NBBC Kids' Club - Ephesians 4:28-30
CLUB - Ephesians • Sermon • Submitted
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· 3 viewsInstead of grieving the Holy Spirit through sinning, believers in Jesus must work so that they can generously share and use their words to encourage other to be like Jesus.
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Introduction: Blessings of Being Saved review (Transformation, Ephesians 1:4; Adoption, Ephesians 1:5; Redemption, Ephesians 1:7; Union, Ephesians 1:10; Inheritance, Ephesians 1:11; and Holy Spirit, Ephesians 1:13). Last week, we looked at 2 different ways that we can demonstrate how Jesus has changed our life: in what we say (telling the truth) and in how we respond to circumstances (to not be controlled by anger). Tonight, we’re going to look at some more ways that we should demonstrate how Jesus is changing us.
Ephesians 4:28 “28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.”
What does it mean to steal?
To take something that does not belong to you.
Does God like stealing?
No!
He hates it and has warned against stealing in the 10 Commandments (cf. the 8th Commandment; Exodus 20:15)
Does stealing only have to pertain to stuff?
No!
You can steal attention from someone else when we all should be listening to them.
You can steal time from someone by not doing what they told you to do.
For example, your parents have told you to clean your room.
Instead of cleaning your room in the time that your parents told you to, you do something else (play a game, read a book).
You have just used that time in a way that was different from what your parents told you to do.
What must the one who “steals” do first?
Steal no longer!
Stop stealing!
Notice, though, this is only the first thing that one who steals must do.
What else must someone who steals do in addition to stop stealing?
They must labor!
What does it mean to labor?
To work!
Paul talks about how we are to undertake our work in the next statement; what should characterize our work?
With our own hands.
You yourself are doing this work.
You’re not trying to force someone else to do the work that you should do.
Not only are we to work with our own hands but we’re also to do What is good.
For something to be good, Paul is referring to how the work that one does should be both helpful and beneficial.
Meaning that the work that you do is meeting a need.
Also, when you work, you are doing your best to fulfill that need.
Further, when you work, what is it that one normally gets as a result of the work that they do?
Paid!
You use your payment to meet your needs and your family’s needs.
In addition to working with one’s own hands what is good, what else are we supposed to do?
Share!
Share what: Share from what we have received as a result of our good work that we have done with our own hands!
Share with who?
Others who have needs.
Is there ever anyone who does not need anything?
No!
Therefore, there’s always an opportunity to share with someone who has a need.
This means that the Lord will give you opportunities to be able to share what you have with others.
It might be that you have a friend at church who you learn of a true need that they have and you just so happen to have some money in your pocket that you can share with them.
Maybe you have some extra food for lunch that you can share with a friend at school.
Regardless, we should always be asking the Lord to give us what we need to generously share with others and the wisdom to determine who has a need and what to share with them.
Clubbers, I want you to think for a moment: why would God tell us that we need to be generous?
I believe that it relates to God’s character!
The word “share” comes from the same word that means “to give”.
What is it that God has given to us?
Salvation from our sins through Jesus, Ephesians 2:8-9.
Did God have to do this?
No!
He chose to do this!
We want to be generous because God has been so generous to us in Jesus!
Clubbers, let’s be generous with all the things that God gives to us by sharing with others who have a need that God helps us to understand that we can help with.
Ephesians 4:29 “29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”
Clubbers, this is one of the most significant verses that God has used in my life.
What does it mean for something to be unwholesome?
It’s not good for anything.
Unfortunately, we can probably all think of language that is not good for anything.
Using words that our parents have told us not to.
Making fun of others.
Or even talking about gross things that don’t help anyone to think about what is good.
All of these and many more should never come out of the mouth of someone who has believed in Jesus as their Savior.
However, this is more than just to stop talking one way.
The kind of talking that we should do should be useful, to encourage others.
It should be the kind of talk that someone needs to hear in that moment.
How is it that we should all be encouraging one another?
To be more like Jesus.
This means that every word you speak is an opportunity to help them become more like Jesus.
This gives a lot of responsibility to every word you speak.
Think about it this way, in everything that you’ve said today, did you intentionally say it so that the person you were speaking with would be encouraged to be like Jesus?
Ephesians 4:30 “30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
What does it mean to grieve someone?
People grieve when they lose someone or something; they’re sad over that loss.
You can also make someone that loves you sad when you act in a way that is hurtful.
What do you think makes the Holy Spirit sad?
When someone lies, Ephes 4:25.
When someone does sinful things in anger, like hurting others, speaking mean words, or destroying things; Ephesians 4:26.
When someone holds onto their anger and refuses to forgive someone, Ephesians 4:26.
When someone lets their anger control them instead of being controlled by the Holy Spirit, Ephesians 4:27.
When someone steals, Ephesians 4:28.
When someone says bad things that no one should ever say, Ephesians 4:29.
In a word, when believers sin.
Why would this make the Holy Spirit sad?
Because He lives inside each believer in Jesus.
This is what it means when Paul says that the Holy Spirit has sealed believers.
From Ephesians 3:16, we learned that the Holy Spirit living inside of us is God’s power to help us to live like Jesus.
We have the power of the Holy Spirit to fight against sin and live pleasing to the Lord!
Therefore, there is no excuse for sin.
Conclusion: Memory Verse Review - Ephesians 4:30 “30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (X3)
Question: According to Ephesians 4:28, what are we supposed to stop doing?
Answer: stealing
Question: According to Ephesians 4:28, what are we supposed to be doing instead of stealing?
Answer: laboring/working
Question: According to Ephesians 4:28, what kind of work are we supposed to be doing?
Answer: working with our own hands
Question: In Ephesians 4:28, Paul tells us that we should be generous with the things that the Lord gives us as a result of working. Why should we be generous with what God gives to us?
Answer: Because God has been generous to us in giving salvation from our sins through Jesus
Question: According to Ephesians 4:29, what kind of talk should not come out of the mouths of believers in Jesus?
Answer: unwholesome/corrupting
Question: Instead, what kinds of things should believers in Jesus be telling others, according to Ephesians 4:29?
Things that are good for building up, or encouraging
Things that help someone in that moment to be more like Jesus
Question: According to Ephesians 4:30, Who is it that we should not grieve?
Answer: the Holy Spirit
Question: According to Ephesians 4:30, what is it that the Holy Spirit has done in every believer in Jesus?
Sealed them
Question: Who wrote this letter to the Ephesians?
Answer: Paul
Question: Who did Paul write this letter to?
Answer: The Ephesian people that made up the church in Ephesus
Question: What is one of the Blessings of Being Saved?
Transformation, Ephesians 1:4
Adoption, Ephesians 1:5
Redemption, Ephesians 1:7
Union, Ephesians 1:10
Inheritance, Ephesians 1:11
Holy Spirit, Ephesians 1:13