Ephesians chapter five. If you would, turn with me to Ephesians chapter five. Again, as I mentioned, we've been going through our church covenant, which is grounded in the scripture and a reminder of the responsibilities we have as believers in Christ and members of Missouri Avenue Baptist Church. In advancing the testimony of the church in our community and among our acquaintances, we also advance the testimony of the kingdom of our Lord. We must glorify him.

Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do, do all to the what? Glory of God. Matthew five sixteen, let your light so shine before men that they may see your works and glorify your father which is in heaven. One of the responsibilities of the church on earth is to bring glory to our father who is in heaven and our savior who sits at his right hand interceding in our behalf. This is our joy to represent our savior here in this place and on this earth.

And thus, we have a section in our covenant as we read a moment ago entitled before the world because it is important. This morning, we're going to take a closer look at just one of these in a minute. But I did wanna read this verse again as I think it it really drives home the importance of this. First Peter two and eleven and twelve, dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims. That meaning this world is not our final home.

Our our true home, our true citizenship is where? In heaven, we are we are seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus our Lord. So dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. Having your conversation, that is your conduct, honest among the Gentiles. Gentiles there is is meant as in unbelievers.

That whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works, they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. If you'd look in your Bibles in Ephesians chapter five, and I'm gonna begin reading in verse 15. Ephesians chapter five and verse 15. There Paul writes, seeing then see then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise. Redeeming the time.

In other words, using it wisely because the days are evil and they're short. Wherefore, be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the spirit. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Dear heavenly Father, thank you Lord for your word today.

Thank you Lord for the encouragement, the instruction, and the warning we find therein. Thank you Lord most of all for our savior Jesus Christ. If there be one here today that has yet to receive Christ as the Lord and savior of their life, have their sins forgiven, and receive God's gift of eternal life. We pray, Lord, today that they would be willing to humble themselves and to receive you as the Lord and savior of their life. In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen. So as I mentioned earlier, we're going to look at just one of these today. Things falling out back here. It says here, to abstain from the sale of and use of destructive drugs or intoxicating drinks as a beverage. Where would you get that from?

Well, for one and be not, what? Drunk with wine where is in excess, but be, what? Filled with the spirit. The two are contrasting one another. They're not comparing, and it's not like being filled with the spirit looks like being drunk with wine.

No. The two look entirely different. Okay? The two look some people get that confused. One is out of control.

One is under the control of the Holy Spirit. And the Bible mentions this many times through the scripture, this important topic that we'll take a few minutes to look at today. Destructive, it says here destructive or we might use the term also illegal drugs. Not all drugs are illegal, are they? And not all drugs are destructive.

There are many vital necessary drugs which pharmacies sell over the counter or distribute a doctor's order. Some drugs and medical treatments are miracles from God. I I I believe that with all my heart. They provide for the needs of his children and even for those who may never be. He causes it to rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.

A few years ago, I was diagnosed with high blood pressure. There is one pill I take every day. It's verapamil, and it keeps my heart rate low and my blood pressure within reasonable limits. And it isn't good if I don't have it. And I thank the Lord for it because it helps me, And it gives me the opportunity to get up here every Sunday and preach.

And I'm thankful for that. And that is not a bad thing. That is a good thing. Thank God for those who have been gifted with the abilities to create and implement cures and treatments which prolong and better the lives of our loved ones. While we may complain about the price or side effects or advertisements or the manner in which they are made, The fact is fact of the matter, is that for many of us and our loved ones will live longer and more fruitful lives, thanks to modern medicine.

That's a good thing. It reminds me of a story I heard about a man who was clinging desperately to a board, awaiting for God to rescue him after his ship sank. And God sent a boat by, and he said, no. That's okay. God's gonna save me.

And the next, the coast guard came by and said, no, it's okay. God's gonna save me. Next, the helicopter came by and, Lord, no, it's okay. God's gonna save me. And finally, the board fell apart and the guy drowned and he got to heaven.

