RADICALLY CHANGED
Text: Eph. 4:17-32
Introduction
1. Jesus Christ is Lord & God's still on the throne
There's power in the blood & I'm saved to the bone
The devil comes against me, he's gonna feel some pain
I can bind him, bruise him, cast him out by the power of Jesus' name!
No longer on the outside; on the inside I now stand
I'm sold out, the whole route. Completely born again
I believe on the third day Jesus; He rose from the grave
The world thinks I'm crazy
I am just radically saved! (Radically Saved by Carmen)
2. God has not called us to say a cheap prayer at the altar and then go our way as if nothing is changed. He has called us to come out and be separate; he has called us to be radically changed!
3. In our text today, Paul tells us to…
a. Live As Children of the Light
b. Put On the New Nature
c. Don’t Grieve the Holy Spirit
4. Read Eph. 4:17-32
Proposition: As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to stick out of the crowd and be radically changed.
Transition: First, Paul tells us to…
I. Live As Children of the Light (17-19).
A. Live No Longer as the Gentiles
1. Several weeks ago, we talked about the need for Christian maturity. There are certain signs of this maturity, and the most important one is change...radical change.
2. In v. 17 Paul says, “With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused.”
a. First, we should notice that Paul says, “With the Lord’s authority...” In other words, Paul is saying this doesn’t come from me but from God himself.
b. Paul tells these Ephesians believers, and us, to “live no longer as the Gentiles do..”
c. Now, in this context, Gentiles means “unbelievers.” So, Paul is saying to stop living like the world. Be different; radically different.
d. The reason for this is that “they are hopelessly confused.” By this Paul means that these people were confused because they were wasting their time worshiping false idols, following untrue teachings and immoral behavior.
e. They were confused because they were living without purpose, Godly purpose.
f. Now, this is an old saying by this time, but I still think our society lives by it, “if it feels good do it!”
g. This is confused thinking because not everything that feels good to our flesh is good for us. Eating five milkshakes a day and tons of fast food may feel good, but it’s not good for us.
3. Paul then continues this line of thinking in v. 18, where he says, “Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.”
a. Their minds have become full of darkness because they have wandered away from God, who is the light.
b. “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” (John 8:12)
c. When people wander away from the light and teachings of Jesus, they have no choice but to walk in darkness.
d. Reason that people do this is because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against God.
e. When we decide to follow our own thinking and beliefs and shut God out of the picture it causes our minds and hearts to become hard and calloused.
4. The result of this lifestyle is that people become numb to their sin. Look at what Paul says in v. 19, “They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.”
a. When we continually sin and disobey God it causes our hearts to become hard and lose their sensitivity to the things of God.
b. The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.” (1 Tim. 4:1-2, NIV).
c. Back in the old days, when someone severed a limb, they would sear the ending of the limb in order to cauterize the wound, but this would also cause the end of the limb to lose any sensitivity.
d. This was happens when we continue to do the same sin over and over without repenting.
e. After a while we no longer feel guilty or have a sense of shame. That’s what Paul is saying here, and the result is that people keep lusting for more and more to satisfy their sinful nature.
B. New Persons
1. Now in my house there’s been a mercy killing
The man I used to be has been crucified
And the death of this man is a final way of revealing
In a spiritual way to live I had to die
OH and if I let this dead man linger in me
I might get a little idol in my ways
So I’m going down to the celebration river
Gonna take this dead man down to a watery grave
I’m going to the river my Lord
I going to be buried alive
I want to show my heavenly Father
The man I use to be has finally died (Water Grave by Servant)
2. As followers of Jesus, we need to live as radically new people.
a. “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Cor. 5:17)
b. When we come to Christ, our lives are forever changed.
c. He didn’t come and die for us so that we could stay the same and continue to live like the world.
d. No, he died for us so that we could be radically changed.
e. He died for us so that we could be new people.
f. He died so that we could live as children of the light, because he is the light.
g. Jesus told us that we are the light of the world and that we should not allow the light to be hidden. Rather, that we should put that light on a stand for all to see.
h. He has called us to be radically changed!
Transition: Next, Paul tells us to…
II. Put On the New Nature (20-24).
A. Throw Off the Old Sinful Nature
1. Paul now switches gears from talking about the unbelieving Gentiles to the believers in Ephesus. Paul tells them in v. 20, “But that isn’t what you learned about Christ.”
a. The believers had learned about Jesus from Paul himself as well as from other good teachers.
b. The greatest knowledge that anyone can have is to know Jesus.
c. To know about Jesus is to know the truth; this is greater than what the world teaches and cheers.
d. So, what the believers were taught should make a radical difference in their lives.
2. Paul continues this idea in vv, 21-22, “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.”
a. Jesus is the truth!
b. Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6).
c. This is what these believers had been taught and believed. This is the truth that brings salvation.
d. While the unbelievers lived in darkness, the believers had been taught to live in the light of Jesus.
e. So, Paul tells them to throw off their old sinful way of life, like a set of bad clothes.
f. This old nature is what we were like before we came to know Jesus.
g. This life was corrupted by lust and deception. We had believed the devils lies and followed his evil ways.
h. This old nature is like a cancer that kills and destroys our lives.
i. We need to make deliberate decisions every day to get rid of this old nature and embrace the new nature we have in Jesus.
3. Instead of living this old, rotten former life, Paul tells us to “Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”
a. We can’t get rid of the old life until we put on a new one.
b. We must embrace and new nature and live it out for the world to see.
c. We must embrace new thoughts and attitudes.
d. We must be involved in things that renew our minds.
e. We must look to pattern ourselves after God and his Word and not the things of the world.
f. We must study and apply the Word of God every day. Our new life must be radically different than our old life.
g. Instead of being committed to sin, we must be devoted to living a life that follows and honors God.
h. This is not a split personality, but rather it is a new one that desires God rather that self, and one that desires holiness over sin. He has made us new so we must live like it.
