Eph 1:1+2 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are also faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We are in the process of looking at God’s Grace, as called forth by the Apostle Paul upon the members of the church. It is in the Body of Christ that God’s Grace can be actively seen in myriad manners. We are currently concentrating on Grace given to the church in the service of the individual members. There are many aspects of this living grace, as we have seen, in the heart of service unto the Lord for the whole body.
We have considered it in terms of the ministry that is established by the heart of the Lord, in those whom God has called as Apostles, as Evangelists, as Pastors and teachers for the sake of the edification of the body. We have also seen that ministry unto the Body is not limited simply to those servants. Every member of the Body has a service to render in the ministry of living lives that are open to every guidance of the Holy Spirit. There are many needs, practical and essential needs, which God meets through the willing ministry of all who have given themselves to that service.
We have been seeing that the building of the Old Testament temple was a type of the church that has always been in the heart of God. As we have mentioned, and as encouraged in numerous passages of the Old and New Testament, we are to now live lives that show forth the wisdom of God in that building of the Church, Creator and Creation in vital union in Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul brings forth, in the Letter to the Ephesians, the manner in which we are now called to live as an adornment of Our God of Salvation. Our lives are to be the evidence of the fullness of the Grace of God that has been established in our union in and by Jesus Christ. Eph 5:1-4 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But fornication and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is fitting among saints. Let there be no filthiness, nor silly talk, nor levity, which are not fitting; but instead let there be thanksgiving. This constant manner of living wholly unto God can only be established and realized by the Grace of God.
The Apostle Paul then proceeds to point out the life that is no longer true of us and with which we should no longer have association in Eph 5:5-7, Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure man, or one who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is because of these things that the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not associate with them …
The Apostle then goes on to explain why this is now true of us and why we are no longer tied to the dictates of this age. Eph 5:8-17 for once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is a shame even to speak of the things that they do in secret; but when anything is exposed by the light it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it is said, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light." Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is… 
Once more for emphasis …Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is…
The wisdom that is ours is only found in the grace of God. His wisdom is part of the blessing that is ours in Christ Jesus. Paul gives a great witness to it in his encouragement to the church at Corinth. It is the grace of God that manifests His wisdom in our lives. In 1 Corinthians, Paul specifically addresses that which this world considers foolishness, but which fully proclaims the wisdom of God in all His glory. 
So often, as Christians, we are accused of not believing in those things that this world proclaims as absolute truth. Spurred by the self-elevation of humanistic thought and reason, this age has built up an attitude that the things of God are merely foolish superstition used as a crutch by those gullible enough to believe in it. To believe in God and to covet the things of God is seen as foolishness by this age because it allows no avenue for self-elevation. That is why the church so irks this world which refuses to accept the reality of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
There is really no other course for those considered wise in this world. If they were to accept that salvation is only possible through Our Lord Jesus Christ, they would have to subscribe to it, thus abandoning their self-proclaimed beliefs. Rather, the so-called wise of this age knowingly suffers the consequences of turning away from God, by instituting gods unto themselves. Because the world refuses to consider that the One, True, Living God of Holiness exists, it has blinded itself, and all its captives, in the folly of this age, which it regards as wisdom.
As such, the Christian community becomes the target of a concerted worldly effort to make the things of God as nothing other than one more example of the many beliefs of the human psyche. It is an effort to infiltrate and infuse the church with earthly wisdom, earthly compromises, and earthly concepts of life. Thank the Lord that He, in Christ, by the Holy Spirit, and through His Word, has revealed the truth to us. Because we know Him in a deep and personal relationship, we stand firmly planted in the certainty of God; Father, Son, and Spirit. When faced with the savage, ruthless, deceptive and wicked assaults of the wisdom of this age, we rely solely on the wisdom of God’s Grace.
As the Apostle writes in 1 Cor 1:21-31 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your call, brethren; not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth; but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong, God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption; therefore, as it is written, "Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord." 
As already emphasized, one of the key aspects of the wisdom of God is recounted and reinforced by the Apostle Paul in Eph 5:17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. How can we avoid foolishness and learn to understand the will of God? It is by His grace as declared throughout scripture. Let us take this opportunity to trace the wisdom of God that is now ours by the inner working of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit, by the Grace of God, Who is our wisdom in opening our hearts to understand the will of God. He reveals that will of God in our lives, in the testimony of our family, in the group of believers gathered together in His name, in the Church as the Bride and Body of Christ, and in the totality of creation. There is nothing outside the realm of the work of the Holy Spirit in His omniscient dwelling in each one of us.
