Untitled Sermon (3)

Read Ephesians 4:17-24

Pray

Introduction

· The verses before us today

o Provide the secret on how to live a victorious Christian life…

· As a Christian counselor…

o There are few verses that I turn to more frequently…

o Then the verses before us today

· If you have struggled with any sins or strongholds in your life….

o Understanding and applying the substance of these verses today…

§ Will give you an unstoppable weapon….

§ A guaranteed victory..

· Over any sin or temptation the enemy might throw at you…

· No matter what sin your struggling with

o If you apply these verses to your situation

§ You will gain the victory

· It is the secret of the heavenly walk…

Last week

· In our text the Apostle Paul contrasts

o The walk of unbelievers

o With the walk of the Children of God

Verse 17

That you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds

· And we saw last week

o That the primary problem with unbelievers…

Verse 18

Hardness of their hearts

· God has revealed Himself to all of Creation…

o He has revealed Himself through the Creation

§ Romans 1 makes clear

o It is impossible to look at this glorious Creation

§ Without recognizing their must be a Creator

o THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD

· But not only has God revealed Himself in Creation

o But Romans 2:14-15

o But He has also revealed Himself

§ By writing the Law of God on our hearts…

· In our heart of hearts

o We know right from wrong

§ Good from evil

o In our heart of hearts

§ We know there MUST BE A GOD….

· THE PROBLEM….THE PROBLEM …

o With unbelievers is that they choose

§ To willfully suppress the knowledge of God they have been given….

o God has revealed Himself

§ Undeniably

§ And unbeliever have chosen

· To willfully suppress the undeniable knowledge of God in their hearts

EXTREMELY DANGEROUS

· Now that is an EXTREMELY DANGEROUS THINGS TO DO

o Because the Bible says

o That if you continue to harden your heart against the knowledge of God

§ Against the clear calling of the Holy Spirit

· The day will come when God will give you over to the desires of your heart…

ANOTHER WORDS

· If you keep telling God

o God I’m not interested in living my life your way….

§ I’m not interested in following your commands

§ And giving my life Jesus….

· God I’m going to live my life my way

· On my terms….

· If you keep saying that

o The say will come

§ When God will say…

· OK FINE….I’LL STOP BOTHERING YOU …

· I WON’T WESTLE WITH YOU ANYMORE

· I will completely GIVE YOU OVER

o To the wicked desires of your heart…

· The Spirit of God will no longer attempt to persuade and draw you to saving faith in Christ…

§ I will give you over to a REPROBATE MIND….

· My friend there is nothing more terrifying in this life…

o Then God giving you over to a reprobate mind

o Because that will begin a DOWNWARD SPIRAL

§ That will always end in a place the Bible calls HELL

· That’ why the Bible always has this urgency…

o Saying TODAY IF YOU HEAR THE VOICE OF THE LORD

§ DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEART…

(transition)

REPEATED DECISIONS

You make repeated wrong choices, a choice makes a habit and a habit makes a personality and a personality makes a character and a character determines a destiny

· This is how unbelievers live

· That bring us to our text today as Paul says…

Verse 20

20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!—

1. The University of Christ

· And Paul he is drawing this sharp contrast

o He’s saying that was how you used to live….you used to live like the unbelievers…

§ BUT NOW YOU NO LONGER LIVE LIKE THAT

· BECAUSE YOU HAVE LEARNED CHRIST

VERSE 21

· You have heard Christ

o You have been taught by the Lord Jesus Christ

University

· The picture is that of a University…

o A University

§ Where the SUBJECT

§ The Teacher

§ And the Atmosphere

· Is the Lord Jesus Christ

· The unbelievers are outside

o Living like WILD ANIMALS…

o UNTAMED BEASTS…

§ Living exclusively to gratify their sinful desires

· You used to live that futile existence….

o BUT YOU HAVE BEEN RESCUED….

§ It wasn’t your doing…

· You were not out there looking for God….

