Living As Life-Givers
Series: Becoming Who We Are (Engaging Ephesians)
Brad Bailey - February 23, 2014
Intro
Many of us have been watching the Olympics. Along with the remarkable skills... there have bee some special moments that transcend the competition.
• First Winter Olympic athlete from Peru...racing in a long distance cross country skiing race... injured just days before the event....end last...but the gold medalist waited 30 minutes after he finished to congratulate him.
• When a Russian cro
ss country skier broke his ski, he is seen hobbling along the long course determined to finish on the dangling ski...and over the hill pops a man with a ski...who fastens it on. It turns out it was the ski coach of the Canadians who said he couldn't watch without helping.
It's a reminded that competition left to itself...is only about beating another... nothing more than taking until nothing is there....verses sharing in something that is there. [1]
As we continue in our series in Ephesians...Becoming Who We Are... we have been engaging how the Apostle Paul declares who we truly are and now how we should therefore live..
We were "dead"...now rescued; ewe were "outside" of life with God...now you belong to a new people / humanity.
So build that new humanity.
> What does that mean? That is where Paul picks up in Ephesians 4:17-5:2
What Is Operating In This World
Ephesians 4:17-19
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. 18 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. 19 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.
Paul begins by bringing before us what is operating in this world.
When he tells us not to lives as the Gentiles do...he's not referring to all those who are not ethnically Jewish....but those who had not known what it is to be called out by God.
It was that calling out that defined the alternatives. [2]
There are two spheres out of which we can live...one is not operating in relationship to God...darkened in thought and heart.
Such a distinction may seem unfair. I look at lots of lives and see goodness and I hear good thought. So in what way are such minds and hearts darkened?
> The distinction is that of what is the center around which all revolves. When the orbit is not God....everything is off.
Isaiah 47:10 (NIV)
Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you when you say to yourself, 'I am, and there is none besides me.'
So Paul refers to a "futility of their thinking."
The Greeks were the greatest thinkers of the ancient world; the Romans learned from them. Paul says ...look...despite such learnedness....wisdom...there is a futility. [3]
Today...we live with the same paradox...never more enamored with our power in technology and discovery....never more perplexed at our hopelessness.
And this issue of what orbit our lives choose... in not merely a matter of mental perception...but of the heart's posture. Paul says there is a “hardening of [people’s] hearts” (v. 18). [4]
Separated from the life and love of God... lives have "given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity..."
This reference to 'sensuality,' like all references to sexuality or sexual impurity, ...can sound like some prudish fear of sex...
We really need to hear the truth...that God created the sensual world...the sexual nature.
This very same Paul tells those married that they should not only enjoy sexual pleasure but that such pleasure should be mutual.
Notice: "Having lost all sensitivity... human soul...'gave themselves over...indulge...and are full of greed.' Word = unjust gain... getting what is not fair.
>What lust and greed share...is the nature to consume another....to take life from another.
Neither sex nor money are a problem. They are not consuming us...rather we are using them to consume each other.
The truth is that it's been this way ever since we have been operating apart from God.
(They proved so powerful that many who sought most to overcome them....began to call them evil in themselves. The sense of dysfunctional repression usually just leads to new indulgences.)
Less than 50 years ago ...our own country and culture declared a sexual revolution... throw off repression. But it seems the one thing we didn't count on...was our own self consuming nature.
The more our culture seems to be proud about it's freedom to indulge in all sexual desires...the more it scoffs at the idea of moral boundaries...the more our problem with consuming others flows.
Such indulgence is consuming us. [5]
Consuming time and treasure....
• Pornography has found some level of hold on 80% of men and 36% of women....and taken $82 Billion a year in the process.
• Every second $3,075.64 is being spent on pornography on the internet... over $16 million during this worship service along. (90 minutes = $16,605,000)
• The financial cost to business productivity in the U.S. alone is estimated at $16.9 Billion annually ;
Our indulgence is consuming marriages and families...
• Pornography use increases the marital infidelity rate by more than 300%
• 68% of divorce cases involve one party meeting a new paramour over the internet while 56% involve one party having an “obsessive interest” in pornographic websites
Our indulgence is consuming the young...
• Teenagers are more sexually active and more depressed.
• We now have more children born to teenagers...without the commitment and security of marriage.
Our indulgence is literally consuming other people through prostitution and sex trafficking.
• An estimated $32 Billion is being made in the direct using of over 20 million lives and bodies are being sold.
