Sermon Tone Analysis

Ephesians 4:17-32

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 2005

First Century Baptism

 

The put-on take-off terminology of Colossians 3 finds a literal parallel in first-century baptismal practice, where candidates approached the ordinance wearing old filthy clothes.

These were stripped off as they entered the waters of baptism, and on surfacing they put on new clothes.

The old clothes represented the old life, while the new clothes characterized their new life in Christ and its accompanying behavior changes.

*/We must put off the grave clothes of our old life that was dead.

Then we must put on the grace clothes of our new life in Christ./*

 

3 weeks ago we studied the grounds for unity in *Ephesians 4:1-6*.

Then, 2 weeks ago we looked at *Ephesians 4:7-16* and saw the */gifts/* for unity.

Today we will see the */Graces For Unity/* in *Ephesians 4:17-32.*

The apostle Paul describes the Christian as someone who has put off the Old Man with his habits and put on the New Man created by God.

This affects 3 things: */Our Mind, Our Mouth and Our Manners/*.

1.

Our Mind

 

/a.

Futility, Darkness, Ignorance/

 

*Ephesians 4:17-19:* /This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the *futility of their mind*, having their *understanding darkened*, being alienated from the life of God, because of the *ignorance* that is in them, because of the *blindness *of their *heart;* Who, being *past feeling*, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness./

Paul says that Christians */must not walk the same way that the pagans do./

*

 

*/Non – Christians walk around in the futility of their mind./*

/Why does Paul start with the mind?

Does it matter what we think?/

*/Absolutely!

/Proverbs 23:7:*/ For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

*If I go for a walk in the hills my mind decides the pathway that I will take.

I choose where I will walk with my mind.*/

The /Gentile or non Christian/ walks in a */vain or futile way./*

This word */vain, /**ματαιότης* means */empty, void of a useful goal or aim./*

At the end of their lives, sinners have nothing of worth or value to present to God.

 

*/The non - Christian also walks around in darkness./*

This of course refers to a sinful lifestyle.

People without God live for the pleasures of this world.

They can never satisfy their desire for sexual immorality and uncleanness.

They always crave more.

Jesus often used the term */darkness/* to describe sin.

Since God works righteousness He describes Himself as the light.

Since Satan works evil, his deeds are described as darkness.

*/Non – Christians are also described as ignorant./*

People who walk around in the darkness stumble.

They don’t know where they are going.

They can’t see the way ahead.

Sinners aren’t interested in the spiritual things of life in any way.

They know nothing about righteousness, a relationship with God, heaven or hell.

They are ignorant of their peril and the coming judgment.

*/T/**/hey are insensitive to God and His ways./*

/b.

Renewed, Righteous, Holy/

 

*Ephesians 4:20-24:* /But you have not *so learned Christ*, if indeed you have heard Him and have *been taught* by Him, as the *truth is in Jesus*: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and *be renewed in* the spirit of *your mind*, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness./

In a parallel passage Paul speaks about the need for a renewed mind to produce a transformed life.

After this Paul speaks about spiritual gifts and spiritual graces.

Salvation starts with the mind and then works its way out in our actions.

*Romans 12:1-2: */I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

And *do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind*, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God./

 

Salvation begins with a change of mind.

To repent means to change your mind, to turn around and walk the other way.

Instead of walking our own we turn around and walk God’s way.

*Psalm 37:23:* /The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.

/When we give our lives to God as living sacrifices we will live to please Him and glorify Him.

We no longer live to please ourselves.

*/This starts with a renewed mind./*

The way we think does affect the way we live.

/How can we renew our mind?/

By reading God’s Word and asking the Lord to change us to be more like Jesus.

*/When a computer crashes usually something has gone wrong with the running program.

It needs to be reprogrammed to become useful again.

When we are saved we remove the old program and our mind’s are reprogrammed with Christ’s mind./*

*Colossians 3:16:* /Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

/*James 1:22-25:* /But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does./

/ /

My Conversion

 

When I received Jesus Christ as my Savior God made me a new creature.

Some changes were immediate, others have taken time.

God cleansed my mind.

Before I became a Christian I fed it on things that weren’t very wholesome.

Many of these changes came from reading God’s Word and seeing my sins revealed.

God changed my taste in music and movies.

A lot of my old habits have had to go.

Arguing and debating is not a priority to me.

God is still working on me I’m by no means perfect.

Just ask my family.

But the way I think now is completely different to what it was before.

Application

 

*/Firstly,/* Christians have had a change of mind.

We have changed from futile thinking to kingdom thinking.

We no longer live empty wasted lives but lives that glorify God.

Instead of walking around in the darkness believers are children of light.

Our conduct should be marked by good works instead of sin.

We’re no longer ignorant of God’s ways.

We know God and His will for us.

/Has your mind been renewed by God’s Word?

Do we think God’s way?

If there’s no change in your life you should question your salvation./

2.

Our Mouth /a.

Lying, Corrupt Words, Quarreling, Evil Speaking/

 

*Ephesians 4:25, 29, 31:* /Therefore, *putting away lying*, let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.

Let *no corrupt word* proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, *clamor,* and *evil speaking be put* away from you, with all malice./

Words are important because they affect our relationships.

Jesus said that we will be condemned by our words and justified by our words.

/What should we put off?/