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Thursday Mar 25, 2021
Thursday Mar 25, 2021
Living Under the Influence
Eph. 5:18-21 March 21, 2021
I. Introduction:
A. At the recent No Regrets men’s’ conference, the speaker Chris Brown gave a
powerful message about the life of Samson. He made this powerful statement
“the scariest verse in the whole story was when Sampson woke up after having his
hair cut but he did not know that the Spirit of God had left him!” Did you catch
that – let me repeat that.
1. Then he asked this very convicting question: “If the Holy Spirit left your
life/ministry, how long would it take you to figure that out?” Wow!
2. I had a similar question asked of me many years ago when I first came into
the ministry from an older friend of mine named Bob Block! His question
was this: Pat, if the Holy Spirit was removed from your life and ministry
would anything be different? Did you catch that – let me repeat that.
3. As we discussed these questions the following week at the men’s breakfast, it
led us to this: before we know that He left us, we need to know what it looks
like when He is here!
B. This morning I want to answer this question– “What does it look like when the
Holy Spirit is in control of our lives?”
• Turn in your Bibles to Eph 5 where it talks about…
II. Being filled with the Holy Spirit
A. Read v18
B. The first thing I want you to note is that there is a contrast in this verse and that is
being drunk with wine and being filled with the Spirit. The point he is making is
simply this:
1. When a person is drunk they are under the control of alcohol so that their
behavior, attitudes and talk are all influenced by alcohol.
a) By the way when it says “for that is dissipation” it is simply saying in
this context that it is a reckless and mindless waste of time and
opportunity!
2. When a person is filled with the Holy Spirit they are under the control of the
Holy Spirit so that their behavior, attitudes and talk are all influenced by the
Holy Spirit.
3. Just as everything is different about you when you are drunk so everything
will be different about you when you are under the influence of, filled with
the Holy Spirit.
C. And by the way, this is an imperative, a present imperative. It is a command that
indicates the way we should always and habitually be living our lives, filled with,
under the control and influence by the Holy Spirit.
• So the question now is “What would be different in my life when my life is controlled
by the Holy Spirit?” That is what we see in the following verses…
III. The results of being filled with the Holy Spirit:
A. We see this in verses 19-21.
1. It is clearly laid out for us with 4 participles which describe for us what it
looks like to be filled with the Spirit. These participles are: speaking,
singing, thanks, be subject
2. Watch for these as I read this section, and more importantly as we read be
radically honest with yourself and ask if this describes your life!
3. Read v19-21
B. Let me describe each one briefly:
1. Speaking: read 19a
a) This is one that takes place during worship times with other believers as
we speak to each other, that is teach one another truths about God and
the spiritual life as we sing together
b) So let me ask you are you just one of those who stands quietly either
disengaged or critiquing while we sing or are you participating with all
your heart?
2. Singing: read 19b
a) This not only takes place on Sundays during worship but all week long as
you are walking through life
b) So let me ask you 2 questions:
(1) Sunday mornings-are you just singing songs or are you directing
your singing as a love song to God?
(2) And also, as you sing is it from the core of your being, your heart
or are you just singing words and hitting the right notes?
(3) And finally during the week, when you are not even trying do you
find a song ringing in your heart? Do you have a singing heart that
is singing to the lord?
3. Thanks: read v20
a) Simply, are you a grateful person or more of a critical and complaining
person?
b) Are you grateful both for the big gifts and the small gifts that God gives
us, and both for the good things and the painful things that He uses to do
good things in us?
4. Subject: read v21
a) Do you submit to others in the body of Christ? Do you joyfully abide
under the authority and opinions of other believers that they have for
your life?
b) Or do you not take serious what others bring to you about you, blow
them off, or even shut them out and even refuse to listen to them?
C. The way you answer all these questions will indicate if you are under the control
and influence of the Holy Spirit or not!
D. There is another passage that we can look at to see if the Holy Spirit is actively
working in our lives. It is Gal 5:22-23 where we learn what the fruit of the Spirit
is.
1. Fruit is what a tree or plant produces. So the fruit of the Spirit is what the
Holy Spirit produces in our life when we are walking with Him in control of
our lives
2. Read gal 5:22-23
3. How are you doing there? Are these evident on a regular basis in your life?
Or is your life more characterized by selfishness, complaining and
criticalness, uneasiness and anxiety, impatience, unkindness, evil, doubt,
harshness and undisciplined?
a) These are the things that are just the opposite of these fruits!
b) The way you answer that will tell you if the Spirit is in control or not?
4. And note: this is a single fruit, not fruits as if there are 9 separate fruits. It is
one fruit that has 9 different aspects to its DNA.
5. Let me try to illustrate it like this with just one aspect of this fruit:
a) It is a patience right in the middle of very difficult, discouraging
or stressful times that is full of love, a joyful patience, a
patience that is full of peace and not anxiety, it is a
patience that is kind and good, it is a patience that if full of
faith rather than doubt, a patience that is characterized by
gentleness rather than short and sharp with those around you, and it is a
patience that is in control of your thoughts and desires!
b) You see every one of these qualities is intertwined with all the other
ones!
E. So now we know what it looks like for the Holy Spirit to be in control of your life,
and if these things we talked about in Ephesians 5 and Gal 5 are not what
characterize your life and heart then we need to be honest with ourselves and not
be like Sampson that had no idea that the Holy Spirit had left him!
• Let me close by briefly speaking about 4 ways we get filled with the Holy Spirit. So
let’s look at:
IV. 4 ways we get filled with the Spirit:
A. First, be radically honest with God and yourself if you do not see the evidence of
the filling of the Spirit in your life. Confess to God that you are walking by
means of the flesh rather than the Spirit.
B. Second, ask God to fill you with the Spirit. We see in this context that it is
directly connected to God’s will.
1. Read 1 John 5:14-15
2. Start by asking the Father to fill your life with the Holy Spirit.
C. Third, I practice being where the Holy Spirit is!
1. If the Holy Spirit produces a worshipping, grateful and submissive heart then
I am intentional to practice whole hearted worship, be intentional to practice
daily gratitude and submit to and welcome those who come to you and speak
into your life.
2. I find that as I intentionally and daily practice those things the Holy Spirit
takes over and what started as a practice has become a new manifestation of
the Holy Spirit in my life that comes naturally.
D. Fourthly, it is interesting to note that in Col 3:16 it talks about God’s word richly
dwells within you, that does not mean you getting in the word but the word
getting in you deep enough that it becomes a part of who you are and the way you
think.
1. Then v17 tells us when that happens, when we are filled with the word, the
same results happen to us that happen when we are filled with the Spirit.
2. Listen to Col 3:16-17
3. This is no surprise as Jesus said that His words are Spirit and life!
4. When we meet with God in his word on a regular basis in a way that it is not
just you getting your time in the word but in a way that the word gets in you,
those very words fill you with the Spirit and life!
E. Finally, come next week as we spend a whole message talking more about how
we walk filled with the Spirit moment by moment!
Wednesday Mar 17, 2021
Wednesday Mar 17, 2021
Be Wise – Know the Will of God
Ephesians 515-18 March 14, 2021
I. Introduction:
A. Pastor’s kids have a unique life style and have to endure a lot, especially if you
were one of Pastor Pat Peglow’s kids! One thing I made them endure was that
every time as a family we were with a man or a woman I considered a godly
person I would ask them, “What advice would you give to my kids about life?”