Consider this truth recorded in Job 5:8-14 "As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause; who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number: he gives rain upon the earth and sends waters upon the fields; he sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety. He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success. He takes the wise in their own craftiness; and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end. They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope at noonday as in the night. 
Look at how the Apostle Paul recounts this same exactness of God’s Holiness and Sovereignty in our Ephesian text. Eph 5:6-10 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is because of these things that the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not associate with them, for once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 
The sovereignty of God is indisputable. In Him, all life has its focus, its purpose, and its very existence. The heaven and the earth are under His Lordship and respond to His every command. In that truth, Job finds the answer against the foolish wisdom of men. Mankind has no manner of understanding the things of God apart from God revealing it Himself, by His grace. All the scheming, planning, and craftiness of man is as nothing against the will of God’s wisdom. As stated in Job, they grope in the light of the truth of Jesus Christ. Such is the case with all those who rely on the wisdom of this age.
David considers how the Lord opens the eyes of mankind to His plans and purposes in Ps 19:7+8 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; It is in His Word that the Holy Spirit operates to show forth the wisdom of God. It is the testimony of Our Lord Jesus Christ that the Holy Spirit reveals as His Word is studied and received. Please notice what happens within the beings of those who dwell upon the Word of God and delight themselves in His Law. The Word of God, containing all the wisdom of God in Jesus Christ, in His perfection, revives the soul. As we walk on the face of this earth, we are daily accosted by the so-called wise of this age. We become weary of the constant onslaught against the name of the Lord. It is at those times that we take refuge in the Wisdom of God’s Word. We can find our refreshment to face the day in the light of the revealed countenance of Christ, the Living Word of God. We become encouraged and strengthened in the tremendous love of God that is ours in His Word. We become wise in the ways of the Lord as we study and obey His Word. 
As an additional consideration, in order to emphasize the utmost need to take refuge in His Word, it is there that our souls find the meaning of our lives. We are called unto fellowship with God as declared in the scriptures of God’s inspiration. We find our salvation in His word, not just eternal salvation in the gospel of Jesus Christ, but the daily salvation from the forces of influence in this age, the declarers of this false worldly wisdom. We see how God’s Holiness is to be treasured and honored as we find solace in His Word. We become guarded with the living knowledge of Christ as we feast upon His Word, and let it sink deeply into our hearts by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. That is grace, the grace of God beyond measure.     
In Prov 3:5-7, we read Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. The grace of God is what establishes our trust in the Lord. As we see His hand of love expressed in the wisdom of His ways, we begin to rely on Him more and more. That is the lesson that is necessary for all of us to learn. God is trustworthy beyond any measure of which we could ever conceive. He loved us from before the foundation of the earth was laid and made the ultimate provision for our lives in Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior. In light of that, we should not hesitate to obey the Lord instantly, to count on Him in every situation, large or small. Let us never think that we can handle anything of our own accord, because that supposed wisdom will simply be shown for the foolishness that it is in relation to the perfection of Our Lord. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach us to trust Him in everything. Beseech the grace of God to establish our trust and we will see that nothing can thwart the awesome grace of God in the splendor of His wisdom in our lives.
