More Than a Makeover

Extreme makeover: Home edition

Houses are given a face lift. Typically the structure is left and paint, decorations, and some small structural changes are made but, often the surface doesn’t show the full picture with the owners left in disaster

God does not renovate hypocrisy. He transforms the heart.

Ephesians 4:25–32 NKJV

Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

The Holy Spirit does not simply improve behavior, He transforms the heart, and changed hearts produce changed lives.

Most people have something about themselves they would like to improve.

Some people buy gym memberships. Some buy wrinkle cream. Some buy self-help books.

Others will seek training and education. Some the smart ones just discover new camera angles.

And we live in a world where almost every picture gets filtered before anyone sees it.

Because we all know how to improve appearances.

A common term in the dating world is catfishing. It is where you post an extremely altered phot of yourself, or a photo of someone else entirely. People, do not want to be seen for who they really are.

But you can upgrade your appearance but you can’t hide reality.

A house can have beautiful paint while termites are eating through the walls. A vehicle can be polished and waxed while the engine light is screaming for attention. A person can smile publicly while privately falling apart.

And sometimes people approach Christianity that way.

They think salvation is mainly about:

looking cleaner

sounding better

becoming more respectable

hiding struggles better than before

But the Gospel is not merely spiritual cosmetics and the work of the Hoy Spirit isn’t a face lift.

[Pause]

When the Holy Spirit changes the heart, everything begins to change.

That is Paul’s message in The Epistle to the Ephesians 4.

This passage is not about surface religion. It is about supernatural transformation.

It’s not about what pleases us, it is about what pleases God.

How you treat other people says a lot about how you treat God.

And Paul shows us what begins to happen when the Holy Spirit truly changes a person from the inside out.

I. THE HOLY SPIRIT CHANGES HOW WE SPEAK

“Putting away lying, let each one of you speak truth…”

Before Christ, people naturally protect themselves with deception.

Sometimes big lies. Sometimes subtle lies. Sometimes “carefully edited truth.

Sometimes crafty exclusion of facts.

We exaggerate, hide, pretend, and manage appearances.

Because lying usually grows from fear.

Fear of rejection. Fear of consequences. Fear of exposure.

But the Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of truth.

And when He transforms a heart, honesty begins replacing deception.

Illustration:

There is a Youtube channel devoted to doing Home inspections on million dollar homes and showing the poor craftsmanship in these extravagant homes.

It is amazing to see the showers that don’t drain, the doors that wont close, the siding that is falling off, and often dangerous gas and exhaust leaks in these beautiful homes.

You see, there is often more than meets the eye. Often, just below the surface is disaster waiting to reveal itself

(Pause)

Are you truthful when honesty costs you?

Are you transparent before God?

Are you more concerned with appearance than integrity?

(Short Pause)

Because transformation begins when truth matters more than image.

II. THE HOLY SPIRIT CHANGES HOW WE HANDLE ANGER

“Be angry, and do not sin…”

Paul acknowledges anger itself is not always sinful.

Even Jesus became angry.

But unmanaged anger becomes destructive quickly.

Some people explode. Some withdraw. Some keep score for twenty years.

Illustration:

A pastor once said that bitterness is like drinking poison while hoping the other person dies.

And the frightening thing about bitterness is that it rarely stays contained.

It spills into:

marriages

parenting

churches

friendships

children

You can eventually become known more for your anger than your joy.

Are you known by your love, or by your anger?

Illustration:

A small spark in the woods can seem insignificant, but can be devastating

1988 was an unusually bad fire season in the western states. Yellowstone National Park took the brunt of the disaster. The North Fork Fire was the largest of the season and was lit when a woodcutter dropped a lit cigarette into dry debris in the nearby Targhee National Forest. Ultimately this fire burned over 500,000 acres and became the largest fire of that historic season.

Unresolved anger works exactly the same way.

Left unattended it will grow and consume your soul.

Who do you still resent?

What hurt are you replaying repeatedly in your mind?

What conversation are you avoiding?

[Pause for effect]

The Holy Spirit does not simply calm tempers. He heals hearts.

