Perth
26/09/07
“Getting rid of the evidence”
Intro: *** One day a ranger catches a man in the very act of poaching crabs out of a river where there were fishing restrictions. The ranger springs from behind the bushes & says to the man “You’re under arrest for illegal crabbing in the river. The man who was momentarily startled by the ranger thinks quickly & while still holding the crab in his hands protests & says to the ranger “I’m not crabbing this crab is my pet & I’ve bought him down here to have a swim in the river.” The ranger who is not a man to be easily fooled says to the poacher “How stupid do you think I am?” But the man, still holding the crab insists, “No really, I bring him here all the time to swim in the river, you watch.” And he gently lowers the crab into the water & the two men watch the crab swim off into deeper water & then out of sight. A couple of minutes later the ranger who is b/co impatient w/ the trickster says “OK, where’s your pet crab?” The poacher who’d been caught in the act just a few minutes b/4 w/ an illegal crab looks at the ranger w/ a puzzled look on his face & says “What crab?”
Here’s a man who u/s the impt of getting rid of the evidence of his sin!
We can learn an impt lesson from this man even though his motives were evil.
After being born again there should be less evidence of the old life show & more evidence of the new.
If we’re new creations in Jesus our lives should no longer show any evidence of the old ways?
T/n I want to preach a message I’ve called “Getting rid of the evidence”.
Text: Ephesians 5:1 - 17 (NKJV) 1Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. 3But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7Therefore do not be partakers with them. 8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” 15See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
# 1. The evidence.
A. No matter how hard we try to avoid it our lives show evidence of what we really are.
a. Evidence is a powerful thing!
i. W/ it a court can convict a man & send him to prison or even his death & where there is a lack of it even an evil man can be set free.
ii. Paul is writing here to people who have been saved fresh out of paganism …… their lives still reveal the evidence of the old life.
iii. We see people w/ surgical scars & immediately know that person has been sick – why? B/c the evidence reveals it.
iv. In the same way Paul is dealing here w/ the evidence of the old sinner life & says …
Vs 3. …… let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;
*** DNA – Deoxyribonucleic Acid has b/co a powerful thing when investigators of a crime come on the scene & are looking for evidence. Criminals no matter how hard they try not to, leave behind some DNA. That DNA gives the vital evidence that links them to the crime ….. it’s like leaving your biological fingerprints all over the crime scene.
v. The same is true spiritually …. as you live your life you leave a spiritual DNA behind you that speaks about what you really are!
B. Evidence is a powerful thing b/c it testifies of our habits & actions.
*** Josie who was two years old at the time came to visit us w/ her mother one day. While Sue, Josie’s mother was busy socialising she suddenly realised that everything was a little bit too quiet. Off she went in search of Josie to find out what she was doing. She only had to look at far as our bedroom to find her & when she did she had lipstick all around her mouth. She was a hilarious sight w/ lipstick on her chin / cheeks / even up her nose! Her mother asked her the obvious question …. have you been playing w/ aunty Coral’s lipstick? To this question the obvious answer came – No! What Josie didn’t realise is that the evidence spoke loud & clear against her!
a. Evidence is a whistle blower ….. b/c it speaks about what’s really going on in our lives, not what we want people to think but what’s going on.
i. It speaks the truth about you even when you want the evidence to lie ….. evidence is a truth teller by its very nature.
ii. The first place that it blows the whistle is in your own heart …….
Col 3:15 (NKJV) 15And let the peace of God rule [be umpire] in your hearts, …..
iii. If you’ll listen to that whistle God won’t have to blow another whistle on you.
b. All through the Bible we find evidence testifying of the habits & actions of people’s lives.
i. Adam & Eve – covered w/ fig leaves / ½ eaten fruit lying on the ground near by. (Job 31:33)
ii. They had no idea that the evidence of their sin would squeal about their sin & tell God what they’d been doing.
iii. Cain ….. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” …… but little did he know that the evidence was going to testify to the truth!
Gen 4:10 (NKJV) 10And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.
iv. Gehazi was another one who misunderstood the power of evidence when Elisha asked him where he’d been……
2 Kin 5:25 - 26 (NKJV) 25Now he went in and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, “Where did you go, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant did not go anywhere.” 26Then he [Elisha] said to him, “Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you ……
v. Gehazi failed to u/s that the evidence was stalking him even in the secret moments of his life!
