Jump Start # 1807

Ephesians 5:11-12 “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.”

SEX. How about that for an opening word. That makes a person wonder, “What’s he going to say about sex?” The Bible says plenty about it and the world is even saying more about it. The world is beyond blunt. It’s in your face. It’s crude. It hold no punches. This is the stuff your kids are hearing at school. This is the stuff that sells sit-coms. Nothing is off limits. Nothing is too sensitive or delicate these days. Sexual innuendos are everywhere. They fill songs. They are in commercials. They are in shows. They are in the language of the people today. It seems that society is stuck on this topic. It’s everywhere.

That brings us to our verse today. The mind of the Christian and the mind of the world are moving rapidly in opposite directions. Preachers today do not connect better by sounding like MTV. Gutter talk has no place in holy worship. Keep it in the gutter and maybe it will get washed down the sewer. Parents don’t try to be hip (I don’t think anyone uses that word anymore). It bombs every time. Don’t dress like you are a teenager. Don’t talk like you are a teenager. If you want to connect with the kids, earn respect by being your age. You are the parent, not BFF (that stands for Best Friends Forever).

Our verses today remind us of the call in Romans to not to be conformed to the world. Three things from these passages:

First: Don’t do what the world is doing. Paul said, “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness.” Darkness means wrongness. In this same context, the apostle said, “Do not be partakers with them” (v. 7). Stop joining them in wrong. You put your light out when you do that. You kill your influence when you do that. No one takes you seriously anymore, when you are doing things that you should not be doing. Paul says in this section, “you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” Your walk and talk ought to be the same.

Second, instead of going along with wrong, expose wrong. Let it be known why you don’t do what they are doing. The answer is not, “I can’t because I’m a Christian.” That sounds like you wish you could. That sounds like, remove the Christianity from me and I’ll be there. It’s not, “I can’t. It’s “I won’t.” I won’t bow down is what the three Jewish boys in Babylon were saying. I won’t is what we need to say. How do you expose darkness? The best way is to shine some light. Don’t be ugly. Don’t destroy. You are trying to convert. Stand where God stands. People who love darkness, are often loud, aggressive, and seemingly have all the support and facts on their side. They don’t. There is never a time that darkness is right. There is never a way that wrong can be right. NEVER. Your best defense, is the word of God. You don’t need a Bible machinegun that spits out 45 verses per second. Use just a few. Be confident. Don’t be intimidated. Often, those in the wrong will attack you instead of what you are saying. Remember, no one was ever killed by thunder. It’s lightning that does the killing. A lot of noise and a lot of accusations and a lot of thunder doesn’t make one right. Use common sense and Scriptures. That’s it. Expose.

Thirdly, it is disgraceful to even mention what was being done in secret. Don’t try to figure out what Paul was hinting at, because it’s wrong even to talk about it. You don’t have to know the slang names of every drug on the street. You don’t have to know what the latest wrongs are. There are many things that pure minds and pure people have no business talking about. Talking about these things in secret will get some to thinking about the things in secret. The next thing you know, some will be trying the very things that Paul said don’t talk about.

Our words are to be seasoned with grace, not disgraceful. Our words are to build up, not shame and cast doubt upon things. Our words are to strengthen souls. There are some topics that may need to be studied one on one and not taken publicly. There are some things that just not fitting, proper or right to say before others. Steer clear of wrong. Don’t even get next to it. Don’t talk about it. Don’t participate in it.

One wonders why Paul had to say these things. I think I know. He knew some brethren wouldn’t understand. They would walk right up to a poisonous snake and give it a kick. They’d walk right up to the lion, Satan, himself, and try to debate him. Some times we can act pretty dumb. Is it any wonder why some get so mixed up in their thinking and their behavior. They’ve forgotten whose side that they are on.

Stay away from darkness. Don’t go along with darkness. Don’t speak about what is being done in darkness. Turn on the lights. Let everyone see what is wrong. Let the Gospel message ring out.

Years ago I ask a preacher one Sunday what he was going to preach on. His answer was classic. He said, “Sin.” He then said, “Sin—some are for it and some are against it.” That’s still true today. Which side are you on? Is your life showing that?

Roger