Ephesians 4:17-32
New Wardrobe
Recently Gallup took a Poll where they asked Americans these questions: How would
you rate the overall state of moral values in this Country ?
1)
EXCELLENT – one percent
2)
GOOD -
17 percent
3)
FAIR -
41 percent
4)
POOR – 40 percent
Question
#2 Right now, do you think the state of moral values in the
country as a whole is getting better or worse?
1)
GETTING BETTER – 24 percent
2)
GETTING WORSE – 67 percent
I
think most of us here would agree with the latter – things are getting worse –
and maybe like never before – Believers need to stand out
A) Always scares me as society goes further & further into immorality
and ungodliness that the Church follows to close behind/ lines are getting blurred
B) Well here in Ch.4 Paul is talking
about the Believers walk v.2 Walk … worthy
v.17{ Walk in Purity { Walks in light of Morality: Rd v.17-19
“This
I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as
the rest of the Gentiles walk.”
C) Now when the
Bible speaks of walking, it’s referring to our manner of life. It’s referring to our behavior, or our lifestyle.
1) And so what Paul is saying here is that we
shouldn’t have the kind of lifestyle
that we once had.
D) See A person who is a Christian, is a person who
has undergone a drastic change, a change inside that results in change outside.
And quite honestly, if there’s no change outside,
then we have to question whether or not there’s actually been a change inside.
{ FRUIT /evidence
Now I think today, maybe more than ever before, we’re seeing
there’s a lot of confusion over this.
A)There are people who are claiming to be
Christians, who after studying their lives you, would never in a million yrs
draw that conclusion yourself.
Nothing worse than a life
that hasn’t changed
B) When you
just can’t see that their behavior is anything like the behavior that’s
described in the Bible. { Salvation
leads to Transformation
1) NEW LIFE – results in a NEW LIFESTYLE
C) SO Our manner of life is to be different from
those who don’t know Christ– A lifestyle that is different from the world {
Gentiles
Now understand that when Paul refers to the Gentiles, he is
talking about unbelievers / the term Gentile is a synonym for unbeliever.
A) Paul is talking about the unbelieving world. And he mentions that we used to be part of
that. But we’re no longer part of it.
B) Now Paul does a good job here of describing the
downward digression of the unbelieving world throughout it’s history
C) Notice it begins with futility of the mind “The Gentiles
walk in the futility of their mind.”
It describes a
Society that insist on Doing what is right in their own eyes – No moral
absolutes
A) Romans 1:22
Professing to
be wise they became fools- This has
been the problem of man from the very beginning.
B) Man from the beginning has conducted himself the
way he thinks best, rather than submitting to what God has said in His
Word.
C) And that is why the history of the human race is as it
is. That is why the world is in a mess today { Time Changer
D) The world has been in a deplorable mess from the
beginning to the present day, and it’s all because of man walking in the futility, or the emptiness, or the worthlessness of his own mind, { Ignoring God’s word
Ps 14:1 The fool has
said in his heart, "There is no God."
A) Notice that it says – in his
heart – that means he might not verbalize it but it is how he lives his life –
as if God doesn’t exist
B) That Person / that Nation is foolish – they are
walking in the Futility of their Minds
C) Which leads to Having their understanding
darkened – because they are not following any moral absolute –
1)In other words there is an Absence of Spiritual
understanding & perception they are in the dark because they are not
walking with God in the Light
That Futility of the mind & darkened Perception – leads
to being Further Alienated from the Life of God
A) IN other
words they have cut themselves off from the very life
of God all that is pure / Holy / right & just
B) They become even more
Ignorant – Hosea My
people are destroyed for lack of Knowledge because they have rejected Knowledge
1) Oh we might be more intelligent as it relates to
technology than past cultures but we are far removed from God’s Plan for many
SOCIALLY
C) The word blindness in v.18 is really Hardness of Heart – that is where it all leads
– you reject God ignore His word long enough
Heart gets hard
D) Move to that Place v.19 of being
Past feeling – like there is a giant Callous on your heart – no
longer any convictions / any morals / standards
Now we are told in the scriptures that the role of the HS is
to convict of sin – yet we see a culture becoming more & more Callous
A) What is
needed today more than anything – what we need to be praying for is a fresh out
pouring of the HS
B) Once a
nation or people or person becomes – past feeling What comes next is Lewdness
– Some trans- Licentiousness { License to sin
1) A word that
describes a flaunting of immoral practices – throwing off all restraint having
no sense of shame or fear -
C) We see this
today flaunting of Homosexuality { Movies
1) Half time
super bowl shows – { Sad had the thing w/ JJ not happened no one would have said a word –
{ Whole thing was perverse – lyrically
D) See it in the use of
Profanity on TV – now the F word
1) No restraint – Bachelor / Bachelorette – dating
making out – several people on national TV
E) Lewdness leads to UNCLEANESS speaks of Perverse
Sexual practices –
That is the digression of those who walk in the Futility of
their minds
Exactly what Paul lays out in Roman 1 v.16 {Given over to a
debased mind
A) That is the
digression of the Unbeliever – but note v.20
But you
have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been
taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
B) Notice that Paul doesn’t say But you have not
so learned ABOUT Christ – but you have learned Christ
C) I can learn about President Bush –
read the Books – study history
1) Only way really learn him – his heart
– spend time – Intimacy
D) Many believers make the mistake of learning about Jesus – read Matt-
John 20 times – learn about Jesus
1)
Goal is to learn Christ – Hear His heart – Communion
So
Paul is saying you guys haven’t just entered into an academic exercise you have
really experienced life with Christ
A) You have heard Him / taught by Him – Were they ? No Jesus was dead and Risen / Ascended
before they had even heard – the gospel
B)
But Jesus speaks to us thru His word – We learn tonight if we read this w/ an
open heart
Now
in v.22 Paul gets very Practical – Put off the old / put on the new – One coat to
another – Fashion makeover Rd v.22-24
A) Sunday Paper every now and then –
Fashion preview – every seen that probably have had the same reaction as me –
who would wear that?
