 |
 |
|
Walk in purity - transforming our talk Daniel Patz, Lead Pastor Grace Church, Sunday Worship Ephesians 4:9-30 October 11th, 2009
Ephesians 4:20-30 But that is not the way you learned Christ!-- (21) assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, (22) to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, (23) and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, (24) and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (25) Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. (26) Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, (27) and give no opportunity to the devil. (28) Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. (29) Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (30) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Start with The Power of Words stories. The Ground View (What does the passage say?)
no corrupting talk come out of your mouths “corrupting” = rotten, putrid, decaying, destructive
but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
(Father gives good to those who ask – Matt 7:11) Only that what God gives to his people
4:12 and 4:16 – we exist for the purpose of building up the body in love
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. (Proverbs 25:11) To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is! (Proverbs 15:23)
Let no… But only…
(30) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. The Holy Spirit abides in us and unites us. Words that tear down and corrupt – grieve the Holy Spirit. He is talking to Christians. Words from the Proverbs: Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. (Proverbs 18:21) When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. (Proverbs 10:19) The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth. (Proverbs 10:20) The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense. (Proverbs 10:21) A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. (Proverbs 15:4) There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. (Proverbs 12:18) Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. (Proverbs 21:23) Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. (Proverbs 13:3) James on the Tongue: If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. (James 1:26) Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. (James 3:1-12) Jesus on the Tongue: You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:34-37) Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone." (Matthew 15:17-20) Thousand Foot View – Observations (What does the passage mean and what do the Scriptures teach?)
Our words belong to God. God was the first to speak. We follow God’s image in this unique way. Genesis 1-2 – God speaks in creating, naming, blessing, commanding, providing and protecting ways. God made us to follow Him and serve him with our words – they are His words and they are meant for Him and His glory; for Jesus Christ and His kingdom.
The serpent (Satan) comes in Genesis 3 – with God-questioning words, God-accusing words, seducing words… This results in Adam using blaming words (blaming God and Eve) This results in God needing to speak cursing and salvation words. Heart level – what kingdom do we serve (by what we trust and treasure) Apple Tree Illustration by Paul Tripp Jesus like in the garden our words continue to pursue the allurement of the serpent – you can be like God.
But that is not the way you learned Christ!-- assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:20-24) and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. (2 Corinthians 5:15)
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. (2 Peter 1:3-4) |
