UNLOCKED Pt1- Keys To Living in the Community of Faith

Salutation and Gratitude

“I Glow For Glory Not My Glory But God’s Glory”

Introduction:

Why Do Christians Have So Many Quarrels?

That is the question asked by a notable Swiss pastor during the protestant movement ( Ulrich Zwingli):

I believe there are several reasons why there are quarrels which often lead to conflict among us:

We have habitual behaviors that upset the unity in the community of faith…

We have false assumptions about what life is suppose to be like in the church…

We have unrealistic expectations of brother and sisters in Chris….

But God has given us the keys that we need to unlock the biblical principles of living in unity.

Lord willing, for the next several weeks, I am going to give you some keys to unlock the principles of living in the community of faith.

As we begin a new sermon series, we are going to look at the practical portion of the letter to the Ephesians.

There it teaches us how to be a community worthy of the gospel.

In the midst of interpersonal conflicts, the writer of Ephesians reminds Christians that we are “in Christ Jesus,” no longer strangers to God and no longer alienated from each other.

Because of this new life in Christ we are experiencing a radical transformation of our identity—as individuals and as a community.

The letter to the Christians at Ephesus shows us what it look likes to live together rooted in reconciliation—vertically and horizontally—with God and our fellow believers.

Kelley, J. M., ed. (2016). A Preacher’s Guide to Lectionary Sermon Series: Thematic Plans for Years A, B, and C (First edition, pp. 132–133). Westminster John Knox Press.

Purpose:

Today I’m going to talk about communication, anger, and the devil, so that you are equipped with some keys, in order for you to unlock the principles of Christian living.

[Please stand and turn…]

Scripture:

Ephesians 4:25–27 NIV84

25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.

Series/Sermon Title:

UNLOCKED - Pt1 “Keys To Living in the Community of Faith”

Prayer

Theme:

The Scriptures provide Christians with the keys to living in the community of faith.

[As we consider the passage…]

Background:

In the second half of Ephesians, the writer of this letter continues to instruct the church at Ephesus on how they should live as a Christian community.

Central to that is how they should avoid conflict—a difficult thing for any group of people attempting to live and work together.

The section we read today offers some very practical advice for how to keep the peace: speak the truth, speak positively, avoid bitterness, forgive one another.

By doing these things, we can live in unity in the Christian community.

Kelley, J. M., ed. (2016). A Preacher’s Guide to Lectionary Sermon Series: Thematic Plans for Years A, B, and C (First edition, pp. 138–140). Westminster John Knox Press.

The first key that unlocks the principles for christian living has to do with honest communication.

[As we look at this chapter the apostle Paul says…]

Teaching

Don’t Lie To One Another...

Ephesians 4:25 NIV84

25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

Falsehood - lie n. — a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth...

Instead of lying speak the truth.

Speak the truth because we are members of one another.

The church is called the body of Christ (Eph 1:22-23).

Jesus is “the Head over everything for the church” (Eph 1:22).

We are one body in Christ reconciled to God through the cross (Eph 2:16)...

Speak the truth because we need one another.

The human body has different parts—seen and unseen—that we need…

The body of Christ has believers who are different than you are who we need…

The Christian community is made up of people with different gifts, abilities, skills, and knowledge that we need...

Speak the truth because we are related to one another.

We have one God and Father...

Ephesians 4:6 NIV84

6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

We are brothers and sisters in Christ...

Instead of lying speak the truth with love.

According to Warren Wiersbe, "truth without love is brutality"…

When truth is not accompanied by love, it can become harsh and unforgiving, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.

However, when love is integrated with truth, it reveals a transformative potential that transcends brutality...

[Everybody Knows The Truth Hurts, So Why Serve It With Love? — The Invisible Man (the-invisibleman.com)]

Therefore, we have to speak the truth with love with one another to build up one another…

Instead of lying speak the truth by trusting God with the results.

Sometimes we are afraid to speak the truth.

At times a defendant in a courtroom may plead not guilty when they really are guilty...

Sometimes we try to escape the consequences of speaking the truth.

For instance, on the on the job an employee may lie about making a mistake...

Sometimes we don’t speak the truth in relationships.

