Renewing the Mind
Notes
Transcript
Call to worship
Welcome everyone!
LET US STAND AND WORSHIP!
“What a beautiful Name”
Words and Music by Hillsong
PRAYER OF PRAISE FOR WHO GOD IS
Lord,
“What a beautiful Name”
Words and Music by Hillsong
“What a beautiful Name”
Words and Music by Hillsong
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION TO OPEN OUR HEARTS
Lord,
SERMON
Introduction
We are going to begin a two part message today about renewing the mind. This Sunday we will talk about what that means and next week we will talk about how that affects the way that we live.
When we receive Jesus Christ into our life, we become a new person or a new creation. And this is not just a religious idea, but we are transformed from the inside out.
Everything about us begins to change, the way we live, the way we act, and what we are going to focus on today: THE WAY THAT WE THINK.
Salvation is first a changed mind before it ever changes the way that we live. It changes the way we think about this world, it changes the what we think about God and it changes the way that think about the church.
Christianity has a major intellectual aspect to it.
Last week we talked about the church gathering together to be equipped by the spiritual leaders to do the work of the ministry. If we gather, and we do not understand anything that is being taught, how will we be equipped?
Discipleship is primarily imparting truth to those being discipled. It is teaching people how to follow Jesus Christ first in their minds which will affect their behaviors. Jesus called his followers “disciples” which means learners.
Jesus said, “then you will know the truth, and the truth shall set you free”. It is when the truth of God’s Word enters our minds and replaces the lies and deception that we lived by and been taught from this world that brings life change.
Now I am not saying you must have a high IQ or be smart to follow Jesus. But I am saying you must have an understanding to follow Jesus.
Matthew 13:15 (NASB95)
For the heart of this people has become dull, With their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes, Otherwise they would see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I would heal them.’
In Eph 4:17-24 Paul really focuses on the mind. I want us to read these verses together and underline all the references here to the mind.
Ephesians 4:17–24 “So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”
The mind of the Unconverted
The mind of the Unconverted
Ephesians 4:17–19 (NASB95)
So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.
Explanation
Lets begin by defining “Gentiles”
A “Gentile” in Scripture has two meanings.
It refers to anyone who is not of the Jewish race. A gentile was a way to reference the people of the nations who were not circumcised. Physical Circumcision was a mark of God’s covenant people.
It also refers to anyone who is not a true believer. 1 Thessalonians 4:5 “like the Gentiles who do not know God”
Since Jesus came, outward circumcision no longer mattered, it is the circumcision of the heart that makes us one of God’s people no matter what race we are.
So a Gentile is one who has never been circumcised in the heart. He has never had a true heart transformation. He has never been saved. He is unconverted, unchanged, and a natural man with a natural mind.
Look at how Paul describes the life of the unconverted:
They walk “in the futility of their mind”
“futility” means emptiness
not emptiness in the sense that they have no brains, but emptiness in the values that they cling to and cherish
It means the unconverted people of this world set their minds on things that have no real substance
They have devoted their lives to things that in the grand scheme of things are going to pass away and will not matter one iota in eternity
Things such as:
accumulating things of this world
living for the sensual pleasures of this world
accumulating knowledge and striving for worldly advancements and achievements that will not matter when we die
The unconverted place all of their emphasis on the here and now and in all reality the time we spend on this earth is just a vapor compared to eternity
Why do people of this world live like this?
(v 18) They are “darkened in their understanding”
Unconverted people walk in the futility of their mind because they lack true understanding of the reality of this life, of the reality of Jesus Christ, of the reality of sin, judgement, eternity, the seriousness of the gospel, and that Christ came to save us and that is a good thing!
Think about the “darkness” metaphor Paul uses:
When someone walks in darkness he cannot see where he is going. He stumbles over things in front of him, he has no sense of direction, he may have an idea of where he would like to end up, but has no way to see so that he can get there. He is wandering aimlessly about not knowing where he is going.
A sound understanding is a critical part of following Jesus Christ
If we do not rightly understand, we will not be able to follow because our bodies obey our minds.
This is why most school age children are just too immature in their thinking to truly come to faith in Christ. They lack the ability to truly comprehend what it means to turn away from sin completely and then place complete permanent trust in Jesus.
THEY ARE: “excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them”
Gentiles not only have the wrong values, (They live their lives for the things of this world that are perishing away), they are walking in darkness (no sense of direction), but they also live in ignorance.
Ignorance means a lack of knowledge not stupidity. We live in a very educated world; but it is educated in the things of the world, NOT the things of God.
The world is ignorant of the fact that it is God who gave us the life that we live and knows how it is best lived! And it is God who designed this earth, who created mankind and our human bodies, and knows what our deepest needs are.
And the world is ignorant of its desperate need to be saved from their sins. We don’t need a better environment, we need a new nature, a new heart, a new mind that can understand the things of God!
And the world is ignorant of the revelation that God gave to us so that we would not have to walk in the darkness.
And what is the answer for ignorance?
It is the preaching and proclaiming the Word of God to an unbelieving world
It is telling other people that Christ came to save us from our sins!
It is taking the good news of the gospel from door to door so that people may hear the truth!
for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”
The answer to ignorance is knowledge.
But why do not more people respond to the gospel?
(v 18) “because of the hardness of their heart”
The word “hard” means “numbness” OR “unable to be penetrated”
When people have a hard heart, the Word of God and message of salvation means very little to them. God means very little to them. The church means very little to them.
