Dressed to Live
Dressed to Live!
Introduction
<Ephesians 4:17-32 (NIV)>
There is an old saying that goes like this, “You are what you wear!” …guest speaker who arrived dressed without a tie…”
A. Don’t you wish that all it took to be something or someone was to dress the part?
B. Have you noticed that most Bibles divide each section by a heading? (weren’t I the original manuscripts, by the way) Here is how today’s passage is described in a few different translations.
· New International Version: Living as Children of Light
· New Living Translation: Living as Children of Light
· New Revised Standard Version: The Old Life ad the New/Rules for the New Life
· New American Standard Version: The Christian’s Walk
· New American Bible: The Old Way Has to Go
All of these headings lead in one direction: Transformation
C. This passage is not just talking about dressing the part, but about creating real change in your life.
· Paul begins by saying, <v. 17-18 (NIV)>
· Then he says, <v. 20-22 (NIV)>
· He goes on, <v. 24 (NIV)>
D. This is the objective of today’s text: to teach you how to experience absolute transformation from your old life to your new life. Paul addresses three areas that we need to focus on in order to experience such change.
I. <Change your thoughts.> <v. 22-23 (NIV)>
A. Changing you life by changing your thoughts isn’t new (and didn’t originate with Norman Vincent Peale either).
1. In the OT King Solomon wrote…
<“For as he (a man) thinks in his heart, so is he.”
– Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV)>
2. In the NT the Apostle Paul wrote…
<“…be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
– Romans 12:2 (NIV)>
3. This idea has been repeated by teachers and philosophers throughout the ages…
• The most important things in life are the thoughts you
choose to frame. (Marcus Aurelius)
• What we think about when we are free to think about
what we will—that is what we are or soon will become.
(A.W. Tozer)
• A person is what he thinks about all day. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
• The mind is like a clock that is constantly running down; it has to be wound up daily with good thoughts. (Fulton J. Sheen)
• Good thoughts are blessed guests, and should be heartily welcomed, well-fed, and much sought after. Like rose leaves, they give out a sweet smell, if laid up in the jar of memory. (Charles Spurgeon)
• Change your thoughts and change your world. (Norman Vincent Peale)
4. And Paul says it in today’s text…
“…(you must) be made new in the attitude of your minds.” – Ephesians 4:23 (NIV)>
You might be surprised to hear this, but by nature I’m a positive or optimistic person. If it weren’t for the presence of the Holy Spirit and the influence of the Word of God, I would probably spend my life down in the basement, digging holes and singing the blues. Over the years, however, I have changed from pessimism to optimism through this biblical principle: by learning to think a new way, I have experienced transformation.
B. Here are some thoughts that have empowered me over the years; maybe they’ll help you, too.
<Biblical truths you need to think about every day:>
<• Things are working out for the best. (Romans 8:28)>
<• Christ will finish in me the work he has begun. (Philippians 1:6)>
<• God has turned his back on my sin. (Isaiah 38:17)>
<• God will never turn his back on me. (Hebrews 13:5)>
<• I belong to God, and that will never change. (Ephesians 1:5)>
<• I have access to everything I truly need. (2 Corinthians 9:8)>
<• My future is bright. (Ephesians 1:18)>
<• Living in God's love is the key to living in Power. (Ephesians 3:19)>
C. By reminding yourself of these truths every day you learn to think in a new way.
This is why daily devotions are so crucial in a believer’s life. Our mind needs to be saturated with God’s wisdom; we need to get in the habit of thinking his thoughts…
II. <Change your words.>
<v. 25 (NIV)>
<v. 29 (NIV)>
<”But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.
- 1 Corinthians 14:3 (NIV)>
A. We must remember that our words carry tremendous weight.
You remember being told as a child that "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Not true, is it? If you're like me, you can still remember some of the mean things said to you when you were a child—and they still sting. Words are destructive.
The philosopher C.J. Ducasse said, "To speak of 'mere words' is much like speaking of 'mere dynamite.'"
B. As we have seen repeatedly in this series, God wants his church to dwell together in unity. (simply put, he wants us to get along) In order for us to do that, we have to learn to watch what we say.
1. Paul said to speak truthfully to one another; he also said don’t use abusive language. Have you ever noticed that some people have a hard time reconciling these two?
They seem to think being honest means saying whatever mean thing comes to mind. This is a problem in a lot of marriages and a lot of families. Now, my family isn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination (actually, one of us is pretty close to perfect, but humility prevents me from telling you who it is). In spite of our imperfections, we have done one thing right from the beginning, and it has made a huge difference in our relationships with one another. It's very simple: We don't tolerate saying mean things to one another. We don't insult one another. We don't call each other names.
