SERIES: EPHESIANS: THE CALL AND CONDUCT OF THE CHURCH, WEEK 36

TITLE: FROM PRINCIPLE TO PRACTICE, PART II

TEXT: EPHESIANS 4:29-32

INTRODUCTION: (1) IN MATTHEW 12:34, JESUS SAID, “FOR OUT OF THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART THE MOUTH SPEAKETH.”

* NOW WHAT JESUS MEANT BY THAT IS: “WHAT WE ARE ON THE INSIDE WILL COME OUT OF OUR MOUTHS.” “WE SPEAK WHAT WE ARE.”

** OUR MOUTHS ARE INDICATORS OF WHAT’S IN THE HEART, WHAT’S ON THE INSIDE.

*** AND IF WE ARE DIRTY ON THE INSIDE, FILTH AND DIRT WILL COME OUT OF OUR MOUTHS.

**** AND IF WE ARE CLEAN ON THE INSIDE, THEN PURE WORDS WILL COME OUT OF OUR MOUTHS.

(2) WHICH LEADS US TO AN IMPORTANT CONCLUSION. AND THAT IS IF YOU HAVE A RENEWED HEART THROUGH SALVATION, THEN TO A CERTAIN DEGREE, YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE A RENEWED MOUTH.

* IN FACT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENS WHEN WE BECOME CHRISTIANS IS THAT THE LORD CHANGES OUR SPEECH AND WHAT WE TALK ABOUT.

** AND PEOPLE WILL SAY, “YOU KNOW, SINCE I BECAME A CHRISTIAN, I DON’T SWEAR ANYMORE. IT’S AMAZING, I TALK DIFFERENT.”

*** AND FOR SOME PEOPLE, THEY ACTUALLY TALK LESS FOR AWHILE, FOR AFTER THEY TAKE AWAY ALL THEIR 4 LETTER WORDS, THEIR VOCABULARY IS LIMITED FOR AWHILE. THERE’S NOT A WHOLE LOT TO SAY, THEY LEARN A WHOLE NEW VOCABULARY.

(3) BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS CHRISTIANITY SHOULD HAVE A PROFOUND EFFECT ON THE MOUTH, WHAT WE SAY, WHO WE TALK ABOUT, AND THE WORDS WE USE.

* AND THE BIBLE HAS A LOT TO SAY ABOUT WHAT SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT COME OUT OF OUR MOUTHS.

** AND AS NEW CREATIONS IN CHRIST, WE MUST BE COMMITTED TO THE FACT THAT A NEW MAN SHOULD HAVE A NEW MOUTH, AND THAT A NEW MOUTH SHOULD HAVE A NEW SPEECH.

*** AND OUR HEART-DESIRE AS BELIEVERS SHOULD BE THAT WE WANT TO TALK LIKE CHRIST, THAT OUR SPEECH WOULD BE LIKE HIS, AND WHAT CAME OUT OF HIS MOUTH, SHOULD COME OUT OF OUR MOUTHS.

(4) NOW WHAT CAME OUT OF JESUS’ MOUTH? WELL IN MATTHEW 5:2 IT SAYS IN SPEAKING ABOUT JESUS, “THAT HE OPENED HIS MOUTH AND TAUGHT THEM.”

* SO HE OPENED HIS MOUTH AND OUT CAME INSTRUCTION AND THAT’S CERTAINLY POSITIVE. INSTRUCTION SHOULD COME OUT OF OUR MOUTH.

** IN LUKE 4:22, LUKE SAID ABOUT JESUS, “AND ALL BORE HIM WITNESS AND WONDERED AT THE GRACIOUS WORDS WHICH PROCEEDED OUT OF HIS MOUTH.”

