By Jared Warner
Willow Creek Friends Church
March 15, 2026
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Ephesians 5:8–14 (ESV)
8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
Darkness and light. There is something about those words that are both ominous and hopeful. It does not matter where you are from or what belief system you espouse. There is fear in darkness, and hope in light.
I have always been a bit of a nerd. When I was in school my classmates would often draw characters of me with big thick glasses, wild hair, and a white lab coat. I never really had a nickname but the closest thing that I had to a nickname in school was “the Scientist”. I did not really mind it, they were not really making fun of me as my glasses are pretty thick. The wild hair was not very accurate but I was an elementary school boy so there were days where my hair just did whatever it wanted without any regard to social norms, and there are worse things in life than being compared to Einstein. And I loved science.
I loved science and I loved a good story. If you have been around me for any amount of time you know that my favorite movies are the ones that combine the two. I like Star Wars, because it has a good story and there are space ships. I like Star Trek because it speaks of boldly going where no one has gone before. That catchy slogan speaks about curiosity and science along with an adventure story. I love comics heroes and almost believe that it was divine providence that most of the Marvel movies have come out around my birthday. Why do I like these things? They speak of science and then there is the story.
The story is usually the same. Every good story has a similar theme. Jordan Peterson made his living pointing out that fact in his YouTube lectures and I often found myself agreeing with the basis of his discussion. There are characters, a problem, people that use the problem to gain power or some sort for their own gain, and another character finding a way to overcome the problem finding a solution that negates the exploitation and liberates the rest of the characters.
It does not really matter what the story its. I was watching a comedian on YouTube a few months back, probably a couple of years ago, and he said Star Wars and Harry Potter are the same story. He then went into all the themes within each. The worst thing about it is that the comedian is right. It really is the same story. An orphaned boy mentored by an older master to use this universal power, the have a dark side and a light side, and they both have sticks that often glow. But every story is basically the same light and dark. Good versus evil. Chaos verse Order.
Now I am beginning to sound a little like Jordan Peterson, sorry. This is truly something that is found throughout human existence. I am not promoting that culturally controversial figure, I am just saying that it is important to recognize truth when we see it. And he built his entire career on the phycology of order and chaos theories. Oddly though I did not begin to see this when he began writing, I was able to see it when I was in elementary school.
I read about it in the books that I obtained from the library. I saw it in the lives of the scientists I learned about. I saw that there was some deeper theme presenting itself in the lives of Jackie Robinson, Jesse Owens, and Jim Thorpe. Most kids just saw these awesome athletes but I saw the dark struggle they faced and the resistance that emerged into the light. They strove to overcome more than an opponent on the field or on the track, they faced a darkness the overshadowed the very foundation of their culture.
These stories, they can be the depictions of actual people or fictional accounts like Huckleberry Finn and Jim on a raft, they speak of struggle. They speak of facing the perception of what is right socially against something that does not sit well within our conscience. And this is what Paul is speaking about as he writes to the people of Ephesus.
Ephesus was a major port city in Asia Minor or what we know today as Turkey. It was an important city to the Hittites, the Persians, the Greeks, and the Romans. It became a major ally to the Greeks during the conquest of Alexander the Great because they lead the revolt against Persia due to high taxes. Which is something we as Americans tend to respect as that is what led to our own revolt against the king of England. In Ephesus the land based trade routes from the East and the shipping across the sea met and everything that entered and left this port was taxed. This becomes problematic because it means that there is a slow down in the transportation, as well as a large amount of capital within the city as you can imagine crime, corruption, and conspiracies loomed within the streets.
There were other things happening in the streets as well. Sailor, traders, political figures, and people from across the empires from both the east and the west congregated within this city and where people gather the transfer of knowledge happens. Forums and theaters became a thing, where scholars and philosophers would share their teachings. Libraries and temples to various deities were constructed. And one of these temples, the temple of Artemis, was the key feature of this community.
Artemis was a goddess that was supposedly responsible for fertility. She granted fertility to the herds, the wild animals, the trees that bore fruit, and to women. And she was the huntress so she also provided protection to humanity from the wild beasts that might cause harm. And the most practical aspect of her cult was that she was believed to hold the lives of women in her hands while they gave birth.
