Out With The Old, In With The New

Introduction

Well good morning CityBeat Church, it is a privilege to be with you today in God’s House. I’ve been so looking forward to being here with you and bringing God’s word to this congregation. I want to take a moment and give honor and show gratitude to Pastors Alec & Kelly who lead this campus so well. You guys have excellent campus pastors here who love each of you so deeply! I want to thank you for the opportunity to bring God’s Word here at this campus.

Secondly, I want to give honor and show gratitude to the founders of this great church and soon to be lead pastors of our church as a whole; how many of you know we are one church in two locations reaching Baltimore together? Amen!

So, I give honor to Pastors Jared + Ashley Michael who both have such a wonderful heart and vision to lead our church to where The Lord is calling us to go. I know they are not here today but I know they may watch later, so, thank you both for the opportunity to serve on your staff, it has been the privilege of my life. My family and I are so grateful for both of you.

Now, as Pastor Alec said my name is Zach and my family and I are based out of the Dundalk Campus of Eastern. My wife, Jackie serves as the Kids Pastor and I get to serve as Pastor of Church + Leader Development. I have the privilege of leading and ministering to a group of 41 individuals that make up our churches leadership team, including the great leaders that make up this campus.

Jackie and I have 2 children…

SHOW: family photo

Madison is our oldest, she is 5, and our youngest is Abigail, she is 2 years old; and fun fact, next Sunday, Jackie and I will celebrate 13 years of marriage! I know I cannot believe it either, she is an absolute trooper for sticking around that long. Amen!

Well thats enough about me, you guys came to hear from the Word of God! So let’s jump in!

We are continuing our series on the Book of Ephesians and today we will be in chapter 4 starting in verse 17. This has been such a powerful series of messages and I love that we are doing this series in our church as a whole learning from God’s Word together.

PRAY: to before reading the passage

Message Body

This morning, I want to preach to you a message entitled; “Out With The Old, In With The New.” Starting in Ephesians 4:17 it says this;

Ephesians 4:17–24 CSB

17 Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thoughts. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts. 19 They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more. 20 But that is not how you came to know Christ, 21 assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, 23 to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.

1. Out With The Old (Putting away the Old Life)

As we begin this morning, it’s important to note that Paul, the writer of Ephesians, is writing this letter to the church in Ephesus, a group of believers and followers of Christ. What Paul is trying to convey in this passage is the stark contrast between the old life, the life we lived before we experience the salvation of Christ, and the new life, the life we live after receiving the salvation of Christ.

a. The Old Life Apart From God

Paul first spends time reminding the Ephesians of their prior existence—they were blinded in their understanding of the gospel, cut off from the life of God, and living for self-gratification. This description of their former existence can be summarized in the phrase; “futility of their thoughts.” Meaning, their life was morally bankrupt or lacking in ethical principles.

How many in this room would agree with me this morning that life here on this earth is empty, futile, and meaningless apart from God?

PAUSE: for response

What I think is so important for each of us here in the room this morning is that each and everyone of us lived out this exact existence prior to putting or faith in Jesus.

You and I, prior to our new life in Christ had minds that were distorted by sin, we were eternally separated from God and cut off from eternal life with him because of our ignorance towards him. We rejected him and his ways because of the hardness of our hearts. We practiced every kind of impurity, with a desire for more, as the passage describes.

Simply put, you and I prior to receiving Christ were in a desperate state.

b. Learning The New Life

But thanks be to God that while we were still in our desperate state of separation from him, God sent his very best for us to be our rescue. The Bible says in Romans 5:8;

Romans 5:8 CSB

8 But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

It’s through his death and resurrection that you and I have salvation, forgiveness of sins, and new life in Christ today!

In 2 Corinthians 5:17 it says;

2 Corinthians 5:17 CSB

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!

So because we have new life in Christ; Paul in verse 17 implores his audience, and us as an extension, he says;

Ephesians 4:17 CSB

17 You should no longer walk as the Gentiles (unbelievers) do, in the futility of their thoughts.

Paul is presenting a call to maturity by reminding them that when they became believers, they learned a new way of life. So don’t return to that old way of living!

Paul starting in verse 22 of chapter 4 gives a visual to the readers to really drive home this point of the old self vs. the new self. He says;

Ephesians 4:22–24 CSB

22 to take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, 23 to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.

The visual here is one of “an outfit change,” taking off “the clothes” of your former life, which was corrupted, and instead, allowing our minds to be transformed by God’s Spirit, and begin clothing yourselves with the “new self,” which is the likeness of God that lives according to righteousness and holiness.

ILLUSTRATION: “You’re wearing that?”

