Ephesians Week 3
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Only the good die young?
Only the good die young?
Every Saint has a past and every sinner has a future - Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde
O'Flahertie Wills Wilde
(10/16/1854 – 11/20/1900)
An Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, the early 1890s saw him become one of the most popular playwrights in London.
in London.
That is a profound statement isn’t it? This idea that every good Christian has a past and has done things they are ashamed of…and on the flip side ever sinner has a future, a hope for salvation. It really makes you think.
The only problem is, that would be taking this quote out of context. It comes from the 1893 play called “A Woman of No Importance” and the quote is accurate, but it’s not from the standpoint of redemption.
How else might you interpret this quote?
Every saint has a past = the best of their life is behind them now because they are religious
Every sinner has a future = they get to live on and pursue their lusts free of guilt or worry.
Saint = boring life
Sinner = let the good times roll.
You see Lord Illingworth, in the story, is what we call a hedonist, he seeks pleasure above all else. And he is proud of his pursuit of his lusts and he thinks that if you are a saint, it means your life is over.
A more modern example would be the great William Joel. One of my favorite songs of his comes from his 1977 album “The Stranger” in the song, Billy is talking to a girl named Virginia who is a strict Catholic. He is trying to fill her in on the fact that she can’t have fun and be religious at the same time. He says things like:
“They say there's a heaven for those who will wait
Some say it's better but I say it ain’t
I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints
The sinners are much more fun
You know that only the good, die young.”
What does he mean by that? Only the good die young?
He is implying that you can’t live a life that honors God and have fun at the same time. Thus, if you want to be “good” then you have to give up so much of your freedom you might as well be dead.
Now I know that song was written in the 70s, but would you agree that the same sentiment applies today?
Where do you think this idea comes from?
I think it comes from the idea that, above all else, humans desire to be free. We want to believe that a life without restriction is worth pursing at all costs.
One of my favorite artists right now is a guy name Jason Isbell, he has a song that asks this question: “Are you living the life you chose, or are you living the life that chose you?” This idea of are you really free? Or are you a prisoner of your choices?
This idea of are you really free? Or are you a prisoner of your choices?
And how do we define freedom? I get to do what I want to do, when I want to do it and if you try and stop me there will be repercussions.
Tonight we are going to talk about 3 things. The Past, the Present, and the Future.
PAST: The Status of Unbelievers
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
Vs 1
Vs 1
The problem is our sin doesn’t make us bad, it makes us dead.
I think this is part of our struggle, we don’t want God to be the judge of good and evil. We want the freedom to do that ourselves…the problem with that is, are we really free?
2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—
Vs 2
Vs 2
There is an external evil at work that seeks to control you.
Paul is arguing that disobedience to God is really obedience to this external evil that is in the world.
It’s like, we think we are free, but the more we express our ‘freedom’ the more we become ensnared by it and addicted to expression of said ‘freedom.’
If you look at porn because you’re ‘free’ to, you just get addicted to it and it becomes your master.
It’s like, we think we are free, but the more we express our ‘freedom’ the more we become ensnared by it and addicted to expression of said ‘freedom.’
In Paul talks about being a slave to the master you obey. Whether that master is God or sin, you are obeying one of them.
If you look at porn because you’re ‘free’ to, you just get addicted to it and it becomes your master.
If you take 100 pictures before getting that one perfect shot where your hair looks perfect and there is no glare on your face…you need to sit and watch those likes roll in. You become a slave to that little red heart lighting up.
If you take 100 pictures before getting that one perfect shot where your hair looks perfect and there is no glare on your face…you need to sit and watch those likes roll in. You become a slave to that little red heart lighting up.
Whatever your sin of choice is, you may not realize it yet, but it’s controlling your life…and you aren’t hiding it as well as you think you are.
Don’t worry, I’m not picking on any particular person...
3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Ephesians 3
This is a universal problem, every human deals with it in one way or another.
(“everyone’s got a price, it’s even lower than you think it is” - Money and Fame, NTB)
Not only do we have to fight an external evil, there is an internal evil that we are born with that we struggle with.
The struggle is not just external out in the world, its in us also. So temptation doesn’t just come from what I see, it comes from what I feel. How can we possibly fight the evil in the world if the evil lives in us also?
We can’t.