** AND IN THIS TEXT, JESUS OPENED HIS MOUTH AND SPOKE GRACIOUSLY, GENTLY, COURTEOUSLY AND BECOMINGLY.

(5) THEN IN LUKE 11:54 IT SAYS THE SCRIBES AND THE PHARISEES WERE “LAYING WAIT FOR HIM, AND SEEKING TO CATCH SOMETHING OUT OF HIS MOUTH, THAT THEY MIGHT ACCUSE HIM.”

* BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES WERE NEVER ABLE TO ACCUSE HIM, FOR JESUS NEVER MADE AN ERROR WITH HIS MOUTH, WHICH ACCORDING TO JAMES 3:2, SHOWS THAT HE WAS A PERFECT MAN.

** FOR JAMES 3:2 SAYS: FOR WE ALL STUMBLE IN MANY WAYS. IF ANYONE DOES NOT STUMBLE IN WHAT HE SAYS, HE IS A PERFECT MAN, ABLE TO BRIDLE THE WHOLE BODY AS WELL.

*** AND OF COURSE JESUS WAS PERFECT IN EVERY WAY, HE NEVER SINNED.

(6) IN FACT, IN I PETER 2:22&23 PETER SAID, REGARDING THE MOUTH OF JESUS: (READ IT).

* AND FOLKS, JESUS NEVER SAID A WORD THAT WOULD DECEIVE ANYBODY, TRICK ANYBODY, HOOK ANYBODY OR COVER UP ANY TRUTH.

** AND OUR DESIRE AS BELIEVERS SHOULD BE I WANT TO TALK LIKE HIM, WHAT CAME OUT OF HIS MOUTH, I WANT TO COME OUT OF MY MOUTH. I WANT TO BE CHRIST-LIKE IN MY SPEECH.

(7) AND EPHESIANS 4:29-32 GIVES US SOME INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW WE CAN BE CHRIST-LIKE IN OUR SPEECH, HOW WE SHOULD TALK AS CHRISTIANS, WHAT SHOULD AND WHAT SHOULD NOT COME OUT OF OUR MOUTHS.

* AND PAUL CONTINUES TO INSTRUCT BELIEVERS ON HOW TO WALK THE WORTHY WALK IN OUR TEXT TODAY.

** AND WE’VE LEARNED IN OUR STUDY UP TO THIS TIME THAT A TRUE BELIEVER IS A NEW MAN, A NEW CREATION IN CHRIST.

*** AND BELIEVERS HAVE PUT ON THE NEW MAN, AND THE OLD MAN IS DEAD, SO WE ARE TO WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE AND WALK THE WORTHY PLEASING WALK.

(8) AND BELOVED REMEMBER, WE ARE NOT WHAT WE WERE, SO WE ARE TO LIVE OUT WHAT WE ARE, TO MATCH UP OUR PRACTICE WITH OUR POSITION.

* TRUE BELIEVERS HAVE PUT ON THE NEW MAN AND HAVE PUT OFF THE OLD AT CONVERSION. THE RAGS OF THE OLD HAVE BEEN PUT OFF AND NOW WE WEAR THE ROBES OF THE NEW, WE HAVE A NEW NATURE AND THE MIND OF CHRIST!

** BECAUSE OF THAT WE NEED TO LAY ASIDE CERTAIN THINGS. AND TWO WEEKS AGO WE LEARNED THAT WE ARE TO LAY ASIDE LYING, TO LAY ASIDE UNRIGHTEOUS ANGER AND LAY ASIDE STEALING IN VV. 25-28.

*** AND THE TRUTH BEHIND ALL OF THIS IS WE ARE TO MOVE FROM OUR POSITION IN CHRIST TO A CERTAIN PRACTICE.

(9) WE’VE HEARD THE ARGUMENT OF WHO WE ARE, NOW WE MOVE TO THE APPLICATION. AND WHAT IS TRUE ALREADY IN PRINCIPLE, VV. 20-24 MUST NOW BE MADE REAL IN ACTUAL PRACTICE, VV. 25-32.

