Ephesians 4:25-32

Notes
Transcript

Recap

Ephesians: Part 1
God’s Reconciliation in Christ, Chapters 1-3
Ephesians Part 2
Our Response to God’s work in Christ, Chapters 4-6
Therefore ...
The first half of chapter 4 describes Christ as the conquering king who came down and “gave gifts to people”.
His gifts include apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ.
We are no longer “children”, deceived and blown around by every wind of teaching, but working parts of the body.
Take off the old man, put on the new
Renew your mind
First, some questions.
You’re a patient person. But what makes you really angry? What do you do?
Does work ever give you a “stop this” without a “do this instead”?
Why does cussing make God angry?
Ephesians 4:25–5:5 CSB
Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another. Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and don’t give the devil an opportunity. Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need. No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ. Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints. Obscene and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks. For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Where do you see the “old man” vs “new man” application here?
Where do you see the application of “be renewed in the spirit of your minds”?
____
Ephesians 4:25 CSB
Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another.
What words of Jesus does this remind you of?
Like much of the Bible, a reason for morality (secondary to God’s holiness) is community. God wants us to do things that build up the community and not tear down community. Lying tears down community, and the truth builds up community.
Ephesians 4:26–27 CSB
Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and don’t give the devil an opportunity.
Psalm 4 CSB
For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A psalm of David. 1 Answer me when I call, God, who vindicates me. You freed me from affliction; be gracious to me and hear my prayer. 2 How long, exalted ones, will my honor be insulted? How long will you love what is worthless and pursue a lie? Selah 3 Know that the Lord has set apart the faithful for himself; the Lord will hear when I call to him. 4 Be angry and do not sin; reflect in your heart while on your bed and be silent. Selah 5 Offer sacrifices in righteousness and trust in the Lord. 6 Many are asking, “Who can show us anything good?” Let the light of your face shine on us, Lord. 7 You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and new wine abound. 8 I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, Lord, make me live in safety.
Ephesians 4:28 CSB
Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need.
Theft tears down a community (of believers), while sharing builds up a community (of believers).
If you were a thief before you became a Christian…well, this is very applicable to you. If not, how is this applicable to you?
Ephesians 4:29 CSB
No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.
Speech is a godly act. The very first (or second) act of God in Genesis is speech. God said, Let there be light.
Speech is why Jesus was crucified. Jesus’ words brought people back to life.
“Foul” is the Greek word for “rotten”, as in rotten fruit. No yucky speech. Don’t talk rotten, and you know what that is when you hear or say it. But, you really can give good speech to someone in need of building up. You can give grace (God’s kingly favor) to those who hear you.
Ephesians 4:30 CSB
And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption.
The Holy Spirit is grieved (has grief, distressed, miserable crying at the loss of a loved one) when we do not live up to our calling (v.4:1).
Ephesians 4:31–32 CSB
Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.
“Let” all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander, “be removed from” you. This is the work of the Holy Spirit (previous verse, don’t grieve him). You can’t do it, and actually you don’t.
“And by kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another..”
How are these two things related?
“just as God also forgave you in Christ.” Notice how anger and wrath belong to God now (“vengeance is mine”) but will not exist in the new race of people in the new Eden. There is not anger and wrath in the new heavens and new earth, the recreation “mystery” Paul has been talking about since Chapter 1.
God forgave you in Christ, and the very next transition is to be imitators of God, as dearly beloved children. Jesus’ sacrifice is a “fragrant offering to God” which is what we imitate when we do sacrificial love for one another.
Application
Ephesians 4:25–32 CSB
Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another. Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and don’t give the devil an opportunity. Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need. No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.
What does this section teach us about worship?
What does this section teach us about prayer?
What does this section teach us about the Father, Son, and Spirit?
Love dominates the next section of the letter. What about here?
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