06PM March 5 Ephesians 4 17_19
March 5, 2006—Evening Worship
“The Glorious Grace of God” Series – Part 11
It’s the New You – Part 1
Evidences of Spiritual Transformation
Ephesians 4:17-19
Intro: 2 weeks ago, the BSC of NC paid for me to go to training at the Hollifield Leadership Center in Conover, NC. The concept covered during those 3 days of training was called “Pursuing Vital Ministries.” But that title really doesn’t give you the gist of what I heard.
As I sat & listened to those who presented the materials, I couldn’t help notice that what they were really talking about was – somehow – getting the church as a whole to walk w/Jesus on a daily basis. They were really talking about spiritual transformation. They were really saying that each church – as a whole – needs to be transformed from the Ho-Hum, Common, Everyday, Usual routine of Christianity – & to be struck in awe of the relationship they have w/God through Jesus Christ!
& one of the main things that I learned as I listened was never actually said! No one ever said, “We don’t need change in our churches so much as we need our churches changed!” But that’s exactly what I heard in my own heart! “We don’t need change in our churches so much as we need our churches changed!”
IOW, we don’t need to change a bunch of stuff & think or hope that it’s going to change our church. What we need is to be radically transformed through discipleship; radically revived in our spirits; radically renewed in our minds; & to know that God has done in us what only He can do!
I don’t really know your heart like I know mine. But my heart’s desire is to be radically transformed. I really don’t like living in a mundane religious experience. I want to be what God wants me to be. & I will never be that w/o His transforming grace applied to my life!
Ladies & gentlemen, we need to be refreshed; we need to be renewed; we need to be swept off our feet in love w/Jesus all over again & this time to never lose that love!
6 years ago I taught through the vv. that will be our text for tonight. It was a 10 week study during that summer on Wednesday nights titled “The Heart of Spiritual Transformation.” I reviewed those notes this week as I prepared this message & my heart’s desire is still to be transformed. Now while I truly believe I’ve made progress over these last 6 years, I can also truly say that I am not yet what God wants me to be. & I can truly say that our church is not yet what God wants it to be. But let me quickly say that I believe we are headed in the right direction & that as we take a few more steps in that direction, I truly believe God is going to open our hearts, minds & spirits to revive us as never, ever before!
So w/all that in mind, let’s read our text & find evidences of spiritual transformation in this messaged titled, “The New You – Part 1.”
Ephesians 4 17 This I say, therefore, & testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, b/c of the ignorance that is in them, b/c of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness w/greediness. 20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him & have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 & be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 & that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness & holiness.
- The new you will give evidences of spiritual transformation & that…
1. Transformation is Reflected in Your New Walk. (vv. 17-19)
- & your new walk is governed by…
A. Your mind filled w/truth. (v. 17) This I say, therefore, & testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind
- The word translated “futility” literally means “emptiness.” IOW the Gentile unbelievers were empty-headed when it came to the truth about God & salvation in Jesus Christ.
- Paul encouraged his readers NOT to walk or live in the same manner, after the same pattern as the rest of the Gentiles.
- IOW don’t be like what you used to be – be different!
- & when God called us, He called us to be different; He called us to be holy, or separated from the world’s use to God’s use for His glory!
- & let me just say, & it’s Biblical to say this, if there is no difference between you & the world, then there is no difference between you & the world.
- A believer is not perfect, but they are different. Believers don’t have the same walk they used to have; they don’t have the same vocabulary they used to have; they don’t have the same standards or ideas they used to have.
- Your mind is no longer empty but it’s filled w/the truth of God’s word, love, grace!
- & that knowledge alone will change the way you live; it will transform you.
- Your new walk is governed by your mind filled w/truth &…
B. Your desires changed by light. (v. 18a) that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind having their understanding darkened
- This speaks of the believer’s life before conversion. It speaks of the darkness that existed in their minds.
2 Corinthians 4 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
- Satan has blinded or darkened the understanding of those who do not believe.
- The wording of Eph. 4:18 in the original language tells us that those whose understandings are darkened have received perfect darkness.
