'Look To Your Father!" Ephesians 5:1-10

Oculi, The Third Sunday In Lent                                 3-March-2024

Sermon Text: Ephesians 5:1-10

Sermon Theme: “Look To Your Father!” I. Behold His Mercy In His Only Begotten Son!(vs.1-2). II. Beware of Satan’s Deadly Deceptions. (Vs.3-7). III. Follow Your Father’s Footsteps In Christ’s Light!(vs.8-10) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert. 

I.N.R.I. Luk 11:27 And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!" Our Lord Jesus freed a man from being possessed by a mute demon. The man’s tongue was loosed and he spoke. Perhaps the words of repentant King David danced upon his loosed lips, “Psa 51:15 O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.” Lips loosed by the Holy Spirit sing forth the Father’s gracious salvation for sinners in His only begotten Son. God the Holy Spirit frees us from our old adam’s incessant looking inwardly fixing our eyes ever toward our Lord Jesus - He alone is our Rescuer. The woman in the crowd was well meaning, but she was turning her eyes and praise on the Virgin Mother of Jesus and away from God the Father. Satan manipulates our religious emotionalism to false worship and praise.

     Jesus fixes our eyes again on our Heavenly Father. Luk 11:28 But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" Don’t worship and pray to the Virgin Mary. Follow her example, recorded by St. Luke, Luk 2:19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.” What things? The Word of God preached by the angel to the Bethlehem shepherds on the night her Son was born. The holy angels’ hymn of praise shattering the dark night. She kept God’s Word and promise as her hearts treasure. At the end of Luke 2, when 12 year old Jesus had stayed behind in the Temple after Passover, the same words echo in our ears, “but His mother kept all these things in her heart.” Again the Virgin treasured up Jesus’ Word spoken in the Temple -Luk 2:49 And He said to them, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?" She treasured up and pondered her Savior’s Word. Luke teaches us that Mary wanted our eyes and ears fixed only on Jesus and the Father’s Word breathed forth through Him to fill us with the Spirit of Truth. The Apostle John, whom crucified Jesus had entrusted His mother Mary to care for as his own, records the last words of Mary in his gospel. In John 2 we hear her tell the servants and us, “Joh 2:5....."Whatever He says to you, do it." The Virgin Mary fixes your eyes and ears alone on Jesus - His Word - His works- that you may be reconciled to your heavenly Father by His Spirit. The Virgin Mary agree with the holy angel, whom John fell down to worship in Revelation 19, Rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."”

      Today, on this third Sunday in Lent, repent! “Look To Your Father!” I. Behold His Mercy In His Only Begotten Son!(vs.1-2). II. Beware of Satan’s Deadly Deceptions. (Vs.3-7). III. Follow Your Father’s Footsteps In Christ’s Light!(vs.8-10)

I. In the ancient Church the 40 days of Lent were a time of intensive teaching, Scripture reading, and prayer for catechumens. They were preparing to pledge allegiance on Holy Saturday to Christ alone. They would pass with Him from death to life, renouncing the world and being raised to new life in Christ. Baptized into His death and resurrection they were in this world, but would no longer be of this world. The third Sunday in Lent for them was the day of decision - would they fix their eyes on Jesus, take up their cross and follow Him as the world mocked, persecuted, and even martyred them? Or would they turn back to no longer walk with Jesus?

     What about you? Do you remember your pledge? (LSB. Pg. 272 - 273) How have you done? Have you gathered with Jesus - or has a demon muted your mouth and by your silence scattered people from Jesus? Have you opened your mouth to speak of Jesus? Or does the devil use your lips to gossip, mock, speak lies, spread filth, and divide people from our local congregation? Honestly - we’ve failed! Our white confirmation robes are stained with the stench of our sins, they smell worse than hog manure. Repent from trusting your doing.

