Making the Change in Life

Making the Change in Life Ephesians 4:17-24 (pg. 978) 03/17/2019, Gallup Christian Church, Bill Emmerling Introduction In Ephesians 4:17, Paul begins his fourth “Before/Formerly” verse “now” comparisons. Once more he contrasts the Gentiles (the Pagan Gentiles, as he is writing to believing Gentiles) with Christians. In a sense, Paul sees three ‘races’ Jews, Gentiles (Pagans) and Christians (ref). Paul continues to stress the point that without Jesus, without His Father, all we have is meaningless, without purpose and only leads to death. Yet, life with Christ leads to life and that new life should look different from the Gentile life. As we begin looking at the scripture I’ll be making a substitution for Gentiles, to bring the meaning of the text a little closer to home. Instead of Gentiles, I’ll be substituting Americans, not in the sense of citizens, but as members of the culture, a people. In doing so I hope, one, we relate to the text as the Gentiles who read the letter, and second, I want us to personalize it for ourselves. James reminds us that the Word of God is to be our mirror; we look into it to see ourselves as we truly are, that we might submit ourselves before God and allow HIM to change us. Taking OFF the Gentile/Pagan/American Life (Eph 4:17-19; 978) 17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as [indeed] the Gentiles [Americans] do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They [the Americans] 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 [the Americans] have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. While this is still fresh in our minds, I want us to hear Paul’s expanded thoughts in Romans 1:18-32 (939): 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them [the Americans], because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they [the Americans] are without excuse. 21 For although they [the Americans] knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they [the Americans] became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them [the Americans] up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they [the Americans] exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them [the Americans] up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. 28 And since they [the Americans] did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They [the Americans] are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They [the Americans] are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they [the Americans] know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. The Walk Paul once again brings up the walk, the journey, the way of life. He specifically states: “you must no longer walk as [indeed] the Gentiles do…” It is all about HOW we go about living our lives that matters. Futility of their minds Futility is empty, useless, without effect. Consider what this looks like today in our culture. We need not look beyond our television sets, the programming and commercials, even the news broadcasts. Most of what is there is without value at best, a reminder of the time we wasted as we are amused and entertained to death. Politics which promote the value of dogs and cast over the value of human lives as babies and the elderly. Darkened Understanding Because of their separation, even outright rejection of God they are unable to understand what life is truly about. Instead of wisdom, they believe myths and stories, driven more by emotions than facts and logic. In fact, they are unable to see the truth. Calloused and Sensual Paul uses the word “calloused” carrying with it the result of becoming insensitive because of repeated exposure to the problem. One commentator suggests that it may be like the insensitivity one develops from wound that has been seared with a hot iron. One feels nothing through the scab. Likewise, over time, our consciences become calloused, insensitive to what we once clearly understood is wrong, insensitive to the Spirit’s prompting. In fact, we relabel that we might become more comfortable with it, such as “Gaming,” which sounds like Monopoly, instead of “Gambling.” Sixty years ago, Christians debated whether we should attend movies, when movies were largely harmless and mild. Today, the debate is largely dead, and the movies have become almost universally objectionable. In a way, those of the world have become calloused, and in order to feel their sensuality must increase. So, to speak, because they have become unfeeling, they seem to shout, “Hit me harder!” that that might feel something, anything. Yet, if we return to the list Paul includes in Romans 1:29-31, we become more uncomfortable, as some items become unfortunately close to describing “Christians” today: • • • • • • • unrighteousness • deceit, deception • inventors of evil evil • gossip • disobedient to parents covetousness • slanderers, mudslingers • foolish malice, hatred, spite • haters of God • faithless envy, jealously • insolent, rude • heartless murder, even in heart • haughty, proud, arrogant, • ruthless, cruel boastful strife, conflict, discord Instead, Paul reminds us that followers of Christ, we put all these things aside to follow Jesus. Putting ON the Christian Life (Eph 4:20-24; 978) 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 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 [lit. man. i.e. Gentile/American], 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 [lit. man. i.e. Christlikeness], created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 21 Learning Christ Paul uses “Christ” and “Jesus” within one sentence to refer to the same person, for different purposes. “Christ” is a title meaning “Messiah,” “Anointed” or “Chosen One.” He is using this title to refer to the Divine office of Jesus as the Messiah. He is referring to everything it stands for. In learning “Christ,” we are not simply learning about a person, we are experiencing the presence and person of the Divine Son of God and everything he represents and calls us to be. In referencing “Jesus,” Paul refers to the historic person, who lived, died, and was resurrected. Jesus IS the Truth. We are CALLED to be different because we know/experience Jesus of History & Truth as well as the Christ of God Almighty. Changing our Life Throughout Paul’s letters he calls for believers, followers of Jesus to put/take off their old selves, like a filthy garment we want to discard in disgust and put on the clean, fresh, refreshing garment of Christ. Paul ties this closely to baptism. Consider the following passages: Col 3:9 Do 10 not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Rom 6:3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Rom 6:6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. Rom 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. Gal 3:26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. This idea of changing ‘garments’ is the changing of identity completely; changing from identifying with the world to identifying with Jesus the Christ. They are polar opposites and are not compatible. “Old self” is literally “Old man,” think perhaps of sinful Adam. The “new self” is literally “new man,” think again of Jesus the Christ. Consider Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 15:21-22: 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. We also know this as REPENTANCE; a change of behavior from death to life. In a sense we are called to do the reverse of what Christ did in Phil 2:5-8 (980) 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. We are called to be like Him by becoming holy and pure as He is. Paul speaks of this process of changing garments/identities, as something that has happened in the past, but continues in the present, and will be completed at the return of Christ Jesus. Called to Walk Worthy Paul specifically speaks of walking seven times in Ephesians alone. He charges us to walk worthy of God, who calls us to his Kingdom for His Glory in 1 Thessalonians 2:12; to walk worthy of the Lord, pleasing him in every good work in Colossians 1:10; He calls us to walk in a manner worthy of our calling to which we have been called in Ephesians 4:1. Ours is a calling to walk, to journey with Jesus through our life, to put on Christ and to live sacrificial lives of love toward others, just as Jesus did. Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Please stand as we sing our hymn of decision. Hymn: 662—All to Jesus I Surrender (vs 1,2,3)