← Back to sermon library

thank you welcome to everyone it's good to be back in the house of our God you can turn with me in your Bibles to Psalm 15 for the call to worship psalm 15. I'll begin reading in verse one a Psalm of David Lord who may abide in your Tabernacle who may dwell in your Holy Hill He Who Walks up brightly and works righteousness and speaks the truth in his heart he does not backbite with his tongue nor does evil to his neighbor nor does he take up a reproach against his friend in whose eyes a vile person is despised but he honors those who fear the lord he who swears to his own hurt and does not change he who does not put out his money at usury nor does he take a bribe against the innocent He Who does these things shall never be moved amen will you can turn with me in your hymn books number three six zero 360 and will stand as we sing together [Music] come on [Music] foreign [Music] we're all kinds all right [Music] now [Music] he's alive [Music] us across oh my gosh lost [Music] it is foreign [Music] let us pray our great and our glorious God it is a joy to gather in the house of the Lord on this day we thank you for the tomb that is empty we thank you for the session of our Lord Jesus at the right hand of God most high we thank you for his finished work of redemption for his people he saved all that the father gave him we know Lord God that this is not owing to our our contribution or to to what we've added or what we've supplemented but it is according to the riches of your grace we bless you and we praise you father Son and Holy Spirit for so great a Salvation And as we consider these things may our hearts be drawn out tonight in worship may we worship you in spirit and in truth may we remember and be mindful of the God that you are and may it frame our hearts or right and fill us with that that reverence and that awe before such a majestic and glorious God and does well flood our hearts with joy with Thanksgiving with gratitude and father may it be the case that you would be worshiped here tonight we confess our our sins we confess that we don't always walk in a manner that is consistent with our calling the Apostle says we're to let our conduct be worthy of the gospel and yet we find what Paul says in Romans 7 and 5 Galatians 5 to be the case in our own Hearts we have that remaining corruption that transgression against that uh that Holy law of God yet we have that Advocate with the father even Jesus Christ the righteous who pleads the merits of his own blood on our behalf how we thank you that there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared and even now apply that to us and cause us to to just glorify your great and awesome name we pray father for the Salvation of Sinners here and throughout the world we know that the gospel has been preached will be preached and we pray that the Holy Spirit would attend and would bring that conviction for sin and cause Sinners to see themselves rightly before a holy God and may they see Christ as the one in whom there is forgiveness and a righteousness that does avail with you we bless you you for that statement in Hebrews chapter 7 that Jesus is able to save to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto God through him we thank you that he is the author and finisher of faith and that he is the one who has brought Eternal salvation and God we pray that from every tribe and tongue and people and Nation Sinners would hear this good news and they would be called out of Darkness into Marvelous Light confessing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we thank you for this local church we thank you for all of the brothers and the sisters here we pray for those who have physical trials and difficulties we commend them to you and to the word of your grace we pray that you would uphold them that you would encourage them and that through these afflictions and hardships and trials they would never nevertheless confess that the Lord is my shepherd I I shall not want that they would see your hand of Mercy in their lives as well God for all of us every single one in this church every believer in Jesus Christ we all have the various spiritual challenges that face us in a sin cursed world we have remaining corruption we have Temptation we have a devil that roams about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour as well we live in the midst of a of a Godless age so Lord fill us with your Holy Spirit grant us help and strength to persevere cause us to be steadfast and cause us to be faithful unto you knowing that you are faithful always to your people we pray for the persecuted church we saw so many this morning in terms of the prayer meeting and the various trials faced by the people of God and in other parts of the world and we know these are difficult things and nevertheless God we see the encouraging things that they they remain steadfast that they continue to go forward in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit we pray father that you would just continue to bless your suffering Saints all over this world and cause them to know the the the spirit of God as their help and their guide and their aid we pray for other churches and Ministries we thank you for our brother naphtali and eldoret Kenya we thank you God for that man's faithful Ministry over the many years that he has been there we pray that you would continue to give him Grace and strength God to minister to the flock and to train other men that they may be able to lead others also as well we pray for the the brother in Myanmar we thank you for Peter God it's such a difficult task that this brother has been called to and yet he has been held up by you he has been faithful he has been persevering and we pray that you would continue to encourage him continue to strengthen him and God continue to afford protection to that Orange Grove compound we pray for the new orphans that come in amongst them we pray that your gospel would be continue to be preached there and that many would come to a saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus and God closer to home we pray for the churches in our community we thank you for the brothers and sisters that are Faithfully serving you we pray for pastor coopman and for pastor champ we pray for pastor Schumann she would bless these brothers and Grant them help and strength and Grace as they minister to the congregations under their charge as well we pray for brother Mike or Pastor Mike and Surrey for Ryan and in Armstrong and for the brothers and Dryden we just pray that they would be faithful men that they would be serving you that they would be glorifying you they would hold fast to that truth as it is in Jesus Christ and bless the brothers in Honduras we thank you for the good reports that we receive from there we pray God that you would bless those men as they Minister the truth in that part of the world and may you continue to build your church there and we can again we thank you for this time that we can assemble together and we just pray now that you would continue with us and we ask through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen we can turn with me again in your hymn books to 5 24. hymn number 524 will stand as we sing together Power Rangers [Music] come on all right [Music] really nice foreign [Music] you can turn in