Rags To Robes Series

Rags to Robes

Ephesians Series

CCCAG May 7th, 2022

Scripture- Ephesians 4:17-32

Intro:

One of my favorite movies is called “The Last Samurai” with Tom Cruise and Ken Wasanami. It’s a story of a civil war soldier named Nathan Algren who is hired by the emperor of Japan to train his armies in modern warfare. At that point, the Japanese empire had largely been defended by a warrior class known as samurai- experts in medieval warfare with swords, bows, and cavalry. The Samurai were beginning to rebel against their government moving into the modern world, and were becoming a problem that the emperor, and his chief counselor, wanted dealt with.

When Captain Algren arrives in Japan, he begins to train a largely conscript army in how to use single shot firearms and the rigid formations that were used during that time. Unfortunately, the emperor insisted on deploying his army before it was well trained, and during his first battle with the Samurai, the army is soundly defeated and Captain Algren is taken prisoner by the leader of the Samurai, a man named Kosomoto. Over the next several months, Captain Algren learns a system of honor and conduct called Bushido- which the samurai cling to without question, and those found violating this code are expected to end their own lives.

At their first meeting when Captain Algren angerly accuses Kosomoto of murder for beheading a kneeling member of his army. Kosomoto explained that was to be expected of a Japanese solider- that he aided him in ending his life because he had been defeated in battle and could not live with that shame.

Kosomoto said, “Many of our ways be strange to you, as many of your ways are strange to us”

It got me thinking that most of us here were brought up with an American mindset. The American mindset is one of rugged individualism that say, as Frank Sinatra put it- “I’ll do it my way.”

That kind of explains the state of our country now. There really is no moral code that we are all expected to follow such as there was in feudal Japan.

I’ve heard it said that America has about 330 Million people who are 330 million special interest groups- we all want what we want, even if it’s at the expense of others.

We have seen this idea this week, haven’t we? The leak of a confidential memo at the Supreme Court about repealing the landmark abortion case called “Roe V Wade” has caused people to lose their minds thinking abortion rights are about to be rescinded.

Let me make one thing perfectly clear- in God’s eyes, abortion is evil, it is murder, and God will eventually judge our country for allowing it to happen here.

Now, if anyone here or on the podcast has very gotten an abortion, or participated in one being the man involved in getting the woman pregnant, there is forgiveness for you at the cross of Christ, just like any other sin.

To break it down- The only thing repealing Roe V Wade does is send the issue back to the states, or forces the US congress to draft laws allowing it.

In other word, abortion could be illegal here in Wisconsin, but completely legal in Michigan or Minnesota.

That’s all that is happening with that. Pray that this country makes wiser choices in the coming months and years.

All this argument about this one subject proves the point about us all being our own special interest group.

The bible has a different view.

I don’t know if you know this about Christianity- it was not called Christianity at first. It was called “The Way”.

Speaking about the fallen world system, In verse 20 of Ephesians 4, it says,

“That, however, is not the way of life you learned”

Focus on that phrase way of life. What does that mean for us?

It means that Christianity is not just a core set of beliefs- it comes with some core set of actions that prove our beliefs.

That’s what the Apostle Paul is telling the church of Ephesus 2000 years ago, and sending that truth forward to us this morning.

You can’t call yourself a Christian if you fail to try to live up to the teachings of Christ.

We are going to go step by step through Ephesians 4:17-32 this morning,

We are going to start with the condition of those who do not know or refuse to acknowledge Jesus and LORD and God.

17 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.