Study Guide. Big Idea. Introduction. Understanding. Fern Creek Christian Church BEING CHRIST S BODY One Body United Ephesians 4:1-6 10/2/2016

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1 Study Guide Fern Creek Christian Church BEING CHRIST S BODY One Body United Ephesians 4:1-6 10/2/2016 Big Idea The church is God s plan for His people and for the world. To live in unity with one another, as Christ s body, we must recognize the unity given by the Holy Spirit and maintain that unity through the bond of peace. Introduction (As your group me begins, use this sec on to introduce the topic of discussion. You do not need to use all ques ons.) What is the difference between unity and uniformity? How does a proper understanding of the gospel bring unity to the body of Christ? What are some ways that you can see God bringing unity to this group? Surely everyone knows, Chris ans never gossip, slander, lie, or cheat. We constantly live like Jesus and therefore, love each other perfectly. Right? Well, in an ideal church scenario, this would be the case. Unfortunately, Chris ans s ll deal with daily sin. We know that there is just one perfect man, and that is our King Jesus. It is only when a church is led by the Spirit con nually focused on the person and work of Jesus that we can experience more and more harmony with one another. We must remember that the work of Christ binds us all together as a family. As a family who has Jesus as the head, we strive to show grace to one another and love as Jesus has loved us. Understanding (Unpacking the biblical text to discover what the Scripture says and means.) HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ EPHESIANS 4:1. Paul, wri ng this while he is in prison, is encouraging believers to reflect on and walk worthy of their calling. We can see the great surety Paul has of his own calling. Even as he sits in prison, he isn t shaken to disbelieve what God has called him to. How does this help us to keep our eyes on Jesus and His plan even when life s circumstances seem to be going awry? When you see someone remain faithful through difficulty, what effect does that have on you? Paul calls us to live a life that is in line with the calling we have received. God has graciously called us out of 1 of 3

2 darkness into His marvelous light. It would be silly for us to con nue to walk in the darkness from which we have been called out. What is the calling we have received? How is walking worthy of the calling different from trying to be worthy of salva on and forgiveness? HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ EPHESIANS 4:2-3. Many difficul es in the church and at home are about present and temporary problems. It comes down to perspec ve. Think about Jesus words in John 13:7, What I am doing you do not understand now, but a erward you will understand. There are many things in life that if we live focused on the things that are temporary we will not understand or we will live frustrated lives (e.g. disease, disasters, or even the color of carpet or paint, etc.). This can even lead to disunity in the body. However, as followers of Jesus we can trust His good plan. Living focused on our Lord and His mission will help us to live harmonious and peaceful lives with one another. How does being humble, gentle and pa ent help us to bear with one another? What does this passage have to say about the source of our Chris an unity? Verse 3 admonishes us: to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. How does recognizing our given unity (from the Holy Spirit) help us to live out bearing with one another in love? How does having a big picture mentality help with present challenges? HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ EPHESIANS 4:4-6. What is the significance of the word one that Paul uses repeatedly? How are the seven ones related to believers walking worthy of their calling? The sevenfold repe on of one in these verses is striking. The unity of the body of Christ reflects the unity and oneness that permeates the Godhead God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Since God is one, that same unity should permeate the Chris an community. The church displays God through the reflec- on of His character. What issues hinder unity in the church? Which issues are legi mate barriers to Chris an unity and which are superficial or arbitrary? In the first three verses of this chapter, Paul stressed the importance of living a life worthy of our calling, which means bearing with each other in love and striving toward keeping the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace. Community in the Church doesn t happen automa cally it s something Chris ans must cul vate and nurture. It s the process by which believers become sanc fied. Why is unity worth striving for in the church? (cf. John 17:23) Prac cally speaking, how do we cul vate and nurture community among believers? The a tudes that help believers express unity (4:2) are as essen al today as they were when Paul first wrote them. These seven uni es three related to the Trinity and four related to the church are eternally true in God s purposes and plan. Realizing these truths will help us live up to our calling. 2 of 3

3 Application (Help your group iden fy how the truths from the Scripture passage apply directly to their lives.) Is there any rela onship in your life that you need to make right? What might our group do for another Life Group that would promote church unity? What will it look like for you to live in harmony with those with whom you work or a end school? What happens when a person doesn t have community within a church? What kinds of things hinder you personally from having that kind of community? How does this passage affect the way you look at your rela onship with fellow believers? How can you help others in our church in their devo on to and effec veness for Christ? Pray Thank God for giving us the church family of which we are a part and ask Jesus to use us as instruments of unity and peace. Commentary (For your own use and study) EPHESIANS 4:1-6 (from smallgroup.com) 4:1 The word therefore is the pivot word for the en re epistle. Paul was saying, On the basis of everything I have wri en so far, certain results should follow. The verb walk reminds us that holy living is a daily process. The term worthy shows us that we aim toward a high standard. 4:2 Four a tudes are essen al to the Chris an s worthy walk humility, gentleness, pa ence, and love. Humility is the lowliness of mind that sees other people as valuable. Gentleness refers to strength under control. Pa ence means slowness to avenge a wrong or to retaliate when hurt by another. Love is the famous Greek noun agape, the John 3:16 kind of sacrificial concern for others that sent Jesus willingly to the cross. 4:3 The unity of the spirit already exists. It was brought about historically by Christ s cross. We experience it by God s Spirit. Thus we do not have to manufacture unity; rather we are to work at diligently keeping it. This happens as we focus our energy on expressing the peace that binds us to God and to one another (Col. 3:15). Chris ans are not called to create spiritual unity but rather to demonstrate it through rela onal unity. 4:4-6 The sevenfold repe on of one in these verses is striking. The bo om line is that Chris an unity (one body, one hope, one faith, and one bap sm) arises out of the Trinitarian unity of God (one Spirit, one Lord, and one Father listed in the reverse of our usual order). 3 of 3

