Living the New Life

Good morning and welcome to Mission Church. If I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you ....my name is John and I serve Mission Church as the lead pastor. I am humbled and honored to be with you this morning…especially as we continue our journey through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians..... A journey that we’ve entitled, “God’s Plan for God’s people.”

Now....If you would, please grab your copy of God’s Word and open it to Ephesians 4.

I find it absolutely mind blowing and even encouraging to know that God has invited us to be a part of His plan for the world. This is especially true when I consider my own brokenness and weaknesses! But.... God…He made a way for broken sinners…like us...to be reconciled to Himself and to each other! You see....He made us new creations, He has adopted us as sons and daughters, and now ....He is using us…the Church.... to transform the world for His glory!

Today....our text is a continuation of last week’s exhortation . A few verses earlier.....Paul instructed us to stop living like those who don’t know Jesus and…instead....we are to live out the new identity Christ gave us when He saved us. And...this morning we are going to see five practical illustrations of what it looks like to live as new creations who are no longer under the influence of our old deceitful desires that had at one time....defined us. Essentially Paul is continuing to lay out for us a new pattern of living. In fact I have entitled this mornings sermon, Living the New Life

Now....if you are able to …I would like to invite you to stand for the reading of God’s Word.

Ephesians 4:25–32 (CSB)

25 Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another. 26 Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and don’t give the devil an opportunity. 28 Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need. 29 No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. 30 And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. 32 And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

This is the Word of the Lord. Let’s pray. You may be seated.

* Authentic belief will always effect and determine how you live your life.

And.......You never know how much you really believe something.... until ....what you believe in becomes a matter of life and death. It’s easy to look at a chord and believe that the chord is strong…especially if you are just using the chord to tie your shoes or to hold up your pants. But suppose you are to hang by that chord over a canyon. Only then would you discover how strong you really believe that chord to be.

One of my favorite stories of revealing authentic belief is the story of Charles Blondin, the French tightrope walker. On June 30, 1859, he did his most famous act when he became the first person to cross a tightrope stretched across the mighty Niagara Falls. The tightrope was more than a quarter mile long.... suspended 160 feet above the water...and he walked across it several times, each time in a different way: once on stilts, once on a bike, once blindfolded, and another time pushing a wheelbarrow!

As you can imagine.....a large crowd gathered to watch, with each feat bringing louder applause. The crowd oohed and aahed as Blondin carefully walked across; one dangerous step after another, pushing a wheelbarrow holding a huge sack of potatoes. Then at one point, he asked the crowd, “Do you believe I can carry a person across in this wheelbarrow?”

The crowd enthusiastically yelled, “Yes! Yes! We believe! You are the greatest tightrope walker in the world. We believe!” “Okay,” said Blondin, “who wants to get into the wheelbarrow? .... Crickets....and the crowd began to dissipate. You see…they said they believed, but no one was willing act on their belief.....no one was willing to get into the wheelbarrow…which proved the fact that they really didn’t believe.

In the first three chapters of Ephesians.... Paul talks about the deep ideas, truths, and doctrines of God....he details what it is we are to believe about God.....and then…as we have seen over the last few weeks.....Paul discusses how those truths of God are to be displayed in our lives as we pursue a life that loves Jesus, lives like Jesus, and leads others to Jesus.

What you believe will effect and determine how you behave…and if you profess to believe what Paul lays down in ch. 1-3 then you will pursue a life that looks like the one Paul describes in ch. 4-6.... if not…then perhaps you don’t fully believe. You see...If you’re not pursuing a life of holiness and righteousness then perhaps you don’t know Christ like you think you do.

But....we have to recognize the pitfalls that lays before us. There is a danger that comes with chapters 4-6 of Ephesians.... which is thinking that somehow ...without Christ and without our salvation ...that we can somehow do what Paul instructs us to do. That somehow we can be good enough or that we can work our way up to God. We cant separate devotion from doctrine. You see....what differentiates Christ and Christianity from every other religion is that everything else points you to a path of working towards God but Christianity is God working towards us and doing the very work for us that we could never do ourselves.

