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Teaching That Changes • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 5 viewsPaul concludes his teaching on a transformed life
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The privileges and blessings that we have in community together in the Church of Jesus Christ are sacred and precious.
There is in it such hallowed fellowship, care, and counsel as cannot otherwise be known apart from the family of God.
There is cooperation in service, accomplishing that which cannot otherwise be done.
Today we affirm again the Agreed Statement of Belief for the Church of the Nazarene:
We believe in one God—the Father, Son, and HolySpirit.
We believe the Old and New Testament Scriptures, given by plenary inspiration, contain all truth necessary to faith and Christian living.
We believe human beings are born with a fallen nature, and are, therefore, inclined to evil, and that continually.
We believe the finally impenitent are hopelessly and eternally lost.
We believe the atonement through Jesus Christ is for the whole human race; and that whosoever repents and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ is justified and regenerated and saved from the dominion of sin.
We believe that believers are to be sanctified wholly, subsequent to regeneration, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
We believe the Holy Spirit bears witness to the new birth, and also to the entire sanctification of believers. And we believe our Lord will return, the dead will be raised, and the final judgment will take place.
Josh do you believe these truths? If so,
answer, “I do.”
Josh I welcome you into the Church of the Nazarene and the fellowship of New Beginnings Church with its benefits and responsibilities. May the great Head of the Church bless and keep you, and enable you to be faithful in all good works, that your life and witness may be effective in care for the poor and oppressed and in leading others to Christ.
To Conclude
To Conclude
We have been considering Ephesians chapter 4.
It falls in the context of the First three Chapters of Paul’s letter to Ephesus:
You’ve been adopted
You are chosen and given every spiritual blessing
You are adopted into a family with an inheritance
You are sealed with the Spirit
Everything you need you already possess
The teaching in chapter 4 is essentially our life in Christ does not look like our life outside of Christ — Develop
Ephesians 4:1-2 — A Balanced life has balanced virtues
Ephesians 4:3-6 —Unity in the Trinity is Unity in Community
Ephesians 4:7-13 — In Christ leaders lead
Ephesians 4:14-24 — Growth Ties the Body together
No we come to Paul’s final point in revealing a changed life, a very specific manner in which the body of Christ is to live.
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your 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.
28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
In this passage there are 10 commands:
6 Negative commands, do not do
4 positive start doing
Meaning these things are not suggestions, period, there is no room for discussion!
I find it very interesting that the focus of our passage is on our speech.
N.T. Wright “Every time you open your mouth you have the opportunity to be a channel of grace.” — Develop
As our passage begins in verse 25;
Paul is coming to the conclusion of the manner in which we are to live.
Each of You…
Each of You…
Paul begins with “therefore” - A conjunction used to state the conclusion of a perviously mentioned matter.
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
Paul’s conclusion of the Manner of Life
It starts with putting off anything false.
The action here must come before we speak truthfully.
Meaning if our speech perverts the truth, then we can’t speak the truth!
The reality is we are one body.
If there is falsehood and not truth in what we speak the body will not function and there can never be any unity.
The correlation then our manner of life directly effects the body’s ability to function and grow.
Deal with your anger
Deal with your anger
It is not surprising that next Paul would deal with the issue of anger.
He gives the negative command to not sin in our anger.
Paul quotes Psalm 4:4
4 Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.
“Tremble” to behave violently as if in a state of great anger.
The quote of Paul is an exact quote from the Greek Septuagint, “Be angry and do not sin. For what you say in your heart, let your conscience be pained upon your beds.”
We are being taught that if anger happens it can lead to disaster, so deal with it before the end of the day because tension builds over time.
Doing nothing with our anger gives the devil an opportunity, because we are not dealing with the sin in the midst of the body of Christ.
The second word anger is interesting because it is the idea of an angry mood, a violent irritation expressed by either hiding oneself from others, or by flaming looks, harmful words, or inconsiderate actions.
N.T. Wright — “This smoldering anger is a door through which the devil can sneak in an mess things up.”
The commands here are so we don’t give satan a place in our life.
Be Others Centered
Be Others Centered
28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
It seems that in Ephesus there were some for which theft was a way of life.
Paul gives the negative command to steal no longer.
Followed by the positive command to work.
An alternative translation for verse 28, “Let him labor working with his own hands what is good, that he might have something to share…”
Then Paul turns again to our speech.
A negative command to not let any unwholesome words come out of our mouth.
Say only words that are helpful, uplifting, and beneficial to the listeners.
Imagine, Paul is telling us another way to be others centered, by thinking about what you say before you say it.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
We also have the negative command to not grieve the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit who makes men attest to the truth is put to shame when Disciples lie to one another and utter foul talk.
Now with the Spirit in mind Paul gives a list of things we need to allow the Spirit to clean up in our lives — malice, rage, anger, brawling, slander, and all bitterness.
Literally we need to let them go!
In doing this command we are under the action of the Holy Spirit we find a transformation happens!
We will be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving each other as God forgave us!
Not only are we transformed and growing, but so in turn is the body!
Conclusion
Everything in the chapter has to do with the manner of life lived in holiness and Christ-likeness
It is all the removal of self and putting God on the mantel of our life transforming us to being others centered.
What a beautiful picture of the body of Christ!
1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children
2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
A Changed life is possible in Christ!