The real issue is never sex or money... the issue is our self consuming nature... becoming takers.
Augustine said that "the punishment of sin...is sin."
We may not initially see the cost...we see the "cool ... glorified cool life...is often on the restrained side of indulgence...but it only hides the tragic side of indulgence. Paul refers to those who have finally "given themselves over."
It describes when something collapse within itself.
It's interesting that studies of the physical universe reveal something called a "black hole." A black hole is a place in space where gravity pulls so much that even light can not get out. The gravity is so strong because matter has been squeezed into a tiny space.
"Stellar black holes are made when the center of a very big star falls in upon itself, or collapses." [6]
If we are given to the love of self...rather than the love of others....we can become like "black holes."
As we read in 1 John 2:15-17 (MSG)
Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. 16 Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. 17 The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.
One who knows their father's love does not have to devour everything with an insatiable want. That kind of wanting reflects something of death. (We might think of the way we look at vultures or maggots.)
The good news is that we have encountered the alternative...that which offers life...
So Paul goes on to tell us about...
A New Source of Life
Ephesians 4:20-24
20 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.
this call to "take off" the old self has often been head as reminiscent of when Jesus raised Lazarus from the grave... he told them to take off the grave clothes. “Loose him—take off the grave clothes—and let him go!” Those words could have their application to us. It is not enough simply to die to the old life; there must also be resurrection and the manifestation of the new life. We are a part of God’s new creation (v. 24 and 2:10) and therefore we walk in newness of life.
There is an old nature... self consuming....lost... death...and a new one which restores your nature as one who bears God's image.
> You got the second ...so live out of that.
This call to "put off" and "put on"... might conjure something too simplistic... as it seems to imply something as simple as changing our outer clothes. Or it may conjures up something too hard because we think it implies we have to create the new clothing... the change. [7]
> But in fact in Christ new life is already available... we enter it and can cultivate it.
It is more like saying you already have been given a new citizenship...so wear your country's clothing. It's time to wear what you are.
It is like a town who has only known water that was polluted... toxic...and causing death....getting a new well of fresh water. Imagine if those who had developed the well returned and found that people were actually still drinking from a sources tapped into the old water. They would plea with the people to drink from the new water that if life-giving. That is what Paul is doing here.
This is what Paul describes in...
Romans 8:12-14 (NLT)
You have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
Give up the old self consuming nature...that is bound in death...and live in the new life-giving nature.
As we consider... the underlying nature of taking vs giving... of being 'users' or givers of life... it raises a hard question.
> Do people feel their true value more or less when around us?
Note - not a question of you needing someone so much that they should feel important...not something rooted in your need...people generally feel loved by those who are operating out of love.
So now he gets specific about what this implies...about:
Living Out of the New Life: Changing from Life-Takers to Life-Givers
He describes four examples of changes that new life through Christ can bring to how we relate to others.
Ephesians 4:25
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
• Switch from falsehood to honesty...and become a source of trust
Falsehood is generally rooted in what is self-serving... in self protection...we manage truth for our own good.
• It can include what we tell our parents to gain advantages and avoid consequences.
• It includes excuses we give to teachers and those we work for.
• It includes what we disclose when we are selling something to someone...or do our taxes.
> And what truth creates is the foundations of trust that serve life.
Falsehood destroys the trust that serves life.
Armitage Robinson: “Falsehood...is a sin against the mutual trust on which all of civilized society rests.” [8]
Falsehood is self serving. We keep truth from others because it serves US.
God says to leave such falsehood.. God is setting forth the new city... where truth reigns.
Zechariah 8:3 (NIV)
This is what the LORD says: "I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth.
City rooted in truth...and in trust. Where "yes" is yes and "no" is no. Where the faithfulness of God reigns. Will we join that city? Will we let God be the orbit of love that allows us to be faithful and trustworthy.
Ephesians 4:26-27
‘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.
Paul’s second example does not have an expressed positive side, but we are probably to understand it as being a controlled or righteous anger as opposed to an uncontrolled, selfish, or sinful anger.
Anger itself is not sin....but what we do with t is.
James 1:20 (NLT)
Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.
When our anger is self-justified... and plays judge...jury...and punisher... it becomes a sin.
It is not about the common good... that wants to understand and listen and work towards restoration.
The sin that so commonly accompanies our anger is a self-protective pride... that loses sight of our own sin...that loses humility and refuses mercy.