4 Study Guide Fern Creek Christian Church BEING CHRIST S BODY One Team Everyone Plays Ephesians 4: /9/2016 Big Idea Christ gives grace and gi s to His body to enable the church to con nue His mission in the world. The role of equipping gi s is to equip the saints for their unique service / ministry and Christ s mission. Introduction (As your group me begins, use this sec on to introduce the topic of discussion. You do not need to use all ques ons.) What is your favorite sports team? What would you think if they stayed in a huddle the en re game? When do you feel like you are contribu ng most to Christ s mission and church? What would you say are your spiritual gi s? God neither intended the Chris an life to be lived in isola on nor for Jesus followers to huddle passively. All believers are to live out their calling within the context of a local church. When Christ s body uses the gi s God has provided for service, then the church will be strengthened to become what God wants and con nue Christ s mission in the world. Understanding (Unpacking the biblical text to discover what the Scripture says and means.) Do you think most people look at the church as something to contribute to or something that exists to meet their own needs? Why? The idea that the church exists to meet my needs thinking betrays a consumer mentality and a self-centered approach to community. It keeps us seeking to a ain what we want so that we can be fulfilled. When we look at Paul s teaching on the local church, however, we will see that God wants us to be involved in the local church for the purpose of glorifying God and building up the body. A Biblically faithful perspec ve on being part of Christ s body requires turning away from merely consuming church ministry and community and instead contribu ng to community & mission. HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ EPHESIANS 4:7-13. To whom did the Lord Jesus Christ give these gi s? What do these gi s have in common? 1 of 4

5 How are the specific gi s in these verses essen al to our mission of making disciples? Although each believer has at least one spiritual gi, Paul focused these verses on the gi ed leaders Jesus personally gave so that congrega ons will grow. Apostles refers to those Christ personally commissioned and involves being sent to establish churches (not unlike what missionaries do today). Prophets spoke messages inspired by God (3:5). Our New Testament is the wri en words of the apostles and prophets. While there are no more Capital P Prophets or Capital A Apostles in this sense, the prophe c ministry of forth-telling God s message and the establishment of churches con nues today through preachers and missionaries. Evangelists can make the gospel especially clear and relevant to unbelievers. Every Chris an is called on to be a witness for Christ, but some are especially capable in this area. In a local congrega on, gi ed evangelists will encourage other believers in how to reach persons for Christ. Elders (pastors) and teachers provide leadership for local congrega ons. The term pastors is literally shepherds, referring to the need for God s flock to be tended (see 1 Pet. 5:2). One way that shepherds tend is by feeding the sheep (teaching the Word). According to verse 12, what is the purpose of these specific gi s? Does this make them superior to other gi s (for other gi s see Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 27-30)? {No} Discuss. Are church leaders responsible for carrying out all the ministries of the church? Why or why not? What is the primary task of these gi ed individuals? It s not that the leaders do all the ministry; rather the ministry is to be done by all believers working together. Paul believed in every-member ministry, what some have called the priesthood of all believers. The leaders in a local church are like player-coaches. What happens when all the believers work together? They build up the body of Christ which is the ul mate purpose of using spiritual gi s. Who has been given the task of doing the actual ministry of the church? What are some examples of this work of ministry the saints have been given? The word saint (or God s people ) in verse 12 is related to the word sanc fica on. From the moment of stepping out of the bap stery having given oneself to Jesus in faith, believers are set apart in Jesus from the world. Therefore, all believers are saints. We par cipate with the Spirit in a life-long process of transforma on into conformity to the image of Jesus Christ for the sake of others (see also Rom. 12:1,2). According to verses 12-13, what should be the outcome of our ministry to one another in the church? Application (Help your group iden fy how the truths from the Scripture passage apply directly to their lives.) What are your spiritual gi s? What gi s do you see among your group members? (See 1 Corinthians 12 esp. vv.7-11, 27-28; Romans 12:6-8) How does understanding your gi s help you understand how God wants you to serve Him and who He has made you to be? 2 of 4

