Living for Love
Scripture: Ephesians 4: 17-32 Date: 14 February 2010
Purpose: It help the listener understand that loving Jesus results in living for Him.
I will say his name is Jeff. He was a young married man with two small children. I first met him when his wife was reassigned to Fort Hood, TX and started coming to the 19th street Chapel. They both became regular attenders and active in our fellowship. But something seemed to be missing.
I had often wondered why they never seemed to take off in their spiritual lives. Yes, they were involved in the church. Jeff even helped with the children’s programs from time to time but something kept them from the victory they needed in their spiritual life.
Marriage difficulties brought them to my office one afternoon. And as we visited I can assure you that the problems in their marriage was only a symptom of the real need.
As they sat in my office and shared their story I could not believe what I was hearing. Jeff and his wife were still doing marijuana. Not every day or even every week, but then they really couldn’t tell me how often they were using.
Jeff’s climb up the corporate ladder at his civilian job according to him, required that he lie to his customers and sabotage a fellow employee.
He had become so addicted to porn that it was affecting intimacy with his wife who took his disinterest as a sign that he was cheating on her, so to pay him back she had an affair with a man in her battalion.
The revelation of that affair is what brought them to my office, and though they definitely had issues in their marriage, the real problem was two lives out of control!
Jeff and his wife made a decision to Love Jesus - but not to Live for Him! That my friends I think is the story of many who say they are Christians. They have made a decision to believe in Jesus because they love Him, because they want the promise of eternal life, because they want more than what they presently have, but a decision to believe is nothing without a decision to change! Choosing to Love Him is choosing to Live for Him. And He is Love.
Ephesians: 4 17-32
17So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
20You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold. 28He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
-RELEASE CHILDREN FOR CHILDREN’S CHURCH-
In our text for today the Apostle Paul is contrasting the life of a Christian to that of a non-Christian. It is a stark and sobering difference. Most of us here this morning have committed to Love Jesus, that’s the easy part, but how do we commit to Live for Jesus? Just as we chose to Love Him, we too need to choose to Live for Him because Jesus is Love and,
I. Living for Him is a choice!
A. And it begins with our mind.
1. Have you ever noticed how many times the Scriptures tell us that if we want to allow Jesus to be in control of our lives that we must give Him control of our minds?
2. He already has control of our hearts. When we said yes to Him as our Savior and Lord, He took up residence in our heart – in our soul. It is not our heart that is the problem because most of us have a heart to love and serve God.
3. The problem is in our mind – in our thoughts. Because what we think is what we most often do.
4. That is why Paul says in Romans 8:7 “That the mind set on the flesh is hostile to God.” The mind is the battle ground for our actions – for how we live.
5. So our challenge to living right is Colossian 3:2 “2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
6. If we are committed to living for Love, for Jesus, then we must make a choice to surrender our mind, our thought life, our decision making processes to God.
B. Living for Jesus is a choice, it calls for a decision.
1. In verse 17 of our text we read, “that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.…”
2. We are asked to make a decision – to no longer live like the unchurched. We do not make only a decision to Love Jesus but to Live for Him as well.
3. As we have said many times, the devil believes in Jesus. He trembles at the mention of His name. He is put to flight at the name of Jesus, but the devil’s belief in Jesus is not enough.
4. When we believe to the depth that we are committed to Live for Him, now that’s the work of God! That’s conversion! That’s Love!
5. Have you made that kind of decision this morning? The kind of decision that changes your lifestyle as well as your beliefs?
6. Paul identifies our problem in verse 18, “18They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.”
7. A hard head is someone who just does not get it. Someone who will not listen to reason but rather goes his/her own course.
Illustration: We have all heard stories about people that simply refuse to accept Jesus, People that refuse to let go of their lives and allow Jesus to take control and lead them.
Stephen Baldwin is the youngest brother of notable actors, Alec, Daniel and William, sometimes collectively known as the "Baldwin brothers".
Stephen was sucked into Hollywood at an early age, finding success as an actor in Television and in film. In September 2006, Baldwin released his book titled The Unusual Suspect, which details highlights from his personal life, career, days of drug abuse and ultimately his turn to becoming a born-again Christian after the 9/11 attacks. Please watch with me his testimony.
VIDEO: “Stephen Baldwin Testimony”
- Stephen lived a life of self centeredness, a life full of me and how much can I get from it. Falling in Love with Jesus was the furthest thing in his mind and to live a life for Him was total foreign concept. His heart and mind was hardened to the temptations of this world. He made the most important decision of his life and that was to Love Jesus and live his life for him. He let go of control and allowed Jesus to take the wheel.