This part of Turkey was filled with beasts, it had treacherous terrain, and the people were often nomadic herdsmen, and hunters. They needed the fertility of the animals. And even today the greatest risk to a woman’s health is during child birth. These things attracted people to this religious cult. And Ephesus was the place of rest for them, it was a calm place where the river met the sea, where they could enjoy the good things of life. They built a temple to their goddess that was grand. Many scholars call it one of the wonders of the ancient world, and it would have rivaled the temple in Jerusalem.
It is to this place that Paul is writing this letter. “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”
Paul knows this city, he knows who lives there, and what they are capable of. The silversmiths of this city rioted when Paul came to their town because the message he brought threatened their trade. They made figurines of the goddess to sell to the travelers, and Paul spoke against their idolatry.
Paul was also from Asia Minor originally. Tradition tells us that he was born in Tarsus, which is on the south eastern coast of Turkey not too far from the boarder of Syria, where Ephesus was on the Western edge. Tarsus was along the trade route so it was likely that Paul would have traveled often to that city, since he was a Roman citizen.
He knows the superstitions and the fears that the people in this city had. He knows how they worshiped the goddess and what was required. I have often found it interesting that when we speak about the culture wars today, the verses that are often quoted are usually from the letters written to the people, or the ministers that severed in the communities where the primary religious cult was focused on the worship of a goddess, a female deity. We quote the list of sins found in the letters to the Corinthians, we take notice of the mention of immorality and impurity in this letter, and in the letters to Timothy and Titus, both of which were ministers in Ephesus, we get the most quoted verses in relation to our current cultural disagreements. Have we taken the time to ask why Paul gives these lists to these people? I want us to just think about this for a moment. Artemis of Ephesus, was a fertility goddess. There is no direct proof of what the cultic practices of her worship consisted of but there are indications that the leaders had to be female, or males that had given their fertility to the goddess. One does not need to make too much of a leap to understand why Paul gave those lists of sins to the people of these communities. That list was likely the list of what the worship of that goddess entailed.
In today’s verses Paul tells us do not become partners, or fellow partakers, with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.
This brings us to darkness and light once again. In every commentary I read this week, they made mention of two things when revering to these verses. When they spoke about darkness, the first thing they mentioned was fear. And the second was a lack of understanding. When they spoke about light it was the inverse. It was hope instead of fear, and understanding or wisdom.
Walk as children of light.
I had us sing a silly song today, a song I learned when I was about Albert’s age, about George Fox and his teachings. Walk in the light wherever you may be walk in the light wherever you may be. In my old leather breeches and my shaggy shaggy lock I am walking in the glory of the light said Fox. Those that participated in the Talking Tuesdays that we did last year might have noticed some of the teachings within that song and recognized how deeply the early Friends held those beliefs. Will you fight for the Lord, they asked George and he said no, because you cannot kill evil with a gun or a sword. Will you swear on a bible? No because truth is more holy to me than the book because the Word of God, the Truth is not the book itself but Jesus, the word of God made flesh.
Light and Dark. Order and chaos. Good verses Evil. It is the common theme that has been playing out throughout human history. We do not know, we lack knowledge and we are afraid of that darkness. And people know that we fear that unknown, they prey upon that fear. The herdsman’s flock is nearing birthing season. The family and the tribe rely on this, will they have food, will they have hides or fleece to make clothing, will their herd grow or will the great unknown bring about destruction? They do not know. Did they do something that might have angered the goddess of the herd? Or did they do something to bring her blessing? They do not know, so they take an offering to the goddess to ease their fear. They participate in a ritual, they bring offering, they give their gold and their silver to the priestesses. And they go back to the herd. Did they do enough? They will never know for sure.
Empty superstitions. Devotion to fear. The world can only offer us fear. Fear sells. We spend money on insurance, supplements, and oils. Are these things necessary or proven? At times sure, but insurance sells because people know we are afraid of getting sick and losing everything. Supplement often twist valid research and market it to your fears. We are afraid of a neural divergent spectrum so we avoid vaccines and Tylenol, but have we looked up what that divergence actually is? Our world runs on fear. We are afraid of Iran attacking us, so we attack them. We are afraid of Russia attacking us so we do not help Ukraine. We are afraid. But what are we afraid of and what is the fruit of that darkness and fear?
“Walk as children of light,” Paul tells us, “for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true, and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.”
The people devoted to Artemis living in Ephesus did not have knowledge, they did not have the hope that we have. All they had was fear. They lived in fear because that is all the rulers of this world can offer. Fear is what the forces of darkness want because when we live in fear they can control us. But Jesus tells us that the truth will set us free.
