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Turn with me in your Bibles to 
Ephesians 5. Ephesians 5, as we continue to work our way through 
Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus. Tonight we find ourselves 
in the section verses 18 to 21, but I do want to read the chapter 
beginning in verse one. So Ephesians 5, one. Therefore 
be imitators of God as dear children and walk in love as Christ also 
has loved us and given himself for us in offering in 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. 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. 
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. 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. Amen. Well, 
let us pray. Our Father, we pray now for the 
Spirit to guide us as we consider this passage of Scripture, specifically 
dealing with the filling of the Spirit. And may You help us, 
God, to understand Your Word, help us to understand what the 
will of the Lord is, as we are commended in this passage by 
the Apostle Paul, and cause us to walk circumspectly in all 
things, and give us that wisdom that is necessary to redeem the 
time, because the days are evil. Give us grace, Lord God, to properly 
and rightly represent you in this lower world. Forgive us 
when we stumble and when we sin. Cleanse us in that precious blood 
of the Lamb and empower and enable us by the presence and power 
of the Holy Spirit. And we ask this in the name of 
the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Well, we are in the practical 
section of Paul's epistle to the Ephesians. It begins in chapter 
4, properly at verse 1, "...I therefore, the prisoner of the 
Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you 
were called." So walking there has the idea of conduct or conversation, 
the way that you live your life. He cautions us against the way 
that we used to walk in 4.17. This I say, therefore, and testify 
in the Lord that you should no longer walk as the rest of the 
Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind. And then he gives 
us concrete examples in chapter five. We're to walk in love according 
to 5.1 and 2, we're to walk in light according to 5.8, and we're 
to walk in wisdom according to 5.15. Now 5.15 to 21, as I said 
last week, is a particular unit. So going back to chapter five, 
notice the command, verse 15, see then that you walk circumspectly, 
not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are 
evil. So that's the general exhortation. You're supposed to walk in a 
manner that is consistent with the gospel that requires wisdom. And wisdom is basically skill 
in application of the knowledge that you have. And then he gives 
this particular statement in verse 17, therefore do not be 
unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Again, that's 
not esoteric, that's not mysticism, that's not let go and let God. 
Rather, that is search the scriptures. How do we know what the will 
of the Lord is? Well, the Lord has revealed himself in his holy 
scriptures. Last week, I mentioned specifically 
the book of Proverbs. Wouldn't it be nice if there 
happened to be a book that existed that would inform us about wisdom 
from Christ on how to live this life? Well, the book of Proverbs 
certainly functions that way, among other books, of course, 
but in terms of giving us practical information on how to navigate 
in this present evil age, Christ speaking as wisdom in the book 
of Proverbs is most helpful and most excellent. Now notice he 
goes on to tell us first a prohibition and then a positive statement 
or exhortation. He says in verse 18, do not be 
drunk with wine in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Holy Spirit. So the prohibition is simple. 
Do not be drunk with wine. And then there is this exhortation, 
but be filled with the Spirit. And then structurally, the following 
language in verses 19 to 21 give the effect or the evidence or 
the manifestation of one who is filled with the Spirit. In 
other words, how do we know if somebody is filled with the Spirit? 
Because they speak in tongues, because they prophesy, because 
they're able to raise the debt. That's not what Paul says here. 
Paul says, very simply, the way that we know that somebody is 
filled with the Spirit is the way that they speak to others, 
whether in private or in the context of corporate worship. 
We know that they are filled with the Holy Spirit because 
they sing and make melody in their heart to the Lord. We know 
that they're filled with the Holy Spirit because they give 
God thanks for all things through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. 
