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The Blue Letter Bible

Chuck Smith :: Sermon Notes for Ephesians 4:27

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Intro. In our lesson last week Paul exhorted us to put off the old man (i.e. what is often referred to as our Adamic nature) and put on the new man which is after God. The old man was characterized as corrupt because of deceitful lusts, and the new man was characterized as righteousness and truly holy. The old man was controlled by the flesh, the new man is controlled by the spirit. "If any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creature, the old things have passed away, and behold all things become new." Paul now follows with a series of exhortations.
1. Put away lying.
2. Speak the truth.
3. Be angry and sin not.
4. Let not the sun go down on your wrath.
I. NEITHER GIVE PLACE TO THE DEVIL.
A. Don't give Satan an opening in your life.
1. The case of Ananias and Sapphira, Peter said to Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie the Holy Spirit?
a. The old man wants to be awed over, he desires worship. Satan takes advantage of this desire, and finding an opening, he will lead you to:
1. Pretend to do more than you are actually doing.
2. Pretend to be more righteous than you really are.
3. This is hypocrisy.
2. Paul said to the Corinthians, "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devises."
a. Paul said this in the context of forgiveness. If I hold to a wrong that is done against me and refuse to forgive, Satan can take advantage of that, it gives him a foothold in my life, a base from which to operate and expand his control over me.
3. In chapter six Paul speaks of the wiles of the devil, and the fiery darts of the enemy.
a. Satan is very wily, all he seeks is an opening through anger or bitterness then he can move in, and once in he begins to enlarge his beach head.
4. Peter tells us that he goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
5. God said to Satan concerning Job, "Have you considered My servant Job, a perfect and upright man, one who loves good and hates evil."
a. The word translated considered is a Hebrew word that was used as a military term for the general studying a city in preparation for an attack and developing his strategy for his conquering it.
b. The alarming truth is that Satan had indeed been considering Job and had developed his theories.
6. Eve gave place to the devil in the garden.
a. He appealed as he so often does to the lust of the eye, and the lust of the flesh.
b. He so often uses the eye gate. Job spoke of his making a covenant with his eye, that he would not look upon a maid. i.e. lustfully.
c. Jesus spoke of looking at a woman and lusting after her in your heart as being guilty of adultery.
d. What it does is open the door to the devil and give him a place in you.
7. James says that we should not say that God tempted me to do something evil, because God does not tempt men to do evil, but man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lusts and is enticed.
a. This is the place where the devil moves in, our own lusts.
b. This is why Paul exhorted Timothy to flee youthful lusts.
8. Concerning Satan, Jesus said, "The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in Me."
a. There was no place for the devil in the life of Jesus, why?
b. Peter said, "He did no sin."
1. Neither was there any guile in his mouth.
2. When He was reviled, He reviled not again.
3. When He suffered, He threatened not.
4. He committed Himself to the righteous judgment of God.
II. "LET HIM THAT STOLE, STEAL NO MORE."
A. Stealing is taking something that does not belong to you but to someone else.
1. It is taking something you did not earn, unless of course someone gave it to you.
2. Stealing is one of the major problems in our society today.
3. It costs all of us.
4. Stores have to increase their prices to take in the factor for the goods that will be stolen. So we all pay higher prices.
5. People steal from their employers, if you spend extra time on the breaks, or at lunch, you are stealing from your employer. You are receiving wages for time you did not put in.
B. Paul's incentive for working is very interesting. It is that you might have something to give to the person who is in need.
1. Paul certainly practiced what he preached.
2. Paul said to the elders at Ephesus:
Act 20:34 Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.
Act 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
3. To the Thessalonians Paul wrote,
1TH 2:9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
2TH 3:8 Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
2TH 3:11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
2TH 3:12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
III. "LET NO CORRUPT COMMUNICATION PROCEED OUT OF YOUR MOUTH."
A. David speaks of those whose throat is an open sepulchre, or to paraphrase, their mouth is an open sewer.
1. I have met people like that, every time they open their mouths filth comes pouring out.
2. Years ago when I was working for Alpha Beta markets I was sent to a market where there was a man who had the filthiest mouth I have ever been exposed to. I finally said to him, some men's minds are like race horses, they run best on a dirt track.
3. In Psalms the tongue is likened to a sharp razor.
B. Rather that which is good to the use of edifying.
1. A person with his tongue can tear down and destroy.
2. The tongue can be used to build up and bless.
3. A proverb declares that life and death are in the power of the tongue.
4. Proverbs says, "A word spoken in due season, how good it is."
5. Another proverb declares, "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pitchers of silver."
6. Malachi writes:
MAL 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard [it], and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
MAL 3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
C. The ideal is that you use your tongue to minister grace to the hearers.
1. How glorious it is when you use your tongue to declare to people the goodness and grace of God.
2. Your tongue has the capacity to bring such joy and blessing.
3. With your tongue you can bring hope and strength.
PSA 71:15 My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness [and] thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers [thereof].
PSA 71:16 I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, [even] of thine only.
PSA 71:17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.
PSA 71:18 Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto [this] generation, [and] thy power to every one [that] is to come.
MAL 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard [it], and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
MAL 3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
Sermon Notes for Ephesians 4:21 ← Prior Section
Sermon Notes for Ephesians 4:30 Next Section →
Sermon Notes for Galatians 1:3 ← Prior Book
Sermon Notes for Philippians 1 Next Book →
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