1. One I remember in particular sums that up the heart of this passage and I
would have to say in hindsight was great wisdom. His answer was “know
God’s will and do it!”
B. That is the heart of today’s passage so please turn to Ephesians 5:15!
1. We are in the section of the book of Ephesians that talks about our walk as
new creatures who have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ!
2. Today we see that we are to walk as wise men!
C. The structure of the passage we will look at today is simple and will guide our
preaching both this week and next week. There are two things in particular that a
wise man/woman does in their walk.
1. 15 – call to walk wise
2. 16 – how to walk wise (general)
3. 17-18 - how to walk wise (two specifics)
D. Read v15-18
E. We are to be wise by making the most of our time, the most of the opportunities
we have during these evil ungodly days.
1. I love the word wise because it means to be skillful! To be an expert at
something, to be masterful!
2. I like to describe it this way – wisdom is being an expert artist at living life!
- PBP
a) I say living life because wisdom is not about head or classroom
knowledge but it is about the ability to live life well on the streets of real
life
b) I say an expert artist because wisdom is an art rather than a science that
just follows all the rules
c) This expert artist in living life knows just the right time and the right way
to apply the right truth of God to the right situation!
F. So bottom line, we learn in this passage that a wise person, the expert artist at
living life is going to make the most of their time as they live in this ungodly
world!
1. The first way we see in v17, we do that by understanding God’s will is for us
– we will deal with that this morning.
2. The second way we see in v18, it is by being filled with the Spirit - we will
deal with that the next two weeks.
• Let’s start by looking at
II. God’s will
A. Read v17
1. It appears that a foolish person is one who does not know what God’s will is
for their lives.
2. But the wise person, the one who is an expert artist at living life in this
ungodly world is one who understands what God’s will is.
B. To understand God’s will we need to understand that the Bible speaks of God’s
will from two perspectives and I think there are two aspects to each perspective.
1. The two areas of God’s will we will call His decreed will and His directed
will.
C. By God’s “decreed will” I mean that which God has ordained is going to happen
and they will happen because he decreed them! His sovereign or supreme will!
That comes in two different aspects.
1. First His revealed will – these are the things God has already revealed to us in
His Word that He has ordained
2. I believe that is primarily found in the covenants that he bound himself to!
Those were the covenant promises he made with Abraham, David, and in the
new covenant.
3. Second, His secret will – I believe these are the things in life that God has
ordained that He has not specifically revealed to us in His Word.
a) Example – turn and read Ephesians 1:11
b) Read Daniel 4:35
D. By God’s “directed will” I mean those things which God wants or desires for us
to do. This also comes in two different aspects
1. First, His revealed will – simply these are commands in God’s Word that He
has called us to do and they may happen because we can either obey Him or
disobey Him.
a) Every command to believers in the Scripture is an example of this:
b) Actually the verses we are dealing with today and next week are
examples of this – to understand God’s will and be filled with the Spirit
are commands – these are things God wants us to do!
c) They have to do with our thinking, attitudes, actions, talking, practices
etc.
2. Secondly, His secret will – those are the things God’s wants and desires for
us to do that are not specifically revealed in His Word.
a) This has to do with things like where do I go to school, who do I marry,
which job should I take, where should I live, etc.
b) Acts 16:9-10
E. So which of these wills is he referring to here in this passage so we can be expert
artist in living life in this evil world? I think it is both His decreed will and His
directed will.
1. I think His revealed decreed will because we can find great future hope in
what God has revealed about the future. In these evil days we need a hope to
keep us going
2. I think also it is His secret decreed will to be able to live wisely in this world
there will be so many things I do not understand. I need to fall back upon the
assurance that God is working all things both in this world and in my life
after the counsel of His will!
3. I think it is His revealed directed will in the commands that are revealed in
Scripture as we can only live like experts in this world if we follow God’s
commands – to not do so is only to our own hurt.
a) As Romans 12:2 says God’s will is good, acceptable (well pleasing) and
perfect!
4. Finally, His secret directed will; in the details of my life, God’s wisdom and
direction are necessary for me to live well in these ungodly days.
F. Summarize these very simply in a chart
decreed ordained will happen
revealed covenants/prophecies hope
secret details of life assurance
directed wants may happen
revealed commands perfect
secret details of life wise
• So let me close by addressing how I can know God’s will so I can walk wisely in
these few days I have on earth.
III. Knowing God’s will
A. Turn to Romans 12:1-2
1. Read NASB then read in NLT
2. Note that the ultimate end of this passage is discerning God’s will. “so that”
3. Three key principles from this passage
a) Make your life a blank check by handing it entirely over to God
(1) Your bodies represent your entire life here on earth and we are to
present our entire life to God as sacrifice, by making it fully
available to Him to do whatever He wants with our lives.
(2) Problem is this: God, tell me first what you want me to do then I
will consider if I like that or not and if I will say yes or no to it
(3) God is saying: say yes to me first, and then I will tell you what my
will is!
b) Reject the world’s ways and wisdom
(1) This simply means that I do not allow the world and its ways and
thinking to shape my ways and thinking, literally it means to not
let the world squeeze the way I think and live into its mold!
(2) Thus when I consider what God wants me to do my thinking is
driven by the world rather than God
c) Know God’s Word
(1) Our way of thinking needs to be totally transformed by God’s
Word.
(2) Thus when I consider what God wants me to do my thinking is
driven by God and His Word, then I can discern what God wants
me to do, that which is good, acceptable and perfect!
(3) The problem here is that so few Christians know God’s Word well
enough to discern the difference between that which comes from
God and that which comes from the world
(4) The more God’s Word has shaped our hearts and minds the better
we will be able to discern God’s thoughts, desires and voice
speaking to our hearts!
B. Leave you with two other things you can do to know God’s will
1. Pray – Colossians 1:9-10
2. Counsel with a few godly, biblically informed Christians
a) Read Proverbs 11:14
C. You want to walk wisely in these ungodly days? Know God’s will and do it!
Wednesday Mar 17, 2021
Wednesday Mar 03, 2021
Wednesday Mar 03, 2021
Do not Grieve the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 4:30 February 28, 2021
I. Introduction:
A. Listen to what Jesus said in John 7:38-39 about the Holy Spirit.
1. Let me ask you a few questions and I want you to answer very honestly to
yourself –
a) Does the Holy Spirit feel like a mighty river flowing within you and out
of you or does He feel more like a drip coming out of a faucet? Think
about that for a few moments!
b) An older friend of mine many years ago asked me essentially the same
question like this – if the Holy Spirit were removed from your
life/ministry would anything be different? Repeat! Think about that for
a few moments!
2. We have the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit living in us to
be our helper and comforter, the one who transforms us, dismantles the
power of sin in our lives and enables us to live for God! The same God lives
in us who:
a) Spoke the universe into existence
b) Split the Red Sea for Israel to cross and on the back hand destroyed the
whole Egyptian army with the whole sea
c) Who sent food from heaven to Israel when they were in the wilderness
d) Who caused a young virgin girl to conceive a child
e) Who turned water into wine
f) Who fed over 5000 people with just a few fish and loaves and had
basketsful of food left over.
g) Who raised Jesus from the dead
B. If you are a believer and you are not seeing evidence in your life of His powerful
work in and through you, this is very serious and should be addressed
immediately.
1. This picture helps explain the problem. Do you see it?
2. The water faucet is on full blast but something is blocking the flow of it so it
only comes out as a trickle!
