Seize the Season!
Carrying Faith Forward
October 14, 2018
Rev. Gabe Sylvia
Drawing on Ephesians 5, the sermon calls believers to make the best use of their time by living as children of light—avoiding immorality and foolishness, cultivating awareness of how they spend their days, seeking the Spirit, praying, and investing in church community so they can discern and do God's will in evil times.
Summary
Using Ephesians 5 as the anchor, the preacher urges Christians to steward their time with intentional wisdom: refuse participation in sexual immorality and the unfruitful works of darkness, 'walk as children of light,' and 'make the best use of time' because the days are evil. Practical awareness (for example, how much time we spend on social media) combats foolishness; spiritual practices—being filled with the Spirit, prayer, worship, and mutual encouragement in the church—help believers discern God's will, persevere without growing weary, and use each season for God’s glory.
Key Points
- Central text: Ephesians 5—walk as children of light and avoid immorality and unfruitful works of darkness.
- Core charge: 'Look carefully how you walk'—choose wisdom over foolishness and make the best use of time because the days are evil.
- Awareness: Know how you spend your time (e.g., social media) to avoid floating into folly.
- Aim: Live not for yourself but for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:15) and steward time for his purposes.
- Spirit-filled life: Seek the Holy Spirit, be filled, and rely on the Spirit to discern the Lord’s will.
- Practices: Prayer, psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs are means of being filled and of mutual care.
- Community: Lean on the church to help you discern and to exhort one another; put down barriers that keep you from each other.
- Perseverance: Don’t grow weary of doing good; in due season you will reap if you do not give up.
- Wisdom’s cost: Biblical wisdom often means a difficult, countercultural way of living that requires intentionality and sacrifice.
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