(Eph 5:1-20弗5：1-20) 

Last Sunday, 上个主日，we talked about how to follow Jesus to be the light of the world. 我们讨论了如何跟随耶稣成为世上的光。Today, 今天，we’ll continue this topic我们继续这个话题by looking at Ephesians 5: 1-20.来看以弗所书5:1 -20。 

1, Walk in love. (v.1-2)凭爱心行事 1-2节 

V.1-2 Call us to be imitators of God, 1-2节呼召我们效法神，that is to follow Jesus’ example to love others. 就是效法耶稣去爱人。Does God’s love just talk about giving gifts or giving stuff? 神的爱只是给礼物或送东西吗？No.不是的。V.1-2 tells us, 1-2节告诉我们，that if we wanna love others like Christ did, ‘live a life of love, just as Christ loved us.也要凭爱心行事，正如基督爱我们 如果我们想如耶稣那样爱人，first of all, 首先，we must understand what the depth of the love of Christ for us look like. 我们必须去认识基督对我们的爱是怎样的爱。We must be rooted more deeply in Jesus’ love, 我们必须在耶稣的爱中更深地扎根，and to focus on it. 并且定睛于此。he gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.他为我们舍了自己，当作馨香的供物和祭物献与神。 We need to understand,我们需要明白，that God’s love for us is not about giving us material goods (house or money…)神对我们的爱不是给我们物质上的东西(房子或金钱…) It says,这里说，that Christ Jesus willingly sacrificed his life for sinners!基督耶稣愿意为罪人牺牲自己的生命！The wrath of God was poured out on Christ for us. 为救我们神将忿怒倾倒在耶稣基督身上。He willingly forgave and saved those who rejected and were against him. 祂愿意饶恕和拯救那拒绝和反对祂的人。We see the depth of the love of Christ on the Cross by what it cost him, 因着基督所付的代价，我们看见祂十架的大爱何等深切，and how we don’t deserve it.我们何等的不配。That’s God’s love for us.这就是神对我们的爱。If we really immerse ourselves in this love, 我们若被这样的爱充满，walking in love,凭爱心行事，even loving our enemies won’t be hard.  就是爱仇敌也不难。

I’ve heard some say, 我听到有人说，‘China Dr Li Wenliang who is a whistle-blower中国的疫情吹哨人李文亮医生，is as lofty as Jesus.他像耶稣一样崇高。Because he died to save people too. 因为他也是为救人而死的。’Li is one of the reporters who told the nation about the outbreak of the coronavirus in early January 2020, 李医生是在2020年1月初就向众人通报冠状病毒疫情的其中一人，but he was arrested, 但他被警方逮捕，and labelled as a rumour spreader by the police.并贴上散布谣言的标签。Having promised that he would never tell about it, 在他保证不再说这事后，he was released from the police station. 他被警察释放。Then he immediately went back to his job然后他立即回到工作岗位，working on the front line,在第一线工作，until he himself caught the virus and died.直到他自己感染病毒身亡。We respect him, 我们敬重他，but is he really as lofty as Jesus? 但是他真的如耶稣一样崇高吗？Did he have sacrificial love for sinners? 他对罪人有牺牲的爱吗？Jesus willingly died for his people’s sins, 耶稣是甘心为祂子民的罪死的，and we see the depth of Christ's love for us in his willingness and freedom to do so:基督是自愿和自由选择这样做的，这就是祂对我们深深的爱：‘No one takes it from me, 没有人夺我的命去，but I lay it down of my own accord.是我自己舍的。 I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. 我有权柄舍了，也有权柄取回来，This command I received from my Father. 这是我从我父所受的命令。John 10:18约翰福音10：18” Christ’s love comes from being totally obedient to the will of the Father,基督的爱来自完全顺服父的旨意，who is the source of love.天父是爱的泉源。Jesus deliberately came into the world, 耶稣甘愿来到世上，to suffer death to save His people. 为救祂的百姓而受死。Li Wenliang himself didn’t mean to die for anyone, 李文亮并没有想过为任何人死，he was afraid of death like everyone in the world. 他和世上任何人一样惧怕死亡。It was just incidental that Li Wenliang had to accept what was happening to him,李文亮只是被迫接受这件突然发生的事，including death.包括他自己的死。I’m pretty sure,我很确定，that if in the beginning he knew that he would die,如果起初他就知道自己会死，and his children would lose their father, 知道他的孩子会失去父亲，and if he had a chance to choose to die or not to die, 如果他有机会选择死或不死，he would absolutely not do what he did. 他绝不会选择去做他所做的事。Because the paper he signed at the police station, 因为他在警察局签署的文件，testifies that he never willingly died for any purpose.就证明他没有为任何目去死。

