One Question That Changes Everything
Ephesians 5:8-18
God wants us to take a passionate, proactive approach to understanding what pleases Him. This message seeks to answer why God doesn’t just tell us what to do but instead wants us to seek what pleases Him actively. Why is it so essential to "Find out what pleases the Lord" and ask, “How can I please you Lord?”
1. What stood out to you in the message this week?
2. Read Ephesians 5:8 "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light." Notice that Paul did not say that we were once “in” darkness but that we “were” darkness. He says the same about light. What is the difference between being “in” darkness and being darkness itself? What is the difference between being “light” and being light itself?
3. Read Ephesians 5:9 "(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)"
4. This verse underscores the visible evidence of a life transformed by Christ and the power that Christ now gives us. Before coming to Christ, our efforts were insufficient and disconnected from God's standards. According to this verse, what did we lack before we came to Christ?
5. Read Ephesians 5:10 "and find out what pleases the Lord." This verse invites us into a journey of discovery: "...and find out what pleases the Lord." It speaks volumes about the nature of our walk with God. How would your life change if you started every day by asking, “How can I please you?”
6. Ephesians 5:10 Is a call to active engagement in our faith, urging us to seek and understand what delights our Heavenly Father. Why would God not just tell us what to do? Why would He want us to be proactive in understanding what pleases him?
Paul goes on to give us three insights about asking the question, “How can I please you?”…
a) Cultivates Deeper Relationships.
7. Living to please God isn't just about seeking answers to specific questions or directions for decisions; it's about cultivating a deep, ongoing relationship with God. How can cultivating our relationship with God transform us more into His likeness?
b) Reveals God’s purpose for your life.
8. Read Ephesians 5:15-17. By actively finding out what pleases the Lord, we become participants in His redemptive work. God has a purpose for each of us, and discovering His will equips us to fulfill our unique roles in His plan. Who benefits when we seek for and walk in wisdom? How does this bring Glory to God?
c) Creates space for the Holy Spirit to fill you.
9. Read (Ephesians 5:18 "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit." This command highlights the importance of replacing temporary, worldly solutions with the enduring presence of the Holy Spirit. How can constantly living with a heart and passion to seek what pleases the Lord, open our lives to be filled by the Spirit?