your Bibles to the Book of Numbers we're in Numbers Chapter 26. the census of Israel will pick up our reading in verse 35. numbers 26 verse 35 I will read the first few verses just to remind us of the context so numbers 26 1-4 and it came to pass after the plague that the Lord spoke to Moses and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest saying take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel from 20 years old and above by their father's houses all who are able to go to war in Israel so Moses and eliezar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho saying take a census of the people from 20 years old and above just as the Lord commanded Moses and the children of Israel who came out of the land of Egypt now jumping over to verse 35. these are the sons of Ephraim according to their families of shuthela the family of the shuttle Heights of Becker the family of the bachrites of tan the family of the tanites and these are the sons of shufala of Aaron the family of the aeronites these are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those who were numbered of them 32 500. these are the sons of Joseph according to their families the sons of Benjamin according to their families were of Bella the family of the balaites of ashebell the family of the ashbalites of the Hiram the family of the ahiramites of shufem the family of the shuffomites of hufam the family of the huffamites and the sons of Bala were Ard and Naaman of Ard the family of the ardites of nayaman the family of the naomites these are the sons of Benjamin according to their families and those who were numbered of them were forty five thousand six hundred these are the families uh the sons of Dan according to their families of sure the family of the shua mites these are the families of Dan according to their families all the families of the shua mites according to those who were numbered of them were 64 400. the sons of Asher according to their families were of gymna the family of the gymnites of Jesuit the family of the Jesuits of baraya the family of the baraites of the sons of baraya of Haber the family of the heberites of machiel the family of the machiolites and the name of the daughter of Asher was Sarah these are the families of the sons of Asher according to those who were numbered of them fifty three thousand four hundred the sons of naftali according to their families were of jazzil the family of the jazzeolites of guni the family of the gunites of jetser the family of the jetsorites of shilam the uh the family of the shulamites these are the families of naphtali according to their families and those who were numbered of them were forty thousand for forty five thousand four hundred these are those who were numbered of the children of Israel six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty then the Lord spoke to Moses saying to these the land shall be divided as an inheritance according to the number of names to a large tribe you shall give a larger inheritance and to a small tribe you shall give a smaller inheritance each shall be given its inheritance according to those who are numbered of them the land shall be divided by lot they shall inherit according to the names of the tribes of their fathers according to the lot their inheritance shall be divided between the larger and the smaller and these are those who are numbered of the Levites according to their families of Gershon the family of the gershonites of koath the family of the coethites of murari the family of the mararites these are the families of the Levites the family of the libnites the family of the habernites the family of the molites the family of the mushites and the family of the chorothites and koath begot amram the name of amram's wife was jokabad the daughter of Levi who was born to Levi in Egypt and to amram she bore Aaron and Moses and their sister Miriam to Aaron were born nadab and abahu eliezar and ithamar and nadab and abay who died when they offered profane fire before the Lord now those who were numbered of them were 23 000 every male from a month old and above for they were not numbered among the other children of Israel because there was no inheritance given to them among the children of Israel these are those who were numbered by Moses and eliezar the priest who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho but among these there was not a man of those who were numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai for the Lord had said of them they shall surely die in the wilderness so there was not left a man of them except Caleb the son of jephina and Joshua the son of none amen well let us pray or a God and our father we know that all scripture is given by inspiration of God it's profitable for Doctrine for reproof for correction and for instruction in righteousness and we know these historical records given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit apply what you have had promised and definitely not only did they inherit the land but they carved it up they had tribal allotments you definitely provided for and and secured all that you had said to Abraham Isaac and Jacob we saw it this morning in Romans 4 that it's not just the land of Israel it was promised to Abraham's seed but it's the entirety of the world and our blessed savior said go therefore and Make Disciples of all the nations in Psalm 2 we read ask of me and I will give you the Nations for your inheritance the uttermost parts of the Earth for your inheritance we thank you that all of these promises are yea and amen in our savior and again we pray that the gospel would go forth and it would run swiftly and be glorified and that you would save many people and we pray through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well you can turn with me again in your hymn books to Psalm 99 a as in Alpha Psalm 99 a will stand as we sing together [Music] our Lord [Music] [Applause] oh oh God the praise His grace [Music] it is [Music] this is [Music] everybody foreign [Music] with me in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians as we work our way through Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus our Focus tonight on is on verses 17 to 24 but I do want to read the chapter by way of reminder in terms of the context so beginning in Ephesians 4 at verse 1. I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called with all lowliness and gentleness with long-suffering bearing with one another in love endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of Peace there is one body and one Spirit just as you were called in one hope of your calling one Lord One Faith one baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all to each one of us Grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift therefore he says when he ascended on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts to men now this he ascended what does it mean but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth he who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens that he might fill all things and he himself gave some to be Apostles some prophets some evangelists and some pastors and teachers four the equipping of the Saints for the work of Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ do we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting but speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things into him who is the head Christ from whom the whole body joined and knit together by whatever joint supplies according to the effective working by which every part does its share causes growth of the Body for the edifying of itself in love this I say therefore and testify in the Lord that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind having their understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God because the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart who being past feeling have given themselves over to lewdness to work all uncleanness with greediness but you have not so learned Christ if indeed you have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus that you put off concerning your former conduct the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your mind and that you put on the new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness therefore putting away lying Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor for we are members of one another be angry and do not sin do not let the sun go down on your wrath nor give place to the devil let him who stole steal no longer but rather let him labor working with his hands what is good that he may have something to give him who has need let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth but what is good for necessary edification that it may impart grace to the hearers and do not grieve the holy spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption let all bitterness wrath anger clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice and be kind to one another tenderhearted forgiving one another even as God in Christ forgave you amen well let us pray father again we thank you for the word of God we thank you that it's our standard of Truth it is absolute truth and we know that it is our our our our hearts Delight to receive these things David said concerning the the righteous this man that he meditates upon the law of the Lord day and night may we hide your word in our hearts that we might not sin against you may you cause us to meditate upon it contemplate it cause us to be able to reflect upon it and use it in a manner that is consistent with what we find in second Timothy three we just pray again for the guidance and the leading of the Holy Spirit now for the Forgiveness of all of our sins in and through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and we pray in his Most Blessed name amen so we spent some time in the first part of chapter four we saw specifically how Paul calls for gospel Ministry to do a specific task in the life of the church Christ ascended on high he led captivity captive and he gave gifts to men and so the ministry is tasked with what we find there in verse 12. the ministry is to equip the Saints the ministry is to engage in the work of ministry and the ministry is to edify the body of Christ and then he gives this time frame of this duration till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man so gospel Ministry is about calling Sinners to repentance and faith in justification or salvation but as well to instruct them in terms of sanctification and so what we find in Verses 4 and 4 17 and following is the sort of thing that the ministry of the church is to be about teaching the people of God so that they may become mature in Christ Jesus our lord now as we look specifically at verses 17 to 24 are we have what I will call the characteristics of the new man so in verses 20 to 24 it almost sounds like Paul is giving commands there or he's giving imperatives that you put off the old man that that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind that that you put on the new man he's not giving imperatives or commands in that section he is describing what is true of us he's giving the characteristics of the new man in Christ Jesus and that serves as the foundation for the specific conduct of the new man that follows in verses 25 and and on so notice after he does what he does in verses 20 to 24 verse 25 starts off with a therefore and then come the commands then come the imperatives then comes the exhortations on how they are to conduct themselves in this world so as we move along in this present passage I want to just remind you that what you have in 20 to 24 is what is true of the new man yes simply stating fact he is explaining what it is to have learned Christ Jesus our lord but let's look first at the contrast with the Gentiles in verses 17 to 19 and then we'll look at the characteristics of Believers in verses 20 to 24. notice the exhortation he gives in verse 17. he says this I say therefore and testify in the Lord that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind so there's an urgency to his appeal I testify I want you to conform in this particular manner I want you to live in a way that is consistent with what I'm going to tell you is true in verses 20 to 24 and what you need to implement in verses 25 to 32 don't do this in a manner that is consistent with the Gentiles and when he says Gentiles here he is referring to spiritual Gentiles he is referring to pagans he's referring to heathend up he is referring to those people out side of our Lord Jesus Christ when he says that this I say therefore and testify in the Lord that you should no longer walk walk there simply means one's orientation the Old King James has conversation it simply means conduct orientation lifestyle or life lived I don't want you to walk the way that you used to walk I want you to walk in a manner that is consistent with what you are in Jesus Christ verses 20 to 24 and what I'm going to command you to do in Jesus Christ in verses 25 to 32 and then chapter 5 all the way to the end of chapter 6. so as I said the emphasis is on spiritual Gentiles notice back in Chapter 2 at verses 1 and 1-3 we see what is true of Gentiles as a people group in terms of their own characteristics verse one you he made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins in which you once walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air the spirit who now works in the sons of Disobedience among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the Flesh and of the mind and Word By Nature children of Wrath just as the others you were lifeless you were helpless and you were hopeless this is what is true this is what is indicative of Gentiles or pagans or heathens or those who are disconnected from the life of God and then as well we saw the uh the covenantal status of Gentiles in Chapter 2 specifically at verses 11 and 12. notice therefore remember that you once Gentiles In the Flesh who are called uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision Made In the Flesh by hands that at that time you were without Christ being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of Promise having no hope and without God in the world so they were homeless churchless hopeless and Godless in a covenantal way relative to the true and living God and so the apostle Paul bids them according to chapter 7 don't go backward don't live like you used to do avoid it like the plague you're not Gentiles anymore you are ethnically but in terms of Salvation you are God's covenant people you are the people who are committed to the Lord and therefore your walk is to