Made Over, Now Move On

Ephesians 4:22-32

 

 

 

Introduction: A good example of the Lords expectations for us after having experienced his Make over would be Lazarus.. You will remember he died and the Lord went to the Cemetery and called to him and literally raised him from the Dead….. Jesus went to the tomb and called   "Lazarus, come forth."  Lazarus came forth out of the grave.  When he came out the Lord Jesus saw those

grave clothes around him and He said, "Loose him and let him go."

 

 

And don’t you know there was joy and excitement and maybe one could say a revival spirit…. as Lazarus experienced the similitude of a Make over…a Divine life giving, life changing …experience ….Now lets suppose it has been several months after this event …maybe more than a year or even maybe two…and we want to find Lazarus to see how he is doing …we just want to see the Long term result of the Lords make over.

 

 

 

So we travel to the City of Bethany and inquire about Lazarus and we find that most everyone in the city knows him and they tell us we can find him in the tomb…. which shocks us a bit, that we would find him there. But maybe he just goes there to rejoice and remember …maybe he is giving some friends a tour and explaining to them the blessedness of Gods work in his life.. So   we continue to the Cemetery and look for a group, but there is no group we find the care taker and ask him if he has seen Lazarus and he directs us to the tomb and feels sure we will find him in the tomb, in the grave…  we find his tomb and the marker and the entrance and call into the tomb and from deep inside the tomb Lazarus answers…. and he comes to the entrance of the tomb….

He is still wearing grave clothes,

He is still mournful   with a funeral type spirit

He is maintaining a life that is more comparable and consistent with a dead person than a living person..

 

His explanation for his behavior is that,,,

it is just the way things are,

it's comfortable, 

He might respond that he had gotten accustomed to the place and practices..

 

 

·        We would say Now Lazarus the life you are living is not consistent with what we heard Jesus did for you….

·        Lazarus the life you are living is horribly short of the life the Lord envisioned for you.

·        Lazarus the Life you are settling for is much less than the Life the Lord has provided you.

 

Lazarus don’t you remember that when the Lord raised you from the Dead he also instructed that you be loosed from the Grave clothes….

 

Learn this when the Lord delivers one from the Condemnation of hell and gives them eternal life …with that comes the power and privilege and the expectation to live today in the new life we are given. …that requires some …

 

 

See Jesus called Lazarus back to life but he also instructed that he be loosed from the things that represent the former condition of death…

 

Vs 25 “putting away”

Vs 31 “put away from you”

 

 

It is right here at this point that many Christians fail to connect between what Jesus has done for them and our responsibility in the Christian life.

 

They have a hard time adjusting to their clothes. Whether a man is saved or lost having an encounter with the Lord will make ones spiritual clothes feel uncomfortable…

 

New clothes feel uncomfortable to a man that has not been cleansed and old clothes feel uncomfortable to a cleansed man.

 

You knew that didn’t you.. you have experienced that…

 

Didn’t you find when you met the lord that the Old life no longer fit the new you…that when the new you resumed the old life it did not feel right …couldn’t explain it? But you knew it wasn’t right for you any more…

 

And have you not also observed that the man that has not been made new by the Lord sees nothing wrong with the clothes of the old life and sees no value in the clothes of the new man…and if he tries to wear the clothes of the new man being not yet cleansed.the clothes do not fit him very well….

 

Illustration: In the Presidential election between George Bush Sr. and Bill Clinton.the was much said about family values…and I heard Hillary Clinton making a comment about family values…. She said “we are going to put money back in you pocket how is that for “family value” She didn’t have a clue or another illustration of the old man not wearing the new mans clothes very well was every time I saw a picture of Bill Clinton going to church with Bible in hand.

 

Old man is out of place in the new mans clothes

New man is uncomfortable in the old mans clothes

 

But it won’t do as much good for us this morning to discuss the unsaved trying to fit into the new life … our time would be better spent with us talking about the difficulty we have in shedding the Old Clothes….

 

 

Most of us as Christians have a hard time, a struggle   adjusting to the new life in one area or another

 

Paul gives 4 examples of the kinds of old life practices we are to put off…. now if these do not get you, insert your own.but Paul is pretty much on target…

 

I.                    Being a new man we are to put away the old mans practice of lying and put on the new mans responsibility toward the truth. …Vs 25

 

 

Put off lying …which we are going to define as …sinning against the truth…

 

Lying is a statement, portrayed or spoken contrary to fact with the intention to deceive. 

 

Now understand making a statement contrary to the truth may not be a lie, meaning it might not be a sin against the truth….. one may tell something that is false, contrary to fact and it not be a lie..