8. Living for Jesus requires a change in the control tower, from me to God. Have you made that change in your life or are you still trying to claim a salvation that says you believe the right things but your life style doesn’t’ show it?
II. But not only is Living for Him a choice, it is a work in progress!
A. It is a practice – not a game!
1. Paul says in verse 20, “20You, however, did not come to know Christ that way.” Paul says, “come to know Christ” This implies a period of time with teaching, training and on the job experience.
2. When you play a game, some one looses and some one wins, but a practice is not a win or loose experience. At practice you keep working on the fundamentals in order to be a winner!
3. All of us have failed God at times and we will fail Him in the future. Living Right is not an expectation of never walking with the ball, of never being off sides or out of bounds.
4. But it is an expectation that we learn from our mistakes and as we practice the presence of God in our lives we become better players. Not perfect players; just better ones.
Illustration: I realize most of you are sick of hearing how much I hate this snow and the cold but since it is a major part of our lives here in Northern Iowa, I seem to do much thinking about it as I write my sermons.
I have to admit, I am a work in progress when it comes to driving in this weather. I make Stacy very nervous whenever I drive in the snow and ice. Her right arm gets a tremendous workout each winter as she holds onto the passenger door for dear life as I battle the arctic roads in Iowa. Why, last winter alone I got stuck three times. And all three times was in our driveway. Ask Tracy Hall, he pulled me out.
Needless to say, my first winter driving in Iowa was not a good one; memorable for sure but not good. This winter I am making slow improvements in my driving abilities. I have high expectations that the day will arrive when riding with me will be a joy for Stacy rather than a nightmare.
5. God is not asking you or me to be perfect, but He is asking us to show up for practice!
B. Living for Jesus is a work in progress because it expects a challenge to the status quo – it expects a change!
1. In verse 22 Paul says, 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self,“ Former means past. It is what you were - but not what you are now because a change has taken place.
Illustration: Some time ago Stacy and I were in Wal-Mart and she wanted to get some makeup. I admit, I have never purchased or even looked at make-up. There are some parts of Wal-mart that are like a foreign country to me and the Cosmetic isle is one of them.
I was amazed – shocked really. I never knew there were so many different colors of black that women want to cover their face up with. Stacy wanted me to help her pick out some mascara and wanted me to help her pick out the right shade of black. Hey, black is black and I am attracted to my wife not the make-up. She is the most beautiful woman to me with or without it.
2. Now, Cosmetics are designed to cover up or conceal ones appearances not to change them. Jesus on the other hand is a change, not a cosmetic!
3. Did you note who is to make the change in verse 22? If we have already said yes to Jesus, then the change comes from within us. We are to draw on His never ending Love and power to lay aside the old self and put on the new one.
4. Giving up the old self and changing into the new one is a day by day encounter. It is like the diets that some of us choose or the exercise programs we keep. They are struggles for us.
5. A healthy life requires exercise and a change in eating habits and diet but keeping those pounds off is a day by day struggle. When you blow it because of the piece of chocolate cake you just ate – get over it and get back to your plan.
III. But Living for Him also comes with directions.
A. How we relate to each other is a measure of Living a life of Love. In verse 25, we are admonished to “speak truthfully to his neighbor”; in verse 26 we are told we can get “angry but do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger”; in verse 28 we are to “steal no longer”; in verse 31 we are to ‘31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.”; and in verse 32 we are encouraged to “32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you..”
1. The source of our changed life is God but the object of it is each other. How we care for and treat others is a measure of living a life of Love, Living a life for Jesus.
2. “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'.” ( Matthew 25: 40)
3. The church is to be the salt of society. Standards of conduct and morality are not to be dictated by the whims of Hollywood or culture.
4. Every where we look we are confronted with ethical questions as a society. The debate over stem cell research, abortion and sexual misconduct reaches from our house to the White House.
5. Corporations are clamoring for the employee who is trustworthy and has integrity. You can teach an ethics class at college or at the company, but living a life of Love is the result of having a right relationship with God.
6. The secular world wants the standards of the faith to be the norm of society but it will not allow you to speak the name of Jesus in a public place. It cries for a life style from its citizens that can only come from a commitment to Jesus!
Conclusion: If you were to ask someone this morning, “Are you living right?” They would immediately begin to tell you about the exercise program they maintain, or the diet they keep, the calories they count or the lotions and potions they use.
But that is not the answer that God seeks from us. If we are Christians, then the question needs to be asked, “do you live any different as a believer than you did as a nonbeliever?” Can I or anyone else tell that your morals, your behavior, your vocabulary, your ethics are different than those who do not claim to know God?
A decision to Love Jesus is also a decision to live for Jesus!
