Be Filled with the Spirit Ps 111; 1 Ki 2:10-12; 3:13-14; John 6:1-8; Eph 5:11-21

Introduction  https://youtu.be/SpGkYAzWwww

Paul’s thrust in Ephesians embraces a theme whereby God’s plan is to sum up all things in Christ (Eph 1:10)[1]. In this vast panorama the fullness of Christ is in the Church (1:23) as a temple designed as a dwelling place of God in the Spirit (2:22). To this end we can pray to be “filled with the fullness of God” (3:19), a goal as complete as the glorified Christ himself (4:13). This theme of the infilling of God flows into Paul’s command to the Church in Ephesus to be filled with the Spirit in praise and mutual submission. As we will see, the key terms are in the plural, for they have to do with a challenge to Christian community life. If under the old covenant the Lord acted to fill his physical temple with glory (Isa 6:1; Ezek 43:5; 44:4), how much more will he act to inundate the spiritual Body he will inhabit forever with his glorious presence in Christ (1 Cor 3:16-17; 2 Cor 6:16)[2]. For the community of the Church to shift from the character of the old decaying world to the new creation in Christ (Eph 4:17-24) requires nothing less than submission to a whole new Spirit-filled way of living.

Walk in the Light

vv. 11-14 “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.””

The Bible begins with the duality between darkness and light (Gen 1:1-3)[3] but ends with a new world filled with the light of the Lord (Rev 21:23). Since Christ has climactically vanquished the darkness of sin[4] in his death and resurrection we too must abhor all dark deeds. Not by self-effort, but by putting on the armour of light (Rom 13:12-13; 1 Thess 5:6-8). Which is another way of saying we need to clothe ourselves with Christ (Rom 13:14). Nothing less than sharing in Jesus’ own character can release us from the “sin which clings so closely” (Heb 12:1). When Paul uses Old Testament language to prophesy the coming saving illumination of the Gentile nations (Isa 2:19; Isa 60:1-2), he evokes the dynamics of Jesus’ own resurrection, which “abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Tim 1:10). This challenge to the church in Ephesus to reject darkness for light foreshadows what Jesus later said to another of his churches, in Sardis, “You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” (Rev 3:1). A “dead” Church is a church composed of believers that have fallen asleep when they should be awake[5] and mindful of temptation. Amongst other things, the spiritual state of Australia has gone progressively backwards over the last 50 years because the traditional midweek church prayer meeting has virtually disappeared[6].

The language of “exposure” of sin refers to our responsibility (John 3:19-21) to unveil thoughts and actions of fellow believers who know they are doing wrong and need to repent and become light in the Lord (Eph 5:8).  This exposure of sin is a tough call, and I still find challenging brothers/sisters in this way difficult[7], but it is far better to risk rejection by others than to face the prospect that a brother or sister in the End “might be seen exposed!” at the Judgement (1 Cor 3:10-1; Rev 16:15)

Wise and Foolish

15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery

In scripture there is no middle ground, in these evil last days (Matt 24:4; Mark 13:9, 23, 33; Luke 21:8) you are either wise or foolish[8]. For example, many men find online pornography difficult to avoid, and if you cannot restrain from criticising the politicians that God in his wisdom has given us you are just as foolish (Rom 13:1-7), and there are many other entrapping vices. Speaking of wisdom, many practical minded Christians love the book of Proverbs, which is a good thing, but in the New Testament, especially in Ephesians, “the will of the Lord” is God’s grand design for the universe in his Son (Eph 1:11). Just as Proverbs presents itself as a summary of a father’s instruction to his son[9] (Prov 2:1-9) we should see that the fullness of all wisdom is found in Jesus whose Father has unveiled to him a plan for the whole universe. We know wisdom is a Person, wisdom is Jesus (cf. 1 Cor 1:24, 30). In Christ are the dimensions of the wisdom of God which must capture our imagination[10]. If drunkenness is senseless waste[11], ask any ex-addict about their old useless habits, what does “but be filled with the Spirit[12]” mean?

