Ephesians week 3

As we know Paul - he wrote as an apostle - kind of an area pastor of these churches. He wrote with care, compassion, and love for these people. And you can hear that heart in his writing. One of my goals as your pastor is that you hear those same things from me - that you know that you are loved, that you are cared for. That, and my love for Jesus - is why we are here.

Lets pray before we open the word together.

Pray.

Turn in your bibles to Ephesians 4.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this series, we are not doing an exhaustive study of this book - but more of a survey. A glancing through, almost an overview. So, last week we were in Ephesians 2… and we are sortof skipping over chapter three.

The first three chapters of this book really deal with who we are as believers. Who we are in Christ. Chapter 3 deals with the idea that gentiles were eligible for salvation - that Jesus had specifically sent Paul to be the apostle to the gentiles. Which for you and me is very good information - because by definition, we are born gentile - which just means Not Jewish. So chapter three discusses the legitimacy of that revelation, given to paul, that you and I could qualify for the things that he was describing in chapter 1 and 2. And so here we are then in chapter 4, with the 4 therefores.

In chapter 4 and chapter 5 of the book of Ephesian’s - the gears are shifting from Paul discussing and describing who we are - to discussing how we aught to be.

Any time you are reading, and you come across this word - therefore - it really means that you need to take into account for everything that came before that word. If you were to start reading your bibles in Ephesians chapter 4, and you come to this passage where it says

Ephesians 4:1 CSB

Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received,

that should indicate for you, that you should understand the verses that come before this.

You should always understand context that scripture is written under, but in these cases, it is even more necessary. A pastor I have listened to before said it like this “any time you see the word therefore - you need to find out what its there for”

Does that make sense?

So here we are - Ephesians 4:1

Therefore - Because of the wonderful description of who you are in Christ… Because you were chosen by God, adopted as sons -

Because of all of your But God moments, especially considering the one that lead to your salvation

Paul says that you should walk - that means to live in a way that is worthy of the calling that you have received.

the first Therefore - deals with how we think and act about ourselves and others. This is a heart issue. This first therefore - deals with our relationship with heart.

So right away, since Paul is giving this instruction to beleivers, we can know that this behavior is not just automatic with salvation. If when we received the Lord - we were suddenly this way, he wouldn’t be writing about it except to say - hey it is wonderful that you are this way. And that isn’t what he is saying. He writes, because you have received such a wonderful gift from God - to be chosen, to have received Christ even though you yourself are a gentile - you have done nothing to deserve it.. because of those things.... you need to act like it matters to you. And you can do that, he says, by walking in a manner that is worthy. and he gives some description of what that means.

Ephesians 4:2–6 CSB

with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope at your calling— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

He says therefore… because of the wonderful things that God has done, Change the way you respond to people and that you think about yourself.

Humility is a trait that seems to get scarce once in a while. Gentleness and patience are often not even thought of.

Humility is one option of how we aught to think about ourselves. Humility is the opposite of pride. How much we value our own opinion or voice. How important we think we are.

The Apostle Paul spends three chapters to remind us that we are - really - not the star of the show. In fact that God has done incredible work in us. That no matter how special we think we might be, God still had to intervene for you to not be going to hell.

When writing to the Romans he says it this way.

Romans 12:3 CSB

For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one.

Now this doesn’t mean that we go about our lives like Eyor, constantly whining about how unimportant we are.. just that we walk with humility. Consider the way that Paul titles himself. Here in vs 1, as a prisoner in the Lord. Often he says that he is a slave of Christ. But he also says that he was chosen by God. That he is an apostle. He knows the position of authority that he has in the church and he knows that God put him there.

Gentleness and patience are mentioned here too. How we interact with others. How we treat other people. Paul says that we are to be gentle and patient.

Colossians 3:12 CSB

Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,

So Paul says that we have to think about how we interact with other people, and we need to do that in a way that isn’t abrasive, that isn’t rash.. but kind and gentle.

And people who call themselves christians get this wrong all the time. I get this wrong. There are times where it feels like people aren’t going to hear you unless you raise your voice. There are times when it feels like you have to be offensive to get your point across. And here the bible tells us that really - that is not walking in a way that honors what Jesus did for you. Ephesians 4:15 reminds us that it is all about Christ.

Ephesians 4:15 CSB

But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ.

So the first therefore deals with how you think about yourself, and how that flows out of you.

The second therefore comes in vs 17, and deals with how we walk with the Lord.

Ephesians 4:17–24 CSB

Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thoughts. They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts. They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more. But that is not how you came to know Christ, assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, to take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.

He says hey - you were gentiles, but now you aren’t. Don’t walk like them any more. There is no room for your old self, or for separation between you and the Lord.

Now that you know of Jesus, now that you have been taught.. you got to put the rest of that nonsense behind you. Your former way of life? Yeah, throw that out. Time to clean house. Now, is that easy? No, not necessarily. There might even be some cost associated with that cleaning.

Again, if this was something that happened automatically, Paul wouldn’t have to be writing about it. He would say - and it is nice to see that once you learned about Jesus, the Holy Spirit caused you to be perfect.

That is not what he says. He says - you shouldn’t be that way any more. The old you has to die off.

This is a new life you are living. We are new creations, but we hold on tight to the person we used to be. We find ourselves protecting that old person we were, defending them, hiding them… almost like we are afraid to let them die. And Paul says we have to.

Take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires.

To be renewed by the spirit of your minds. Understand this, if you are protecting that old self - your mind is going to be stuck there too.

Paul tells us to assume this new identity, put on the new self. The one that looks like Christ. The one that puts your desires aside and submits to God the father, even unto death.

So we have dealt with the heart, and the mind.. this third therefore - deals very swiftly with our behavior. And he’s got a list.

Have you ever listed out in your mind the things that someone is doing wrong?

You know, as you prep for a big argument, or after they offended you one more time… you just start thinking about all of the things that they have ever done?

Paul makes a list here of what people do that offends the Lord. We are liars. We let anger control us. We give the devil opportunity with temptation. We steal. We let filth pour out of our mouths.

And he gives some alternatives - with really this strong instruction - put away lying. Speak the truth.

Sometimes, lying is easier. when

Ephesians 4:25–5:5 CSB

Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another. Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and don’t give the devil an opportunity. Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need. No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ. Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints. Obscene and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks. For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

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