This document provides a summary of four lessons on wise living based on Ephesians 5:15-21. The lessons are: 1) Make the most of your time, as time wasted can never be redeemed. 2) Understand God's will through prayer, reading the Bible, and obeying it. 3) Be filled with the Holy Spirit rather than alcohol to stay in control. 4) Practice submission to others by humbling yourself as Christ did. Taken together, the lessons teach that wisdom involves using time well for God, discerning and following his will, allowing the Spirit to guide you, and honoring others through service.

1. Title Layout

3. Ephesians 5:15-21
Four Lessons For
Wise Living

4. 4 Wise Lessons
•Wisdom? Remember “Karate Kid”?
•Remember how bored Daniel was
to “Wax-on, Wax-off” over and
over again for hours?
•We have the same need spiritually; to
practice what we know
•Bruce Lee said, “Knowing is not enough;
We must apply. Willing is not enough; We
must do.”

5. “15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as
unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of
your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then
do not be foolish, but understand what the
will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with
wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with
the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms
and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and
making melody with your heart to the Lord;

6. 20 always giving thanks for all things in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even
the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in
the fear of Christ.
Ephesians 5:15-21, NASB

7. Lesson # 1– Time
•Vs 15-16, the word “therefore”
connects this to Paul’s previous
thought, that we are now “Light in the Lord”,
called to “walk in light” and learning what is
pleasing to the Lord in v8 and v10.
•Greek word for ‘be careful how…’, “akribos”
carries the idea of precision and accuracy–
“walk carefully with exactness”, a military word

8. Lesson # 1– Time
•To grow in wisdom in Christ means
making the most of every opportu-
nity that time provides
•Greek phrase “making the most of… time”
includes the idea of rescuing it from waste or
abuse
•Wasted time can never be redeemed…

9. Lesson # 2– Decision Making
•V17, note the word, “understand”
•Another Greek– means mental
focus is required to discover and
do the Will of God
•Knowing God’s will is not a Magic 8-Ball
game
•Three rules of thumb for understanding
God’s Will from this book

10. Lesson # 2– Decision Making
•1. Chapter 1, To unite everything in
heaven and earth under one Head –
His Son, Jesus Christ
•2. Chapter 2, accomplish this
unity through reconciling people to Himself
and to each other by the sacrificial death of
His Son
•3. Whole Book- Glorify His Grace in our lives:
making reconciliation and unity possible

11. Understanding His Will…
•Here are some steps to take---
•1)PRAY with an OPEN heart.
•2)READ His Word, the Bible
prayerfully and intelligently.
•3)SEEK the counsel of respected Christians.
•4)WAIT, listening to His voice in the church’s
teaching, in its songs, in wise counsel.
•5) When we’ve discerned His will, OBEY it.

12. Lesson # 3– Control, Vs 18-19
•I know I don’t have to tell you why
being drunk is a bad thing
•But understand, alcohol CAN’T
make anybody happy; it’s a DEPRESSANT!
•Also the Bible does NOT say be drunk with
the Spirit as some charismatics will say
•Being filled w/ the Spirit puts God in Control

13. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.
Against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23, NASB

14. Lesson # 4– Submission
•V21 is a natural setup for the
next section; dealing with rela-
tionships within the family and
within the workplace
•But it highlights the fact that humility plays
an integral part in wise living
•The church has to learn this lesson to survive:
we can’t all have our way

15. Lesson # 4– Submission
•We must practice this one with
each other on a daily basis
•The Greek word for ‘be subject ’ is ‘hupotasso’
•Paul was chained to a Roman prison guard
when he chose this word-put oneself under
•Can you imagine a church where everyone
practiced this? I’m not being funny now…

16. 42 Calling them to Himself, Jesus *said to them,
“You know that those who are recognized as
rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their
great men exercise authority over them. 43 But it is
not this way among you, but whoever wishes to
become great among you shall be your servant;
44 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall
be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not
come to be served, but to serve, and to give His
life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:42-45, NASB

17. “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher,
washed your feet, you also ought to
wash one another’s feet.
John 13:14, NASB

18. Lesson # 4– Submission
•By our old natures we
self-promote
•But the Holy Spirit enables us to submit
ourselves
•The wise person, the one who acknowledges
God in all his or her ways, will gently honor
and serve others, because in doing so, Christ
is honored

19. Take Home…
•Time on Earth is limited: Use it wisely
for the Lord, don’t waste it on worthless and
ungodly things
•Pray for God’s will in your life, receive it from His
Word, obey it with all your heart
•Fill our hearts and lives with the Holy Spirit ’s
presence so– joy may overflow on others
•When we Submit to others, the Lord is honored