I was in an office supply store a couple of years ago when I overheard the man in front of me say to the young lady behind the counter, "You're an idiot, aren't you?" And then, when he turned to leave, I was even more shocked—he was a well-known "Christian" businessman.
C. The matter of watching our words needs to be taken
seriously by the church. It’s an essential part of displaying your new nature in Christ. Don’t use abusive language…
…no matter how right you are and no matter how wrong they are.
…no matter how much they deserve to get blasted.
…even if they used it first.
I don’t know who said this, but it is worth repeating: I have often regretted my speech, but I have never regretted my silence. When you are tempted to say something wrong, don’t say anything at all. You’ll be amazed at the benefits. J. Ogden Armour (Of “hot dog” fame) once said, “Most men talk too much. Much of my success has been due to keeping my mouth shut.”
D. Paul offers an even better approach than remaining silent.
<“…Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. – Ephesians 4:29 (NLT)>
1. Paul says here that conversation should be seen as something more than an opportunity to speak your mind – it should build up!
I have a cousin who doesn’t call often, fortunately, who, when I’ve gotten off the phone, realized that the entire conversation was about him—his life, his job, his ministry, his family, his car, his lawn, and on and on and on. And on. Frankly, it's embarrassing. (And it's probably why no one ever calls him)
2. Here's a principle I'm working on; maybe we should all try it. "When I talk to you, I talk about you."
E. If you want to display the new nature Christ has given you, change your words – because your words are a seed of transformation.
III. <Change our actions.>
A preacher stood up in front of his congregation and asked, "Have any of you here, at any time in your life—even in childhood—ever told an untruth? And white lies count, by the way." Of course, everyone raised their hand. Then he asked, "And has anyone here ever taken something that didn't belong to you—like a piece of bubble-gum from a candy store, or a paper clip from work, or never returned something that you borrowed?" Everyone raised their hands. "That's good," the minister said. "I just needed to know who my audience is. I see that I'm surrounded by liars and thieves."
A. That seems to be what Paul is saying. In verse 25 he tells us to put away falsehood, and then in verse 28 he says,
<v. 28 (NIV)>
1. The thief must become a generous giver. That’s transformation.
· A thief thinks only of himself, and acts only on his won behalf, regardless of the pain that it may cause others. He looks out for #1.
· A generous giver looks out for the well-being of others, and takes care for them in addition to taking for himself.
B. Here’s a principle to follow in upgrading your actions: Take care of yourself without hurting others; take care of others without hurting yourself.
This "win-win" philosophy has become a tired cliché but it works.
If I treat you in such a way that I win and you lose, Christ isn't glorified and his work on earth suffers.
If I treat you in such a way that I lose and you win, the same thing happens. Before too long, instead of being generous to others, I will become dependant on others.
However, if I treat you in a way that I win and you win, then Christ is glorified and his church is edified.
- Paul’s win-win philosophy works in business, in financial transactions, but it also applies to other areas of life; in your relationships, your ministry, and in your work life.
“Take care of yourself without hurting others; take care of others without hurting yourself!”
Conclusion
A. There’s a topic that Paul hits pretty hard in this passage that I haven’t even mentioned yet. We’ll take a look at it now, because in Paul’s words we see the essence of transformation. <v 26-27>
<When we talk about transformation it’s not just a matter of doing good but being good through and through.>
B. Paul use the example of anger because we know that anger has the potential to seep through the layers of our being and make us rotten on the inside.
1. Anger destroys relationships…splits churches…rips families apart.
2. Anger can cause you to become obsessed; soon it dominates your thoughts, dominates your words and it controls your actions.
C. So how do you counter attack anger’s stronghold? Look at verse 31.
< (v. 31) Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger…>
These are thoughts!
<(v. 31) …brawling and slander…
These are words!
<(v. 31) …along with every form of malice.
These are actions!
D. This is how you destroy the enemy: with your thoughts, your words, your actions. Just as anger has the ability to seep into the core of your being, so do righteousness and holiness.
· Every time you think a godly thought you sow a seed of transformation in the core of your being.
· Every time you speak an uplifting word, you sow a seed of transformation into the core of your being.
· Every time you act with generosity and kindness, you sow a seed of transformation.
<Living the transformed life is much more than dressing the part – it’s what’s in the heart that counts!>
