So What?

Victor Wayne Fordham, Jr.

Easter • Sermon • Submitted a year ago • Presented a year ago

Ephesians 5:1–10

Easter

0 ratings

· 2 views

Notes

Transcript

Introduction

The three most attended church services in America and likely the world are Christmas, Mother’s Day, and Easter. That means all over the world, today people are sitting in church who don’t go very often at all....So I, like many other preachers, anguish over what to preach to people who may be in church for the first time in a long time…or the first time ever....so wherever we share…we want it to be meaningful.

This morning, thousands of preachers are reading the story of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ to their congregations....and rightly so. They’ll read about the crucifixion....and about the burial in another man’s tomb....they’ll read about the angel....and the stone being rolled away....and they’ll read about that empty tomb and the resurrected Jesus...

And that’s all good....people need to hear that....they need to hear the Gospel. But here’s what grieves me a little bit church: When all those people leave church after hearing the Gospel, they’ll go right back to living like they had never heard it at all.

What a shame.....what a shame.

You see, what’s absolutely true is this: if you believe something, you act like it.

We say we believe in Jesus....we say we believe that He died on the cross for our sins....that he rose again on the third day....we say all that...

But what I want to know is....how can we sit in this place on a Resurrection celebration like this....say that we believe it…say that we love Him....

And then....walk out of here and live like we never heard it before, much less believe it.

Jesus died on the cross....He overcame the grave....He rose again....and He’s coming back one day....let me ask you: so what?

So what?

Has it made an OUNCE of difference in your life that you believe that?

Even a little bit?

I want to take just a few minutes this morning and take you over to Paul’s letter to the Church at Ephesus....Ephesians Chapter 5. And we are going to look briefly this morning at verses 1-10.

And as you’re turning there, if you would, please stand if you are physically able…as we give glory and honor to God’s holy, perfect, sufficient, and inerrant Word.

Hear the Word of the Lord this morning:

Ephesians 5:1–10 NASB95

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

<pray>

So…what?

You say to me you believe in Jesus as your Savior....you say to me you believe in His death, burial, and resurrection....but your actions show something totally different...

So I say to you....so what?

If it hasn’t made any difference, then what difference does it make?

…oh yeah, you heard me right. I’ll repeat that question, because I want it to crawl all over everyone of our very souls this morning: If it hasn’t made any difference, then what difference does it make?

It Matters

So Act Like it

It Matters.

Now I want you to understand this morning, that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the single most important thing that Jesus EVER did.

Paul wrote to the Church at Corinth:

1 Corinthians 15:13–15 NASB95

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised.

So Paul is telling these people that if Jesus has not been raised from the dead....then everything we are doing here this morning and everything we believe in is for nothing.

The Resurrection is the keystone of our faith....do you know what a keystone is?

Take a look at this picture on the screen real quick....

That is an arch....and the Romans figured out how to make these....they’re very strong…in fact, some of the arche sthat the Romans use din their architecture over two thousand years ago still stand today....all of these stones are the same size....and this arch is remarkable because all of the weight is placed right here in the middle instead of on the sides....it really is a thing of beauty.....and this stone right here where the weight is placed....is calle dthe keystone. It has a different shape than all the others....and it is what make sthese arches possible. Remove that stone…and the whole thing comes apart....shape it incorrectly....the whole thing falls apart....

You see that is what the Resurrection is to our faith....remove it…and we have nothing. You see, Jesus could not have saved you and I from death unless He conqured it…if He had simply died and not come back, death wins. A dead Savior is nobody’s Savior. Because we are ALL spiritually dead when we are born…we haven’t got a chance. A dead Savior can’t resurrect dead followers....

But....as it happens, our Savior is NOT dead. Jesus rose from the grave, and since He rose from the grave, He can raise YOU and I from the grave. And that is why we have hope that death is not the end for us....He made a way for all of us to be saved.

So understand this: it matters....it is central to our faith.

And you might say “well preacher…that’s fine....I believe all that...”

Well that brings me to number 2:

2. So Act Like it...

You say “I believe in all that....”

Yall we just read in Ephesians Chapter 5 about what it takes to act like we believe in the Gospel....that we believe in the Resurrection....but if you look around today, we see some of the most self-indulgent, narcisistic, mericless, worldly people this world has ever seen publically claiming to be Christians.

They epitomize the opposite of what Scripture says a Christian ought to strive to be like.

Let me ask you something this moring: If you were to take a fella out in the woods today and yall were to happen upon a rattle snake…and let’s say you were to point at that snake and say “that snake it poisonous…it’s dangerous....leave it alone....” and the guy you were with looked at you and said “OK....I can see that and I believe it...” But then....he were to squat down and start petting that snake on the head like it was his long-lost puppy…what would you say about that man’s belief? You’d call him a liar, wouldn’t you? You’d probably also call him some other things....but he said he believed you about the snake, but then starts cuddling with the thing....he’d be a liar.

Now you might say to me…”look brother Vic, you have always preached to us that our actions don’t save us, it’s our faith.”

And if you said that to me, you’d be absolutely right....your actions won’t ever save you…ever. Earlier in Ephesians, Paul wrote in chapter 2:

Ephesians 2:8 NASB95

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

So you’d be right, no we can’t earn salvation…it is a free gift. So you might be thinking “well that’s fine then....I have faith and I believe…and that means I’m going to Heaven…end of story.”

Paul addressed that in his letter to the Romans, he asked a very important question:

Romans 6:2 (NASB95)

...How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

That’s a great question…listen to it again.... <repet verse>

When you get saved....you are saved from sin. If you are saved from sin, how can you justify still living in it?