But Christ, 但是基督，the sinless Son of God on earth, 神无罪的儿子在地上时，when he was just a 33 year-old young man, 祂只有33岁，didn’t compromise to sin, 祂没有向罪妥协，yet he cried, 祂却哭求，‘Father, crucify me! 父啊，钉我上十架！And forgive them!赦免他们的罪！’ Christ died for saving his people from their sins. 基督的死为救他百姓脱离罪。 Because of Christ’s sacrificial love for us, 因基督对我们的舍命大爱，we therefore can live forever!我们才能永远活着！This is the way Christ demonstrated the love of God on the Cross: 基督就是这样在十字架上显明了神的爱： ‘Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13 人为朋友舍命，人的爱心没有比这个大的。约翰福音15：13.’ Jesus Christ laid down his life,耶稣基督如此舍命，to reconcile us to God.使我们与神和好。And this is the way that we are called,我们就是这样蒙召，to be imitators of Christ’s love:去效法基督的爱：‘This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. 耶稣基督为我们舍命，我们从此就知道何为爱。And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 我们也当为弟兄姐妹舍命。1 John 3:16.约翰福音3：16。 Walking in love like Jesus,像耶稣一样凭爱心行事，is to be totally obedient to the Father’s commands,就是要完全顺服父的旨意，by laying down our own thoughts against anyone,放下自己对别人的看不惯，by forgiving and loving them,饶恕他们爱他们，and to carry God’s reconciliation work to the world. 在世上成就神和睦的工作。

2, Walk in Holiness. V.3-14行在圣洁里 V3-14 

We are the light of the world in relationship with Jesus. 因着主耶稣的缘故，我们成为世界的光。We can’t live the old way as though we were still in darkness. 我们不能如同旧人仍行在黑暗中。We are to reflect God’s light to the world. 我们当把神的光带给世人。So we are busy! 所以我们很忙！Busy with being sanctified by the truth ourselves, 忙着借真理成圣，and living a life of light through Christ. 忙着活出基督光的生命。

What are we supposed to do once we’ve been born again? 我们重生后当如何行？ 

 a. Avoid impurity远离污秽 

 (v.3) 3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity. 至于淫乱并一切污秽，或是贪婪，在你们中间连提都不可以。Paul tells us that we must abstain from sexual immorality because it belongs to darkness.保罗告诉我们，当远避淫行，因为这是暗昧的。What does it mean? 这是什么意思呢？At the end of this chapter, Paul gives us a picture of God’s plan for marriage in the Lord. 在本章的结尾，保罗向我们描述了在主里神对婚姻的计划。“wives submit to their husbands as to the Lord…husbands love their wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” 你們作妻子的，當順服自己的丈夫，如同順服主。你們作丈夫的，要愛你們的妻子，正如基督愛教會，為教會捨己。Any sexual relationship which is outside of a legal marriage between man and woman is a sin. 任何婚姻关系以外的男女性关系都是罪。Two man or two women engaging in a sexual relationship are against God’s design for man and woman in marriage which is also a sin. 男同男或者女同女之间的性关系也违背神所设计的一男一女的婚姻，也是罪。Jesus says, “anyone wo looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matt 5:28” 耶稣说， “凡看見婦女就動淫念的，這人心裡已經與他犯姦淫了。” Watching pornography, or any lustful images or movies is also sexual immorality. 看色情制品，或色情图片或电影也是淫乱。If we have seen something like this, we need quickly run to the Lord, 如果我们看了这类的东西，当马上回转向主，asking for cleansing by the blood of Christ, 祈求基督宝血来洁净，so that the door for the evil one to have legal access to accuse us or attack us can be closed.这样我们才不会向魔鬼开门，使恶者有机会 控告，攻击我们。For our God is holy, we should be holy. 神是圣洁的，我们也当圣洁。The light of the world comes from God’s holiness. 世界的光从神的圣洁而来。 