· It wasn’t because of your goodness…

§ NO…NO….GOD IN HIS MERCY

§ HE RESCUED YOU OUT OF DARKNESS….

· AND BROUGHT YOU INTO

· THE UNIVERSITY OF JESUS CHRIST….

1. LEARNED CHRIST…

VERSE 20

You learned Christ

· That’s where Christianity begins with a knowledge of Jesus Christ

1 Tim 2:4

4 that God wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth

· At some point you stopped suppressing the truth

o You stopped denying the truth

· You received the truth of Jesus Christ

o NOT ONLY

§ His death burial and resurrection

o But also His Lordship His Kingdom and righteousness…

The Christ whom the Ephesians had learned was calling them to standards and values totally at variance with their former pagan life.

THEY LEARNED CHRIST……Christ was the subject

2. YOU HEARD CHRIST

Verse 21

You heard Christ

· The ESV adds the word ABOUT…

o But that’s not in the original…

o The King James and the NASB..

§ Have the more literal translation

YOU HAVE HEARD HIM….

· Not only have you learned Christ…

o But you have heard Him…

o He has been your teacher…

1 Thessalonians 2:3

13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

OOOHHHHH THE POWER OF PREACHING….

When the Word of God is truly preached the voice of God is truly heard….

· Expand

· You have been taught by Christ..

o CHRIST IS YOUR TEACHER…

ATMOSPHERE

· Verse 21C

o As the truth is IN JESUS

§ That is Jesus is the context

· Jesus is the ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH WE ARE LEARNING

· THE TRUTH IS IN JESUS…

SUMMARY

· WHEN YOU BECOME A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST….

o YOU ARE ENTERING A UNIVERSITY

§ And in this University…

· The SUBJECT that you study

o IS JESUS CHRIST

· The TEACHER who is teaching

o IS NONE OTHER

§ THAN THE LORD JESUS

· The Atmosphere

o GLORY TO GOD

§ IN WHICH WE LEARN

§ IS IN JESUS CHRIST…

o You have Learned Christ

o You have Heard Christ

o And you have Learned IN our blessed Lord Jesus

· The substance of Christianity

o Can be summarized in ONE WORD

o And His name is Jesus

(Transition)

o And what has Christ taught you….

Verse 22

22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,

NOW HERE IS THE FIRST STEP in having victory in the Christian life….

1. Putting off the Old Man

· Here is the first step..

o The first KEY to overcoming sin any sin…

o We must FIRST PUT OFF THE OLD MAN …

· YOU SAY who is this OLD MAN Preacher???

o Is this some OLD POLITICIAN????

o OLD MAN….

§ Is this talking my Grand Father

§ WHO IS THIS OLD MAN???

· Friend the Apostle is talking about YOU…..

o The person you used to be

§ Before you came to faith in Jesus Christ

· The Apostle personifies your entire life before Christ

o In the Person of THE OLD MAN

Verse 22

22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,

· And there is only one thing to do with this Old Man….

o PUT HIM OFF…..CAST HIM FROM YOU

CLOTHING PICTURE

· The picture of putting off on putting on

o Is the picture of clothing….

o As with a dirty garment…

§ We are to take off/put of this

§ YOU MUST PUT OFF

· THIS DIRTY, SLEEZY

· PERVERTED OLD MAN

o You would not want to take

§ A dirty perverted OLD MAN

· Home with you would you???

§ Of course NOT….

· He’s NASTY….

· He’s a PERVERT….

o Take off that SLEEZY OLD MAN….

§ CAST HIM AWAY…..

§ PUT HIM FAR FROM YOU…

PROBLEM

· But there’s a problem….

o There’s a problem doing this…..

o In many ways

§ Its easier said then done

· YOU SEE FOR MOST PEOPLE THIS OLD MAN HAS BECOME STRONG….

o He has been built up for years

· ALL OF THOSE YEARS OF SIN

o YEARS OF REBELLION

§ AND SUPPRESSING THE TRUTH OF GOD

· All of those years of sin

o THE OLD MAN HAS BEEN FEEDING

o HE HAS BEEN GROWING STRONG

§ GROWING MORE AND MORE DEADLY….