be characterized by that commitment and then notice in 17c he gives a bit of a statement concerning the Gentiles he says that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind you'll notice a balance in verses 17 to 19 and then the the the verses 20 to 24. you'll always see that the Mind precedes the action you'll always see that what we think about God affects the way that we live for or against God I cited Romans 1 18 this morning when the Apostle Paul says for the wrath of God is revealed from uh from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness there is a specific order there it is ungodliness that then precipitates unrighteousness what the Gentiles think concerning about God affects the way they live for God or against God in verse 21 in chapter one of the book of Romans it says they know that God is but they have exchanged the the truth of God for a lie actually that's a little bit further down but they knew God but they did not glorify God as God nor were their hearts thankful so as a result of that then this multitude of vices follow as a result of that so Paul does the same thing here he points to the futility of their mind that precedes the actual Godless conduct when he gets to the characteristics of the new man the mind is renewed the mind has been converted and then the actions follow consistently with that so it's what we think about God that affects the way that we live for God that's why II Peter ends on the note of grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ if you are not growing in the knowledge of the Savior if you're not learning and understanding more of him you're not going to live consistently as you ought and so there is this absolute imperative in terms of learning the truth theology does matter and if you do not engage in a study of it if you do not hide the word of God in your heart you will sin against the Lord this is a fundamental problem with the Gentiles they reject God in their thoughts and as a result they reject God in their conduct for the new man in Christ Jesus he Embraces God in his thoughts and he lives consistently with that mindset or with that orientation so it is the mind and then the conduct and we see this same sort of an emphasis in Romans 1 21. so notice in the futility of their mind Ephesians 4 17. Romans 1 21 because although they knew God they did not glorify him as God nor were thankful but became futile in their thoughts and their foolish Hearts were darkened Paul's going to go on the same path as he describes Gentile conduct and mindset in the following verses now this idea of of futility it simply means a state of being without use or value emptiness purposelessness uh transitoriness and I would suggest that verses 17 to 19 pretty well described the problems that we see in our own generation when you have a group of people that have resisted God most high when you have a group of people that have basically voted God out of society you have a society that looks like a society given over by that God Romans 1 24 what Romans 1 26 and Romans 1 28 God gave them over God gave them up to a reprobate mind when man continues resisting God God judicially hardens by abandoning those people and so what is described here and in Romans 1 is what is going on in our own generation celebrating the murder of The Unborn celebrating the murder of the infirm celebrating the murder of the elderly celebrating sexual perversion even affecting little children celebrating those things which are Lawless and vile and wretchedness you know that passage in the prophet Isaiah woe to those who call good evil and evil good we've in some sense surpassed that we're at the point where even nature is up for grabs simple biology is up for grabs well what drives that it's the Gentile mindset it's this Godless mindset it's this alienation from the Lord the further man runs from God the further sinfulness he explores and engages in it isn't rocket science you can see it in the prophets as well they would come to upgrade the nation of Israel for their sin they would describe it as going ahoring from God that simply meant they went After idols when they went After idols and rejected the first table of the law guess what necessarily followed a rejection of the second table of the law yes they murdered yes they engaged in an adultery yes they stole yes they lied yes they coveted all that sort of thing but after the rejection of the true and living God so when we look around us in society yes there's a lot of things that ought to be cleaned up in terms of the symptoms but the best thing that the church can do today is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ Our Lord for salvation because once a man is born again once his mind has been renewed he thinks differently about God he thinks differently about man he thinks differently about his conduct and hopefully we'll see that kind of an impact when it comes to this Pres Resident Evil age now notice Paul moves on to explain what he is talking about in verses 18 and 19. and as Lincoln says the picture of the Gentiles style of life is painted in the blackest colors this is horrible stuff if you've ever wondered why do people do what they do in the world well the Bible tells you the Bible explains it very simple it's not you know they've got bad economic status it's not that they've got a bad race racial status or an ethnic status everybody's got the problem of sin it is a very simple explanation as to why things are so messed up in the world it's because man is in Rebellion against God it started way back in the garden and it continues unabated even now and if we don't get this we won't prescribe the remedy of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ so notice in terms of the explanation he says three things about the Gentiles he says first of all the Gentiles are darkened in their under understanding notice in verse 18 having their understanding darkened that's a pretty apt description of the way or mindset of these particular people their understanding is darken it's not emblazoned with light it's not pure it's not holy it's not spotless again Romans 1 21 their foolish Hearts were dark at you see this sort of contrast between light and dark and John's prologue in John 1 4 and 5. in him was life and the life was the light of man and the light shines in the darkness and the Darkness did not comprehend it John's first epistle he makes a similar observation verse 1 or chapter one verse 5 this is the message which we have heard from him and declared to you that God is light and in him is no Darkness at all so when we come to these Gentiles we see that their understanding is dark at but notice with reference to this darkened understanding they're engaged in this uh uh uh uh Rebellion against God so again the Mind precedes the action what we think about God precedes how we live for or against God and that's the emphasis in this present passage now with reference to the Gentiles having their understanding darkened this is a contrast with the Believers in Ephesus turn back to chapter one specifically at verse 17 that the god of our Lord Jesus Christ the father of Glory may give to you the spirit of wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of your understanding being enlightened or literally having been enlightened that you may know what is the