[The following is the manuscript of my sermon delivered on the 21st of September, 2014.]
What now? We just concluded a truly wonderful revival series, so what comes next?
I believe the Apostle Paul can help us answer that question with some of the instructions he gave the new Christians in the church in Ephesus. You see, at that time, the young Christian church was in crisis. We could consider it split along racial lines: the Jews and the Gentiles. The Jews had a long rich history of belief in the one true God, while the Gentiles had been mostly heathens, worshiping pagan gods and constructs of man’s own hand. The Jews felt the Gentiles must be more like the Jews, must act and believe like them, before they can be true followers of Christ Jesus. Paul said no, because all believers share one thing in common, the only thing that really matters: belief in Jesus as the Messiah and the risen Son of God.
Let’s hear what Paul says in his letter to the Ephesians, chapter 4 verse 17 through chapter 5 verse 2…
I believe the Apostle Paul can help us answer that question with some of the instructions he gave the new Christians in the church in Ephesus. You see, at that time, the young Christian church was in crisis. We could consider it split along racial lines: the Jews and the Gentiles. The Jews had a long rich history of belief in the one true God, while the Gentiles had been mostly heathens, worshiping pagan gods and constructs of man’s own hand. The Jews felt the Gentiles must be more like the Jews, must act and believe like them, before they can be true followers of Christ Jesus. Paul said no, because all believers share one thing in common, the only thing that really matters: belief in Jesus as the Messiah and the risen Son of God.
Let’s hear what Paul says in his letter to the Ephesians, chapter 4 verse 17 through chapter 5 verse 2…
4:17 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, 18 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; 19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 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, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity. 28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. 29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
--Ephesians 4:17-5:2 (NASB)
Let us pray... Father, we come together this morning in the name of Jesus Christ Your Son to worship You, to hear Your word and the message Your Holy Spirit speaks to us. Grant us the wisdom and the discernment, O Lord, to heed what You speak to our hearts. In the holy name of our Lord and Master Jesus we pray. Amen.
A school teacher was assigned by her system to visit and tutor children in a large city hospital. One day she received a routine call requesting that she visit a particular child. The teacher took the boy's name and room number, and was told by the teacher on the other end of the line, "We're studying nouns and adverbs in his class now. I'd be grateful if you could help him with his homework, so he doesn't fall behind the others."
It wasn't until the hospital teacher approached the boy's room that she realized it was located in the hospital's burn unit. No one had prepared her to find a young boy horribly burned and in great pain. The teacher felt that she couldn't just turn around and walk out, so she stammered awkwardly, "I'm the hospital teacher, and your teacher sent me to help you with nouns and adverbs." The boy was in so much pain that he barely responded. The young teacher stumbled through his English lesson, ashamed at putting him through such a senseless exercise.
The next morning a nurse on the burn unit asked her, "What did you do to that boy?" Before the teacher could finish her outburst of apologies, the nurse interrupted her: "You don't understand. We've been very worried about him. But ever since you were here yesterday, his whole attitude has changed. He's fighting back; he's responding to treatment. It's as if he has decided to live." The boy later explained that he had completely given up hope until he saw the teacher. Everything changed when he came to a simple realization. With joyful tears, the boy said: "They wouldn't send a teacher to work on nouns and adverbs with a boy who was dying, would they?"
This wonderful story invites us to celebrate the gift of life even when all we seem to see around us is pain and disappointment and brokenness. It shows us that on the other side of pain, there is resurrection. It reminds us of what is possible whenever there is hope.
This story also speaks to a life dramatically changed, or more accurately, two lives dramatically changed. The teacher must have been truly touched by what happened. I can only imagine that from that day forward she went about her assignment with a renewed vigor, and a hope of being able to help other children not only with their homework, but also with their spirits.
But the boy - his whole life was changed. He told the nurses that he had completely given up hope. He was in so much pain and agony he saw no way out. I bet he was just waiting to die.
Anyone here ever felt that way? You hurt so much inside that you just wanted it all to end?
That little boy had given up. But then the teacher came and started teaching something so mundane and ordinary as nouns and adverbs. And that simple act renewed his spirit, revived his hope, gave him just what he needed to fight his way back to recovery. I believe it’s safe to say that both of these folks became new people from that point on.
