“Live the Wise Life”
(Ephesians 5:15-20 – Pentecost 13 – August 18, 2024)
Ephesians 5:15-20 – 15See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Dear redeemed children of God, who have been made wise for salvation through faith in Jesus:
Many people like to think they have found true wisdom, in one form or another. Some seek wisdom in higher learning; they think an education will show them how best to live this life. Some seek wisdom in religious meditation; they think getting in touch with their inner self, or in touch with higher spiritual beings, will show them how best to live. Many think they are living wisely by seeking fulfillment in riches and pleasures; because life is short, and you might as well enjoy it before you die.
But while many think they are living the wise life in their own way, very few are wise in God’s way. For very few understand what God’s will is for their life, and very few live in His way by faith in Jesus Christ. They are not wise unto eternal life.
As believers in Jesus, we may not seem wise in the eyes of the world. Yet even as children, God gives us true wisdom in Christ. As 2 Timothy 3:15 reminds us: “from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” In His Word, God gives us wisdom, not only for temporal life, but for eternal life. It is the wisdom we have in Christ, who has come to win our forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life with God.
So let us consider what it means to “Live the Wise Life” in God’s eyes. As our text shows, we live wisely by 1) Understanding what the will of the Lord is, and 2) Making the best use of the time as we prepare for eternity through faith in Christ.
1) Understanding what the will of the Lord is
Our text begins with this exhortation: “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (vs. 15-17). The evil world around us has turned from God’s truth to the lies of Satan, and many walk in foolish paths of sin. So we are admonished to walk carefully in the wisdom of God’s truth, to live the wise life by understanding what the will of the Lord is.
What is the Lord’s will for us, as He teaches in His Word? Above all, His will is to save us from the hell-bent path of the world, to save us from sin and death and bring us to heaven by faith in Jesus. This admonition to live wisely follows a section of Scripture in which we are shown how the Lord has graciously brought us out of the darkness of sin and evil into the light of His truth and salvation in Jesus Christ. Earlier in Ephesians 5:8, the apostle Paul reminds us: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”
As those conceived and born in sin, we once walked into a state of spiritual darkness. Ephesians 2:1-3 describes that former state from which God rescued us: “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.”
While walking in this sin-darkened state, following Satan the prince of darkness, one may think he is wise. He may achieve the highest knowledge the world offers. But he is what the Bible calls a fool. Psalm 14:1 says: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.” So much for living the wise life without God! One may think he is living a good life. Yet without faith in Christ, he remains dead in trespasses and sins.
Again, Scripture calls a fool one who hopes to live the wise life by idolizing this world’s riches and pleasures. Many have said with the rich man in Jesus’ parable: “‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’” (Luke 12:19-20).
That was the path of spiritual darkness and foolishness in which we once walked. But in this Epistle to the Ephesians, we learn that by God’s grace we were saved and brought into the light of His wisdom by faith in Jesus. Ephesians 1:7 says: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” God paid for all our sins by the blood of His Son on the cross. God quenched His wrath against our sins in Jesus’ punishment. Ephesians 2:13 says: “now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” In Baptism, God washed us of all sin by the power of Jesus’ blood. He poured out His Holy Spirit in us, giving us faith and new life in Christ. He brought us near as His blood-bought children and heirs eternal life.
All this God gives us freely as gift of His grace. As Ephesians 2:4-7 explains: “God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
Here is true wisdom – understanding the Lord’s gracious will for us, His eternal loving purpose in saving us, through faith in Jesus our Savior. This is why Colossians 2:3 says: “In [Christ] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” And 1 Corinthians 1:30 speaks of “Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God – and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.”
2) Making the best use of the time
Understanding the Lord’s gracious will for us in Christ changes the way we see all things in life. Now we know where we have come from and where we are going. We can see the sin from which God saved us. We know the days are evil in this world. We know about the prince of darkness and his schemes to drag us back into the false wisdom and spiritual darkness he promotes. We do not wish to return to the old path of sin and foolishness, from which God has graciously saved us. Rather, we want to make the best use of our time, walking wisely in the faith God has given us.
This is what it means as it speaks of “redeeming the time” (vs. 16). With these words, the time which God gives us in this life is treated like a valuable article, like something that is bought at a great price and treasured. Just as we may carefully shop around, making sure we spend our money wisely and get the best deal on a house, car, or something else we buy, let us be careful in how we spend our time in this life. Life is indeed short. “Time is precious,” because eternity awaits us and our loved ones. What is our first priority in “redeeming the time”? Living the wise life means making the best use of this time of grace God has given us by preparing for eternity.
Here we see the value of spending our time in God’s Word, daily and weekly. This is where God’s Spirit strengthens our faith and keeps us in the path of true wisdom unto eternal life in Christ. So as it says, instead of getting “drunk with wine, in which is dissipation” – instead of trying to achieve some “high” by any number of worldly pursuits and pleasures – let us rather “be filled with the Spirit” (vs. 18).
Let us drink deeply of the Spirit, as we hear His Word of truth and take it to heart. In God’s Word alone, we hear His forgiveness in Christ even when we have fallen badly into sin. In God’s Word alone, we are given hope of eternal life in Christ even in the midst of these evil days. In God’s Word alone, we assured that God is working all things for our good in Christ even in the worst of times. In God’s Word alone, His Spirit gives us true wisdom for life!
And let us drink deeply of the Spirit as we live in the grace of our Baptism. In daily repentance, we drown our sinful nature with its false wisdom; and in Jesus’ cleansing forgiveness, we rise to walk by the Spirit in the newness of life He gives.
And let us drink deeply of the Spirit as we regularly partake of Holy Communion. As we come to the Lord’s Table with a penitent spirit, we receive Jesus’ Body and Blood for the forgiveness of our sins, and we are strengthened by the Spirit in faith unto eternal life.
Let us make the best use of the time, not only for ourselves but for others. Our text encourages us as believers to continue coming together in worship: “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (vs. 19). As we meet around God’s Word, we encourage each other in true faith and wisdom (Hebrews 10:25). For our worship is centered in Christ, our crucified and risen Savior, who is our wisdom and eternal life.
As we continue in God’s Word, filled with His Spirit, living in the hope of His eternal salvation, we have every reason, as it says, for “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (vs. 20).
So let us live the wise life, not in the false ways of the world, but understanding what the Lord’s will is – His gracious will to save us and to keep us in true faith unto eternal life. As we share God’s grace in Christ and encourage each other in the faith, we are making the best use of the time – until that Day when our Lord will fulfill all the desires of our hearts in the eternal joys of His heavenly Kingdom.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.