ICE BREAKER: 
What are (humorous or serious) mistakes that you made once in your life and immediately concluded that you would never do again? (Ex. Touching hot stove or electric fence)

• This question ties into this passage and sermon by highlighting that we are often careful how we act based on wisdom gained from experience.
  

 
READ Ephesians 5:15-17
 
SERMON DIGESTION: Your chance to give any personal input on the sermon.

• How did the sermon personally impact you?
  
• How were you encouraged, convicted, challenged, inspired?
  
• What questions did it leave you with?
  

 
DISCUSS:
 

• Restate/Summarize 5:15-17 in your own words.
• How is 5:15-17 a natural next step if a person understands the truths in 5:5-14?
  

 
Pastor Thomas paralleled the word ‘wisdom’ with the term “God-centered.” Wise living is God-centered living. It is living with Jesus at the center of your concerns and choices.

• What does this imply about a foolish or unwise person?
  
• What is the significance of this for being “wise” with our finances, relationships, leisure time, family schedule, etc.?
  

 

1. What would be some helpful methods to “look carefully at how you walk” currently? 
   
2. What questions could you discuss with yourself and others to help you evaluate the God-centeredness of your lifestyle and choices?
   

 
Verse 16 declares that wise living is making the best use of your time.

• Where does your daily routine tend towards self-centeredness rather than God-centeredness?
  
• What would a God-centered weekday look like for you?
  
• What would a God-centered day off look like for you?
  

 
Verse 17 declares that wise living is living out “the will of the Lord.”

• How do Ephesians 1:5,9,11 help us understand what Paul means here by the phrase “the will of the Lord”?
  
• Pastor Thomas summarized “the will of the Lord” in this context (based on chapter 1) as: God’s purposeful work of redeeming people to Himself and into a radical new community called the church.
  
• If this is accurate what is it that Paul wants us to ‘understand’ in 5:17 and incorporate into our wise living?
  

 
Are you deliberate about linking your small life story with God’s larger story going on around you every day?

• How are you prone to shrinking the direction of your life down to only the size of your life?
  
• How can we help one another break out of that cycle and into a cycle of wise, redemptive living?
  

SERMON DIGESTION: Your chance to give any personal input on the sermon.

• How did the sermon personally impact you?
  
• How were you encouraged, convicted, challenged, inspired?
  
• What questions did it leave you with?
  

 
Discuss: What are your primary reasons for living a God-honoring life? When sin tempts or grabs you what reasons are primarily powerful in turning you around?
 
READ Ephesians 5:1-2
 
What motives does Paul list for holy living in 5:1-2? There are at least 3.

• How are each of these motives connected to the Gospel?
  
• How could they motivate you in personal struggle or temptation?
  

 
The church family in Ephesus lived in a multi-cultural, pagan society that was held together through the demonic and sexualized worship of Greek gods. It was a culture thick with un-holy practices and beliefs.

• What practices and beliefs are most frustrating and discouraging in your current culture?
  
• What practices and beliefs are most tempting and alluring in your current culture?
  

 
READ 5:3-4
 
Pastor Thomas unpacked this section by arguing that “a major part of walking in love, as Christ loved us, is treating others in holy ways not in harmful ways.”

• How are the 6 sins Paul mentions harmful even when practiced between consenting parties?
  
• How does the end of v.4 make clear that God’s desire for His people is not a rejection of sex and intimacy? (See Proverbs 5:15-19 for a Christian attitude toward sexuality.)
  
• What would be a biblical response to the accusation, “You Christians are just prudes and killjoys. Sex is a fun and amazing pleasure for any consenting people”?
  

 
After the list of instructions from 4:1-5:4 Paul gives 4 motivations for holy living in 5:5-21. Why is it critical to put Gospel-centered motivations alongside Gospel-centered commands?
 
READ 5:5-7 to hear Motivation for Holy Living #1

• Restate Paul’s thoughts here in your own words.
  
• How is this a motivation for holy living?
  
• How does the word “partner” in v.7 help understand what type of relationship with sin Paul is warning about here?
  

 
READ 5:7-14 to hear Motivation for Holy Living #2

Pastor Thomas summarized this motivation as: “You are a blazing light that can give life. Become who you are.”

• How is this a motivation for holy living?
  
• What does the fruit of holy living in v.9 have to do with sinners being raised from spiritual death in v.14?
• What does this have to do with your choices in daily life?
  

Sermon Title - When the Body Breaks: How to Fight for Unity (Eph. 4:24-5:2)

ICE-BREAKER: 3 Myths to ponder and discuss.  

1. Myth: Christians should never have conflict. 
2. Myth: All conflict is Satan working against us. 
3. Myth: Christians should be able to just ignore conflict and move on. 
   

SERMON DIGESTION: Your chance to give any personal input on the sermon.

• How did the sermon personally impact you? 
• How were you encouraged, convicted, challenged, inspired? 
• What questions did it leave you with? 
  

FURTHER DISCUSSION:

Pastor Thomas repeatedly posed the question, “What are your goals for your relational conflicts?” 

• What are the primary possible answers (good and bad) to this question? What answers match your typical actions?
• Why is it good news for us that Jesus came to solve the conflict between man and God rather than winning the conflict? What can we apply from Jesus’ actions and attitudes to the way we view conflict?
  
  

The Gospel tells us that the remnants of sin still affect us and those around us. How can remembering this truth positively impact our attitudes towards others in a conflict?

Reflecting on Paul’s specific instructions:

v.25. 

-Do you manipulate the truth to avoid or minimize conflict? How is this a sinful and relationally damaging way to function?

-Is there any way that you need to be more honest or clear in the way you relate to others?

 v.26-27. 

-What are Paul’s 3 “do nots” in these verses for avoiding unrighteous anger? Put them in your own words. 

-Give examples of righteous anger in personal relationships. How can that anger be used to solve conflicts and mature relationships?

v.28. 

-What is most difficult for you to be generous with? Why?

-What biblical truths encourage us to generous? (not commands but reasons)

v.29. 

-If you could change one thing about the way you use your tongue what would it be? What are you doing to make that change?

v.31-32.

-Are you nursing any of the attitudes in v.31 toward any person? 

-How are the truths in 5:1-2 supposed to fuel you toward a 4:32 lifestyle? Do they? Why or why not?