Living
Question of the day: What are you thankful for today?
Good morning class. We are going to try to finish up chapter 4 today.
READ: Ephesians 4: 17-24
Instructions for Christian Living
17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Paul is getting ready to get specific. He is getting ready to give us some lists of what this Christian life is to look like. Yet before he does he has first told us....
1. Of God's great love for us and what he has done for us.
2. Grace upon Grace, Love that is wider, higher, and deeper than we can ever begin to imagine.
3. He wants to do and is doing a mighty work WITHIN YOU!
4. That we are unique and together with our unique brothers and sisters make up the beautiful body of Christ. We aren't to loose who we are, but that this life enhances who He created us to be.
5. (What is he saying here in these first few verses of today's lesson?)
I have said in this class many times that God is wanting to do a transformative work in your life. However sometimes when we think of transformation we think about a makeover. I love watching HGTV shows where they transform broken down old houses, or just neglected houses and turn them into something fresh and beautiful. LIKE new. Is that what he does for us?
I don't see anything about LIKE new.... just NEW.
It isn't that he cleans up the cobwebs and slaps a new coat of paint on you... He makes you NEW. Brand NEW!
If that makes you a bit uncomfortable because you like the old you? Let me assure you, this is not about stripping away who you are but revealing who you were really meant to be!
"Be made new in the attitudes of your mind."
Complete and total change in how we think. HOW?
I can not stress enough how much this has to do with what we have looked at in chapters 1-3. DO NOT forget those three chapters.
LOVE changes everything.
My daughter Anna adopted a dog from a kill shelter. She stopped in one day on an impulse (perhaps it was more the Holy Spirit! Let's give credit where credit is due!) to just look at the dogs and ended up seeing little Bell. She was under weight, matted from urine, trembling, and not wanting anyone to come close to her. Anna knew she must take this dog home. At first Bell wouldn't walk when she took her outside. She jumped and freaked out at every sound. She also didn't want Anna to be near her. Anna just lovingly continued to care for her, feed her, carry her on walks occasionally letting her down and trying to get her to pee.
Now the transformation is.... well Bell is a NEW girl! When Anna gets home she bounces and runs around her feet until Anna sits down. Then Bell jumps on her lap, climbs up her chest and nuzzles her little noes in Anna's neck. Anna's love for her, her care, the food she provided, the kind way in which she touched her and approached her, made her NEW!
What comes next in Ephesians 4-6 is explaining how we will be bouncing at the feet of Jesus and waiting to jump up in His lap and nuzzle His neck. It is the result of this amazing work He is doing and will continue to do in our lives making us new.
So let's look at what that will look like.....
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Lest you think that my illustration of Bell means that she didn't do anything... that is false. She did but it was only possible because of the love that Anna gave her. The love transformed her and made her new..., but she had to start taking steps in the grass with Anna by her side. She had to let Anna put the leash on her, and walk out the door. She had to let Anna approach her and pick her up and she had to be willing to start eating the food Anna provided. See, these passages are just some small things that we can do because he loves us and because he is walking beside us.
Lets take a moment and just look at all that is in this list....
God is so good to us. He loves us all so much. Will you today start to trust Him and be willing to take a few more steps forward with Him?
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