· And now the old man is like this

o HUGE GOLIATH…..in your life

§ Dominating your thinking, your actions

§ Your reasoning….

· The longer you have spent building up the OLD MAN

o The longer you have spent dominated

§ By any pattern of sin….

§ The more difficult it will be to overcome

· And put off this GIANT OLD MAN…

NOT ONLY BECOME STRONG FROM YEARS OF SIN

· It is also difficult to put off the old man

o Because he doesn’t want to leave quietly

· When you come to saving faith in Christ

o That SLEEZY OLD MAN…

§ Does not say….

{LEAVE QUITELY}

· OOOHHHHHHH I SEE YOU CAME TO FAITH IN JESUS

o YOU NO LONGER NEED ME ANYMORE….

§ I’ll go ahead and pack-up

§ And leave quietly

· I wouldn’t want to bother you anymore

· NO….

o The Old Man is like

o I’m not going nowhere….

§ I got my feet up

§ I’m comfortable…

· I am here to stay

NOT ONE TIME THING

· You see it is critical to understand

o That PUTTING OFF THE OLD MAN…

§ Is not a one time action

· When you first come to faith in Christ….

· NO THAT IS JUST THE BEGINNING ….

o The beginning of the most difficult battle and warfare

§ Believers will face in this life….

o The greatest enemies that believers must overcome

§ Is NOT THE DEVIL……

§ It is not the enemy without

· The most difficult enemybelievers must daily fight

o Is the enemy within…

§ THE ENEMY YOU SLEEP WITH

§ I DON’T MEAN YOUR SPOUSE….

· You know I love you honey…

· No the greatest enemy

o Is the enemy within….

o The battle with PERVERTED OLD MAN….

HOW YOU OVERCOME

· You say how do you overcome…..

o How can you get a victory over this OLD MAN

· You must PUT HIM OFF

o You must STARVE THE OLD MAN

o You must STARVE HIM TO DEATH

§ You cannot give him one bite

§ You cannot give him one morsel…

· Lest he becomes strong

· And devours you

SLEEPING LION

· Picture the OLD MAN

o Like a sleeping LION…..

§ As long as you starve that Lion…

§ He remains sleeping

· He remains docile

· But give that LION just one taste

o Just one morsel

§ And he is updevouring

§ And killing

· Everything in sight

· The old man must be starved

o You cannot give him one morsel

APPLICATION TO PORNOGRAPHY

· This principle applies to every sin…

o But it is seen so palpably with that sin of pornography

§ Whenever someone is wrestling with pornography

· I always turn them to this text

· Oftentimes the OLD MAN IS STRONG

o They have been viewing and watching that uncleanness…

§ For years

§ Sometimes for decades

· And now he’s in my office saying

o No matter how hard he tries

o He cannot get a victory over this sin

· SO I ASK HIM…

o LIKE I ALWAYS DO…

§ To retrace his footsteps….

§ To tell me what happened leading up to

§ The last time he fell into sin….

o And before he says anything

§ I already I already know what he’s going to say

§ Because it’s always the same thing…

IDLY BROWSING THE INTERNET

· He was just idly browsing the internet….

o He had no intention of watching uncleanness….

o He was just idly browsing

§ And began looking at pictures….

§ Clean pictures….

· He just began looking at some pictures

· Or he watching a Rated R movie….

o God forbid….

o Sometimes he was watching a PG-13 movie…

§ And there was this sexual scene

§ He didn’t know he was there

· HE WAS SIMPLY MINDING HIS OWN BUSINESS…

o And unknowingly he GAVE THE OLD MAN JUST A MORSEL…

§ JUST A TASTE…

§ But the OLD MAN is never satisfied with a taste….