b Control the tongue. V.4勒住舌头 

V. 4 tells us that as children of light, 第四节告诉我们当像光明之子，we’re to avoid obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which do not fit our identity in Christ. 淫词妄语和戏笑的话，都不合圣徒的体统。What does that mean? 这是什么意思呢？The book of James warns us to tame the tongue, 雅各书劝诫我们要制服舌头，because our tongue can do tremendous damage.因为舌头能造成极大的破坏。Proverbs 18:21 say, “the tongue has the power of life and death.” 箴言18:21说道 “生死在舌頭的權下” It reveals that words come out of our mouths which can damage life and build up life. 它说明了我们口中所出的话语既能摧毁生命也能建造生命。Why? 为什么呢？Because improper words like abusive words, or cussword, 因为不当的言辞如骂人的话或下流的话，coarse joking like dirty jokes which involve sex or other sinful ideas, 戏笑的话如黄色笑话，涉及性或其他罪恶的意念，foolish talk like lies, or bragging, or speaking about something we don’t know about as though we do, are all from the unclean spirit. 愚妄的话如谎言，吹嘘，或不懂装懂的谈论，都是来自邪灵。 (Matt 5:37), and not from the Holy Spirit.而非圣灵。 Romans 6:16 tells us,罗马书6:16告诉我们 “you are slaves of the one you obey - whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness.” 順從誰，就作誰的奴僕。或作罪的奴僕，以至於死；或作順命的奴僕，以至成義。When we do things from the unclean spirit, we are slaves to it again. 当我们顺从罪，我们就又成了它的奴仆。That’s why some people say, 这就是为什么有人说，‘I once had a close relationship with the Lord, but now I feel far from the Lord.’ “我以前跟神有亲密的关系，但现在觉得神离我好远。”As the light of the world, 作为世界的光，there must not be a hint of those words come out of our mouths, 这样的话一句不可出口，but rather thanksgiving.总要说感谢的话。If we say any of them even between husband and wife, 即便在夫妻之间，because of anger, or fear, or to please man, or for whatever purpose, 如果因着愤怒，恐惧，要讨好人或者别的缘故，说了任何这样的话，we need to quickly turn to the Lord, 我们需要快快转向神，asking for forgiveness and cleansing through the blood of Christ,求主赦免并耶稣宝血的洁净，and the renewal of our minds through the Spirit of the truth. 求真理的圣灵来更新我们的心思意念。In order that the light in us won’t be covered over. 好叫我们里面的光不被遮挡。 