You see, it’s not just about getting saved and going to heaven....it’s about your heart being right…it’s about striving to live in a way that pleases the Lord....not because you “have to” to get to Heaven…but because you “want to” to please Jesus, who died on a cross and was resurrected in orde rto save you.

You see the Bible says, that if you want to please the Lord....if you believe what you say you believe....then you’ll act like it....how to you act like it? Well Paul gave us a list here:

Be imitators of God....God is Holy…so seek to be Holy as He is Holy....will you get it perfect and get it right all the time…no you won’t....neither will I.....but if you believe what you say you believe....you’ll try....you’ll act like it.

Ephesians 5:2 NASB95

and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

2. Live your life in love....Love denies self…it is selfless....it is willing to give up self-interest for God’s sake and the sake of others. Jesus did this, as Paul reminds us. Jesus gave himself up for us, now we must give ourselves up for Him. In a world full of self-obsession and narcism and slef-worship....love is to put others before yourself....and to put the Lord first. If you believe what you say you believe…love.

Ephesians 5:3–4 NASB95

But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

3. One way we give ourselves up for Him is to avoid sin. That is what verses 3-14 are referring to. You should stop committing evil sins, which bring the wrath of God on people, since those are the deeds of darkness, and you are children of light. Avoid acting like this and hanging around people who do.

If you believe what you say you do…remember that the opposite of imitating God are the things listed here: sexual/sin/immorality/impurity, greed, obscenity, foolish talk, coarse joking…these are not the speech patterns of imitators of Christ.

And Christians do it....we are all guilty from time to time of displeasing the Lord....but if we believe it…we need to start acting like it.

Ephesians 5:5–7 NASB95

For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them;

4. Be Obedient. Paul warns the Ephesian Christians not to engage in the activities of those who are disobedient to God. It is not a matter of losing salvation but more about identification. People identify you with Christ if you claim to be a Christian. How are you representing Him?

Do people notice more of the good you do or the bad you do? How should that affect the Christian?

It’s true that you can act right 99% of the time and nobody notices.... and the one time you mess up there’s a million people to see it....it often feels that way....be folks we have to guard our witness....we have to guard our testimonies....We must be obedient if we believe what we say we believe.

Ephesians 5:8–10 NASB95

for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

5. Walk in the light. When we were lost, we were in darkness....but now that we know Christ, He is the light of the world....yet so many people who claim to love Him and believe in Him as their Savior choose to live life as if they are walking in darkness still....stumbling around…making a mess of their lives....misrepresenting Jesus.

If you believe in Him, turn the light on…get in His Word....get in discipleship with His people and start acting like it.

Conclusion:

So I ask you this morning: do you believe? If you do…so what? What difference has it made? Has it made any at all? If it makes a difference then SHOW a difference.

Church: repeat after me - JESUS. MAKES. A DIFFERENCE.

Now show Him.

Let’s pray.

The Lord’s Supper is one of the most sacred of the Christian ordinances. We do it in direct remembrance of what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. As such, the Bible says that it is an extremely serious matter. In 1 Corinthians 11:27-29, Jesus says “27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.” In other words, the Lord’s Supper, this communion that we are about to take today, Jesus is saying that if you are NOT saved….I would dare not even touch it. If you have not made that commitment yet, just pass the plate on and nobody will think less of you….this is not my command, this is the command of Jesus Christ Himself….this rite is for believers ONLY. I cannot stress that commandment from God Almighty enough. So this special act is for the saved….and if that is YOU….if YOU ARE saved….and you have made that commitment…Jesus commands us NOT to partake of this sacred ceremony unworthily. What is unworthy? It is unholiness….sin…..hatred…..if you have ANYTHING in your heart separating you from God right now, God commands us to get RID of it before we partake of the body and blood of Christ in this ceremony. So what I would like us to do right now, is open up this altar….if you have ANYTHING on your heart right now, for goodness sake bring it up here and leave it before you partake of God’s blessing this morning. Let’s make sure that we have CLEAN fellowship with the Lord. You come now if you feel so led.

“So if gentlemen will now remove and fold the cloth covering the Lord’s supper.”

Paul said in 1 Corinthians Chapter 11 and verse 23: “23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it…”….Brother __________ would you please ask the blessing over the bread?

Before you all eat the bread, if it is at all possible, I want you to break it…even crumble it. It represents not only the body of Christ, but the broken body of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 11:24, Paul tells us that Jesus gave us the following instructions: ““Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

Brother ___________, will you please ask the blessing over the blood of Jesus?

I Corinthians 11:25 says “In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

Paul said in verse 26: “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” Folks, when we have the Lord’s Supper, we re-enact and remember Jesus’s beaten body and His spilt blood for all of our sins. May we NEVER forget what our Lord Jesus did for us…and may we ALSO never forget, that after He died, 3 days later He rose from the dead and CONQUERED death. We serve a RISEN Savior, Amen?

The Bible says that after they had this last Supper together with our Lord Jesus, they sung a hymn and then went out into the Mount of Olives. We are all about to head back to eat breakfast, hopefully you can all stay for that…but whether you are going to the back with us for breakfast or you have obligations elsewhere, I believe that after the Disciples had this awesome experience with our Lord, that they went out being good witnesses for Jesus….I hope you’ll do that the rest of your Easter and beyond as well....so after we sing a song in just a moment, this morning, why don’t we all make it a point to go out and represent our Savior in a great way this week, Amen? Let us not forget what we have done this morning or what Jesus did for each one of us. And let’s continue to live like we believe, amen?

Brother _____________ will you dismiss us in prayer please, and as you do would you go ahead and ask the blessing over our breakfast today?

Related Media

Related Sermons