And we know that they're filled with the Holy Spirit because 
they submit to one another in the fear of God. So verse 21 
then functions as a transition verse that brings us into the 
household code, verses 22 to chapter 6 in verse 9. So the 
general statement of verse 21, submitting to one another in 
the fear of God, is then applied in concrete situations from verse 
22 all the way to chapter 6, verse 9. Wives to husbands, children 
to parents, servants to masters. So it's not just this vague sort 
of concept about submission out there, but there are specific 
applications in terms of submission relative to the people of God, 
where they're at in their various stations of life. So that's sort 
of the overarching structure. So tonight I want to look at 
the provision of the Holy Spirit in verses 18 to 21. And under 
this consideration, I've got three things. First, the prohibition 
in verse 18a, no pun intended with reference to American prohibition. I just got that, Isaac. Secondly, 
the exhortation in verse 18b, and then thirdly, the manifestation 
in verses 19 to 21. Now, there's going to be some 
things here tonight that I'm going to ask you to think with 
me through. No firm conclusions are going to be made tonight, 
but there are some things or direction that I hope that we'll 
pursue in the future. I'd like to finish the book of 
Ephesians and then do a series of sermons at our Sunday night 
services on ecclesiastical matters, specifically matters concerning 
Christian worship. I think there's some things to 
tighten up ecclesiastically in the Lord's Supper. I think there's 
some things to tighten up in terms of regulative principle 
of worship. And as well, there has not been adequate time for 
me to spend on this passage that I was hoping. There were more 
things that came up in the summer. I had hoped to be ready to go 
and deal with all this sort of stuff tonight. It's not going 
to happen. The specific references to what 
Paul says there in verse 19 in terms of psalms, hymns, and spiritual 
songs. So we'll get there in a few minutes, 
but first let's look at the prohibition. There's two things we should 
consider here. When Paul says, do not be drunk with wine, it 
is helpful for us to understand what the Bible says concerning 
the use of alcohol. Now some would say, well, don't 
tell people that God says it's okay, because then they'll go 
out and get hammered. Well, we don't want to tell people 
something that the Bible doesn't say. We don't want to tell people 
non-truths. We don't want to tell people 
that, you know, fairies exist, and magic potions exist, and 
unicorns exist, only for them to find out there's no such thing. 
The Bible does speak on the one hand favorably with reference 
to alcohol, and the Bible does speak on the other hand negatively 
with reference to alcohol. So I want to do a brief biblical 
theology of the use of alcohol in terms of one's Christian life. 
Whether you use it or not, that's between you and God. There's 
no rule for or against here in our church, but obviously there 
is a caution that we need to issue, as Paul does here. Notice, 
do not be drunk with wine. So as far as the Bible and alcohol, 
in the first place, the Bible does not condemn a moderate use 
of alcohol. Let me just repeat that. The 
Bible does not prohibit or condemn a moderate use of alcohol. If 
you turn back with me to the book of Deuteronomy, These laws 
are principles concerning tithing. If persons couldn't make it to 
Jerusalem, there was something built in to the system wherein 
they could use their tithe money to buy certain things to engage 
in a time of feasting and celebration with reference to God Almighty. 
And one of the things that God says is lawful for you to purchase, 
according to Deuteronomy 14, 26, is alcohol. If you notice, and you shall 
spend that money for whatever your heart desires, for oxen 
or sheep, for wine or similar drink. Some translations have 
strong drink. Now, when we see that language 
of strong drink, it means don't drink as much. Because if the 
caution is against drunkenness, then the idea must be don't drink 
a lot of it. So if there is strong drink permitted, 
then the obvious caution is don't use it a lot. Don't do it in 
moderately. But notice the principle or notice 
at least the allowance or the usefulness here. You shall spend 
that money for whatever your heart desires, for oxen or sheep, 
for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires, 
you shall eat it there before the Lord your God, and you shall 
rejoice, you and your household. Again, a moderate use can lead 
to rejoicing in terms of who God is and his provision and 
kindness to us. Turn over to Psalm 104. Psalm 
104. Sort of like a celebration of 
creation. God worked in the making of all 
things by the word of his power in the space of six days and 
all very good. And the psalmist essentially 
celebrates God's creative handiwork in terms of this world around 
us. Notice what he says specifically in Psalm 104 at verse 14. He 
causes the grass to grow for the cattle and vegetation for 
the service of man. Those are positive things. Those 
are encouraging things. Those are blessings. And then 
notice that he may bring forth food from the earth and wine 
that makes glad the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, 
and bread which strengthens man's heart. The trees of the Lord 
are full of sap, the cedars of Lebanon, which he planted, where 
the birds make their nests. The stork has her home in the 
fir trees. The high hills are for the wild goats. The cliffs 
are a refuge for the rock badgers. Now, brethren, because persons 
abuse alcohol, that does not mean it doesn't have a condoning 
in the word of God. Persons abuse sexuality all the 
time. People engage in adultery and 
fornication and they distort what God had intended for it. But we never argue that the remedy 
for that is to abstain from sexual relations. No, the remedy is, 
is get married and control yourself and use it the way God intended 
for you to use it. The same argument obtains with 
reference to alcohol. Just because some people get 
hammered and they wrap their cars around telephone poles doesn't 
mean that God says therefore nobody can ever have a drink 
again. That's the way the government operates. Somebody goes in and 
shoots up a school, what's the government's response? Take the 
guns from lawful gun owners? God's not like that, thankfully. 
He gives us these rules concerning the moderate use of alcohol. 
Turn over to the book of Isaiah. And again, it's between you and 
God. I am not preaching to tell you 
to go get a glass of wine tonight. I'm not suggesting that at all. 
