Ill:
• A friend of mine once saw a tramp and decided to help him;
• He noticed he was wearing a dirty old coat;
• It was ripped and fit only for the bin.
• So my friend offered the tramp his coat;
• The tramp took it but to my friends surprise;
• Instead of taking off the old coat and putting on the new;
• He just put the new coat straight on top of his old coat
Sadly like that tramp two many Christians behave the same way:
• They want the new things of Christ;
• But don’t want to let go of the old things of self & sin.
• When a person becomes a Christian;
• There is a putting on and a putting off.
Ill:
• Shortly after joining the Navy,
• The new recruit asked his officer for a pass so he could attend a wedding.
• The officer gave him the pass,
• But informed the young man he would have to be back by 7 p.m. Sunday.
• “You don’t understand, sir,” said the recruit. “I’m in the wedding.”
• “No, you don’t understand,” the officer shot back. “You’re in the Navy!”
• When a person becomes a Christian;
• There is a change of lifestyle required.
(1). The command (17-19)
“So 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”.
These verses contain a warning, a caution, an instruction to follow;
• The Christian is not to imitate the life of the non-Christians around him or her.
• The Christian is called to be different!
• Elsewhere the New Testament puts it this way:
• “We are in the world but we are not of the world”.
• In other words, we all as people live in and interact with this world,
• But our Source, our motivation, our values are not from this world system,
• The Bible describes us as ‘aliens, foreigners, strangers & pilgrims’,
• “We are in the world but we are not of the world”.
Ill:
• A boat in water is pleasurable, constructive and fulfils its purpose;
• But too much water in the boat and you got big problems!
• The Christian in the world is there to make a difference!
• But too much of the world in the Christian and you got big problems!
Christians are meant to be different!
• Notice in this warning there is a emphasises on the mind;
• Christians are to think differently from the world in which they live.
• There is a contrast between the believer and the non-believer.
• Verse 17: ‘Thinking’.
• Verse 18: ‘Understanding’.
• Verse 18: ‘Ignorance’.
• Verse 18: ‘Learned Christ’.
• Verse 20: ‘Know (learned) Christ’.
Then in verses 18-19 the apostle Paul then draws a contrast with an unconverted person:
“They 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”.
ill:
• If you came to my Church one Sunday I could introduce you to Colin;
• Now Colin could not describe to you a beautiful sunset because he is blind.
• He is therefore limited in his understanding.
• Now in many areas of life he is far more advanced than many of us;
• But in this one area he will always be behind.
• Like wise there are many people in the world who would leave us for dead;
• When it comes to a whole variety of things.
• But NOT when it comes to God;
• The reason being they cannot see, they are blind!
• It takes the Holy Spirit of God to bring light and life!
• And you are saved and kept by the Holy Spirit.
In verse 19 the contrast continues:
“Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.”
• Because they have darkened minds they ignore and therefore nullify their conscience;
• And leave on the principle; “If it feels good the do it!”
Note the contrast in verse 20:
• Christian’s have to be different because they have come to ‘Know Christ’.
• When a person becomes a Christian a change of ownership that takes place:
• ill: Fish & Chip shop sign.
• Because we are under new management,
• We are to be different!
• We walk to the beat of a different drum.
Paul says we have finished with that old lifestyle:
• We have exchanged our old clothes (lifestyle);
• For new clothes (lifestyle).
(2). The explanation (20-24)
“That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ 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.”
Ill:
DVD Clip from ‘www.sermonspice.com’ called ‘The Stool’.
Ill:
• Since the fall of man, we’ve been in a power struggle with God over control.
• We surrender to God’s will,
• But when His reality interferes with our daily lives,
• We want to jump right back in the driver’s seat of our lives.
Paul’s argument is simple:
• Don’t exchange all you have in Christ;
• For the little you had before you met Christ!
• Each day put on Christ;
• Allow him to be Lord of your life!
Notice the three things Paul says here:
• First: verse 20: ‘Heard him’.
• ill: ‘You just ain’t listening story’.
• Second: verse 20 ‘Learned Christ’.
• This means much more than information i.e. he existed, he died & rose again etc.
• It means you ‘learned’, you took on board his lordship, his ethics, his kingdom purposes.
• Third: verse 21: ‘Taught him’.
• The idea here is ongoing communion with Christ.
• We never graduate from the school of Christ ;
• We are always learners and he is always the teacher!
(3). the application (25-32)
• The Bible was written to be obeyed;
• And not just to be read or studied.
• This is why the word ‘therefore’ is repeated so often in the second half of Ephesians.
• i.e. verse 25: ‘Therefore’ (also 4:1, 15, 25, 5:1, 7, 14, 17, 24)
• Five different sins are named in the section;
• Paul tells us to avoid them and why.
(a) Lying (vs 25)
“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbour, for we are all members of one body”.
• The Greek word for ‘falsehood’ used here by the apostle Paul (Pseudos)
• Refers to all forms of lying;
• From out-and-out contradictions of truth,
• To carefully manufactured counterfeits.
