Open them up, book of Ephesians chapter number five. Ephesians chapter number five. Ephesians chapter five, we'll begin reading in verse number 18. Ephesians chapter five, verse number 18. And be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Our Father, I pray that you would bless us today as we look at your word. I pray that you'd give us insight and understanding, and I pray that we would walk away from here determined we're gonna do exactly what you would have us do and live exactly as you would have us to live. Guide and direct this morning in Christ's name we ask it, amen. This is not a Thanksgiving message per se. I have mentioned to you before my dislike. Now, I like preaching. I just like preaching. I don't get nervous. I'm prepared and I like preaching. But I dislike preaching holiday sermons. OK, I just do. I don't like to come up with something that says, you know, you ought to be thankful. Oh, don't worry, we'll get to it, because it's covered in the passage we've read, amen? And I like it a whole lot better when God takes care of it. When what we're studying comes up with the holiday right there, I just love it when that happens, and that happened today. Now, if you will listen, you'll know how to truly be thankful. Amen. But, you know, standing up here and preaching entire thankful Sermon is like, you know, the little kid that gets the toy and mommy says, say thank you. And the child refuses to. Say thank you, Johnny. And nothing. Johnny, I said say thank you. And finally the kid goes, thanks. And they're gone. Do they really mean that? So don't make me feel like that, mom. Say thank you. You know, we don't want to do that at all. The message this morning is entitled DUI, Dwelling Under the Influence. DUI, Dwelling Under the Influence. We as human beings are influenced often too easily by the things of this world. And the worldly influences will undoubtedly draw us away from Christ. Some seem harmless and benign, while others can have deadly and eternal consequences. The Bible tells us to stay away from the influence of worldly philosophy in Colossians 2.8, mysticism, Colossians 2.18, asceticism, Colossians 2. 20 to 23, false teachers, Galatians 1.6, evil companions, 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verse number 33. Anything that would control us, that we could be addicted to, that would pull us away from being free, something like a habit, in 1 Corinthians chapter 6, verse number 12, from evil companions in 1 Corinthians 15.33, and even ourself in 1 Romans chapter 12, verse number 16. And that is why the Bible says so often, be not deceived. Don't kid yourself. Don't fool yourself. Don't think that you can think away the commands of God. Don't think you can just dismiss them without consequences. Because they are there, and they're there for a reason. In this passage, the Apostle Paul compares and contrasts for us two things that we need to understand, being under the influence of alcohol with dwelling under the influence of the Holy Spirit. We'll cover them both, including sub points of how it happens, and what it does, how it happens, and what it does. So quickly, what did it get quiet in here? Number one, don't dwell under the influence of alcohol. Don't dwell under the influence of alcohol. He says in Ephesians 5, 18, and be not drunk with wine wherein is excess. Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess. This is a command, it's not a suggestion. Some have read into the Bible a distinction between drinking alcohol and getting drunk. There's no distinction in the Bible. They will say that the Bible condemns drunkenness, and it does, but not drinking. It is false, and I will tell you why in a few moments. Those two sub points, how it happens and what it does. Number one, first of all, how does it happen? How does it happen? How do you place yourself under the influence of alcohol? And we're not to dwell under the influence of alcohol. How do we place ourselves under the influence of alcohol? This should be easy. You drink alcohol. I gotta put these back on to see if anybody's surprised. Because that was some deep theological No, no one's surprised. How do you become under the influence of alcohol? You drink alcohol. If you drink alcohol, you are under the influence of alcohol. It's pretty simple to understand. The question then, is there a magical number whereby drinking becomes drunken and that it is wrong. No, there is not. There's no magical number where that can happen. Again, more on that in a minute. The excuses go something like this. Well, Jesus turned water into wine in John chapter number two. And therefore, it's okay. The Greek word for wine is oinos, used mostly in the Bible. Oinos. It stands for, it means everything from jelly to strong drink. and the context tells us what it's referring to. Now, most of the time, when the Bible speaks of wine in a positive sense, it's using that word oinos, and it's talking about the fruit of the vine, the grape juice that has been boiled and boiled and boiled and boiled and boiled and boiled and boiled until it's this pasty, jelly-like substance that in order to turn back into some kind of beverage, you've got to add water to. Now, have you used cooking wine? To cook. I've got to clear that up. To cook. What happens when you boil it, and boil it, and boil it, and boil it, and boil it, and boil it? All the alcohol does what? It disappears. It evaporates. It's gone. That's the kind of stuff we're talking about here. When that Greek word oinos is used in the Bible to talk about wine in a positive sense, that's what he's talking about here. look at Proverbs chapter 23. Proverbs chapter 23. Proverbs chapter 23 verse number 29. Proverbs 23 verse 29. Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow? Who hath contentions? Who hath babbling? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine, they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth its color in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last, it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick. They have beaten me, and I felt it not. When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again. Wow. What a description of being drunk. What a description of being drunk. There it is, clearly. Go to Isaiah chapter number five, Isaiah chapter number five. Isaiah chapter number five, look at verse number 11. Isaiah chapter five verse number 11, woe unto them that rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink and continue until night till wine inflame them. Go to verse number 22 of Isaiah chapter number five, woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine and men of strength to mingle strong drink. which justify the wicked for reward and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him. Therefore, as the fire devoured the stubble and the flame consumed with the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness and their blossom shall go up as dust because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. Now, let me ask you again. Do you think Jesus turned water into wine? I have come to fulfill the law. not to break it. He's not doing that. That just makes absolutely no sense. Are we understanding here? Bible's not teaching some kind of distinction between it's okay to drink, but you can't get drunk. Again, what's that magical number? It's not there. Bible says don't, don't, don't. So Jesus is not going to say, okay, I will. It's not going to happen. The second excuse comes from Timothy, where Timothy was told to drink wine for a stomach ailment. Drink a little wine for thy stomach's sake. Now, you have to understand, Timothy is not trying to get to drink, he doesn't want to. Okay, this is the same thing as take your NyQuil and go to bed. You ever read the side of a NyQuil bottle? What's it got in it? And if you're resorting to drinking NyQuil because you can't get anything else, you're in big trouble. You're in big trouble. But that's what that was. Timothy is not charging for an excuse to drink. He's trying to say, I don't want anything to do with that. And Paul says, it's okay, take your NyQuil. Go to bed. Get better. Wow. So number two, number one, how does it happen? That's easy. Number two, what does it do? What does it do? Well, let me tell you that alcohol impairs from the first sip. Okay, we put numbers on it. 0.08, you can't drive. Otherwise, you're driving under the influence. We put numbers on it. But the fact of the matter is, you're impaired from the first sip. Well, that's not me who says that. God said don't do it, that's all the information we need to know. Amen? I have studies done from over 150 studies of alcohol and its effect on different things. Now these aren't Baptist studies. These are public universities who made these studies on the effect of alcohol on people. Okay, here's what they write. Alcohol in low doses causes suppression of inhibitory centers and produces apparent stimulation while impairment of abstract thinking lessens anxiety. Low doses. Since alcohol passes easily into the brain, when a person's blood alcohol level ranges from .02 to .08, he or she usually has a change in mood. His or her muscles may become uncoordinated. He or she has trouble correctly interpreting what he or she sees and hears so that they may be less able to feel pain and will act differently or improperly. Secular studies. The intoxicating effects of alcohol are caused by the result of its action on the brain. Alcohol produces its depressant action by interfering with the normal functions of the brain. The higher the blood alcohol level, the more intense the effect. Thus, if a person drinks only a small amount of alcohol, the effects may not be obvious. But there are effects. Long-term alcohol intake has multiple effects on one's body. Alcohol easily penetrates into nearly every organ of the body. Therefore, all tissues are affected by it. There are no special precautions that an alcoholic can take to avoid the complications associated with excessive alcohol intake. The only way to guarantee that the disorders will not occur is to abstain from alcohol. Secular studies. The notion that studies of alcohol and performance must be conducted upon all the specific skilled performances that individuals might attempt while under the influence of alcohol is false. The impact of alcohol is consistent in that it degrades the neural transmission system in the body and therefore will be degrading any performances where the nerve network must carry information to the brain with resulting messages to the motor components for action. First sip. It's saying it over and over and over again. This guy says a personal review of 150 studies gives him the following observations. Number one, ingestion of even small amounts of alcohol does not improve performance. To the contrary, it degrades performance. As Lieber has stated in his study on the effects of small amounts of alcohol, alcohol can never make you do a thing better. It can only make you ashamed of your mistakes. Or less ashamed of your mistakes, sorry. Alcohol is a depressant drug that slows certain body functions by depressing the entire central nervous system. Effects are noticeable after one drink. The deleterious effects of alcohol