 

I will prove my point by asking you. …have you ever met anyone that just did not know what he was talking about….. he may not be trying to deceive he   may often just say more than he knows……that would not be a sin against truth,

it might be a lack of judgement or

a testimony of ignorance, or

an indication of a desire to be somebody, or

an indication that he himself is deceived.. ..

and what he might say would not be the truth but it would not be a sin against the truth…….

 

 

God has given us three responsibilities concerning the truth…

 

A.     Putting on the truth is sharing the truth with one lips …Vs 25

B.    Putting on the truth is sharing the truth with ones life …Vs 25

C.    Putting on the truth is sharing the truth with love… Vs 15 

 

·        Now why would the Lord be so forceful and insistent that we be people of truth, that truth permeate every area of our life… that we be so consumed with truth…????

 

 

The answer is simple and two parts…. …

 

1. The lack of truth had its origin with Satan…all untruth has its roots in Satan and evil…

 

 

 

John 8:44 Jesus was speaking to some Pharisees and explaining to them why they would not believe in him…. and he said 

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

 

Let me underline the main lie that is finding wide acceptance in our world today…. that there is no absolute truth……that man can establish his own truth….. man can make his own truth…. There is absolute truth and there is a test for truth…there is a measurement and a model for truth…. actually a threefold infallible and trustworthy test of truth…

 

 

 

 

a. The Son of God is Truth.. John 14:6 6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

b.  The Spirit is truth….. John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.

 

c. The Scripture is truth. …John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth

 

 

Illustration Francis Shaffer …All truth comes from God and all that is true leads back to God…

 

If it didn’t come from God it is not true and if it doesn’t lead back to God it is not true.

 

 

·        Anything that lacks the endorsement of the Son, or of the Spirit, or of the Scripture does not past the test of truth.

·        Anything that has the endorsement of the Son and the Spirit and of the Scripture is the truth no matter what argument might be placed against it.

 

·        Everything is to be determined either true or false based on the Son, the Spirit and the Scripture

 

 

2. Another reason the Lord insist on truth is that whether one is a liar or sincere but under the influence of a lie …the consequences are the same….

 

The consequences of being a liar and being under the influence of a lie are the same

 

One does not have to be a liar to suffer the eternal consequences of a liar….

 

 

II.                  Being a new man we are to put away the old mans practice of anger and put on the new mans practice of temperance.  Vs 25

 

If lying is a sin against truth. …and one can be guilty of lacking truth without sin …

 

Then Anger is a sin against temperance and one can be angry without sin….

 

Anger in and of itself is not wrong …we are be passionately and internally moved by injustice, immorality and iniquity, ours and others…

 

Wrath in and of itself is not wrong … we are called upon at times to carry out sentence, to let wrath (the consequences of iniquity) fall…Eph. 5:6

 

But both anger and wrath become sin when they are without temperance.. when you loose your temper and act in a rage as opposed to balanced controlled manner.

 

 

I suppose one of the earlier emotions that   most every child will ever experience as he walks down the road of life is the feeling of resentment and anger and vengeance that comes when people do you wrong.

 

And that is generally an early, early experience in life is it not????

 

Illustration:. Dr. Criswell tells of an experience when he was about 6 years old … He says …one day in school, one of my playmates went to the teacher and told her something that wasn’t so that I had done. And that teacher punished me for it. She just nearly shook my eyeteeth out and she spoke harsh words to me. And I didn’t do it. It wasn’t my fault.

 

And the feeling of resentment I had as a little fellow, I can feel right now when I think of that low-down, good-for-nothing scalawag.

 

And it is not always easy to determine what is justified as a deterrent to a repeat performance and just plain evil for evil….

 

 

Now with that in mind …note the test of anger and wrath that is sin….. He gives us three travelling companions of sinful anger and wrath….

 

A.     Anger and wrath moves into sin when it moves into bitterness…. Vs 31. ……when you are unable or unwilling to lie down or give up your anger…

 

An out of control accepted hostility that we willingly maintained like a camp fire that is fed needed fuel ….It poisons our heart, relationships and effectiveness and health….

 

Aristotle said, "Anyone can become angry.  But to be angry at the right time, for the right purpose, an in the right way is not so easy."

 

B.    Anger and wrath moves into sin when it begins to clamor and evil speaking ….Vs 31 loud complaining, yelling, screaming, verbally abusive, violent language, slander, say anything that will be hurtful and ridiculing.

 

C.    Anger and wrath moves into sin when it is allowed to create in us an evil disposition …Vs 31 with al malice …we are going to get even, vengeful…

 

 

 

Why would the Lord be so set that we not let our anger and wrath be out of control………Some suppose that blowing up and blasting away is good for the soul and good for relationship…. that it is healthy and as it puts everything out in the open…...and that sounds reasonable to man….