That's between you and God. But be careful about judging 
persons that do that. Oh, I can't believe that they 
would do that. I can't believe that they would 
have a beer. Well, God says it's okay. If God says it's okay, 
why do we think we're holier and more righteous than God? 
Now, notice in Isaiah 1, and you should understand the context, 
Isaiah 1, the prophet is upbraiding the children of Israel for their 
sin against God. He's showing that the city is 
corrupt. He's showing that Jerusalem is filled with all manner of 
sin and lawlessness. He's showing that they are not 
faithfully fulfilling the obligations placed upon them by their covenant 
God. Notice specifically in verse 
21, how the faithful city has become a harlot. It was full 
of justice, righteousness lodged in it, but now murderers. Now 
notice, your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water. What does that mean? It means 
that people are being cheated. It means that people are being 
deceived. It means that people are being gas lit in the holy 
city of Jerusalem. When you buy silver, there is 
this supposition that the silversmith hasn't mixed dross in it, that 
he's trying to get an ounce where there's really not an ounce. 
So he puts a bit of dross in there. So you, the hapless soul, 
pay your money and get not an ounce. Well, the same obtains 
with wine. Your wine is mixed with water. 
Now, there might have been instances, and there might have been occasions, 
and again, in order to engage in this moderately, perhaps a 
bit of water in the wine, but I think the idea is simple. You 
have impurified, you have watered down the wine. You have taken 
something that was good, something that persons purchase, you cut 
it with water, and you're cheating them. You're gypping them, you 
are robbing them. Notice in John's gospel, John 
chapter two, John chapter two, again, a famous passage, one 
that certainly deals with alcohol. It wasn't, you know, grape juice 
that the Lord Jesus, you know, multiplied in terms of the wedding 
at Cana. Chapter 2 and verse 1, on the 
third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother 
of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and his disciples 
were invited to the wedding, and when they ran out of wine, 
the mother of Jesus said to him, they have no wine. Jesus said 
to her, woman, what does your concern have to do with me? My 
hour has not yet come. His mother said to the servants, 
whatever he says to you, do it. As far as I know, that's the 
only recorded command that Mary ever issues in the Bible. And 
what is it? Do whatever he tells you. That's 
the only command that Mary issues in the Bible. Do whatever Jesus 
tells you. Roman Catholics should listen 
to Mary at that particular point. Whatever he says, do it. His 
mother said to his servants, whatever he says to you, do it. 
Now there were set there six water pots of stone, according 
to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing 20 or 
30 gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, fill the 
water pots with water. And they filled them up to the 
brim. And he said to them, draw some out now and take it to the 
master of the feast. And they took it. When the master 
of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine and did not 
know where it came from, but the servants who had drawn the 
water knew, the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 
And he said to him, every man at the beginning sets out the 
good wine. And when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. 
You have kept the good wine until now. What's that mean? It means 
that Jesus made good wine for a particular wedding. And we 
say, well, you know, they didn't really know what they were talking 
about. Brethren, do you realize that in the history of the world, 
at many epochs or times, wine and beer were safer to drink 
than water? We've got taps. I'm not necessarily 
endorsing tap water, but we've got filters, and we've got access 
to lots and lots of water, for the most part, that doesn't end 
us in the hospital, doesn't promote, you know, whatever sort of enteric 
disease in our stomachs. That's not always been the case. 
throughout the history of the world. So oftentimes, and probably 
why Paul drops this prohibition, don't get drunk in a section 
that is, you know, some commentators wonder, why does he put 518a 
right where he puts 518a? I'll suggest in a moment why 
I think he does that. These men knew what bad wine 
was and they knew what good wine was. And this master of the ceremony 
said, you know, most people, they get everybody a little bit 
going. And then, you know, by the seventh day, remember these 
were seven day feasts at these weddings. By the end, they just, 
you know, the swill, you know, dig out the bottom of the bucket 
and, you know, just throw it out there and the diehards, you 
know, they'll like that. No, this man understood that 
it was good. Turn over the book of 1 Corinthians. 
1 Corinthians chapter 11. 1 Corinthians chapter 11. Now, when Jesus institutes the 
Lord's Supper, it is in conjunction at that time with Passover. Now 
remember at the Passover, this was a special meal ordained by 
God in Exodus chapter 12, to remember and reflect upon God's 
great redemptive act in bringing Israel out of Egyptian bondage. Let me just read to you what 
the sort of order was in terms of the Passover meal. It's a 
commentator by the name of Lane, quoted by a guy I have. And he 
says, the festival and the wine is blessed, followed by the first 
cup. The food is then brought in, 
unleavened bread, bitter herbs, grains, stewed fruits, roast 
lamb. The son asks why this night is distinguished from others. 
The family had answers with the Exodus story, followed by praise 
to God for past and future redemption from the first part of the Hallel. 
