Beyond Comprehension

Can You Hear Him?

Ephesians 4.17-32

[Through the first three chapters of Ephesians Paul shared with us the great and mysterious things that God has done for us; those things that we could not know apart from God's revelation.] 

[Then, In Ephesians chapter four Paul declares, in essence, as a result of these marvelous things here is what you should be.  He first declares to us that we should be a unified, caring and maturing body of Christ.  And now he declares that we should live purified lives in Christ.  So, Just what does Paul say about a purified Christian life?] 

A.  You can be Alienated From Life (vs 17-19) 

1.   The Multitudes (vs 17; Matt 7.13-14) ["Walk not as other gentiles walk, in the vanity of their minds,"] 

[a.  The other gentiles.] 

[b.  Vanity - mataiotes mat-ah-yot'-ace (gk) - 1) what is devoid of truth and appropriateness 2) perverseness, depravity 3) frailty, want of vigour] 

[Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. ] 

2.   Their Mindset (vs 18) [– “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:”  - Notice that these vain Gentiles have:] 

[a.  Darkened understanding - Lacking light.] 

[1)  The Blind leading the blind (Luke 6.39).] 

[Luke 6:39 ³⁹ And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? ]

[b.  Alienated lives - They are shut out from life.] 

[c.  Callused hearts - The Blindness of their heart.] 

[1)  Blindness - porosis po'-ro-sis (gk) -  1) the covering with a callus 2) obtrusiveness of mental discernment, dulled perception 3) the mind of one has been blunted] 

3.   Their Malady (vs 19) [- Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.  - The cancer of their lives.] 

[a.  They are calloused to spiritual conviction. - Past Feeling -   Their hearts are hardened.] 

[1)  Past feeling - apalgeo ap-alg-eh'-o (gk) - 1) to cease to feel pain or grief  1a) to bear troubles with greater equanimity, cease to feel pain at 1b) to become callous, insensible to pain, apathetic] 

[b.  They are consumed by their desires.] 

[1)  Lasciviousness - aselgeia as-elg'-i-a (gk) -  1) unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness, outrageousness, shamelessness, insolence] 

[c.  They are reckless in their works - work all uncleanness with greediness.] 

B.  You must be Aligned by His presence (vs 20-24) 

1.   The Sanctum of his presence (vs 20-21; John 14.16-17; 26) ["ye have heard Him, and have been taught by Him"] 

"Not to learn of Christ, but to learn Christ." 

[a.  To hear the living Savior (John 14.16-17).] 

[John 14:16-17 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. ] 

[b.  To be taught by God (John 14.26).] 

[John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. ] 

2.   Leads to the Surrender your life (vs 22; Rom 12.1) [- "Put off concerning the former conversation"] 

[Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. ] 

3.   Brings the Sanctification of your mind (vs 23; Romans 12.2) [- “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;”] 

[a.  Renewed - ananeoo an-an-neh-o'-o (gk) Pres, Pass, Infinitive - to renew] 

[Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. ] 

4.   Results in the Similitude of your Father (vs 24; Rom 12.2; 1 Pet 1.15-16) [- "Put on . . . after God"] 

[a.  Like father, like son.] 

[b.  In righteousness] 

[Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. ] 

[c.  Holiness (1 Pet 1.15-16).] 

[Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. ] 

[1 Peter 1:15-16 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. ] 

C.  You will be Alive by His Spirit (vs 30, 25-32) [Seven things will mark a Spiritual Christian.  You will be:] 

1.   Distinct in your integrity (vs 25) [- “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.” - Integrity speaks of wholeness] 

[a.  His honesty - He will speak the truth.  He will be trustworthy.] 

[b.  His fellowship - He is a part of the whole.] 

2.   Disciplined in your emotions (vs 26) [– “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:”] 

[a.  He will have his emotions - be ye angry.] 

[b.  He will control his emotions - and sin not.] 

[c.  He will care for his emotion - Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.] 

3.   Discerning in your spirit (vs 27; 1 John 4.1) – “Neither give place to the devil.” 

[1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. ] 

4.   Discrete in your sufficiency (vs 28; 2 Thess 3.10,12) [- “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.”  - providing for himself and others.] 

[2 Thes. 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. ] 

[2 Thes. 3:12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. ] 

[2 Thes. 3:13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.] 

5.   Determined in your conversation (vs 29) [-  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.  - Christian communication.] 

[a.  Edifying.] 

[b.  Minister grace to the hearers.] 

6.   Directed in your heart (vs 30; Gal 5.25,16) [- “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” - grieve not the Holy Spirit.] 

[Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. ] 

[Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. ] 

["A Christian who refuses to be submissive to the Holy Spirit risks becoming calloused to His direction."] 

7.   Diligent in your relationships (vs 32) – “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”  

[a.  Kind] 

[b.  Tenderhearted] 

[c.  Forgiving] 

CrossRoads Baptist Church, 19 August 2007