6 When you reflect on your spiritual gi s, what impact does it have on your rela onship with God? What can we each do to serve consistently in and through FCCC? What do you hear God calling you to do to serve the Fern Creek community? How can we, as a group, inten onally help one another with this effort? Pray Close in prayer, asking God for the courage to be a body of truly func oning members. Thank Him for His many blessings and gi s, and pray that He will help each of us live with a fresh commitment not to waste a single opportunity He has given us. Pray that we will honor God by serving the church and the world with the gi s He has given us as Christ s body just as Jesus did when He was bodily on the earth. Commentary (For your own use and study) (EPHESIANS 4:7-12 (from IVP Bible Background Commentary) 4:7-8. Paul adapts the text of Psalm 68:18, as ancient expounders of Scripture o en did, to make his point (a later targum of the Psalms rewords it much the same way that he does). This psalm refers to God s going up at Mount Sinai, as Jewish interpreters recognized, and Paul applies the principle to Jesus. (In some Jewish tradi ons, Moses ascended all the way to heaven to receive the law; if Paul or any of his readers knew such tradi ons, it would make the applica on of this psalm to Jesus all the more vivid. But it is ques onable how widely known this tradi on was in Paul s day.) Paul s point is in harmony with the image of the psalm, although he changed its language; once a conqueror had received tribute and plunder from the defeated (as in Ps 68:18), he distributed most of these spoils to his soldiers (as here). Jesus s exalta on posi ons him to distribute gi s (listed in 4:11) to his people. 4:9-10. Paul interprets and applies the text just cited, the way a good Jewish teacher would. Lower parts of the earth probably means the realm of the dead, hence that Jesus had died (Ps 63:9; 86:13; Ezek 32:24), although it could mean his descent from heaven to become a servant at his incarna on (Phil 2:7; cv. Ps 139:15). 4:11. Apostles were literally commissioned messengers carrying out their sender s mission; as such, they were backed by the sender s authority to the extent that they accurately represented that commission. In the New Testament, the term applies to commissioned agents of Christ authorized in a special way (more authorita vely than others) to declare and propagate his will. Prophets were spokespersons for God, whose role was known from the Old Testament and con nued in the church; apostles were to prophets perhaps as prophe c judges (e.g., Samuel and Deborah) or seminal leaders (e.g., Elijah and Elisha) were to other OT prophets with special rank and authority. Evangelists, as proclaimers of good news (the message of Christ), were seen as heralds, again a type of messenger. Pastors were literally shepherds (used for overseers in the OT, e.g., Jer 23:2-4; a common image for leaders throughout the ancient Mediterranean world), elsewhere in the NT iden fied as elders and overseers of local congrega ons (Acts 20:17,28; 1 Pet 5:1-2; cf. Tit 1:5, 7); they were called to shepherd God s people, at least partly by declaring his message accurately (cf. Jer 23:18-22). Teachers were expounders of the Scriptures and of the Jesus tradi on; if they func oned like Jewish teachers, they probably offered biblical instruc on to the congrega on and trained others to expound the Scriptures as well. As in many ancient lists, some of these terms may overlap considerably (the Greek indicates an especially 3 of 4

7 strong overlap between pastors and teachers ). They share a common focus and basis of authority as bearers of Christ s message. The authority is resident in their message and spiritual gi ing. Together these ministers of God s Word were to equip all God s people for their ministry (4:12-16). 4:12. The term for training or equipping was some mes used in the Greek world to describe training or discipline, including in the work of philosophers and teachers. RICH S COMMENTS ON APOSTLES 4:11. The term apostolous (αποστολους) used here means sent ones, (as in delegate or envoy) messengers, apostles. This term is used for the twelve and we think of those as big A Apostles having been hand-picked by Jesus and fi ng the criteria provided when Judas was replaced (Acts 1:21-22). We recognize that there were others who fit the criteria of being with Jesus since Ma hias was one of two men put forward (Acts 1:23). The Twelve hold a unique place of importance, authority and ministry in the church as witnesses of Jesus resurrec on (Acts 1:22) and their witness, both verbal and wri en, provides the founda- on along with the prophets for God s household, the church (Eph. 2:20). The term is also used for others like Barnabas and Paul (Acts 14:4, 14) who were sent out by the Spirit through the church at An och (Acts 13:1-3). [It is also used of Epaphroditus in Philippians 2:25 translated as messenger other arguable referents may include Andronicus and Junias Rom. 16:7 ( outstanding among the apostles which may be a commenda on); Jesus brother James Gal. 1:19.] While Paul, for instance, holds an extremely important place in the church s history and especially in terms of being used by the Spirit to compose many le ers in the New Testament, we recognize that he does not fit the criteria of the Twelve who had been with Jesus from the beginning (Acts 1:21-22). Nevertheless, we recognize the vital apostolic ministry through Paul and Barnabas and recognize that the Holy Spirit used these men in a mighty way. While big A Apostles were unique to the New Testament era, the Spirit con nues to call and send people to carry on Jesus mission in the world. These sent ones we o en call missionaries (from La n for sent). This gi ing and calling con nues to be vital for the expansion of the kingdom in our world today. EPHESIANS 4:11-13 (from smallgroup.com) 4:11. This verse es directly back to the last word of verse 7. Verse 11 picks up again the subject started in verse 7 to tell us the rela onship between the call to unity and the spiritual gi s Christ has given us. Spiritual gi s are at the heart of Christ s strategy for building His church. The gi s are ministers (or ministries) for the church. While this issue is strongly debated, par cularly by Pentecostal and charisma c theologians, evangelical doctrine has tradi onally held that of those four gi s two of them are s ll in existence and two have passed away. The apostles and prophets seem no longer to be part of God s work in the church. The church was laid on the founda on of the ministry of the apostles and prophets (see Eph. 2:20). Now that founda on has been laid, the evangelists and the pastor-teachers are being used by God to build the superstructure. 4:12. It is not the task of these gi ed people to do all the work of the ministry. Their task is to prepare God s people for works of service. When believers are equipped and people accept the adventure of ministering to others, then the whole body is built up, matured, strengthened, and flourishes. 4:13. Diverse gi s create and build up one body in unity. This unity is in faith and knowledge of Christ. Christ does not try to build up superstars in His kingdom with superior faith or superior knowledge. He tries to build up a church unified in its faith and knowledge, each member being built up to maturity. All are to reach the fullness of Christ. The church s goal is that each member and thus the en re church will show to the world all the a ributes and quali es of Christ. Then the church will truly be the one body of Christ. 4 of 4