3. The problem is that the elephant himself is standing on the hose and blocking
the flow!
C. We as believers do the exact same thing when we let sin continue in our lives and
we do not address it! We are the problem and thus we move from rivers of living
water coming out of our hearts to trickles of the Spirit’s work in our lives!
D. My point this morning is simple –a lifestyle of sin grieves the Spirit resulting in
quenching His work in our lives!
• Let’s see this in the Bible. Let’s start with
II. A lifestyle of sin
A. Turn to Ephesians 4 in your Bibles.
B. This whole section in Ephesians, from chapter 4:1 to Ephesians 6:9, is about our
walk as Christians, our habitual way of life, and e lifestyle!
C. In chapter 4 we learn
1. From verses, 17-19 that we are not to walk like the Gentiles whose lives are
driven by a way of thinking that excludes God and His Word.
2. Then we saw in verses 20-24 that we are to put off the old lifestyle because
we have already put off the old self and put on the new self.
3. Then in v25, he begins a series of specific applications and commands that
flow from the new man you now are!
a) In verse 25 – no lying but telling the truth
b) Verses 26-27 having a righteous anger and not hanging onto anger
c) Verse 28 – rather than stealing, work hard so you can share with others
d) In verse 29, we saw not speaking hurtful words but rather helpful words.
• Now we move to my second point which helps us see that a lifestyle of sin
III. Grieving the Holy Spirit
A. Listen as I read v30
B. Now we do not see it in the New American Standard but almost every other
translation rightfully starts the verse with the word “and.” This makes it a specific
link with the verse before it about harmful words and in general a link to all the
sins above: lying, anger, stealing, and hurtful words and even to all the sins listed
after it.
1. Read v31-32
2. Simply stated, when we have a way of living that reflects the world rather
than Christ, a lifestyle of sin or stuck in a habitual sin; we grieve the Holy
Spirit.
C. To grieve the Holy Spirit means to make Him sad and sorrowful.
1. This word is taken from a word that denotes a pain, a grief that can only be
experienced between two people who love each other deeply.
2. It is a word that was often used to picture what a husband or wife feels when
they discovered their mate has been unfaithful to them.
3. One scholar translates it like this: stop deeply wounding and causing such
extreme emotional pain to the Spirit of God!
4. We must remember the Holy Spirit is not an it but a person with real
emotions! Actually, He is not like us but we are like Him in that we have
been made in His image!
D. So bottom line when we act like the world, or talk like the world, and respond the
same way the world does, we cause the Holy Spirit to feel deep hurt and grief!
1. Note this also in this passage – most of these sins have to do with hurting
other people in the body of Christ.
2. So when we hurt other believers or treat them no differently than someone in
the world would treat them, we grieve the Holy Spirit!
• I believe that …
IV. Resulting in quenching His work in our lives!
A. Turn to 1 Thessalonians 5. Listen as I read v16-20.
B. In Ephesians 4, we grieve the Spirit when we sin against God and other believers.
Here in 1 Thessalonians 5 we quench the Spirit when we do not give Him the fuel
to keep the fire going in our hearts. The fuel is rejoicing, praying, being grateful
and receiving His word.
C. To quench means to extinguish a fire. This is how we cause the fervent activity
of the Spirit to stop in our hearts.
D. So my point today is when we sin against God by doing what we should not do –
sins of commission; or sin against God by not doing what we should do – sins of
omission it not only grieves the Spirit of God but it throws a wet blanket over His
working in our life!
E. I believe that grieving the Spirit and quenching the Spirit are two sides of the
same coin. See that displayed for us in Isaiah 63
1. In v7-9, we see God’s lovingkindness, goodness, compassion, His love and
mercy being poured upon Israel. Read
2. V10 starts with but – something happened that changed all of this.
a) Read 10a-b.
b) They sinned and it grieved God’s heart!
3. Then something changed and their sin that grieved God’s heart resulted in the
quenching of His work in their nation.
a) Read 10c-11
b) This reminds me of Psalm 30:6-7
(1) When God’s favor or face was shining upon them they felt strong
and unmovable
(2) But when God removed His favor and hid His face from them,
they were dismayed!
F. While in our time of the new covenant, God does not turn against His people or
withdraw His Spirit from them when they grieve Him by sinning. But it does
quench the work of the Spirit in our lives so what once felt like rivers of living
water flowing through us has become a drip from the faucet.
• So what do we do if we realize this is going on in our lives?
V. Application
A. So let’s look back at our original picture and see if we can find the answer.
1. Do you see it?
2. Get off the hose. – that is called repentance – change the way you think about
the way you are living in such a deep way that it changes the way you are
living.
3. When we go to God and deeply own our sins and open our hearts for the
Holy Spirit once again to burn brightly within us, He will burn away the sin
that is blocking the flow of the Holy Spirit.
B. So when we consider all the sins we have seen today, remember we are not
talking about a mess up here and there but rather a lifestyle that traffics in these
things.
1. We saw in Ephesians 4 earlier lying, unrighteous anger, stealing, and
especially our tongue are directly linked to grieving the Spirit
2. Add to those the ones in 1 Thessalonians 5 not rejoicing, not praying, not
being grateful and not receiving His word with an open heart
3. We must then add the rest of Ephesians 4 after the passage about grieving the
Spirit – read Ephesians 4:30-32
C. If this is true of you this morning then open your heart to the ministry of the
refiner’s fire!
D. Pray
Wednesday Feb 24, 2021
Wednesday Feb 24, 2021
Our Words – Harmful or Helpful
Ephesians 4:29 February 21, 2021 MVC
I. Introduction:
A. When I was growing up, I spent close to ten years playing baseball in various
different level leagues. All those years I played the same position – catcher. I
loved catching for two reasons:
1. First, in many ways, you were at the center of the game as every pitch you
called determined the speed, location and curvature of the ball.
2. Secondly, if you know anything about catchers there other job was to get into
the head of the batter by trash talking and confusing them to throw them off.
3. Unfortunately, some of that trash talking has carried over into my Christian
life and those who know me best know it all too well!
B. The section of Ephesians we are in right now is talking about our lifestyle, that
our walk and yes even our talk is to be consistent with who we are in Christ as
those who have laid aside the old man and put on a new man, so lay aside the
former manner of living as well.
• Turn in your Bibles to Ephesians 4:29. Last week we looked at the area of anger,
today we are going to look at
II. Our words
A. Read to Ephesians 4:29
B. Words are extremely powerful! Words are like a double-edged sword! They can
either build up or tear down, help or hurt, give life or take life from people.
Proverbs makes this very clear:
1. Proverbs 12:18 – either the thrust of a sword into someone’s soul or healing
2. Proverbs 15:4 – can be a tree of life or crush the spirit
3. Proverbs 16:24 – pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and
healing to the bones. A few verses later, it says a worthless man’s words are
like scorching fire.
4. Proverbs 18:21 that tells us “death and life are in the power of the tongue…”
5. Bottom line, every time we speak there is great potential in what we say as
we will either build people up and help them or tear them down and hurt
them.
C. Do you realize how many opportunities we have each day to be a blessing to
someone else – whether it be our mates, children, grandchildren, fellow believers
in Christ, the lost, neighbors, co-workers, schoolmates, and strangers.
1. Research indicates the following statistics about the number of words women
and men speak. The average woman speaks 20,000 words a day. The average
man speaks 7,000 words a day. Whether you speak more or less than the
average the point is we use a lot of words so there are a lot of opportunities
to either help or hurt those around us
2. Many of us are looking for opportunities to minister to others. This may be
our greatest ministry opportunity that we have day in and day out – our words
to those around us!
