Turning on the Light: Deal with the Burned Out Bulbs
Ephesians 4:25-32
INTRODUCTION
There are 700 billion lights on the strip.
Over five miles of lights are used to decorate the tree every year (+250,000).
It takes 20,000 light bulbs to make the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night.
There are 15-30 light bulbs in the average home.
They all have one thing in common. When they are burned out they need to be changed.
T. S. We've been talking about learning to live it in the light. About how to live after we've had our light switch moment, the moment we decided that we really wanted to live in this new way enabled by a relationship with Jesus.
No one assumes that a burned out light bulb is normal. Everyone assumes that a light bulb is supposed to light up. Burned out light bulbs need to be addressed.
Imagine how long it would take someone to tell one of the pastors at the church that the light bulb in the women's bathroom was burned out. I'm sure I'd be told right away. Because burned out light bulbs need to be changed.
In Ephesians, Paul who is challenging us about learning to live in the light now turns to some specific issues, burned out light bulbs if you will, that need to be changed.
Turn with me this morning once again to Ephesians 4:25-32.
Eph 4:25-32
25 Therefore 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, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 He 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.
29 Do 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. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
NIV
LIVING IN THE LIGHT REQUIRES DEALING WITH SOME BURNED OUT LIGHT BULBS.
T.S. Just as a burned out bulb is hard to ignore, these issues, faults, failings, sins, are hard to over look if we're supposed to be living in the light.
Paul declares that the challenge to live in the Light will require addressing five areas that can become like a burned out light bulb.
I -- Falsehood rather than Truth
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
A -- Putting away of the false hoods.
* Lies to get out of trouble. Lies to get what we want. Lies of convenience.
* Exaggerations that promote ourselves
* Accounts that portray other in as a bad a light as possible.
* Minimizing of our culpability.
B -- Speak truthfully.
One of the clear signs that you are not living in the light is the evidence of the burned out bulb of falsehood.
Do I stretch the truth?
Do I manipulate truth to control how others see me?
Do I exaggerate the facts to make others appear worse?
If so, then God wants to change this light bulb in your life.
II -- Anger that leads to sin
26 "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
A -- Not all ager is sin.
B -- There is a line to be crossed.
* When anger is expressed as a weapon.
C -- God expects us to deal with anger in ways that do not lead to sin.
D -- Failing to learn the difference gives the enemy ground to use against you.
In his book It Came from Within, Andy Stanley tells of a man whose faith sprang back to life once he dealt with his anger. Stanley writes:
I met Joe at Starbucks. He was sitting in one of those overstuffed chairs with headphones on and a scowl that said, "Don't anybody come near me." Everything about his countenance and posture communicated anger. So when I saw him, I avoided eye contact and went on about my business.
As I was waiting for my soy latte, Joe approached me and said, "Aren't you Andy?" At that particular moment, I wasn't sure if I should be Andy or not.... "Somebody gave me one of your CDs," he said. "I've been listening to it. But I've got to tell you, I have a real problem with God, and the church, too, for that matter."
Joe had been through two difficult divorces. His first wife had been sexually abused as a child and was never able to face the issues involved. After 30 years of marriage, the memories of abuse surfaced and eroded their marriage, which ended in divorce. His ex-wife passed away suddenly two years later. Joe then remarried, but after three years, this too ended in a heartbreaking divorce. Joe was lonely, a recovering alcoholic. There was no evidence of the existence of God as far as he could see....
I got Joe's phone number and connected him with one of our pastors, John Woodall. John called Joe, met him for coffee, and struck up a friendship. That was the last I saw of Joe, for a while.
Three months later, I was sitting in that same Starbucks, talking to a student pastor from another church, when in walked Joe. When he saw me, he headed straight for my table. The first thing I noticed was that he was smiling. The second thing I noticed was that he was carrying a Bible, a notebook, and a book on marriage.
"I'm getting remarried next week!" he announced. I wasn't sure what to think. "To who?" I asked. "To Susan!" he exclaimed. Susan was his ex-wife. "Susan and I are getting remarried. John is doing the wedding."
I could see in Joe's eyes that something remarkable had happened. And it had. Over the course of several meetings with John, Joe found the courage to quit blaming and, instead, take a look at what was rattling around in his heart. He had been an angry man, with reason to be angry. But like so many people, Joe had no idea what to do about his anger. And his unresolved anger had eroded his faith to the point where it was almost nonexistent.
John had helped...Joe's faith come to life. With his renewed faith came the motivation he needed to address other issues in his life. The transformation was so remarkable that Susan noticed and began asking questions. Soon after, she put her faith in Christ. The week before Susan and Joe were remarried, John baptized her in one of our morning services.
Bottom Line: When others see anger out of control in your life, they know you are not walking in the light. God wants to replace this burned out bulb. Will you let him?
III -- Dishonest gain
28 He 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.
Sometimes we may apply this passage in to narrow a context. For instance we might feel satisfying smug if we drove by a Wal-Mart and outside were two shoplifters wearing signs ordered by a judge two to stand at the entrance for eight hours, wearing signs that read, "I am a thief. I stole from Wal-Mart." Actually happened in Atlanta Georgia.
A -- Avoid all forms of Dishonest gain
Paul references dishonest gain and by application we can extend it to all forms of dishonest gain. Imagine if God made us wear signs about other forms of dishonest gain.
* getting paid under the table,
* Helping yourself to coffee Sunday after Sunday and never making a donation.
* Cheating on taxes.
* Riding the unemployment longer than you need to.
* Some fake disabilities.
* Taking credit that is due someone else.
* Plagiarism
* Exaggerating your timesheet.
* Texting, sleeping, playing games, wasting time at work.
Paul is saying that if we claim we are walking in the light then these types of things in our lives will be clear tip offs that there's a burned out light bulb that needs to be replaced.
B -- Make life choices that bless others not just myself.
That is the light bulb that people recognize.
IV -- Demeaning, defaming speech
29 Do 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.
A -- Rotten and worthless talk.
It is the way Gordon Ramsey treats contestants on Hell's Kitchen. Demeans them. Not only will he swear and cuss at them, but he calls them cows, donkeys, etc.
B -- Talk that builds another up.
Chopped judge Jeffrey Zakarian always begins with three things he appreciates about the dish, and then shares what he stuggled with and suggests how to fix it.
V -- God Grieved Demeanor
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Our demeanor is how we present ourselves to the world our deportment. The combined conduct that determines how another person perceives us.
A -- When our bearing would grieve God, it needs to be dealt with.
* Bitterness
* Rage
* Anger
* Brawling
* Slander
* Malice
B -- When our bearing would grieve god we need to stop making excuses for it.
C -- When our bearing would grieve God we need to realize there is a bearing that is associated with walking in the light.
* Kind
* Compassionate
* Forgiving
*
SUMMARY
Forms of Falsehood
Forms of sinful Anger
Forms of Dishonest gain
Forms of Shameful Speech
Forms of bearing that Grieve God.
CHALLENGE
These are all burned out bulbs that need to be changed if we're ever going to live in the light. Is it time for you to deal with some.
First step in changing a bulb
* Admit it needs changing. Confession
* Ask for help in getting it changed. Prayer
If today you need to admit that you've got a bulb that needs changing then I invite you to admit and turn to God for help with it simply by coming and spending some moments in prayer.