The Hallel Psalms are Psalms 113 to 118. In Matthew 26, 30, 
when it says they went out and sang a hymn, it wasn't something 
composed by Hillsong or Isaac Watts. It was something composed 
by David under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He goes on 
to say the second cup of wine is drunk. The unleavened bread 
is blessed, broken, and distributed. Then it is eaten with the herbs 
and fruit as the father explains the meaning of the bread. This 
is followed by the meal proper, which was not to extend beyond 
midnight. At the consummation of the meal, the head blesses 
a third cup, followed by the singing of the second part of 
the Hallel. This time, Psalms 115 to 118. And then a fourth cup concludes 
the meal. So that's kind of the backdrop in terms of the Passover. 
It's in that context that Jesus inaugurates the Lord's Supper, 
the covenant ratified in His blood for the remission of sins 
for many. So it's in that context that 
Paul now is rehearsing the rules with reference to the Lord's 
Supper. Notice what he says in 11.23, For I received from the 
Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, 
on the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and 
when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, Take, eat, 
this is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance 
of me. In the same manner, he also took the cup after supper, 
saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood. This do as often 
as you drink it in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat 
this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death 
till he comes. This was most likely wine. This 
was most likely alcoholic. This was most likely something 
that could produce or promote inebriation on the part of persons 
that were recklessly engaged. In fact, Paul makes that condemnation 
of them in verse 21. For in eating, each one takes 
his own supper ahead of others, and one is hungry and another 
is drunk. And then in 1 Timothy chapter 
5, we have Paul's admonition to Timothy. I don't know what 
his belly problems were, but Paul did, and Paul prescribed 
a bit of wine. 1 Timothy chapter 5, specifically 
at verse 23, "...no longer drink only water, but use a little 
wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities." 
So the Bible does not condemn a moderate use of alcohol. That 
is the first point in terms of a biblical theology of alcohol. 
The second point is that the Bible does prohibit drunkenness. The Bible does prohibit drunkenness. You see it in the New Testament, 
you certainly see it in the Old Testament. We have the case of 
Noah, we have Lot, we have as well the specifics in the book 
of Proverbs. You can turn to Proverbs chapter 
20. Proverbs chapter 20. So does the Bible forbid drunkenness 
or prohibit it? Yes. Notice in Proverbs chapter 20, 
specifically at verse one, wine is a mocker, strong drink is 
a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise. You see, that's the problem. 
It's not the wine, it's not the strong drink, it's the one who's 
led astray by it. You'll search the Scriptures 
in vain for the Scriptures to say, this thing is bad, that 
thing is bad. I mean, there are, the house 
of prostitution is bad, the crack house is bad, but the TV, the 
alcohol, it doesn't put the blame on those things. Even the passage 
this morning that I read in 1 Timothy chapter 6. We often abuse that 
text, for the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. 
We'll just devoid ourselves of money and we'll be fine. It's 
not money. It's the love of money. Here 
it's not the wine or the strong drink. It's the being led astray 
by it. That's the issue. That's what's 
condemned. The drunkenness, the approach 
to it, the pursuit of it to a point of inebriation. And then over 
at chapter 23. Chapter 23, probably at least 
one commentator argues Paul has this in his mind when he writes 
518, specifically verse 31. And I think he refers to the 
Greek translation of the Old Testament. But notice in 23-29, 
who has woe, who has sorrow, who has contentions, who has 
complaints, who has wounds without cause, who has redness of eyes. Isn't that descriptive of a guy 
who goes out and gets hammered? He doesn't know how he got this 
wound. He didn't know how he gets this cut. I mean, the Bible 
is very real, isn't it? It doesn't, you know, kind of 
make things up or just kind of speak in an ethereal manner. 
It speaks specifically the way we would expect it to if God 
knew the sinful propensities of one's heart. Who has woe? 
Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has 
complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? 
Now notice, those who linger long at the wine. Again, it's 
not a condemnation of the wine, get rid of the wine. It's you 
lingering long at it. The problem isn't the cup of 
wine. The problem is the wretch that doesn't discipline himself 
or control himself with reference to the intake. See, the Bible 
blames the sinner. We typically blame the thing. 
And if it wasn't for the thing, then I wouldn't be in this mess. 
No, it's your fault or my fault that we're in the mess. So notice, 
those who linger long at the wine, those who go in search 
of mixed wine. Now notice, do not look on the 
wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it 
swirls around smoothly. At the last, it bites like a 
serpent and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things 
and your heart will utter perverse things. Yes, you will be like 
one who lies down in the midst of the sea or like one who lies 
at the top of the mast saying, They have struck me, but I was 
not hurt. They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall 
I awake that I may seek another drink? See, that's the problem. It's an immoderate use of what 
God has given to be used moderately. Romans 13, Paul describes the 
wickedness of the day and uses this concept of drunkenness. 