* SO I’VE TITLED OUR MESSAGE THIS MORNING, “FROM PRINCIPLE TO PRACTICE, PART II.” AND AGAIN WE ARE CHALLENGED TO PUT OFF CERTAIN THINGS AND PUT ON OTHER THINGS IN ITS PLACE BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE. (WE ARE TO LIVE OUT WHAT WE ARE, TO LIVE LIKE A SON OF THE KING.)

** AND UNDER THAT THEME WE’LL LOOK AT 4 THINGS, NO. 1 THE CONTRAST IN OUR SPEECH, V. 29; NO. 2 THE COMMAND NOT TO GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT, V. 30; AND NO. 3 THE CONFLICT WE WILL HAVE IF WE DON’T PUT AWAY CERTAIN THINGS, V. 31; AND NO. 4 THE COMPASSION WE ARE TO HAVE AS BELIEVERS, V. 32.

*** SO WE’LL LOOK AT THE CONTRAST, THE COMMAND, THE CONFLICT AND THE COMPASSION AS WE MOVE FROM PRINCIPLE TO PRACTICE.

- AND WITH THOSE POINTS TO HANG YOUR THOUGHTS ON, LOOK AT V. 29 WHERE WE’LL BEGIN BY LOOKING AT THE CONTRAST.

I. THE CONTRAST, (READ V. 29)

A. NOW IN V. 29 WE HAVE A CONTRAST BETWEEN CORRUPT SPEECH WHICH HAS NO PLACE IN OUR LIVES TO GOOD SPEECH WHICH BUILDS OTHERS UP.

* AND FIRST OF ALL PAUL SAYS: LET NO UNWHOLESOME WORD PROCEED FROM YOUR MOUTH – BELIEVER.

** AND THE WORD UNWHOLESOME, TRANSLATED CORRUPT IN THE KJV AND NKJV REFERS TO THAT WHICH IS WORTHLESS, USELESS, FOUL, UNFIT OR DISEASED, AND WAS USED OF ROTTEN FRUIT, VEGETABLES, AND OTHER SPOILED FOOD.

1. NOW IF YOU’VE EVER BEEN AROUND ROTTEN FRUIT YOU KNOW THAT IT SMELLS TERRIBLE AND IS WORTHLESS. YOU DON’T WANT TO GET NEAR IT, LET ALONE EAT IT.

* WELL, THE SAME THING IS TRUE OF ROTTEN LANGUAGE, UNWHOLESOME WORDS; WE SHOULD NOT WANT TO HAVE ANY PART OF IT, WHETHER IT IS OFF COLOR JOKES, PROFANITY, DIRTY STORIES OR ANY KIND OF ROTTEN SPEECH.

** AND BELOVED, FOUL LANGUAGE SHOULD NEVER PROCEED FROM THE MOUTH OF A CHRISTIAN, BECAUSE IT IS TOTALLY OUT OF CHARACTER WITH OUR NEWNESS OF LIFE. IT IS UNBECOMING FOR A CHRISTIAN AND MUST BE COMPLETELY PUT AWAY.

2. THE REASON BEING NO UNWHOLESOME WORDS SHOULD PROCEED FROM OUR MOUTHS. SO THAT MEANS THAT OUR TONGUES AND OUR HEARTS MUST BE UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE SPIRIT.

* AND AS I SAID IN OUR INTRODUCTION THIS MORNING, A FOUL MOUTH COMES FROM A FOUL HEART, AND THE ONLY WAY FOR THE LORD TO CLEANSE OUR TONGUE IS THROUGH HIS WORD, THAT PURIFIES OUR HEARTS AND TONGUES, WE MUST APPLY COLOSSIANS 3:16 WHICH IS SYNONYMOUS WITH BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT.

** AND AS WE FILL OUR LIVES WITH THE WORD SO THAT OUR WORDS MIGHT BE WHAT THEY SHOULD BE, LET US PRAY WHAT THE PSALMIST PRAYED IN PSALM 141:3, PSALM 19:14 AND MATTHEW 4:4 (READ THEM).

