New Walk

[0:00] Today's reading is from Ephesians and there's two parts. It's Ephesians 4 verses 17 to 24 and then moves on to 5 verses 8 to 20.

[0:15] 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, for 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.

[0:40] And having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity with a continual lust for more.

[0:52] You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.

[1:05] 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, to be made new in the attitude of your minds and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

[1:29] For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth.

[1:46] And find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.

[2:02] But everything exposed by the light becomes visible. For it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said, Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.

[2:20] Now be very careful how you live. Not as unwise, but as wise. Making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

[2:34] And therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

[2:48] Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.

[3:00] Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you, Mark.

[3:13] Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Yesterday, I was speaking, chatting to my son, Andrew.

[3:28] And he was telling me that at their church, they're starting today a new series in their church on the Beatitudes. And he's got to prepare a sermon for next week. And I said, oh, what are you preaching on?

[3:41] He said, oh, I've got the verse, blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. That's it. One verse. I thought, lucky you. I've got 36 to go through.

[3:53] And I thought a little bit more. I thought, he's got to get 20 to 30 minute sermon out of one verse. And I've got about the same length of time for 36 verses, a number of which, as we will see as I go through it, are probably actually self-explanatory anyway.

[4:11] Although I will be adding some thoughts to those as we go through. So after last Sunday's mission focus, we're returning this week to our series in Ephesians.

[4:23] And each week, as the notices showed us earlier, we've been taking a new focus on the new we have in Christ. And so far, we have looked at new life, new family, new mission, new unity.

[4:40] And today, at the verses in chapters 4 and 5 that have been allocated for today, we'll be looking at new walk. I found it a bit tricky to think about this because there is very obviously in Paul's mind as he speaks, as he writes to the Ephesians, that they were in a place that was very different to where they should be before they came to Christ.

[5:05] They were dark, they were unthinking, they were sensual, living only for their own pleasure, they were greedy. They obviously didn't do much thinking beyond what's the next pleasure, where it's coming from.

[5:20] And possibly for a lot of us, we may not well have been brought up like that. Particularly if we had came up in a Christian family or in a place where Christian values were already fairly widespread.

[5:34] So it might be a bit difficult to think of the contrast of what we were before, if actually we weren't quite like that before, to what we should be afterwards.

[5:45] But I think that if we're going to consider a new way of walking, we need to recognise that either the way we were walking before was bad, or even if it was good, it may not actually have been good enough, because I doubt none of us were walking in perfection.

[6:03] In verse 17, which is the first verse of our passages for today, it starts with the word so.

[6:15] And if something is so, then you need to look back at what's gone before, because there is an implied logical connection between what was gone before and what is coming just after.

[6:27] So if I can get this to work properly. So New Walk, Ephesians 4, verses 17 to chapter 5, verse 20.

[6:42] So what came before? What came before? These are the things that, if you like, Paul, in the modern parlance, might well have set as goals for the church in Ephesus.

[6:54] To be equipped for works of service. To reach unity. For the body of Christ, that is us, the church, to be built up.

[7:08] For unity in the faith, so a specific type of unity. To become mature. Not to be infants swayed by every fashionable teaching or theory.

[7:21] To be built up in love. For each of us to do our part. In other words, what they say, no pew fillers. No passengers.

[7:34] Everybody taking a part. And just a sort of sideways thought. I notice that in this goal setting, Paul doesn't set a number of growth.

[7:49] The number of new converts he wants to arrive in the church. Or the number of new baptisms he wants to see by the end of a certain date. But it's all about your growth. Are you doing the things to grow as a body?

[8:02] And even sideways from that. If you seek first the kingdom of God, then the things you need will be added to you after that.

[8:13] So verse 17 onwards tells us a number of different things. Some of them what not to do. And some of them what we should be doing. A number of years ago, the phrase, what would Jesus do?

[8:32] Became popularised to such a degree that people started reproducing rubber bracelets with the initials WWJD on them. Which, one, proves that sometimes we need something external for our brains to remind us of things.

[8:47] But also that there's nothing in the kingdom that can't be monetised if you put your mind to it. And these were produced as a handy reminder for people to stop and think.

[8:59] Of course, people then, being a little bit facetious, pointed out that some of the answers to the question, what would Jesus do, could include things like, throw over the tables and let animals free in the church.

[9:15] It could be, go home and make a set of chairs on a table. It could be, disappear into the desert for 40 days and 40 nights.

[9:27] And I would question whether any of those responses in my life, certainly, to some of the things I've come across, is actually going to be very helpful for the person talking to me or asking me a question.

[9:39] So I suggest the question isn't, what would Jesus do? But what would Jesus want me to do? I would argue it is sometimes easy to understand the advice that we mentioned before.

[9:55] And some bad things to avoid will be coming up. And some good things to do will be put into practice as to help us answer that question. What would I do? What would Jesus want me to do in this situation?

[10:08] So let's have a look at these contrasting attitudes and behaviours from the verses in Ephesians that we're looking at this morning. We start off with what we shouldn't be like.