3. Every word we speak matters because every word we speak can become a
gift to those we are around, every word can literally become a ministry to the
people God puts in our paths!
• So let’s look at bit closer at
III. Ephesians 4:29
A. Ephesians 4 teaches us that not even one unwholesome word should come out of
our mouths!
1. Read Ephesians 4:29a
2. Unwholesome means -it is harmful and corrupting
3. Unwholesome words add no value to someone’s life, they are death
producing – they take life rather than give it
B. On the other hand, it teaches us that the only words we are to speak – are words
that are good for edification
1. Read 4:29b
2. Edify means – increase or build some one up. Words that will strengthen
others and make someone more able to handle what they are going through!
C. According to the need of the moment –
1. Read 4:29c
2. That means we need to be sensitive to what is going on in that person’s life at
that very moment.
3. We must realize that people have different needs and they are at different
places in their spiritual journey.
a) The specific need of one person is different from the specific need of
another so that means the specific word of grace and truth that a one
person needs may be different from what another person needs!
b) Side bar – best way to know someone’s need is by listening to them.
Listening is the way we take an MRI of someone else’s soul.
4. Listen to these proverbs that talk about the value of a right word being
spoken at the right time or circumstances
a) Proverbs 25:11– apples of gold in settings of silver, earring of gold
b) Proverbs 15:23 – gives joy and delight when timely
c) Proverbs 24:26 – when the right word is said to the right person it is like
giving them a kiss
D. Finally, we learn that these kinds of words through us become God’s gift to other
people.
1. Read v29d
2. Grace is basically God’s gift to us
3. Brothers and sisters, as believers in Christ that have put off the old way of
talking and put on the new, we should be focusing upon how we can use our
words to give the people that are around us the gift of a kiss from God with a
right word spoken in a timely fashion!
• So what do we do with all of this?
II. Application
A. Know God’s word well especially the gospel! Why?
1. Because there are no words we can speak that are more powerful and life
giving than God’s Word itself or words that have been shaped by God’s
Word! That is true both for a believer and non-believer
2. But do not be a believer who is like the person who walks in the room and
just shoots off his Bible verse machine gun thinking he is serving God and
helping others.
3. Instead, be a sharp shooter who knows the perfect moment to bring the
perfect word that will build someone up and help them endure what they are
going through.
4. Let me say it again – to do this well we need to learn first to listen well. if
you are not a good listener then you will never be a sharp shooter in God’s
army
B. Prayerfully depend upon the Spirit of God to give you the words to speak rather
than your own best ideas of what you should speak.
1. Jesus said He did not speak a word unless the Father told him to speak it
John 12:49
2. Listen to the Old Testament foretelling of Jesus heart regarding His words.
Read Isaiah 50:4a
C. We in North America we take pride in being radically honest about what is going
on in our hearts with no concern how it impacts others.
1. However, I think Ephesians 4:29 would tell me to be honest but sensitive!
Have understanding of that person, their situation and needs and how your
words would impact them.
2. Paul would call it speaking the truth in love; Jesus would call it being full of
grace and truth!
3. Read Proverbs 18:2 – the only thing a fool considers is speaking their own
mind!
D. Next, we need to think before we speak, about both our words and that person’s
situation! We need to understand the impact my words will have on them.
1. Listen to Proverbs 15:28
2. Proverbs 16:23
E. Key to changing your words is changing your heart – read Luke 6:45
1. Remember James 3:8 “no one” “no one” can tame the tongue
2. It is beyond human ability to control this sword in our mouths. This is not a
self-help message about the use of the tongue. This is a message that
demands that we turn to Jesus! The only one bigger than our tongue!
3. If you do not know Jesus – He is offering you a brand new heart and His
Spirit to live inside of that heart to empower and direct your whole life as
well as your tongue.
F. When you consider Ephesians 4:29 what grade would you give yourself regarding
your living out this verse over the last week? Which part of this verse and
today’s sermon do you need to give attention to this week to get a higher score
next week?
G. Pray
Wednesday Feb 17, 2021
Wednesday Feb 17, 2021
Be Angry But Do Not Sin
Ephesians 4 February 14, 2021
Introduction:
A. Is there anybody here who has never been angry? I have been angry and I
personally know that anger is very deceptive and very destructive to ourselves and
those around us!
1. Yes, there is a righteous anger but very few of us deal with that. Most of us
deal with an outburst of anger now and then. But some deal with anger as
one of their repeated and natural responses to things or people. Still others
you can just classify as angry people because anger has sat in their hearts so
long that it has become deeply rooted in them!
B. So let’s jump right into our text this morning. Turn to Ephesians 4:26-27.
• This morning we are going to deal with anger, I want to deal with the deceptive side
of anger and the destructive part of anger. Let’s start with
I. The deceptive side of anger
A. Read v26a.
1. Anger can often be deceptive for two reasons: first, sometimes we think that
all anger is sin, but it is not – there is a righteous anger. Jesus displayed as he
cleansed the temple!
a) Righteous anger is directed at sin, things like child abuse, pornography,
racism, abortion or even like Jesus, religious people misrepresenting
God. It is primarily an offense against God and His Word.
b) Even anger can be righteous when someone deeply sinned against you or
betrayed you or was unfaithful to you. Anger is the normal human
response to that.
B. The other way anger can be deceptive is what I call self-righteous anger where
you hang onto your anger because you feel you have a right to be angry. You are
justified in your anger because someone really did hurt/wrong you.
1. We saw that with Jonah when God asked him if he has a right to be angry and
he said I sure do! God went on to show Jonah that he really does not have a
right to be angry.
2. The problem with self-righteous anger is that we never deal with it because of
the feeling that I have a right to be angry. We defend our right rather than
confront our anger!
3. Here is the reality of these kind of people, other people around them can see
it and have to deal with the effects of it, but often they are blinded to it by
their own justifications or by Satan himself!
C. I think the rest of this verse balances out this whole topic of anger. Read v26b
1. Yes, we do have a right to be angry when someone hurts us but we do not
have the right to hang onto it. Righteous anger is short lived.
2. Now this is not saying that if you find out at 5 pm that someone has deeply
hurt or betrayed you, and the sun goes down at 7pm that you have to have it
all resolved by then.
3. The point is that righteous anger is short lived and the sooner we deal with it
the better for others and us!
• The second thing we see in this verse is that anger can be very …
II. Destructive.
A. We need to understand that the thought of v27 is connected with verse 26 and
completes the thought for us. Read v27
1. This specifically applies to those who have a habitual response of anger and
those who have had anger so long that they are now just an angry person!
Satan especially uses the tool of self-righteous anger to get us here.
2. Satan wants us to get this anger thing wrong so he can work his destruction
through us and in us.
B. The word opportunity literally means place.
1. In this verse that means anger becomes a place where Satan can work from in
my life. It gives him an opportunity to work; it is a base of operation where
he can work his destruction through us and in us!
2. Let me try to illustrate this with the war in Kuwait many years ago.
a) Iraq invaded Kuwait City and took the whole world by surprise.
b) They came in and looted stores, raped women and worked all kinds of
destruction.
c) Then over the next number of months they brought in more troops, more
ammunition and built bunkers to fight from. Kuwait became the base of
operation for Iraq to work from as they took more and more control and
worked more and more destruction.