B)
Who would actually wear that Hat in Public ?
Crazy – not only is it ugly it is completely un practical
C)
Fashion industry every year has their what is HOT
& what is NOT what is IN / what is OUT
1)
Out with the old and in with the new
D)
Well starting here in v.25 Paul is essentially saying the same thing –
Christian is to put on a new ward robe –
1)
Get rid of this and Put on that
Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you
speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.
What
is Hot ? Truth telling / What is not?
Lying – Put off the coat of lying and put on the coat of truthfulness
A) We live in an age that really
promotes lying You know, Solomon said a long time ago, “There’s nothing new under the sun.”
B) But when
something comes along we tend to think, “Wow, this is a new thing that’s come
along.”
1) And yet, you can find all throughout history
there is this recycling of false ideas and philosophies
C) For Instance : In our society, on the college campuses,
there’s great debate over whether or not there is any such thing as Absolute
truth.
1) And in
our Postmodern thinking there is what is referred to as “situational ethics”
which basically teaches you to sort of change your ethical standard based on
the situation you’re facing.
D) If lying will advance the situation then lying is
ok!!!
Is this a new Concept ? Not at all – it wasn’t called that
in Paul’s day but the Philosophy was very prevalent
A) And I want to share a few
quotes with you from the time that the Ephesians that Paul wrote to were
living.
B) These were the kinds of things that were being
suggested among the Greco-Roman world at the time. Popular philosophy saying
“A
lie is better than a hurtful truth, & “Good is better than truth,”
Darius a
politician “When telling a
lie will be profitable, let it be told.”
Plato: “He may lie who knows how to do it in a suitable time.”
C) IN other words if the situation arises where a
lie is suitable, then go ahead and do it.
So you can see the whole idea of situational ethics, or the
whole dispute over whether or not we should tell the truth or lie.
A) It’s not anything new. There’s nothing new under the sun.
B) So just as these Ephesians were living in a
culture that had lost its moral bearings, or had no
real high ethical standard,
1) so we find ourselves living in the same kind of
culture today. And it is becoming more
accepting to Lie !
D) But not for the Believer who has experienced New
life in Christ –
Put off the coat of Lying and put on the coat of truth
For the Christian it is not situational ethics that we want
to look to but God’s Standard { God hates lying
A) Think about
it lying made God’s top ten list – the 9th commandment basically
says – You
shall not lie – Bear false witness
B) Prov
6:16-19 list seven things that God hates – the 2nd thing on the list
is lying and the 6th is a false witness who speaks lies
C) Lying is a serious thing to God – includes
white lies / fibs / exaggerations – all lies – God says put it away Why?
D) Note we are
members of one another – Members of the same body
1) Lie we hurt
each other – if
the Brain lies to the hand that the fire is really cool when it is really hot
the hand will get burned
E) Lying hurts the body – lying
destroys a marriage – Trust is destroyed
1) Even after Forgiveness happens – Trust needs to
be earned
E) Lying leads to more lies – cover ups – Mess
- So Put away lying and speak the truth
{ NEW WARD ROBE
2nd What is hot – Anger management – What is not
? Anger v. 26-27
26 "Be
angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath,27 nor
give place to the devil.
