Step by Step

Introduction

Back in a simpler time…the 1990s...there was a family TV show block on Friday nights called TGIF (thank God it’s Friday). While the acronym lives on...the shows don’t.

One of those tv shows was called Step by Step. Sort of a modern day Brady Bunch. The husband and wife met and married and each brought three kids into the marriage...making for a blended family. The show involves this new blended family (once separate and strangers) forming a new family with all the differences and expectations that go along with that.

The hope of the parents was one day their children would one day accept one another and they would form a new family unit.

Not to stretch the metaphor too far...but if you think about it...the church in Ephesus...and the church today...was and is a church...made up of followers and believers in Jesus as the Christ of God...making one giant blended family.

In Ephesus it was Jews and Gentiles. In our modern world...it might be ethnicity...culture...background...or age differences...and we are all trying to live faithfully as Jesus taught...all to God’s glory.

Paul’s Step-by-Step

Now Paul...all of the new testament letters...are real. Meaning they don’t sugarcoat the life of faith. They don’t make it out like following Jesus...being the church together...is easy. In fact, it requires much of the believer.

Accommodation of differences for Jesus’ sake.

Finding the log in our own eyes before we go around pointing out the splinter in our neighbor’s eyes.

And as we heard read today...there is an expectation of leaving the past behind.

There’s an expression in some Christian circles “God loves you too much, to leave you as you are.” While it is true and scripture supports that God loves the whole world...just as it is...and you and I are forgiven by the grace of God alone in and through Christ alone and are washed clean of our sins and brought into God’s family in the Lord Jesus...just as we are...

...it is also true that Jesus taught...changes will come to the true follower of Jesus. Changing from who we are to becoming more like Christ is the goal of the Christian life.

Imagine being given a Trillion dollars. Would your life change? Would your lifestyle change? Would your friends change? Would your address change? Would what you worry about change?

When given a priceless gift...namely...the unmerited favor of God...it changes you.

Jesus was constantly commanding his followers to change...

His first words in Mark 1:15

Mark 1:15 ESV

...“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

He told his fishmen followers that he would change their livelihood from catching fish to catching people for God’s kingdom.

The woman caught in adultery? Go and sin no more. Change your ways.

Matthew 7:19 NET 2nd ed.

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

But Jesus also knows it is a process. We call it “sanctification”. The process in which we become more Christ like

If the woman at the well in John 4 knew who he was...and she asked...he would have given her living water. As it was...he saved her as she was...after much questioning...and she became an evangelist in her home town...

Today’s reading

Today we heard Paul in Ephesians 4. He has already emphasized the oneness of the church (the blended family of Jews and Gentiles; men and women, slave and free)...and we spoke last wee of how Paul has spoken of the diversity of graces (gifts) given to the church...why? So the church would grow into Christ’s body...and be strong and sure of what they believe...and live boldly for God.

Ephesians 4:17-19 Paul describes the state of the unbeliever before beliving in Christ Jesus as Lord.

Ephesians 4:17–19 ESV

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

This is the state of mind of all who believe...the state in which God loves non believers...but also the state from which God will change a person. Paul continues:

Ephesians 4:20–24 ESV

But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

The reason God loves us to much to not change us...is because the old self...is deceitful in its lusts! Whatever that lust may be...it is a lie and tempts us to move away from God and focus on ourselves. We are so selfish when we do that and we are not bearing the image of God in Christ when we live that way. We are sinning. We are created in the likeness of God in True righteousness and holiness. that’s the process of sanctification...putting off our old self and our decietful lusts...and putting on Christ and his righteousness.

Application and Closing

Paul gets real practical in his answer to what this righteousness looks like for the Christian.

Ephesians 4:25–32 ESV

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

Ephesians 4:25–32 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.

Ephesians 4:25–32 ESV

Let no corrupting (bad, rotten, unwholesome) 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.

Ephesians 4:25–32 ESV

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor 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.

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Ephesians 4:31–32 MSG

Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.

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Ya’ll being a Christian...being in God’s family...means we are actively involved in our relationship with God and God’s people. We are no longer our own...are to put off certain things that may have been our habit in this world...and put on Christ...and live into...step-by-step...the image of Christ Jesus our Lord.

We aren’t to tear down (something the world and the devil love to do)...we are to build up!!

We aren’t to slander...but encourage.

We aren’t to bitter and wrathful...but full of grace for ourselves...and God’s people.

Our focus is to be always on Jesus. WE are changed...we are sanctified...step-by-step...recognizing when we do these things (that come from the “old self”) and we are to renew our minds by the power of the Holy Spirit but reading God’s written word...and asking for help in undestanding its truths. By God’s grace...that truth will set us free.

Thanks be to God...AMEN.