Another danger is that we can begin with grace…meaning.... we believe and declare that we can not save ourselves.... we begin with grace but then we live as though we are sustained by our works or our behavior. Paul address this pitfall in Galatians 3, where he asked, “Who tricked you into believing that you now....somehow live this life of following Jesus based upon your own strength?”

So .....when we talk about living the New Life...when we discus the putting off of the old and the putting on of the new...we must qualify that we don't behave this way out of our own goodness or capacity ...we can’t. But ....we pursue a life of Holiness and righteousness because Jesus saved us …He made us new creations and He gave us His Spirit . In other words....because the grace of God has renewed us and is empowering us, we should live as those who are being renewed by his grace.

The gospel that makes us right with God plants within our lives the life of God. You see.... Not only do we live our lives “in Christ,” but God in Christ lives in us!! Consider 1 John 2:3-4

1 John 2:3–4 (CSB)

3 This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commands. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know him,” and yet doesn’t keep his commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

So rather than dismissing the notion of duty and demand…the gospel of God’s extravagant grace provides both an understanding of Christ’s love for us and the call to pursue personal holiness.. And.....In our text this morning Paul specifically calls us to live like Christ in how we speak, how we think, and how we act....and he does so by providing

Five Motivations for Living the New life

Beginning with #1… We are motivated to live the New Life by the fact that....

1. We are members of one another. (v. 25)

look at v. 25

Ephesians 4:25 (CSB)

25 Therefore,....or....because you have been given a New Life in Christ Jesus you should be...... putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another.

Paul says, “As you pursue a life that lives like Jesus…stop lying.” Now....understand... Paul’s words were extremely relevant to his audience....... lying was like second nature to the Greeks.... and as people were saved and joined the church..the practice of lying began to creep into the Church. And ...Paul…well…he wasn’t having it! Paul ....he even regarded lying as the dominant characteristic of the old life.

Consider Colossians 3:9-10

Colossians 3:9–10 (CSB)

9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator.

In other words....there is no room for lying in the Church. And let’s be honest…this message is no less needed today. For....we too are immersed in a culture that oozes with deception and falsehood.

I heard a story about a baker who suspected that the farmer who was supplying his butter was giving him short weight. His suspicions were confirmed when he carefully checked the weight of the butter for several days. Extremely upset... he had the farmer arrested. But the judge threw the case out when the farmer explained that he had no scales...so he used a one-pound loaf of bread that he purchased from the baker as his counterbalance!

Deception is the water our social media culture swims in…we live in a time and space in which we so care about what everybody thinks of us that we represent ourselves and our lives as something and someone who is way more impressive and awesome than we really are.

Falsehood is the air we breathe.....we cant see an advertisement or a commercial without being lied too.... I saw a commercial that claimed that if I used their toothpaste my teeth will glisten with animal magnetism. I saw another that promised that If I drink their sports drink I will have the athletic ability of the football star promoting it. We are even entertained by lying as the most popular TV shows over the last 20 years ....are gameshow like Big Brother and Survivor which are built around lies and deception. You see.....whether on Main Street ...Wall Street…Hollywood…or Pennsylvania Ave..... our culture is in an ethical crisis of lies and deception.

But …as Christians we must remember that we have been united to Christ in His death and resurrection and we have been rescued from the Kingdom of darkness…we no longer serve the father of lies..the devil..(John 8:44)..But rather...we have been brought into the kingdom of light and love where Jesus Christ…the Truth…is King (Col. 1:12-13; John 14:6). And so as new creations in Christ we are to be speaking the truth in love.....and one of the hallmark characteristics of your new life on Christ is…Truth.

Why? What is the motivation? Well look back at v25

Ephesians 4:25 (CSB)

25 ... because we are members of one another.

Now…I don’t know about you but Paul’s motivation surprised me. I expected him to say something like, “Don’t lie because God hates lies”....or “Don’t lie because Jesus Christ is truth.” Both of which are true…but Paul…he says…don’t lie because you are all members together of the body of Christ. And.....Lies among the members, actually render the Body of Christ dysfunctional.

