The Kitchen Table In Jaws | Ephesians 5:1-14

Takeaway Verse: Ephesians 5:1

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children.

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Transcription:

Welcome to The Bible for Busy People. I’m Erica Parkerson. This is the place where we meet up to read half a chapter of God’s Word together and remember how loved we are. Jesus extends an amazing invitation to us in the Bible. He says, come to me and I WILL give you rest. This is us RSVPing: Yes!! to that invitation. So, take a deep breath and let’s get started.

Today’s episode is called, “The Kitchen Table in Jaws” in the Jaws movie. I know you’re humming the theme song: “do do, do do”. Okay. Before we dive into God’s word, Paul’s letter to the Ephesians chapter five, join me in a word of prayer. Let’s give our time to Jesus. 

Father, we come to you in the name of Jesus. We press pause on the day, we put aside all of the mental clutter, and we just sit here in your presence. We thank you, for a few moments to just focus on your word. Lord, help us to receive these words, as if the apostle Paul were texting us, “This is what the Lord wants you to think about today.” Help us to receive these words as though they’re hot off the press because they are! They’re hot off your press, Lord. Thank you for your presence, for just putting the shawl of your peace on our shoulders. As we dive into your word. It’s in Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen. 

Okay. I’m excited to dive into Ephesians chapter five. Remember Paul’s writing this from jail and our takeaway verse is actually verse one today. So, we are cannonballing into this chapter. Paul writes, “Imitate God, therefore in everything you do, because you are his dear children.” Ooh, that’s our takeaway verse and it’s a good one. “Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. 

“Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and course jokes, these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolator worshiping the things of this world. Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.

“Don’t participate in the things these people do, for once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So, live as people of the light.” Oh, I wanna live as a person of the light, don’t you? “For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.” Whew. “Live as people of light for this light within you produces only what is good and right. And true.” 

Wow. I have chills. Jesus is the light of the world, and he is working in me, and he is working in you. And that light inside of us, Paul is telling us, wow, is producing only what is good and right and true. That is such a beautiful picture, I love it. “Carefully determine what pleases the Lord, take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness, instead expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret, but their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said: ‘Awake O sleeper, rise up from the dead and Christ will give you light.'”

Wow. This is just… it really, I feel like we just did read it like it was hot off the press because my mind and my heart are all lit up right now, because God is so good. I’m reminded of when I used to work at the Rainbow Deli. When I was about 18 years old I had only been a Christian for a couple of years at this point, but boy, I was living my faith and I was a light shining in the darkness. Everybody at work was always partying after their shift was over and they would always try to get me to go with them to go partying. And I always said, no, they never told dirty jokes around me. And I was a picture of God’s light to them. They knew that there was something special about me. It was the light in me. It was the light that they were seeing, the light of Christ in me, in you, helps people to see the Lord. Do you know how special you are? You’re carrying his light, wherever you go. 

I wanna go back to our takeaway verse, verse one, “Imitate God, therefore in everything you do, because you are his dear children.” In the Jaws movie, I can’t remember if it was Jaws one or two, but you might remember Chief Brody. When he sat at the kitchen table with his son who was about five or six, his son imitated everything that Chief Brody did. And at the end, as a father, he was just smiling because he loved his son so much. This is what Paul says God wants us to do, “Imitate the Lord in everything. He is the light of the world, and he has put his light inside of us to shine so that others around us can see him in us.” Wow. You are so special. You are so loved. I can’t wait to dive into the second half of chapter five in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians with you tomorrow. Let’s live as people of the light. What do you say?

Thank you so much for listening to the Bible for Busy People. If you need prayer or you’re ready to go a little deeper in your faith, we’ve posted some resources for you in our show notes. We’d love for you to share this podcast with a friend and leave us a review. It helps us reach even more people with the hope of Jesus. This podcast is part of Purposely, a podcast network designed with practical podcasts to help you find and live in God’s purpose for your life. Find more podcasts that will recharge you at onpurposely.com.