They hear the truth preached, they hear the commands, the prophecies, the warnings about the coming judgement, but it never makes an impact into their lives because their heart is hard.
It never causes any emotion, or fear, or joy, or worry, or excitement at all! It is like listening to a boring history book.
And why are their hearts hard?
Because of their lifelong rejection of God! Every time they heard about God, or about Jesus they rejected Him and every rejection made their heart more and more calloused!
And when one rejects the gospel over and over and over he eventually becomes so hardened that it is like he cannot even hear it anymore.
His conscience (hi God given moral compass) becomes seared. It is no longer sensitive to sin. What used to make him ashamed is nor paraded about with no shame at all.
It is the embracing of sin and total rejection of God.
And if we want to know what that looks like just look at the country that we live in!
This nation takes its sin and holds it up as a trophy or some kind of achievement inn the face of God.
And the result: no shame, no guilt, no
What does all of this lead to?
(v 19) “and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.”
They have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity
This is a lifestyle of impurityPaul speaks about this in Rom 1:24
Romans 1:24 (NASB95)
Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.
Ephesians 4:19 (NASB95)
and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.
Bridge
lack of understanding ⇒ lifestyle of impurity ⇒ separation from God
The reason churches across our nation and the world are so empty is primarily because people do not understand their desperate need for God and salvation
They think the church just wants money
They think the church is full of hypocrites
They think God wants to take away all their fun
They think reciting a prayer saves them and gives them a license to sin
THEY DO NOT REALIZE THEIR DESPERATE NEED OF GOD AND THEIR DESPERATE NEED TO BE SAVED FROM THEIR SIN
Application
(v 17) Paul says, “you no longer walk just as the Gentiles walk”
That means we need a clean break from that way of life.
And one of the things that Satan will try to do is draw us back into those old habits, those old ways, into that old lifestyle
He will bring old friends back into our life, old relationships, he will try to reason with us that the world’s way is better than God’s!
But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
How does God renew our minds and our thinking?
We must lay aside the “old self” in order to have our thinking changed
We must lay aside the “old self” in order to have our thinking changed
Explanation
Underline these phrases: “lay aside the old self”, “be renewed in the spirit of your mind”, “and put on the new self”
This is how one comes to Christ
This is how one moves from the uncircumcised in heart, to sealed for eternity in Christ
This is how the mind is changed
“lay aside the old self”
The old self refers to the life one lives before he decides to follow Jesus
Its the life we just described in the previous verses
It is different for most of us, but one thing is common, the life outside of Christ is lived for himself and not God!
That man must die. You’ve got to have a funeral for your old self. If you have not had a funeral and buried your old self, you are still in verses 17-20.
That may seem drastic, but is is this exactly the drastic action that is required.
We must get rid of the patterns and practices of our old life
The old way that man used to think must die
the old things that man used to do must die
the old crowds that man used to run with must deserted
the old sins that had ensnared us must be buried
a death must come, or real life will never happen
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. “He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.
Now that does not mean that all temptation will be gone!
Remember this is a walk, this is one day at a time
And putting to death that old man is a lifelong decision
You put everything you know that is contrary to God to death
And if you see traces of him tomorrow, or next week, you put it to death
“Be renewed in the spirit of your mind”
“renewed” means “ to be made new” or “changed”
When we receive Christ as Lord over our lives, He regenerates us or gives us a new way of thinking.
For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.
When Jesus comes into our lives, He changes the way that we think
We no longer lives our lives for ourselves
We no longer run after everything that tempts the flesh
We have understanding about the spiritual things of God
We have understanding about the seriousness of sin and its destructive nature
We have understanding about who God is
Only Jesus can renew our minds
We can study the Bible all day long and never have a renewed mind
We can acquire all the knowledge in the world but that will not renew our minds
We need Christ, and if we want to real transformation in our lives, we have to come to Christ
We have to cry out to Christ, be willing to completely put o death the old man, and then put on the new self
“put on the new self”
What new self is this? One that God has created in Christ.
Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
The Christian life is a new life. The old life is gone, Jesus had renewed the mind and given birth to a new person.
a person in fellowship with God
Fellowship is communion. A relationship with the living God. Praying, listening, worshiping, and knowing God.
a person devoted to the will of God
This is what God wants for one’s life. No longer do we live for what we want, or the future we choose, but for what God wants for us and what God chooses for us.
A person devoted to the service of God
This is being s part of the kingdom of God. We serve the king. We serve Him with our time, with our talents, and with our things. Everything is at His disposal.
Application
No man can do this to himself.
We can clean ourselves up, get rid of a bad habit, but we cannot make ourselves a new creation.
Only a God can do that. Only God truly changes a person from the inside out
And it happens like this
We hear the message of salvation
We understand it with our minds that we need to be saved from our sins
We make the decision in our hearts that we want to follow Jesus
By faith we are willing to put off the old life, and embrace the new way of life in Christ.
Jesus gives us a new mind, a new heart, and a new nature. Following Jesus becomes our joy and life long pursuit
Conclusion
How does this relate to the gospel?
Has God give you the mind of Christ?
Do you have understanding that leads to life change?
Have you put to death the old man and put on the new self?
You can do that now!
~PRAYER~
RESPONSE
PUBLIC INVITATION
“What a beautiful Name”
Words and Music by Hillsong
OFFERING
We will now worship the Lord through our tithes and offering.
BENEDICTION
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you, and keep you; The Lord cause His face to shine on you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His face to you, And give you peace.’”