“Live it Out!” Eph 4:25-5:2
Intro: Music Major—new identity with new practices (Scales, ensembles, practice rooms, priorities)
-Becoming a Christian=new identity with new practices (God is 1st; Bible; Prayer; Fellowship; Rejecting Sin)
-NEW IDENTITY –> NEW PRACTICES
-In Christ we have a new identity, so let’s live it out!
CONTEXT: Eph 1-3 Doctrine; 4-6 Application.
-4:1-24: Walk worthy of your calling; grow up in the faith; everyday Put off//Put On
TODAY: Live out your new identity in Christ! Here’s how…
–NOTE: Instructions FOR Christians—assumes the person doing this has experienced salvation by grace through faith in Christ
*CLARIFICATION: Doing these things will not make us Christians or earn our way into heaven. (Saved by grace! Eph 2:8-9)
-Here is a practical path for GROWING IN MATURITY AS CHRISTIANS as live out our new identity in Christ
-BUT, if your life looks no different than the world, than you’re probably not a Christian (or very immature)
-YET, we all have room grow in learning how to live out our new identity in Christ.
STRUCTURE: 8 Instructions supported by a truth related to a our new identity in Christ.
-Our new identity in Christ LEADS to new Practices.
-In Christ we have a new identity, so let’s live it out!
1 Live out your New Identity in Christ by Speaking the Truth (25)
SUPERBOWL: You will hear some lies today. (Products/Services offering you things that cannot deliver)
-Many ways to LIE: Outright contradiction, coloring the truth, flattery,
-CHRISTIAN: STOP lying and START telling the truth.
COMMAND: 25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor,
-Christians are to put away lies and speak the truth.
-9th Commandment: ‘You shall not bear false testimony’
-Put off the old ways of Lying (deceit, flattery, holding back truth)
-Put on the ways of our new identity in Christ (speak the truth in love)
NEW IDENTITY: for we are members one of another.
-CHURCH=BODY (body parts) àHow absurd for one body part to lie to another!
APP: Where is there a tendency to lie or deceive in your life? How is God calling you to put that away and speak the truth?
-Do you need to repent of lying in a particular situation? (God knows your heart and can see through our lies!)
–Let’s live out our new identity in Christ by refusing to lie and always telling the truth.
2 Live out your New Identity in Christ by Not Sinning in your Anger (26-27)
Sinning in anger be VERY destructive: Anger can lead to violence (with language or physical action) and even result in murder
-But the gospel leads to a different way of living…REFUSING TO SIN IN OUR ANGER.
COMMAND: 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
–NOTE: There is a Place for RIGHTEOUS anger “BE ANGRY!” (anger at injustice)
–BUT, Don’t sin in your anger: Letting your strong emotions lead you hurt others with words or actions.
–PRACTICAL: Don’t sun go down on your anger=resolve your conflict before going to sleep at night.
–MARRIED COUPLES: Don’t go to bed angry!
NEW IDENTITY: 27 and give no opportunity to the devil.
–Eph 2:1-3: We live in a world with a devil and demons, and need to be aware of spiritual warfare (6:12)
-Going to sleep angry or sinning in anger give the devil an opportunity to wreak havoc in your life.
-Sinful anger is DEMONIC.
APP: How is God calling you to repent of sinful anger? Have you been giving the devil a foothold lately?
3 Live out your New Identity in Christ by Refusing to Steal (28)
George Mueller: thief as a child and in jail; converted; TRANSFORMED: opened orphanages and schools for children
COMMAND: 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands,
-Don’t steal anymore!
-Are there ways where you have been stealing? Taxes? Employer? Streaming services?
-Do honest work with your own hands.
-Goodness of vocational work.
NEW IDENTITY: so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
-We have a new posture as Christians=helping others in their needs.
APP: Teen: stealing music on Napster and products from employer. Christian: Putting those away.
-How is God calling you to put away stealing and put on honest work and generosity toward others?
4 Live out your New Identity in Christ by Getting Rid of IMPURE SPEECH (29)
Growing up with ‘dirty jokes’ on the playground, sexual humor. Others: gossip. Most of us: complaining.
-Christian: the gospel leads to a different way of speaking.
COMMAND: 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion,
-PUT OFF: Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths,
-Literally “rotten” talk.
-Dirty jokes, coarse humor, profanity, God’s Name in Vain
-PUT ON: such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion,
-Speech that builds each other and other up.
-“fits the occasion”=requires wisdom and thoughtfulness.
NEW IDENTITY: that it may give grace to those who hear.
-Our speech is done in love of others.
-We don’t speak to draw attention to ourselves, but out of love and grace for others.
APP: What is your speech characterized by: purity or impurity?
-How is God calling you to put away certain kinds of jokes or humor, or put away complaining or gossip?
-How might you put on gratitude, and gracious words that give grace to those who hear?
5 Live out your New Identity in Christ by Not Grieving the Holy Spirit (30)
If you loose a limb, you’ll always carry around a new absence; When you become Christian always in the presence of H.S.
-Christians are a temple of the H.S., and we depend on His power and leading.
COMMAND: 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,
-Here is the instruction to not grieve the Holy Spirit= Holy Spirit is 3rd person of the Trinity
-He is grieved by our sins.
NEW IDENTITY: by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
-H.S. has sealed us for the day of redemption (return of Christ) [1:13-14]
6 Live out your New Identity in Christ by Putting Away Bitterness and Forgiving Each Other (31-32)
COMMAND: 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, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
-PUT OFF: Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
-PUT ON: 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
-This was essential in 1st century Church and TODAY.
-There are lots of small and big opportunities for Christians to learn this.
NEW IDENTITY: as God in Christ forgave you.
-Through the gospel we have experience the forgiveness of sins
-Since we have experienced this, we ought to extend it others.
-This is the antidote to bitterness and vindictiveness.
APP: Remember and apply this when others in the church are hard to get along with and love.
- Live out your New Identity in Christ by BEING IMITATORS OF GOD (5:1)
‘Be like Mike’ Campaign. àHere=‘Be like God!’
COMMAND: Therefore be imitators of God,
-We imitate God’s holy character
NEW IDENTITY: as beloved children.
-Because we are children of God
APP: Do you aspire to be like Christ in your workplace? Family? Friends? Hobbies? How would life be different if you did? - Live out your New Identity in Christ by WALKING IN LOVE (5:2)
1 Cor 13 chapter on Love and 13:13 “greatest of these is love”
-Love is an indispensable part of a Christian community
COMMAND: 2 And walk in love,
-“Walk”=live out.
-Live out a life of love for each other.
NEW IDENTITY: as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
–GOSPEL SUMMARY: as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
–APPEAL TO THE UNBELIEVER: Look to Christ and place your faith in him!
CLOSE: In Christ we have a new identity, so let’s live it out!