We are powerless to fight temptation on our own. So we give in. And honestly, we really don’t care all that much. Right? I mean, most of us were probably raised in a somewhat Christian home right?
We all learn right from wrong from a Christian point of view. But sometimes that just makes it harder. Because our parents are telling us to follow these rules and we don’t even know why. Why would we care? It’s the opposite of what our flesh desires.
And Paul doesn’t exclude himself in this. This is true of every human being. We all suffer from a level of brokenness as a result of our sinful desires.
Where does this leave us?
Vs 3b
When we follow the evil in the world and the evil that is in us, we are on the outside looking in. We are dead to God. We are destined for wrath. We’re dead.
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
Vs 4a
BUT GOD!
Finally, some hope!
PRESENT: The Station of Believers
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
Vs 4b-5
Praise God, He didn’t leave us dead, He didn’t leave us to the evil in the air or the evil in our hearts. He didn’t leave us as slaves to sin.
He saw us in our hopelessness and He not only provided a solution, He paid the cost. Not because we deserved it, or earned it. But because He is rich in mercy, because of His great love.
The Lord is gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love… and we deserve none of it, but He chooses to give it freely.
6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Vs 6-7
He not only saves us, but shows us off as a trophy of His love and grace.
And He leaves us here to be an example for others to see.
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FUTURE: The Service of Christians
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Vs 8-9
Vs 8-9
NOw Paul gets back on track
Salvation is the work of God alone, we are recipients of His work, our works do not save us.
So does that mean we are off the hook? We know He forgives our sins so we can do whatever we want? No.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
We are His workmanship, redeemed for good works, so we should walk in them.
He has prepared the path, it's our job to walk it, in faith.
Conclusion:
PAST: Dead in sin
PRESENT: Raised up with Christ
FUTURE: live in obedience according to His will, not ours.
The truth is, we all have a past and we all have a future…provided that the world doesn’t end in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…and look, we made it to the future!
Oscan Wilde chased his lusts and ended up broke, and died at age 46.
As for Billy Joel, well, he’s had so much fun ‘laughing with the sinners’ in his life that he has been married 4 times and he’s been in and out of rehab for substance abuse. It sounds like fun when you sing it in a song, but living the life of ‘freedom’ and excess takes it toll on you.
Do you want your present and your future to be in line with God and His plans for your life, of do you want to stay a slave to your sin?
Do you want to follow rules that you don’t understand, just because it’s what we’re ‘supposed’ to do? God is calling all of us to a deeper walk with Him, day by day He wants us to get closer and closer to Him.
And yes, there is work to be done.
Do good works, not to be saved, but because you have been saved. Don’t obey begrudgingly, don’t try to win God’s favor, it’s not at stake, He gives it freely so stop trying to earn it.
Do good works, not to be saved, but because you have been saved. Don’t obey begrudgingly, don’t try to win God’s favor, it’s not at stake, He gives it freely so stop trying to earn it. Obey because He loves you. Obey because He’s a good father and He sets limitations for us for our own good. Because when we decide to define good and evil for ourselves it always leads to death and destruction, when we allow God to define good and evil, it leads to human flourishing and Shalom. This idea that all is as it was intended to be.
Obey because He loves you. Obey because He’s a good father and He sets limitations for us for our own good. It’s why we teach kids to look both ways before crossing the street…not because we want to rid their lives of fun…we don’t want them to be hit by a car!
Because when we decide to define good and evil for ourselves it always leads to separation, death, and destruction, when we allow God to define good and evil, it leads to human flourishing and Shalom. This idea that all is as it was intended to be.
Does that mean you will miraculously be perfect when you walk out that door? No. But when your friends and family see you walk freely with God, unburdened by shame and guilt, they will want what you have. Because it will look a lot less like death and a lot more like what life is supposed to be.
On the other hand…
If you haven’t placed your trust in Jesus, then that is not your present, without Jesus you are dead to God. Don’t leave here dead…trust in Jesus and walk out that door into a future of obedience and good works, not so you can be saved, but because you are saved.
It’s not too much to ask when we consider that God saw us dead and helpless and did something about it.
As for Billy Joel, well, he’s had so much fun laughing with the sinners in his life that he has been married 4 times and he’s been in and out of rehab. It sounds like fun when you sing it in a song, but living the life of ‘freedom’ and excess takes it toll on you.