III. THE HOLY SPIRIT CHANGES OUR PURPOSE

“Let him who stole steal no longer…that he may have something to give him who has need.”

Notice Paul’s progression: Stop stealing, start working. Then become generous.

Because before Christ, life naturally revolves around self.

“What can I get?” “What do I deserve?” “What benefits me?”

But the Holy Spirit changes selfish people into generous people.

Illustration:

Did you ever notice how toddlers naturally believe everything belongs to them?

You can have two identical toys… but the moment another child touches one… suddenly THAT one becomes precious.

Nobody teaches selfishness. It comes naturally.

One of the most moving moments in church life is watching someone who once lived entirely for themselves suddenly become deeply generous.

You watch them:

serve quietly

give faithfully

help people secretly

sacrifice joyfully

And you realize: Only God can change a heart like that.

When the Holy Spirit changes a person, closed fists slowly become open hands.

Application:

Are you consuming more than contributing?

Are you using your gifts for God’s Kingdom?

Are you generous with your time, resources, and compassion?

[Pause]

Because transformed people stop asking: “What can I gain?” and begin asking: “What can I give?”

As President John F, Kennedy said at his inauguration, in 1961, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” Church stop asking what can I get from God and church, and start asking what can I give?

IV. THE HOLY SPIRIT CHANGES OUR WORDS

“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

“Corrupt” means rotten.

Paul is describing speech that spreads decay.

Gossip. Cruelty. Humiliation. Sarcasm designed to wound.

Constant disparaging comments.

And sometimes Christians disguise cruelty as “just being honest.”

[pause]

Now, I’m not saying to not be honest, we just spoke about lying, but we must be kind.

No, sometimes people are simply mean with Bible verses attached.

You can be right with a bad attitude, and still be wrong.

You know the southern favorite, Bless your heart!

As believers, we often disguise it as pray for them.

Yet, if our words are unkind, we must repent.

And, we are all guilty of this. How often have you said an unkind word and immediately regretted it? However, if this is habitual and you are unbothered, I would ask if you have been transformed by the Holy Spirit?

Emotive Illustration:

Most people can still remember hurtful words spoken to them years ago.

A teacher. A parent. A coach. A spouse.

Words can linger for decades.

Some people in this room still hear sentences spoken over them as children.

Because words carry weight.

[Longer Pause]

A Reditor by the name of Deborah, told of receiving devastating news that they were paralyzed from an accident. Upon hearing the life altering information they called their mother and expressed their fears and sorrow. The mother simply replied, “Well, what do you want me to do about it.” Her mom later responded, “Well, I never did like you anyways.”

This morning that may revive hurtful feelings that we have had in our past. However, if we are not careful, the poison that is in us will also seep out of us. And we will become the monster we abhor.

On the other hand, words of kindness can be life o the hearer.

Proverbs 15:4 NKJV

A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

One encouraging sentence at the right moment can literally keep someone going.

You may never fully know what your words mean to someone fighting a private battle.

The Holy Spirit changes not only what comes out of our mouths… but what lives inside our hearts.

Matthew 12:34 NKJV

Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

Application:

Ask yourself:

Do my words leave healing or damage behind?

Do people feel stronger after speaking with me?

Is my speech shaped by grace?

Do my words bringing pain or prosperity?

V. THE HOLY SPIRIT CHANGES OUR RELATIONSHIPS

“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God… And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

Isaiah 7:13 NKJV

Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also?

Paul centers this entire section around the Holy Spirit.

Why?

Because how we live matters.

Spirit-Grieving Attitudes:

bitterness

wrath

anger

slander

malice

Those sins destroy homes, friendships, churches, and ministries, but most importantly, they offend the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians & Philemon Notes

The expression “bring sorrow” occurs 63 times in the LXX, where, for example, Joseph told his brothers not to be distressed or grieved for what they had done to him (

Genesis 45:5 NKJV

But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.