For instance in marriage we lie one another to avoid an argument:

A husband lied to his wife one day about trash on kitchen floor because he wanted to avoid an argument...

In the Christian community the key to speaking the truth in love is trusting God with the results...

[In addition, another key to living in the community of faith has do with anger so the apostle says…]

Don’t Let Your Anger Linger...

Ephesians 4:26 NIV84

26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,

Angry - anger (emotion) n. — a strong emotion or feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance...

You have to realize that you are going to get angry...

It is not a sin to become angry.

Psalm 7:11 tells us that God gets angry everyday.

Mark 3:5 tells us that Jesus got angry at the Pharisees...

It is not a sin in of itself to get angry but you can still sin when you’re angry…

When you’re angry because pride or hurt feelings it is sinful...

When you’re angry due to righteous indignation it is not sinful...

When you’re about the right thing be careful because your anger can become sinful...

You have to handle your anger as an urgent matter...

It says in the Scripture that the sun shouldn’t set on your anger...

This refers to the urgency of dealing with anger before it becomes bitterness (Heb 12:15)...

The Bible says that God gets angry but His anger only last for a moment (Psalm 30:5)…

Resolving issues over which you become angry should be done as soon as possible...

You have to release your anger under control...

When you release your anger under control according to Scripture you attack the problem not the person...

When you let your anger linger or release it out of control can you harm yourself and even others...

In Genesis 4 Cain got angry so God told him to do the right thing.

But instead of doing good Cain allowed his anger to get control of him.

Sadly in his anger he murdered his brother Abel...

When you get angry at your brothers and sisters in Christ God still wants you to do good...

Here is the key—If you do good when you’re angry you’ll feel good...

[Lastly, Paul gives us one more key to enjoy living in the community of faith that has to do with the devil…]

Don’t Leave Room For The Devil...

Ephesians 4:27 (NIV84)

27 and do not give the devil a foothold.

Foothold - occasion ⇔ place n. — an opportunity understood as if having the room or space to function or perform...

Keep the devil out by realizing he’s trying to get in...

Bro Grajalva, an older gentlemen in our church, used say to me “keep the devil out”...

To keep the devil out you have to be aware of the ways he tries to get in...

He tries to get in through our words...

He tries to get in through our anger...

He tries to get in through our differences...

Keep the devil out by resisting him...

James 4:7 NIV84

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Resist the devil by confessing your sins to God and one another (1 John 1:9; James 5:16)...

Resist the devil by refusing to retaliate when you are angry with someone (Rom 12:17)...

Resist the devil so that there is no place for him to function (Eph 4:27 foothold)...

Keep the devil out by reconciling your differences...

Relationships in the Christian community are not without offenses...

Our differences are what the devil tries to use to get in.

Because we are different there is the opportunity for disagreements.

Disagreements or differences of opinions can lead to quarrels and conflicts...

Relationships in the Christian community have to be reconciled to keep the devil out...

To reconcile means to “practice resolving differences or arguments, especially mending broken social relationships.”...

IF YOU have a bill with a financial statement that has a larger balance than yours, there has to be reconciliation.

When balances doesn’t match, you don’t just throw up your hands and say, “It will all work out.”

You find the error and fix it so that they agree...

The key to keeping the devil out is reconciling your differences in the family of faith by agreeing (1 Cor 1:10; Matt 18:19-20; Rom 14:19-21)...

The reason the devil doesn’t want us to agree is because he knows that whatever we agree on will be done…

Matthew 18:19 ““Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.” …

Somebody say, “Agree with me”…

[As I close…]

Application/Conclusion

Living in a Christian community requires a kind of sacrifice.

It means a giving up of yourself.

Give up your need to be right...

Give up your need to feel superior...

Give up your need to nurse anger into a bitterness...

[As I consider Calvary…]

Invitation

Giving up is exactly what Jesus did to live in community with us...

He gave up Himself...

He gave up His throne in glory...

He gave up His back for lashes...

He gave up His head for a crown of thorns...

He gave up His clothes for gamblers…

He gave up hands and feet for nails at the crucifixion...

One Friday...

He gave up His life...

He died…He was buried…But early Sunday morning…Gospel

Benediction

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14) AMEN