on performance are consistently underestimated by persons who have been drinking alcohol. Wow. There's no distinction in the Bible between drinking and drunken. It's not there. God said don't. And God said don't for a reason. Well, studies have found out God was right. But you know something? We really didn't need studies to find that out. Because God is always right. Let's try that again. God is always right. Amen. Back in Ephesians chapter number 5, he says in verse number 18, and be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, wherein is excess. The word there, wherein is excess, literally is being drunk with wine leads to debauchery, leads to debauchery. It leads to all manner of sin and immorality. That's what he says. And where is alcohol used? At parties, at orgies, at crazy things going on. 50% of all fatal crashes of automobiles in the United States is due to alcohol. We could go on and on and on and on, but we won't. Don't dwell under the influence of alcohol, is what he's saying here. Number two, dwell under the influence of the Holy Spirit. dwell under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Let's read it again, Ephesians 5, verse number 18. And be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting yourselves one to another. While alcohol impairs judgment, and lessens inhibitions, the Holy Spirit, through the Word of God, enhances your judgment and gives you more self-control. Again, the exact opposite thing takes place. So, the two sub-points. Number one, how does it happen? How does it happen? At salvation, when you trust Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, the Holy Spirit comes and dwells within your body. And you receive all of the Holy Spirit that you're ever gonna get. You don't need to pray for more. You don't need to pray to be filled with the Spirit of God. You don't need to pray for any of that. You receive all of the Holy Spirit that you're ever gonna get the moment that you are saved. Amen. He is there, Jesus said, I won't leave you comfortless, I won't leave you orphans, I will send another comforter, remember that means another one just like me, that he may be with you forever. He sent the Holy Spirit when we got saved to guide us through this life, to direct us through this life, to empower us through this life that we might do right all the time. You are filled. with the Holy Spirit of God as you yield yourself to Him. As you yield more of you to the Holy Spirit, He gets more of you. You never get more of Him, you got them all. He is God, and you got them all, but you need to yield yourself to Him. So how does that happen? How does that happen? Well, let me show you. Ephesians chapter five, again, let's look at it real quick, because I want you to see this and see something else. Ephesians five, verse 18, be not drunk with wine or in its excess, but be filled with the spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Now turn to the book of Colossians chapter number three. Colossians chapter number three. Colossians chapter 3, go to verse number 16. Did you pick up on that? Same result. Allowing the word of Christ to dwell in you brings the same result as allowing the Holy Spirit to fill you. Do you read that? Same result. Okay? It means it's the same thing. Does that make sense? It's the same thing. You get the same result. Being filled with the Spirit of God is not some magical, mystical thing where he takes over and you never do anything wrong again because you're not in control of yourself anymore. being filled with the Spirit of God is being completely submitted to the authority of the Word of God. Does that make sense? He wrote the Word of God. He inspired the writers of the Word of God to write every word just as he would have them write it, yet he allowed them to work in their own personalities, their own styles. That all comes through in the Word of God. and yet he impressed upon them exactly what to write. Now what does he want to do for you? He wants you to understand and submit to the authority of the word of God. I didn't get any amens. Amen. You submit to the authority of the word of God and you'll be filled with the Spirit of God. That's what it's all about. Doing exactly what God would have you to do and everything that God would have you to do. Not some of it, like a menu. I like this part and I like this part, this part over here. No, I don't like that. So that doesn't apply to me. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, not this stuff. No, no, no, no. That's not how we approach the Bible. We approach the Bible with this is God's word. This is what he said. I need to obey. Amen. Whether I believe it or not, whether I like it or not, whether I agree with it or not, whether I understand it or not, if God said it, God is always right. Amen. And then I'm submitting to the authority of God's word. This book is our sole rule of faith and practice. Period. And what it says. Goes. And when we understand that, and when we get there, then we are filled with the spirit of God. Because we're in complete submission to the authority of God's word. Amen. The Holy Spirit wrote the word of God, and he uses it in your life to turn you into the image of Jesus Christ. And Paul writes here, dwell under his influence. This is his influence. dwell under his influence. God's always right. We're not. Have you noticed that? Have you noticed that in the other person? We'll put it that way. The other guy's wrong a lot, right? So are we, because he's saying the same thing about us. Dwell under the influence of the Holy Spirit of God. So what does it do? What does it do? Paul gives