[10:21] This is what the Gentiles, if you like, the pre-Christians, those outside of God's kingdom, how they're behaving. Their thinking is futile.

[10:34] Their understanding is darkened. They are separated from God. It says they've lost all sensitivity. And I would suggest that as well as being given over all sensitivity to what's going on around them, these days there is a group of people or an element of society who have gained all over sensitivity.

[10:59] Hence the need for trigger warnings all over the place. Some may be less necessary in places than others. Given over to sensuality, that phrase is, if it feels good, do it.

[11:15] But if it feels good doesn't necessarily mean it is good to do it. Indulging in every kind of impurity and full of greed.

[11:25] So these are the things we should be avoiding. These are the things that Paul says are not good to be doing or thinking or behaving. And here are some of the things where he contrasts the bad and the good.

[11:41] Very simply, stop lying. And he contrasts that with speak truthfully. Now sometimes we speak truthfully.

[11:54] But it's not always done in the best way. I expect you've all heard someone say, I want to speak the truth in love to you. And just because you say the words in love doesn't automatically, magically mean that the person is going to receive them in a way that is helpful.

[12:14] Sometimes we use that phrase in love because it says, because I know better than you. Or I am better than you, implied in that.

[12:26] In love is not about the words saying in love, but it's about the relationship you already have with that person. Where they know and understand that you do actually love them.

[12:38] That you do actually want the best for them. And that if you share something for them, it's not to highlight a failing, but to help identify an area of growth.

[12:54] When you are angry, do not sin. But anger might result in action. When Jesus was angry in the temple, that's when he threw over the tables and let loose the birds and the animals.

[13:07] Often when we get angry, our reaction is to hit out, to shout, to belittle, to justify.

[13:19] Paul says, don't be like that. Be self-controlled. Consider your response. Take a moment to step back and think what is the right way to act in this situation.

[13:32] He says, don't use your hands to steal. Now, hopefully, none of us have ever been in a situation where we've done that. Used our hands to steal. But he's contrasting that with do something positive with your abilities and your capabilities.

[13:50] Don't use your abilities for your personal gain at the expense of others. Use your hands to create something of value to share with other people. Have the abilities you've got and use them not to grandize yourself, but to bless others.

[14:11] Do not partake in unwholesome talk, but speak only what is helpful for building up others. Is that I will share this in love to put someone down, or is actually something to build them up?

[14:27] I've started coming through, getting through it in my Instagram feed from a site called The Holy Nope.

[14:37] And the setup is this Christian who's at his front door, and he says, it's a lovely day. I've got my Bible. I'm going to step out into the world and see what's going on.

[14:51] And then the videos are of things happening in God's name that are generally unbiblical or excessive. He has a particular, how should we say, focus on tele-evangelists and why they are not necessarily a good thing, and some of the excesses of the charismatic movement.

[15:16] Now, he is what's called a cessationist. He doesn't believe that tongues are something that should be practiced today. And we can disagree with him on that, but he does say some things about the way tongues are used, which are not biblical.

[15:27] And I've got this particular phrase about speaking only what is helpful for building up. He says, I have heard so many people, and in his words, babble in prayer and then gossip in English.

[15:47] Do not allow rage, bitterness, or anger to control you and to be the driver, but show kindness and be compassionate. And again, that contrast with something that hits out and keeps people away, with something that helps draw people in and feel comfortable and included in God's kingdom and in relationship.

[16:07] There must not be even a hint, not even a hint of sexual immorality, impurity, obscenity, or foolish talk, or coarse joking.

[16:27] And probably we could examine each of those for a good ten minutes, quarter to an hour on each one. Again, possibly fairly self-explanatory, but it talks about, I think the implication here is not just in the way you talk, but maybe in the things you read, the things you watch, maybe even the way you listen or partake in discussions with non-Christians, either in your place of work or other places you go to, or are involved in discussion or chat with people.

[17:03] Sexual immorality. Sexual immorality. Just want to say, the church and God, the picture of marriage is supposed to be a picture of Christ's relationship with the church, with God with the church.

[17:19] And there is one God, and there is one church. So sexual immorality is in a thing where there is more than one partner. However, they might like to dress that up.

[17:31] People who say, we have an open marriage. Well, that is not marriage. Because there is not more than one God. There is not more than one church. If you have an open marriage, that's an oxymoron.

[17:45] It's not a marriage. Polyamory, where you say, well, I have more than one wife, or I have more than one husband. Again, that's not marriage. The word you're putting before it makes a lie of calling it a marriage.

[17:58] So make the most of every opportunity. Okay? And normally, and I've always thought about this, make the most of every opportunity to evangelize.

[18:11] Make the most of every opportunity to share your faith. But it doesn't explicitly say that. I'm thinking in the context of what we're looking at this morning, that's more about make the most of every opportunity to be the truthful one, to be the compassionate one, to be the self-controlled one, to be the one that shares truth.

[18:37] Because that will mark you out as being different. Because the world won't always speak truth. Won't always be compassionate.

[18:50] Won't always be encouraging. Speak to each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. That's an interesting one.

[19:02] Because it says speak to each other with things that you sing. Now, how many of you, in one-to-one, or one-to-two, sing to each other?