8 Study Guide Fern Creek Christian Church BEING CHRIST S BODY Growth Through Service Ephesians 4: /16/2016 Big Idea As was noted last week, Christ gives grace and gi s to His body to enable the church to con nue His mission in the world. The result of each body member func oning according to her/his gi s is unity & maturity. Serving is vital for growth. Introduction (As your group me begins, use this sec on to introduce the topic of discussion. You do not need to use all ques ons.) When you were growing up, did you have a growth chart (lines on a door post, door, wall, etc)? If so, describe it. What are the signs of physical / emo onal maturity? What are the signs of spiritual maturity in Jesus followers? God s desire is for Jesus followers to grow up into the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. We were not intended to remain infants when we stepped from the bap smal waters of new birth. As tragic as an infant never growing physically, intellectually and emo onally, is a believer remaining immature in his/her faith journey. Understanding (Unpacking the biblical text to discover what the Scripture says and means.) HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ EPHESIANS 4: Verse 12 states that God s people are to be equipped to do works of service. In what ways does a person grow and mature by serving? In what ways is the body of Christ built up and the church s mission fulfilled through people using their gi s in ministry? Last week it was noted that those with equipping gi s are to equip God s people for ministry not do it all themselves. When the members of Christ s body expect equippers to serve them rather than equip them, this Scriptural teaching is ignored and the church s ministry suffers and the mission of God is unfulfilled. HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ EPHESIANS 4: Why does Paul state that it s important to grow up in the faith (v. 14)? 1 of 3

9 In what ways have you seen people young in their faith (regardless of their chronological age) blown around by inaccurate teaching? How would growth through service prevent us from being led astray by false teaching and scheming? What does it mean to speak the truth in love (v. 15)? How is this different than just speaking truth? Again, the result of speaking the truth in love is growth to maturity. What is it about speaking truth in love that results in maturity? In what ways does Christ func on as the head of the body? In Ephesians 4, the phrase fullness of Christ describes the net result of our growth and maturity as a body. As APEST [Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Shepherds, Teachers] equips us (individually and collec vely) to do what Jesus did, the church begins to not only grow in every way, it also begins to reflect to the world the full spectrum of Christ s character and ministry (4:15). APEST [the equipping gi s] posi ons the church to actually start func oning and looking like Christ. When this happens, the full impact of Christ s ministry is reproduced through the church for the sake of the world. (Alan Hirsch & Tim Catchim The Permanent Revolu on Playbook) According to verse 16 how does the body grow and get built up? Paul spells out one implica on of the body analogy. An arm can do the rest of the body no good if it is severed. The church like a body needs every suppor ng ligament. It is love that holds the body together. It is each person doing his or her part exercising his or her gi within the body that produces spiritual growth. (Lawrence O. Richards Bible Reader s Companion re. Eph. 4:14-16, p. 800) Application (Help your group iden fy how the truths from the Scripture passage apply directly to their lives.) How would you describe your spiritual maturity level? Why? Infant (language and behaviors characterized by ignorance and dependence)? Child (characterized by self-centeredness)? Young adult (characterized by God-centeredness, other-centeredness and service)? Spiritual Parent (characterized by inten onal and strategic disciple-making)? In order to grow and get stronger, a muscle must be exercised beyond the level it had previously adapted to. Ministry muscles get stronger through a similar process. Recognizing this, what steps of service will you take in order to mature as you seek to a ain the whole measure of the fullness of Christ? Possible op ons: serving with kids ministry, 1st Impressions team, worship team, helping with Fern Creek High School Friday night supper or other service opportunity, facilita ng a Life Group, discipling another, taking a friend or neighbor who doesn t know Jesus to lunch to hear their story, leading a Bible discussion at work, etc. Are you more likely to speak the truth or in love try to keep the peace at any price? What do you need to do to achieve a balance? 2 of 3

