It's Time to BE...
Notes
Transcript
It's Time to BE...
It's Time to BE...
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Someone once said, “The Bible was written to be obeyed, and not simply studied”
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
In the 2nd half of Ephesians, we will find the “therefore’s & wherefore’s” - Because of what the Lord has done for us, there is a great expectation of what we should be doing for him.
In a few weeks, we will be celebrating “Thanksgiving”...
A time to:
internalize
externalize
vocalize all that the God has done for us… we are so blessed!!!
Country
freedoms
Health
Opportunities
Jobs
Resources
families
friends
church...
we have a lot to be thankful for...
But, thankfulness is received when it is observed...
When we do more than just say it - but live it, it brings depth and meaning to those simple - yet profound words - Thank You...
In our text, we find the Apostle revealing the great need of believers - to be thankful enough to allow the love, grace, mercy and forgiveness to bring about a heart of gratitude that will be revealed in a life of action...
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
It's Time to BE...
It's Time to BE...
Pray...
Be Real
20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
If we have learned about him, but have not learned him - we are not being real...
If we have heard him, but have not learned him, we are not being real
If we have been taught by him, but have not learned him, we are not being real
The Truth is in Jesus,
revealed
manifested in Him...
It’s not enough for us to know about the Lord - we have to know the Lord...
12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Be Real....
Be Renewed
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
To be renewed: to be or become reestablished in a like-new and often improved manner
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
The old man… the flesh - sinful nature - is to be renewed...
Put off the old man - former conversation - old life - bc - before Christ
Put on the new man - “…which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness”
It’s not time to think
It’s not time to know...
It’s time to BE...
Be Real
Be Renewed
Be Righteous
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
Righteous indignation
anger is an emotion...
emotional arousal...
But what is it that arouses / stirs our anger?
Unpatriotic behavior… kneeling for the national anthem
Burning flags...
Antifa - anti fascism -
These people who are going around touting their patriotism by burning the flag and lawless behavior - do not even know what fascism is...
fascism is a governement controlled by a dictator that forcibly suppresses opposition and criticism...
The ones using force are the lawless in the streets -
This is a false narrative - they have deluded themselves into a place where they have justified their lawlessness in fighting an enemy that doesn’t exist… yet
Be ye angry and sin not...
What does the Lord get angry over?
his house becoming a den of thieves - he overturned the tables in the temple - they had manipulated a system to bring great personal gain at the cost of the people who were coming to offer sacrifice...
Hophni & Phineas - Eli’s son’s - they took the best of the sacrifices for themselves and were immoral
Eli - who would not correct / discipline his children
Idolatry… covetousness
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Be Real
Be Renewed
Be Righteous
Be Relational
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Be ye kind
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
b. Kind - gently pleasant - not harsh or stern or severe...
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Be Real
Be Renewed
Be Righteous
Be Relational
Be Resolute
1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Follower - imitator - a person who copies the words or behavior of another...
Illustr. Truett Sewell -
We need to be imitator - followers of God - as dear children - the innocence - the faith… the pureness of a child when they are imitating - not mocking - just simply trying to do what you do / saying what you say...
This world needs to see Christ -
They don’t need to see:
the carnal
the sinful
the old nature
They need to see:
Light
Love
and they need to see that in us...
It’s Time to BE...