3. That is what Satan does with us when we hang onto and defend our anger, he
finds a place in our lives, his base of operation he can work his destruction
through us and in us!
C. Some people with this kind of anger normally have two problems! Yes, they have
a problem with the sin of anger but they also have a demonic problem as Satan
has been deceiving them and working destruction through them.
D. So often people like this do not find deliverance until they both resist the Satan
and confess their sin.
1. Some have been working on it and counseling about it for years but have
seen no progress.
2. The reason is you must first bind the strong man – Satan then you can go in
and take back to parts of your life he has stolen from you!
E. There was a person at Moraine that dealt with this kind of anger and God
impressed upon me to pray daily for one year resisting the Devil’s work in their
life in the area of anger.
• I will let them tell you their own story …
III.Testimony
IV.Closing
A. Maybe you are here today and you recognize that Satan has deceived you about
your anger and has used it to destroy both you and others around you.
1. Can I encourage you to not put it off one more hour!
2. Go to God – confess your sin and resist the Devil and keep resisting him day
in and day out while you trust Jesus to breathe a fresh breath of His Spirit
into your life!
Wednesday Feb 10, 2021
Wednesday Feb 10, 2021
Live Consistent With Who You Are
Ephesians 4:20ff February 7, 2021
Introduction:
A. For some when they came to Christ they were unaware of any changes at that
moment but changes came gradually over time.
1. For me my world was turned upside down and everything changed in the
moment. I changed instantly from a beer drinker who swore constantly and
lived for no one but myself to a person who in the 48 years since then has
sworn only one time and has not had a one drink since then. The whole
direction of my life changed from living for myself to living to help others!
2. None of this came because I tried hard to stop or I knew I should not do it,
but God did something deep within me and just took those things away!
B. But I had no idea what happened. Now I know what happened to me and we find
the answer in Ephesians 4. Turn in your Bibles to Ephesians 4.
1. We learned last week that we are to stop walking just like those who do not
know Jesus because their lifestyle is driven by a mind that lacks the
knowledge of God and His Word.
2. Today we pick up in v20 where we see a second reason we should not walk
just like those who do not know Jesus.
C. One thing we see in this whole section of Scripture is that truth is the foundation,
at the center of and the driver of our lifestyle, walk and behavior. The truth we
learned from Jesus and His Word should drive our lifestyles!
1. The structure of this text is simple:
a) Remember that this whole section is talking about our lifestyle from v 17
to end of chapter. This section v22 on is talking about the lifestyle we
learned and were taught when we came to Jesus
b) V22-24 – what we learned in Christ about our former manner of life
(content, truth, facts, knowledge)
c) V25 - 32 – “therefore” the “so what’s” the practical outcomes from what
we learned. (commands, exhortations, specific applications of the truths
we learned)
2. What we learn in v22-24 is that our old self has died and we have put on a
brand new self
3. When you put the two sections together we see this:
a) Stated negatively – we put away our old lifestyle because our old self has
been put away
b) Stated positively – we put on a new lifestyle because we have put on a
new self
c) Summarized - live consistent with who you are
D. Watch for all of this as I read this whole section v20-32
• Today we will look at what we learned from Jesus and in the next three weeks we
will look at three of these specifics: anger, our words and the Holy Spirit. Let’s start
with
I. What we learned in Jesus
A. Again simply what we learned in Jesus is that our old self, our old man has been
laid aside and we have put on a new self, new man. Read v22, 23
B. Wait a minute, that sounds like a command rather than the stating of a fact! That
is a very important distinction because
1. Either we are being told to put off the old self, old man or we are being told
he has already been put off!
2. One says it is a work I need to do now, the other says it is a work Jesus has
already done.
3. One causes me to strive harder, the other to praise Jesus
4. All of this is important because as we saw already – truth drives the way we
live!
5. So today, we are going to be diving into the deep end of the Word. I try not
to sound like a classroom at Moody Bible Institute too often but today is one
of the days it is necessary to know just what is the truth.
C. I am going to tell you why I believe this is a fact already done rather than
something you need to do. By the way, I do not stand alone in my interpretation
of this being this way. John MacArthur agrees, Lewis Sperry Chafer – the
founder of Dallas Seminary agrees. A Greek scholar Charles Moule agrees, and
so does David Needham, the author of Birthright. So here we go
1. The words lay aside and put on are both aorist infinitives.
a) Aorist means it is something that happened in the past
b) Being an infinitive, it has two possible interpretations – either a
command or a result.
c) Obviously I take it as a result for the following reasons
2. First context –
a) We learn from the verses before 20-21 he is talking about something that
we learned in the past not something we are supposed to do.
b) We see in verses following starting in v25 the therefore – the specific
applications of what we do with what we learned, is followed by
numerous straight out imperatives. That is when the commands start!
c) V22 tells us the old self was already laid aside and v25 says “therefore”
laying aside falsehood, speak truth…
(1) It perfectly illustrates we put away our old lifestyle because our old
self has been put away
3. Secondly, this interpretation is consistent with and in harmony with the rest
of Scripture about the old and new self/man.
a) Read Colossians 3:8-10 – already done – live consistent with who you
are – do not live that way because you already have laid aside the old
self and already have put on the new self/man!
b) Turn to Romans 6:6. Read
(1) Our old self was crucified with Jesus!
(2) Why – so this body where sin dwells and operates might be
rendered powerless over me. I am no longer sin’s slave.
(3) Read v7
D. Many are saying wait a minute when did I die, this old man this old self?
1. Remember our chart as three part people
2. We are talking now at the level of our spirits – the old man I was at the core
of my being, that part of me that relates to God has died,
3. God included me in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Listen as I read and
note again it starts with the inconsistency of living like the Gentiles – living
in sin!
a) Before I read, you need to know the word baptized means to be
immersed into something, placed into something or someone. Read
Romans 6:1-5
E. Bottom line, when Jesus died He not only died for you to forgive your sins, but
you died with Him, the old self, that spiritual part of you, to provide for you the
deliverance from your sins. According to the cross, you – the old self died with
Jesus!
F. In the resurrection, you were included in that as well so you now share in the
newness of life that He has. Read Romans 6:8-12
G. So bottom line – Ephesians 4, Colossians 3 and Romans 6 all teach us it is
inconsistent to live life in sin because that is not who we are now. The old self
who was at its heart a sinner (Romans 5) is dead and you are a brand new creature
in Christ created in the righteousness and holiness of the truth
II. Communion
A. So consider and reflect during this communion time. How consistent is your
lifestyle with the new creature you are?
1. Are you still living in sin or are you walking in the newness of life?
2. Consider – confess – realign your mind and your lifestyle with the truth!
Monday Feb 08, 2021
Monday Feb 08, 2021
Stop Walking Like Those Who Do Not Know Jesus or His Word!
Ephesians 4:17-19 January 31, 2021
I. Introduction:
A. This last year and the beginning of this year was mind-blowing for many of us as
we watched people respond in ways that shocked us all! This was true of the
Covid pandemic, as well as the racial and political issues.
1. We saw in the streets, in the media and among politicians - selfishness, anger,
hypocrisy, divisiveness, the violence, lawlessness and in my opinion, at times
some very, very foolish ideas about what we should do on the part of leaders!
2. The first response of my heart was these people are bad, out of control. They
should be locked up forever. I looked down upon and really want nothing to
do with these kinds of people!