C, Walk in the light by exposing the dark.v.8-11责备黑暗，行在光中 

V. 8 says, for you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light. 從前你們是暗昧的，但如今在主裡面是光明的，行事為人就當像光明的子女。It retells us that we now have a new identity in Christ. 它再次提醒我们，如今我们在基督里有新的身份。And our actions need to be in line with whom we claim to be.言行要与身份一致。Live as children of light! 行事为人当像光明之子！How? 怎么行？11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 那暗昧無益的事，不要與人同行，倒要責備行這事的人。How can we live as children of light? 我们如何行事为人才像光明之子呢？The bible says, 圣经说13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 凡事受了責備，就被光顯明出來，因為一切能顯明的就是光。We are taught not to follow the way of darkness but to expose it. 教导我们不要行暗昧的事倒要责备它。 for whatever makes manifest is light. 因为一切能显明的就是光。Some thought that God was telling us to be bold and expose other’s wrongdoings with regard to this bible verse. 有人觉得这段经文是神叫我们要大胆去指责他人的不义行为。But we do so, 但如果是这样，we forget that ‘everything exposed by the light becomes visible’ which we need to put into practice in our own lives first,我们就忘了“凡事受了责备，就被光显明出来”，我们要先在自己的生命中行出来，so that we won’t fall into temptation of being judgemental. 这样我们才不会陷入论断的试探。Because we were once darkness,我们从前是暗昧的，and now we are in the process of being sanctified, 现在在成圣的路上，so one of our tasks is to testify how the light (the truth) exposes darkness,我们其中的一个托付是见证光（真理）如何责备黑暗，which once worked within us through our agreements and kept our thoughts or minds under lies. 就是从前这黑暗在我们里面怎样借着我们的同意，将我们的心声意念控制在谎言之下。But now by believing the truth,但现在因着信真理，we repent and renounce the lies of the world,我们悔改，不再听信世界的谎言，we are being transformed into Christlike mindset. 我们就正在被更新成基督的样式。In the same way, 同样，when we see our brothers and sisters with the same problems, 当我们看到我们的兄弟姐妹有同样的问题时， we can help them turn from darkness to light just as we’ve done. 我们可以帮助他们像我们一样出黑暗入光明。 for whatever makes manifest is light! 因为一切能显明的就是光！ Light comes from the truth!光明从真理来！

Recently, 这段时间，brother Li has been temporally living with us, 郑弟兄临时住在我们这里，because his wife and their two kids are in quarantine at home for at least 14 days. 因妻子和两个孩子要在自己家里隔离两周。We have an opportunity to pray together each night. 于是我们有机会每晚一起祷告。I asked God to expose something inside of our bother, 我求神显明弟兄心里隐情，so that he would experience the power of deliverance through Christ and be set free in some area. 让他可以经历基督拯救的大能，并可在某个方面被释放。Monday evening, before prayer, 周一晚祷前，brother Li said to me, 郑弟兄对我说，‘Jane, I don’t know why, Jane，不知道为什么，whenever I need to get up early for my job, 只要我需要上早班，I wake up at 3am or 4 am,我只能睡到3点或4点，and then I awake waiting for 1 or 2 hours until I go to work. 然后我就一直醒着等1，2个小时直到去上班。As long as I need to go to work at 5am or 6am the next morning.只要第二天5点或6点开工。I only can sleep four or five hours that night.我晚上只能睡4到5个小时。I wake up early because I’m afraid that my alarm won’t go off, so I’ll be late, 就怕闹钟不响，怕迟到， but I feel so tired when I get up. 起来的时候好很累.” While he was talking, 一听他这么说，I praised the Lord in my heart, 我心里就赞美主，and knew that the opportunity had come.知道主所赐的机会来了。 

