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.
Read John 1:12, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become the Children of God, even to those who believes in His name.”
We are big on rights, aren’t we?
We like saying we have “rights”…but forget that rights also means responsibilities.
ILLUS: I was at a previous church and the gossip Sunday School class was right next to the office…where the pre-SS gossip session that defined the church took place.
I don’t think they realized I was in ear shot but I heard, “Who does he think he is? He doesn’t have a right…!”
Where as, they apparently had a right…but with it there was zero responsibility on their part.
You have the right to be called the child of God because of your faith, and your right gives you the responsibility of living out that right.
Are you living out that right?
Do people know whose child you are?
ILLUS: I love it when I hear people say Regan and Caleb resemble Brig and I…proof that they are my children and Brig’s children.
Can the same be said about you as a child of God?
Do people see who you are?
Why is this so important?
Let’s consider the 2nd key this new way this morning…
2. What you did
If there is a change…what do we change from?
Like the caterpillar to moth transformation, we as born again believers are no longer who we are and doing what we once did.
Notice how Paul describes the “walk…just as the Gentiles” in vs. 17 and following.
• Vs. 17, Futility of mind…the Greek word for “futility” means moral depravity, and AT Robertson describes it as an “emptiness of the intellect”
• Vs. 18, Darkened in understanding…it is interesting that this Greek verb “darkened” is “skotoo” only used here and in Rev. 9:2 and 16:10 (READ THESE)…do you sense the evilness and the emptiness in those 2 verses? Paul uses that same word to describe our understanding outside of Christ.
• Hard hearted…which can also be translated as callous, blind and stubborn
• Which we see reiterated in vs. 19…callous.
• And then more specifically…given over to sensuality or sexual vices; I think those go without explanation needed.
• Impurity…meaning physically or morally unclean
• And greediness
Paul is telling us that evidence of salvation, for starters can be found in that this is what you once did…you don’t do it anymore.
And this is just the start of the list, we can go on and on and cross that line into meddling if you would like in describing the life of the person who is not in Christ…and should not define who you are today.
What did you do before you found Christ?
Do you still do it?
Is who you were still who you are today?
If so, are you really born again in Christ?
This is important to ask because of our 3rd key this morning…
3. Why you did it
Vs. 22, “the old self, orrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit”
Think about that phrase for a moment (re-read)
In fact, while you think about that for a moment, listen to what the JFB Commentary breaks down this verse from the KJV:
• “Ye have been taught”.
concerning the former conversation — “in respect to your former way of life.”
• the old man — your old unconverted nature
• is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts — rather, “which is
being corrupted (that is, destruction) according to (that is, as might be expected from) the lusts of deceit.” Deceit is personified; lusts are its servants and tools. In contrast to “the holiness of the truth,”, and “truth in Jesus,” and answering to Gentile “vanity,”. Corruption and destruction are inseparably associated together. The man’s old-nature-lusts are his own executioners, fitting him more and more for eternal corruption and death
Your life was defined by futility or moral depravity because of your sinful nature.
A nature that should be changed by the power of God.
Read Romans 1:16
A lot of people focus on the “not being ashamed” part of this verse…but I want us to focus on the “power of God for salvation”.
The word for power is “doonamis” (where we get English word “dynamite” which means force and miraculous power.)
I’m sure you would agree that dynamite tends to change things…right?
John Gill in his commentary on this verse notes, “it is the power of God organically or instrumentally; as it is a means made use of by God in quickening dead sinners, enlightening blind eyes, unstopping deaf ears, softening hard hearts, and making of enemies friends; to which add, the manner in which all this is done, suddenly, secretly, effectually, and by love, and not force: the extent of this power is,”
The power of God…the same power that spoke creation into existence is the power that saves you and me.
And if it can create something out of nothing and make such a drastic statement of who God is…shouldn’t salvation make such a drastic change in your life?
We’re asking “why you did it”: You sinned because you were a sinner.
But that power of sin was defeated by Christ upon the cross when he took your sins upon Him and died for you and me.
And when by faith you call upon Christ as your Lord and Savior that means you have been redeemed and your sinful nature is dead.
The why for your actions is now dead.
You are no longer a sinner, you are saved and made a saint by God’s grace and His power.
You are a new creature in Christ, and the things you used to do you shouldn’t do any longer because you are not that person any longer…a change from the inside out has taken place.
A new you means a new way.
And if that is the case, that takes us to our last point…
4. What now
We know who we are, what we did and why we did it…but what is expected now?
Read vs. 23-24
4 Key words here:
A. Renewal: AT Robertson says the Greek phrase here means “The brand new man”.
When I say “new” what do you think of?
If I said “new car” is this what you would want? (show AMC Gremlin)
How about “new house” (show shotgun house).
How about new life? (Show sinful nature slide).
When you look at the mirror of your soul and when God looks at your heart…what do you see and what does He see?
A beat up AMC Gremlin?
A rundown shotgun house?
A sinful nature?
Or do you and God see a new creation, living a new way?
Next key word in vs. 23 is…
B. Likeness…it says the likeness of God.
See also Ephesians 5:1-2.
Is your life defined by godliness?
The King James reads this as “after God”…meaning are you living a life patterned after God?
Not defined by what we might feel is right, but based upon what God says is right based on His word.
Third key word in vs. 24…
C. Righteousness…this is an element of being made new.
Remember our righteousness is like filthy rags, so that means we are relying on Christ’s righteousness which is imparted to us by grace through faith alone.
We are made righteous by our faith, but we are to pursue righteousness also.
Matt. 6:33, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
This means we need to strive to live out our faith, living the best life possible as mentioned in our previous series.
Are you living the best life possible?
And finally in vs. 24 we have…
D. Holiness…or as some translations put it, “true holiness”.
This word literally means, “piety towards God, fidelity in observing the obligations of piety, holiness.”
We hear “piety” and “holiness” and we think those aren’t words for the 21st century, those are words for days of past…right?
WRONG!
Maybe it is time for some of that old time religion that includes being holy as God is holy rather than they typical Sunday only nominal Christianity that has defined the American church for way too long.
Is your life be defined by holiness?
Trans: Now I realize that at this point someone may be saying, “well, isn’t that a bit extreme?”
OK…maybe you are right.
But wasn’t this? (Show passion slide).
If God would go to such extremes for you, what extremes should you go through for Him?
How about living a changed life?
One that is changed from the inside out because you have experienced the life changing Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Closing:
Where are you today?
Have you been made new?
If not…here is how…give Gospel presentation.
If you have accepted this incredible gift of salvation, are you living it out…living a new way?
