Sermon Quick Summary

This was a joint worship service with Living Stones Christian Church and South Bay Community Church. Knee jerk reactions are healthy in the doctor’s office, but they are unhealthy when reacting to fear and anxiety from our social environment or in our personal lives. The most natural thing to do when facing fear and anxiety is to react. However, God is actually cracking open a window of opportunity for us to see God is still present, God is still working, and God is up to something GOOD! In Ephesians 5: 15-17, Paul redefines wisdom as clarity from God, revelation from God, and something you live out for God. Wisdom is not cleverness, not mere speculation, not something you just talk about. Ephesians 5:15-17 can be summed up in three words: See. Discern. Act. See is to be wise and watchful (v.15); pay attention; eyes wide open; alert; thoughtful; spiritual clarity. Discern is to understand God’s will (v.17). Act is to make the most of every opportunity (v.16). Evil days don’t eradicate opportunity; they heighten the urgency to act and respond right now in the middle of it all. As we see, discern, and act, there are practical ways to live up to the moment and live into God’s plan in the midst of social darkness in society and personal darkness. In darkness, God calls us to be careful and wise, making the most of every opportunity: First, SEE with eyes wide open with Jesus as truth, see issues in context, and see what is going on inside. Then, DISCERN to see what God sees, read God’s Word, get perspectives from wise and godly people, see things from a Godly spiritual perspective, and discern what is God calling you to do. Then, ACT! Seize the moment! Step out in faith and obey. We get drawn into social darkness when we bypass seeing, discerning, and then acting. Maybe for you, the darkness around you isn’t social, but personal. We heard personal testimonies that are choosing to see, to discern, and to act. We have opportunity to be people who see, who discern, and who act, not just in particular moments, but as a way of life.