READ: Ephesians 5:1-14
1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
KEY THOUGHT:
One of my favorite activities with teen groups is capture the flag. Traditionally, we play it on a wooded field in the total darkness of a night with no moonlight. We wear dark clothes so that we blend into the darkness and can stay hidden. As our eyes become accustomed to the darkness, even people in dark clothes are able to be seen. Occasionally, someone comes to play in a white t-shirt. No matter how dark it is, that person stands out and is easy to find. And he isn’t sneaking up on anybody. He doesn’t blend in with darkness. Today, our devotion passage calls for us to no longer be darkness because we are light in the Lord and must walk as children of light. We are also told to not have fellowship with the “works of darkness”. Like the person in the white t-shirt playing capture the flag, we don’t fit in with darkness. We are light and we stand out. Are you standing out for God or are you hiding blending in with darkness?
CONSIDER:
- Think of the time when you trusted Christ for salvation. How did He save you?
- Since the day you trusted Christ as Savior, has your faith increased, stayed the same, or decreased?
- What evidence is there in your life that your faith in Christ is real?
APPLICATION:
Avoid darkness by walking daily in the Light of Jesus Christ!