 

People say well making up is so sweet

Getting it all out is healthy…

 

·        Scripture says that experiencing sinful anger and wrath …gives place to the Devil Vs 27.  If you let

that anger go to the sinful stage then you have given the devil a platform for entrance into your life with a whole wheel barrel full of other sins that come in.   The angry out control person gives Satan an opportunity in our life to denounce our message to the World that Christ can make a difference. We are wearing his garment now ….we are promoting his program now…

 

·        Someone says well it is better than burying it till it blows up …but he did not tell you to bury it did he Vs 26. …keep a short list of accounts with God and those things that would build into bitterness and clamor and evil speaking …give them to God   on a daily basis and don’t pick them up again…

 

Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

 

How do you deal with an obnoxious neighbor… He does all kinds of things that test your temperance … What do you do with him?

 

You don’t like his mannerisms

You don’t like his mouth

You don’t like his kids.

You don’t like his dogs.

You don’t like his blaring radio.

You don’t like his friends parking in front of your yard..

 

Romans 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

 

 

Our text says “… be ye angry and sin not  ..”  You do not have to approve of or condone his practices but don’t use his inappropriate practices    cost you your temperance.

 

 

 

 

 

We are to put off the old mans lying and put on the new mans truthfulness

We are to put off the old mans anger and wrath and put on the new mans temperance

 

 

III.                We are to put off the old mans stealing and put on the new mans honest trade…Vs 28

 

 

If an man can tell an untruth and it not be sin

If man can be angry and it not be sin

Then it stands to reason that A man can also steal and it not be sin….

 

If stealing is taking that which does not belong to you then I believe it is possible to steal and not be a thief….

 

Example … Have you ever walked into a parking lot and put you key in to he door of a car that you thought was yours????

Have you ever gotten out to your car and you were checking your cash register receipt and found that the Clerk made a mistake in your favor…what do you do …do you say thank you Lord. …and suppose that God had blessed you for tithing????…now at that point your sitting in your car realizing that the clerk made a mistake in your favor, at that point you are not a thief…but it is exactly at that point that you determine whether you are going to put off the old mans ways and put on the new mans ways……..

 

Note Paul's message is not one that glorifies poverty and is ashamed of prosperity …Paul's message is one that possessions and prosperity and plenty are only to come through honest means….

 

Now most people I know seem to have a good work ethic…. so we don’t need to spend a lot of time there..

 

What are some other ways Christians might steal……not be honest…wear the old mans rags and   practices of stealing…

 

Taxes

Time owed an employer

Paying bills on time…Illustration:

Tithes..   will a man rob God …and God is not in poverty….. But we need to learn to trust him…and when we adopt plans and programs and habits of giving that treats God like the Government …looking for the least restrictive set of doctrinal beliefs so we can give less and keep more for ourselves …that is old man thinking….. that is the old mans way….. and you are stealing from God and from yourself and your family…

 

 

We are to put away the old mans lying and live in truth

Wear to put away the old mans anger and live in temperance

We are to put away the old mans stealing and live in honest trade

 

 

 

IV. We are to put away the old mans corrupt conversation and put on the new mans gracious conversation. Vs 29

 

 

 

That would be the sin with the tongue.. using the instrument God gave for good and edifying and praise   being used for evil.…

 

I tried to find a way that man could commit evil with his tongue and it not be corrupt conversation…about the only thing I could come up with was when our children are small and they repeat……. what we should have never said…. have your kids ever done that …who do you get onto for that…just asking……????

 

 

The two qualifiers of all our speech should be:

 

A.     Is it good …may be true but is it good…. Vs 29

B.    Is it profitable, is it going to minister, is it going to build, edify Vs 29

 

That excludes Profanity …sign of a weak mind

That excludes Gossip

That excludes Slander

That excludes pointing out others weaknesses for the sake of conversation and news

That excludes gutter talk

That excludes whining

That excludes drag you down negative statements

 

Did you realize what a privilege we have in being able to talk and use words and speak and communicate and to use such an opportunity to lift, help, encourage….

 

Job. 4:3-4 3Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. 4Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.

 

 

Well Pastor why is that so important ….Vs 30 Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God.

 

Holy Spirit Comforts us

Guides us

Teaches us

 Uses us as instruments towards others.

Supplies us with needed grace

 

And to grieve him with our tongue through corrupt conversation   may be the slowest means of suicide possible for the individual Christian and the Church.

 

It may be the surest way to poison    and cripple and disable your children 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion:  We are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God and we dress him every morning,,,,,, and we should never dress the Holy Spirit in

Sinful lying but in truth

Sinful anger but in temperance

Sinful stealing but in honest trade

Sinful conversation but in a tongue that builds

 

What are you wearing this morning.. new mans clothes in church …after church, on the job, in you home, in your neighborhood.