Envision A New Display Series

Turning on the Light:

Envision a New Display

Ephesians 4:20-24

INTRODUCTION

I have good news. It's only 97 days until Christmas!!!!

Christmas items will soon hit the displays in our stores. Shopping lists will be made, house decorated. Just this last Friday I spent about three hours in the coffee house reviewing the Christmas Sermon series "Unwrapping the Glory." So as a service to all those early planners I have little well intentioned tips as you plan your Christmas displays this year.

How you do it matters

Getting it wrong could be dangerous

Just hanging them is not enough

Think Balance!

Because you can doesn't mean do it.

Not every idea is a good one.

T.S. Last week we said that LIVING IN THE LIGHT BEGINS WITH A LIGHT SWITCH MOMENT. Okay you reached your light switch moment. You decided it was time to figure out how to live in the light. What do you do next?

T.S. The Apostle Paul defines the next step for us and we press on in Ephesians. Look this moring with me at

Eph 4:20-24

20 You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21 Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. NIV

 AFTER OUR LIGHT SWITCH MOMENT IT'S TIME TO ENVISION A NEW DISPLAY.



I -- Having Heard of Him, Learn the Concept of Putting Off.

You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.

Our ability to live in the light is directly related to our relationship, our knowing, Jesus the Forgiver.

Insider access to the light. Your VIP Access.

Until we accept that we cannot live in the light as he is in the light without him, we'll keep trying all our own techniques, all our loves strategies, will make our own lists of priorities and we will miss out on what he means by living in the light.

Living in the light will only be realized in an intimate relationship with Jesus.

Were taught in him

* To hold discourse with. prolonged instruction

* Imparted, Instilled, Enjoined

* Not book learning. Life learning.

It is the difference between wanting your child to learn to swim and buying him a book, or enrolling him in lessons with an instructor who gets in the water with him.

T.S. Having heard of Christ having been taught in him learning the concept of putting off.

A -- Put off the Former Way

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self.

* Out off -- cast off, lay apart (aside, down), put away

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self.

* Former way

Priorities, goals and aims that defined who you were.

It's all about me.

I exist for my happiness

B -- Put off the Corrupted Desires

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self.

Recognize the Corrupted desires that fueled the former way.

I want what I want even at the expense of others.

I want to get all I can no matter the cost

Corrupted desires stand in the way of opening the door to living in the Light the same way a corrupted file prevents you from opening a program.

 AFTER OUR LIGHT SWITCH MOMENT IT'S TIME TO ENVISION A NEW DISPLAY.



That requires putting off some things and putting on others.

II -- Having Heard of Him, Learn the Concept of Putting On

23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. NIV

God wants to take our lives and remodel them.

He wants to do a before and after remodeling job that is evident to everyone.

Change comes when we are actively putting on three things.

A -- Dressed in a new attitude.

23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. NIV

Intentionally dressed in a specific way. Arrayed for battle.

To intentionally manufacture, fabricate a new attitude of "Who I am in Chirst"

I am forgiven, restored to a God relationship that I might bring Glory to his name.