spark can start a huge forest fire.
So, my dear friends, walk as children of light. And leave the rest to God.