What Not To "Wear"

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>What Not To "Wear"</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id415.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Get In The Game 2"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id428.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Power Of Influence 1"><U><B><IMG SRC="008151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Church Ministry</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>What Not To "Wear," </B><A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Eph+4:17-32" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U><B>Ephesians 4:17-32</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Berean Bible Church, January 11, 2004</B></div> <bR> <div> <I>     </I>On TLC's "What Not to Wear," family or friends nominate someone they think is need of a complete style overhaul. The show gets secret film footage of the target and then confronts them on their lack of style and challenges them to come to NY and spend $5000 on clothes - if they will submit to the style guidelines of Stacy and Clinton. Usually the target says they didn't realize they needed a style makeover, but by the time it is over, they are happy with the results and wonder why they waited so long. Many times they will say that they have been changed inside as well, because their outward appearance has changed so drastically.</div> <div> <I>     </I>Like old, out-of-style clothes, there are old habits that are painfully out-of-style for anyone in the Kingdom of God, anyone who is a follower of Christ.</div> <div>      Spiritually out-of-style examples in Ephesians 4 include: 1) Falsehood (deception of any kind, lying to others or yourself, manipulating, leaving false impressions). 2) Uncontrolled, unresolved anger. 3) Stealing (greed, taking from others what belongs to them, stealing from employer, stealing from society, letting other people foot the bill for your life). 4) Damaging words (insensitive, unhelpful, critical words). 5) Bitterness, anger, an unforgiving attitude. Chapter 5 also adds sexual immorality, impurity, and obscenity. This list is not exhaustive. These things, and things like them, look radically out of place on a believer in Jesus Christ.</div> <div> <I>     </I>Like old dirty clothes, those old habits need to be "put off," and in their place you need to "put on" habits that are appropriate for life in the kingdom of God.</div> <bR> <div> <B>I. What not to "wear" - general guidelines (vss. 17-24).</B></div> <div>      This section helps us understand the "why."</div> <div> <B>A. Description of the ungodly (vss. 17-19).</B></div> <div>      Verse 17 contains a command for believers: don't walk/live like "the ungodly." Don't follow the pattern of life of those outside the family of God. They are spiritually confused and don't know God; they possess hard hearts toward him (vs. 18). Their senses are dulled (vs. 19). It takes more and more stimulation to reach the same high (the law of diminishing returns - true of drugs, alcohol, lust, greed, etc.). They keeping wanting more and more, because they are never satisfied.</div> <bR> <div> <B>B. Description of believers (vss. 20-24).</B></div> <div>      Instead of living like the ungodly, "put on" and walk in behavior that reflects who you are as a believer. This reflects the reality of what is true about you - <I>you</I> <I>are</I> <I>new</I> in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). You have already been taught what is appropriate; it is a basic truth present in the gospel itself - Jesus died to save us from our sins. Now live like it (vss. 20-21).</div> <div>      Put off the old way of life (vs. 22). "Putting off" is both a present reality as well as an ongoing process.  Colossians 3:9-10 says to live appropriately <I>because you have</I> put off the old self. The process continues by being renewed in your patterns of thinking (vs. 23). Finally, you are to put on "the new self," habits of your new identity in Christ (vs. 24). You are called to a new way of life in Christ. You are created in Christ to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.</div> <div>      Don't live like the ungodly, because you were created to be like God, reflecting his character. Live out your new condition as a believer. Keep in mind that you cannot put off old habits in order to <I>become</I> a Christian. You put off old habits because you <I>are</I> a Christian and have been made new in Christ.</div> <bR> <div> <B>II. What not to "wear" - specific examples (vss. 25-32).</B></div> <div> This stuff is just plain ugly on a Christian! Notice the necessity to replace bad habits with right habits. You don't just stop doing the wrong things, you must start doing the right things instead.