The Book of Ephesians

Pastor Brandon Cross

Woodland Church

Wednesday, August 5, 2026

THE BIG IDEA:

The Gospel should affect the way we live our lives personally, in our communities, and with our families.

RECAP:

Ephesians 4: Unity and the New Life
The focus shifted to practice: walking worthy of the calling, maintaining unity in the body, and utilizing spiritual gifts for growth. Paul urges believers to shed their old, sinful nature and “put on” the new self, characterized by holiness.

EPHESIANS 5:

Ephesians 5 calls believers to imitate God by walking in love, living as children of light rather than darkness, and being filled with the Holy Spirit. The chapter transitions from general moral purity to specific instructions on Christian relationships and domestic life.

SECTIONS:

1. Walking in Love and Purity (Verses 1–7)
2. Walking as Children of Light (Verses 8–14)
3. Walking in Wisdom and the Spirit (Verses 15–21)
4. Instructions for Christian Marriage (Verses 22–33)

1. WALKING IN LOVE AND PURITY (Verses 1–7)

(Ephesians 4:1-7) “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them.”

• Verses 1–2: We are to reflect God’s character and to follow the example of Christ!

• Imitating God as Children: Just as human children naturally mirror their parents, believers are called to reflect God’s character.

• Walking in Love: The phrase “walk in love” means that love should be the daily, active direction of a believer’s life.

• The Example of Christ: SACRIFICE!!! – Jesus shows the ultimate standard of love by giving up his own life.

QUESTIONS:

What does it mean in our day to day lives to be “imitators of God” as “dear children?”  What stops us or makes it hard for us to do so?

• Verses 3–4: We are to live pure, holy, and grateful We represent Jesus and His name!

• No sexual sin or impurity

• No greed: An unhealthy desire for more things has no place among God’s people.

• Unfitting for saints: Our behavior needs to line up to reflect Jesus.

• No filthiness or foolish talk: Ask if what I say edifies or “spoils” my witness to Jesus.

• No crude joking

• Instead, give thanks: Speak with gratitude!

• Verses 5–7: People who live in unrepentant sin have no share in Christ’s kingdom. Do not let empty words deceive you about God’s judgment on disobedience.

• Exclusion from the Kingdom (Verse 5)

• Warning Against Deception (Verse 6)

• Separation from Sinful Conduct (Verse 7)

QUESTION:

What are some examples of behavior, actions or attitudes that are “unfitting” for Christians?

QUESTION:

How can we practice “gratitude” in a way that pleases God?

QUESTIONS:

How does the warning that the “unrepentant” are excluded from God’s kingdom make you feel?

How do we guard against being counted among that group?

2. WALKING AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT (Verses 8–14)

(Ephesians 4:8-14) “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says:

“Awake, you who sleep,

Arise from the dead,

And Christ will give you light.”

Believers are called to a radical shift in identity and behavior.

Paul reminds Christians that they were once defined by spiritual darkness, but now they are “light in the Lord.”

• Identity Shift from Dark to Light (Verses 8–10)

• You were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light by producing goodness, righteousness, and truth.

• The Fruit and Actions of the Light

• Discerning Good: Believers actively figure out what pleases God rather than blindly following cultural norms.

QUESTION:

How has your relationship with Christ fundamentally changed you?

QUESTION:

How are cultural norms “dangerous” for our faith?

• Rejecting and Exposing Darkness (Verses 11–14)

• No Participation: Christians should avoid empty, destructive, and secret sins that produce no good fruit.

• The Power of Exposure: Instead of joining in, living a good life naturally exposes wrong actions for what they are, because light makes hidden things visible and transforms

• The Call to Wake Up (Verses 11–14)

• Spiritual Awakening: Paul finishes with an early Christian hymn or saying that calls spiritual “sleepers” to rise up from death so Christ can shine light on them.

• Waking Up Believers: Living carelessly is like being asleep.

QUESTIONS:

How would you describe living carelessly?

How can we defend against doing so?

3. WALKING IN WISDOM AND THE SPIRIT (Verses 15–21)

(Ephesians 4:15-21) “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.”

• Verses 15–17: Look closely at how you live. Do not act like fools, but like wise people who make the best use of their time.

• Live carefully

• Use time well

• Know God’s will

QUESTION:

What are some ways to “redeem the time” or to make the best use of our time during our lifetime?

QUESTION:

What are some ways that we do not live wisely or make good use of our time?

• Verses 18–21: Do not get drunk on wine, but be filled with the Holy Spirit. Worship together with songs, give thanks always, and submit to one another out of respect for Christ.

• Avoid excess

• Be filled instead: Let the Holy Spirit control and fill your life every single day.

• Sing together: Encourage one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

• Give thanks: Always thank God the Father for everything in the name of Jesus!

• Submit to others: Yield to one another out of respect and awe for Christ.

QUESTION:

How do we let the Holy Spirit “control” us and “fill” us?

QUESTIONS:

What does it mean in practical terms for us to “submit to one another?”

How do we model that?

4. INSTRUCTIONS FOR CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE (Verses 22–33)

(Ephesians 4:15-21) “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”

• Verses 22–24: Wives should submit to their own husbands as they do to the Lord, because the husband is head of the wife just as Christ is head of the church.

• Rooted in Mutual Submission

• The “Head” Metaphor: This signifies a source of care, responsibility, and structural unity rather than absolute dictatorship.

• Modeled on Christ: The standard for this relationship is spiritual.

• Verses 25–27: Husbands must love their wives just as Christ loved the church and gave His life for it, to make her holy and clean.

• Sacrificial Love: Husbands must show agape love—a deliberate choice to serve and give up one’s own desires for the good of one’s spouse.

• Purification and Growth: Christ cleanses the church “by the washing with water through the word,” aiming to help her grow spiritually mature and holy.

• The Ultimate Goal: The final intent is to present the church as a radiant, perfect bride without spot, wrinkle, or blemish. Marriage acts as an earthly reflection of this divine relationship.

QUESTION:

Why do you think Paul felt it was important to instruct believers to submit to one another and wives to husbands the way he did?

QUESTION:

How do we explain this instruction to non-believers in today’s social and political climate (mutual submission, sacrificial love, respect)?

• Verses 28–33: This marriage bond is a living picture of the mystery uniting Christ and His church.

• Love as Self-Care: Just as no one harms their own body, a husband should nourish and cherish his wife.

• The Model of Christ: Husbands are told to treat their wives the way Christ treats the church—protecting, providing for, and deeply valuing

• A Profound Mystery: Paul quotes Genesis 2:24 about the two becoming one flesh, mirroring the spiritual union between Christ and the church.

• Mutual Roles: The passage concludes with a summary for both partners: the husband must love his wife as himself, and the wife must respect her husband

QUESTIONS:

How do marriage and family relationships of believers point others to Jesus?

How can we do a better job of modeling that for unbelievers?