A) Talked
about this on Sunday - Angry not sin { Jesus
B) Anger that
becomes sin – when it is allowed to
fester – take root because we let the sun go down on our wrath .. place to the Devil
1) Old Proverb He who
goes to bed angry has the devil for a bedfellow
C)
So Need to Put off the coat of Anger that turns into sin – holding a grudge
1)
Out with Anger – New ward robe of Self control
3rd What is hot ? – Giving /
What is not? Stealing V.28
28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but
rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have
something to give him who has need.
A) Now stealing is another one that made
God’s top ten list: the 8th commandment says You shall not steal
B) Hey I have got that one down – I don’t steal – Not
a Shop lifter
But : Do you show up late to work – or
leave early ? Stealing time
C) Long lunch ? Extra long Breaks ? Ever do your own stuff on work time ?
1)
Internet paying bills - / looking up personal stuff when you are supposed to be
working ? – All examples of stealing that we don’t think about
D)
Pet peeve of mine our staff – because they are robbing
God !!!
D)
Every fudge on your taxes ? Stealing
So
the ward robe of the new man is He puts
away stealing / works with his hands : Work = to weary ones self with labor or
toil
A) 2 Th 3:10 Don’t work you don’t eat
!!!
B) We have been wired
by God for meaningful – work – God’s wants us to work so that we have
something to Give : 1 Tim 5:8
But if anyone does not
provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied
the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
C) Stealing – hurts people and takes
from them / where as Working Helps people – give to them
So
what is hot:Truth telling / Anger management / Giving What is not Lying / Angry
/ Stealing
A) Next Timely talk v.29 Let no corrupt
word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification,
that it may impart grace to the hearers
What is hot? : Timely talk / What is not?:
Trash talk
A) Corrupt = Putrid { Rotten eggs /
spoiled fish / UGLY
1) Talk that is cutting / divisive /
unusable and unfit { Put away
B) What is hot? Timely talk - what is good for
necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers
A) Phillips translates words that are
suitable for the occasion
B) Grace to the hearers – Undeserved favor
Col 4:6 Let your speech
always be with grace, seasoned with salt,
C)
Salt – Healing – Medicinal / flavor enhancing gives life to a
conversation / preserving
Pr 25:11 A word fitly spoken
is like apples of gold In settings of silver.
T-H-I-N-K
T – is it true?
H – is it helpful?
I – is it inspiring?
N – is it necessary?
K – is it kind?
D) Nothing
left to say - Good. Be quiet!”
1) Two ears –
one mouth for a reason {Tongue is a sharp sword – it is like a fire – it
can do incredible Damage
So Put on timely talk / put off Trash talk
Now v. 30 we camped out at on Sunday: Eph 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by
whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
A) Non
Christians according to Acts 7:51 resist the spirit
B) But
Christians grieve and quench the spirit – all these things mentioned here are
things which Grieve the Spirit
C) Listen You & I Can’t afford to grieve the spirit –
which makes it even more important for us to – Put off the old / Put on the new
1) Last one v.
31 -32
What is hot ? Forgiveness / What is not Unforgiveness
A) Six unforgiveness
words listed here : Three attitudes:
bitterness, anger, malice Three actions:
wrath, clamor, evil
speaking
B) Bitterness is 1st because others stem
out of bitterness: = Lingering
unforgiveness - Ill feelings that
fester – bitterness is like a poison –
1) Like an infectious disease / Defiles many
C) Anger – A strong resent
D) Malice is “anger smoldering” Replays in our mind
1) 3 Attitudes
Three actions:
wrath, clamor, evil speaking
A) Wrath” as anger exploding
Clamor” refers to a loss of self-control Raised voice, shouting,
even
screaming
B) Evil speaking - Means “ruining someone’s
reputation by evil reports
C) Paul says let that be put away from you – take
off that Coat –
1) NOTE: Not a one time
thing – but when ever it comes up – Put it away
Put on what is Hot: FORGIVENESS
A) Putting
away is step 1 / forgiveness is step two – I can’t truly forgive until I have
acknowledge my own wrong attitude
B) Unforgiveness hardens the
heart / Forgiveness softens the heart
1) Like “cleansing a wound to prevent infection “No
matter how painful it is, it is necessary
Note How we
are to forgive “as God in Christ also forgave you”
A) How does God forgive? Note 5 things we are done
One – God forgives readily
Ps 86:5 For You, Lord, [are] good, and ready to forgive, And
abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.
Two – God forgives abundantly
Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his
thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our
God, For He will abundantly pardon.
Three – God forgives on the basis of grace
Eph 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of
sins, according to the riches of His grace
Four – God promises not to remember it against us
any longer
Heb 10:17 "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."
Five – God forgives at great cost to Himself
1Pe 1:19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without
blemish and without spot.
Most forgiving people on the planet – we have been
forgiven of so much