I mentioned earlier that very soon my wife and I will be celebrating 13 years of marriage. During those 13 years there have been many times where we will be getting ready in the morning and I’ll put on a particular outfit and my wife will see it, look at me and say; “You’re wearing that?”

And almost every time, I’ll turn around, go back to my closet, take off that outfit and put on a new one. Now spiritually, I wonder how often God looks at his followers and says with gentleness; “You’re wearing that?” “Why are you still wearing and carrying parts of the life I freed you from?”

“I died and rose again so that you no longer had to “put on the clothes” of your old life. You can put on the new life.”

You see, in this new life, which is rooted in the truth of Jesus, we should discard or “take off” our previous ways of living. Why? Because…

What ever we choose to not “take off” from our old life, will be the thing that holds us back in our new life.

So, what is it this morning that you’re still keeping on from your old life? Because, if you’re a follower of Christ, you have been given new life in Christ. You are no longer bound by sin and your former way of life, but sometimes we carry unnecessary weight around with us that is holding us back from the life that The Lord has for us.

In Hebrews 12:1-2 it says;

Hebrews 12:1–2 CSB

1 Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

So again I ask you this morning, what of your old life do you need to take off so that you can walk in the fullness of the new life that Jesus has given you?

The transforming power of the Holy Spirit in our life is what enables us to live this new life that he has called us to live. We don’t have to do it alone!

2 Peter 1:3 says;

2 Peter 1:3 CSB

3 His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

Now, maybe you’re here today and you have yet received new life in Christ, you haven’t made him Lord of you life and received forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life. At the end of our service I want to give you an opportunity to do just that.

2. In With The New (Putting on the New Life)

Now, what I want to do with the remainder of our time together is to get really practical with you by answering the question; “what does putting on the new life look like?”

Because I can tell you till I’m blue in the face that you have new life in Christ. I can tell you that it’s out with the old and in with the new. But what you need to walk away with this morning is clarity on what this new life, this new self that is “created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of truth,” should look like and what is should not look like.

Let’s pick back up in Ephesians 4 starting in verse 25. It says:

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.

a. What the New Life Should Look Like

What the Apostle Paul is doing here is describing how believers can display the righteousness and holiness of God in their everyday lives. He begins laying out what our new life in Christ should look like and he deals with a number of areas. I’ll go through these somewhat quickly;

i. Speaking Truth, Not Lies (vs. 25)

Verse 25 says;

Ephesians 4:25 CSB

25 Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another.

Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians & Colossians D. The Cultivation of Holiness (vv. 25–32)

First we are to stop lying. This may sound simple but Paul lists it for a reason. Make truth telling a habit of life. We cannot attempt to fool or deceive one another as others do. We must create unity in the body with one truth because we are members of one another.

ii. Not Sinning In Our Anger (vs. 26-27)

Verse 26-27 says;

Ephesians 4:26–27 CSB

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.

Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians & Colossians D. The Cultivation of Holiness (vv. 25–32)

Sometimes a Christian may legitimately become angry. Jesus became angry at times. In those times we must be extra careful how we act, for anger gives no excuse to sin. Sinning in anger would include things such as saying unkind things or acting in harmful ways toward others. We may not always be able to keep from getting angry, but we can keep from sinning when we do. When we do get angry, we should deal with it before the day is through.

When we allow our anger to become sin or when we allow ourselves to keep our anger for more than a day, it gives the devil an opportunity to gain control over our attitudes, our actions, and our relationships. It gives him a foothold to lead us into greater anger and more sin.

iii. Don’t Steal (vs. 28)

Verse 28 says;

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.

Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians & Colossians D. The Cultivation of Holiness (vv. 25–32)

Again it seems so simple on the surface but Christians are not to steal. Stealing, in its most obvious form is, either by deception or force, taking the possession of someone else. In all civilizations, stealing is considered wrong. It is a timeless and universal value. Inherently, no one wants his possessions taken from him. We have no difficulty understanding or agreeing with this command at its most obvious level.

Rather than steal, we are to work. Work has benefits. (1) It is good. It allows a person to meet his own needs and the needs of his family. It allows him to do something meaningful with his time and to make a contribution to society. (2) Work allows a person to be able to give something to others who have needs. Rather than steal from others, work allows a person to give something to others. (3) Work allows a person to support financially the advancement of the kingdom of God. Working is thus a sign of Christian faithfulness, maturity, and unity.

iv. No Unwholesome Talk (vs. 29)

Verse 29 says;

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.

Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians & Colossians D. The Cultivation of Holiness (vv. 25–32)

This is the Bible’s version of, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” We are to speak only words that build up and encourage others. This one passage, if consistently obeyed, would eliminate the overwhelming majority of life’s conflicts. Words of a mature Christian seek to help the listener, not harm him. Thus the ministerial gifts of Christ’s grace achieve their purposes, and the unity of the body of Christ is preserved and enhanced.

