Character

Ephesians 4:25–32 ESV

25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

INTRODUCTION:

How we should act

Sermon on the Mount

We are to act differently than the world does, in the way we think, speak, act, worship.

It’s not the ones who say, “Lord, Lord” who will be in the Kingdom, but those who prove it by the way they live

Chapters 1-3: This is who you are … Chapters 4-6: This is how you act

If you are a believer, THIS is how its manifest

In 2 Peter 1, you can read of the great virtues of the Christian life

Notes:

Often times if you can’t hear somebody well you’ll say “what did you say?”

Here Paul gets specific, explains exactly what living the new life entails

Practical exhortations that demonstrate th is new life we have in Christ

5 categories or areas of illustration where change must take place

You exchange lying for speaking truth

Ephesians 4:25 ESV

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

Lawyers, Doctors, Teachers, Salesmen, Politicians, Government=, Everybody lies

Satan is the father of lies

But in Christ we shift from a life of lies to a life of truth!

Jesus is the way, truth, and life

The Spirit is called the Spirit of truth

The word f God is called truth in John 17… “thy word is truth”

When a believer opens his mouth, he should speak truth

Types of lies:

Telling something untrue

Exaggeration

Cheating

School… Taxes… Work

A betrayal of confidence

You said you wouldn’t say it but you did

Flattering someone

Telling them untrue things to gain their favor

Excuses

An honorable person says: “Yes, I did that, and I was wrong”

This goes back to the book of Exodus 20 “Dont bear false witness”

Why is it so important to tell the truth?

“Because we are members of one another” — Verse 25

We can’t afford to be anything less than truthful

#2. You exchange unrighteous anger for righteous anger

Ephesians 4:26–27 (ESV)

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

If I have any justifiable anger, its an anger that is designed to defend the great, glorious, holy nature of God

The anger of Jesus weeping over the grave of Lazarus

The anger of Jesus cleaning out the temple tables

Mark 3:4-5 “And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.”

It is the righteous fury of God

You have a right to be angry about some things

Psalm 97:10 “O you who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.”

Psalm 69:9 “For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.”

“God I cant tolerate what people do in your name”

You know why you get angry? You get angry because people do things to you you don’t like

But the fact of the matter is, you dont deserve anything anyway right?

Anger is a retaliating spirit. The only time its ever right is when you defend God’s holiness

James 1:19-20 “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

#3. Exchange stealing for sharing

Ephesians 4:28 (ESV)

Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

Stealing

Items

Time

Abusing certain privileges

Cornerstone… steaks

Work

Not to pile it higher and get more and more of what you need less and less of.

but you’re to work in order to give, not get. That’s the idea. If I could only get a raise then I’d have more to give to somebody who has need.

Paul

In Acts 20, he says, “I worked.” “When I ministered to you,” talking to the Ephesian elders,

Acts 20:33-34 “I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me.”

not only did he supply his own living so they didn’t have to pay him, but he supplied the living of everybody who worked with him!

Now, that’s hard work, isn’t it?

You may say, “How could the guy do that?” I mean how could anybody possibly work, and earn his own living, and the living of everybody he traveled with, and still preach like Paul did?”

Well, he had one thing going that I don’t have, and that is he got instant revelation. He’d just get up and open his mouth, and God would talk. Boy, would I like that.

#4. You will exchange corrupting talk for edifying words

Ephesians 4:29 (ESV)

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Corrupting: “Rotten, worthless, diseased”

Psalm 141:3 “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!”

Col 3:8 “But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.”

What would corrupting talk be?

Any words or conversations that lack an eternal purpose

I’m not condemning normal conversations!

You can still chat about football / kardashians / whatever you’re in to!

As long as it’s healthy words … not gossiping

You can tell a lot about a persons heart by the way they speak

Andre

Col 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

Ephesians 4:30 “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

When does God grieve? When we:

Neglect holiness

Neglect reading His word

Neglect time in prayer with Him

Neglect righteousness for our own sin

You exchange natural vices for supernatural graces

Eph 4:31-32 “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor (causing commotion / troublemaking) and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Love one another

Opposite of love isn’t just hate. It’s apathy.

Exchange:

Speaking lies for speaking truth

Unrightwous anger for righteous anger

Stealing for sharing

Corrupting talk for edifying words