C. So what is the evidence saying about you?
a. B/c the reality is that there is evidence that speaks about every one of our lives!
i. So the question is not whether or not there is evidence but what the evidence says about us.
1 Timothy 5:24 – 25 (NKJV) 24Some men’s sins are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later. 25Likewise, the good works of some are clearly evident, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden.
ii. The reality is that if you try to hide the evidence of a life of sin …… sooner or later God is going to blow the whistle!
*** There was a man in one of our churches who was saying all the right things & sounded very spiritual. One day the pastor of the church was driving in his car & God spoke to him & said go to the TAB, & wait in the car park. The pastor thought this was a bit strange but he obeyed what God was telling him & not to long after out came Mr Spiritual through the front door of the TAB where he had just placed his bets on the horses he wanted to back. He thought he could hide the evidence but God exposed him!
b. On the other hand the evidence of a godly / righteous life can’t be hidden either.
i. The truth of the matter is that a righteous man doesn’t have to say anything about what he is; God won’t permit it to be hidden.
*** One Sunday morning a little girl on her way home from Sunday school in the car said to her parents I don’t u/s. Her parents said “What don’t you u/s sweetheart?” She said “Well, our Sunday school teacher today told us that God is inside of us!” “That’s right honey.” her parents assured her. “But didn’t you say that God is bigger than us?” she continued to inquire, “That’s also true honey.” they said. “Well if God lives on the inside of us & he is bigger than us wouldn’t we see Him showing through on the outside of us?”
ii. That little girl made a valid point …… if God is really on the inside you’ll see evidence of him showing through on the outside.
# 2. Ridden or hidden.
A. The problem sometimes is that rather than getting rid of the evidence we try hiding it.
a. You may try to bury the proof of your actions / habits but reality is it will continue to haunt you!
i. Moses in a passion moment deals w/ an injustice; he kills an Egyptian & ‘hid’ him in the sand.
ii. End of problem or what he thought – the next day, Moses is trying to settle another argument –
Ex 2:14 (NKJV) 14Then he [the man] said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” So Moses feared and said, “Surely this thing is known!”
iii. That’s right Moses the evidence somehow keeps coming out into the open.
b. That’s why it’s such folly to seek to cover the truth w/ lies.
i. The truth keeps leaking out... it keeps bubbling up to the surface, you just can’t keep it hidden.
*** It’s like the little boy who tried smuggling his dog into the room to spend the night. When he heard his parents coming he put the dog in his toy box & sat on the lid. Then he tried to talk to his parents ignoring the repeated thumping of the dog trying to get out of the toy box!
ii. T.B.S. even though we try to suppress the truth it wants to get out & be known.
Rom 1:18 (NKJV) 18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
B. There’s a difference between getting rid of the evidence & hiding our sin.
a. If you try covering up sin instead of getting rid of it, it will cause you grief in the future.
i. But by our very nature we would rather suppress it / cover / hide it another way.
ii. This is where real problems begin in our lives b/c buried sin always festers & causes problems.
*** I learned early in my training as a tradesman that it was better to bear the temporary pain of digging a splinter out w/ a chisel / needle than to put a bandaid on it. It didn’t take me long to work out that any splinter left buried in my finger / hand festers in time & cause me a lot more pain.
Prov 28:13 (NKJV) 13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
b. The truth is that no sin is ever hidden from God anyway b/c Jesus will eventually reveal it.
1 Cor 4:5 (NKJV) …… until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts.
Luke 12:2 (NKJV) 2For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.
C. The issue here is that sin wants to make a home in your life.
a. It’s amazing how sin that isn’t completely dealt w/ can creep back in again.
i. The Bible warns of the danger of allowing sin to creep back in & exhorts us to cast it out & get rid of it!
ii. A sin that you haven’t completely rid your life of / cast out all together will creep back in.