ILLUSTRATION: What Time Is It?

A long time ago, I heard a Pastor talk about this verse and he had a pretty creative way of helping people remember this verse. He would ask the question; What time is it? And the response that followed every time was; It’s 4:29, in reference to Ephesians 4:29. The point being it’s always time for wholesome and positive talk to come from our mouths.

So what time it is? 4:29!

v. Don’t Grieve The Holy Spirit (vs. 30)

Now, verse 30, as we continue to understand what the new life should look like. It says;

Ephesians 4:30 CSB

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

Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians & Colossians D. The Cultivation of Holiness (vv. 25–32)

When we don’t limit speech to wholesome, helpful words it makes the Holy Spirit feel grief because of our behavior. I am not saying that you can never say anything negative. Sometimes we are forced to talk about unpleasant things, particularly in solving problems in which people are involved. Teachers, ministers, employers, coaches, lawyers, police, and so on, all find it necessary to tell the truth about someone even if it is unpleasant. Whether you are solving a problem or not, you avoid speaking unwholesome words. Your intent is to build up, not tear down, to unify, not divide.

vi. Works of The Flesh (vs. 31-32)

Finally verse 31-32 says;

Ephesians 4:31–32 CSB

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.

Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians & Colossians D. The Cultivation of Holiness (vv. 25–32)

Christians are to “put away” five sins: bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander. In their place, they are to “put on” three virtues: kindness, tender-heartedness, and forgiveness. Because God acts this way toward us, we should act this way toward others. Then the church will be built up, the people will be holy, and Christ’s body will be unified.

What the Apostle Paul is writing in this passage is more than just a list of moral instructions, or a bunch of do-or don’ts. These are all actually reflections of Christ’s nature. These virtues are things that you and I should actively practice because when we do we are showcasing what it looks like to live as children of light.

Being children of the light means being imitators of God.

b. The New Life Is About Imitating God

Being imitators of God is exactly how Paul begins the next chapter. He says;

Ephesians 5:1–2 CSB

1 Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, 2 and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.

Now, here’s a free Bible lesson for you. When you see a therefore in the Bible, it’s important that you find out what the therefore is there for. It almost always means its connected to the passage you just read.

So, lets breakdown how this passage connects to the previous one. Again, we read;

Ephesians 5:1–2 CSB

1 Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, 2 and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.

We are commanded, not suggested, to be imitators of God.

Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians & Colossians A. The Imitation of God (vv. 1–2)

The word imitate comes from the word

Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians & Colossians A. The Imitation of God (vv. 1–2)

Just as it is natural for an earthly child to imitate his earthly father, so should the spiritual child imitate his Heavenly Father.

Now, it the context of what we are reading, what does it look like to imitate God.

How do we imitate God?

i. We imitate God through the way we love one another

This is where we see a connection between the end of chapter 4 and the beginning of chapter 5. We are to imitate God, we are to walk in love towards others by showcasing what it looks like to live as children of the light. We are truth speakers, we handle our anger well, we avoid stealing, we don’t let unwholesome talk come out of our mouth, we put on kindness, tender-heartedness, and forgiveness.

In this way we are walking in sacrificial love towards others! If you think about it, living in this way is so counter cultural! Everything about culture today is so self-serving; in the way we think, in the way we talk, and in the way we act towards others. It all represents the “old-self.”

But when we put on the “new-self” the self-centered focus is replaced with an others-centered focus. The “new-self” represents a counter cultural way that lays aside the self-serving actions of the “old-self” and is focused on loving others well. Secondly…

ii. We imitate God by becoming a living sacrifice

In Romans 12:1 it says;

Romans 12:1 CSB

1 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.

Think of everything God has done for us, It’s beyond measure! He gave himself up for us, and because of that you and I are to imitate him by giving ourselves up for him!

Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians & Colossians A. The Imitation of God (vv. 1–2)

To give oneself up means “to follow, to obey, to live in relationship with.” When we live with this attitude toward God, we please him just as a pleasant aroma pleases the one who smells it.

The only proper response for you and for me is to give our entire lives back to him! We need to follow him with everything we have and we need to give him our full obedience. As we’ve talked about already, we’ve got to take off the “old-self” and put on the “new-self,” the life that is decimated to holiness, dedicated to following God, and fully obeying him.

ASK: The musicians to return to stage

c. What the New Life Should Not Look Like

Paul begins to wind down this section of Ephesians by outlining how believers—as “children of light,” no longer in darkness—are not to live, according to the new life in Christ. In Ephesians 5:3-4 is says;

Ephesians 5:3–4 CSB

3 But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints. 4 Obscene and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks.

