Be Filled With the Spirit (Ephesians 5:15-21)

Time is a precious commodity these days. We hear people talking about it all of the time. People are making a ton of money writing books on how to use your time well. You can go into a book store and find an entire section of books dedicated to time management. You can go on YouTube and find numerous videos on time management. Ironically, you can waste a lot of time trying to figure out how to best spend your time. Our culture has becomes obsessed with time.

You can see it in the way we talk. We get into conversations with complete strangers and at some point in the conversation someone will likely say, “I’m sooo busy!” In many ways, it’s become bragging rights. People will say it like they are complaining, but if you look deeper, you can tell they are boasting in their busyness. We see this in the church as well. When looking for volunteers to help out with a program, what is the standard answer you will receive? “I’m not sure I have the time for that. I’m too busy.”

Now, I’m not saying this to recruit more volunteers into programs at church and I’m not saying this to guilt this congregation into spending more time volunteering at church. I’m simply wanting to point out the reality of our situation. We are a busy people. We have a lot going on. Our days are full and we aren’t sure how much more time we should spend on things. Because time is such a hot commodity for us, we want to make the best use of our time. THAT is exactly what Paul is talking about in this passage. He actually tells us to live wisely, making the best use of our time. So, let’s take a look. [Read Ephesians 5:15-21]

I want to take a minute to help us see the flow of thought in this passage--to see what Paul is saying. I think it will help give us the bigger picture of this passage.

He starts off saying, “Be very careful, then, how you live...” (Eph 5:15). The “then” looks back at last weeks passage. We are called to live as children of the light. Therefore--THEN--we should be careful how we live. In being careful how we live, Paul calls us to live “not as unwise but as wise” (Eph 5:15). That makes sense, right? Nobody wants to live a foolish life and a foolish life doesn’t reflect that we are living as children of the light. Then, Paul tells us  what it looks like to live wisely-- “making the most of every opportunity” (Eph 5:16, NIV) or “making the best use of the time” (Eph 5:16, ESV). So, to live wisely is to make the best use of the time. Why are we supposed to make the best use of the time? “Because the days are evil.” (Eph 5:16). Since the days are evil, we must make sure we are spending out time appropriately and effectively. We must make sure we are not wasting our time. We must invest our time in in doing things that push back against the evil in these days.

Then Paul gets more practical. He gives some examples of what it looks like to live wisely and to make the best use of the time. He says “do not be foolish,” “understand what the Lord’s will is,” “Do not get drunk,” and “be filled with the Spirit.” These are examples of what it looks like to live wisely and make the best use of the time. So, if your living foolishly, you are not making the best use of the time. If you are getting drunk, you are not making the best use of the time. If you want to make the best use of the time, you should understand what the Lord’s will is and be filled with the Spirit.

Then Paul gets even more practical. He gives four examples of what it looks like to be filled with the Spirit. (1) “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs,” (2) “Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,” (3) “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (4) “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:19–21, NIV - Anglicised). Each of these four items are an example of what it looks like to be filled with the Spirit.

Now, here’s what struck me this week. In this passage Paul says that the wise person makes the best use of their time, and making the best use of their time means being filled with the Spirit. Are you following me? That means that “Speak[ing] to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs,” is making the best use of our time. That means that “Sing[ing] and mak[ing] music in your heart to the Lord,” is making the best use of our time. That means that “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything,” is making the best use of our time. That means that “Submit[ing] to one another out of reverence for Christ,” is making the best use of our time. Is that counter-cultural or what?!?!

I mean, take a moment to let that sink in. If you were trying to come up with a list of things that we should be doing in these evil days, what would you come up with? If you were trying to figure out how to use your time most effectively in these evil days, what would you come up with? Some people would say we should be working diligently to to right the social injustices in the world--working to make the world less evil. Some people would say that we should be diligently campaigning to get the right politicians in office, in order to get better laws passed, in order to make the world less evil. Some people would say that we should work harder at evangelizing in the world, sharing the gospel, seeing people converted and turn to Christ, in order to make the world less evil.

Now, hear me out. I’m not saying that any of those things are wrong. It is good for us to work diligently in helping the poor. It is good for us to be involved in politics. It is good for us to be sharing the gospel in the world. Here’s what I’m saying: None of us would have come up with this list that Paul gave us. None of us would have listed talking to one another, or singing, or giving thanks, or submitting to one another as ways of using our time effectively in these evil days. Over the years, I’ve actually heard people say things like, “Why are we wasting our time fellowshipping in the church, when there are people who are in poverty?” “Why are we wasting our time singing, when there are people who need to hear the gospel?” Paul is saying the exact opposite of these people. If we are not speaking to one another in fellowship, we are wasting our time. If we are not singing and making music to the Lord, we are wasting our time. If we are not giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father, we are wasting our time. If we are not submitting to one another, we are wasting our time.

It’s important to notice that these 4 things are not necessarily talking about “doing” something, but about “being” a people. They are focused more internally than externally. So, if we want to push back against this evil age and make the best use of our time, we will BE a fellowshiping people; we will BE a singing people--who sing from our hearts; we will BE a thankful people; and we will BE people who submit to one another. To sum this up, we must BE a people filled with the Holy Spirit and all of our actions must flow from the Spirit.  

This is how the kingdom of God works. Jesus says, “‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.’ He told them still another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.’” (Matthew 13:31–33, NIV). The kingdom is like a very small seed that is planted and slowly grows into a very large tree. The kingdom is like a little bit of yeast that slowly spreads throughout the dough until the whole thing is leavened.