Be Filled

Before answering this directly we must recall that the plural form of the command to be filled means Paul is addressing the Christian community in Ephesus and it is only secondarily applicable to individuals[13]. Secondly, the passive form of the verb means being filled is something that happens to us, God graciously fills us with his Spirit. Finally, the present tense indicates that we can be filled repeatedly[14]. Being filled with the Spirit is the opposite of an empty and useless state of being, it is to be filled with the dynamism of what it means to live life with Christ. Since when we were baptised into Christ’s Body in the Spirit (1 Cor 12:13) Jesus came to live in us (Col 1:27; 2 Cor 13:5), then our lives have been charged with an intense sharing in God living in us. Life is now full of meaning and eternal purpose. In the context of Ephesians, this indwelling overflows in 19 “addressing one another in psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit[15], singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.”

The “one another” here means that when it comes to singing, we have two audiences, God and others. What we sing, not only what we teach and preach from scripture, ministers to others at the level of the heart. Singing is a very sensitive issue to many people. On occasions when other believers criticised my singing voice I am sure they were well meaning, but I am equally as sure that they were not speaking for Jesus! Jesus loves to hear the singing of all his children (Heb 2:12-13).

The old covenant background for being “filled with the Spirit” isn’t merely a dynamic personal experience had by a lone prophetic person, it is something that in the Bible encounters a group[16]. When the Solomonic temple was opened and the priests and Levitical singers were praising the Lord accompanied by musical instruments, “the glory of the Lord filled the house of God” and they could not stand to minister (2 Chron 5:11-14). At Pentecost “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4), in Caesarea “the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word…(they were) speaking in tongues and extolling God” (Acts 10:44, 46), at Ephesus “the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in all.” (Acts 19:6-7).[17] Spirit fullness happens to a community.

20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Is it easy to thank God for everything that has, is or will ever happen to you (cf. Col 3:17; 1 Thess 5:18)? This does not mean to thank God for evil, but it does mean to thank him for his wisdom in triumphing through the cross over all evil circumstances and that is how he “works all things according to the counsel of his will,” to the praise of his glorious grace (Eph 1:3, 6, 11, 12, 14). Humanly speaking, this level of thankfulness is impossible, but in Christ it is possible when through the fullness of the Spirit you have a revelation that you are blessed and seated with Christ in the heavenly places (Eph 1:3; 2:6) and  are one with the angels and saints around the throne of the Lamb giving praise and honour to God because of his perfectly wise[18]  triumph over all the powers of evil (Eph 3:10) [19]. To be filled with the Spirit, as Ephesians 5 describes it, is to have a foretaste of the eternal heavenly world glorying now in the completed work of Christ[20]. This is how in the Spirit we can be lost in wonder. But it also means:

21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

First, submitting to “one another” means not just to leaders, but mutual submission to all other believers. Second, such submission is not subservience but a willingness to defer to the grace that God brings into our lives through his other children. “Out of reverence for Christ”[21] means obeying in the likeness of how Jesus willingly submitted to the Father[22] even though he was in no way inferior to him (John 10:30; 14:9; Phil 2:5-11). This posture of mutual lowliness is totally countercultural and is one of the jewels of the Church.

Conclusion

Far from being an exhortation we can easily make sense of in terms of isolated and powerful personal experiences, real as they may be, to “be filled with the Spirit” opens up a heavenly panorama that matches the dimensions of the plan of God throughout Ephesians and challenges the contemporary Church[23] as to the very character of her existence. Where can you go today to find a truly Spirit-filled Body. Are the Pentecostals Spirit-filled? Sadly, many if not most have substituted energised and sensuous high performance singing for ongoing encounters with the Person of the Spirit[24] whose power has, through Christ the Lamb of God, created the heavenly world and baptised us into it. What about the average Evangelical Church? With both its classical and contemporary hymnody we might think we are on more solid ground[25]. However, with some exceptions, the Australian church’s crisis of discipleship[26] indicates something is missing at a corporate level amongst us. I remember how shocked I was years ago to hear from a South Korean pastor how his congregation assembled to pray at 5 am every weekday, and on Fridays prayed all night, this is humanly impossible, but it is possible as a Spirit filled body of believers. To “be filled with the Spirit” is a challenge to a sleepy complacent Church to enter into the real world which is above and not below, heavenly and eternal rather than earthly and temporal. Is this what we want as a group of people who worship Jesus? Only the fullness of the Spirit can shake us out of our sleepy complacency and only the outpouring of Christ’s Spirit can deliver us from all our feelings of being defeated when it comes to mission and evangelism. God gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey him (Acts 5:31-32), therefore “be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Eph 5:18-21)