· He demandsmore and demands more….

o You have put up filtersand safe guards

§ He breaks through them all

· Until the man finds himself….

o Devoured by that sin again…

James 1:14-15

14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

· Each person is lured and enticed….

o The picture in the Greek is that of a fish hook…

§ Baited with a worm

o And sin comes dangling

§ It’s enticing worm before you

§ YOU CAN’T SEE THE HOOK….

· THE HOOK IS THERE

§ BUT CAN’T SEE IT…

· The enticing sin is simply dangled before you…

o And you only need to have a taste….

§ Just one small nibble…

o AND THE OLD MAN WITHIN….

§ DEMANDING MORE

§ HE WILL BITE….

· AND THEN SIN BEGINS TO DRAG YOU AWAY

· Like a caught fish….

o AGAINST YOUR WILL

o You’ll be buking and kicking…

§ But sin will keep dragging you away

§ Until it brings forth death

· FRIEND DO NOT FEED THE OLD MAN

o Don’t give him one morsel….

NATIONAL PARKS

· In the National Parks they have signs

o DON’T FEED THE BEARS…

§ Why because if you do

· The bears might come back to eat you

o DON’T FEED THE OLD MAN

§ Put him off

APPLICATION

· I wonder have you been feeding and BUILDING UP the old man in your life????

o Or have you been putting him off and starving him….

§ EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US

· IS DOING ONE OF THESE TWO THINGS….

o We are either FEEDING and BUILDING UP the OLD MAN…

o Or we are starving and putting him off

HOW DO I KNOW

· What are PRACTICAL WAYS THAT WE PUT OFF THE OLD MAN….

o THE KEY IS VERSE 23

VERSE 23

RENEWED MIND

To be renewed in the spirit of your minds

· IT IS A BATTLE FOR YOUR MIND….

o Anything that may corrupt your mind

§ Wicked music

· If your listening to filth like Nikki Minaj & Cardi B

o You are definitely building up the OLD MAN

§ Wicked television shows

§ Wicked friends and associates….

· Anything the enemy can use to corrupt our minds…

o Must be PUT OFF……

(transition)

2. PUT ON THE NEW MAN

Verse 24

24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness

CHRISTIANITY IS NOT JUST SOMETHING NEGATIVE….

· Now it is critically important to understand

o That Christianity is not simply something negative

· Many professing Christians never get real victory in their Christian life…

o Because they view Christianity simply as something negative

THEY PUT OFF THE OLD MAN

· They PUT OFF the wicked friends

· PUT OFF wicked music and television show

o They put off all the wicked things

· AND THEY STOP THERE

o For them Christianity is a list of RULES

§ And as long as they don’t do any of these wicked things

§ They are considered a good Christian…

· MY FRIEND THAT IS NOT CHRISTIANITY….

o AND YOU WILL NEVER GAIN TRUE VICTORY IN YOUR CHFRISTIAN LIFE…

o If your view of Christianity is a list of RULES

WE MUST PUT ON MAN

24 created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

· How do you put on the New Man

o Well first and foremost through the Word of God

WORD OF GOD

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the man

who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked

or stand in the way of sinners

or sit in the seat of mockers.

1 Blessed is the man

who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked

HE PUTS OFF THE OLD MAN

BY PUTTING OF THE COUNSIL OF THE WICKED

or stand in the way of sinners

HE PUTS OFF THE OLD MAN BY NOT STANDING IN THE WAY OF SINNERS

or sit in the seat of mockers.

HE’S PUTTING OFF THE OLD MAN

BY PUTTING OFF ALL OF THESE UNGODLY WICKED INFLUENCES

AND THE THING HE PUTS ON…..

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

and on his law he meditates day and night.

THIS IS WHAT HE WEARS

· YOU MUST READGOD’S WORD

· YOU MUST MEDITATE

o WE MUST MEMORIZE

· There is nothing we should be more intimately familiar with

o In this world….

§ More than the Word of God

PSALM 119:11

I have hidden your word in my heart

that I might not sin against you.