B. Then I heard the question that Roy Patterson asked – do you see the looters as
uncaged animals that need to be locked in a cage or as sheep without a shepherd?
1. That was as if God hit me with a sledgehammer as I realized I was not
thinking at all biblically or like Jesus would about these people!
2. They are lost and they are acting just like angry lost people who have been
locked up in their houses for months, who do not know Jesus or His Word
would act! What should I expect!
3. We know that anger normally puts our worst behaviors on steroids!
C. So this morning I want to take you to a passage of Scripture that can help us better
understand those who do not know Jesus, why they think the way they do and
why they act the way they do!
1. Evidently in the Ephesian church, there were believers who were acting like
those who do not know Jesus
2. He is not just teaching them a principle to live by but actually telling them to
stop doing it, no longer walk like this!
D. I believe the main thrust of this passage is calling believers to - stop walking like
those who do not know Jesus or His Word! Stop acting like them! Walk this way
no longer.
1. In telling them to stop walking this way, he spends most of his time telling
them “why the lost act the way they do?”
2. Watch for all of this as I read 4:17-21
• Let’s start by looking at
II. Why the lost act the way they do?
A. The answer is straight forward here “the way they act is driven by the way they
think!”
1. Reread v17
2. The last phrase in this verse explains how the Gentiles walk – in the futility
of their minds.
3. The mind is the place where all our knowledge and information goes, and it is
the place where we process all that knowledge and information.
4. He says here they walk in the futility of their minds. That means their minds
are empty and useless on the basis that they are lacking the content they
need!
a) Now that does not mean that the lost are not intelligent or have no
content in their minds!
b) Listen to what 2 Timothy 3:7 says
5. It is not that they have no knowledge at all or that they are not intelligent
reasoning people but it is the knowledge of the ultimate truth that they do not
have!
B. What they are lacking is the spiritual knowledge that comes from God and His
Word, which is not just another truth but is the truth!
1. 4:18 further develops the futility of their minds Read
2. Their ability to think through, to grasp, to reason, to understand has been
darkened
3. They are unable to reason well because they are excluded from the life of
God and are ignorant (that means they are unaware and do not have the
information) of the things of God and Word of God because their hearts are
hardened against Him
C. On top of that, they have become callous – that means they have lost the capacity
to feel shame or embarrassment about what they are doing.
1. Then look at what they practice. Read the rest of v19
2. Obviously, this passage goes way beyond politics and race but touches upon
the growing direction of the morality of our whole culture now!
D. So when you put all this together their actions are driven by a way of thinking that
has excluded God and His Word!
• Bottom line I have two takeaways from this, the first directly from this passage the
other from the implications of this passage in light of the rest of Scripture!
III. Applications
A. If you are a believer and you are buying into the ways of the world or doing
things just as everyone else in the world does them, you need to know their ways
are driven by a knowledge that excludes God and His Word.
1. The way of thinking by man today in North America can be described as selfautonomous!
2. That means that each person governs himself and sets his own morals of what
is right and wrong! He is his own boss and determines for himself what is
right or wrong
3. We just learned a few weeks ago that as a church we have one lord, one boss
and that is Jesus and one faith and that is the Word of God which tells us
what is right or wrong!
4. Believer – stop taking your lead on behavior, thinking, sexuality, marriage,
morality, raising children, finances, character building, leadership, solutions
to the core problems in our country from those who exclude God and His
Word from their thinking which drives them to act the way they do!
B. Secondly, do we recognize the lost are sheep that need a shepherd? These are the
people Jesus came to save and sent us to bring the gospel to! You and I are the
greatest hope in their lives right now, not a Republican agenda or Democratic
agenda since we bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to them.
C. But listen further to the state of the lost:
1. Read 1 Corinthians 2:14
a) The lost man: does not accept … cannot understand because they are
spiritually discerned and understood
b) A person who is spiritually dead does not have the spiritual equipment to
understand the things of God. It is like the things of God are on a “FM”
frequency and the lost’s receivers are only built to receive “AM” waves.
c) Some say simplify the language in translations or sermons or gospel
presentations or give better and clearer illustrations then lost people
would get it.
d) According to this verse, I could simplify the language and even give
better illustrations, but it would be like me speaking in Chinese using a
third grader’s words and illustrations but they only understand English.
e) By the way, I do believe we should do everything to be clear and simple
but we need to know that is not going to cause a lost person to come to
Christ!
f) Our confidence needs to be somewhere else!
2. Read 2 Corinthians 4:3-4. We see two big problems for the lost
a) They are blind in their minds
(1) It does not say they are blindfolded and if we just give them the
right answers, thus pulling away the blindfold, then they would
see. But they are actually blind so if you pull away the blindfold
they still would not see because they are incapable of sight
b) Satan is the source of this blindness
(1) That means human reasoning and human resources cannot
overcome this problem.
(2) Human weapons and reasoning can never overcome Satan!
3. We need to realize that it will take a miracle the size of the resurrection of
Jesus Christ for a lost person to be saved, not our best presentations,
illustrations or arguments and reasoning about the gospel.
D. We need to use the weapons that God has given us that are divinely powerful for
the destruction of fortresses in the mind rather than human weapons and means. I
will give you three:
1. Romans 1 says the gospel is the power of God for salvation
a) Read Romans 1:16
b) There is a power right inside the gospel message that can break the
power of Satan and give light to blind minds!
2. John 16 says the Holy Spirit is the one who convinces the lost world
concerning their sin, what righteousness really is and the fact that some day
they will stand before God and be held accountable in judgment
a) Read John 16:7-11
b) My hope is not in how well I share it, even though I do everything I can
to be true to the gospel clear and simple. My dependence is not in how
well I present it but for the Holy Spirit to work inside of them to
convince them of the truthfulness of the gospel and their need for it!
3. Through prayer God opens up to us opportunities to share, opens our mouths
with words He puts in them and opens up peoples heart to see and respond to
the good news of Jesus Christ!
E. So believers fill your heart with grace and mercy for the lost, arm yourself with
the gospel both in word and deed, and prayerfully depend upon the Holy Spirit to
open doors of opportunity, to open your mouth with the exact words and
illustrations they need to hear and open their hearts to respond as He convinces
them of the truthfulness of their need for the gospel!
Wednesday Jan 20, 2021
Wednesday Jan 20, 2021
Fight for Unity, not our Ideas!
Ephesians 4:1-6 January 17, 2021
I. Introduction:
A. The pain of division is deep and the blessing of unity is sweet to the soul!
1. In 2020 and the start of 2021 our nation has felt the pain of division and it has
reached into the church, our friendships and families.
2. As I have sought to process this, I certainly do not have all the answers and to
be honest with you, I do not even know where much of the truth is with so
many lies, distortions, exaggerations, half-truths, withheld or censored
information, truth and views being promoted from personal agendas by
extremist politicians on both sides of the aisle, and by the media of every
type!
3. This I do know for sure – division should not have reached into the church as
the church is supposed to be the one place of unity in the world. The ultimate
answer to divisions comes from Jesus and His Word, which has no lies,
distortions, exaggerations, half-truths.
B. After Paul spent the first three chapters in the book of Ephesians teaching us
amazing truths about who we are as believers and as a church, now there is a
major transition where Paul distills all this truth into real life wisdom regarding
how these truths are supposed to work out in our lives.
C. Turn to Ephesians 4:1 where we see this major transition. Read v1a
1. Therefore, the first word in this verse is simply saying this – here is the
conclusion from everything that you heard in the first three chapters. So
chapters 4-6 become the “so what” of everything we learned in chapters 1-3.