10 Pray Ask God to grant each of us the courage to step out of our comfort zones and serve in ways that stretch us so that we will grow and become stronger. Thank Him for enabling us to grow and invi ng us to con nue Christ s ministry and mission as His body on the earth. Commentary (For your own use and study) EPHESIANS 4:11-13 (from smallgroup.com) 4:12. It is not the task of these gi ed people to do all the work of the ministry. Their task is to prepare God s people for works of service. When believers are equipped and people accept the adventure of ministering to others, then the whole body is built up, matured, strengthened, and flourishes. 4:13. Diverse gi s create and build up one body in unity. This unity is in faith and knowledge of Christ. Christ does not try to build up superstars in His kingdom with superior faith or superior knowledge. He tries to build up a church unified in its faith and knowledge, each member being built up to maturity. All are to reach the fullness of Christ. The church s goal is that each member and thus the en re church will show to the world all the a ributes and quali es of Christ. Then the church will truly be the one body of Christ. EPHESIANS 4:13-16 (from The IVP Bible Background Commentary New Testament) The images of a person growing into maturity and a person in trouble as a ship being tossed about by waves were common in Paul s day. The image of growing to maturity was not usually applied to an en re community of people as here, but the point would have been no less easy to grasp. Paul s image is a generic one, lacking standard Jewish images for the end me; he may therefore refer to the church s need for maturity in general, rather than specifically predic ng its comple on in the end me. EPHESIANS 4:14-16 (from William Barclay s Daily Bible Study commentary on Ephesians) In every Church there are certain members who must be protected. There are those who are like children, they are dominated by a desire for novelty and the mercy of the latest fashion in religion. It is the lesson of history that popular fashions in religion come and go but the Church con nues for ever. The solid food of religion is always to be found within the Church. In every Church there are certain people who have to be guarded against. Paul speaks of the clever trickery of men; the word he uses (kubeia) means skill in manipula ng the dice. There are always those who by ingenious arguments seek to lure people away from their faith. It is one of the characteris cs of our age that people talk about religion more than they have done for many years; and the Chris an, especially the young Chris an, has o en to meet the clever arguments of those who are against the Church and against God. There is only one way to avoid being blown about by the latest religious fashion and to avoid being seduced by the specious arguments of clever men, and that is by con nual growth into Christ. Paul uses s ll another picture. He says that a body is only healthy and efficient when every part is thoroughly coordinated. Paul says that the Church is like that; and the Church can be like that only when Christ is really the head and when every member is moving under his control, just as every part of a healthy body is obedient to the brain. The only thing which can keep the individual Chris an solid in the faith and secure against seduc on, the only thing which can keep the Church healthy and efficient, is an in mate connec on with Jesus Christ who is the head and the direc ng mind of the body. 3 of 3

11 Study Guide Fern Creek Christian Church BEING CHRIST S BODY Growth Means Life Change: Put Off Ephesians 4: /23/2016 Big Idea Growing in rela onship with Jesus means allowing Jesus to transform our hearts and lives from their old, selfish natures to be made new by the Holy Spirit. This involves pu ng off the old self and its prac ces. Introduction (As your group me begins, use this sec on to introduce the topic of discussion. You do not need to use all ques ons.) What is the best piece of clothing you have had for years and can t seem to discard? What do you do when you outgrow a favorite piece of clothing? Throw it away? Give it away? Keep it for nostalgia? Growth in Christ involves life change. There are aspects of our character that are not like Jesus character and those things need to be given to Jesus. Paul uses the metaphor of taking off (or pu ng off ) the old self. Today we will discuss ways in which Jesus is calling us to be transformed in part by forsaking the old, self-centered clothing of the old self. As Tim Keller describes, Since Christ s death led to his resurrec on and a new life, so in the same way our union with Christ will, and must, lead to a new life If we believe in Christ, a change of life will happen. We will not live in sin anymore. Understanding (Unpacking the biblical text to discover what the Scripture says and means.) HAVE A VOLUNTEER READ EPHESIANS 4: How would you compare moral standards of today with the moral standards of Paul s day? What was the purpose of the Gen les lives? What did they live for? How should Christ followers be different from the people described in these verses? How does Paul s descrip on of Gen le behavior in the first century help us understand how to live today? The Gen les lived lives characterized by darkness. Their minds were closed and their hearts hardened to the things of God. Much like in Romans 12, Paul focused on the mind. How a person thinks affects choices and behaviors. The lives of the Gen les in the first century are not too different from the world today focused on lusts and impurity. Even today these things are promoted without shame for what they are. 1 of 7

12 HAVE A ANOTHER VOLUNTEER READ EPHESIANS 4: Where does transforma on start for a believer? What does it mean to put off your old self in v. 22? What does that tell you about the old self? What are the things in the world that are the hardest to take off? How do those things hinder transforma on? Paul s instruc ons for believers was blunt he wanted the Ephesians to know that the lives of the nonbelievers were not acceptable for someone who trusted in Jesus. Transforma on begins with Jesus and the truth that comes from Him. This truth pushes believers first to take off the old sinful nature. (Next week we ll talk about pu ng on the new nature.) HAVE A ANOTHER VOLUNTEER READ EPHESIANS 4: What are some ways in which we might be false with our neighbors? How do these hinder our witness and transforma on into Christlikeness? How do you usually deal with anger? In verse 26, Paul quotes Psalm 4:4. Why doesn t Paul tell the Ephesians to put off anger (as in v. 31)? What does he instruct? How might anger provide a foothold for the devil? In verse 29 the word unwholesome when applied to fish may be translated ro en or spoiled or bad (e.g., Mt 13:48). It is also used of bad plants or fruit (e.g., Mt 7:17, 18). When applied to stones it may be translated as crumbling which may be one reason Paul contrasts unwholesome words with words that build up or give grace (NIV benefit ) those who hear. This is not restricted to swear words. How does unwholesome talk affect rela onships? How does it affect your own outlook? What grade would you give yourself on pu ng verse 29 into prac ce this week? What is involved in grieving the Holy Spirit (v. 30)? How might v. 30 result from v.29? How might the Spirit enable us to prac ce v. 29? Which nega ve a ributes from v. 31 are present or prominent in the world today? With which do you struggle? What is Paul s admoni on regarding them? Application (Help your group iden fy how the truths from the Scripture passage apply directly to their lives.) How have your a tudes, ac ons, and thoughts changed since turning your life over to God in Christ? Of all the commands to put off things given in these verses, which seems to be the major command God is calling you to obey in your life? What will you do this week to turn over this part of your life to Jesus so that the Spirit can do His transforma ve work in you? How may we best encourage you or help you do this? 2 of 7