A child is scared of the dark, they come running to their parent’s room in the dark of night, running through the darkness to come and get you, and you pick them up and what do you do? You turn on the light. Where was the thing that caused the fear? The light shows us. The light reveals the truth, it was not a monster but the clothes you asked them to put away. Or the toy they were just playing with an hour before. We fear what we do not know but truth removes the fear.
Does this mean we should not have concerns? No we should have been concerned with Iran, as they are a very volatile nation. We should have concern because we do not know them well enough. But what if we considered this through the light of scripture. What if we were to discern what is pleasing to the Lord, what if we turned on the lights and allowed what was once cloaked in darkness to be revealed? The Japanese prisoners of war, knew that they were going to lose the second world war, not because of the power of the US Navy, but because they as a prisoner, were served ice cream on the ship. The Germans likewise knew that it was hopeless not because of the bombs hitting their capital, but because they saw the Americans eating a fresh cake sent to them from home.
Discern what is pleasing to the Lord. What would be pleasing to the Lord in our current situation? How did Jesus live among the people? What did he say and do? The passage attached to this week’s query comes from John 13. The context surrounding this verse had Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. The teacher took on the role of the lowest servant or slave of a house and washed the grime of life off the feet of his students. Peter looked a Jesus and said no you will not wash my feet, and Jesus responded to him, if you do not let me wash your feet, if you do not allow me to serve you, you will have no part of me. Peter then said not only my feet, but my head and my hands too. Jesus then said that Peter was clean but only needed his feet washed.
Our Query asks, “Do you love one another as becomes the followers of Christ?” Are we serving one another? Are we washing feet? Are we taking the time to understand what daily life is truly like for those around us so that we can provide rest and comfort? Are we turning on the lights?
It continues, “Are you careful of the reputation of others?” Are we letting rumors spread? Are we verifying the fear inducing news against reality? Are we actually doing the research we claim we have done?
And finally, “When differences arise do you make earnest efforts to end them speedily?” Have we spoken with the person that has offended us? Chances are they do not know that they have offended you and as soon as they know they would likely repent. Have we clearly expressed our expectations or are we assuming that they can read our mind?
“Try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord,” Paul tells us, “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”
I will not say that the events that have transpired were unavoidable, but I can say that I am grieved. I am grieved because I know that often I fail to discern, often I sit in my big blue chair worrying and paralyzed with fear. I do not know how to handle the situations that face my own family so how can I honestly say I know how to salve world conflicts. But I do know some things. I know that clean water can save a community from illness. I know that if medicine was more widely available in parts of the world, the quality of life would improve. I know that if people are free to discuss problems and find solutions together they often can find a path forward. I know that when people have access to tools they can often find solutions. I have a lot of fear, I lack understanding, but I also have hope. Because the one that called me to follow him, lived within a community. He healed the sick, he freed those living in bondage, he provided light to those that lived in darkness, he suffered, and faced injustice. And he did not back away but faced it head on, even when that injustice nailed him to a cross. Jesus faced not everything we face today, but he faced things that were similar and just as difficult. And he faced the greatest fear that we have. He died, was separated from the living and was buried, but on the third day he rose again.
We can face the fear, because the greatest fear the darkness has to offer is death. And death no long has the grip on us as it once did, because there is resurrection. Hope and life will overcome even our darkest moments. And it can overcome here today and for all eternity. So we can boldly go out into our world shining light into the darkness. Seeking out knowledge and showing the truth of the shadows of fear. We can live because Christ lives. And as we live we can share the hope that we have with others by Loving God, Embracing the Holy Spirit and living the love of Christ with others.
Previous Messages:
Living Stones
By Jared Warner Willow Creek Friends Church May 03, 2026 Click here to Join our Meeting for Worship Click to read in Swahili Bofya kusoma kwa Kiswahili 1 Peter 2:2–10 (ESV) 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have…
Endure
By Jared Warner Willow Creek Friends Church April 26, 2026 Click here to join our Meeting for Worship Click to read in Swahili Bofya kusoma kwa Kiswahili Query 4 (Faith and Practice of EFC-MAYM pg 61) Do you provide for the suitable Christian education and recreation of your children and those under your care, and…
Ransomed to Love
By Jared Warner Willow Creek Friends Church April 19, 2026 Click here to join our Meeting for Worship Click to read in Swahili Bofya kusoma kwa Kiswahili 1 Peter 1:17–23 (ESV) 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time…
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