A New Way Series

A New Way, Ephesians 4:17-24

Change from the Inside Out Series

Intro:

I found what I think is one of the most amazing insect specimens I have ever seen the other day.

(Show picture of moth)

I found it at the kid’s school sitting on a pole; it was about 3 inches wide and probably 2 inches in length.

It is a Pandora sphinx moth…and here is a little better picture.

Is this not an incredible looking moth?

With the natural camouflage, if I had been sitting on a tree trunk I would have probably missed it.

Of course we all know where moths come from right?

Here is the caterpillar for the Pandora sphinx moth (show picture on same slide)…amazing how we can go from that to that; isn’t it?

If you recall 7th grade life science, the term that is used is “metamorphosis”.

In the case of the Pandora Sphinx caterpillar it boroughs underground at the root of the plant it is feeding on, usually a vine of some sort, and in a matter of a couple of weeks to a couple of months it transforms from a little red caterpillar to this simply amazing camouflaged moth.

And everything about it changes as well.

No longer does it just inch along feeding on certain vines, but now it takes flight and feed mainly upon flowers and assists in the process of pollination.

That pretty ugly little pest becomes a beautiful and vital part of our ecosystem.

This new creature now has a new way of life.

Transition: This moth isn’t alone though because of the metamorphosis we experience in Christ, becoming new creatures…we too should also have a new way of life.

I want us to consider that this morning as we continue our study of Ephesians called “Change from the Inside Out”.

Read Ephesians 4:17-24 and pray.

Transition: We have been discussing life change over the last few weeks and how our salvation that comes by faith through grace alone is not only a matter of having fire insurance, it reveals itself in a changed life.

First we spoke of how our salvation by faith should lead to us walking in a different way…these steps of faith Paul describes for us in the early verses of Ephesians 4 that should be evident in our life.

And last week we looked at the marvelous work that salvation really is, and how it is as great if not greater than even the creation event we read about in Genesis; and such a great work can not and should not be hidden.

Today I want us to consider this new way, this metamorphosis that takes place in our lives.

Remember that the essence of salvation is a changed life, and it should be evident in every aspect of our lives.

Not just on Sunday mornings, but 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Paul reminds us that our new life should result in a new way, and our text this morning helps explain this for us:

I want us to consider 4 distinct keys to this new way this morning.

First of all let’s consider…

1. Who you are

Paul actually begins by explaining to the Ephesian Christians, as well as us, who we were…and we’ll touch on that in a second, but he does so under the impression that a change has taken place.

Read vs. 17, “You walk no longer.”

Paul is telling us that a transformation, a metamorphosis has taken place in this miraculous called salvation…an act of repentance.

And think about it again for a minute, how miraculous it is.

Have considered, based solely on Scripture what takes place at the point of salvation?

• First of all your sins are forgiven, washed clean.

• You are granted the gift of eternal life to boot.

• You are adopted and become a child of God, along with it

comes all rights and privileges of being the son or daughter of the King of Kings.

• You pass from death into life…going from dead in spirit to

alive in Christ.

• This takes place because of God’s Spirit not only residing in

you, but filling your heart and life with Him.

• Your name is written in the Lamb’s book of life, written in the

blood of Christ that was shed for the remission of your sins.

• And all of heaven rejoices because you who were once lost has

been found.

Listen to how Paul describes the “who we were” to “who we are” transformation in a previous chapter of Ephesians.

Read Eph. 2:1-7

And Paul says you are no longer the same, you are different.

You walk in a different way because you are different.

You are a child of God now, and with those rights we also have responsibilities.