Ephesians 5:1-20 – Walk In The Light

Sermon Series: Ephesians – Unity In Christ

Message 7: Ephesians 5:1-20

Lombard Bible Church

April 3, 2022

Gene Smillie

Your Own Notes

Discussion Questions

1. When Ephesians 5:1-2 tell us to “be imitators of God” and to “walk in love,” how does Ephesians 4:32 right before that make clearer what, specifically, those two commands mean?
2. In Ephesians 5:3-6 what negative traits are laid out – in sets of threes!—that believers are to avoid?
3. What key “replacement” for all those bad matters is given to us in Ephesians 5:4? What should we do instead of those bad things?  
4. How does doing what Paul says to do “instead”  in Ephesians 5:4 & Ephesians 5:20 inoculate us against the oh-so-tempting behavior which is “not appropriate” or “not fitting” for Christians?
5. Ephesians 5:11-16 continues the discussion of conduct and “unfruitful works” that are characteristic of those who “walk in darkness.” How does Paul say the community should respond to such behavior among them?  
6. Ephesians 5:11-12 seem to offer two opposite “policies” or “strategies”— Ephesians 5:11 says “expose the unfruitful deeds of darkness” while Ephesians 5:12 says “it is disgraceful even to speak of” those same things.” Discuss with your group:   How do you understand this difficult pair of directives?
7. Ephesians 5:10 & Ephesians 5:17 both speak of “learning/knowing/understanding what pleases the Lord” (or “what the will of God is”).  What do you and your discussion group think these mean?  
8. Discuss together the repeated admonitions in Ephesians 5:8-18 to walk in the light, don’t be foolish, walk carefully, walk wisely, make the best use of your time, don’t be stupidly drunk, etc. . . How would you and your group discussion members apply these?
9. Would you say to someone who is in the middle of great suffering, or a recent shocking crisis, the command Paul gives in Ephesians 5:20 –“Give thanks to God, always, for every thing!”?  Why or why not?  
10. How might we “walk wisely” in this particular matter?  When is the time to remind ourselves and each other of this principle about giving thanks always?