Made New: An Ephesians Book StudySample

“Mommy, can you shut my closet door?” Our four-year-old makes this request every night after I tuck him in and turn out the light. Our little one’s imagination kicks in, and fear takes over. I flip the light switch back on and reassure him that there is nothing to fear in the closet. The moment the light floods through the room and exposes the empty closet, his fear disappears. Just as there’s something about a dark room and open closet door that makes a child uneasy, there is something about the light that is reassuring. Light always exposes the truth.

Paul speaks of the light in Ephesians 5:8-14 when he describes that before salvation, we were full of darkness. He encourages us that as Christ followers, we are to live in the light. But it can be difficult to live in that light when our past might be filled with hopelessness, shame, or deep hurt. In fact, one of Satan’s tactics is to lead us back into that same darkness. He wants to keep us trapped in the darkness of our sin, while Jesus invites us to leave that behind and live in the light of who He has called us to be. When we invite Christ to be our Savior and leader of our life, we “now are light in the Lord” (v. 8).

1 John 1:5-7 says, “This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.”

Paul encourages us to find out what pleases the Lord so that Christ’s light may shine brightly on us. His light produces good, right, and true things in our lives. We no longer have to stumble through life in the darkness, gripped by fear, insecurity, or despair, but we can step into integrity, truth, and love. We can truly live as people of the light!

Response
1. Paul instructs believers to “carefully consider what pleases the Lord” (v. 10). What does this have to do with walking in light and love? (vs. 1, 8)

2. Verse 11 warns us to have nothing to do with the “fruitless deeds of darkness.” What does this mean? Can you think of an example of any in your own life?

3. What are some reasons you sometimes choose darkness instead of light? How can you begin to walk in the light?

Weekly Memory Verse
"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)."
Ephesians 5:8-9

Written by Derek Beauchamp