- IOW it’s been done once for all never needing to be repeated. Satan doesn’t have to keep on blinding or darkening their understandings – it’s been done once for all.
- But the understanding of the believer has been changed by the light of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ!
- Therefore our desires are different! We are illuminated by the Light of the world & can see clearly – now that the darkness has past!
- Your new walk is governed by your mind filled w/truth, your desires changed by light &…
C. Your life indwelt by God. (v. 18b) [speaking of unbelievers, declares them as] being alienated from the life of God
- & that wording tells us that’s the present case, meaning that they are continually alienated or shut out from the life of God.
- The unbeliever has no access to life! Oh, they are alive physically, but they are spiritually dead!
- The only place to find life is from God. He alone has life eternal which He gives to those who believe in Him.
John 10 28a & I give them eternal life, & they shall never perish!
- Jesus gives us eternal life, His life, when we place our faith in Him.
- Therefore, we have life indwelt by God! We are truly ‘full of life’ b/c of the indwelling Holy Spirit of God!
- We have the capacity to enjoy the life God has given us!
- & our lives should be a reflection of our heavenly Father!
- You may say, “I can’t live like that! It’s too demanding! It’s too difficult! It’s too extreme!”
- But you are not alienated from the life of God if you are a believer! & God is the one living His life through you anyway!
- But let me be quick to say that it is impossible for you to live the Christian life!
- But the Bible also says that what is impossible for man is possible w/God!
- He can do it through you – if – you allow Him to be glorified in you. If you stop demanding your way & your rights & start learning to walk in the newness of life God has given you!
- & that new walk is also governed by…
D. Your life infused w/wisdom. (v. 18c) [again speaking about unbelievers, Paul says they act the way they do] b/c of the ignorance that is in them
- The word translated “ignorance” literally means “to lack knowledge” or it means “moral blindness.”
- It comes from a root word that simply means “not to know, not to understand.”
- & so, the unbeliever is characterized by a fundamental lack of knowledge about God & salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone.
- Ignorance simply means “you don’t know.” Stupidity means “you can’t learn.”
- So those you don’t believe are not bound by stupidity, they are bound in ignorance.
- & the only way to break through that ignorance is by God’s grace as He reveals Himself to the lost, unbelieving world.
- But as a believer, your life is infused w/wisdom. That wisdom is not your own, it’s not from “book learning” or higher education. It’s not from real life experiences. It’s a gift from God.
- Remember earlier I read…
2 Corinthians 4 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
- Well, v. 6 goes on to say, 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
- Had it not been for God shining the light of knowledge or wisdom into your heart, you’d still be in the ignorance of your sinfulness!
- But glory be to God your life is now infused w/wisdom of Him & how & what He requires of you!
- Your new walk is also governed by…
E. Your inner spiritual vision. (v. 18d) [Paul says unbelievers lack that vision] b/c of the blindness of their heart
- The word translated “blindness” is a medical term that means “the thickening or covering over of skin like a callus.”
- It talks about the skin of the hands as they have been hard at work, used repeatedly.
- It talks about the thick, hard, extra layers of skin that form as the skin hardens to its task.
- That’s a picture of the thick, hardening of the heart that forms as the unbeliever continues in his sin.
- The more you practice sin, the harder you become to the truth & the more blind you become to the truth.
[As the old saying goes, “There is no one so blind, as he who will not see.”]
- IOW there is no sinner who has the capacity to “see” in himself b/c of the calluses over the eyes of his heart!
- But you, dear saints of God, you have the inner spiritual vision that God placed in you at the moment of your salvation!
- Your eyes were opened; your ears were opened; your heart, mind & understanding were all illuminated & the glorious light of the gospel flooded in!
- & that light, that vision also governed your new walk as it gave you…
F. Your newfound sensitivity and shame. (v. 19a) who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness
- IOW the unbelievers of this world have lost the sensitivity to be ashamed of what they do.
- You can tell that by just looking at some of the commercials on TV.