us three things here that it does, that yielding to the Spirit of God, being filled with the Holy Spirit of God, understanding we need to be submitted to the authority of the Word of God in every sense, will do three things in our life. It'll make us joyful, it'll make us thankful, and it'll make us humble. Do you get those things? It'll make us joyful, it'll make us thankful, it'll make us humble. First of all, he says, when we're filled with the Spirit, verse number 19, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. You'll be joyful. You usually don't sing when you're sad. You all follow me? You know, life is not a musical, I get it. And generally, you don't break out in song and dance in the middle of your life, you know, middle of work, something good happens, There you go. That doesn't happen, right? If it does, I don't want to know about it. But there are times when you are joyful and it almost comes out your mouth. There's a song in your heart. It is there. Christ has saved you. God has blessed you. Good things are in your life and sometimes it just You can't help it, it breaks out. You know, you're in the car singing away some song or hymn or spiritual song and there you go, you're all by yourself, otherwise you wouldn't be singing, that's my case. And someone looks over at you at the car next to you, you know, that guy's crazy. That's what being totally submitted to the authority of the word of God does. There's a joy in obeying God in every way. There's a joy obeying God in every day. And it comes out as we yield ourselves to God through being submitted to the authority of the word of God. It comes out. We are joyful. We're thankful. We're thankful. Thanksgiving is coming up this week. Have you noticed that? because the grocery stores are empty of certain things. But there's another reason for that, but that's not for today. You'll be joyful, you'll be thankful, you'll be humble. He tells us in verse number 20, giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thankfulness. And this is what thanksgiving is all about. Joyful, thankful, humble. That's it in a nutshell, right? We've turned it into something else, but that's what it's all about. Joyful, thankful, humble. Thankful. Once again, without sounding like that mother, you need to be thankful. Say thank you. If you are totally submitted to the authority of the word of God, you'll be reading it. You'll be studying it. You're going to get to know it. And you will find out very clearly who you are and where you belong. We're sinners who deserve to go to hell. It's clear in this book. That is who we are. You'll also find out in this book who God is and what he was willing to do to save you. Amen. And that changes the who you are into sinners who deserve hell into sinners saved by grace. Hallelujah. Christ went to the cross and died in your place. Took your sin penalty that you deserve to pay and God punished him instead of you. Wow. And we got a lot to be thankful for. We certainly do. We'll be thankful than everybody else in the world. They don't know what thankfulness is. I'm going to heaven. Oh, not because of me. Because of my savior, Jesus Christ, who loved me and gave himself for me. What a savior. If you can't be thankful. You got a problem. you may not be saved. You're certainly not submitted to the authority of the Word of God, certainly not filled with the Spirit of God, certainly not dwelling under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Because when we are, he brings all this to our mind, he brings all this to our heart, all this to our life, what we deserve and what we've got in Christ. Our hearts will sing. Our hearts will praise. Our hearts will be thankful. Thank you, God. that you sent Christ to die in my place. I'm going to heaven. My sins are forgiven. Jesus paid it all. Hallelujah, what a savior. And when I'm submitted to the authority of God's word, I can truly be thankful. Because I know exactly who I am, exactly what he has done. And then I know exactly how he wants me to live. And I start aiming in that direction. I won't always do it perfectly, and neither will you, but we're moving in that direction. Amen. Moving forward for Christ, and he's helping us every step of the way because we're filled with the Spirit of God. He's not taking over, but we know what the Bible says. We know it's authority in our life, and we yield our will to God's will in God's word. God is good. Joyful. Thankful. Humble. Verse number 21 of Ephesians chapter five says submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Humble. Submission. Basically put. That verse means You are not number one. I'm not number one. Does that make sense? That's what submission is. That's what submission in marriage is. And we're supposed to submit one to another. It's the idea that I'm not number one here. And yet we go through life in every aspect of life thinking who's number one? I am. Oh, we wouldn't say it. We're smart enough never to say it, right? We just act like it. We just live like it. We can just get upset or get mad when people don't do things our way because our way is the best way. Everybody knows that. We know that in this life sometimes you have to compromise and you need to compromise and do it my way. That's how we think. That's what goes on in our brains behind the scenes and how we live life. You know, you've heard me tell the story. There's two pieces of cake left at the church fellowship and you want that piece of cake and there's a big one and a little one left. And which one do you want? You want the big one. You know exactly what I'm talking about. Don't act like