Walking as Children of Light
May 10, 2026 — Nineteenth Lord's Day
We ended last week's sermon by sharing from Ephesians 5, and today we'll preach through verses 6–10 and focus on truth. We have all heard some people say there is no truth — that everything is subjective, based upon what we physically see, hear, smell, and touch, experienced individually and filtered through all individual human histories. Therefore, they say, there are no universal truths.
So, back to Paul's letter to the Ephesians.
Deceptions
Ephesians 5:6–10 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore, do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.
Deception is Satan's tool to tempt people away from God. We see this deception starting with Adam and Eve in the Garden, and continuing today. Satan does not have any boundaries in his plans to destroy God's creation.
Jesus Rejects Satan in the Wilderness
Satan comes to the incarnate God, as Jesus, in the wilderness with three tests (Matthew 4). Jesus was not tempted, and demonstrated to us how to reject Satan with Scripture:
Matthew 4:3–4— "Prove you're the miracle worker — turn stones to bread."
Rejected by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3: Man lives on the Word of God.
Matthew 4:6–7— Satan challenged a proof test: "Throw yourself off the Temple pinnacle."
Rejected by quoting Deuteronomy 6:16: Do not test the Lord God.
Matthew 4:9–10— Satan offered the world if Jesus would worship him.
Rejected by quoting Deuteronomy 6:13: Worship the Lord God only.
This is our spiritual map to victory when Satan attempts to deceive us.
Who Is Your Father?
In John's Gospel, we read an account of Jesus' discussion with the Jews about Abraham. The discussion centers on who is following their father's teachings. Jesus challenges them: if they are Abraham's children, then why are they trying to kill Him? So the question is — who is their father? Jesus tells them in verse 44.
John 8:42–44 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies."
From this discourse, we can see why people can be deceived by Satan into following their own understanding — or Satan's schemes — and not God's teaching as given in Scripture.
Satan's Biggest Deceptions
What are some of the biggest deceptions with which Satan challenges us? Like Adam and Eve, Satan will test and tempt us to think selfishly. Satan desires for us to separate ourselves from God — to believe we do not need Him, and can have everything we want without Him in our lives. Satan pushes us to advance our standing in life ahead of God. This is called selfish pride. God gives us a healthy pride — to feel good about ourselves and have satisfaction about the work He has called us to do.
Satan will spin God's Word into deception. For example, Satan told Eve, "You shall not eat from any tree of the Garden" (Genesis 3:1). Eve responded that it was only from the forbidden tree they were not to eat from, because they would die if they did. Satan crafted a direct lie in response: "You surely will not die." Satan followed with a divisive view of God's instruction. He pitted Adam and Eve against God, and they swallowed the deceit hook, line, and sinker. Satan desires that we be at war with each other — to destroy each other.
Satan told them, "For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Then Eve selfishly rationalized that the tree was good for food, that it was a delight to her eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make her as wise as God — or wiser. So she took from its fruit and ate, and she also gave the fruit to Adam, and he ate. Then both of their eyes were opened, and they knew that they were naked. So they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths (Genesis 3:1–7).
Is this not the way Satan attempts to work in all of us? Deception is a lie that rationalizes the situation in life and challenges us to think and act with a "me-first" attitude. To counter Satan's constant attacks, we need to make our decisions by pursuing the plan God has for our lives. We need to protect our thoughts. Therefore, we should not avail ourselves to actions that negatively impact us and deviate from achieving God's plan for our lives.
Ministering Angels and Faithful Friends
After Jesus rejected Satan's test in the wilderness, Satan left Jesus. Jesus was never tempted by Satan's test-proposals — meaning Jesus did not contemplate Satan's offer. Jesus immediately rejected Satan with Scripture. The good news is that angels came and ministered to Jesus (Matthew 4:11). I see that ministering angels can also be friends and people who care about us. Remember, Scripture is God's presence.
John 1:1–2, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God… And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
My view is that God works through our Believing friends and family members, as well as through spiritual beings.
The Great Commission
We shall not forget — and shall hold close to our hearts — the words of Jesus at the Great Commission:
Matthew 28:19–20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
AMEN