</div> <div> A. Falsehood (vs. 25; deception of any kind, lying to others, manipulating, leaving false impressions). <I>Replace</I> with telling the truth.</div> <div> B. Uncontrolled, inappropriate or unresolved anger (vss. 26-27). <I>Replace</I> with dealing with the issue today. An unwillingness to deal with anger carries a danger - giving the devil a foothold, an entrance (vs. 27). It will just get uglier and uglier. (This principle is true of all sinful habits.)</div> <div> C. Stealing (vs. 28; greed, taking what does not belong to you, taking from others what belongs to them). <I>Replace</I> with hard work and generosity. </div> <div> D. Damaging words (vs. 29; insensitive, unhelpful, critical words, especially in the home). <I>Replace</I> with words that benefit others.</div> <div> E. Bitterness, anger, an unforgiving attitude (vss. 31-32). <I>Replace</I> with kindness, forgiveness, and reflection  on how you have been forgiven.</div> <bR> <div> <B>III. Strategies for a spiritual style update.</B></div> <div> <U>A. Take a good look in the mirror of God's word.</U></div> <div>      In the makeover stories, the person needs to be fully confronted with reality. They spend time looking in a 360 degree mirror. The Word of God plays that function in our spiritual lives. James 1:23-24<B> </B>(NLT) says, "For if you just listen [to the Word] but don't obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like."</div> <div> 1. You learn a new understanding of yourself (vs. 24) For example, you belong to God (vs. 30). You are not perfect, but you are forgiven (vs. 32). You have purpose and meaning for life on earth and in heaven to come.</div> <div> 2. You learn new attitudes and patterns of thinking (vs. 23). These replace the attitudes and patterns of thinking that we learn from ungodly influences (including through the media of TV, movies, music, books and magazines and websites, etc.; - be careful about the content you allow into your life, because it has an incredible power to influence you without you realizing it at first.)</div> <div> 3. You learn that God wants you to be like <I>him</I>, to reflect his character  (vs. 24). Everything else falls short.</div> <bR> <div> <U>B. Exercise Spirit-controlled discipline.</U></div> <div>      There is no "secret" formula. Growth and change  require focus, attention, and hard work - but not on your own and in your own strength. Verse 30 says we are sealed by God with the Holy Spirit; we are marked as his possession. When we grieve the Spirit, it is not because of an inability to obey but because of our refusal to follow him and rely on his strength. One result of the Spirit's influence in our lives is that we have a new self-control, a discipline which we didn't have before (Gal 5:22-23). (Some people without God exercise great discipline, of course, but no one can please God and do his will without God's help.)</div> <bR> <div> <U>C. Participate fully in spiritual relationship with other Christians.</U></div> <div>      Have you ever noticed how we are more inclined to call attention to and criticize <I>fashion</I> faux pas than spiritual failure and morally bankrupt habits? We need to become more concerned to help each other "put on" the right habits and lifestyle. And we have to <I>let</I> others help us. We cannot do this on our own. Makeover stories usually involve someone else helping out the one who needs the makeover. And the one who needs the makeover is humble enough to say, "I need help." Notice how each example addressed in these verses has a <I>relational</I> component. Recall that Ephesians 4:1-16 challenges us to live in unity and all do our part to strengthen and build up the whole.</div> <bR> <div> <I>     </I>Don't live like the ungodly, because you were created to be like God and his character. Live out your new condition as a believer. <I>Put off</I> specific habits of sin and <I>put on</I>, or replace them with, habits that reflect God's holiness.</div> <div>      Any growth in our church this year begins with change in <I>us</I>. Yes, we need to reach out to the lost. But, as Professor Kenn Gangel wrote, "In the biblical pattern, building up believers precedes winning the lost or any other valued passion. Believers must first develop a spirit of unity, mutuality, and generosity. What could be <I>less</I> <I>effective</I> in fulfilling the Great Commission than inviting unsaved people into a congregation that is marked by complaining, bitterness, criticism, and hypocrisy?" (Kenn Gangel, The Marks of Healthy Churhes, <I>Bibliotheca Sacra)</I>. We knew we'd have to change eventually. Eventually has arrived.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> copyright, 2004, Stanley Baker</div> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> </tr></table></body>