A missionary once told the story of visiting a prison deep in Eastern Europe after the fall of communism. The prisoners had lived for years under brutal conditions. They had been taught to survive by suspicion, hatred, and self-preservation. One inmate stood out in particular. He was violent, cold, and completely detached from everyone around him. He would not speak kindly, would not help another prisoner, and would often mock those who showed weakness.

Eventually, another prisoner — a believer — began sharing Christ with him. At first, the hardened man laughed at him. But over time, something changed. He trusted Christ, began reading Scripture, and the Holy Spirit began transforming him.

Months later, the missionary returned and barely recognized the man. The once-angry prisoner was now helping weaker inmates carry food trays. He sat beside dying prisoners no one else wanted to touch. He even gave away part of his own bread ration.

The missionary finally asked him, “What happened to you?”

The man replied, “Before Christ, I only saw enemies, burdens, and problems. Now… I see people.”

Years of friendship are destroyed by stubbornness.

Families sitting in separate sections. People refusing to speak. Church members avoiding eye contact or shaking hands.

[Pause]

And often both sides can quote Bible verses while refusing to forgive.

You cannot walk closely with the Spirit while clinging tightly to bitterness.

The Holy Spirit does not come merely to improve appearances. He comes to transform the human heart.

And when we treat others poorly, we grieve the Holy Spirit.

Also, the way we treat others reflects the Lord Jesus Christ. You should treat every person in our community as if they are your child or family member, because they are loved by God.

The Spirit’s Work:

kindness

tenderness

forgiveness

The best time to plant a shade tree is 30 years ago. The next best time is today.

You do not stare at a tree for one hour and suddenly see fruit appear.

But over time… growth becomes undeniable.

That is how the Holy Spirit works.

Slowly, faithfully, and steadily, making us more like Christ.

Application:

Is your heart becoming softer or harder?

Are you quick to forgive?

Have you allowed bitterness to settle in your spirit?

CONCLUSION

Paul is describing something deeper than religious behavior.

This is not image management. This is not moral performance. This is not learning to “look Christian.”

This is the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.

[Pause]

The Spirit:

changes our speech

heals our anger

redirects our desires

reshapes our words

transforms our relationships

Because Christianity is more than a makeover, it is a new birth.

Final Illustration:

You can repaint rust, but eventually it bleeds back through.

Because the real issue was underneath the surface.

And many people spend their lives repainting symptoms while never surrendering the heart to God.

But when the Holy Spirit truly changes a person from the inside out, the transformation becomes impossible to hide.

[Final Pause]

Closing Challenge:

Have you merely improved your appearance, or has the Holy Spirit truly transformed your heart?

GOSPEL PRESENTATION

The truth is, no amount of outward change can save a soul.

A person can become more religious, more moral, more disciplined, and still remain separated from God.

Because our greatest problem is not simply behavior, it is sin.

And sin separates us from a holy God.

That is why Jesus Christ came into the world. Not merely to improve us, but to save us.

Jesus is not merely a teacher, a prophet, or an example.

He is God the Son who took on human flesh.

He lived the sinless life we could never live.

He died on the cross for our sins.

And three days later, He physically rose from the dead.

pause

Salvation is not earned through good works, religious effort, or personal improvement.

If human effort could save us, Jesus would not have needed to die.

We are saved by God’s grace through faith in Christ alone.

pause

CONNECTION TO THE SERMON

And when a person truly trusts Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to live within them.

That is where transformation begins. Not from the outside in, but from the inside out.

Holy Spirit transformation is a continual work thought is produced through faithful attention to your spiritual walk.

INVITATION

Maybe this morning you recognize that you have spent years repainting the outside, while the inside remains unchanged.

Maybe you have turned away from God because to many religious people have claimed the title of Christian without knowing the transformative power of Salvation.

Or maybe you are simply living a life without God.

You know religion, but not relationship.

Church attendance, but not surrender.

Morality, but not transformation.

But today, Jesus Christ can forgive your sin and change your life completely.

Not partially, completely.

FINAL APPEAL

Turn from your sin.

Place your faith in Jesus Christ alone.

And the same Holy Spirit we have preached about , can transform your heart from the inside out.