It holds onto anger.... enjoys it...feeds it's false sense of control and power.
Paul warns us not to let the sun go down on our anger because it means we are feeding what will kill both us and others.
It will only give the devil a foothold. (v. 27)
The devil is a murderer... and he will gladly lead us to murder others... and become like him.
If we use anger to protect ourselves and punish others... we are operating out of that which kills... using people to make ourselves feel better.
> We need to ...
• Switch from angry punisher to gracious relater...and become a source of goodwill
Switch from the contempt that seeks to punish... that carries disdain, scorn, and hatred ...and plug into humility...and to grace and you will be a source of goodwill.
Ex - woman came to me...shared she was angry... what hurt... and we reconciled...later she joined this church. > I experienced her good will...and it made her safe... beckoned my care.
If you are angry...don't just try to stop being angry.... rather seek humility and the common grace.
In Christ we can join in the orbit of God's love... which is forgiving.
Ephesians 4:28
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.
Most of us probably don't identify with being thieves. We don't wear masks... we don't use guns. But Paul is clearly getting to an underlying disposition...of how we relates to others regarding resources.
Are you a taker or a giver? A consumer or contributor?
• Switch from getting all you can to sharing what you can...and become a source of provision
Switch over from taking to giving... from consumer to contributor...from user to useful and you will be a source of provision
Our culture has historically held a good place for generosity...sharing. But it has always held a place for greed.
We must ask what we are tapping into.
> If we join up with God... we are joined with the sources of all provision.
Ephesians 4:29
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.
The last specific sign that Paul refers to is that of what we say.
• Switch from criticism to encouragement...and become one who builds lives
From trash talker to verbal builder
Our culture is so saturated in words that we tend to take the significance of words lightly.
We need to understand what the Proverbs declare…
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Proverbs 18:21
There really is power of death and life in our words..
A study was done by psychologist Dr. Henry H. Goddard, on energy levels in children.
He used an instrument he called the "ergograph." He found that when tired children are given a word of praise or encouragement, the ergograph shows an immediate upward surge of new energy. When the children are criticized and discouraged, the ergograph shows their physical energy take a sudden nose-dive.
Those results could be probably be duplicated in adults. When we are praised our energy levels go up. When we are criticized our energy levels go down. [9]
When U.S. gymnast Carly Patterson won the silver medal at the world championships in 2003, Mary Lou Retton, the only American woman to ever win all-around gymnastics gold, took notice. She sent Patterson a poster with the words
"I saw you win silver at the worlds, but I'll see gold on you in Athens."
Patterson hung that poster on her bedroom wall, using the note of encouragement to fuel her passionate preparation for the Athens games. After winning the gold medal in the all-around competition, the first person she called was Mary Lou. [11]
Do you see the gold in others? Are your words life-taking...or life-giving?
Finally brings it all together...
Ephesians 4:30-5:2
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. 5 1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
He really brings it home. We need to stop grieving the Spirit...as the Spirit is God's presence at work within...life-giving.
It is a call to "live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us"
It's been said that hurt people hurt others. Even more broadly... Loved people love people.
The good news is that we have a new source...a new nature...that is life-giving.
Disconnect from the desperation that takes from others... and receive from God that which loves you...and from which you can give to others.
Loved people love people.
Resources: Boice, J. M. (1988). Ephesians: An expositional commentary (154–155). Grand Rapids, MI: Ministry Resources Library.
Notes:
1. In some ways, Darwin's ideas of evolution by natural selection... in which only the strong survive...when considered on a social level can imply that our current nature is operating on the basis of the destruction of the weak.... such that humankind itself, as we know it, will destroy itself.
2. Robert Lauer wrote in A Greater Enemy: “Long ago, William Law warned that the world is now a greater enemy to the Christian than it was in apostolic times. It is a greater enemy, because it has greater power over Christians by its favors, riches, honors, rewards, and protection than it had by the fire and fury of its persecutors. It is a more dangerous enemy, by having lost its appearance of being an enemy.”
3. James Boice note:
The Greeks were the greatest thinkers of the ancient world; the Romans learned from them. Nevertheless, most of the ancients were either polytheists, who believed in many gods (Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Aphrodite, and others); pantheists, who believed that god was in everything; or atheists, who believed in no god at all. What folly! Writing of the Roman period that followed and built upon the Greek age intellectually, Edward Gibbon said that the philosophers regarded all religions as equally false, the common people regarded them as equally true, and the rulers regarded them as equally useful.