2. He gives us the first “so what” in v1-6. As I read, it watch for what I believe
to be the heart of the passage: “a fitting lifestyle for believers is to fight for
unity by tolerating others!”
3. As I read this section, remember that the Jews and gentiles made up this
church with very different backgrounds and had a long history of hostility
towards each other!
4. Read v1-6
• Let’s look at this big idea a piece at a time! Let’s start with …
II. A fitting lifestyle for believers
A. Now he is talking about the way we walk as believers, our lifestyle.
1. Read v1a-b
2. He starts off with a serious plea to live our lives in a way that is worthy, that
is fitting, that is suitable,
B. He is talking about a life that is appropriate of the calling to which we have been
called.
1. Read v1c
2. That is what we learned in chapters 1-3, who we are as believers and as a
church!
• So he is calling us into a fitting lifestyle for believers and that consists in
III. Fighting for unity!
A. In verse 3, we are told specifically to work hard, to give intense effort to guard the
unity of the spirit.
1. Read v3
2. A great application of this verse is what my good brother Ron Benton has
said to me often– we need to fight for unity not for our ideas!
B. In addition, it will take a fight to be unified.
1. We in the church are different in so many ways: not only ethnic differences
but political, background differences, different degrees and kinds of
brokenness, age differences, gender differences, socio economic differences,
spiritual maturity differences, spiritual gift differences, etc., etc.
2. Add on top of this that in 2020 things like masks, racial tensions and politics
provided plenty of bait for us to create divisions.
3. Here is the worse part – sometimes we fight over interpretations of the Bible
like Democrats and Republicans fight in Congress!
4. All of these have the potential to rub against us in a way that can create
division within a church.
C. Then in v4-6 Paul shares seven unities that all believers share, this becomes the
basis of our unity, the foundation upon which our unity stands. For the sake of
time, I will read them but only illustrate two of these as to how they practically
become the basis of our unity! Read v4-6
1. Illustrate -
a) Lord – Jesus Christ is the Lord – if we want unity, we must seek the
lordship and will of Jesus rather than our own wants and ideas or we will
constantly be divided.
(1) This is about not my will but thine be done. It is about seeking and
fighting for God’s will over my best ideas or deepest desires!
b) Faith – there is one body of truth that God has given us that we put our
faith in and that is the Bible. It is our constitution, blueprint and owner’s
manual!
(1) If we want unity our decisions, beliefs, practices and ways must
come from the same starting point and authority – the Bible!
(2) We will never be unified if we look instead to how the business
world does things, how my political party does it, how psychology
does it, how other organizations do it, best practices of others, my
own best ideas, how my family did it, etc.
(a) There may be help with some of these things but they
cannot be our starting point or the foundation for our
discussions!
(2) 1 Corinthians 3 says that there are believers who are carnal. They
walk like mere men, nothing in their life or thinking is different
from those of the world!
(a) Your chances of unity in discussion with a believer like that
are about as good as a discussion with a person who does
not know the Lord or accept the Bible
II. Now we know that a fitting lifestyle for believers is to fight for unity, but how do we
get there? It is all in our attitudes, it comes …
III. By tolerating others!
A. To be honest with ourselves it is easy to be with people who are just like us but
people who are very different from us take a lot of work!
B. Tolerance simply means bearing with someone who is very different from me,
one who thinks very differently from me even someone that has opinions that
mine very different from me!
1. Most of the world today defines tolerance as choosing to love, accept and
treat with respect and kindness anyone and everyone, except for those who
disagree with us! Especially biblically minded Christians
2. Biblical tolerance is choosing to love, accept and treat with respect and
kindness anyone and everyone, even those who disagree with us!
C. In verse 2, he shows us the three attitudes that will be necessary to tolerate other
believers who are very different from you to fight for unity.
1. Watch for these as I reread v2 – 3a
D. Unity comes when we diligently watch over our own hearts and attitudes. So let
me ask you a few questions to consider before the Lord this week.
1. What do you learn about your own heart by the way you responded to people
and ideas that are very different to yours in 2020?
2. How closely did your heart match up to the three key attitudes in verse 2 that
are necessary to show tolerance to others in love?
a) Humility – means lowliness of mind, is just the opposite of pride where
deep down I think I am better than, and of greater value that other person
who is different from me.
b) Gentleness – this simply means you are not harsh, forceful, stern or
rough. Instead you are delicate, mild and tender with people and ideas
that are different than yours
c) Patience – this is the one of the three that challenges me the most when I
understand what it means. I love the way one Greek dictionary says it is–
a state of emotional calm without complaint or irritation when faced with
something or someone that provokes you or a misfortune.
(1) It goes on to say another way to say it is like this – “to remain
seated in one’s heart” or “to keep ones heart from jumping”
(2) That means that someone who is very different from me or an idea
that is very different from mine or one of the issues of 2020 comes
in front of me like bait. Either I can sit there in my heart quietly
and without complaint and respond with humility and gentleness or
I can take the bait and my heart jumps with irritation and harshly
respond to them.
E. Interesting to note that two of these three qualities (gentleness and patience) are
fruits of the Holy Spirit. That means I need to depend upon the Holy Spirit to
produce this in my life and when these attitudes are not present that is evidence
that the Holy Spirit is not in control of my life
II. Conclusion
A. I remember as if it was yesterday when God was first challenging me about my
impatience with those who had different ideas than mine. My heart was in the
habit of jumping up out of its seat and being irritated and sucked into a divisive
argument.
1. I remember going to a meeting knowing that ideas will be expressed that I
did not agree with and knowing the tendency of my heart to jump and be
sucked into a divisive argument.
2. I prayed for hours before that meeting that the Holy Spirit would control me
and I would not be sucked in and jump out of the seat of my heart.
3. God supernaturally did it and I remember coming home so excited because
the strong difference of opinion came but I did not jump out of the seat of my
heart. Instead, I responded with gentleness! The next morning I woke up still
amazed and rejoicing in what God did and I remember that God tapped me
on the shoulder and said, I do not expect that from you for just one meeting
but rather as part of your lifestyle every day when encountering people and
ideas that are different than yours!
B. That drives me to depend desperately upon the Holy Spirit moment by moment to
have “a fitting lifestyle that fights for unity by tolerating others!
Monday Jan 18, 2021
Monday Jan 18, 2021
From Duty to Delight
1 Chronicles 29 January10, 2021
I. Introduction:
A. Did you know there are many Christians who when they put in their offering
either at church or online it is more like a duty they are supposed to do rather than
a delight. But 2 Corinthians 9 makes it very clear that God loves joyful, willing,
generous givers!
B. So the question I have been asking myself is how does someone move from the
duty of stewardship to the delight of generosity where giving is done willful,
joyfully and freely?
1. As I was praying 1 Chronicles 29 came to mind and it deeply connected with
where I am in life and the conversation that was going on in my heart about
generosity.
2. Please turn to 1 Chronicles 29
C. Context
1. David knew that he was in the fourth quarter of his service as king and could
see an end to it. He had a heart to prepare things for his son Solomon as the
next king so things could flow freely for him.
a) I connect with this story because I know I am in the fourth quarter and
have desire to make things as good as possible for God’s next senior
pastor, the next generation for MVC and the Lord’s church here.