3. NOW GET THIS, IN ADDITION TO PUTTING AWAY CORRUPT AND HARMFUL LANGUAGE WE ARE TO DEVELOP SPEECH THAT IS PURE, HELPFUL AND PLEASING TO GOD, AGAIN THIS IS THE CONTRAST.

* AND PAUL HERE MENTIONS 3 SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS OF WHOLESOME SPEAKING. NO. 1 THE WORDS OF A CHRISTIAN ARE TO BE GOOD FOR EDIFICATION.

** AND THE WORD EDIFICATION LIT. MEANS TO BUILD UP THE WORDS OF ONE WHO PROMOTES ANOTHER’S GROWTH.

*** SO THAT MEANS THAT OUR SPEECH SHOULD BUILD UP BY BEING HELPFUL, CONSTRUCTIVE, ENCOURAGING, INSTRUCTIVE AND UPLIFTING.

4. NOW SOMETIMES OF COURSE, IT MUST BE CORRECTIVE; BUT THAT, TOO, IS EDIFYING WHEN DONE IN THE RIGHT SPIRIT.

* IN PROVERBS 25:12, SOLOMON SAID: “AS AN EARRING OF GOLD, AND AN ORNAMENT OF FINE GOLD, SO IS A WISE REPROVER UPON AN OBEDIENT EAR.” SO SOMETIMES REPROOF IS A PART OF EDIFICATION.

5. AND THE THOUGHT IS, OUR WORDS NEED TO BE EDIFYING.

* NO. 2 EVERYTHING WE SAY SHOULD BE APPROPRIATE, ACCORDING TO THE NEED OF THE MOMENT ACCORDING TO V. 29.

* IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT WE SAY SHOULD BE FITTING FOR THE SITUATION. AND SOME THINGS ARE BETTER IF NOT COMMUNICATED, IF LEFT UNSAID. WE NEED TO MEET THE NEED OF THE MOMENT, WORDS THAT ARE SUITABLE FOR THE SITUATION.

** PROVERBS 25:11 SAYS: (READ IT).

*** PROVERBS 15:23 SAYS: “A MAN HAS JOY IN AN APT ANSWER, AND HOW DELIGHTFUL IS A TIMELY WORD!”

6. THEN THIRDLY IN THE LAST PART OF V. 29, WHAT WE SAY SHOULD BE GRACIOUS, THAT IT MAY GIVE GRACE TO THOSE WHO HEAR. WE SHOULD SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE AS WE HAVE LEARNED IN V. 15.

* IN FACT IN COLOSSIANS 4:5&6 IT SAYS: (READ IT).

** AND UNDERSTAND THIS, EVEN TELLING UNSAVED PEOPLE OF THEIR SIN IS A GRACIOUS THING TO DO, AND EVEN TO SAVED PEOPLE IF IT IS DONE FOR THE RIGHT PURPOSE AND IN THE RIGHT SPIRIT.

*** AND OUR WORDS NEED TO BE FILLED WITH GRACE, SEASONED WITH SALT AS WE TALK WITH THE UNSAVED AND SALT IS A PRESERVATIVE AS ONE OF IT’S FUNCTIONS AND HELPS RETARD SPOILAGE.

7. AND THE GRACIOUS WORDS OF CHRISTIANS HELP STOP THE MORAL AND SPIRITUAL SPOILAGE IN THE WORLD AROUND THEM. AND OUR GRACIOUSNESS REFLECTS THE GRACE OF CHRIST, WHO USES OUR GRACIOUSNESS TO DRAW OTHERS TO HIS GRACE.

* AND WITH V. 29 IN MIND, THE CONTRAST IS CLEAR, PUT AWAY UNWHOLESOME WORDS, PUT IN ITS PLACE PURE WORDS, GOOD WORDS, EDIFYING WORDS. AND OH HOW WE NEED TO GUARD OUR TONGUES. FOR IF WE DON’T, WE GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHICH LEADS US TO OUR SECOND POINT, THE COMMAND. LOOK AT V. 30.