hope of his calling a Brethren it wasn't them that enlightened it it was God that enlightened it just like in Chapter 2 4 verses 20 to 24 I'm gonna argue certain imperative you didn't put off the old man God God does that you don't put on the new man God does that you don't renew the spirit of your mind God does that these are not imperatives that we can take up and engage at they're the indicative that serve as the foundation for the imperatives that follow in 25 to 32. so the Gentiles have a darkened understanding but then notice the Gentiles are alienated from the life of God same sort of thing we saw in that covenantal description into 12 they're without God they're without hope in the world and here he says the same thing verse 18 about the middle he says being alienated from the life of God being alienated from the life of God does not make one holy being alienated from the life of God does not conform one unto God being alienated from the life of God does not promote or produce godliness so just by way of a practical application if we are not alienated from God and we're intimate with God what should that say concerning our sanctification there ought to be Conformity unto Jesus the path isn't take a pill and you'll wake up holy the path in the Christian Life is steadfastness the path in the Christian Life is perseverance the path in the Christian life is not a hundred yard dash it's a it's a marathon it's a running of the long haul it is going forward in the fear of God doing what you know you're supposed to do each and every single day for the rest of your life there is this idea that wow it's got to be Pizzazz it's got to be Sensational it's got to be all this stuff no it's got to be faithful you got to be persevering you got to use the means that God's ordained for your benefit the gospel Ministry the preaching Ministry of the church show up at church lo and behold it's the actual Act of preaching that God uses to bring Conformity unto Jesus in the part of it on the part of his people that's the emphasis in verses 7 to 16. as well read your Bible in secret or not in secret you don't have to hide at least not yet uh that that that that decree may come down before too long but read your Bible on your own read your Bible with your family be about the word of God Brethren again Jesus prays in the high Priestly prayer sanctify them by thy truth not just snap your fingers sanctify them by thy truth Thy word is truth why do we think the path of sanctification is Magic or Hocus Pocus or take this pill or do this conference or have this sort of approach it is simple run the race that is set before you with endurance with your Bible in your hand with your knees accommodated to the to the secret place in terms of prayer to God and using those means that God has ordained they're alienated from the life of God but no notice that he goes on to explain this in a bit more detail so he says being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in that Paul's not suggesting that every Gentile is a mental he's not saying that they're spiritually or intellectually deficient they don't know what two plus two is they couldn't tell you the alphabet if if their lives depended upon on it that's not the point because the blindness that is in them this particular uh concept is seen parallel in First Corinthians 2 14. it says but the natural man does not receive the things of the spirit of God for their foolishness to him for uh nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned so the Gentiles who are alienated from the life of God one of the primary reasons is because of the ignorance that is in that they don't have the capacities to spiritually discern the truth as it is in Jesus they have not learned Jesus they have not appropriated Jesus by grace through faith they're outside they're alienated from the life of God and as a result they are typified or rather explained by ignorance again not that they can't say what two plus two is they're ignorant in terms of God in terms of his world in terms of his son but as well notice because of the blindness of their heart because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the blindness of their heart this further explains what it means means to be alienated from the life of God they're ignorant and they're blind now this word blind is better translated this way state or condition of complete lack of understanding dullness insensibility obstinency so again it's not a an indictment of their General ignorance about life well you know they're blithering it or idiots they they can't formulate full sentences they they just kind of sit around and they they don't move now that's not what he's saying it has to do in the spiritual realm they're ignorant people they're they're obstinate people they've got this commitment that is anti-god and then notice thirdly he describes them as being past feeling in verse 19. ESV and nasb has callus NIV has having lost all Sensitivity I think being past feeling is a good description here with reference to this turn over to First Timothy 4. different words are used but it's the same sort of a concept in first Timothy 4. First Timothy 4 at verse 1. now the spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons speaking lies in hypocrisy and then notice the next Clause having their own conscience seared with a hot iron that's the emphasis back here in Ephesians 4 at verse 19. who being past feeling they have a seared conscience this has to be part of the explanation as to why we see what we see in the world around us persons are past feeling they are calloused they live with a seared conscience how do you live the way that that Gentiles in this present evil age live and and be in control of yourselves there's no explanation other than what the Bible defines for us or what the Bible describes for us you've got these key passages here in Ephesians you've got it in Romans 1. you've got second Timothy 3 as it applies to the religious community you've got these descriptions by God through Paul with reference to how bad it is and the explanation or rationale for that it is a sin problem it is a rebellion against God problem the Gentiles experience judicial hardness John Gill says their conscience is being cauterized or seared as with a red hot iron which is the consequence of judicial hardness they are past feeling they have been given over to a reprobate mind they are in a condition that is miserable and yet they think this is freedom they think this is Liberty they think this is wonderful I I don't want the bondage of Christianity what does Jesus say the truth shall make you what it makes you free it is lies and falsehood and deceit it is this Gentile thinking that that produces bondage it is this mindset that is the slavery that we see out in the world today and so we need to understand the Apostle is giving us the accurate depiction of what is true in the hearts of men but then notice not only does he make the statement in verse 19 who being past feeling he gives two concrete illustrations of this notice have given themselves over to lewdness the word means a lack of self-constraint which involves one in conduct that violates all bounds of what is socially acceptable self-abandonment it's often used in sexual context and so notice what he's says that their past feeling and then they