He said, Lord, I prayed and I trusted you to save me. Why didn't you save me? And God said, well, I sent you a boat and I sent you the coast guard and I sent you a helicopter. What else did you want me to send you? Okay?

God uses many different tools in order to meet the needs and answer our prayers for for ourselves and, for those whom we love. And medications can also be part of that. When used in moderation properly and as prescribed, these can sustain and change our lives for the better. But when obtained illegally or abused, they can also lead to all sorts of addiction, misery, and death. Or hundreds of thousands in our country have overdosed in the last just few years.

Most of them young people. Most of them as a result of one particular drug, fentanyl, that they've either taken straight or has been mixed in with something else they didn't know what they were getting. How terrible for those young lives. How terrible for those for those families who lost their their sons and their daughters to drugs. And while they can be used for good, they can also be used for great evil.

And just because something is legal doesn't make it alright. The recreational use of marijuana and nicotine, regardless of the delivery system, are addictive and harmful to one's mind and body. Don't play with fire. You're apt to get what? You're apt to get burned.

What makes marijuana so dangerous today is that it is considered relatively safe for recreational use, much like alcohol. And that leads people to think, well, if it's legal, it must be what? Or if or if the cops just they're not doing anything about it, then it must be. Okay. You know, it's like the speed limit.

You know, the speed limit's 45, but they don't pull you over unless you're doing 60. Therefore, you know, it's okay to do 59 because they're not gonna pull over till you do 60. Right? If it's not being enforced, then, you know and it must be okay then, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's what? It's okay.

Alcohol, particularly in days past, was used as a medicine. Now, it's also been used for other things, but it has been used for medicine for a very long time. It was used as an antiseptic, and it still is today. We still have a bottle over there of hand sanitizer. What's it got in it?

It's got alcohol in it. It it just destroys the bacteria on your hand when you put it on. You don't even have to wash it off because it evaporates so quick and it just kills the bacteria. Mean, you know, we have all kinds of different substances today that the the one that still works best, alcohol to do that. Alcohol, hand sanitizer, alcohol wipes before they do something in the hospital.

They'll often just take out alcohol wipe and wipe it off. Why? To get rid of the bacteria before they they do that. We now use these also to clean our lenses or our screens. So alcohol is not evil in itself.

It was used like an antibiotic to treat bacterial infections, particularly dysentery. First Timothy five twenty three. This is Paul writing to Timothy. He says, drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities. It would seem that Timothy had a problem with digestional dysentery of some kind.

And evidently, it would seem he was a teetotaler. He didn't drink any wine, any alcohol at all. He just drank the water straight. And there were no water treatment plants in Timothy's day. And so the water often contained bacteria and things that could make you ill and make you sick.

And so Paul wanted Timothy to know it was okay for him to use a little, what, alcohol to treat his, what, to treat his infection. Okay? And as was the custom in that day is they would take a glass like this of of water and they would put a little bit of wine and mix it in in the water because what did it do? Well, the alcohol killed the bacteria in the in the water. Okay?

But you'd have to drink, like, three gallons of this stuff to give you a buzz because there wasn't much alcohol in it. But it served a purpose. It kept you well. And Timothy, because he didn't want to drink any alcohol at all, Paul said it's okay for medical purposes. Put a little bit in there so that you aren't, what?

Sick. Okay. And we still have medicines today that contain alcohol in them as well. In desperate situations, it was used as an anesthetic before surgery and other painful procedures to make the pain bearable. In war, they would often have to amputate people's limbs that were injured in battle, and they didn't have the facilities on the battlefield that we'd have today.

So oftentimes, what they would do is they would have the person that's about to have their limb cut off drink alcohol to make the pain bearable. Thus, it was used as an anesthetic. Alcohol can and has been used for medical purpose, cleaning purposes, cooking purposes. You know, you've had stuff. What happens to the alcohol when you use it when you cook?

Well, the it cooks off. Okay? And you're just left with whatever taste it is. Some of those tastes, don't know why you'd want. But anyway, moving on.

