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Book: Ephesians
 Print ( PC Only )
Ephesians 4:27
Intro. In our lesson last week Paul exhorted us to put off the old man,
i.e. what is often referred to as our Adamic nature, and put on
the new man which is after God. The old man was characterized
as corrupt because of deceitful lusts, and the new man was
characterized as righteousness and truly holy. The old man was
controlled by the flesh, the new man is controlled by the
spirit "If any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creature,
the old things have passed away, and behold all things become
new." Paul now follows with a series of exhortations.
1. Put away lying.
2. Speak the truth.
3. Be angry and sin not.
4. Let not the sun go down on your wrath.
I. Neither give place to the devil.
A. Don't give Satan an opening in your life.
1. The case of Ananias and Sapphira, Peter said to
Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie the
Holy Spirit?
a. The old man wants to be awed over, he desires
worship. Satan takes advantage of this desire,
and finding an opening, he will lead you to:
1. Pretend to do more than you are
actually doing.
2. Pretend to be more righteous than you
really are.
3. This is hypocrisy.
2. Paul said to the Corinthians, "Lest Satan should get an
advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his
devises."
a. Paul said this in the context of forgiveness.
If I hold to a wrong that is done against me
and refuse to forgive, Satan can take advantage
of that, it gives him a foothold in my life, a
base from which to operate and expand his
control over me.
3. In chapter six Paul speaks of the wiles of the devil,
and the fiery darts of the enemy.
a. Satan is very wily, all he seeks is an opening
through anger or bitterness then he can move
in, and once in he begins to enlarge his beach
head.
4. Peter tells us that he goes about as a roaring lion,
seeking whom he may devour.
5. God said to Satan concerning Job, "Have you considered
My servant Job, a perfect and upright man, one who
loves good and hates evil.
a. The word translated considered is a Hebrew word
that was used as a military term for the
general studying a city in preparation for an
attack and developing his strategy for his
conquering it.
b. The alarming truth is that Satan had indeed
been considering Job and had developed his
theories.
6. Eve gave place to the devil in the garden.
a. He appealed as he so often does to the lust of
the eye, and the lust of the flesh.
b. He so often uses the eye gate. Job spoke of his
making a covenant with his eye, that he would
not look upon a maid. i.e. lustfully.
c. Jesus spoke of looking at a woman and lusting
after her in your heart as being guilty of
adultery.
d. What it does is open the door to the devil and
give him a place in you.
7. James says that we should not say that God tempted me
to do something evil, because God does not tempt men
to do evil, but man is tempted when he is drawn away
by his own lusts and is enticed.
a. This is the place where the devil moves in,
our own lusts.
b. This is why Paul exhorted Timothy to flee
youthful lusts.
8. Concerning Satan, Jesus said, "The prince of this world
cometh and hath nothing in Me."
a. There was no place for the devil in the life of
Jesus, why?
b. Peter said, "He did no sin.
1. Neither was there any guile in his
mouth.
2. When He was reviled, He reviled not
again.
3. When He suffered, He threatened not.
4. He committed Himself to the righteous
judgment of God.
II. "Let him that stole, steal no more."
A. Stealing is taking something that does not belong to you but to
someone else.
1. It is taking something you did not earn, except of
course unless of course someone gave it to you.
2. Stealing is one of the major problems in our society
today.
3. It costs all of us.
4. Stores have to increase their prices to take in the
factor for the goods that will be stolen. So we all pay
higher prices.
5. People steal from their employers, if you spend extra
time on the breaks, or at lunch, you are stealing from
your employer. You are receiving wages for time you did
not put in.
B. Paul's incentive for working is very interesting. It is that
you might have something to give to the person who is in need.
1. Paul certainly practiced what he preached.
2. Paul said to the elders at Ephesus:
ACS 20:34 Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto
my necessities, and to them that were with me.
ACS 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to
support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus,
how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
3. To the Thessalonians Paul wrote,
1TH 2:9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring
night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of
you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
2TH 3:8 Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with
labour and travail night and day, that we might not be
chargeable to any of you:
2TH 3:11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly,
working not at all, but are busybodies.
2TH 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.
III. "Let now corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth."
A. David speaks of those whose throat is an open sepulchre, or to
paraphrase, their mouth is an open sewer.
1. I have met people like that, every time they open their
mouths filth comes pouring out.
2. Years ago when I was working for Alpha Beta markets I
was sent to a market where there was a man who had the
filthiest mouth I have ever been exposed to. I finally
said to him, Some men's minds are like race horses,
they run best on a dirt track.
3. In Psalms the tongue is likened to a sharp razor.
B. Rather that which is good to the use of edifying.
1. A persons with his tongue can tear down and destroy.
2. The tongue can be used to build up and bless.
3. A proverb declares that life and death are in the power
of the tongue.
4. Proverbs says, "A word spoken in due season, how good
it is."
5. Another proverb declares, "A word fitly spoken is like
apples of gold in pitchers of silver."
6.
MAL 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and
the LORD hearkened, and heard [it], and a book of remembrance
was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that
thought upon his name.
MAL 3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day
when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man
spareth his own son that serveth him.
C. The ideal is that you use your tongue to minister grace to the
hearers.
1. How glorious it is when you use your tongue to declare
to people the goodness and grace of God.
2. Your tongue has the capacity to bring such joy and
blessing.
3. With your tongue you can bring hope and strength.
PSA 71:15 My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness [and] thy salvation
all the day; for I know not the numbers [thereof].
PSA 71:16 I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention
of thy righteousness, [even] of thine only.
PSA 71:17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I
declared thy wondrous works.
PSA 71:18 Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not;
until I have shewed thy strength unto [this] generation, [and]
thy power to every one [that] is to come.
MAL 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and
the LORD hearkened, and heard [it], and a book of remembrance
was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that
thought upon his name.
MAL 3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day
` when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man
spareth his own son that serveth him.
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