give themselves over to lewdness this is what's happening this is what's going on this is the the key to solve the mystery as to why the nation's rage and the people plot a vain things the the rulers take their stand against Yahweh and against his Christ why because they're Gentiles in their thought and their conduct follows suit so he says they have given themselves over to lewdness and then he goes on to say to work all uncleanness with greediness to work all uncleanness can you imagine that what what do you do what's your thought what's your life well I I love to work all uncleanness now nobody does that nobody says that nobody verbalizes this but that's the way they live when your life is characterized by Rebellion against God it is to say that you're working all uncleanness then he modifies that with greediness now that could be just a sort of a general statement concerning covetousness he's going to condemn covetousness in chapter five and in kind of a sexual context as well or it could just mean that this working of uncleanness for persons that are past feeling means that they fill up as much as is humanly possible in their lives sin depravity lawlessness wickedness violeness Solomon says in the Proverbs to commit sin is like sport to a fool he says that that that that engaging in sin is like drinking water for a fool those things that we have to have in our lives to sustain us and to nourish us the the the the great King Solomon Likens that or Parallels that to sin in the heart of the unredeemed and so the upon Apostle here tells us what the state of the Gentiles are Gil says being like a Covetous man never satisfied with sinning but always craving more sinful lusts and Pleasures that has to be the explanation of what we're saying in the world around us turn to Second Peter chapter two second Peter chapter 2 different language but again same concept same theme same sort of emphasis in this uh uh passage as well second Peter chapter 2 specifically at verse 14. he's describing Godless teachers in particular and you can rest assured that as Godless teachers go so do the Godless students when the Godless teachers teach heresy and deception and lies and people Embrace that as if it's the truth it's going to affect them negatively they're going to respond in a manner that is consistent with their Godless teachers notice in second Corinth I'm sorry second Peter 2 14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin enticing unstable Souls that's Bleak that's dark that's bad Brethren eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin and they entice unstable Souls they have a heart trained and Covetous practices and they are accursed children they have forsaken the right way and gone astray following the way of Balaam the son of Balor who loved the way to who love the wages of unright Consciousness so back to our passage in Ephesians chapter four in summary the Apostle describes Gentile conduct Gentile conduct follows Gentile thought and when the Gentiles think what they do in terms of God they live consistently with that banishment of him from their thoughts and their minds that description of Paul in Romans chapter 1 when he says they did not even like to retain him in their minds they want God out of their thoughts Jonathan Edwards says that a better translation for Psalm 14 the fool has said in his heart there is no God He suggests that is that the fool says in his heart know God he's saying no he's declaring his opposition to God most high that's what characterizes the fool that's what makes him alienated from the life of God and so we have this Bleak dark picture and the Apostle Paul says as new man and as new women in Christ Jesus you're not to walk the way that the Gentiles walk you're not to engage in that futility of mine you're not the kind of persons that have their understanding darken you're not the kind of persons that that are alienated from the life of God and you're not the kind of persons that are past feeling so let's move on now to see what kind of persons they are verses 20 to 24 he speaks concerning their conversion verses 20 and 21 and then their characteristics and verses 22-24 notice the conversion verse 20 but there's a contrast there here's what they are here's what they're like but he says you have not so learned Christ the Ephesians experience of the Gospel learning Christ means the truth of Christianity it's an interesting form or an interesting interesting turn of phrase you have not so learned Christ typically that's not how it's explained in the New Testament I like Lincoln here he says so to hear Christ is to be on the receiving end of the Proclamation of Christ there's a lot of emphasis in the New Testament on preaching Christ we preach Christ and him crucified and here it is to receive that to embrace that and to live in light of that so the inconsistency of Gentile thinking and conduct with Christian thinking and conduct is contrasted here and then notice he reviews this in verse 21 if indeed and I think we could read it as because you have been heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus so once again what we know in our minds what we know in our thoughts what we engage in terms of our understanding of who God is affects the conduct when he gets into verses 25 to 32 and he tells us stop lying tells us to stop stealing he tells us to to work hard and make enough so that we can give it to others you can do this now because your thoughts are not alienated from God your mindset has been changed you've been converted to our Lord Jesus Christ and that's the emphasis in verse 21. so if indeed you have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus so this refers again to the conversion of their souls they had heard the gospel preach what we call the external call or the general call of the Gospel but they had believed that gospel that comes as a result of the effectual call of God or the internal call when the spirit attends and when the spirit opens the heart and when the spirit grants The Graces of faith and repentance so that the sinner can close with Jesus Christ that's what he's referring to you've heard this and you have received it and as a result now these things are true of you Hajj makes the observation to learn Christ does not mean merely to learn his doctrines now when I read that I think about his context and I think about ours Brethren to merely learn his doctrines would be you know light years ahead of where we are presently oh that the church would merely learn his doctrines but I get the point it's not just cognition but it's also experiential but with reference to learning his doctrines boy do we need help in that in the church at large today so he says to learn Christ does not mean merely to learn his doctrines but to attain the knowledge of Christ as the Son of God God in our nature the Holy One of God the Savior from Sin Sin whom to know is Holiness in life anyone who has thus learned Christ cannot live in darkness and sin and remember that in 413 one of the tasks in terms of gospel Ministry is that the people of God come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God and of the knowledge of the Son of God it's the preaching of the knowledge of the Son of God that the people of God respond to and then they don't live like gentiles so that's what he says now