But some of them are pretty good. Thus, our covenant prohibits the use of it specifically as a what? As a beverage or a drink for the purpose of getting buzzed, avoiding reality, dulling the senses, loosening up, being inebriated. In other words, what is the Bible word used for it? Drunk, which brings us back to verse 18, and be not, what, drunk with wine, where it's in excess, but be filled with the spirit.

Don't be controlled by alcohol. Be controlled by the spirit of the Lord. The Bible is clear concerning the use of these alcohol or drugs as intoxicants in order to to make you drunk or to give you a buzz or whatever you want to call the word. We are straightly warned of the dangers of it in the book of Proverbs. Proverbs 20 verse one, wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

Turn if you would to Proverbs chapter 23 with me. Proverbs chapter 23 and look in verse 29. Proverbs twenty three twenty nine. Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow?

Who hath contentions? You know, discontent and quarrels with your neighbor and your spouse. Who hath babbling? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes?

They that tarry long at the what? At the wine. They that go to seek mixed wine or mixed drinks. Look not upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his color in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. What is the color?

Why why does it say, look not upon the wine when it is red? Well, red wine is actually made from purple grapes. Okay? And it starts out rather purple And when the alcohol content grows and gets to a point to where it is a trouble, a danger, then the color turns more from purple to what? To red.

And that's why you don't buy purple wine, you buy or at least I don't maybe shouldn't buy. Alright? But that's why people don't buy purple wine, they buy red wine because the purple has changed to red. Okay? And that's what the writer here is talking about.

Look not up thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth its color in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At last, it biteth like a servant and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women. Thine heart shall utter perverse things. Yes, thou shall be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, and as he that lieth upon the top of the mast, they have stricken me, thou shalt say, and I was not sick.

They have beaten me, and I felt it not. When shall I awake? Very sad words. The verse, I will seek it, what? Yet again.

You'll seek all that horrible stuff again? Yeah. Sadly, for those that are alcoholics, they they often will until the Lord delivers them from it. You have been warned by God, warned of their addictive properties, whether it be the kind that you take by pill or whether it be the liquid that you drink. We are warned of their different properties and their potential to bring misery into our life.

But you say, well, it warns me, but it doesn't actually say it doesn't actually forbid me. A matter of fact, was we noted, Paul told Timothy he could take a little bit of wine for the stomach's sake. So it's not forbidden, is it? Well, consider this. First Corinthians six twelve.

Paul says, all things are lawful unto me, but all things are not what? Expedient. What's what's another word for expedient? Beneficial. Good.

Okay? Good for us. Sometimes all things are lawful, but not all things are not all things are good for us. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the what? Under the power of any.

What is Paul saying? Well, there are many things which are not strictly forbidden in the law. But that doesn't mean that you should go out and do it, especially to access. And by the way, we're no longer under law, we're under what? We're under grace.

But does that mean that it's a free for all? Just if it feels good, do it? Do you think that's what God intends for his children? Read Romans chapter six. It's not.

God actually doesn't expect less of us under grace. He expects what? He expects more. He doesn't expect us just to follow the letter of the law. He expects us to have a law written where?

In our hearts that we follow. What is Paul saying? Well, there are many things which are not strictly forbidden. Besides, we're not under the law, but that does not mean it's a free for all. We have a God to serve.

We have a mission to fulfill. We have a testimony to protect, and we have a heart to guard. Does alcohol assist in fulfilling those things or is it more likely to hinder in fulfilling those things? Which is it? We have a God to serve, a mission to fulfill, a testimony to protect, and a heart to guard.

I dare say alcohol doesn't assist in fulfilling any of these endeavors. No. It rather hinders us from being a good testimony for Christ and serving him aright and living a holy life before the world. Actually, I don't think that's much of a debate. And like Paul said, it is addictive and has the potential of enslaving us to it and therefore would be wise to what?

To avoid. You want to know what it's like to lose years of your life to such things? I know some people. Some of you do too. I can point you their way if you'd like to talk to them and find out.

