Transforming Attitude

Big Idea of the Message: God gives us access to a new attitude and a new way of life.

Contrast

Have you ever encountered someone, yes even yourself, that had a negative “attitude” towards life;

What does attitude mean - a settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in a person's behavior;

You know the person, they were just given five million dollars and all they can focus on is the taxes and how many people are going to start wanting to borough money;

I think of it as the Eeyore response to everything;

Show picture of Eeyore

Everything is mopey and depressing - you ask “How are you today?” and they respond “Just wanting to make it through.”

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What about when we encounter Christians with the same outlook and same “attitude”, what about when you display this “attitude” to a non-believer or someone who has stepped away from the church;

Now I understand all of us will have a bad day and bad circumstances that come along, what I am saying is it is not a place to take up camp;

Let’s look at v. 17 again in two different translations - first the NKJV and then the ESV;

I like how the ESV makes it clear “that you must no longer walk” - there must be a “Transforming Attitude”

In Bible this section is called “A New Man” - meaning after accepting Christ there must be a contrast to your old self;

Paul is making it clear that there must be a change of direction, action and outlook;

Why, because of the grace of God;

How is your life after salvation contrasting with your life before salvation?

Change

We all know how much people love change - yes I am meaning this sarcastically;

People like routine, structure, and yes predictability;

Which is interesting because then we complain about doing the exact same things in the exact same way all the time;

Sadly we carry this over into our Christian walk and the church;

Now the crazy thing is Jesus was not then and still is not today about the status quo - He came to change the hearts of His people first then the world;

What Paul is trying to get the church at Ephesus to realize is that their life changed when they accepted Christ, they are no longer who they were but now they have a newness in Him;

And Christ wants us to grasp the same thought, our old self is gone and our new life has begun through and for Him!

Conflict

So how’s this working out in your life, is there a conflict between old and new;

I know what some of you maybe thinking - we are just human and Jesus understands - we ALL need to stop living in the land of excuses;

Jesus died on a cross to for our sins, as a gift of grace and bring us to a “Transforming Attitude” to be like Him;

How many of you get bothered when you do something that hurts or upsets someone;

How long will you dwell of the situation;

How long do you dwell on grieving the Holy Spirit;

When we choose, and yes it is a choice, to stay in our old ways after hearing and believing the salvation Jesus offers the Holy Spirit is grieved;

It is time to deal with this conflict in your life once and for all!

Cross

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