[19:17] I don't think I've ever sung to someone one-to-one. And I think if I did, they would probably block their ears. But we're encouraged to do this.

[19:29] And obviously the idea is to do this as a blessing to each other. Now, again, this holy note illustration, this tele-evangelist was saying, if someone comes to me and says, ah, I've got a word from God.

[19:46] And this tele-evangelist said, I say to them, how much do you read the Bible? How often and how much time do you spend praying? And then, how much do you give and do you give regularly?

[20:00] Now, certainly the first two of those are very legitimate. But one thing he didn't do, and I'm suggesting we may think about wanting to do this, is he didn't sing to him. He doesn't say, here's a hymn for you, or here's a spiritual song for you to consider, or a psalm.

[20:19] I came up with, hopefully, some helpful illustrations of this. So, if someone comes to you and says, I think God is guiding me in this particular direction, what do you think?

[20:34] And how many of us would sit down and say, well, let's pray about that together? And how many of us would say, right, let's sing a song together? This is the one that came to mind this morning, not surprisingly.

[20:46] Guide me, O thou great Jehovah. Let's sing that together. Bid my anxious fear subside. Land me safe on Canaan's side.

[20:56] So, you think God is guiding you. Well, don't be anxious. God will guide you. He will keep you safe. Or, how about, someone comes to you feeling a bit desperate, feeling a bit of despair.

[21:15] Maybe we could sing to them like we sang this morning. All my days, I will sing this song of gladness. For in my helplessness, you heard my cry.

[21:26] I will put my trust in you. You are the fountains of my delight. Or, how about, if someone comes to you, and says, I think this person in church, my brother, my sister, has really upset me.

[21:43] I think they've done this really bad thing. I think they should be disciplined spiritually in some way. And maybe you said, well, let's sit down and pray about that, and think about how we can go and speak to them in love, in truth.

[21:58] Maybe you could say, well, let's say this psalm together. What we had this morning. How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity.

[22:11] My challenge to myself is, what psalm or hymn or spiritual song is it going to be useful to share with someone else? Because that will hold some spiritual truth that I may not have in my head or have experience for myself.

[22:31] So be wise, not unwise. Do not be deceived by empty words. Do not follow the fashion of the day. Do not follow the latest big preacher. Do not listen to vain promises.

[22:44] Do not listen to vain promises. The way to tell whether something is empty or not is to examine it. A simple way, physically, is to knock on something, and you can tell whether it's solid or it's empty.

[23:00] How can you tell whether the words you're hearing are empty or not? Examine them. Be like the Bereans. Examine them in the light of what the Word of God says.

[23:13] Examine them in the light of what you know to be true from your own life. Examine them in the light of experienced preachers from the past who have proved by their lives the fullness of the words they've preached.

[23:28] Do not be deceived by empty words. Examine them and to see whether there is anything within them. Do not be drunk with wine, but be filled with the Holy Spirit. And I'm not sure why I saw someone indicate to their neighbour at this point that we should be drunk with the Holy Spirit and not wine, but they did.

[23:48] Who knows what's going on there? What happens when we're drunk with wine? We lose our inhibitions. We do stupid things. We end up with a nasty hangover.

[24:00] We get over-sentimental. Oh, you're my best friend. I love you. Often to complete strangers. We make unwise decisions, like jumping in freezing rivers.

[24:14] Being filled with the Holy Spirit. Genuine thankfulness. Freed by a lack of inhibition to do what is good rather than being locked in by a fear of how we might look.

[24:32] Freed to do what is right or good. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. When you're drunk, it's obvious to other people. When you're filled with the Holy Spirit.

[24:44] Is that obvious to the other people? Because they can see how you are behaving, see and hear what you're saying, and think, yes, that is good. I want some of that for myself.

[25:01] So then, Paul tells us, put off your old self. However good it might have been before you were a Christian, it certainly wasn't perfect. If it was bad, all the more reason to put it off.

[25:16] Be made new in the attitude of your mind. And there are, I think, well-regarded studies, not that I can quote detail, that show that if you want to renew your mind and to study something, you study it reasonably earnestly for about 12 weeks, you will gain a new understanding from serious study.

[25:38] There have been some modern-day, more specific examinations with MRI scanners of people's brains that have shown changes in the brain structure and function where they have committed to an extended time of prayer.

[25:55] And that is not committed to prayer of a couple of hours every day, but that was about 12 minutes a day, every day, for the period up until they were scanned again.

[26:05] So not a lot of time you have to spend in prayer for God to be able to work in your mind and your brain. And if we do these things, we will become like God in true righteousness and holiness.

[26:23] And we will mark ourselves out as different to the world in a way which is a positive difference, a way that is an attractive distance, a way that can bring healing and wholeness within our congregation, within our church, and ultimately to the world.

[26:44] if we pray, if we study, if we speak to each other in a loving relationship with psalms, with spiritual songs, with hymns, then we can learn to react and respond to each other not in the flesh that we had, but in the newness of the Holy Spirit that God gives us.

[27:17] Amen.