- It’s gotten to the point where you can’t watch sports on TV anymore b/c of the immoral commercials they show during the telecast.
- I’m sure you’ve noticed the “anything goes” mentality of this world.
- & it’s getting worse & worse as the years go by!
- But the believer comes to a newfound awareness; a newfound sensitivity & shame to the old way of life & seeks to live the new life in the awareness of God’s holiness & purity.
1 John 3 3 & everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
- EVERYONE who has the hope of seeing Jesus when He comes to take the church home at the Rapture; or the hope of seeing Jesus when they die & go to heaven; EVERYONE who has this hope in Christ, purifies himself or attempts to be just like Jesus!
- That’s b/c as you walk w/Jesus, you see just how sinful you are & just how pure He is! & all you want to do is to get as far away from that sin as you can.
- All you want to do is to be like Jesus!
- & that desire governs your new walk by…
G. Your complete turnaround. (v. 19b) [the Bible says that unbelievers have given themselves over] to work all uncleanness w/greediness
- So, the Bible tells us here, that unbelievers practice sin.
- What a shocker! Sinners sin! & what that means is, they work at it; they practice it; they desire it; they follow it; they crave it.
- & they seek it in all its forms. That’s the “all uncleanness” part.
- They want to do all they can to sin b/c they love to sin!
- & they are greedy about it. They covet sin!
- But believers are just the opposite! We are just the opposite; we hate sin; we loath sin; we despise sin; we reject sin!
- We want to be as far away from sin as we can possibly be b/c Jesus is not like that & we want to be like Jesus!
- When God saved you He gave you the grace to walk in newness of life as the over arching theme of your total existence.
- IOW your life is to glorify God & since He changed you, you can be different.
- If you could not – it would be a reflection on your Heavenly Father!
- It would mean that He has cheated you out of something – or not given you something that you needed.
- It would reveal that God was not perfect & all powerful b/c He could not completely change you!
- But God can completely change you & He wants you to be completely changed!
- He wants to reveal to the world that His grace is sufficient in you!
- Therefore, your complete turnaround is a compelling testimony to the grace & power & sufficiency of God in Jesus Christ!
Conclusion: [Billy Graham once told the story “…of a mother in an African nation who came to Christ & grew strong in her commitment & devotion to the Lord. As so often happens, however, this alienated her from her husband, & over the years he grew to despise & hate her new devotion to Christ.
“His anger & bitterness reached their climax when he decided to kill his wife, their two children & himself, unable to live in such self-inflicted misery. But he needed a motive. He decided that he would accuse her of stealing his precious keys—the keys were to the bank, the house, & the car. Early one afternoon he left his bank & headed for the tavern. His route took him across a footbridge extended over the headwaters of the Nile River. He paused above the river & dropped the keys. He spent all afternoon drinking & carousing.
“Later that afternoon, his wife went to the fish market to buy the evening meal. She purchased a large Nile perch. As she was gutting the fish, to her astonishment, in its belly were her husband’s keys. How had they gotten there? What were the circumstances? She did not know; but she cleaned them up & hung them on the hook.
Sufficiently drunk, the young banker came home that night & pounded open the front door shouting, “Woman, where are my keys?” Already in bed, she got up, picked them off the hook in the bedroom, & handed them to her husband. When he saw the keys, by his own testimony, he immediately became sober &…fell on his knees sobbing, asked for forgiveness, & confessed Jesus Christ as his Lord & Savior.”]
If God can so radically transform a man like that, what can He do in your life? What are you asking Him to do in your life? What are you allowing Him to do in your life?
Invitation: I wonder, would you be honest enough to admit to yourself that you need to be radically, spiritually transformed? Would you confess your need to Jesus & seek Him powerful transformation right now?
If God has spoken to you about the eternal destiny of your soul, tonight, would you come to Him in repentance & faith? Or if God has shown you some area of your life where the need for change is essential, would you offer that to Him through full submission & faith?
Will you come to Jesus & be changed as we stand & sing…
Hymn 502 Open My Eyes, That I May See