• A lie is a statement that is contrary to fact;
• And spoken with the intent to deceive.
Ill:
Schoolboys.
Paul here gives us the reason why ‘lying & deception’ are wrong:
• Verse 25: “We are members of one body”.
• Lying is a sin against the Church because;
• It undermines trust, causes conflicts, tears down relationships and threatens unity.
Ill:
• The first sin judged by God in the early Church was lying;
• Ananias & Sapphira in Acts chapter 5 verses 1-11.
Lying is always wrong for it is the very opposite of God (truth):
• Jesus said (John 8:44) that the devil was the ‘Father of lies’;
• They originate from him and not from God.
• So when we lie we are following his ways and not God’s.
• As members of Christ’s body, related in love;
• Truth is to be the hallmark of all who belong to God!
(b) Anger (vs 26-27)
““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”.
• Anger is an emotional outburst caused by something that displeases us;
• Note: Anger itself is not a sin, God was angry and Jesus got angry.
• But their anger were not temper tantrums;
• But rather righteous anger that directs its rage appropriately!
• But unlike Jesus we have sinful natures;
• We therefore we misuse anger often at the wrong people at the wrong times!
ill:
• A woman tried to explain away her anger to evangelist Billy Sunday.
• She said; “I explode and then its all over with”.
• Billy replied; “So does a shotgun and look at the damage it leaves behind!”
Quote: Aristotle:
“Anyone can become angry, but to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way – this is not easy”.
The apostle Paul’s advice (verse 26):
• “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry”
• In other words don’t brood on it or hold a grudge.
• Deal with it as soon as it is humanly possible.
• Continue to move towards resolution so you are not stuck on your anger.
(c) Stealing (vs 28)
“Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.”
Stealing encompasses a whole array of activities:
• From the obvious such as shoplifting, embezzling,
• And taking other peoples property & possessions!
• It would also include things such as wasting time at work;
• ill: Vans parked in a nearby lane to our home – drivers all sleeping on work time.
Ill:
• One of the ten commandments is “Do not steal”.
• In other words respect other peoples property & possessions!
Ill:
Jesus called the devil a ‘thief’ in John chapter 10 verse 10.
Question: Did you notice the slant in Paul’s reason not to steal?
Answer:
• He did not say work hard with your own hands to provide for yourself;
• He said work hard with your own hands to provide for others!
• You might remember what he said earlier in this letter;
• Chapter 2 verse 10: “We were created for good works”.
• We fulfil that verse when we generously care for others in need;
• And out of our honesty comes our service to God.
(d) Unwholesome speech (vs 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
• In these verses Paul is not just talking about swearing (it does refer to that);
• But also to a much bigger problem; words that are worthless, unhelpful.
• The Greek word used (sapros) was used to describe rotten fruit.
• Paul is talking about words that are rotten, bad, that which causes decay.
• Cursing, vulgar phrases, crude jokes;
• And unkind or mean-spirited remarks.
Ill:
Stick your tongue out at me.
Ill:
• Medically they say it's only a two-ounce slab of muscle,
• Mucous membrane, and nerves that enables us to chew,
• Taste, swallow food and articulate words.
• Redefined it is a beast,
• A mighty midget:
Ill:
The Bible says it:
• Frames deceit, Psalm 50:59.
• Devises destruction: Psalm 52:2.
• Devours: Psalm 52:4.
• Is a sharp sword: Psalm 57:4.
• Breaks bones: Proverbs 25:15.
• Backbites: Proverbs 25:23.
• Flatters: Proverbs 28:23.
• Poisons: Romans 3:13.
• Remember that the tongue is neither friend nor foe:
• It is merely a messenger that delivers the dictates of a desperately sick heart.
• The mouth and the heart are connected;
• Jesus said in Matthew chapter 12 verse 34: “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of”
• If Jesus has cleaned up our hearts (forgiven our sins)
• That will evidence itself by the words that come out of our mouths!
(e). Bitterness (vs 30-32)
“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.”
• These verses are a summing up of his advice;
• Only he adds specific traits that flesh out his picture of wrong living.
Six characteristics of the old life (clothes) are mentioned:
• Bitterness – a spirit that refuses reconciliation.
• Rage – outbursts of anger or quick temper for selfish reasons.
• Anger – a nurtured attitude of hatred.
• Brawling – loud self-assertions of angry people.
• Slander – destroying others reputation by lying and gossiping.
• Malice – deliberately trying to harm people.
The apostle Paul then gives us three characteristics of the new life (clothes)
• Kindness – acting charitable towards others;
• Just as God has done towards us!
• Compassionate:
• Being sensitive and sympathetic to others needs.
• A forgiving spirit:
• Extending grace and mercy to all who need it.
Paul’s punch line is:
• Those first 6 characteristics will grieve the Holy Spirit;
• And hinder his work in our lives and ministry.
• Those last three characteristics will be blessed by the Holy Spirit;
• And allow him to work more effectively in our lives and ministry.