II. THE COMMAND, (READ V. 30)

A. NOW WHAT GRIEVES THE HOLY SPIRIT? WELL THE ANSWER IS THE SINS TALKED ABOUT IN THIS TEXT AND OF COURSE ALL SIN.

* BUT SPECIFICALLY IN THIS CONTEXT, LYING - V. 25, UNRIGHTEOUS ANGER - V. 26, STEALING – V. 28 AND UNWHOLESOME WORDS – V. 29.

** AND BELOVED WHEN WE ALLOW THESE SINS IN OUR LIVES WE GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT. AND THE WORD GRIEVE LIT. MEANS TO MAKE SORROWFUL; TO AFFECT WITH SADNESS, TO CAUSE GRIEF, TO OFFEND, TO MAKE ONE UNEASY.

1. AND SIN IN OUR LIVES IS PAINFUL TO THE SPIRIT THAT INDWELLS US. HE IS THE HOLY SPIRIT AND UNHOLINESS SADDENS HIM, HE IS A PERSON NOT A THING, NOT AN INFLUENCE AND THIS COMMAND SHOWS HIS PERSONALITY.

* AND SOMETIMES WE ARE SO ACCUSTOMED TO THE HOLY SPIRIT AS A TITLE FOR THE 3’D PERSON OF THE TRINITY THAT WE FORGET THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ADJECTIVE, THE WORD BEFORE SPIRIT, THE WORD HOLY AND WE FORGET THAT HE IS A PERSON.

** AND REBELLION, SIN, OFFENDS HIS HOLINESS FOR YOU SEE ALL SIN IS PAINFUL TO GOD.

*** THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD WEEPS, AS IT WERE WHEN HE SEES CHRISTIANS LYING, INSTEAD OF SPEAKING THE TRUTH, BECOMING UNRIGHTEOUSLY ANGRY RATHER THAN RIGHTEOUSLY ANGRY, STEALING INSTEAD OF SHARING, AND SPEAKING CORRUPT INSTEAD OF UPLIFTING AND GRACIOUS WORDS.

**** AND WHATEVER VIOLATES THE WILL OF GOD AND HIS HOLINESS WILL GRIEVE THE THIRD PERSON OF THE TRINITY.

2. AND NOTE THAT PAUL ASKS IN EFFECT IN V. 30, “HOW CAN WE DO THAT WHICH IS SO DISPLEASING TO THE ONE BY WHOM WE HAVE BEEN SEALED FOR THE DAY OF REDEMPTION?”

* THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD’S PERSONAL MARK OF AUTHENTICITY ON US, HIS STAMP OF DIVINE APPROVAL, HIS SEAL OF SECURITY.

** SO HOW CAN WE GRIEVE THE ONE WHO IS OUR HELPER, OUR TEACHER, OUR COMFORTER, OUR ADVOCATE, THE ONE WHO INDWELLS US, WHO IS THE DOWN-PAYMENT THAT OUR ETERNAL REDEMPTION IS GUARANTEED? EPHESIANS 1:13&14

*** NOW THE QUESTION IS, HOW CAN WE UNGRACIOUSLY GRIEVE GOD’S INFINITELY GRACIOUS HOLY SPIRIT? HE HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR US THAT, OUT OF GRATITUDE, WE OUGHT NOT TO GRIEVE HIM.

3. AND THE COMMAND NOT TO SHOW INGRATITUDE TO THE HOLY SPIRIT IS BASED ON THE FACT THAT HE HAS SECURED OUR SALVATION.

* AND PAUL IS NOT SAYING WE SHOULD AVOID SIN IN ORDER TO KEEP OUR SALVATION, BUT RATHER THAT WE SHOULD BE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL TO THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR HIS MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR US NOT TO LOSE IT, PRAISE GOD. WE ARE SEALED FOR THE DAY OF REDEMPTION.