The opposite of imitating God and giving oneself up for him is living in sexual immorality, impurity, and greed. Paul goes as far to say that these things should not even be heard of or named among you. That means we are to keep these things completely out of our speech and thoughts.

Verse 3 discusses sins of “deed” but in addition to sinful deeds, verse 4 says there should not be sinful “words.” Obscenity (cursing), foolish talk, coarse joking, all these things should not be apart of the speech patterns of Christians. Instead, we ought to speak from a heart of thankfulness to God.

Paul continues in verse 5;

Ephesians 5:5–7 CSB

5 For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things. 7 Therefore, do not become their partners.

Paul offers a stern warning here in verse 5; As “children of the light” we are to acknowledge Christ’s rule by being people obedience, loyalty, and love. The warning is that those who continue to walk in the ways of the world are essentially rejecting Christ’s reign. It’s a strong message from Paul to fully leave the old life.

Verse 6 is talking about not be deceived or tricked into thinking that the way we live here on earth doesn’t matter. It does, because one day God’s Wrath will be coming on the disobedient.

Verse 7 tells us not to partner with the disobedient. Why? Because we are not like them anymore! That’s the way you used to live! It’s the idea we’ve centered around all morning; “Out with the old, in with the new.”

This is echoed once again in verse 8;

Ephesians 5:8 CSB

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light—

How terribly inconsistent of us as Christians to continue to participate in the sins of non-Christians!

The church of Ephesus, the original audience for Paul, was once just like those who are disobedient. Followers of Christ in this room today, we were once just like those who are disobedient.

But no longer! We have been made new in Christ! So rather than committing acts of immorality, impurity, and greed, we should do as verse 9 says;

Ephesians 5:9–10 CSB

9 for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth—10 testing what is pleasing to the Lord.

I know I’ve said it a number of times today but it’s because I so want this to sink into your spirit this morning; Christian, you are no longer darkness, you are a child of the light, and it’s only when you walk in God’s light can you truly please him.

Finally, in verse 11, Paul takes it a step further by not only reminding the reader to not participate in fruitless works of darkness, but to actually do the work of exposing darkness.

Ephesians 5:11–14 CSB

11 Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret. 13 Everything exposed by the light is made visible, 14 for what makes everything visible is light. Therefore it is said: Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.

You and I are to do more than abstain from evil; we are to call it out, denounce them, and declare them as unfruitful, shameful, and not worthwhile.

Why are we to do this; because sins are exposed by shining light into sins darkness. One commentary says this;

Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians & Colossians B. The Avoidance of Sin (vv. 3–14)

An amazing thing happens. Darkness can no longer hide its nature and acts in secret. All is exposed to light. Light that makes everything visible brings an even more radical element. Literally, this reads, everything that is revealed is (or becomes) light. Light turns darkness into light. This is the church’s mission. Whether the people in darkness are church members or society members, the goal is to transform them completely from darkness to light.

I love that! Our mission as The Church and the people that make up The Church is to bring the light of Jesus that is within us into darkness and bring transformation. As children of the light, people who have been given new life in Christ, we have a mission from him to take that light with us wherever we God.

This is a dark and dying world outside of these doors that is in desperate need of the light of Jesus that you carry with you. The question for you this morning is this; will you “put on the new-self” and carry his light into the darkness that is in desperate need of the transforming power of God.

ASK: The congregation to stand

Response Time

1. Receiving New Life In Christ (A Call to Salvation)

Maybe, you’re here this morning and you’ve heard me talk about this new life in Christ, this taking of the old-self and putting on the new-self. But you’re here this morning and taking an honest look at your life and you come to the conclusion that your life is is a mess.

You’re living a life that is far from God, consumed by the ways of the world! You’d say, Pastor what hope is there for me?

I’ve got good news for you, there is hope! His name is Jesus! He died and rose again for you so that you could have new life, so that you could walk away from the ways of the world and experience freedom in Him.

This new life comes by surrendering your life to Christ and making him Lord of your life. This morning, if you want to surrender your life to Him I want to give you an opportunity to do that. If that’s you, right where you are would you repeat this prayer after me…

PRAY: The Sinners Prayer

“Dear God, I confess that I am a sinner and I need you. I believe Jesus died to pay the penalty for my sin and that he rose again from the dead. I accept your free gift of forgiveness and salvation, and I ask you to be the leader of my life. I’m turning away from doing things my own way. Please help me live my life for you. Thank you for your forgiveness and the gift of new life. Amen.”

2. Take off the Old and Put on the New (A Call to Imitate God)