13 Pray Finish your me in prayer, praying that God would be constantly transforming you and your group. Pray that He would reveal places in our lives to put off the old self and that we will be willing to release them to Him. Commentary (For your own use and study for both this week and next week as well) EPHESIANS 4:17-24 (from smallgroup.com) 4:17. Paul s word therefore could be paraphrased: in light of your calling as a Chris an. He typically used the verb tes fy to introduce a solemn pronouncement (see Acts 20:26; Gal. 5:3). Because the apostle lived in the Lord, he could urge others to live this way as well. The le er was wri en mainly to those who by background were Gen les; but by grace they had become different. They used to walk according to this worldly age (2:2); now they were to walk worthy (4:1). Their former iden ty was to be put aside now that they were in Christ. Here Paul emphasized the mental or intellectual factors undergirding a person s way of life. It was the thoughts of Gen les that had led them to fu lity (emp ness; worthlessness). 4:18. The terms understanding and ignorance also highlight the intellectual issues involved with living contrary to God s standards. When people s minds have become darkened, they will deliberately reject the light of God s truth. Yet this mental darkness is preceded by a willful rejec on of what people know as morally right. Unbelievers hardness of heart (rejec on of what their conscience tells them is moral) causes them to become increasingly blind to spiritual things. Thus one result of moral hardness is mental darkness. And the result of darkness is judgment excluded from the life of God. 4:19. The sad outcome of hardened spiritual blindness is o en moral recklessness. To be callous is to be unfeeling, insensi ve to right and wrong. Such people may lose self-control and give in to extreme forms of sexual immorality ( promiscuity ). They may give themselves over to every kind of impurity (such as violence). And when persons are occupied with sinful behaviors, they may end up with a desire for more and more sin. 4: If part of the problem nonbelievers have is intellectual, then part of the solu on is for their minds to be enlightened with truth. Chris an discipleship includes replacing bad informa on with the biblical teachings that you learned... heard... and were taught. The truth that the Ephesians had embraced was not abstract; it was personal. It focused on the Messiah. They came to understand that Jesus was their final Teacher, speaking as it were through human teachers. Not only was the Lord Jesus the topic of their learning, but also He was the loca on in which the teaching occurred ( in Jesus ). Such teaching leads to ul mate truth. Once people accept that the truth is in Jesus who is Himself the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6) they are well on their way to a Chris an lifestyle. 4:22. Paul was describing changes that God brought about at the me of a believer s conversion (you took off your former way of life... you are being renewed... you put on the new man ). The old man refers to the sinful self that we were before we were saved. This is the behavior described in 2:1-3 and 4:17-19, summarized by the phrase corrupted by decei ul desires. 4:23. Saved persons have inten onally laid aside their old self and put on the new self. As a result their minds are being renewed. (No ce again the emphasis on the rela onship between our minds and our morals.) This process is something God Himself accomplishes, for the renewal is done to us. Once we embrace that the truth is in Jesus (4:21), then we are in a posi on for the Spirit to give us an a tude (spirit) in our minds that will result in a lifestyle different than we had before. 3 of 7

14 4:24. If at conversion we deliberately took off our old way of living, then when we believed we also put on the new man. Paul was referring to the new crea on that we became at conversion (2 Cor. 5:17). The only other place Paul used the exact phrase translated new man is Ephesians 2:15, a reference to the en re church as the new man that God has created from two formerly alienated groups Jews and Gen les. If it took a miracle for God to create the new man, the church, it also took a miracle for Him to take the old corrupted selves we used to be and make us brand new. The nature of the new man is according to God s likeness. Mankind in the beginning was created in God s image, which sin marred. Now in salva on, with new life created by God, we can grow in becoming like Him morally. Paul specified this by naming two such quali es: righteousness (ac ng right toward our fellow humans) and purity (holiness, ac ng right toward God). EPHESIANS 4:17-24 (from William Barclay s Daily Bible Study commentary on Ephesians) Paul appeals to his converts to leave their old way of life and to turn to Christ's. In this passage he picks out what he considers the essen al characteris cs of heathen life. The heathen are concerned with empty things which do not ma er; their minds are darkened because of their ignorance. Then comes the salient word; their hearts are petrified. The word which Paul uses for the petrifying of their hearts is grim and terrible. It is porosis. Porosis comes from poros, which originally meant a stone that was harder than marble. It came to have certain medical uses. It was used for the chalk stone which can form in the joints and completely paralyse ac on. It was used of the callus that forms where a bone has been broken and re-set, a callus which is harder than the bone itself. Finally the word came to mean the loss of all power of sensa on; it described something which had become so hardened, so petrified that it had no power to feel at all. That is what Paul says the heathen life is like. It has become so hardened that it has lost the power of feeling The terror of sin is its petrifying effect. The process of sin is quite discernible. No man becomes a great sinner all at once. At first he regards sin with horror. When he sins, there enters into his heart remorse and regret. But if he con nues to sin there comes a me when he loses all sensa on and can do the most shameful things without any feeling at all. His conscience is petrified. Paul uses two other terrible Greek words to describe the heathen way of life. He says that they have abandoned themselves to every kind of unclean conduct in the insa able lust of their desires; and that they have done so in their shameless wantonness. The word for shameless wantonness is aselgeia. It is defined by Plato as "impudence"; and by another writer as "preparedness for every pleasure." It is defined by Basil as "a disposi on of the soul incapable of bearing the pain of discipline." The great characteris c of aselgeia is this--the bad man usually tries to hide his sin; but the man who has aselgeia in his soul does not care how much he shocks public opinion so long as he can gra fy his desires. Sin can get such a grip of a man that he is lost to decency and shame. He is like a drug taker who first takes the drug in secret, but comes to a stage when he openly pleads for the drug on which he has become dependent. A man can become such a slave of liquor that he does not care who sees him drunk. A man can let his sexual desires so master him that he does not care who sees him sa sfy them. The Christless man does all this in the insa able lust of his desires. The word is pleonexia, another terrible word, which the Greeks defined as "arrogant greediness," as "the accursed love of possessing," as "the unlawful desire for the things which belong to others." It has been defined as the spirit in which a man is always ready to sacrifice his neighbour to his own desires. Pleonexia is the irresis ble desire to have what we have no right to possess. It might issue in the the of material things; it might issue in the spirit which tramples on other people to get its own way; it might issue in sexual sin. 4 of 7

15 In the heathen world, Paul saw three terrible things. He saw men's hearts so petrified that they were not even aware that they were sinning; he saw men so dominated by sin that shame was lost and decency forgo en; he saw men so much at the mercy of their desires that they did not care whose life they injured and whose innocence they destroyed so long as these desires were sa sfied. These are exactly the sins of the Christless world today, sins that can be seen invading life at every point and stalking the streets of every great city. Paul urges his converts to have done with that kind of life. He uses a vivid way of speaking. He says: "Put off your old way of life as you would put off an old suit of clothes; clothe yourself in a new way; put off your sins, and put on the righteousness and the holiness which God can give you." EPHESIANS 4:25-32 (from William Barclay s Daily Bible Study commentary on Ephesians) Paul has just been saying that when a man becomes a Chris an, he must put off his old life as a man puts off a coat for which he has no further use. Here he speaks of the things which must be banished from the Chris- an life. (i) There must be no more falsehood. There is more than one kind of lie in this world. There is the lie of speech, some mes deliberate and some mes almost unconscious. Dr. Johnson has an interes ng bit of advice in regard to the bringing up of children. "Accustom your children constantly to this (the telling of the truth); if a thing happened at one window, and they, when rela ng it, say that it happened at another, do not let it pass, but instantly check them; you do not know where devia on from truth will end... It is more from carelessness about truth than from inten onal lying, that there is so much falsehood in the world." Truth demands a deliberate effort. There is also the lie of silence, and maybe it is even commoner. Andre Maurois, in a memorable phrase, speaks of "the menace of things unsaid." It may be that in some discussion a man by his silence gives approval to some course of ac on which he knows is wrong. It may be that a man withholds warning or rebuke when he knows quite well he should have given it. Paul gives the reason for telling the truth. It is because we are all members of the same body. We can live in safety only because the senses and the nerves pass true messages to the brain. If they took to passing false messages, if, for instance, they told the brain that something was cool and touchable when in fact it was hot and burning, life would very soon come to an end. A body can func on healthily only when each part of it passes true messages to the brain. If then we are all bound into one body. that body can func on properly only when we speak the truth. (ii) There must be anger in the Chris an life, but it must be the right kind of anger. Bad temper and irritability are without defence; but there is an anger without which the world would be a poorer place. The world would have lost much without the blazing anger of Wilberforce against the slave trade or of Sha esbury against the labour condi ons of the nineteenth century. There was a certain rugged bluntness about Dr. Johnson. When he thought a thing was wrong, he said so with force. When he was about to publish the Tour to the Hebrides, Hannah More asked him to mi gate some of its asperi es. She tells that his answer was that "he would not cut off his claws, nor make his ger a cat, to please anybody." There is a place for the ger in life; and when the ger becomes a tabby cat, something is lost. There were mes when Jesus was terribly and majes cally angry. He was angry when the scribes and Pharisees were watching to see if he would heal the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath day (Mark 3:5). It was not their cri cism of himself at which he was angry; he was angry that their rigid orthodoxy desired to 5 of 7

