A Walk That Is Worthy Part 15
Marks of A Member
Text: Eph 4:25-32
Intro:
This morning I would like to continue on in our text in Ephesians.The series we have been in has been called a Walk that is Worthy. This morning I would like to bring a message entitled…” Marks of A Member”
-I am going back just a bit and picking up some odds and ends that we had skipped over. Now you must remember that the first half of Ephesians if very conceptual in its approach, and the second half is very practical in its approach. In a word you could say that the first half speaks to our position in
Christ and the second half speaks to our Activity in Christ.
Both are very important. The first, our position, gives us reason and foundation for the Activity.The second, our activity, gives us an outlet by which we can release the the incredible power of God via our position, into our lives. The two go hand in hand.
We must have an understanding of the first before we can look at the second. So once again our text brings us to some very practical statements concerning
the Body of Christ.
Eph 4:25 says: 25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
Now whenever you see a “Therefore” in scripture we must go back and see why it is there. The best way is to go back to the verse or paragraph before and read it…
Eph 4:20-24
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.
“You, however, did not come to know Christ that way…. You were taught …to put off your old self …and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Now we come to the therefore in our text…
“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.”
Paul is appealing to our position in Christ in order to make a statement concerning our activity. He is presenting us with a choice.
Paul is presenting us with a choice. The nature of this choice has to do with how we function as a church.
Illus:
An inscription over a church door:
This is the house of God. This is the gate of heaven.
Then on a small sign on the door it said:
(This door is locked in the winter months).
Illus
To dwell above with the saints we love, that will be glory. But to dwell below with the saints we know, well that’s a different story....
Paul is dealing with believers here and how they treat one another. The title of my message is the Marks of a Member. When I say the word member I am not speaking of a voting member of Bethel Assembly of God Church, but a living member of the Body of Christ. Paul gives us several characteristics that we should take on.
I would like to look at 5 things our text speaks of concerning how we are to treat one another.
1) Speak Truthfully to your neighbor v25
Just a bit earlier in this chapter Paul encourages us to speak the truth in love. Now we enjoy speaking the Truth to each other many times…it is the second part that we get a little bleary eyed on.
2) In your anger do not sin v26
Now anger is a God given emotion. Anger in itself is not where sin enters in, it is when we let it get out of control. Just as Cancer is human cells that are out of control, Sin is God given emotions that are out of balance.
Just as God Given Sexual Desire out of Balance is Lust, so also God Given Anger out of Control becomes sinful Rage.
Paul gives some very helpful advice here concerning anger…Do not let the Sun Go down upon your wrath.
Proverbs 14:17 A quick-tempered man does foolish things, and a crafty man is hated.
Proverbs 16:32 Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.
Dwight Sandoz has an expression I have heard him use several times… “Crow is best eaten warm”
With this come the admonition “and do not give the enemy a foothold
3) He who has been stealing must steal no longer v28
Once again dealing with the marks of a member. There are a couple of things taught here.
a) Do not Steal
This not just dealing with bank robberies.This also deals with whether we are being honest in every area
of our life.
b) We must strive to be a producer
Col 3:17
c) We work hard in order to give.
I have heard many sermons on the concept of “giving to get,” but very few on this verse right here…we work hard so that we can give to those in need. Remember now these are the marks of the members of the Body of
Christ and how we deal with one another.
4) Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths
We must be so careful what we say. It is so easy to get caught up in gossip and backbiting, even for the sake of humor sometimes.
How do we change what comes out of our mouths…by changing what is in our hearts.
Matt 12:33-37
5) Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God v30
Our last point this morning deals with Grieving the Holy Spirit. A serious point. The Holy Spirit is not someone we want to be an enmity with. We grieve the Holy Spirit when we resist Him. In context of our passage dealing with the body of Christ it is
interesting to take a look at Grieving the Holy Spirit from this angle.
Is it possible to grieve the Holy Spirit by refusing to get along with those that are around us. Using our text as an answer to that question lets read what is said immediately after this verse.
a. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. V 31
b. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. V 32
We must must must treat each other how we want to be treated or we put ourselves in jeopardy with the Holy Spirit.
Conclusion
Remember these last chapters are the practical outworking of our position in Christ.When we cheat in these areas we bring confusion to those watching and
to ourselves. We must strive to live our lives in the truth.