Consider what would happen if my eye did not communicate the truth of a hot stove to my hand. Well....my fingers would get burned. You see....the body cannot perform its functions if its members are not communicating truthfully to each other.

In the same way...our words or lack of words.....affect the ability of the church body to function. When trust disappears a suspicious culture sets in and the work of the church comes to a screeching halt..until that trust is restored.

Now why is this important? Well…we have to consider the nature of the church. The Church is the body of Christ in which the Spirit dwells and through whom God plans to fill the earth with his transforming power. Therefore..it is imperative that our words and our integrity match the message we have been called to proclaim. You see… the gospel of grace compels us to pursue a life of holiness …it compels us to live like Jesus. If we choose not to pursue holiness …individually or collectively as a church …then gospel power is replaced by hypocrisy.....and the spread of the gospel is hindered.

So .....we are to speak the truth to each other and stop lying because we are members of one another. Now…the second motivation to live the New Life is....

2. We don’t want to provide Satan with opportunities. (v. 26-27)

Look back at Ephesians 4:26

Ephesians 4:26

26 Be angry and do not sin.....

Now....some of you might read what sounds like a command to be angry …and think...Awesome! Now we’re getting somewhere! I’ve got this covered …especially on my commute to work in the morning! But understand.....that’s not what Paul is saying here. Paul is not permitting anger that is self-defensive or out of control. Paul is not giving us permission to throw a fit, to seek revenge, or to dishonor the name of God.

But still....you might be surprised to hear that the Bible allows a particular type of anger.

Paul is pointing to what is often referred to as righteous indignation......a term that is often misused …in fact I once heard someone describe their anger as righteous because they didn't curse or punch a hole in the wall…but that’s not exactly what this means. Rather....Righteous indignation…or righteous anger is a holy anger against sin.

You see....As we pursue a life that lives like Jesus we will share in His anger towards sin and…we will share in His grief at what sin has done to the world. When we see and think of things like abortion, euthanasia, the sexual exploitation of women and children, the arrogance of power and wealth, and every kind of injustice........ we have a God-given right to be angry. In fact ......as Christians…something is wrong if we live our lives indifferent to the trampling of God’s truth in society and in the church. We should hate sin in the same way God hates sin!

I am reminded of what King David said in Psalm 119:53

Psalm 119:53 (CSB)

53 Fury seizes me because of the wicked who reject your instruction.

I am also reminded of how the Gospel writers provide us with two striking examples of Jesus’ righteous anger. In John 2 we read of Jesus entering the temple and seeing people buying and selling… The scene so upset Jesus that He made a whip of chords and drove them all out of the temple. Later, in response to the religious leader’s questioning him about why he healed someone on the Sabbath, Mark says that Jesus “looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart” (Mark 3:5). You see Jesus.... he displayed an anger that was mingled with grief …and this anger that Jesus expressed was unblemished. He had no sin.

And as we pursue this New Life…we are to take off ....unrighteous anger and put on a righteous anger that does not sin but it is grieved over sin.

But.....the question is....how can we keep our anger holy? Well…I’m glad you asked… Look back at v26

Ephesians 4:26 (CSB)

26 ...Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and don’t give the devil an opportunity.

In other words…don’t let your anger fester …don’t let it stew....but rather seek to resolve your anger as quickly as you possibly can …you see…even a righteous anger can lead to problems like bitterness…so the time to be angry is short. Why? Why are we to seek forgiveness and reconciliation quickly?

Well…I once heard someone say, “Don’t go to bed with unresolved conflict or else you will sleep with the Devil.” In other words... Our anger spoils us. It has been said that anger is an acid that destroys its container. Like left over spaghetti in Tupperware…unresolved anger ruins its container....and the consequences of unresolved anger is what gives Satan a foothold for his corrosive work in our hearts.

One of the ways the devil maneuvers himself into the life of the church is when Christians allow righteous anger to breed a resentful spirit or when they nurse unrighteous anger so that it breeds an arrogant spirit..... Both of these scenarios give the devil an opportunity to sow discord and division among the members of the body. And so what do we do? We go to God in prayer....we repent of unrighteous anger and with our righteous anger we trust in our sovereign and good God.

