October 26, 2014
Morning Worship
Text: Ephesians 4:17-32
Subject: Christian Living
Title: Children of the Light – Ephesians Part 9
As we continue in our study through Ephesians I need to begin this morning by asking you a question. How is it that so many people believe that you can have a “new life” in Christ without it resulting in a new lifestyle? Now in order to help understand the question let me explain. The “new life” is what one receives when they accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior – when they turn from sin and invite Jesus to take control of their life. A lifestyle is, according to the dictionary - the way in which a person or group lives. This includes patterns of social relations, consumption, entertainment, and
dress. A lifestyle typically also reflects an individual's attitudes, values, or worldview. Would you agree with me that there are multitudes of people who claim Christianity as their religion who don’t really live like that is so?
There is a tendancy in the world today for Christians to show the world that they are not that different. This is usually done in an effort to gain respect or approval from the world. After all, don’t we want the church to be seen in a positive light? But it is your lifestyle that really defines who you are “In Christ”.
In our passage today the apostle Paul addresses these very issues as he instructs a predominantly Gentile church in an imoortant Roman city.
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.
I believe this is God’s word…
I believe it is for me…
I accept it as mine…
I appropriate it to my life today…
Today we want to see what it means to walk as Children of the Light.
I. Differences. 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. Now Paul is writing to this “Gentile” church, yet he does not see them as Gentiles any longer. Earlier in his letter he had shown that the wall of separation has been torn down. There is no difference between Jewish believers and Gentile believers. They are all children of Abraham by faith and not by lineage. In verses18 and 19 Paul defines the underlying differences between “gentile” and believers by using specific words and phrases. 18They are darkened… separated… the ignorance that is in them… the hardening of their hearts… lost all sensitivity… given themselves over to sensuality… every kind of impurity… and I think this last phrase describes the whole problem - a continual lust for more. How can there be a changed life without a changed lifestyle? The word “ignorance” in the original Greek goes beyond “not knowing”, but it refers to an unwillingness to know. In other words, unsaved people don’t respond to the gospel because their hearts are hard, their minds are darkened, and they just don’t want to know the truth. Ephesians 2:13, But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
II. Distinctives. There is something in you that makes you distinctive from unbelievers. 20You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. When you were saved you knew that you could not continue in the lifestyle you were in. 21Surely you heard of him … How does faith come? By hearing! When you heard who did you put your faith in? In Him! …and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. We have spent so much time up to this point emphasizing what it means to be “In Christ”. When you stop and think, doesn’t being “in Christ” mean that you are “out of this world”? James 4:4, You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. You put off the “old self” which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires… made new in the attitude of your minds… There is a passage in Isaiah 55 in which the Lord told the Israelites that they couldn’t comprehend what God does or thinks or intends for them. Isaiah 55:9, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. But, because we are “in Christ” things have changed. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him— 10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. And again, 1 Corinthians 2:16, for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. You are… created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Are you supposed to be like God? Is God righteous? If you live contrary to His will for your life are you like Him? If you don’t come into agreement with what His word says about you can you be considered holy? So you are sanctified… you are children of the king and co-heirs with Christ… you are saved… you are healed… you are set free from the curse of sin… you have been delivered… you have God’s provisions waiting for you… if you receive them by faith. Your faith invites God’s holiness to be at work in your life.
III. Directions. Now Paul moves from your personal life to your life with other believers. 25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. Do you see the strong language here? YOU MUST… there isn’t an option. 26In your anger do not sin… Can you be angry and not sin? Yes you can. But Paul instructs us as to when anger becomes sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry… let go of it. A little boy got into a fight with his older brother one morning and took quite a beating. More than anything it was his pride that was beaten and he became very angry at his brother. When it came time for bed his mother told him, “Now Timmy, you need to forgive your brother. Don’t you know that the bible says that you shouldn’t let the sun go down on your anger.” Timmy thought for a little bit and replied, “Mom, how can I keep the sun from going down?” Forgiveness is the key. Forgiveness means giving up your right to get even. Let go of past hurts. All they will do is fester inside of you and make you bitter. Bitterness harms your physical health. And after all that is said, if you can’t forgive others the Lord can’t forgive you. 27and do not give the devil a foothold. How do we give the devil a foothold? There are so many ways. 1) Not being in agreement with God’s promises for your life. 2) Agreeing with what the devil says instead of what God says. 3) Harboring anger and bitterness. The devil’s work is to accuse and divide the family of God, and to sow discord among them. When we harbor anger in our heart, we do the devil’s work for him. So stay away from those things and the devil never gets his foot in the door. Back in the early 70’s I went goose hunting for the first time. I didn’t know anything about it but my brother – in – law told me that if you can’t see their feet when they fly over they aren’t close enough to shoot. You can’t shoot anything that is farther away than your gun can shoot. So if you stay out of the devil’s range he can’t touch you. Next Paul gives some very practical applications for a life that pleases God. 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. There is a great contrast that Paul makes here. Those who steal do so for their own personal gain. It doesn’t matter if you steal by robbing or by dishonest business practices, the goal is the same – so you can have more. But the purpose of hard work is not only in getting, but it enables us to give. Remember what he said in verse 23, … to be made new in the attitude of your minds.
IV. Dependence. We have mutual needs in the body of Christ. I can’t operate as part of the body without your cooperation and it goes both directions. You need me. He closes this section of his letter to the church in Ephesus by recapping what he has already said. 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. No gossip. No slander. No lies. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. In the context of this passage grieving the Holy Spirit is simply living in a way that is contrary to the will of God for your life. Are you born again? Then the Holy Spirit lives in you. The one who wrote the bible is inside of you. Don’t you think He is able to help you and guide you and teach you to live in the perfect will of God? 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. It isn’t that we must forgive because Jesus will forgive us. We forgive because He has forgiven us.
You are called to live as children of the light. Paul carries the line of thought on in chapter 5. 1Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7Therefore do not be partners with them.
8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:
“Wake up, O sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
21Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Walking in the light that you have… Making decisions in the dark can lead to some regrettable consequences. Back in the days before electricity, a tightfisted old farmer was taking his hired man to task for carrying a lighted lantern when he went to call on his best girl. "Why," he exclaimed, "when I went a-courtin' I never carried one of them things. I always went in the dark." "Yes," the hired man said wryly," and look what you got!"
Some people change their ways when they see the light, others only when they feel the heat.
Walk in the light.
1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