And that brings to mind what Paul said in his second letter to the church in Corinth, chapter 5 verses 16 and 17…
A school teacher was assigned by her system to visit and tutor children in a large city hospital. One day she received a routine call requesting that she visit a particular child. The teacher took the boy's name and room number, and was told by the teacher on the other end of the line, "We're studying nouns and adverbs in his class now. I'd be grateful if you could help him with his homework, so he doesn't fall behind the others."
It wasn't until the hospital teacher approached the boy's room that she realized it was located in the hospital's burn unit. No one had prepared her to find a young boy horribly burned and in great pain. The teacher felt that she couldn't just turn around and walk out, so she stammered awkwardly, "I'm the hospital teacher, and your teacher sent me to help you with nouns and adverbs." The boy was in so much pain that he barely responded. The young teacher stumbled through his English lesson, ashamed at putting him through such a senseless exercise.
The next morning a nurse on the burn unit asked her, "What did you do to that boy?" Before the teacher could finish her outburst of apologies, the nurse interrupted her: "You don't understand. We've been very worried about him. But ever since you were here yesterday, his whole attitude has changed. He's fighting back; he's responding to treatment. It's as if he has decided to live." The boy later explained that he had completely given up hope until he saw the teacher. Everything changed when he came to a simple realization. With joyful tears, the boy said: "They wouldn't send a teacher to work on nouns and adverbs with a boy who was dying, would they?"
This wonderful story invites us to celebrate the gift of life even when all we seem to see around us is pain and disappointment and brokenness. It shows us that on the other side of pain, there is resurrection. It reminds us of what is possible whenever there is hope.
This story also speaks to a life dramatically changed, or more accurately, two lives dramatically changed. The teacher must have been truly touched by what happened. I can only imagine that from that day forward she went about her assignment with a renewed vigor, and a hope of being able to help other children not only with their homework, but also with their spirits.
But the boy - his whole life was changed. He told the nurses that he had completely given up hope. He was in so much pain and agony he saw no way out. I bet he was just waiting to die.
Anyone here ever felt that way? You hurt so much inside that you just wanted it all to end?
That little boy had given up. But then the teacher came and started teaching something so mundane and ordinary as nouns and adverbs. And that simple act renewed his spirit, revived his hope, gave him just what he needed to fight his way back to recovery. I believe it’s safe to say that both of these folks became new people from that point on.
And that brings to mind what Paul said in his second letter to the church in Corinth, chapter 5 verses 16 and 17…
16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.--2 Corinthians 5:16-17 (NASB)
As the teacher approached the boy’s room, she recognized him by his surroundings – she associated him with his surroundings - by being in the hospital’s burn unit. When she saw him, all wrapped in his bandages and groaning in pain, she saw him only according to the flesh. This is what we would all see. And this is what Paul says we should change. For you see, the flesh doesn’t matter. Our earthly body is just a vessel for carrying our spirit through this life. What matters is inside. And if we are in Christ, then Christ is within us and we are new creatures! The old person we once were is gone and dead and a new person is in its place. That’s what it means to be revived, refreshed, renewed by the Holy Spirit.
Does anybody feel that way today, after our services this week? Do you feel new? Then what do we do about it? What comes next? Can we just go back to doing what we were doing before? Now that we know we’re saved and that God forgives us by Jesus’ intervention on our behalf, can’t we return to the life we’re comfortable with and do whatever we’ve been doing all along?
In Paul’s letter to the churches in the Galatian region, chapter 2 verses 15 through 20, Paul is again addressing the racial divide between Jews and Gentiles. This time he is talking directly to the Jews, but what he discusses applies to all Christians. And this time I will be reading from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible…
Does anybody feel that way today, after our services this week? Do you feel new? Then what do we do about it? What comes next? Can we just go back to doing what we were doing before? Now that we know we’re saved and that God forgives us by Jesus’ intervention on our behalf, can’t we return to the life we’re comfortable with and do whatever we’ve been doing all along?
In Paul’s letter to the churches in the Galatian region, chapter 2 verses 15 through 20, Paul is again addressing the racial divide between Jews and Gentiles. This time he is talking directly to the Jews, but what he discusses applies to all Christians. And this time I will be reading from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible…
15 “You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles. 16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”
17 But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! 18 Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. 19 For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
--Galatians 2:15-20 (NLT)
Ignore for a moment that Paul is lumping all Gentiles together as sinners and implying that the Jews aren’t sinners. We know we’re all sinners, right? Each and every one of us. The point Paul is trying to make is that we believe in Jesus so that we might be made right with God through our faith in His Son. But what happens if we’re found to still be sinners even then? Does that mean that Jesus promotes and encourages sin?
Absolutely not! If, after we have been reborn in Jesus, if we again turn to sin, then we’ve rebuilt the old self that we should have destroyed. That makes us the sinners, not Jesus. He doesn’t want us to return to that old life. That’s why He allowed Himself to be crucified, to die, to be buried, to go into hell and to rise again to new life, just so we could die to our old life and rise with Him to a new life, as a new person. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me!!!
And here’s the gem of the week: I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Those are Paul’s words, and he speaks for every one of us here today. I live in this earthly body, I manage to get through each day of this mortal life, by trusting in Jesus, by putting my life in His hands. There’s no other way I could do it, no other way I could survive this world. I’d be like that little boy lying there in the hospital in abject pain, completely without hope. The new me puts all its hope, all its faith, all its trust in Jesus.
Let’s go back to today’s message text and look a little more closely at what Paul instructs us to do and to not do. We are to walk no longer as the world walks. It is futile to think that we can get through this life on our own, excluded from a life with God whether by ignorance or willful disobedience. Paul calls this darkened understanding. And we know just Who can shed light on it don’t we – Jesus is the Light.
We must not give ourselves over to sensuality once again, not let impurities back into our lives. And here Paul means sensual pleasures, anything that feels good to our bodies, that we do simply because it feels good to do it.
Notice that Paul allows that we might indeed get angry from time to time, but we must not “let the sun go down” on our anger. In other words, we’re not to hold onto that anger until we bear it like a grudge, until it starts to consume us like a cancer. We must let it go and resolve whatever caused it in the first place. Otherwise we’re giving the devil an opportunity to move in.
If we ever stole anything before, we must make sure we never steal again, instead earning anything and everything by our own honest labors. And Paul says in doing so, we will end up with enough for ourselves and to share with others.
We must be careful not to tell lies anymore, not even fibs, but speak only the truth. Oh… and verse 29 is a toughie… We must let no unwholesome word proceed from our mouth. We’ve got to watch what we say, always trying to use words of edification and encouragement - striving to build others up, not tear them down. We should provide instruction, not condemnation, showing God’s grace to those who hear our words.
Then Paul lumps all the “don’ts” together. Put all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander away from you, along with all malice. Don’t be bitter, don’t be vengeful, don’t slander others, don’t be angry all the time, and certainly don’t hold any malice or harmful intent against anyone else.
But do be kind and tender-hearted. Forgive each other, just as God through Jesus forgives us.
I’d like to add a little to Paul’s list. We need to be mindful of our entertainment and viewing habits – we can’t watch just any TV show or movie anymore, and some songs are nothing more than the devil’s tools. We should be careful of who we hang out with – not that we shouldn’t try to help the lost be found and speak the Gospel to anyone who will listen, but we might need to change who we spend our leisure time with and what we spend it doing. We need to constantly be on guard as to what we allow to influence our thoughts, our words, our actions. We must be sure that anything we allow into our lives will be pleasing to God.
Back in verses 22 through 24 Paul tells us to put aside the old self because it has been corrupted by the lusts of deceit - that deceit, of course, is courtesy of Satan. Paul tells us to be renewed in the spirit of our minds - to put on a new self, in the likeness of God.
If there’s anyone who might question or doubt why we need to be so concerned with this, we need only look at what the psalmist tells us. In the 24th Psalm, verses 3 through 5, King David provides a cautionary word…
Absolutely not! If, after we have been reborn in Jesus, if we again turn to sin, then we’ve rebuilt the old self that we should have destroyed. That makes us the sinners, not Jesus. He doesn’t want us to return to that old life. That’s why He allowed Himself to be crucified, to die, to be buried, to go into hell and to rise again to new life, just so we could die to our old life and rise with Him to a new life, as a new person. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me!!!
And here’s the gem of the week: I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Those are Paul’s words, and he speaks for every one of us here today. I live in this earthly body, I manage to get through each day of this mortal life, by trusting in Jesus, by putting my life in His hands. There’s no other way I could do it, no other way I could survive this world. I’d be like that little boy lying there in the hospital in abject pain, completely without hope. The new me puts all its hope, all its faith, all its trust in Jesus.
Let’s go back to today’s message text and look a little more closely at what Paul instructs us to do and to not do. We are to walk no longer as the world walks. It is futile to think that we can get through this life on our own, excluded from a life with God whether by ignorance or willful disobedience. Paul calls this darkened understanding. And we know just Who can shed light on it don’t we – Jesus is the Light.