** SO WHAT’S THE MOTIVATION TO KEEP THIS COMMAND OF V. 30? LOVE, NOT LAW, JOHN 14:15.

*** AND FOLKS THE COMMAND OF V. 30 REMINDS US OF GOD’S GRACE AND LOVE AND HIS HOLINESS, SO LET’S BE HOLY IN OUR SPEECH, WHICH LEADS US TO V. 31, WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR THIRD POINT TODAY, THE CONFLICT. LOOK AT V. 31 PLEASE.

III. THE CONFLICT, (READ V. 31)

A. NOW THE SINS TALKED ABOUT IN V. 31 INVOLVE CONFLICT BETWEEN PERSON AND PERSON, BETWEEN BELIEVER AND UNBELIEVER AND WORSE THAN THAT BETWEEN BELIEVER AND BELIEVER.

* AND THESE PARTICULAR SINS ARE SINS THAT BREAK FELLOWSHIP AND DESTROY RELATIONSHIPS, THAT WEAKEN THE CHURCH AND MAR ITS TESTIMONY BEFORE THE WORLD.

** AND WHEN AN UNBELIEVER SEES CHRISTIANS ACTING JUST LIKE THE REST OF SOCIETY, THE CHURCH IS BLEMISHED IN HIS EYES AND HE IS CONFIRMED STILL FURTHER IN RESISTING THE CLAIMS OF THE GOSPEL.

1. SO THE SINS TALKED ABOUT IN V. 31 ARE TO BE PUT AWAY FROM US, FOR AGAIN REMEMBER WHO WE ARE.

* NOW SPECIFICALLY THE SIN OF BITTERNESS MUST BE PUT AWAY FROM US. AND THE WORD BITTERNESS REFLECTS A SMOLDERING RESENTMENT, A BROODING GRUDGE-FILLED ATTITUDE.

** IT IS THE SPIRIT OF IRRITABILITY THAT KEEPS A PERSON IN CONTINUAL ANIMOSITY TOWARDS SOMEONE.

*** AND THAT KIND OF PERSON IS NORMALLY SOUR, VENOMOUS, VINDICTIVE, AND AS A RESULT MISERABLE. FOR BITTERNESS IS A SPIRITUAL DISEASE THAT DESTROYS THE JOY OF OUR SALVATION.

**** AND IT IS A FAST SPREADING DISEASE THAT IF NOT PUT IN CHECK WILL AFFECT ALL OF OUR RELATIONSHIPS. THIS SIN MUST BE PUT AWAY.

***** THE ROOT OF BITTERNESS HAS DEFILED MANY A PERSON, HEBREWS 12:14 & 15.

2. NOW MOVING ON THE 2’D SIN DESCRIBED THAT PUTS US IN CONFLICT WITH OTHERS IS WRATH. AND WRATH HAS TO DO WITH WILD RAGE, THE PASSION OF THE MOMENT.

* AND THE NEXT SIN IS ANGER. AND THE WORD FOR ANGER HERE HAS TO DO WITH A SETTLED FEELING OF ANGER, AN INTERNAL SMOLDERING, A DEEP FEELING THAT LEADS TO THE NEXT SIN, CLAMOR.

** AND CLAMOR IS THE SHOUT OR OUTCRY OF STRIFE AND ANGER AND REFLECTS THE PUBLIC OUTBURST THAT REVEALS LOSS OF CONTROL.

*** THE NEXT SIN IS SLANDER AND IS THE GREEK WORD BLAS-FAY-ME-AH, WHICH YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN, FROM WHICH WE GET THE WORD BLASPHEMY. AND IT LIT. MEANS INJURIOUS SPEECH TO ANOTHER’S GOOD NAME.

- AND SPECIFICALLY IN THIS CONTEXT IS THE ONGOING DEFAMATION OF SOMEONE THAT RISES FROM A BITTER HEART. SLANDERING SOMEONE.