*** Phoebe sneaking in through the front grill of our Suva house. She knew she wasn’t allowed inside & so she would lie in the doorway w/ just her paws across the threshold of the entrance. If nothing was said to her she would creep in so that her head & shoulders were inside the door. If we didn’t tell her to get out she would slowly edge her way in so that her whole body was now just inside the door. One day I came down stairs to find her asleep on one of the lounge chairs in the lounge room!
iii. Jesus warns us of the danger of creeping sins in the parable of the evicted demons.
Luke 11:24 - 26 (NKJV) 24“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. 26Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”
iv. The only way to prevent sin from making itself at home in your life is to evict it all together.
# 3. Getting rid of the evidence.
A. The only way we can get rid of the evidence is by getting rid of the sin!
*** I once heard about a woman who began to learn to type letters on a computer after using a typewriter for many years. She made a mistake & not really knowing how to erase the error on the computer she took some liquid paper & painted it on the computer screen. She didn’t u/s that her mistake needed to be deleted all together!
a. You can’t get rid of / delete the evidence unless you repent of & forsake your sin.
i. If we attempt to do it in any other way sin will raise its ugly head & continue to both haunt us & taunt us!
ii. Repentance is the only answer to rid our lives of the ugly evidence of sin.
Vs 11. 11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
*** I once had a man in my congregation who was keen on one of our young ladies. He was a reasonably new convert & she was a solid Christian lady that we didn’t want to see ripped off. When he began expressing his interest in her I was very concerned to say the least. I wanted to see him live for God a bit longer & show some tangible fruit of salvation in his life. I began praying about this & one night I was coming home from a revival meeting late at night & who should be walking across a McDonalds car park but w/ a bottle of beer in one hand & a girl under his other arm??? It was our new convert! He was having some fellowship w/ the unfruitful works of darkness!!! Instead of getting rid of the evidence of the old life he was fellowshipping w/ it!
iii. We only get rid of the evidence of the old sinful life by completely abandoning it!
** Charles Spurgeon once said "If I had a brother who had been murdered, what would you think of me if I daily consorted with the assassin who drove the dagger into my brother's heart? Wouldn’t you begin to think that I too must have been an accomplice in the crime? Sin murdered Christ; will you be a friend to it? Sin pierced the heart of God who came down to earth in the flesh; can you love it?"
B. Is the DNA / evidence of holiness apparent in your life?
a. Not only must we rid o/s of the old sinful life but we must embrace the new life in Christ.
Phil 2:5 (NKJV) 5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
i. Actions & habits – good or bad flow out of & are the result of character…… you are only going to get rid of the evidence by changing your character.
1 Thess 4:3 (NKJV) 3For this is the will of God, your sanctification:
*** One day I was speeding along in the church vehicle in a hurry to get somewhere & in the back of my mind I was thinking there might be a police radar trap up ahead, I better slow down. Then I thought …. If get pulled over I’ll just make up some excuse & make the policeman feel bad for wanting to give a speeding ticket to a pastor & I’ll get off.
Then God spoke to me & said is that the way a believer should be thinking, aren’t you supposed to be a Christian? God was reminding me that the DNA / evidence of a holy life should be obvious!
ii. Paul’s prayer for believers was ….
Gal 4:19 (NKJV) 19My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you,
1 Pet 1:16 (NKJV) 16…. it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
iii. Is the DNA of holiness evident in your actions / behaviour ….. b/c if you’ve been born again it should show in everything!
C. We demonstrate the evidence of a new life in Christ by being like God.
Vs 1. 1Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
a. Children learn how to live from their parents.
Vs 1. (TMSG) 1Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents.
Vs 1. (CEV) 1Do as God does. After all, you are His dear children.
i. Children imitating dad…… acting / mimicking / talking / walking 3 X in our text / doing!
*** Three year old Joel was standing in the middle of a puddle on his grandparents back verandah that he had created only moments b/4 I got there. His father was reprimanding Joel w/ the words “What if daddy did that?” As soon as his father said that Joel immediately protested, he knew that it was wrong for his father to wet his pants whenever he felt like it! At three years of age Joel wanted to be just like his dad. But if Joel wanted to be like his father his dad was letting him know that there were some things about his behaviour that were going to have to change!
ii. If we want to be like our Father we are going to have to change our behaviour!
Vs 8. 8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
