Be Careful

Be Careful – Ephesians 4: 25 – 5:2

Intro: A story is told of a woman whose little girl was throwing a temper tantrum as the two went up and down the aisles of a busy grocery store. The toddler sat in the cart screaming and flailing about. As she continued shopping, she could be heard calmly muttering, "Don't yell, Susie. Calm down, Susie. Don't get excited, Susie."? --- A woman passing by commended to her saying, "You certainly are doing a great job trying to calm down your little Susie." --- “My little Susie?!” responded the mother. “Lady, I'm Susie!” Have you ever felt like Susie? Have you tried talking yourself into or out of some behavior or situation? There are times when I just want to slap someone because of their ridiculous behavior; but, I have to be careful about my words and actions. Barbara’s favorite expression to me in such situations is to simply say, “Pastor Bailey!”

I This passage contains 4 moral focuses that urge Christians to be careful in the way they live b/c of God’s love, sacrifice, and forgiveness offered to Christians thru the gift of Christ Jesus.

A VS. 25 – “Put off falsehood” The word FALSEHOOD in GK. is fe?d?? pseudos which can also be translated as lying. Unfortunately, this passage does not deal with the degrees of lying. It simply says, “speak truthfully to your neighbor.”

B This may not be completely helpful b/c does “bending the truth” or “little white lies” fall in this category? Gentlemen, what do you say when your wife comes out of the bedroom wearing an outfit that makes her look like ten-ton-Tessie and she asks you if the outfit makes her look fat?

C For guidance in this situation we must look back at VS 15 “Instead, speaking the truth IN LOVE, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. In wisdom we must learn to speak the truth in love and not BLURT OUT our initial thought. So, Gentlemen, in answer to my previous question, you might say, “Darling, you make everything you wear look good.”

II The second moral focus is in VS. 26 – “In your anger, do not sin.” In other words, we must learn to modulate our anger, tone it down to an appropriate level.

A The word ANGER used in the GK here is ?????? / orgizo which carries many meanings that may help us deal with our anger. Among the definitions is “to provoke / to enrage / to exasperate / to be angry.

B It has been said by psychologist that “it is easier to feel the anger than the hurt.” Often, unhealthy anger arises from deep hurt within a person. Our psychological baggage can cause conflict and anger.

C Righteous indignation is appropriate. Example, of that is the anger of Jesus at the money-changers in the temple. It was right to be angry because there was fraud and cheating. The remainder of VS. 26 says, “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foot hold.”

III The third and 4th moral foci can be combined because they both involve our attitude toward work and others. VS. 28 “Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.”

A This verse refers to the proper use of one’s hands and the encouragement of others. The word used for “STEALING” here is the GK ???pt? / klepto which has 2 meanings: 1) to appropriate what is not yours, 2) to steal by fraud and in secret.

B Taking by fraud what is not yours in secret often does not result in sharing something with people in need. The attitude that often exists in our society is the willingness to take what does not belong to them b/c they don’t have the resources or ability to obtain it legally. (EX. Rioting and looting)

C There are 2 bits of advice here for those who work: 1) do not steal or take from your employer what is not yours, and 2) remember your paycheck is not ALL yours.

Concl: Chapter 5:1 & 2 summarizes this whole passage “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Our neediness and lack of self-control bring grief and sorrow to our God. We must act with love b/c we have been baptized and adopted as children of God. B/c of our baptism we are now a part of the body of Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit. The practice of kindness and love in all we do will draw us away from “hardness of heart” and into the “Life of God.”