NBBC Kid's CLUB: Eph 4:25-27

Introduction: Blessings of Being Saved review: Transformation, Adoption, Redemption, Union, Inheritance, and Holy Spirit. Last week, we considered that living like God’s children is to be like Jesus which is different from living like an unbeliever. Tonight, we’re going to consider some of the specific ways that we can live like God’s children.

Ephesians 4:25 “25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.”

When we see “Therefore”, what are we supposed to ask?

What is it “there for”?!

Ephesians 4 began with discussing what it looks like to live like God’s children.

Humility

Gentleness

Patience

Bearing with one another in love

Protecting the unity that we have through the Spirit.

As we continued in Ephesians 4, we also learned that God has given us through the Church what we need to encourage us to live like God’s children.

Paul then shifted and helped us to understand that God’s children should not live like unbelievers who live their lives just for themselves and not for God.

So, we could say, the “Therefore” is there to remind us that 1) we are to live like God’s Children 2) with the encouragement of the Church and 3) unlike unbelievers.

Since we are to live like God’s children, what are we supposed to do according to Ephesians 4:25?

“[lay something] aside”

We saw this phrase come up before in Ephesians 4:22.

What was it that we were instructed to lay aside in that verse?

The old self.

Remember, the old self refers to living for our sinful desires.

What does it mean to “[lay something] aside”?

Because you do not need something anymore, you set it somewhere where you are not going to use it any longer.

Example: clothes that you have outgrown.

What is it that God’s children are to lay aside?

“falsehood”

What is “falsehood?”

It means to lie, to say or do something that is not true.

We can lie about a great number of things.

When are some times that we can be tempted to lie?

When your mom checks on you if you have cleaned your room, you say “yes” when you have not.

When your teacher asks about your homework and you make up a story as to why you were unable to complete it.

Often, we are tempted to lie when we think that the truth is not going to help us keep a relationship with someone.

In reality, lying only hurts that relationship even more because that person cannot trust what you say.

Why would lying be something that God’s children should set aside?

Because God is true, Ephesians 4:21, and cannot lie, Titus 1:2.

Because lying is something that the devil does, John 8:44.

In summary, we should put off lying because lying is sin that God hates and, going against what it means to live like God’s child.

However, it is not enough just to put off lying!

Instead of lying, what are God’s children, believers, to speak?

The Truth

This is not only telling others what is true.

You know, Paul has already told us about what the truth is.

We find the truth in Jesus.

This includes the message of the Gospel and all that we find in God's Word.

In other words, what we speak to others needs to be according to God’s Word.

Who are God’s children, believers, to speak the truth with?

A Neighbor

What’s a neighbor?

We tend to think of neighbor as someone who lives close to us.

Look to your right, that's your neighbor.

Look to your left; say, “Hello neighbor.”

Neighbors are people all around you, wherever you go.

Therefore, is there anyone you should not tell the truth to?

No!

We should always tell the truth to everyone!

Why is it that God’s children, believers, need to speak the truth with one’s “neighbor”?

It's because of our relationship to neighbors.

We are members of one another.

To be a member of something refers to being part of a group.

Example: members of CLUB; this church; a family.

What group is Paul talking about here?

Is this just a group of believers?

You only have to tell the truth to other believers.

But to unbelievers, you don’t have to tell the truth.

No!

Remember, God is truth.

To speak anything that is untrue goes against God’s character!

This group refers to both believers and unbelievers combined!

Therefore, this would refer to everyone!

When you’re at home with your family.

When you’re at school.

When you’re shopping!

We are to tell the truth to everyone at each opportunity!

So far, we’ve considered that, as God’s children (believers), we are to tell the truth in demonstration of how we are God’s children.

Even when it is is hard to tell the truth, God has given us a blessing of being saved to help us when we’re tempted to lie.

Would anyone like to guess Who that blessing of being saved is Who can help us when we’re tempted?

The Holy Spirit!

Remember, God has given us His Spirit to empower us to live like His children, His Word to instruct us to live like His children, and His people (the Church) to encourage us to live like His children.

Ephesians 4:26 “26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,”

What does it mean to “Be angry”?

Anger is normally our response when something has not gone the way that we think it should.

If your sibling takes the toy that you were playing with: yelling, pulling, fighting.

When something like this happens in a family, is everyone happy?

No.

Parents are not normally happy and either we or our siblings are hurt.

What Paul has identified here is that we are all going face things that we do not expect and be tempted to get angry.

How should we face this unexpected circumstances?

How can we address our temptation to get angry?

What does Paul say that we should not do when we get angry?

Sin.

What does the word “do” refer to?

Action.

When we get angry, what kinds of actions are we tempted to do?

Forcefully pull something from someone without thinking about how they might get hurt.

Hitting someone to stop them from taking something from us.

Speaking unkind words to another such as calling them names or saying something mean about them.

You see, when we get angry, we’re not thinking about how our actions are going to affect another individual.

Instead, we’re thinking about how to get what we want.

Paul is encouraging us that God’s children are in control over their actions when they get angry.

Remember, as God’s children, we want to display humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another in love, and protecting unity.

Anger is opposed to all of these characteristics.

Who is it that will help us to not sin when we get angry?

The Holy Spirit!

Remember, He lives inside of you if you’re God’s child, having believed in Jesus as your only Lord and Savior from your sins.

Not only are we not supposed to sin when we get angry, but what else are we not supposed to do?

Let the sun go down on your anger.

What time of day is it when the sun goes down?

It’s night time.

So if one gets angry when it’s day, what does it mean to not let the sun go down on your anger?

To let go of your anger before night time.

That is, you do not hold onto your anger.

What does it mean to hold onto your anger?

You keep thinking about what it is that made you angry.

Example: if your sibling took something from you, every time you see them, all you think about is how they took something from you and it’s not fair.

What does this do to your attitude toward your sibling or even other people?

You’re constantly in a sour mood.

Do people in a sour mood remind you of Jesus?

No!

Remember, as God’s children, we are to love others, even those that we are tempted to be angry with.

Ephesians 4:27 “27 and do not give the devil an opportunity.”

What is an opportunity?

An opportunity is a time when you get the chance to do something.

It can be something good, where you can do something honorable.

It could be something bad, to hurt someone because it benefits you.

Who is it that we should not give an opportunity to?

The devil.

You see, when we get angry, it gives the devil an opportunity to gain control over us.

In other words, anger can be a controlling emotion.

We do not want to be controlled by our emotions.

Because our emotions are still influenced by our sin nature, therefore we can’t trust our emotions.

Because our emotions can change.

We should want to be controlled by God through His Holy Spirit Who lives inside of us.

Friends, as you hear these things, you might be thinking, “This is impossible!”

You would be right to think that these things are impossible.

They are impossible to do on our own.

However, if you have believed in Jesus as your Lord and Savior from your sins, you have God’s Holy Spirit inside of you.

The Holy Spirit is ready to help you tell the truth, not sin when the unexpected happens, work to resolve your anger at another, and not let your anger control you as the devil would like to happen.

Yet, if you have not believed in Jesus as your Savior, you do not have the Holy Spirit to help you live in a way that pleases the Lord.

As we dismiss to our discussion time, if you would like to talk to any of the CLUB leaders, including myself, about your need to tell the truth and about how God wants you to live when the unexpected happens, please seek one of us out.

Conclusion: Memory verse review - Ephesians 4:25 “25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.” (X3)

According to Ephesians 4:25, what is it that all God’s children (believers) should lay aside?

Answer: falsehood

Dig Deeper Idea: Remind the clubbers that God is truth and His Word that He gives us is truth; therefore, God’s children (believers) must put away lying because it goes against God’s nature

From Ephesians 4:25, what is a falsehood?

It’s a lie

According to Ephesians 4:25, what is it that God’s children (believers) should do instead of lying?

Answer: Speak the truth

According to Ephesians 4:25, who is it that we should speak the truth to?”

Answer: our neighbors

Is a neighbor just someone that lives close to us?

No, it’s anyone that we come into contact with

Therefore, who should we speak the truth to?

Everyone!

If we are to speak the truth to everyone, rather than lie, how often should we speak the truth?

We should speak the truth to everyone at all times!

Explain: Speaking the truth is more than just telling someone what happened accurately but it also means that we are sharing the truth about the Gospel of Jesus and God’s Word with others

According to Ephesians 4:25, why should we speak the truth with everyone?

Because we are members of one another

What is it about God’s character that requires us to speak the truth at all times with everyone?

God is always truthful!

When we get angry, what 3 things are we not supposed to do according to Ephesians 4:26-27?

Sin

Dig Deeper Idea: Remind the clubbers that this refers to our actions. We are not to act sinfully in our anger.

Share with the clubbers that they have the Holy Spirit to help them act like God’s children, even when they’re tempted to get angry.

Remind the clubbers that acting like God’s children involves humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with each other in love, and protecting unity.

Let the sun go down on our anger

Dig Deeper Idea: Remind the clubbers that with the sun going down this refers to time.

Instead of holding onto our anger by thinking about how we have been wronged, we are to let go of our anger and work to make things right with the one who has made us angry

Give the devil an opportunity

Dig Deeper Idea: Remind the clubbers that we don’t want the devil to be at work in our lives because the devil is opposed to the Lord!

Giving the devil an opportunity when we’re tempted to be angry reminds us of the danger of anger; it can control us

Instead, we want God to work in our lives through the Holy Spirit.

Who wrote this letter to the Ephesians?

Paul

Who did Paul write this letter to?

The Ephesian people that made up the church in Ephesus

What is one of the Blessings of Being Saved?

Transformation, Ephesians 1:4

Adoption, Ephesians 1:5

Redemption, Ephesians 1:7

Union, Ephesians 1:10

Inheritance, Ephesians 1:11

Holy Spirit, Ephesians 1:13