Living the Jesus way

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Living the Jesus way

• Free to live in a new way
• Ephesians 4 1 - 32

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Ephesians 4 1 - 32

• 1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to
  live a life worthy of the calling you have
  received. 2Be completely humble and gentle be
  patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make
  every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit
  through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and
  one Spiritjust as you were called to one hope
  when you were called 5one Lord, one faith, one
  baptism 6one God and Father of all, who is over
  all and through all and in all.

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 7But to each one of us grace has been given as
Christ apportioned it. 8This is why it says
   "When he ascended on high,       he led
captives in his train       and gave gifts to
men." 9(What does "he ascended" mean except that
he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?
10He who descended is the very one who ascended
higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the
whole universe.) 11It was he who gave some to be
apostles, some to be prophets, some to be
evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
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12to prepare God's people for works of service,
so that the body of Christ may be built up
13until we all reach unity in the faith and in
the knowledge of the Son of God and become
mature, attaining to the whole measure of the
fullness of Christ.  14Then we will no longer be
infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and
blown here and there by every wind of teaching
and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their
deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking the truth
in love, we will in all things grow up into him
who is the Head, that is, Christ.
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16From him the whole body, joined and held
together by every supporting ligament, grows and
builds itself up in love, as each part does its
work. Living as Children of Light  17So 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. 18They 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.
19Having 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.
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 20You, however, did not come to know Christ that
way. 21Surely you heard of him and were taught in
him in accordance with the truth that is in
Jesus. 22You were taught, with regard to your
former way of life, to put off your old self,
which is being corrupted by its deceitful
desires 23to be made new in the attitude of your
minds 24and to put on the new self, created to
be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
 25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood
and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are
all members of one body. 26"In your anger do not
sin" Do not let the sun go down while you are
still angry, 27and do not give the devil a
foothold.
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28He who has been stealing must steal no longer,
but must work, doing something useful with his
own hands, that he may have something to share
with those in need.  29Do not let any
unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but
only what is helpful for building others up
according to their needs, that it may benefit
those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy
Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the
day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness,
rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with
every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate
to one another, forgiving each other, just as in
Christ God forgave you.
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Our significance

• As humans we are all significant to God
• There are no ordinary people. You have never
  talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts,
  civilisations these are mortal..... But it is
  immortals whom we joke, work with, marry, snub
  and exploit. C S Lewis
• We are never mere mortals but have the potential
  for eternal glory and everlasting splendour

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Our calling

• To stop being God in our lives and let God take
  that role!
• Alcoholics Anonymous First of all we had to
  quit playing God and then allow God himself to
  play God in our life, which involves daily,
  even moment by moment surrender.
• That sets us free to live a new life
• to be all that we might
• to be all that we hope
• to be all that we dare

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What happens when we give our lives over to God?
A spiritual transaction Gods light in us Jesus
life in us The Holy Spirits power in us
The Holy Spirit gives us the genetic makeup to
reflect Gods nature
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The basis of the new life

• You heard of him and were taught in him in
  accordance with the truth that is in Jesus (v21)
• What is that TRUTH ?
• That the old self has gone, been put off (v22)
• And we have put on the new self (v24)
• We are a new creation free to live a new life
• Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new
  creation the old has gone, the new has come.
  (2Cor5 17)

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Gods initiative

• God has made the first move
• What will our response be?
• YES
• And our continued response?
• YES
• What is it that we are saying yes to?

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Free to live in a new way

• A total letting go of our old self.
• A radical change of who we are and how we live.
• A surrender of our self to himself.
• Being recreated in Gods image children of
  light.
• For once you were darkness, but now you are light
  in the Lord. Live as children of light. (58)

14
Our old self

• 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 (v22)
• We were on a different journey former way of
  life
• Our attitudes and aspirations were different
• Our old self HAS GONE - It is done
• It was put off when we said yes to Jesus

15
Our new self

• And to put on the new self, created to be like
  God in true righteousness and holiness. (v24)
• We are now following after Jesus
• We want to be more like him - righteous
• We want to live a life that is pleasing to him
  holy
• Our new self HAS ARRIVED - It is done
• It was put on when we gave ourselves away to
  Jesus

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And tucked in the middle

• To be made new in the attitude of your minds
  (v23)
• Paul uses a different verb here Not done but
  being done, a continual process.
• Continual transformation as we learn to accept
  believe that the old has gone and the new has
  come.
• Our mind often rebels in disbelief!

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What about all our stuff?

• We become aware of all the baggage and behaviour
  belonging to our old self
• We see with new eyes
• We feel with new feelings
• We experience pain frustration
• Our new self cant tolerate our old self

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Whats in the bags?

• Telling the truth (v25)
• Controlling our anger (v26)
• Being honest at work (v28)
• Being kind ( clean) with our words (v29)
• Getting rid of all bitterness rage
  anger brawling slander every form of
  malice (v31)

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Our response? To cooperate with God in the
process of our transformation
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back
and forth by the waves (v13) But will grow up
into him ... Christ (v15)
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Conversion doesnt guarantee maturity

• ...until we become mature, attaining to the whole
  measure of the fullness of Christ. (v13)
• God is calling us to grow up
• Its his good idea!
• To grow into our new selves
• To be mature adults
• To be more like Jesus
• Fruit takes time to grow

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What does this new life look like?

• Well living the Jesus way, of course!
• To be completely humble (v2)
• And gentle (v2)
• To be patient (v2)
• And love one another (v2)
• To keep unity and peace (v3)
• To be kind and compassionate (v32)
• And to forgive one another (v32)
• Paul gives us some signposts along the way to
  help us.

22

• Separated from the life of God because of the
  ignorance that is in them because of the
  hardening of their hearts (v18)

Keep our hearts soft
As we draw near to God our hearts soften
23
Having lost all sensitivity, they have given
themselves over to sensuality ( v 19)
Beware of losing sensitivity

• We have a need to feel to feel alive, loved
  valued.
• If thats missing we plug the gap
• We look for thrills to satisfy us
• Loss of sensitivity numbness loss of intimacy
  with the father
• Stay close to God

24
Dont give the devil a foothold (v27)
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Fruit takes time to grow

• Its not about
• getting zapped

• Its not a formula

We submit to the process of discipleship of
growing up
26
One step at a time
We dont need to rush ahead of God Its natural,
genuine, everlasting transformation
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John 832 (New International Version)

• Jesus said If you hold to my teaching then you
  really are my disciples. Then you will know the
  truth, and the truth will set you free. (John
  832)
• We are children of light (58)
• We are created to be like God (424)
• We will in all things grow up into him (v15)