Spirit in Life

(Ephesians 5:18 – 20)

Introduction
Wine and Liquor Company Advertising
Wine and liquor companies promote their products as:

• Sophisticated lifestyle
Liquor companies advertise that consumption of alcoholic
beverages promotes a cool, urbane, sophisticated, and
cosmopolitan lifestyle. Wines and liquors are the oil that lubricates
the social circles. They convey the message that you have arrived.
They also imply that it makes you more attractive to the opposite
sex.
• Fun and fellowship
Beer advertisements focus on the fun factor. It is the drink to have
when watching ball games with friends. It is the drink to have in
bars and parties. In the Philippines, beer companies suggest
camaraderie and the best of friends always have a good drink.
Bars and pubs you make friends by shouting a round of drinks. The
more rounds you shout the more popular you get.

The Truth in Advertising

Behind the images projected by these advertisements are the dark and stark truth
of drunkenness brought about by alcohol. Drunkenness brings about the worst in a
person. The sophisticated, cool, urbane cosmopolite becomes an anti-social lout
that annoys everybody. Even worse, in his inebriated state he starts talking sayings
things that he should have kept to himself. He makes lewd remarks, criticises
everybody and is prone to pick up a fight. He becomes quarrelsome and puts on a
false sense of pride and bravery. He is no longer himself.

The fun and fellowship factor also disappears, just like alcohol that evaporates
into thin air. We have always read about assaults, spousal and child abuse brought
about by alcohol. The statistics are horrendous. We have to include the statistics
from alcohol-related car accidents. This is the reason why the police are very busy
on Thursday and Friday nights breath testing drivers at strategic points in the city.
This is the reason why the government advertises heavily on campaigns against
drunk driving.
There is really nothing new under the sun as the King Solomon wrote in
Ecclesiastes 1:9. Even in the ancient times, the damages brought about by
drunkenness was already well-known. Paul’s admonition in Ephesians 5:18 – 20

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 is also relevant in this day and age as it was at the time it was written. Alcohol
causes drunkenness then as it is today.

Admonition to Sobriety (v. 18)

Verse 18 is an admonition to sobriety. It is a strong warning to keep
away from alcohol because its effect on the human mind was well
known. It is not too different from today’s campaigns calling for
sobriety and avoiding alcohol abuse
Hedonism and Sensuality
Ephesus was the centre of the cult of Artemis. It is the location of one
of the seven wonders of the ancient world , the Temple of Artemis.
The temple was a centre of pagan festivals dedicated to Artemis, the
Greek goddess of hunting, nature, the moon, and fertility. Those
festivals were serious stuff. Pilgrim converge at Ephesus to worship
this goddess.
These festivals were wild orgies of wine, women, and song. The
temple priests and priestesses organised these festivals to raise money.
The temple was also a centre of finance and holds estates amongst
them were vineyards for the sacred wine. Paul made this admonition
because the church at Ephesus stood in a pagan dominated society
where drunkenness and depravity were seen as part and parcel of
worshipping their main goddess. Paul’s statement may be obvious to
the subsequent generations under the Judeo-Christian ethos, but it had
to be pointed out to the Ephesians who has had a pagan mindset. That
admonition was radical and revolutionary at that time because of the
low-level of prevailing morality.
They need to know that drunkenness is not acceptable to God and
must be avoided.

Holy Spirit
Paul warned about the consequences of sin and corruption. He said
Application
This verse is really the basic stuff. In fact it is a reminder to the Christians of

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Adoration through Songs (v 19)
The great Chinese general and military strategist, Sun-Tzu, laid down the 18th

Hymns and Songs

Jesus says in John 8:44 that Satan is a liar and the father of lies. Satan
of sufferings.

Paul’s warning is very serious. The root of this deception is evil. The
devil uses people to sow deception and lies amongst the Ephesian
believers. The ultimate goal of this deception is to sow confusion
which will lead to disobedience.

Heart of the Saviour

Disobedience arising from deception and confusion brings contempt
straight to the fires of hell
Application
How can we know the absolute truth and not fall to deception? Pray
best offense to take on the world.

Appreciation of Sovereignty (v 20)

This verse is an admonition from Paul about being influenced by the
Hail the Supreme God
This verse is a command. Paul had articulated the results of it is no
longer our nature.

Honour the Saviour

This verse about compromise. We are commanded not to compromise
Application
This command applies to young men and women who are still single

Conclusion –
Be Sober
Our God is a god of absolutes. He has omnipotence-absolute power,

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Be Spiritual
The God of absolutes is uncompromising. He cannot compromise His