We must not give ourselves over to sensuality once again, not let impurities back into our lives. And here Paul means sensual pleasures, anything that feels good to our bodies, that we do simply because it feels good to do it.
Notice that Paul allows that we might indeed get angry from time to time, but we must not “let the sun go down” on our anger. In other words, we’re not to hold onto that anger until we bear it like a grudge, until it starts to consume us like a cancer. We must let it go and resolve whatever caused it in the first place. Otherwise we’re giving the devil an opportunity to move in.
If we ever stole anything before, we must make sure we never steal again, instead earning anything and everything by our own honest labors. And Paul says in doing so, we will end up with enough for ourselves and to share with others.
We must be careful not to tell lies anymore, not even fibs, but speak only the truth. Oh… and verse 29 is a toughie… We must let no unwholesome word proceed from our mouth. We’ve got to watch what we say, always trying to use words of edification and encouragement - striving to build others up, not tear them down. We should provide instruction, not condemnation, showing God’s grace to those who hear our words.
Then Paul lumps all the “don’ts” together. Put all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander away from you, along with all malice. Don’t be bitter, don’t be vengeful, don’t slander others, don’t be angry all the time, and certainly don’t hold any malice or harmful intent against anyone else.
But do be kind and tender-hearted. Forgive each other, just as God through Jesus forgives us.
I’d like to add a little to Paul’s list. We need to be mindful of our entertainment and viewing habits – we can’t watch just any TV show or movie anymore, and some songs are nothing more than the devil’s tools. We should be careful of who we hang out with – not that we shouldn’t try to help the lost be found and speak the Gospel to anyone who will listen, but we might need to change who we spend our leisure time with and what we spend it doing. We need to constantly be on guard as to what we allow to influence our thoughts, our words, our actions. We must be sure that anything we allow into our lives will be pleasing to God.
Back in verses 22 through 24 Paul tells us to put aside the old self because it has been corrupted by the lusts of deceit - that deceit, of course, is courtesy of Satan. Paul tells us to be renewed in the spirit of our minds - to put on a new self, in the likeness of God.
If there’s anyone who might question or doubt why we need to be so concerned with this, we need only look at what the psalmist tells us. In the 24th Psalm, verses 3 through 5, King David provides a cautionary word…
3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
And who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood
And has not sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive a blessing from the Lord
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
Who can go to heaven? Only those with clean hands and a pure heart. Only those who have not debased themselves by lies or deceit. Jesus washed us clean by His own blood, sacrificed there on the cross. He purified us and wiped our record clean. He let us start all over again. He revived us. Now it is up to us to stay clean, to keep our hearts pure, to lift our souls by righteousness, by staying right with God. And for that the God of our salvation will bless us.--Psalm 24:3-5 (NASB)
Paul concludes by strongly urging us to imitate God… …as beloved children. I talked to the kids earlier about how sometimes when we imitate someone, we’re doing it to make fun of them. But have you seen how so many children will try their best to imitate Mom or Dad or some other prominent person in their life, not to make fun of them, but because they want to be like them – just like them. That’s how we need to imitate God – like the beloved children that we are, trying our best to be just like our Father God.
We should always walk in love, loving each and everyone one of our fellows on this mortal earth, because that is how Jesus loves us. He doesn’t care about race or skin color or ethnicity or place of birth or station in life. He doesn’t care how rich we are, how poor we are, whether we were disadvantaged or advantaged, or how our parents treated us growing up. Nothing matters except our eternal souls. That’s why He gave so much for us, for our sake – that’s why He gave Himself.
So let’s be imitators of God and of Jesus. Let’s spread His love and His Gospel everywhere we go, leaving nothing but love in our wake.
We’ve been given another chance. Let’s make something of it.
Amen.
Let us pray… Heavenly Father, thank You so much for giving us another chance, a new life. Thank You for making us a new creation, and all because we simply believe in Jesus Christ, Your Son. Help us, Lord, to completely cast off the old self we were and to be the new person You have made us.
We are revived, Lord. We are refreshed and renewed and it’s all because of Jesus. You have filled us once again with Your Holy Spirit to overflowing. Help us share what we have found with others we meet. Help us love unconditionally, as Jesus loves us. Help us forgive others just as You forgive us.
Hear us now, Lord, as we pause in the silence and pray to You from our hearts and give You our personal thanks, as we confess our sins, repent, and seek Your forgiveness…
And now Lord, hear us as we pray as Your Son taught us… Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
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