Sermon Tone Analysis
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*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*.
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