So I started to testify how God exposed the same anxiety and fear in me 14 years ago. 我于是讲起十四年前，神怎样显出我的焦虑惧怕的见证。I was attacked by some negative thoughts, 我那时也被负面思想攻击，while Raymond was out and didn’t come back on time that night, 那个晚上Raymond出去没准时回家，saying, “Raymond is in danger, Ranymond出事了，…he is going to die他要死了…” I couldn’t sleep, so I prayed, 我怎么也睡不着，就祷告，and I realised that my mum used to be like this, 就想起我妈妈以前也是这样，whenever we hadn’t come back home on time, she was in panic. 每次我们没准时回家，她就很慌。I realised that this was an evil power that tried to cause me to be in panic.我意识到这是一股黑暗力量要把我拉进恐慌里面。So I asked for forgiveness because of my judgement of my mum without mercy.于是我求主赦免我无怜悯论断妈妈的罪。I used to say to my mum without mercy like this, “why are you always worried too much?” 过去总是无怜悯的对妈妈说，为什么你总是过分忧虑...that day I realised that I could become like my mum if I didn’t have Jesus.那时我发现若没有耶稣我可以像我妈妈一样忧虑。So I prayed to disconnect myself from the same lie, anxiety and fear I received from my ancestors,并祷告断开我与从祖先所得来的谎言、焦虑、惧怕的连接，and I asked God to fill me with the light and the peace of Christ. 我求神用光和平安充满我的心。Light cast out darkness. 光驱走黑暗。I was free in that area since then.自此以后我这块就被释放了。 Something exposed by the light becomes visible.凡事受了责备，就被光显明出来（一切被光所揭露的事，都要成为明显的。）（弗5：13） Brother Li agreed, 郑弟兄也有同感，that it was because of the worries, the anxieties and fear he held in his heart ,那是因为他心里有担忧，焦虑和惧怕，he therefore couldn’t sleep well enough when he needed to get up a little bit earlier than usual. 当他需要稍微比平时早起时，就不能安心睡够。

And brother Li also testified并且郑弟兄见证说, that there was pride hidden behind all those negative feelings,在这些的背后还隐藏着骄傲, because he wanted to do things perfectly,因为他想做事完美，and he wanted to give people a good impression that he was a responsible person,他想给人留下好印象就是自己是个负责任的任，but when he did all of these in his own strength,但当他用自己的力量去做这些，he found that he didn’t have mercy on those who made mistakes.他发现他就对犯错误的人没有怜悯。

So he prayed after me to confess that the anxiety, 就跟着我一起祷告，承认心里有焦虑，the fear that his boss would tell him off, 承认怕被老板骂，and the judgement he had towards his ancestors who were all idol worshippers all belonged to darkness. 承认自己论断过祖先都是拜偶像、属黑暗的。And he prayed after me to ask for forgiveness and to forgive them. 他跟我祷告求主赦免他的罪并赐下饶恕，饶恕祖先。Also, to ask the power of the Holy Spirit to get rid of the dark power of fear and anxiety from him, 同时求圣灵释放能力驱赶焦虑害怕离开，and to disconnect him from the tie to the sins of his ancestors.断开与祖先所犯罪的连接。And gave himself to the light.并把自己献给光。Next morning, 第二天早上，I received a text from brother Li, 郑弟兄发消息给我说，‘Praise the Lord! 感谢赞美主！I slept very well! 我睡得很好！I woke up right before the alarm, 刚好一醒闹钟就响了，and I didn’t feel fatigue anymore. 一点儿也不累。’  all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 凡事受了责备，就被光显明出来，因为一切能显明的就是光。（弗5：13）  Embrace correction of the Lord, Embrace the light! 拥抱主的纠正，就是拥抱光！We therefore have the power to expose what darkness looks like that controls our old selves.我们因此就能揭露黑暗控制我们的旧人的样子。 

3, Walk in the filling of the Holy Spirit. V.15-20 行在圣灵充满中，15-20节 

V.15, we are told to be very careful how we live. 15节说，你们要谨慎行事。Children of Light, 光明的子女，live a life as the wise not as the unwise! 不要像愚昧人，当像智慧人！Seek to understand what the will of the Father is, 当寻求明白父的旨意，and to be filled with the Holy Spirit! (v.18). 要被圣灵充满！（18节）From v.19-20, 在第19-20节，We see two things that spirit filled lives look like: 我们看到被圣灵充满的生命的样式： a, A life of praise. 是常常赞美主的生命； b, A life of thanksgiving. 是常常感恩的生命。

Children of Light, 光明的子女，let’s seek to walk in the love of Christ, 让我们行在基督的爱中，walk in God’s holiness, 行在神的圣洁中，and walk in the filling of the Holy Spirit. 行在圣灵充满中。Let our light shine to the world!让我们的光照在世上！