3. THEN PAUL ADDS AT THE END OF V. 31, ALL MALICE. AND THIS WORD IS A TERM FOR EVIL THAT IS THE ROOT OF ALL VICES. IT HAS TO DO WITH ILL WILL, WICKEDNESS, BAD FEELINGS OF EVERY KIND.

* AND BELOVED, PAUL SAYS ALL OF THESE SINS MUST BE PUT AWAY FROM US. THEY ARE SINS THAT CAUSE CONFLICT IN ALL KINDS OF RELATIONSHIPS AT WORK, IN THE HOME AND EVEN AT CHURCH.

** AND AS WE PUT AWAY THESE THINGS, WE PUT SOMETHING IN THEIR PLACE FOUND IN V. 32, AND THAT IS COMPASSION. LOOK AT V. 32 WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR LAST POINT TODAY.

IV. THE COMPASSION, (READ V. 32)

A. NOW IN THE PLACE OF ALL THE SINS THAT CAUSE CONFLICT IN V. 31, WE ARE TO BE COMPASSIONATE.

* WE ARE TO BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER, TENDERHEARTED, FORGIVING EACH OTHER, JUST AS GOD IN CHRIST ALSO HAS FORGIVEN US.

** AND THESE ACTS OF COMPASSION ARE GRACES GOD HAS SHOWN TO US AND THEY ARE THE GRACIOUS VIRTUES WE ARE TO SHOW TO OTHERS.

*** AND THE MOTIVATION FOR OUR KINDNESS, OUR TENDERHEARTEDNESS AND OUR FORGIVING EACH OTHER IS GOD’S KINDNESS, GOD’S TENDERHEARTEDNESS AND GOD’S FORGIVENESS.

1. AND REMEMBER, GOD DID NOT LOVE US, CHOOSE US AND REDEEM US BECAUSE WE WERE DESERVING, BUT PURELY BECAUSE HE IS GRACIOUS.

- EPHESIANS 1:4-6 – 4 JUST AS HE CHOSE US IN HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, THAT WE WOULD BE HOLY AND BLAMELESS BEFORE HIM. IN LOVE

5 HE PREDESTINED US TO ADOPTION AS SONS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST TO HIMSELF, ACCORDING TO THE KIND INTENTION OF HIS WILL,

6 TO THE PRAISE OF THE GLORY OF HIS GRACE, WHICH HE FREELY BESTOWED ON US IN THE BELOVED.

* ALSO READ TITUS 3:5.

** AND BELOVED, SINCE GOD IS SO GRACIOUS TO US, HOW MUCH MORE, THEN, SHOULD WE BE KIND, TENDERHEARTED AND FORGIVING TO FELLOW SINNERS, ESPECIALLY TO ONE ANOTHER.

*** AND IT IS VITAL THAT WE GET BEYOND WHAT OTHERS MAY DESERVE. I MEAN IF YOU BASE YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD PEOPLE ON WHAT THEY DESERVE, YOU’VE MISSED THE POINT.

**** FOR GOD WAS KIND AND TENDERHEARTED TOWARD YOU, FORGIVING YOU AND ME, EVEN WHEN WE DIDN’T DESERVE IT, WHEN WE WERE HIS ENEMIES! AND HAVE WE FORGOTTEN THE GREAT DEBT THAT WE’VE BEEN FORGIVEN? SOMETIMES I THINK SO.

AND AS I WRAP UP THINGS TODAY: (1) THE CLEAREST AND MOST GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION OF FORGIVENESS TO ME IS IN THE PARABLE OF MATTHEW 18:21-35. (WE’VE COVERED IT BEFORE, BUT IT’S SO POWERFUL).

* AND IN THAT PARABLE, WHEN PETER ASKS ABOUT THE LIMITS OF FORGIVENESS, THE LORD TOLD HIM A STORY OF A MAN WITH AN UNPAYABLE DEBT WHO WAS FORGIVEN BY HIS CREDITOR, THE KING.

