Awake, Sleeper, and Rise from the Dead

In one paragraph

Pastor Ryan picked up mid-series in Ephesians, working through a paragraph he described as hard not to understand but hard to live. He connected it to themes from the previous week about words and the heart, and he said plainly that everyone in the room would be convicted by it. He started by finishing something left undone from last Sunday: a definition of corrupt speech. He put up a list of New...

Read together

1. Psalm 147 quoted at the opening to lead into worship: 'How good to sing praises to our God, how delightful, and how fitting'
2. Ephesians 2:10 cited as the source for the song Made for More: 'For we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared for us beforehand that we should walk in them'
3. Ephesians 4:29 the corrupting speech verse quoted: 'let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth, but only such as is good for building up as it fits the occasion that it may give grace to those who hear'
4. Ephesians 5:1-2 the command to be imitators of God as beloved children, walking in love just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering
5. Ephesians 5:3 sexual immorality, impurity, and greed must not even be named among the saints
6. Ephesians 5:4 filthiness, foolish talk, and vulgar joking are not fitting; rather give thanks
7. Ephesians 5:5 certainty stated that no sexually immoral, impure, or greedy person has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God
8. Ephesians 5:6 warning to let no one deceive with empty words; the wrath of God comes on the sons of disobedience because of these things
9. Ephesians 5:7-8 do not become partners with them; you once were darkness but now are light in the Lord
10. Ephesians 5:9 the fruit of light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth
11. Ephesians 5:10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord
12. Ephesians 5:11 do not participate in the useless deeds of darkness but instead expose them
13. Ephesians 5:12-13 disgraceful to speak of things done in secret; all things become visible when exposed by the light
14. Ephesians 5:14 quoted as an unlocated saying: 'Awake sleeper and arise from the dead and Christ will shine upon you'
15. 1 Timothy 6 used as the benediction: run from evil things and pursue righteousness, godly life, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness; fight the good fight for the true faith

Talk about it

1. Pastor Ray said this paragraph is one where all of us in the room will be convicted, and that if we are not, we are probably thinking 'I wish so and so was here to hear this.' Which parts of this passage hit closest to home for you personally, and why is it easier to apply it to someone else?
2. Pastor Ray walked through the New Testament vice lists and pointed out that corrupting speech shows up more often than sexual immorality. Why do you think the way we use our words tends to get less attention than other sins on that list?
3. Pastor Ray made the distinction between identifying as a sinner and identifying as a saint, and said that if a person insists on a particular sin being who they are, they are resisting going toward Christ. How does the way you identify yourself day to day actually shape the way you live?
4. Pastor Ray described 'as you try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord' as leaving the possibility open that Christ can correct even things we feel confident about. What does it look like practically to yield your own opinion to what Scripture says rather than bending Scripture to fit your opinion?
5. Pastor Ray connected 'awake, sleeper' to the idea of being buried with Christ in baptism but raised to walk in newness of life, saying you cannot just stop at being saved. What area of your life right now do you think God might be calling you to stop sleeping on and actually walk out?