It isn't good. We are told in first Peter to gird up the loins of our mind. In other words, to use our heads, our God given minds under the control of the spirit, and to choose wisely. We are told not to conform to the patterns of the world and the lost in their choices and behavior. We're to make better ones.

I daresay choosing to avoid alcohol and illicit drugs is probably a better one. Like this man here we read about in Proverbs who unwittingly in who found himself unwittingly in compromising circumstances, those who drink alcohol may find themselves or are likely to find themselves at some point saying things they regret after they loosen their what? Doesn't the Bible warn us about keeping control of our tongue? Alcohol does tend to loosen the tongue and not the other way around. At some point, they maybe find find themselves angry or even violent toward those they love.

There's plenty of examples of that in the world in which we live today. They might embarrass themselves having behaved inappropriately before others and damage their testimony. The first time alcohol is mentioned in scripture, this is the result. Noah planted a vineyard. Nothing wrong with that.

Grapes are a wonderful fruit. He made juice from the grapes. Nothing wrong with that. The grapes, God fermented, and he drank too much of the fermented juice. And what happened?

He became drunk, and he showed himself in public naked. And one of his sons made fun of him. The other two got a blanket and backed themselves up to cover their father and put him back in his tent, he certainly did embarrass himself and damage his testimony. At some point, you may be likely to drive under the influence and possibly do harm to others. It always it it kind of boggles my mind how the world talks about, you know, don't drink and dive.

Don't drink and drive. What about just don't what? Drink. I mean, especially if you're out and about somewhere and somebody's got to drive the car back. But, well, we have a designated designated nondrinker.

Well, if that person can nondrink and have a good time, how about the rest of you not drink? And, I mean, you know, is and what if, you know, you that are drunk and don't keep an eye and the other person doesn't keep their word? You know, we don't make the smartest decisions when we're high on something. So sometimes those that are given to this are more likely to find themselves to commit crimes and end up in jail. How many people committed the crime they committed because they were drunk, and now they're where?

In jail. Or involve themselves in immoral activities which result in the loss of their moral purity and the destruction of their marriage relationship, and the list goes on. So we are warned to stay away. It says here in verse 31, look not upon the wine when it is red. That seems to be a warning to keep away from it.

I ask if the answer to that is yes, then you if is it worth it? Is it worth it? If the answer to that is yes, then you have bigger problems than God with God than than just alcohol. Again, it says in Ephesians five eighteen, be not drunk with wine or as in excess, but be filled with the spirit. We are to be controlled and led by the spirit rather than be intoxicated with alcohol.

For one cannot do both at the what? At the same time. Paul is clearly saying you're not going to be under the control of the spirit if you're under the influence of alcohol. And so the the answer people give when they read that verse, be not drunk with wine, well, what is drunk? Well, according to the state of Florida, point o 8% blood alcohol content is too drunk to what?

To drive a car. Now what is that? A can or two of beer, a glass or two of wine, a shot or two of whiskey? I'm puzzled. Who is supposed to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth?

You. Me. How can we lead them to Christ if we're not willing to be different and sacrifice a few earthly pleasures for the treasure of heaven and the lost souls around us? What kind of testimony are you exhibiting if you're taking of these, at best, questionable things? What will someone think if they see their pastor sitting at a bar and drinking?

Would that be a poor testimony? Mhmm. If it's not good for me, then what makes it good for fill in the blank. And could I not be encouraging others to partake of a behavior that could actually maybe it's not going to destroy me, but it might destroy it might destroy them. In Romans fourteen thirteen, it says this, let us therefore let us not therefore judge one another anymore, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.

Paul is saying don't think about the person beside you, behind you, in front of you. Just think about yourself. I'm not here this morning to judge you if you drank a can of beer last week. I'm not here to judge you and say you are a horrible person if you drank a glass of wine. What I am here to tell you this morning is that we have a testimony to keep, and we have a heart to guard, and we have a mission to fulfill, and we have a God to glorify.