with reference to verses 22 to 24 just one more time so I think a lot of times we read this passage 22-24 and we take it as imperative okay I've got to do this I want to give you three reasons why these aren't imperatives first they're not imperatives they're infinitives there's three statements that you see in verses 20 to 24. put off be renewed and put on as well the parallel passages in Romans 6 6 Colossians 3 9-10 Galatians 5 24 and Galatians 6 14. we do not have this power we do not have this competence we do not have this capability we do not have this in us to put off concerning our former conduct the old man which grows Quran we don't have it in us to be renewed in the spirit of our mind and we don't have it in us to put on the new man now there's a call in sanctification in Romans 13 14 to put on the Lord Jesus Christ but that's in terms of living in a Godly manner again Paul is describing what is true of you walk no longer as the Gentiles walk you have learned Christ you have heard Christ you have believed Christ you have a different mindset from Christ your your understanding is no longer darkened you're not at the point where you're alienated from the life of God and you're not past feeling you're new man your new women in Christ Jesus the Lord and then the third reason why is again that therefore that starts verse 25 therefore So based on what is true 22-24 based on the fact that you've been changed by by God's grace you've been saved this is the reason now you can live in a manner that is consistent with your High Calling in the Lord God most high so it's not the case that we can say well I don't know that I can put away lying I don't know that I can stop being angry I don't know that I can stop stealing well then I don't know if you're born again because if you're born again according to the Apostle Paul in verses 22 to 24 you have put off your being renewed you have put on and therefore you're in a position and you have the capability and you now have the power by the Holy Spirit to actually engage in the imperatives that follow in 25 to 32 and all throughout chapter 5. in chapter five he bids us to walk in particular ways Walk In Love walk in Light walk in wisdom he tells us how we're to conduct ourselves as husbands and wives so the Christian husband says well I just don't think I have the ability to love her and leaders Christ loved the church well then you're not a Christian when the Christian wife says I can't submit to him I I can't respect and honor him you know you don't know what he's like well then you're not born again because when God Saves you when God reorients you when God puts you on a different path I'm not suggesting you're going to it perfect I'm not suggesting you're going to do it without any error I'm not suggesting you're going to do it without any sin but I am suggesting that to whine and to snivel and to complain and say well you know that's just too much I don't think I can do that well then again it's probably the case that you're not a Believer so the Apostle affords the reason why we can actually comply with the commands that are going to follow so notice the characteristics of the new man first they put off their former conduct the former unconverted conduct is the old man notice in verse 22 that you put off concerning your former conduct the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts turn back to Romans chapter 6 Romans chapter 6 same sort of emphasis that we find there well verse 5 for if we have been United together in the likeness of his death certainly we also shall be in the likeness of his resurrection knowing this that our old man was crucified with him that the body of sin might be done away with that we should no longer be slaves of sin again I ask you is that your work is that your task is that what you've done oh absolutely positively not this is divine this is of God the pudding to death the old man the crucifying of the old man is a Divine Act of God most high so in this present passage the Apostle emphasizes that reality that you put off concerning your former conduct the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts it's the old man that man that is unconverted this is what characterizes him this is what describes him this is his orientation sounds just like he said about the Gentiles in the previous Sac Chef the former unconverted conduct is put off ultimately through the powerful grace of God the riches of his grace in one seven The Riches of his grace into seven the grace that brings us into salvation in Ephesians 2 8-10 by Grace you've been saved through faith and and that not of yourselves you didn't crucify the old man you didn't say one day well you know I just want to be a new man in Jesus Christ I'm gonna I'm gonna just throw my free will behind him and then just follow him no God saved us God puts to death the old man God puts us uh puts on the new man God is the one that renews our mind and that's the next bit notice not after after 22 we have this putting off of the former former conduct the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful loss notice in verse 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind the renewing of the spirit of the Mind begins at regeneration John 3 1-10. the Nicodemus comes to the Lord Jesus Christ and Jesus says unless a man is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God so it's begun there Titus 3 verse 5 talks about the washing of regeneration that's when the Mind renewal begins we see in the process of the Christian Life in terms of sanctification we see that going on and forward by the power of the Holy Spirit Romans 12 1-2 do not be conformed to this world but rather be transformed by the renewing of your mind so there's a bit of synergism there to be sure the emphasis falls upon the spirit in this particular context the renewing of the spirit of the mind is consistent with the new man in Christ not the Gentile the mind of the Gentile is messed up the mind of the Gentile is futile the mind of the Gentile is dark the mind of the Gentile is without understanding the mind of the Gentile has no hope no no God in this world not the mind of the believer it's it's being renewed by the power of God almighty it and then notice they have put on the new man verse 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and Holiness as I said Romans 13 14 is a call in sanctification to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lost that's not this context Brethren it's setting the stage for that contacts but the stage is the indicative the stage is what is true of you the stage is a statement of reality this is what you are this is why you can avoid the Walk of the Gentiles and this is why you can pursue not telling lies not engaging in Theft not engaging in ungodly anger not engaging in in tearing down people with corrupt speech this is how you can do it because God has called you in order to do it the emphasis here is on our conversion so when he says and that you put on the new man which was create it according to God in true righteousness and Holiness I think the parallel passages are second Corinthians 5 17. Second Corinthians 5 17 therefore if anyone is in Christ is a new creation all things have passed away behold all things have become new again not something we responded to by way of imperative and