Romans 13, 13, let us walk properly as in the day, not in revelry 
and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. It's in the vice list in 1 Corinthians 
6, But let's look at 1 Corinthians 5, specifically at verse 11. 
Well, verse 9, I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company 
with sexually immoral people. This passage is valuable for 
a whole host of reasons, but one of them is to sort of mitigate 
that thought or that idea that some well-meaning Christians 
at times have. Well, I'll just separate myself 
from the filth of the earth and then I'll be fine. I just won't 
have any truck with the scum out there that's engaged in all 
manner of sin. That's not Paul's advice. How are we going to win 
them to the Lord Jesus if we separate our holy selves from 
them? Now again, separate yourselves 
from the sin, but brethren, the sinner needs recovery, needs 
redemption, needs the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord. That's 
Paul's point here. He's called for church discipline 
in the first section because a man had his father's wife. 
Leviticus 18 condemns that. The man's not supposed to have 
his father's wife. And not only did the man have 
his father's wife, but the church knew about it and was arrogant 
about it. Paul says, get this man out. And that's what brings 
him to consider, I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company 
with sexually immoral people. Yet, I certainly did not mean 
with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the Kavachists, 
or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to 
go out of the world. I can't work at the post office because 
my companion there is a fornicator. I've got to quit my job. No! If that's your tact, you better 
charter a rocket to Mars, because that's the world you live in. 
Your neighbors, your friends, your associates at work, everybody, 
they're sinners. That's man's problem, remember? 
It's sin. So the problem for Paul isn't 
that you associate with sinners, it's that you associate with 
unrepentant sinners who claim to be Christians and members 
of churches. That's the thrust of his argument. 
Now notice in verse 11, he corrects that. He says, I didn't mean 
with the sexually immoral people of this world. But now I have 
written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother who 
is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, 
or a drunkard, or an extortioner, not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging 
those who are also outside? Do you not judge those who are 
inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore, put away 
from yourselves the evil person." I think we need to understand 
they're unrepentant. And everybody sins, brethren, 
prone to wander, prone to leave the God that I love. Somebody, 
well, you had a covetous thought. I can't eat with you tonight. 
No, the unrepentant sinner that's been taken through the process 
of discipline and he's irrecoverable. He doesn't come back. He doesn't 
repent. He doesn't forsake that sin. He doesn't make right his 
obligations to God and to the church in which he holds his 
membership. It's that person. Once they are put out, you don't 
eat with them. Why? Because you're not condoning 
their sin. You don't want to sort of give that stamp of approval 
upon their sin. Oh yeah, everything's fine. No, 
that part of it is calculated to produce some degree of hurt 
on the man or woman so that he or she repents. But anyways, 
we see that there's this condemnation. 1 Corinthians 6, we have that 
list of those things that exclude persons from the kingdom of God. 
And notice specifically in verse 10. He says, nor thieves, nor 
covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will 
inherit the kingdom of God. We've got another statement in 
Galatians 5, we've got 1 Thessalonians 5, we've got 1 Timothy 3 in terms 
of the prohibition relative to elders, Titus chapter 1, Titus 
chapter 2. So the Bible does condone a moderate 
use of alcohol, but the Bible prohibits an immoderate use of 
alcohol. Hopefully that's not a surprise 
to anybody. Wow, I never knew that. You should have known that. 
If you read your Bible, that's the gist. That's what you get. 
So going back to Ephesians chapter 5, why does he put it here? It's 
kind of interesting, right? All of a sudden, don't get drunk. 
Why does he do that? Therefore do not be unwise, verse 
17, but understand what the will of the Lord is, and do not be 
drunk with wine in which is dissipation. Well, in the larger context, 
the conduct of the new man, that man who has been made new by 
the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit, that man who has 
by grace believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, that man who's 
come out of darkness into marvelous light, the conduct of the new 
man is characterized by what we find in Ephesians 5. That 
new man walks in love. That new man walks in light. 
That new man walks in wisdom. And therefore, he's not to walk 
immoderately. He's not to walk in that absence 
of self-control. He's not to walk as a drunkard. 
He's to walk in a manner that is consistent with the high calling 
of God upon him. Now, within Ephesus, and in the 
Roman Empire at that time, there was a cult of Dionysius. Dionysius 
was the god of wine. And in Ephesus, apparently they 
had some background, which is not hard to believe, based on 
Acts chapter 19, and they're dallying with the occult and 
the black magic and those black arts, that there was drunkenness 
that was prevalent in Ephesus. So the Apostle Paul says, do 
not be drunk with wine. But I think the next phrase helps 
us to understand the specific import here. He says, do not 
be drunk with wine in which is dissipation, but be filled with 
the Holy Spirit. So the effect of alcohol is something 
specific. You drink alcohol and you get 
hammered and then dissipation follows. Now this word dissipation 
firstly means wastefulness and then reckless abandon, debauchery, 
dissipation, profligacy. So the effect of alcohol upon 
a particular individual is that. dissipation, debauchery, all 
manner of lawlessness and wickedness. What's the effect of the Holy 
Spirit upon a person? Well, in Galatians chapter 5, 
we learn that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. And I 
think that that's probably what Paul is doing. He's pointing 
to two things that exercise an influence upon a person who participates 
in it. And I don't think this is without 
warrant. Remember the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2, 
when the Spirit comes upon the disciples and they start to speak 
in strange tongues and other languages specifically to communicate 
the wonderful works of God? What's the sort of rebuttal on 
the part of the people there? These men are drunk with wine. 
They understood that they were under the influence of something. 
So when the apostle Peter stands up as the first among equals 
to interpret what this phenomena was, he says, these men aren't 
drunk with wine, as you suppose. It's only the third hour in the 
day. but they were able to see the effect or the influence of 
something on these people. I think that's the particular 
point in view here. Do not be drunk with wine which 
yields itself in dissipation. It yields itself in debauchery. 
It yields itself in that sick fellow in Proverbs chapter 23, 
when can I awake so that I can have another drink? But the effect 
of the Spirit is contra that. It's not dissipation. It's speaking 
in a certain way. It's singing and making melody 
in a certain way. It's giving thanks in a certain 
way. It's submitting to one another in the fear of God. So the main 
emphasis under the hand of the Apostle, again, condemn drunkenness. It's bad. It's wrong. Don't do 
it. But the idea is that drunkenness leads to dissipation. But you 
conversely, you by way of contrast, not only do not be drunk with 
wine, but be filled with the Spirit. Because when you're filled 
with the Spirit, and that influence comes upon you, then these are 
the marks, or these are the manifestations, or these are the evidences or 
the effects of having been filled with the Spirit. A.T. Lincoln 
says both drunkenness and the Spirit involve the self coming 
under the control of an external power. Suggests that that's Paul's 
meaning here. Charles Hodge rather says, and 
as drunkenness produces rioting and debauchery, so the Holy Spirit 
produces a joy which expresses itself in psalms, hymns, and 
spiritual songs. So the particular emphasis is 
upon the influencing of a person either to ill or to good. If 
you get drunk with wine, dissipation and debauchery is the end. If 
you're filled with the Spirit, then good things come, good fruits 
obtain, blessings and virtues flow from the man whose blood 
bought and from the man who has the Holy Spirit. So now notice 
the specific exhortation. We've got the prohibition, do 
not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled 
with the Spirit. What does that mean, be filled 
with the Spirit? Is Paul commending a second work 
of grace? Is Paul Keswick in his theology? 
Does Paul have a higher life approach to the Christian faith? These are all heresies that have 
attached themselves to a theology of the Spirit. Is Paul like these 
charismatics that say, well, you know, you've gotten the Spirit, 
but it's not really evidenced until you speak in tongues? Brethren, 
that doctrine is still alive and well. There are people out 
there that do not think you have the Holy Spirit unless you have 
spoken in tongues. That's not what Paul's talking 
about. Tongues has nothing to do with this particular passage. 
When he says be filled with the Holy Spirit, I believe he is 
suggesting to us to walk in harmony with the Lord Jesus Christ, to 
understand the presence and the power of the Spirit, to know 
that influence in your life. In terms of a theology of the 
Spirit here in this brief book of Ephesians, look back at Ephesians 
chapter one. The Spirit is vital in terms, 
well, look at chapter three first. The Spirit is vital in revelation. The Spirit is vital not just 
in the book of Revelation, but in the doctrine of Revelation. 