And I have a responsibility for me. And as a pastor, I also have a responsibility to to tell you that what we do affects affects others. And even if you can justify drinking a glass of wine, it isn't it could likely be a stumbling block to somebody else. Is it what? Is it worth it?

Is it worth it? By selling them as a store owner or a bartender, you're most assuredly putting a stumbling block before others, contributing to their delinquency, something which clearly Jesus would not do. I'll come back to that in a second. Habakkuk two fifteen says, woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, that putteth thy bottle to him, that makest him drunk and also that thou mayest look on their nakedness. Yes.

There is seems to be some intent behind this. But nonetheless, what do you expect if you give somebody a bottle of wine to drink or a bottle of vodka or a six pack of beer. But you say, didn't Christ turn water into what? Wine? Did he?

Alright. Couple things to note. Number one, the word in Greek is oinos. There is not a separate word for grape juice and wine in the Greek. It's all the same it's all the same word.

Okay? So whenever you see wine in the New Testament, it could also mean what? Grape juice. Okay? Number one.

Number two, the water that Jesus turned into wine, was it intoxicating or did it just taste really good? I don't know, but I kind of doubt that it was intoxicating. If he could instantly make wine from water, don't you think he could make it not intoxicating? Don't they make stuff that tastes like beer that doesn't have alcohol? I don't know why anybody'd wanna drink it, but hey, they make this stuff.

Alright. If man can do that, don't you think Christ can do it better? Oh, ye of little what? Oh, ye of little faith. People need Christ, not alcohol or narcotics, but Jesus to fill the void in their life.

Give them hope and joy and satisfy their soul. He is the living water from which one might drink and never thirst again. Not beer or wine or whiskey. I understand why the world drinks, and I don't expect them to stop. I don't expect them to live differently, though it would be good if they did.

But I do of God's children, and more importantly, God does. God does. That's why it says, and be not drunk with wine, whereas in excess, but be filled with the wine. That's the expectation of God. Therefore, while others are stripping that phrase from their church covenants because it's unpopular, ours remains.

Because it is a good thing to avoid for our own good, but also for the good of others who are watching us. You may be here today and already struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Jesus died to save you and free you from it. You shall know the truth and the truth shall, what? Set you free.

Romans five eight says, but God commendeth his love toward us and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus invites you to himself with open arms if you will put your faith in him. Come to me all that ye all come unto me all ye that labor and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. You want rest from that addiction. And by the way, there are many more addictions in this world than just drugs and alcohol that grab ahold of people's lives and hearts and hold us captive.

The Bible says that we have weapons of warfare that are great, mighty to the pulling down of those those strongholds. Come to Christ. Receive him, His forgiveness. His salvation. His deliverance.

Jesus loves you and will free you from the slavery and penalty of sin and the addiction if you will trust him. He will forgive you and give you victory if you will repent. Not all people that struggle with drugs or alcohol are lost. Guess what? If you're a Christian and drink alcohol, you're you too could get what?

Drunk. You too could become what? An alcoholic. But in Christ Jesus, you too can have the what? The victory if you will repent and ask for his help.

If you need to change your practice, tell him about it. If you need to get help, ask Jesus, and then seek help from others whom he has placed in your path to help you. If you are lost in sin and beholden to it on the way to a sinner's hell, repent and trust Christ today. Come as we sing a hymn of invitation. Let's pray.

Dear heavenly father, thank you, Lord, for your word. Thank you for the warnings we find therein. Lord, if there's anyone here today that does not know you and who are seeking to find joy in in life in a bottle or in a pill and have particularly become enslaved to it, Lord, there is salvation in Christ Jesus. Help them to see that you are the living water that they need. And, Lord, for those who are your children, Lord, I pray that you would keep us, give us a conviction in our heart, a wisdom and discernment of spirit, Lord, to make wise decisions, redeeming the time because the days are evil.

And, give us victory, we pray. Thank you for all that you have done and all that you will do. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.