made ourselves New Creation that is God's work just the way he spoke the created order into being it is the same way that he gives us life eternal notice in second Corinthians 4 at verse 6 for it is the god who commanded light to shine out of Darkness who has Shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ I said Sean like a Canadian I am I learned it was shown I've I've seen the light it's Shone upon me and I've seen the light it just came out praise God now when it comes to this as well look over at Galatians 3 another parallel to our passage Galatians 3 specifically at verse 27. Galatians 3 verse 27 for as many of you as were baptized into Christ Jesus have put on Christ and then Colossians 3 9 Colossians is a very similar letter in terms of theme and and focus as is Ephesians the notice in Colossians 3 9 do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him now going back to our passage in Ephesians 4 24 we're about to wrap this up but one thing we ought to appreciate is the covenantal categories that I think the Apostle Paul is employing at this particular juncture notice what he says in verse 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God when we see that word created according to God I I hope we thank you Genesis 1 I hope we think of what God did in terms of the creation of this world the new man is created according to God God made us in His image Genesis 1 26-28 he made them male and female In His Image notice as well the new man is created according to God in true righteousness and holiness isn't that how Adam came from the hand of God isn't that how Adam was created by God Solomon affirms this in Ecclesiastes 7 and verse 29 he says truly this only I have found that God made man upright but they have sought out many schemes when Jesus is questioned about the legitimacy of divorce in Matthew's gospel Matthew chapter 19 he says from the beginning it it was not so so listen to this brothers and sisters the ethics for the Christian isn't some brand new emphasis the ethics for the Christian is what God intended at creation it is this uh true Holiness and and knowledge in fact Westminster Shorter Catechism says how did God create man God created man male and female after his own image and knowledge righteousness and Holiness with dominion over the creatures this is why in several instances in the New Testament when Paul is arguing for Christian ethics oh say for instance husbands and wives in their marriage relationship in in Ephesians chapter five where does he go back to he goes back to Genesis he goes back to Creation when Paul is arguing for male headship or leadership in the context of the local church in First Corinthians chapter 11 where does he go to he goes to Creation what was forfeit by the first Adam is secured for us by the last atom in fact we might even extrapolate from this particular study that the old man is Adam and the new man is Christ by the grace of God in this new covenant era the old man is gone the old man is dead the old man is decimated but the new man Christ that's what's supposed to activate you that's what's supposed to empower you that's what's supposed to move you into the conduct that is consistent with the gospel of your high calling so the Apostle Paul sets before us a contrast with the Gentiles and then he describes the characteristics of the believer and in conclusion he wants us not to live like the Gentiles live he wants us to engage the mind and the heart in the service of God most high he wants us to walk in a manner that is consistent with our calling consistent with what has happened to us in regeneration consistent with the reality that the old man has been put off that the the mind is being renewed and that the new man has been put on and that we are to pursue and we are to go after those things described at the end of verse 24. in true righteousness and Holiness the new man doesn't exhibit characteristics or traits or or ideals that were never before known they were known but they were lost they were known but they were forfeit they were known but they were thrown away by the first Adam but through the life death and resurrection of the last Adam through our blessed savior King through the Lord Jesus Christ who lived a life of perfect obedience to the law who died as a sacrifice for us and it was raised again the third day the Lord God most high saves Us by grace through faith in him we have a new mind we have a new heart we have a new orientation we have a new life we're not alienated from the life in God but now rather we have intimacy with God and as a result of that that we are to pursue those things that are pleasing in the sight of God Almighty and Paul will enumerate those things in the the section that follows verse 25 all the way to the end of the book of Ephesians so when we consider this with reference to our path may it be the case that we pursue these things again not thinking that we're going to be saved because we do that there's a particular order set forth in this particular uh book you've got Doctrine how we uh come to saving knowledge of our blessed savior and then the practical application so chapters one to three tell us how God saved us chapters four to six tell us how we are to live as saved people by our gracious God and if you're not a Believer here tonight I want to encourage you to look at what God does for very needy Sinners your life is a mess our lives were a mess every single person in here we all had much sin much Rebellion much antipathy against the god of Heaven and Earth we raised our fist toward him perhaps not uh you know physically but that was our life that was our orientation we were just like what's written here concerning these Gentiles the mind the heart was darkened and there was no understanding we were past feeling in our in our approach to sin we're the kinds of people that were estranged from God most high but God most high saved us and so the point is is if there's hope for sinners in this room There's Hope for Sinners everywhere if there is hope for the chief of Sinners that's Paul the Apostle in first Timothy chapter 1 verse 15. There's Hope in Jesus Christ for Sinners and here so look unto the Lord Jesus Christ in faith and you will have everlasting life well let us pray Our Father in heaven we thank you for your word we thank you for your grace and for the mercy that you have displayed to us in and through the work of our blessed savior we ask now that you would go with us in this coming week she would help us to live in light passages like these to find our comfort and our joy and our Blessed Redeemer and may we seek to glorify you in this present evil age and as we compare what's happening in terms of our own life situation in this 21st century world as we look at what Paul says concerning Gentiles and verses 17 to 19 we see there is nothing new Under the Sun and we believe and are assured that it's your gospel which is the power of God unto salvation that this generation desperately needs to hear so bless gospel ministers bless evangelists bless those who seek to share the truth with their loved ones with their their friends with families with with with strangers and may you be pleased to bless that endeavor for the Salvation of a great multitude and we ask this through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation