2... their physical condition - change my height, nose, body type, age, health, athleticism.

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1 Message: Walk in a Manner Worthy of Your Calling TEXT: Ephesians 4:17-24 Introduction A. Look at your life right now. What would you like to see changed in your life? If you say, well what I d like to see changed is beyond my power, ok, but nothing is beyond God s power, Christ s power, correct? So if Christ, to Whom all authority in heaven and earth has been given, we re willing, what in your life would you like to see changed by His power? B. Some might ask Christ to change their external circumstances - change my marital status from single to married, change my social status among my piers so I ll have more friends and be popular, change my job status from unemployed or underemployed to fully and happily employed, from second string to starter on the team their physical condition - change my height, nose, body type, age, health, athleticism their skill sets - change my social skills, speaking skills, intellectual skills. C. Is there something in our life of even greater importance that we should desire Christ to change by His power? There is - the inner person of the heart, from which all of our speech, actions, attitudes flow. This is what Christ s apostle Paul was asking Christ for on behalf of the Ephesian church members. Ephesians 3:16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power 17 through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith... D. The good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ, is that Christ, by the power of His death and resurrection, not only saves believers from the guilt of their sin, but also from the power by which our sin has enslaved us. By the power of Christ s Spirit Who indwells every sincere believer, we can change, we can put off the old self and put on the new self. E. Have you ever thought about the fact that every day we are changing our clothing (or our baby s diapers!), we put off and lay aside old dirty clothing and put on newly washed clothing? Putting off, putting on is part of the normal rhythm of living a life of restored cleanliness and thus wellness. F. Jesus inspired Paul to use this everyday occurrence in our lives as a metaphor of how we are to live an every day a life of righteousness and holiness before Him. G. Outline 1. What of our old selves are we to put off, and what of our new selves are we to put on? 2. How and in what way does Christ enable every Christian to change? I. What of our old selves are we to put off, and what of our new selves are we to put on? A. 4:17-19 What we are to put off - the way the Gentiles/nations live. Ephesians 4:17 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the 18 Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the 19 life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

2 1. 4:17 futility/emptiness (Gk: mataiotes, which translates the Hebrew hevel in Ecclesiastes) of mind - nothing they think is important, nothing they get excited over, has any lasting value. 2. 4:18 darkened and ignorant in their understanding 3. 4:18 excluded from the life of God (2:12) Ephesians 2:12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 4. 4:18 hard hearted (can t be taught) 5. 4:19 callous/insensitive to the things of God 6. 4:19 follow sensual passions, leading to impurity and greed (2:3). Ephesians 2:3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. B. 4:20-24 What we are to put on, the way you first learned Christ, hearing and being taught by Him through the gospel. 1. 4:22 you lay aside/put off the old self (man), a disrobing metaphor = repentance 21 Ephesians 4:20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been 22 taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 2. 4:23,24 be renewed in mind and put on the new self (man) enduw - a robing metaphor, also used in 6:11, 24 Ephesians 4:23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Ephesians 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil having put on the breastplate of righteousness. 3. What is this new self (man)? It is the born again believer being conformed to the image of God s Son, putting on (the virtues of) Christ, being filled with His fulness (3:20; 1:23), and thus subject to Him in all things (5:25) Ephesians 4:24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Romans 13:12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. Galatians 3:27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 4. The putting on and putting off language is metaphorical of what Paul in non figurative language calls repentance and faith. Paul said to the Ephesian elders... Acts 20:20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and house to house, 21 solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

3 5. Christ followers are to presently live in the same attitude of repentance and faith with which we first came to Christ a. Note: 3:9,10 = past repentance & faith at conversion; 3:8,12, = a call to present repentance and faith using the disrobing and robing metaphor. Colossians 3:8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him-- 11 a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. 12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. b. Note in Ephesians 4:25ff the continuation of the disrobing and robing metaphor, with Paul giving specific examples of what it means to put of the (vices of the) old man and put on the (virtues of the) new. Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you W ITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another. 4:25 Put off falsehood, put on speaking truthfully with your neighbor. 4:26,27 Put off uncontrolled, unrighteous anger and put on peaceableness. 4:28 Put off stealing what others have and put on working and sharing with others what you have. 4:29,30 Put off rotten speech, and put on edifying speech. 4:31-5:2 Put off bitterness, wrath, anger, slander, and put on kindness, forgiveness and love. II. How and in what way does Christ enable every Christian to change? A. Christ died to purify for Himself a people zealous for good works. Titus 2:13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good works. Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; andit is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. B. We are created in union with Christ Jesus unto good works, unto holiness and righteousness. Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 4:24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

4 C. Since God by His Spirit s grace and power enables every believer to walk in the good works God has prepared for us to live in by faith, we ought not to sell short God s grace and power toward us in Christ. 1. In Christ we can bear much fruit John 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 2. In Christ we can fulfill the law, being doers and not merely hearers. 2 Romans 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit 3 of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He 4 condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in/by us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 13:8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has 9 fulfilled the law. For this, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET," and if there is any other commandment, it is summed 10 up in this saying, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Galatians 5:13... through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." 3. In Christ we can escape and endure temptation 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. 4. In Christ we can learn to be content no matter what our circumstances. Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering 13 need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. 5. In Christ we can overcome the evil one, the devil. 1 John 2:... I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. 6. In Christ we can enter the presence of God on His throne of grace to receive mercy and help. Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, Hebrews 4:16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 7. In Christ by faith we can take hold of eternal life and not let go. 1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called In Christ we can attain the resurrection of the dead when He returns, inherit the new earth, and see God! Philippians 3:10 that I may know Him in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Matthew 5:5 "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

5 Conclusion A. If you are not a Christ follower, you can t do good works, and what you call your good works are displeasing to God. Apart from putting your faith in His Son, you cannot please God. Come to Jesus and live. B. Christian, God has not only prepared good works for us to walk in, but provides the power of Christ to walk in them. Today, live by faith in the Son of God who loved us and gave Himself for us, and be the holy and blameless people God has chosen us to be from before the foundation of the world!