So...We are motivated to live the New Life by the fact that

We are members of one another

We don’t want to provide Satan with opportunities

3. We want to have something to Share. (v. 28)

Ephesians 4:28 (CSB)

28 Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need.

Paul …continues to address the need for Christians to live differently....to live according to God’s law…and as the eighth commandment instructs us… We are not to steal....but rather....we are to do honest work and we are to share with those who are in need.

Work…wether you believe it or not ....work is a gift from God....and Paul is reminding us that we were created to work....and we see the need for honest work throughout the Bible.

I am reminded of 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12

2 Thessalonians 3:10–12 (CSB)

10 .....“If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.” 11 For we hear that there are some among you who are idle. They are not busy but busybodies. 12 Now we command and exhort such people by the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and provide for themselves.

Now.... these words are not directed towards those who want to work by for whatever reason cannot but to those who are able to work and choose not to and expect their needs to be provided by the work of others. In other words....If you want food... then you need to work.....and as Christians .....we should be intentional about helping out a brother or a sister who is in need to find honest work…and if they can’t work.....we are to help care for them... you see....we don’t just work so that we can eat.... but....look back at v28...we work “so that we have something to share with anyone in need.”

What’s amazing is.....when you give from your gain rather than taking for your gain you are such a reflection of Jesus that you are actually sharing Christ when you share with those who are in need.

I am reminded of what Jesus said in

Matthew 25:40 (CSB)

40 ...‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Understand…Paul’s motivation for Living the New Life....for replacing stealing with working and giving…is far more important than we could have possibly imagined....you see....a generosity of spirit…a concern for mercy...and the willingness to live sacrificially are all reflections of the grace of Christ as though Christ himself were speaking through us.

How amazing is this!!!! That despite your weakness and sin…when you live selflessly and generously .... you are a reflection of Jesus to your neighbors. Brothers and Sisters....take a moment and consider..... that by replacing stealing with working and giving …and through your obedience to living generously and selflessly …you can be a reflection of Christ to the world around you! And take a moment....and see where you can live this principle out more faithfully in your life as you pursue a life that lives like Jesus....and commit to living that out this week.

So...We are motivated to live the New Life by the fact that

We are members of one another

We don’t want to provide Satan with opportunities

We want to have something to share.

4. We want to be conduits of God’s Grace. v. 29

Ephesians 4:29 (CSB)

29 No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.

The word that Paul uses here is very descriptive. When he says, “Foul language”…he is speaking about a language that has been corrupted … this word in its original context literally means… “rotten or decayed”

Now...this could include obscene language..... but the emphasis is on a conversation that spreads decay....a gossip like conversation that runs others down and finds delight in their weaknesses. You see....our mouth and the words we say can either be used for evil or for good…and Paul says....as you pursue the New Life in Christ....not only are you to stop lying …but you are also to stop using your mouth as an instrument to tear people down! Instead.... we are to use words that build up…or encourage..or point people to the truth of Christ.

St. Augustine, in recognition of this principle, hung this motto on his dining room wall:

“He who speaks evil of an absent man or woman is not welcome at this table.”- Augustine

We have adopted this at the Lee home…and ....I tell my kids this…before you say anything about anybody…you need to ask yourself three things… is what I am about to say.....

1. Is it kind?

2. Is it necessary?

3. Is it true?

This sounds elementary but everyone we speak to or talk about is made in the image of God and therefore they should be respected. And…these three questions can help us govern our speech and communication…and yes..that includes social media. Before you say anything about anybody else…ask, Is it Kind? Is it necessary? Is it True?

Sam Crabtree says,

“We can sin in two ways: by idolatrous commendation (the praise of men), or by failing to commend the commendable.” (Practicing Affirmation, 13)

Brothers and Sisters…as we pursue a life that lives like Jesus …as we work to be conduits of God’s grace we need to be intentional …we need to make the choice to take off our old cynical and critical disposition and put on the loving, truthful, and encouraging disposition of Christ. And when we do that…we will ultimately be conduits of God’s grace to those around us.