** NOW THIS WAS A PICTURE OF SALVATION, OF GOD FORGIVING A SINNER THE UNPAYABLE DEBT OF UNRIGHTEOUS REBELLION AGAINST HIM.

(2) BUT IF YOU RECALL IN THAT PARABLE, THE FORGIVEN MAN THEN WENT TO SOMEONE WHO OWED HIM A SMALL AMOUNT AND HAD HIM IMPRISONED FOR NON-PAYMENT.

* HE WHO HAD BEEN FORGIVEN A GREAT DEBT, AN UNPAYABLE DEBT WOULD NOT FORGIVE A SMALL, EASY-PAYABLE DEBT OF ANOTHER PERSON.

** AND THE INCONSISTENCY OF HIS ACTION SHOWS HOW RIDICULOUS IT IS FOR US WHO HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN OUR UNPAYABLE DEBT NOT TO FORGIVE SOMEONE A SMALL DEBT IN COMPARISON.

(3) BELOVED, WE OF ALL PEOPLE SHOULD BE EAGER TO FORGIVE, TO BE COMPASSIONATE, KIND AND TENDERHEARTED, AND NOT BITTER. IT’S RIDICULOUS IF WE’RE NOT.

* AND I CLOSE WITH A STORY I READ ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TO WARREN WIERSBE THAT ILLUSTRATES HOW RIDICULOUS BITTERNESS AND NOT FORGIVING CAN BE.

** WIERSBE SAID IN THIS STORY AND I QUOTE THAT “A HANDSOME ELDERLY MAN STOPPED AT MY STUDY ONE DAY AND ASKED ME IF I WOULD PERFORM A WEDDING FOR HIM.

*** I SUGGESTED THAT HE BRING THE BRIDE IN SO THAT WE MIGHT CHAT TOGETHER AND GET BETTER ACQUAINTED, SINCE I HESITATE TO MARRY STRANGERS.

(4) BEFORE SHE COMES IN, THE ELDERLY MAN SAID, LET ME EXPLAIN THIS WEDDING TO YOU, BOTH OF US HAVE BEEN MARRIED BEFORE TO EACH OTHER!

* OVER 30 YEARS AGO, WE GOT INTO AN ARGUMENT, I GOT MAD AND WE SEPARATED, THEN WE DID A STUPID THING AND GOT A DIVORCE.

** THE ELDERLY GENTLEMAN SAID, “I GUESS WE WERE BOTH TOO PROUD TO APOLOGIZE. WELL, ALL THESE YEARS WE’VE LIVED ALONE, AND NOW WE SEE HOW FOOLISH WE’VE BEEN.

*** OUR BITTERNESS HAS ROBBED US OF THE JOYS OF LIFE, AND NOW WE WANT TO REMARRY AND SEE IF THE LORD WON’T GIVE US A FEW YEARS OF HAPPINESS BEFORE WE DIE.”

(5) NOW THAT’S A BITTERSWEET STORY. I’M HAPPY THEY GOT BACK TOGETHER. BUT HOW FOOLISH TO BE BITTER AND UNFORGIVING FOR 30 YEARS AND LOSE ALL OF THAT TIME – WASTED YEARS!!

* AND I WONDER, HOW MANY OF US HAVE DONE THAT IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE WE WON’T TALK OR ARE BITTER AND SOUR AND LIVE AND WASTE TIME, WHERE WE WON’T FORGIVE.

** BELOVED, WE MUST PUT OFF UNWHOLESOME WORDS, AND BITTERNESS, WRATH, ANGER, CLAMOR, SLANDER AND MALICE.

*** AND WE MUST PUT ON KINDNESS, TENDERHEARTEDNESS AND FORGIVENESS. IF WE DON’T, WE GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT. WE SHOW OUR UNGRATEFULNESS FOR SO GREAT A SALVATION.