Through PRAYER

· Paul tells us to PUT ON THE FULL ARMOUR OF GOD

o In Ephesians 6

o There are only 2 offensive weapons in the Christians arsenal…

§ Two weapons which are used offensive to combat for forces of darkness…

· One is the Sword of the Spirit….

o WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD

· And the other is all prayer

o Ephesians 6:17

17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

19 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

LASTLY….

Put on the New Man….

IN Hebrews 10:24

Turn to Hebrews 10:24

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

You cannot be a fiery Christian by yourself…

You cannot be a faithful Christian in isolation…

· It’s when we assemble together that we are stirred up

o Toward love and good deeds…

· I’m not talking about going to one of those dull sleepy churches…

o If your going to a dull sleepy Church

§ You might as well stay home…

· You need to find some firebrands…

o Some men and women who are desperate for God…

§ Who are serious about prayer, evangelism and the lost…

When I hear my sister praying desperately for the Spirit of God to fall and transform our nation…

I get stirred up …..the new man within me is strengthened….

SOMETHING IN MY SPIRIT CRIES OUT YES LORD….WE NEED YOU TO COME IN POWER…

YES LORD…THAT YOU WOULD REND THE HEAVENS AND COME DOWN….WE NEED YOU….

NEXT THING I KNOW I’M OUTSIDE SHARING THE GOSPEL TELLING OTHERS ABOUT CHRIST….

· We must assemble together…

o It’s when we assemble together

o That we are stirred up…

o Fired up….

§ For the GLORY OF GOD

APPLICATION

MORE TIME

BUILDING UP NEW OR OLD MAN???

· I wonder which one you spend more time doing….

o Building up the new man

· I wonder which has the greater influence in your life….

o Watching wordly television

o Having wordly conversations…

§ Scrolling through wordly social media….

· DO YOU SPEND MORE OF YOUR FREE TIME

o EXPOSING YOUR MIND

o TO THINGS THAT WILL CONFORM YOU TO THE GODLESS

§ PATTERN OF THIS WORLD??

· Or do you spend more time renewing your mind…

o Through God’s Word

o Through effectual prayer….

o Through godly fiery Christian community and conversation…

· WHICH HAS THE GREATER INFLUENCE ON YOUR LIFE???

CAN I SHOW YOU A CHURCH ON FIRE…

Can I show you a Church consumed with the glory of God

Turn to Acts 2:42

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer

Verse 46

46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

This is what they dedicated themselves to every day…

It wasn’t a once a week thing…..it wasn’t once a week and on Bible Study….

Everyday this was the their joy and recreation….this is where they received the greatest excitement was when they

Devoted themselves to the Apostle Teaching and to the fellowship to the breaking of bread and prayer….

THIS IS A CHURCH ON FIRE FOR GOD…..

This is the Church….WHO THEY WERE ACCUSED BY THEIR ENEMIES

OF TURNING THE WHOLE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN (slow)

THEIR ENEMIES…..THOSE WHO HATED THE FOLLOWERS OF THE WAY…

ACCUSED THEM OF TURNING THE WHOLE WORLD UPSIDE…..

The Church is not turning the world upside down today….

THE CHURCH HAS BEEN TURNED UPSIDE BY THE WORLD

CHRIST SAID IF THE SALT LOSES ITS SALTINESS, HOW CAN BE MADE SALTY AGAIN??

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. [1]

IS THIS NOT A PERFECT DESCRIPTION OF THE CHURCH TODAY?????

HAVE WE NOT LOST OUR SALTINESS OUR OTHERNESS…..

HAVE WE NOT LOST THE POWER THAT MAKES US SO MUCH DIFFERENT FROM THE WORLD…

How did it happen…..how did we lose our saltiness???

OH FRIEND ITS BECAUSE WE HAVE ALLOWED OURSELVES TO BE TOO INFLUENCED BY THE WORLD…..