Now connect that with what Paul is saying in this passage. If you want to make the best use of your time and push back against this evil age, don’t worry about coming up with some “grandiose” scheme, do something that is “seemingly” small: BE a fellowshiping, singing, thankful, submissive people in the world--a people filled with the Spirit. That is like planting a small seed that will grow and grow and grow into something bigger, or a little leaven that slowly leavens the entire batch of dough. By living as Spirit-filled people in the world, you are making the best use of your time and pushing against the evil.

I want to take a moment to look at the way each of these four things function as leaven in society, pushing against this evil age. Then, I want to talk about “how” we are filled with the Spirit.

To be filled with the Spirit, is to be a people that is “Speak[ing] to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.” One one level, this means the way we speak will be different, but also notice that this talks about speaking to one another. So, this is ultimately talking about the way we fellowship with one another--the way we interact with one another. It means we will be a people who are deeply connected in community. Let me tell you something, THAT is a light in a dark world. THAT is leaven in the dough of this evil age. Our culture is lonely, struggling to find meaning and purpose, struggling to find connection with other people. Many spend their lives struggling to fit in and find a “place they belong.” Through the Spirit, we can BE the type of community where people find connection, find accountability, find belonging, and find purpose. I can guarantee that many of you are part of this congregation for that very reason. The simply act of BEING a community is making the best use of our time, and pushing back against this evil age.

To be filled with the Spirit, is to be a people that is “Sing[ing] and mak[ing] music in [our] heart to the Lord.” John Stott says, “Without doubt Spirit-filled Christians have a song of joy in their hearts, and Spirit-filled public worship is a joyful celebration of God’s mighty acts” (206). We have a song of joy in our hearts. We gather on a weekly basis to sing that song of joy in worship to our God. Joyful worship from the heart is a mark of the Spirit-filled Christian. The world doesn’t have that. Most of the world is looking for joy in all the wrong places. They try to manufacture joy by hanging out at a bar, getting drunk, and doing a lot of laughing. Yet, the “joy” is gone an hour or so later, at least by the next morning. Yet, the Psalmist exclaims to the Lord, “You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound.” (Psalm 4:7, NIV). The world is longing for a deeper joy--a lasting joy. The simple act of BEING a joyfully worshiping people is making the best use of our time, and pushing back against this evil age.

To be filled with the Spirit, is to be a people that is “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything.” This one is difficult for us isn’t it? It is easy to become discontent and ungrateful in this world. For a couple years, I worked at a factory where they rebuilt starters and alternators. During the breaks I would hang out with my fellow employees. The entire break--every single break--was spent grumbling and complaining about the bosses, work, family, the world, etc.. It wore off on me. I found myself being more discontent and ungrateful. I eventually had to separate myself simply for the sake of sanity. The world is not overflowing in thankfulness, even though God is pouring out gifts on them. We are in one of the most affluent times/places in history, yet we are in one of the most discontented/ungrateful times in history. The simply act of BEING a thankful people--always giving thanks to God the Father for EVERYTHING--is making the best use of our time, pushing back against the evil age.

Finally, To be filled with the Spirit, is to be a people that is “Submit[ting] to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Now, that’s a word this culture doesn’t like to hear--submit. We are surrounded by a culture that demands that they “get what they deserve,” a culture that is all about doing what’s best for me, myself, and I. We are surrounded by a culture that believes in survival of the fittest, you’ve got to fight, kick, and claw your way to the top. You’ve got to exert power and authority to get your way. To submit is to be weak. Yet, Jesus says, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:35, NIV). The simply act of BEING a people who do not kick and claw for authority and power, BEING a people who lower themselves and become the servant of all, is making the best use of our time and pushing back against the evil age.

I want to wrap-up with something very important. HOW are we filled with the Spirit? This is a command from Paul to be filled with the Spirit. So, HOW do we do that? First, it’s important to know that you ALREADY have the Holy Spirit. In chapter one we read, “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,” (Ephesians 1:13, NIV). So, at the moment you believed, you received the Holy Spirit and were sealed by the Holy Spirit.

However, as we read through the Bible, it talks about Christians being filled with the Spirit. In Acts 4 it says, “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” (Acts 4:31, NIV). So, Christians, who already received the Spirit, were filled with the Spirit and empowered in their witness. To be filled with the Spirit is to have “an extra measure” of the Spirit--per se--given to you to empower you in Christian living.

This is something that happens regularly. Even Paul’s command is using a verb tense that means, “Continually be filled with the Spirit.” It’s an ongoing, regular process--something that happens every day, every hour, every minute. Yet, we cannot control the Spirit. He is not a genie in a bottle. We cannot say some “magical words” that will cause the Spirit to fill and empower us. John Piper says, “We are commanded to be full, and yet we are not the filler; the Spirit is. The answer to this predicament in the New Testament is that God has ordained to move into our lives with fullness through faith...If a person is filled with faith, he will be filled with the Spirit, the Spirit of joy and peace.” Faith. As we live lives of faith, trusting in God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son, we are filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered to BE a people who fellowship, worship, give thanks, and submit to one another in a dark and evil world, and the Spirit uses those simple acts as leaven to slowly spread and push back against this evil age. This is what it looks like to use our time wisely. This is what it looks like to be filled with the Spirit.