Dr. McKellar’s Lesson for October 27, 2019

Holy Intoxication

Ephesians 5:18-21

-Because your fruitfulness hinges on submission to the Holy Spirit, obey the command to seek His filling continually.

1. Overview

• sealed (1:13), grieved (4:30) and filled
• a person and not an impersonal force
• incentives for right living

♦ judgment (5:5-7)
♦ light (5:8-14)
♦ wisdom (5:15-17)
♦ fullness (5:18-21)

• the issue here: sanctification-the process of conformity to Christ
• “But our duty and God’s grace are nowhere opposed in the matter of sanctification; for the one absolutely supposes the other. We cannot perform our duty without the grace of God; nor does God give His grace for any other purpose than that we may perform our duty.” (John Owen)

2. The Prohibition

• first imperative: don’t get drunk
• method and result

3. The Command

• second imperative: do be filled
• method and result
• the linguistic lesson: plerousthe

♦ imperative mood: authoritative command, obligation and not option
♦ plural number: for the whole Christian community, no secret technique or formula
♦ passive voice: acted on
♦ present tense: keep on…

• “When we speak of the baptism of the Spirit we are referring to a once-for-all gift; when we speak of the fullness of the Spirit we are acknowledging that this gift needs to be continuously and increasingly appropriated.” (John Stott)

4. The Impact

• musical joy
• comprehensive gratitude
• loving submission

5. So What?

• Drink deeply of the things of the Holy Spirit.
• For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13)