16 impose unnecessary suffering on a fellow creature. He was angry when he made a whip and drove the changers of money and the sellers of vic ms from the Temple courts (John 2:13-17). F. W. Robertson of Brighton tells in one of his le ers that he bit his lips un l they bled when he met on the street a certain man whom he knew to be luring a pure young girl to destruc on. John Wesley said: "Give me a hundred men who fear nothing but God, and who hate nothing but sin, and who know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified, and I will shake the world." The anger which is selfish and uncontrolled is a sinful and hur ul thing, which must be banished from the Chris an life. But the selfless anger which is disciplined into the service of Christ and of our fellow men is one of the great dynamic forces of the world. (iii) Paul goes on to say that the Chris an must never let the sun set upon his wrath. Plutarch tells us that the disciples of Pythagoras had a rule of their society, that if, during the day, anger had made them speak insul ngly to each other, before the sun set they shook hands and kissed each other and were reconciled. There was a Jewish Rabbi whose prayer it was that he might never go to sleep with any bi er thought against a brother man within his mind. Paul's advice is sound, because the longer we postpone mending a quarrel, the less likely we are ever to mend it. If there is trouble between us and anyone else, if there is trouble in a Church or a fellowship or any society where men meet, the only way to deal with it is at once. The longer it is le to flourish, the more bi er it will grow. If we have been in the wrong, we must pray to God to give us grace to admit that it was so; and even if we have been right, we must pray to God to give us the graciousness which will enable us to take the first step to put ma ers right. Along with this phrase Paul puts another command. The Greek can equally well mean two things. It can mean: "Don't give the devil his opportunity." An unhealed breach is a magnificent opportunity for the devil to sow dissension. Many a me a Church has been torn into fac ons because two people quarrelled and let the sun set upon their wrath. But there is another meaning which this phrase can have. The word for devil in Greek is diabolos; but diabolos is also the normal Greek for a slanderer. Luther, for instance, took this to mean: "Give the slanderer no place in your life." It may well be that this is the true meaning of what Paul wishes to say. No one in this world can do more damage than the slanderous tale-bearer. There are reputa ons murdered over the teacups every day; and when a man sees a tale-bearer coming, he would do well to shut the door in his face. (iv) The man who was a thief must become an honest workman. This was necessary advice, for in the ancient world thieving was rampant. It was very common in two places, at the docks and above all in the public baths. The public baths were the clubs of the me; and stealing the belongings of the bathers was one of the commonest crimes in any Greek city. The interes ng thing about this saying is the reason Paul gives for being an honest workman. He does not say: "Become an honest workman so that you may support yourself." He says: "Become an honest workman so that you may have something to give away to those who are poorer than yourself." Here is a new idea and a new ideal--that of working in order to give away. James Agate, tells of a le er from Arnold Benne, the famous novelist, to a less fortunate writer. Benne was an ambi ous and in many ways a worldly man; but in this le er to a fellow writer whom he hardly knew, he says: "I have just been looking at my bankbook; and I find that I have a hundred pounds which I don't need; I am sending you a cheque herewith for that amount." In modern society no man has overmuch to give away but we do well to remember the Chris an ideal is that 6 of 7

17 we work, not to amass things, but to be able, if need be, to give them away. (v) Paul forbids all foul-mouthed speaking; and then goes on to put the same thing posi vely. The Chris an should be characterized by words which help his fellow men. As Moffa translates it, Eliphaz the Temanite paid Job a tremendous compliment. "Your words," he said, "have kept men on their feet" (Job 4:4). Such are the words that every Chris an ought to speak. (vi) Paul urges us not to grieve the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the guide of life. When we act contrary to the counsel of our parents when we are young, we hurt them. Similarly, to act contrary to the guidance of the Holy Spirit is to grieve the Spirit and to hurt the heart of God, the Father, who, through the Spirit, sent his word to us. Paul ends this chapter with a list of things which must go from life. (a) There is bi erness (pikria). The Greeks defined this word as long-standing resentment, as the spirit which refuses to be reconciled. So many of us have a way of nursing our wrath to keep it warm, of brooding over the insults and the injuries which we have received. Every Chris an might well pray that God would teach him how to forget. (b) There are outbreaks of passion (thumos) and long-lived anger (orge). The Greeks defined thumos as the kind of anger which is like the flame which comes from straw; it quickly blazes up and just as quickly subsides. On the other hand, they described orge as anger which has become habitual. To the Chris an the burst of temper and the long-lived anger are both alike forbidden. (c) There is loud talking and insul ng language. A certain famous preacher tells how his wife used to advise him, "In the pulpit, keep your voice down." Whenever, in any discussion or argument, we become aware that our voice is raised, it is me to stop. The Jews spoke about what they called "the sin of insult," and maintained that God does not hold him guiltless who speaks insul ngly to his brother man. It would save a great deal of heartbreak in this world if we simply learned to keep our voices down and if, when we had nothing good to say to a person, we did not say anything at all. The argument which has to be supported in a shout is no argument; and the dispute which has to be conducted in insults is not an argument but a brawl. So Paul comes to the summing up of his advice. He tells us to be kind (chrestos). The Greeks defined this quality as the disposi on of mind which thinks as much of its neighbours affairs as it does of its own. Kindness has learned the secret of looking outwards all the me, and not inwards. He tells us to forgive others as God forgave us. So, in one sentence, Paul lays down the law of personal rela onships--that we should treat others as Jesus Christ has treated us. 7 of 7