The prophet Isaiah was shown much about the wisdom of man as opposed to the wisdom of God. In Isa 5:20+21, we read Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight! It is amazing, it is astonishing, although it shouldn’t be, how Isaiah’s view of the people of his day so corresponds to our present time. After all there is nothing new under the sun when it comes to human depravity. Today, there is so much that is taking place that is evil and vile that is declared and honored and valued by this age as good and valid and necessity. If we look at the movies, listen to the songs, watch the behavior, attitudes, and lack of morals of politicians, of movie stars, of sports figures, we must marvel at the wisdom of God spoken through Isaiah. We, as a society, are showing each other, teaching each other that depravity, that violence, that lust, that worshipping the demonic idols of wealth, power, and self-gratification is right and proper and necessary. That it is wise to do anything expedient to get ahead. The values of this age are set in nothing other than which satisfies the corruptness of the flesh. It promotes the idea that it is so much more important to promote one’s self rather than making those decisions that establish integrity. As one example that is so prevalent in its insidiousness and wantonness, consider how this world looks at purity. Whether it is the purity of the heart, the sanctity and purity of marriage, sexual purity, spiritual purity, social purity, this world does everything it can to besmirch and to defile it. Rather than rejoice in that which is good, the world makes fun of those whose standards of behavior are high. It treats them like outcasts and teaches that it is unwholesome not to participate in the filth of this age. Anyone who is pure is treated with disregard, disrepute, humiliation and contempt by this foul and deceptive world. It glories in its depravity and corruption. As Isaiah laments Woe to those who call evil good and good evil…
Isaiah continues the course of God’s stand against the wisdom of this age in Isa 29:13-15 And the Lord said: "Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men learned by rote; therefore, behold, I will again do marvelous things with this people, wonderful and marvelous; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hid." Woe to those who hide deep from the Lord their counsel, whose deeds are in the dark, and who say, "Who sees us? Who knows us?" 
This world’s wisdom declares that it is OK to do those things which seem to have no effect on others. It is OK to dabble with wickedness as long as one is not caught. As long as no one gets hurt, who cares what we do. The vile lie is that things that are done in secret and covered in darkness will not be found out. This idea is so pronounced that it is blatantly promoted in commercials, in every media outlet. 
Who sees us? The Lord does. Who knows us? The Lord does. There is no escape from the truth that our lives are completely open to the Lord God Almighty. There is no darkness black enough, no crevice deep enough, no flight far enough to take us outside the realm of God’s knowledge and wisdom. We do not even know ourselves, we do not realize the vile things that can proceed forth from our beings, but God does. And even knowing everything about us, He chose to love us unto Himself in order to create a new spirit within us, a spirit of life and love and wisdom in the light of Jesus Christ, His Only Begotten Son. Never think that our sins, little or big, will not find us out. That is simply foolishness when considered against the Omnipotent, Omniscience, and Omnipresence of God. 
Our last passage in Isaiah this morning details the joy that is found in the wisdom of the Lord. Isa 44:23-25 Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it; shout, O depths of the earth; break forth into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and will be glorified in Israel. Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: "I am the Lord, who made all things, who stretched out the heavens alone, who spread out the earth - Who was with me? -  who frustrates the omens of liars, and makes fools of diviners; who turns wise men back, and makes their knowledge foolish;… In Him, we can fully rejoice because He has redeemed us unto Himself. He will be glorified in these lives that are His to use as His wisdom deems fit and proper. In His Omnipotence, He created all things. Man puffs himself up with scientific discoveries and experimentation. There are things done by man that are promoted as marvelous and miraculous. When set against the work of God’s grace in the salvation that He has freely made ours to perfection, when considering the life that only God can form in the womb, when we consider God, everything of man dissolves as nothing. When the glory of God’s grace, Our Lord Jesus Christ, is revealed, all man’s wisdom will be acknowledged for the foolishness and futility that it is. All creation will rejoice in the wisdom of God as His wonderful plan and purpose brings forth all praise and adoration and honor from the heavens and the earth. Thank God for His wisdom in action in our lives and in all of creation. He, Alone, will stand forth as the true essence of life, by His grace and His wisdom, in creating the church and bringing it unto Himself in His perfection. 
In closing, once more, with all honor in our hearts and beings unto God; Father, Son, and beloved Holy Spirit, we read in Eph 5:17-20 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father. Amen
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are also faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

Today’s benediction is the prayer of Daniel recorded in Dan 9:13-19 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us, yet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God, turning from our iniquities and giving heed to thy truth. Therefore the Lord has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us; for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works which he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice. And now, O Lord our God, who didst bring thy people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast made thee a name, as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly. O Lord, according to all thy righteous acts, let thy anger and thy wrath turn away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy hill; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people have become a byword among all who are round about us. Now therefore, O our God, hearken to the prayer of thy servant and to his supplications, and for thy own sake, O Lord, cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline thy ear and hear; open thy eyes and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name; for we do not present our supplications before thee on the ground of our righteousness, but on the ground of thy great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, give heed and act; delay not, for thy own sake, O my God, because thy city and thy people are called by thy name." Amen