you're surprised. So someone's going over in the same direction you are and you know they're going to get that big piece of cake. And you get over there and your mom always told you let the other person pick first. And so you get over there and you go, I got it. Because their mom told them the same thing. Oh, you go first. Knowing and hoping they're going to pick the little one. Because they're going to be polite. So you can get the big one. Because who's number one? I'm number one. And they take the little one and you walk away. I got what I wanted. And we learn how to manipulate our way through life that way. And that said, being completely submitted to the authority of God's word, being filled with the spirit of God, makes us humble. We don't think of me as number one. We learn that joy means Jesus first, others second, and yourself last. Amen. And that's where it comes from. Because it comes from putting me first, the other person takes the big pie, big piece of cake, and dirty, rotten, no good. And the cake was good, but you couldn't enjoy it at that point, because you got the little piece. That's us. It's human beings. It's sad. That's why Paul says, elevate this whole thing. Don't dwell under the influence of alcohol. dwell under the influence of the Holy Spirit of God. And guess what? You'll have Thanksgiving every day. Because you'll be joyful, you'll be thankful, and you'll be humble. And that's how we ought to live every single day. Our Heavenly Father, thank you for this time we've had together to learn from your word. Lord, I pray that We would understand the importance of the word of God. The authority, it is the word of God, the words of God. Help us Lord to get that, to understand that. You're not some cruel taskmaster who wants to make sure we are miserable in this life. You know what's best for us. I pray that we'd get that, we'd understand that. We don't know what's best for us, you do. Help us to understand again, you're always right. Even when we don't understand it. Lord, I pray that you would guide and direct in every decision that is made today. Help us to understand we need to dwell under the influence of the Holy Spirit of God and not anything else. Guide and direct us, point us to your word, point us to being filled with the Holy Spirit of God and how it comes through your word. Lord, I pray you'd help all of us to make the right decision today and leave here changed. If there's anyone in here who is unsaved, show them their need of Jesus Christ. Show them their need of the forgiveness of sins, and show them how it was all accomplished as you went to the cross and died in our place, and sealed when you rose again from the dead on the third day. Guide and direct every decision. We'll thank you and praise you for it. In Christ's name we ask it. Amen. With every head bowed, every eye closed, no one looking around, what does God want you to do today? First of all, are you saved? Have you trusted Jesus Christ as your personal savior? Do you know for certain that you're going to heaven? Do you know for certain that your sins have been forgiven? You say, pastor, I'm saved and I know it. Put your hand up as a testimony of that fact. You're saved, you know, put your hand up. Amen. God bless you. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. You put your hands down. Amen. Amen. Christian. The command to us is to dwell under the influence of the Holy Spirit of God. It's not a magical, mystical thing where the Holy Spirit takes over. It's we become so saturated with his book and so submitted to the word of God that we're doing what he wants and living as he would have us to live. And he's bringing it back to our memory as we live it out. That's what it's all about. You say, Pastor, God has spoken to me, would you pray for me? Anyone like that, put your hand up, put it back down, amen, amen, God bless you, amen, amen, amen, amen, amen. Anyone else, just put your hand up, put it back down. Maybe you're here and you're not saved. Maybe you're here and you've never trusted Christ as Savior. Today's the day to do that. Then you can really celebrate thankfulness on Thanksgiving. Because you've trusted Jesus Christ as Savior, you have eternal life, your sins are forgiven. You have a relationship with God through Christ. The greatest decision you could make would be to trust Jesus Christ as Savior. You say, but Pastor, I've not done that yet, or I'm not sure whether or not I've done it. Would you pray for me? Anyone like that, put your hand up, put it back down. Pray for me, Pastor, I don't know. Our Father, I pray you'd bless now in this invitation. Bless us as we make decisions. Holy Spirit, you've pressed upon our hearts things we need to do. I pray we would now do them. I pray that we would live a life that is completely under the authority of the Word of God, that we might be joyful, thankful, humble. Guide and direct every decision. If there's anyone here who's not saved, show them that clearly and draw them to you in salvation. Guide and direct us as we make these decisions. In Christ's name, we ask it. Let's all stand, every head bowed, every eye closed. The piano's just gonna play. Jesus paid it all. Listen, you know the words. Sing them in your head as you talk to Christ, as you talk to God, as you pray to him about what he's spoken to your heart about. What does he want you to do? Talk to him about it right now. If you're not sure of your soul's salvation, come to the front. I'll be waiting for you right down front. If you need to be saved, I'll show you from the word of God how you can be saved right now. Verse number one. you come.