WE MUST PUT OFF THE OLD MAN…..WE MUST CRUFIY HIM…..HE MUST BE KILLED AND MORTIFIED….

WE MUST BEGIN TO RESEMBLE THE EARLY CHURCH…..WHO GAVE THEMSELVES DAILY

To the apostle’s teaching….top the fellowship to the breaking of bread AND PRAYER…

They gave themselves DAILY to these things…..

THAT’S WHY OUR CHURCH IS CALLED THE WAY…

IT’S THE WAY OF LIFE….

Christianity is not a Sunday thing….a Sunday and Wednesay night thing….

CHRISTIANITY IS A WAY OF LIFE….THE WAY OF LIFE….

THAT CONSUMES EVERY AREA OF YOUR LIFE….

UNTIL ONLY CHRIST REMAINS…

FOR YOU DIED AND YOUR LIFE IS NOT HIDDEN WITH CHRIST IN GOD

WHEN CHRIST WHO IS YOUR LIFE APPEARS

YOU WILL ALSO APPEAR WITH HIM IN GLORY…

RAVENHILL

· My man Ravenhill used to say…..

o That Entertainment was the Devil’s replacement for JOY…..

§ The LESS JOY YOU HAD IN CHRIST

§ The More Entertainment you will need….

· I wonder how much ENTERTAINMENT do you need???

· It’s funny Brother David mentioned during last week’s Bible Study….

o He said it was strange

§ The closer he got to God…

§ The less Football Games he found himself watching….

o There is a correlation

§ The more you are satisfied in Christ

§ The less of the WORLD’S ENTERTAINMENT you will need or desire

WHOLE WEEK

· I wonder have you ever had a whole week….

o Have you ever had a whole day

§ Where Jesus Christ was enough…..

§ Where all you wanted to do is drink in THE LORD JESUS…

CAN YOU IMAGINE A CHURCH

· Can you imagine a whole Church….

o Filled with people….

§ Who all they wanted was Jesus….

§ Christ was all the ENTERTAINMENT THEY NEEDED

· They could genuinely sing the old HYMN

ALL THAT THRILLS MY SOUL

· All that thrills my soul is Jesus

o HE IS MORE THAN LIFE TO ME

o HE’S THE FAIREST OF 10,000

o IN MY BLESSED LORD I SEE

FRIEND

· If we had a Church like that….

o I assure you

§ Without the LEAST BIT OF EXAGGERATION…

· They would be holding a press conference

o In front of the Capital in D.C. right now….

o Saying these men….these women

§ Have turned the whole world upside down

§ FOR JESUS CHRIST….

· OUR ENTIRE WAY OF LIFE

o HAS BEEN DRASTICALLY ALTERED…

o BECAUSE OF THE POWER….

§ BECAUSE OF THE ANOINTING…

§ BECAUSE OF THE GLORY THAT IS COMING FROM THE PLACE….

· Somebody has to stop them…

o Before the whole World

§ Believes in Jesus

GLORY TO GOD

IN CLOSING

Caterpillar Illustration

· One of the great demonstrations of nature is when a caterpillar becomes a butterfly.

o In that old shell it’s slimy and slow

§ and I really don’t see a lot of people going caterpillar collecting.

§ Most people see caterpillars and squash them.

§ They’re viewed as empty and vain and futileand meaningless.

· But then one day it is converted.

o And sitting on the side of a tree of the bark a transformation occurs.

§ And it cocoons and a new life emerges.

· But a struggle ensues.

· Because that new life wants to break from that old shell.

· That old shell that’s been in control all this time.

§ But as that butterfly grows.

· The influenceof the shell shrinks and the power of the wings take over

o and out comes something totally different.

§ This is something you want to hold. This is something you want to collect. This is something that you awe at. Look at how pretty that is.

Application

· God has put a new you in an old body.

o But He wants it to grow and bigger and bigger

So instead of telling it what to do the new you tells the old flesh what to do. Because you have been converted. And all God’s people said. Amen. Let’s stand

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Mt 5:13.