B. Let God Transform You
1. Transformed by an Elevator. A family from a remote area was making their first visit to a big city. They checked in to a grand hotel and stood in amazement at the impressive sight. Leaving the reception desk, they came to the elevator entrance. They’d never seen an elevator before, and just stared at it, unable to figure out what it was for. An old lady hobbled towards the elevator and went inside. The door closed. About a minute later, the door opened and out came a stunningly good-looking young woman. Dad couldn’t stop staring. Without turning his head, he patted his son’s arm and said, "Go get your mother, son." [Transformed by an Elevator, Citation: Owen Bourgaize, Castel, Guernsey, United Kingdom]
2. As new people in Christ, we are called to be radically different from the world and to be transformed by the Holy Spirit.
a. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Rom. 12:2)
b. Paul tells us not to copy the behavior of those in the world.
c. We shouldn’t seek after sensual pleasure outside of the bonds of marriage between one man and one woman.
d. We shouldn’t seek to live in a drunken stupor.
e. We shouldn’t seek to alter our minds through illegal drugs.
f. Instead, we should let God transform us into new people by changing the way we think.
g. You see, spiritual transformation takes place just in the heart but also in the mind.
h. We need to let God change the way we think. Well, how do we do this pastor? We do it by filling our minds with the Word of God rather than what we watch on TV or what we read on social media.
i. That’s why it’s so important to read and study Scripture daily and not just on Sunday morning.
j. We need to allow God to change our minds by praying every day.
k. We need to allow God to change our minds by coming to church regularly.
l. Let God radically change you in both the heart and the mind.
Transition: Finally, Paul warns us…
III. Don’t Grieve the Holy Spirit (25-32).
A. Do Not Brings Sorrow to the Holy Spirit
1. Since we have been radically changed by God, it means that things need to change. First, Paul talks about honesty. In v. 25 he says, “So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.”
a. Since Jesus is the truth, we need to speak the truth.
b. This refers to more than lying with our mouths. The Greek literally reads “put away all falsehood.”
c. So, this refers to living the truth as well as speaking it. It means you can’t live one way on Sunday morning and living like the devil the rest of the week.
d. Our words and our actions must be consistent with being a disciple of Jesus. This is especially true when it comes to the church.
e. Paul talks about us being “all parts of the same body,” and when he uses this language he is talking about the church.
f. So, we must always be transparent and honest with one another.
2. The next thing that Paul deals with is anger. He says in vv. 26-27, “And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.”
a. Here Paul is quoting Ps. 4:4 "Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent.”
b. The Bible doesn’t tell us to not get angry, but it does tell us to deal with our anger properly.
c. We must not let our anger fester and boil until we explode, and we cannot let our anger turn into bitterness and resentment.
d. When we do this, it gives the devil a foothold in our lives, and he will use it against us whenever he gets a chance.
e. It is better to deal with the situation than to let it control us.
3. Another thing that Paul tells us to get rid of is stealing. He says in v. 28, “If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.”
a. Usually in the NT when a thief is referred to its talking about a bandit; someone who steals for a living.
b. Paul tells this person to start making an honest living and use their hands and to work hard.
c. There is truth to the old saying “idle hands are the devils workshop.”
d. In addition, he tells them to give generously to those in need.
4. The reason behind Paul imperative to stop living the old life is seen in v. 30, where he says, “And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.”
a. The fact that the Spirit can experience sorrow points to the fact of him having a personality.
b. Too often Christians refer to the Holy Spirit as an it, but the Spirit is definitely a he. As such he can experience joys and sorrows, and he can be saddened when we are not living the radical new life we have been given in Christ.
c. To continue to live lives full of lying, anger, foul language and stealing brings him sorrow.
d. Paul reminds us that the Holy Spirit gives us both blessing and responsibility.
e. He gives us blessings and hope for the future, but we are to live now as if that future is already upon us. Just as we are representatives of Christ, we are also representatives of the Holy Spirit.
B. Grieved His Spirit
1. How many of you have ever canned food? When I was a child, my mom and sister canned all kinds of food. If they just put it in the jar without sealing it, the outside air would get in it and ruin the food. By sealing it, they kept the outside from getting in and this way they kept the food good for the day of consumption. In EPHESIANS 4:30, we are told that we have been sealed in the Holy Spirit, and we are not to grieve the Holy Spirit. That means that by being sealed in the Holy Spirit, the outside cannot force its way in and ruin us. We are kept sealed and holy for the day of redemption. If we were to turn away from the teachings of Jesus, we would grieve the Holy Spirit, because we would be breaking the seal and letting the outside get into our hearts, and that would ruin us.
2. Like any relationship, we need to be careful not to offend the Holy Spirit.
a. “But they rebelled against him and grieved his Holy Spirit. So, he became their enemy and fought against them.” (Is. 63:10)
b. Now, let me be clear, I’m not saying that the Holy Spirit is going to get mad at us and decide he’s done with us.
c. We do believe in grace, mercy, and forgiveness.
d. On the hand, we want to stay in a good relationship with the Spirit.
e. Just like a relationship with people, if we ignore or take advantage of the Spirit it going to cause hurt.
f. It is much better to bring the Holy Spirit joy than grief. We want him to be proud of us just like we want people we love to be proud of us.
Conclusion
1. In our text today, Paul tells us to…
a. Live As Children of the Light
b. Put On the New Nature
c. Don’t Grieve the Holy Spirit
2. What’s the point? Since we have been made new people in Jesus, we need to be done with our old way of life and embrace the wonderful new life that God has blessed with which God has blessed us.