   Look to your Father! Behold His mercy in His Only Begotten Son! (Vs.1) “You look just like your father!” is a complement to any son. “Your acting just like your father!” will bring a grin to any son’s face. Children want to act like their father - it is hardwired into our being - Solomon observes, Pro 17:6 Children's children are the crown of old men, And the glory of children is their father. How does our dear Heavenly Father treat His dear children? He chose you in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world. While you were dead in your trespasses and sins - the walking dead following Satan - He raised you up in Holy baptism to sit in heavenly places. He saved you by grace through Holy Spirit given and sustained faith in Jesus in your baptism. He called you to live in loving care for one another through your vocations. (Vs.2)

    Behold the mercy of your Father! Follow Him! In the verses before our text, The Holy Spirit through Paul teaches, Eph 4:31-32 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. (32) And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” God the Father is seen in the face of Jesus alone. He who has seen the Son has seen the Father. The words and works of Jesus are the words and works of God the Father. Study John’s Gospel!

   Christ loves you dear sinner! He gave Himself for you! Offered Himself in your place! You sin! He was sinless! He took your debt of sin and the hell you deserved - He has paid it in full - once for all. Now He gives you life. Your sins stink - He covers your sin with the sweet smelling aroma of His sacrifice FOR YOU! You are like Jacob, clothed in Esau’s garments - God the Father embraces you and smells only His only begotten Son and He blesses you in Jesus!

II. Look to your True Father as His true children! There is a false father - the father of lies and murderer from the beginning. Satan, the strong man who holds the world captive with his lies and deceptions. Satan, who led our first father away from hearing and keeping God’s Word - and corrupted all humanity with sin. Original sin infects us all - there is no one good, no one who seeks God.

    The father of lies, the prince of the power of the air, leads captive sinners around like zombies - the walking dead -Eph 2:3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.”

The father of lies, has no problem if we baptize our children, but he convinces us never to teach them God’s Word at home - never to bring them to church to be in Christ’s presence. He has no problem if you make a pledge on Palm Sunday - as long as you never come back to church. He plays for the long game - he will return to your spiritually empty heart filling your spiritual void with seven more demons worse than the first.

    Beware of Satan’s deadly deceptions! (Vs.3)Fornication - abusing God’s gift of sex given only to a husband and wife within life long marriage. Satan corrupts God’s gift with the lie that sex outside of marriage is freedom - it is the deepest darkest bondage in a web of lies - a sin against our own flesh. We are not our own - these bodies are created by God our Father, redeemed by the blood of God the Son, and sanctified to be temples of the Holy Spirit. You cannot do what you want for your body and soul are gifts of God the Father to you.

   Covetousness is imagining that we are our own gods - we can take what we desire - and bow down to stuff and relationships that will never fill our empty house of our hearts. (Vs.4) What is in your heart will burst forth upon your lips. What are you speaking about? Who controls your tongue? Do you gather former members to Jesus by giving thanks as you talk with them? Or do you scatter by letting Satan use your tongue to speak foolishly, coarsely, or repeating lies to tear the body of Christ apart?

   Beware of the Satan’s deceptions - they are deadly! (Vs.5) This isn’t Paul’s opinion - it is the Truth of God the Father written by the Holy Spirit. Don’t surrender your eternal inheritance for worldly friendship and approval! (Vs.6-7) Shun Satan’s deadly deceptions - don’t run with the world - come away to your Father’s House - every Sunday - Christ’s Church let the Holy Spirit forgive you, fill you with Life and Salvation.

III. Remember from what you have been freed! (Vs.8) There is a lot of excitement for April 8. A total eclipse will pass through our area - for a few minutes in the middle of the day our sky will be dark. Don’t fear - it won’t last. Satan eclipsed the Father’s light of love. He thought he had forever captured us in darkness - the Father sent His Son - for three hours all the just darkness of God’s wrath for sinners was poured out upon Jesus. The Light of the World drank the cup of our darkness down to the dregs - crying out “It is Finished!” Completed! Done!

      Baptism filled you with the Light of Life - Jesus! In Him you are Light in the Lord! By His Holy Spirit walk - follow your Father! (Vs.9) The fruit of the Holy Spirit is goodness, righteousness, and truth - rooted and grounded in Jesus - the Way, The Truth, The Life - you are Home again with God your Father - Your Creator who cares fo you! Hear His Word! (Vs.10) Then you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free!  Blessed are those who Hear the Word of God and keep it! Hear the Son’s voice and by the Spirit fix your eyes upon your Father alone! Amen.