One Way or the Other
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
I. INTRO
A. Where We’ve Been
B. Where We’re Going
C. Main Text
17 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.
18 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.
19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.
20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!—
21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus,
22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,
23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
D. Prayer
II. CONTEXT
A. Illust. Man overboard siren one night
17 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.
a. “U must no longer” like that dangerous warning!
1. To ignore this warning is to hazard running ur faith aground!
2. This isn’t about good and bad habits its about the maintaining our connection to Jesus
i. It’s about consistency of our words & life presenting the Gospel
-we may be the only Gospel Bennington ever encounters
-We are God’s representation on Earth…HIS very image to people who’ve never encountered him
b. next several statements that follow r devastating statements!
B. Warning from a follower o Christ 2 followers o Christ
III. BODY
A. There are two Ways
Eph 4:
17 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.
18 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.
a. The first way is of the world
1. the way of the world is Futile thinking
i. futile thinking looks like no understanding
-“darkened understanding”
-“darkened understanding”
*dim understanding o God & HIS ways; what’s that look like?
21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
ii. futile thinking looks like separated from God
- Only 1 way 2 God:
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,
- Anyone who hasn’t accepted Jesus as Lord & Savior are not living a life connected to God
-Furthermore, if folks don’t understand/know God & HIS ways, then they can’t live the life God wants for & from them.
iii. futile thinking looks like hard hearted
-def: lack o sensitivity to H.S.’s leading
-hard heartedness causes ignorance
Eph 4:19
19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.
2. the way of the world is callous
i. def: to cease to feel pain for; 2 b past feeling; insensible to honor & shame
past feeling,” insensible to honor and shame
to cease to feel pain for
-Illust: working folk’s hands vs soft hands
*story o shoveling rock where I worked
-its a callousness toward others (especially God)
Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Vol. 2, p. 232). Nashville, TN: T. Nelson.
-its an in ability to recognize one’s actions as either honorable/shameful
*& so this leads folks to do whatever feels good regardless o how it affects others
ii. leads to: Giving one’s self up
ii. sensuality: literally filthy, whatever is disgraceful; disregard of decency (God’s way)
-replaced themselves w/sensuality
disregard of decency
whatever is disgraceful
*this is practicing every kind o impurity: and the world is greedy for it!
iii. impurity: uncleanness
uncleanness
- these 2 words sum up the practicing o every kind o impurity: and the world is greedy for it!
iv. Here’s the rub:
-If we do not find a way to lay down this old way (the way o the world) we will become so caught up in it that we will become desensitized (numb) to the H.S. who is urging us to turn away from that to the new way
b. The way of Jesus
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,
21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
b. The way of Jesus
20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!—
Eph 4:20
1.
1. Jesus’s way is to learn HIM (looks like?)
21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus,
—look how this lines up w/What Jesus told his disciples 2 do—
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
i. heard about him
-a disciple tells folks about Jesus
-that person
*hears testimony of who Jesus is, what he did, & how that’s affected the disciple eternally...
* & now the hearer encounters the H.S.
*makes a decision 2 trust Jesus & is baptized
ii. taught in him
- then the Christ followers teach “all that Jesus commanded”
-notice says “in him”
*relationally intimate
~Christ followers teach with the H.S. (describe)
-Why Learn in Christ?
*The truth is in Jesus, no where else!
2. What we learn is
22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,
i. Put off the old way
23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
ii. Let the spirit renew our minds
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Eph 4:24
iii. put on the new way: the image of God
-The image of God is righteousness
*that is right faith, not action
3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.
5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,
3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Ro
-The image of God is holiness
*set apart, different, unique, distinct
~therefore, we are to be different from our old way of life
~So, what’s it mean to be different from the world…come back next week
Gal 5:22-
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
THIS WEEKS STUDY Eph 4:25-28