5.11.41 9.9.2018 Ephesians 4.17-24 Oh Man

Robert C. Beckman Jr.

Engaging The Empire • Sermon • Submitted 6 years ago

Ephesians 4:17–24

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Go your own way

▾ Start:

Entice: We take "deciding" for granted until one of our decisions makes us or breaks us. We like to take the credit when a decision is positive, especially when it is successful. When we make a decision that does not turn out well…we like to deflect the consequences to others through making excuses or shifting the blame. So; there are times that the Bible is directed at each of us as individuals. Our choices. Our conduct. We own the decision-we own the outcome. In Paul has been talking about the Church, the Body of Christ. Remember how he described each of us as individual members of that body, small or large parts of that whole? Like our bodies when one part is out of step it affects the walk of the whole.

• Entice: We take "deciding" for granted until one of our decisions makes us or breaks us. We like to take the credit when a decision is positive, especially when it is

successful. When we make a decision that does not turn out well…we like to deflect the consequences to others through making excuses or shifting the blame. So;

each of us,

because we are embedded in the body of Christ...

there are times that the Bible is directed at each of us as individuals. Our choices. Our conduct. We own the decision-we own the outcome. In Paul has

because we are a part of His church ...

must make good, sound decisions about

been talking about the Church, the Body of Christ. Remember how he described each of us as individual members of that body, small or large parts of that whole?

our individual walk…

because it impacts the whole Church.

Engage: I know that this is personal but think for a moment of something that you once did that you no longer do because of your walk in Christ. The choice to follow Jesus is a choice to

Like our bodies when one part is out of step it affects the walk of the whole. So each of us, because we are embedded in the body of Christ, because we are a part

of His church have to make good, sound decisions about our individual walk…because it impacts the whole Church.

The choice to follow Jesus is a choice to

follow Him out of thoughts and behaviors which keep us from becoming everything God wants us to be.

The choice to follow Jesus is the choice to follow the one who have the power to change your life-it's direction, it's purpose, it's outcome.

• Engage: I know that this is personal but think for a moment of something that you once did that you no longer do because of your walk in Christ. The choice to

Expand: It is too easy when addressing lifestyle to become focused on external, superficial actions. Paul is addressing something deeper-in fact he does not describe actions as much as attitudes. External actions betray the nature of our heart, our mind, our spirit, our intellect-the inner person. It is that scoundrel whose leads us into trouble.

follow Jesus is a choice to follow Him out of behaviors which keep us from becoming everything God wants us to be. The choice to follow Jesus is the choice to

follow the one who have the power to change your life-it's direction, it's purpose, it's outcome.

• Expand: It is too easy when addressing lifestyle to become focused on external, superficial actions. Paul is addressing something deeper-in fact he does not

Excite: But…we can choose to be changed. The act of will-our choice-does not do the changing…the change comes from the power of God. We choose to follow the one who has released the power to change and into whose body we can be incorporated

describe actions as much as attitudes. External actions betray the nature of our heart, our mind, our spirit, our intellect-the inner person. It is that scoundrel whose

leads us into trouble.

• Excite: But…we can choose to be changed. The act of will-our choice-does not do the changing…the change comes from the power of God. We choose to follow

In choosing Jesus… you can choose change.

In Jesus… you can choose change and decide on a new direction.

the one who has released the power to change and into whose body we can be incorporated

• Explore: In choosing Jesus… you can choose change.

Explain: Paul clearly, almost without emotion lays out the two alternatives.

• Explain: Paul clearly, almost without emotion lays out the two alternatives.

▾ Body of Sermon

1 Old Person.

Ephesians 4:17–19 ESV

17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

▾ 1 Old Person.

1.1 Aimless.

• 1.1 Aimless.

1.1 Aimless.

• 1.2 Darkness.

1.2 Darkness.

• 1.3 Loneliness.

1.3 Loneliness.

• 1.4 Ignorance.

1.4 Ignorance.

• 1.5 Hardness of heart.

1.5 Hardness of heart.

• 1.6 Callousness toward sin.

1.6 Callousness toward sin.

• 1.7 <<<How many people do you know that did not start out as evil…whose lack of direction, became lack of discretion? Whose darkened understanding clouded

<<<How many people do you know that did not start out as evil…whose lack of direction, became lack of discretion? Whose darkened understanding clouded their judgement about everything? Whose Loneliness, made them angry, whose ignorance led to arrogance, whose harness of heart and callousness toward sin led them step by step down the road to destruction? No, not evil. Just lost.>>>

their judgement about everything? Whose Loneliness, made them angry, whose ignorance led to arrogance, whose harness of heart and callousness toward sin

2 New Person.

led them step to step down the road to destruction? No, not evil. Just lost.>>>

Ephesians 4:20–24 ESV

20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

2.1 Instructed in the truth.

▾ 2 New Person.

2.1 Instructed in the truth.

• 2.1 Instructed in the truth.

2.2 Disrobed of distorted desires.

• 2.2 Disrobed of distorted desires.

Because

The former person=old, corrupt, driven by desire.

Remove those old attitudes and behaviors like changing clothes.

2.3 Renewed spiritual understanding.

• 2.3 Renewed spiritual understanding.

2.4 Reclothed in the likeness of God.

▾ 2.4 Reclothed in the likeness of God.

2.4.1 True righteousness.

• 2.4.1 True righteousness.

2.4.2 True holiness.

• 2.4.2 True holiness.

Follow Him.

▾ Shut Down Follow Him.

• You can go your own way. Ultimately you will find that it is the same way as everyone else. It's crowded. Lot' of company. Lot's of advice. Human's want to be

You can go your own way. Ultimately you will find that it is the same way as everyone else. It's crowded. Lot' of company. Lot's of advice. Human's want to be noble while we whisper soothing words to one another while we walk down the primrose path to destruction. It's funny how "your own way" ends up being the path of so many.

noble while we whisper soothing words to one another while we walk down the primrose path to destruction. It's funny how "your own way" ends up being the path

of so many.

Paul is just reinforcing for us what Jesus Himself said. "Follow Me." When we follow Jesus-He will teach us and enable us to to take off the old man like a used, soiled suit of cloths, lay it aside and be clothed in a new man…fashioned after God.

• Paul is just reinforcing for us what Jesus Himself said. "Follow Me." When we follow Jesus-He will teach us and enable us to to take off the old man like a used,

You life. Your direction, Your choice.

soiled suit of cloths, lay it aside and be clothed in a new man…fashioned after God.