God reveals himself specially through the Bible, Genesis to 
Revelation. Notice in Ephesians chapter 3, 
specifically at verse 5, which in other ages was not made known 
to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit 
to his holy apostles and prophets, that the Gentiles should be fellow 
heirs of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ through 
the gospel. It's a great grand statement 
about the inspiration of the men who write the scripture that 
what they write comes from the Holy Spirit. So this doctrine 
of Gentile inclusion in the covenant promises of God made to Israel 
has been revealed by the Spirit. So the Spirit is vital in Revelation. Go back to chapter 1 to see the 
Spirit vital in our salvation. Remember chapter 1, verses 3 
to 14, the apostle celebrates the work of the triune God in 
the salvation of sinners. The Father chose and predestined. The Son dies and redeems. The Spirit seals and guarantees. Notice in verses 13 and 14. In 
Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the 
gospel of your salvation, in whom also, having believed, you 
were sealed with the Holy Spirit, a promise." So whatever Paul's 
saying in terms of 518, be filled with the Holy Spirit, he's not 
suggesting there's no Holy Spirit in you. I think he's suggesting 
crave more of the Holy Spirit, pursue more of His influence 
in your life. The way the drunkard goes after 
the Jack Daniels, you, as the faithful people of God, ought 
to seek the Holy Spirit and His influence and His power and His 
presence in your life. Be filled with Him, because when 
you're filled with Him, these sorts of virtues flow from the 
blood-bought children of God. Notice in verse 14, who is the 
guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased 
possession to the praise of His glory. Notice at 430, do not 
grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the 
day of redemption. The Spirit is vital in our walk, 
in our communion with God. The Spirit is vital in terms 
of our salvation with the Lord. The Spirit is vital in terms 
of our worship. Remember in chapter 2, specifically 
at verse 18, for through Him, Jesus Christ, we both, Jew and 
Gentile, have access by one Spirit, the Holy Spirit, to the Father. 
And then in verse 22, in whom you also are being built together 
for a dwelling place of God in the spirit. So the spirit is 
vital in terms of our worship. The spirit is also vital in terms 
of our strength, our spiritual strength. Notice in chapter three, 
Paul prays for the children of God in Ephesus. Verse 14, for 
this reason, I bow my knees to the father of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. 
He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to 
be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 
that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." See, the 
Holy Spirit is vital and essential to our walk, to our communion, 
to our understanding of the Word of God, to our worship and our 
approach to the Father through the Son in the power of the Holy 
Spirit. And then notice one final thing 
that helps us, I think, understand what it means to be filled with 
the Spirit. Again, it's not esoteric, it's not mystic, it's not, you 
know, climb the mountain and just open yourself up to the 
Holy Spirit. It's seek His presence and seek His power, seek His 
influence in your life. I think that's the bottom line. 
Now notice the parallel passage in Colossians. Turn to Colossians 
chapter 3. I may actually have time to do 
more work on verse 19, since we're not gonna get it tonight, 
and Ryan is preaching next Sunday, and then we have the Lord's Supper 
the following Sunday. Essentially, I wanna deal with what's called 
the exclusive psalmody position. The first time I preached through 
Ephesians, I just didn't really investigate it much. This time 
around, I have investigated it much, or much more anyway, and 
there's a good case to make that when Paul says psalms, hymns, 
and spiritual songs, he's confining his attention to the psalms of 
David. Now, we'll deal with that. If that intrigues you, then come 
back in two weeks' time, and we'll try to tell you how that 
does work in a way that I think makes sense. But notice in Colossian—that's 
a bit of a teaser, huh? I learned that from Rick Horst. 
It was great on the first Sunday when Rick preached, and I was 
here that morning and that evening, and he said, you know, come back 
tonight, because I'm going to give you part two. That's all you have 
to do? Well, sure, it worked. It worked. There were people 
there on Sunday night that don't usually come on Sunday night. 
Wow, I guess if you ask and seek and knock, you sometimes receive. 
So there's a bit of a teaser, God willing, that if you've ever 
wondered, how come those people that only believe, some of you 
come out of churches where it's exclusive psalmody. Was there 
a rationale? Did anybody preach or teach why 
it was the case that they only sang the Psalms of David? Again, 
I still have some questions that I need to wrestle with, but from 
Paul in Ephesians 5, when he says, Psalms, hymns, and spiritual 
songs, I really think there's some merit and some value to 
the argument that he means the Psalms of David specifically. 
Again, two weeks' time, God willing, we'll look at that. But look 
at the parallel, so we try to understand what it means to be 
filled with the Spirit. I think the parallel passage in Colossians 
3 helps us. Notice in verse 12, therefore 
as the elect of God, same sort of a context, conduct of the 
new man, the new man resists certain things, the new man puts 
on certain things, the new man lives in a manner consistent 
with the gospel of his salvation. So therefore as the elect of 
God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, 
meekness, long-suffering, bearing with one another and forgiving 
one another if anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ 
forgave you. So you also must do. But above 
all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfection, 
and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also 
you were called in one body, and be thankful. Now here's the 
parallel passage to Ephesians 5. Let the word of Christ dwell 
in you richly in all wisdom. teaching and admonishing one 
another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with 
grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or 
deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to 
God the Father through Him. So in 518, it's be filled with 
the Holy Spirit and speak to one another in psalms and hymns 
and spiritual songs. In Colossians 3.16, it's let 
the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching 
and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual 
songs. Could it possibly be that the one explains the other, and 
the other explains the one? Being filled with the Holy Spirit 
is to have the Word of Christ dwelling richly in your heart. 