So...We are motivated to live the New Life by the fact that

We are members of one another

We don’t want to provide Satan with opportunities

We want to have something to share.

We want to be conduits of God’s grace

and....#5

5. We don’t want to Grieve the Holy Spirit. (v. 30-32)

look at v.30

Ephesians 4:30 (CSB)

30 And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption.

The Holy Spirit is not a phantom…he is not a force…but he is a Person....in fact he is the third person of the Trinity ....He is God. And Paul says....look....all of these attitudes and actions that used to define you … when you choose not to put them away …when you choose to live according to your old life and engage in sinful behavior …well …… you grieve the Holy Spirit.

Now…this makes more sense when we consider what it is that the Holy Spirit does for us.... The Holy Spirit is the one who has revealed to us the truth of the Gospel …He is the one who has revealed to us the amazing and extravagant love of Christ. The Holy Spirit builds up the Church…He is sanctifying us..and keeping us until the day Christ returns ..and.....the Holy Spirit is the one who is unifying the Church.

So…when you consider the sins Paul lists ..... lying, greed, grudge holding, stealing, and slander.. it makes senses…for... these are all sins that destroy the unity and the witness of the church....these are all sins that are in direct contradiction to the work that the Holy Spirit is doing in us..... and...anything that is inconsistent with the Spirit’s nature grieves Him.

The truth is....I don’t think there is a genuine Christian who wants to grieve the Holy Spirit....and this idea... that ...the same Spirit who convicts my heart of sin, generates in me love for God, gives me new birth, and seals my redemption until the coming of my Lord— this reality that this same Spirit who loves me so intimately and perfectly...I can cause to grieve....well that’s a great motivator to pursue a life that lives like Jesus!

You see....v.30 teaches us that there is more going on than meets the eyes in the life of the local church…and Paul…well he doesn’t leave us hanging but in these last two verses he gives us one last exhortation…one last instruction to help us learn to walk by the Spirit and to pursue unity in the church. Look at

Ephesians 4:31 (CSB)

31 Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice.

Brothers and Sisters…as we pursue a life that lives like Jesus and a church that faithfully reflects the Gospel.......we are to remove from our relationships and from our faith community....any bitterness and unforgiveness.....we are to eradicate every resentful attitude…any anger that is festering in your soul....we are to refrain from indignant outbursts, gossip, and abusive language, and we should not be defined as hostile!

How then should we be defined by…look at v32.

Ephesians 4:32 (CSB)

32 And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

Mission Church…we should be a people that is known for a kindness and forgiveness that reflects the depths of God’s kindness and forgiveness that He has shown to us.

Consider Romans 2:4

Romans 2:4 (CSB)

4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

God....in His kindness …He did not destroy you in your sin…but rather He lead you to repentance and faith.

Consider also Titus 3:4-5

Titus 3:4–5 (CSB)

4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, 5 he saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

Brothers and Sisters…God is kind and he is forgiving....and we are called to imitate Him. And the truth is.....When we stop and think of the measures to which Christ went to in order to forgive us.. ..then there is nothing....absolutely nothing that can be done to us that we should not and cannot forgive. To not forgive means that we don’t understand or appreciated Jesus’s forgiveness....

Now…that does not mean that there should not be consequences for the actions others.... but it does mean that we should be a people that is defined by our radical forgiveness. And the way that we can move in that direction is to be a people who daily meditate and think on Gods kindness…His love…His forgiveness . And...If we do …I promise…it will change us and make us more like Him… and our church will be a brighter gospel light to be seen by those lost in this dark world!

So....tell me…do you know Jesus? Have you come to know Christ? If so... Are you dressed in His righteousness and holiness? If not…take some time and allow His kindness to lead you to repentance…rest in His grace…and then together …Lets live out the New Life we have in Christ…for our good…for the good of Mission Church…for the good of Las Vegas…and for the glory of God!

Let’s Pray