2. So he called together all his leaders, many of his workers and his mighty men
of valor.
a) Sounds like the people I speak to on Sunday morning, the people who
regularly either attend here or follow us on line. You make up the key
people of MVC
3. Now listen to 1Chronicles 29:1
D. The big picture overview of what follows is this:
1. King David, then some of the key leaders, then everyone else there gave
joyfully and generously to the Lord’s work.
2. Then David prays acknowledging that the ability to give so generously is
because everything they have comes from God.
E. What we learn here is the answer to my question, “How does someone move from
the duty of stewardship to the delight of generosity?” It was because they gave to
a great work!
• Let’s start by looking at the fact that they
II. Gave to a great work!
A. Look back at verse 1. Read 1a-c (“work is great”)
1. Now let’s see the reason why this work is great “for,” Read v1d
It is great because it is not a work for man but a work for God
B. We all love to give to great works and know our giving is making a difference
rather than just give because I am supposed to give. They knew this great work
was for God so they saw their giving as giving to God and not just the project!
1. There are a lot of great causes out there but there is none greater than giving
to the Lord’s work because it is a great work
2. Note as we go through this passage the emphasis on giving to the Lord and
not just to the work. Read v2a, 3a, 9a-b,14
C. You know MVC’s work is a great work because for the Lord’s sake we are
seeking to carry out the mission He gave to His church to make disciples.
1. Our mission at MVC is simply: following Jesus, impacting others
2. Following – helping people become whole hearted followers of Jesus who
love Him with all their heart, soul and mind
3. Impacting others by bringing the gospel of Jesus to the lost and helping
believers grow on their journey with Jesus!
D. What most people see at MVC is the tip of the iceberg, the 10% of God’s great
work at MVC. That is Sunday morning as we seek to feed people with God’s
Word and lead them in worshipping Him.
1. But all during the week we are caring for people’s unique needs and
discipling people all in the name of Jesus Christ. That is the great work we
do here for the Lord
2. Bottom line we are not running events , programs and meetings but we are
seeking to see people transformed by the word and Spirit of God through
these events, programs and meetings
E. I could tell you about many ways people are cared for and the many up close and
personal discipleship relationships and groups that are going on here but today I
just to tell you about one story of transformation that has happened at MVC.
1. A few years back a couple, whose marriage was in great difficulty, came in to
visit with one of our pastors.
2. As the pastor visited with them it became clear that there was not only
addiction issues on the husband’s part that was troubling the marriage but the
husband who thought he was saved, was only a church goer at best and not a
believer in Jesus!
3. That compounded the wife’s troubled heart, but in that meeting the husband
understood the gospel for the first time and trusted Jesus.
4. Ministries and people in this church began to invest in this couple and by
God’s grace the addictions gradually came under control and the marriage
improved.
5. They started telling others, both believers and lost people, about the miracle
Jesus had worked in their lives and marriage!
6. Now wife serves in a very significant ministry here and the husband is
growing in his relationship with Jesus, as he is being discipled by one of our
pastors!
7. The transformation has been so big and deep that this couple who first came
here as a marriage ready to fall apart, now this Christmas they came to me
and gave me a large gift and asked me if I would find some families in need
at MVC this Christmas and get it to them.
F. That is just a taste of the kind of great work that God does at MVC!
• And that is the reason why I and so many others …
III. Give with joyful generosity to the work of MVC.
A. Note in 1 Chronicles 29 that they gave joyfully and willingly!
1. Read v3a v6, 9, 14, 17
B. Their gifts were generous gifts.
1. Read v2a (all my ability – resources he had available) v3b (out of his wealth
– savings and treasury – personal accumulations of wealth), v14
2. This reminds me a bit of Proverbs 3:9
a) Wealth are your personal accumulations like savings, investment and
retirement
b) First of your produce comes out of your ability/weekly income
C. My journey of generosity was one that went like this
1. When I first became a believer I was told I was supposed to give 10% of my
income to the Lord – that was my duty and it was called stewardship/tithing!
2. So I gave 10% of my net income (after taxes are taken out) to the Lord
because I was supposed to, it was my duty as a Christian
3. Then over time God challenged me to move from 10% of my net income to
10% of my gross income (before taxes are taken out). So again I did it
because I was supposed to as my duty as a believer and I did it for years like
that.
4. Then about 13 years ago when MVC did their stewardship campaign for the
building we are now in, God led Kim and I to give 10% of everything we
have – our accumulated wealth – all savings, all retirement and the value of
our home.
a) The surprising outcome of that gift was that it produced in me a new joy
and freedom in my giving that was not tied to our budget
b) You could imagine with someone with an accounting degree like me,
that blew all my financial plans out of the water and forced me to
transfer my trust for financial things in my life to the Lord in a deep
way!
c) I moved from duty to delight in our giving
5. Before I use to measure out what we gave to the Lord with a 10% measure,
down to the dollar now we give freely to the Lord and Kim and I give over
10% of our gross income to MVC and on top of that we support missionaries
and give to individuals and organizations we know who are in need.
6. If it was left up to just Kim we would be giving away even more!
IV. Conclusion
A. Listen to what David did after giving according to all of his ability and then going
beyond that by giving out of his wealth, his treasures and savings. Read v5c.
1. So to be fair to the text and to the great work god is doing at MVC I must
ask?” Who is willing to joyfully give generously to God’s work at MVC?”
B. In light of the world wide crisis of 2020 MVC last year experienced giving that
was 15% below our budgeted dreams for MVC. So
1. This year the church actually cut the budget by 7 ó % and is hoping that the
church’s giving would increase by 7 ó % this year.
2. This would put us right where we need to be this year with hopes that in the
future as more and more people grow in their generosity MVC will be able to
grow in its ability to be a greater blessing for the glory of God!
C. So Kim and I are going to do two things this year:
1. We are going to increase our giving to the weekly budget which we call our
general budget – maybe we should change the name of it to our
transformational budget!
2. We are going to give an equal amount of an increase, above and beyond that
to our transformational budget to the heart for the house fund as we watch
that mortgage decrease month by month.
a) The final number for the Christmas offering towards this was ________-
_______
b) We are going to keep this fund open with hopes that more and more
people will give to it above and beyond their giving to our
transformational fund –first priority!
D. As one elder said to me in a meeting when we were talking about that fund –
“Pastor, you never asked us to give to this fund, if you would have asked, I would
have given to it.”
1. So today I am asking like King David “who is willing to consecrate himself
this day to the Lord and begin or increase your giving to our transformational
fund. And begin or increase your giving to our heart for the house fund, a
fund we ask people to give to as a gift above and beyond your giving to the
transformational fund.
E. Finally, we know that many people took a serious hit to their financial life last
year so we want to serve you regarding your personal finances!
1. Next Sunday at 1pm will be the first of a series of seminars that will be
offered to help our people here at MVC and those online with their personal
finances.
2. This first one will totally be online because so many people are struggling
with sickness right now or feeling free to go out. We do not want that to hold
you back.
3. A number of people at MVC that work in or traffic in the area of finances
have gotten together to produce the material and teach it!
4. This first one will be a spending plan workshop to get us started in the right
direction.
5. I am planning to attend along with Kim as I have been in the process of
training Kim to take over our finances as I have handled it for years. Couples
this will be a very valuable resource for training you and getting you on the
same page about finances!
6. To sign up just
a) Click the link to the workshop in this week’s MVC bulletin which was
emailed to you
b) Or you can register on the MVC webpage
c) Text spw to 708-350-6610 (returns a message with link to the workshop
registration process)