To have the Word of Christ dwelling richly in your heart is to be 
filled with the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. 
Well, the endgame is the same. Whether it's the Word of Christ 
dwelling in our hearts or whether it's the Holy Spirit filling 
us, what is the result? The result is that we are affected 
by His influence and so we speak to one another or we teach and 
admonish one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. 
I submit that the filling of the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 
chapter 5 verse 18 is not charismaticism. It is not Pentecostalism. It 
is not some second work of grace. It is not some higher life sort 
of Christian theology. It is what the people of God 
have. They are sealed and they have 
the Spirit as a guarantee. The emphasis is upon pursue more 
of His presence and power in your life. Find more of his influence 
in your life. Pray to God for more of his influence. Isn't this what Jesus says? In 
fact, you can turn back to the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew's 
gospel. Matthew chapter six. I'm sorry, 
Matthew chapter seven. Matthew chapter seven. Specifically at verse seven, 
ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock 
and it will be open to you. For everyone who asks receives, 
and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be open. 
Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, 
will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will 
he give him a serpent? If you then being evil know how 
to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father 
who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him? Therefore, 
whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this 
is the law and the prophets. Now turn to the book of Luke. 
Luke's gospel, specifically chapter 11. Luke chapter 11. Same emphasis, same passage, 
Matthew, good things that the Father gives to those who ask. 
Well, Luke gives us a very specific version here. Notice, just picking 
up at about verse 11 in Luke 11, if a son asks for bread from 
any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks 
for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 
Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you 
then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, 
How much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to 
those who ask Him? You mean we just have to ask? Being filled with the Spirit 
isn't a second work of grace? It isn't the higher life? It 
isn't a let go, let God? I don't have to climb Mount Shem 
and have a special season of meditation in order to get more 
of the Holy Spirit? You mean I just have to ask? 
Yeah, you just have to ask. So when Paul says, do not be 
drunk with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with 
the Holy Spirit, he is simply encouraging the people of God 
to ask God for more of the presence and the power the influence of 
the Spirit in their respective lives. And as a result, they 
will speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual 
songs. They will sing and make melody in their hearts. They 
will express gratitude and thankfulness to God Most High, and they will 
submit to one another in the fear of God. Well, as I said, 
we'll look at the rest of the section in two weeks' time, the 
Lord willing. Tonight, just let us consider two things. On the 
one hand, we need to make sure we understand what the Bible 
says concerning alcohol. It doesn't condemn it, but it 
certainly doesn't condone drunkenness. So we need to take heart and 
guard our hearts relative to that particular temptation that 
is very prevalent in a society like ours. And secondly, we need 
to pray, we need to seek, we need to ask, we need to call 
upon God for more of the presence and the power of the Spirit. 
Yes, as we gather together for the church, as we gather together 
for corporate worship, we want the people of God to grow in 
their understanding of who the Lord is, and we want the non-people 
of God to become the people of God. Well, how are they going 
to do that apart from the presence and the power of the Spirit? 
So hopefully on Sunday morning you set apart a little time and 
on Sunday afternoon you set apart a little time to pray that God 
sends the Holy Spirit. I like to invoke the Nicene Creed 
or the Apostles' Creed. I believe in the Holy Spirit. That's not just a confession 
concerning his person. Oh, I believe there is a Holy 
Spirit. I think it's an ownership. I believe in the Holy Spirit. 
We need his presence and his power as we gather together for 
corporate worship so that he blesses the preaching of the 
word. But at the level of our individual Christian lives, at 
the level of our family lives, don't we all need more of his 
presence and power? This is Paul's emphasis, not 
Pentecostalism, not charismaticism, not tongue speaking, not prophesying, 
not raising the dead. but simply knowing His nearness 
in our lives, knowing His communion, knowing His blessedness, and 
knowing the influence of the Spirit, so that we walk in a 
manner that is consistent with the gospel of our salvation. 
Well, let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank 
you for your word, we thank you for this section of scripture, 
and we pray for wisdom as we proceed. We pray for your grace 
to be upon our local church, we pray for the ministry of the 
Holy Spirit to be upon each of us, and we pray that all over 
the world, the people of God would know his presence and his 
power. and that it would be evident in the way that we speak to one 
another, in the way that we praise and worship our blessed Savior, 
and in the way that we express thankfulness and gratitude to 
you, and the way that we relate to one another in terms of the 
fear of God. We ask that you would go with us now, watch over 
us in this coming week, be glorified in our lives, and we ask in the 
name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen. We'll close with a brief 
time of meditation.