Boice, J. M. (1988). Ephesians: An expositional commentary (154–155). Grand Rapids, MI: Ministry Resources Library.
4. James Boice note:
Here is a place where the New International Version and other modern versions help us better than the older King James text. In the Greek language the word the NIV translates as “hardening,” but the KJV translates as “blindness,” is pōrōsis. The noun from which it came was pōros, which meant “stone.” Usually it referred to a certain kind of marble.
The word was also used medically. Pōrion was a “callus.” The verb pōroō meant to “petrify” or “harden.” If it was applied to the joints, it referred to their stiffening, perhaps arthritis. If it was applied to a fracture, it referred to the process by which the broken pieces were united through the growth of new bone or cartilage. Applied to the eyes, it meant blindness. This is what the older translators picked up for the King James Version. And, of course, it is not wrong. A “blind heart” cannot see God. Still, the trouble with “blindness” is that it suggests an inescapable and therefore a morally blameless inability, and this is not the idea.
Boice, J. M. (1988). Ephesians: An expositional commentary (155). Grand Rapids, MI: Ministry Resources Library.
5. Statistics on problems related to sexual indulgance found at:
http://www.havocscope.com/tag/human-trafficking/
http://richmondjusticeinitiative.com/the-connections-between-pornography-and-sex-trafficking/
Resources can be found at: http://www.covenanteyes.com/2011/09/07/the-connections-between-pornography-and-sex-trafficking/
http://psychcentral.com/lib/an-overview-of-sex-addiction/000521
6. Description of black hole from NASA website: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/what-is-a-black-hole-k4.html
7. In appealing for proper Christian conduct Paul says that Christians are to put off the conduct associated with their former life apart from Christ and put on a new pattern of behavior, just as they might put on a new dress or suit. In most of our Bibles the infinitive verbs of this section (“put off” and “put on”) are translated as though they were imperatives, that is, commands: “Put off your old nature” and “Put on your new nature.” But John Stott, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and others have pointed out that this cannot be right.
First, in the parallel passage in Colossians 3:9–10, the verbs are aorist participles and are therefore rightly translated “You have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its creator.” This refers to something that has already happened, not to something to be done.
Second, the use of “therefore” in Ephesians 4:25 indicates that the application is to be found at that point and not earlier. If “put off” and “put on” in verses 22–24 are imperatives, the thought would go: “Put off … put on; therefore, put off. …” That lacks sense. “Therefore” adds nothing. But if the verbs in verses 22–24 are taken in a past or completed sense, as is the case in Colossians, then it makes sense. Believers are to follow certain Christian standards precisely because God has already made them new creatures in Christ by putting away the old nature and putting on the new.
This is an important point. The apostle is not merely urging a new and higher standard of morality on people. That is an utterly futile thing. We cannot be genuinely better by mere moral suasion. That is not it at all. Rather, Paul is demanding a high form of behavior precisely because something decisive has already taken place. We have already been made new in Christ. That is why we should and must act like it.
We, like Lazarus, have been brought out of death into life by Christ. As part of that spiritual miracle our old graveclothes, which were appropriate for a corpse but not for a living body, have been taken off, and we have been reclothed in wedding garments in preparation for that great wedding supper of the Lamb. From this point on we should act like members of the wedding party.
Boice, J. M. (1988). Ephesians: An expositional commentary (166–167). Grand Rapids, MI: Ministry Resources Library.
8. J. Armitage Robinson. St Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians: A Revised Text and Translation With Exposition and Notes.(London: Macmillan and CO, 1909) 111
Also note: In her work, The Death and Life of Great American Jane Jacobs how such telling of truth cultivates “a feeling for the public identity of people, a web of public respect and trust, and a resource in time of personal or neighborhood need. The absence of this trust is a disaster to a city street.” (Jane Jacobs. The Death and Life of Great American Cities (New York, NY: Random House, 1961)
9. Consider also: James 3:9-10 (GW)
With our tongues we praise our Lord and Father. Yet, with the same tongues we curse people, who were created in God's likeness. 10 Praise and curses come from the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, this should not happen!
10. The study done by psychologist Dr. Henry H. Goddard was referenced at: Sermon Central noting Holwick's Illustrations. http://ledgewood.1stbaptist.org/ill-link.html#HolwickWin95
11. Citation: E. M. Swift, Sports Illustrated, p. 49 8-30-04
