Transcript
Thank you Lord, we're not bound by the evil of this world, but we can reach out to you for protection, provision and care. And Lord, we just thank you for all that you do for us every day. As we look to your word today, sir, thank you that you give us something actionable that we can put into our own lives. And we ask it, Lord God, in Jesus' name.
Friends, turn in your Bibles please to Ephesians chapter 4. And as you do that, I'm going to share something with you from the book of Acts in chapter 19 about the apostle Paul, v8. And he went into the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, persuading and arguing and pleading about the kingdom of God. He was in the region of Ephesus. But when some became more and more stubborn, hardened and unbelieving.
Oh dear me. But when some became more and more stubborn, hardened and unbelieving, I was just smiling. That's not like church at all, is it? No. Discrediting and reviling and speaking evil of the way of the Lord before the congregation. Oh, dear me, doesn't that grieve your heart?
Speaking evil of the way of the Lord, before the congregation. He separated himself from them, taking the disciples with him, and this is huge, and went on holding daily discussions.
Daily discussions in the lecture room of Tyrannus, from about 10 o'clock to 3 o'clock. This continued for two years. What was it that Paul was teaching The people at Ephesus face to face for five hours a day from about 10 o 'clock to about three o 'clock, yeah, five hours a day in the School of Tyrannus for two years. Paul, the Apostle Paul, would have covered some serious ground. They would have been asking questions. He was holding daily discussions. So they were asking questions. Paul was giving answers.
What did he teach the people at Ephesus, the Ephesians? We've got the book of Ephesians that covers so many a startling, amazing, wonderful things. But there's so many things about how to do, how to live the book of Ephesians that I believe, this is my opinion, are not actually written in the book.
Here's the information, this is how you do it, and it's not necessarily recorded there how to do it. So, I believe, once again this is my opinion, I think that five hours a day for two years, Paul covered some astounding ground face to face with the people at Ephesus.
So, when we read something in the book of Ephesians like, I therefore the prisoner of the Lord appealed to and beg you to walk and to lead a life worthy of the divine calling to which you have been called with behaviour. That is a credit to the summons to God's service. He'd been teaching them five hours a day face to face for two years. They had a handle on Verse, ah, 15, 16 and 17 of Ephesians chapter 5.
Look carefully, then, how you walk, live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise, sensible, intelligent people. Was he just reminding them of things that he'd already said? Making the very most of the time, buying up each opportunity because the days are evil.
Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is, yeah, had he covered some of these sorts of things, face to face, five hours a day, for two years? I suspect he may have.
So, we're looking at living an effective life. And last week, some of the foundational things that perhaps Paul may have covered with the people at Ephesus. I think some of them may have been found in Romans 4, 5 and 6, because Ephesians is a remarkable book and you have to understand about faith to be able to grasp some of the things in the book of Ephesians, yes?
And then in Romans 4 we understand and we see about the faith of Abraham, Abraham, whose faith and trust in God was so strong. It was credited to him as righteousness. But in Romans 4 verse 24, but not just for his sake alone in verse 23, but verse 24, but they were written for our sakes too. Righteousness, right standing acceptable to God will be granted and credited to us also who believe in trust and adhere to and rely on God, who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. And there were other things that we discussed last week. Go to our website, go to LivingSuccess .org or PastorJoepodcast.com, yeah?
Go to livingsuccess .org and go to the resources section and free resources, and you can get this study. It's our gift to you. Just download it and enjoy it, it's ours, it's yours, it's no cost to it. So just download it and go over part five, because that's what we covered last week. Some of these key foundational things in Romans, the first point, sin creates debt and guilt before a holy God. The second one was sin removes choice and sets your direction for you.
The next one, there's no escaping. At some point, someone's going to pay a price for sin and practicing sin will usher in a problem or a tragedy of some description. Remember, but God shows and clearly proves his own love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Sin is going to bring in some kind of tragedy or problem for someone at some time.
Romans 5:12, therefore as sin came into the world through one man, that's Adam, and death is the result of sin, so death spread to all men, no one being able to stop it or to escape its power because all men sinned. The next point was sin is contagious and the result of sin is death. What are we trying to do?
Understand some of the foundational things behind The statement of Paul just saying you live a purposeful life that honours God with behaviour that is a credit to the summons of the calling of God on your life. Thank you, Paul, for the information, but how do I do it?
Well, I think this is some of the things we need to understand in order for us to effectively walk down the path of how we're going to do it. So the first question is, Who did you used to be, yeah? And I think these are some of the sorts of things that Paul taught these people at Ephesus face to face five hours a day for over two years.
He taught them who they used to be. They were once sinners, but now they are saved by grace, yeah? So in Chapters four and five of Romans, we need to think deeply on these verses. Who did we used to be? Now, oh dear me, a true picture of who we used to be helps ground us and prepare us for a better direction.
This is why I'm going down and explaining some of these sorts of things. Who did we used to be, if we've got a real good picture of who it was that we used to be, then we know where we were positioned.
And if I know where I'm positioned, see, if you're a bit lost or you're wanting to go somewhere, you're looking at a map, you need to know where you are on the map,
where you're actually standing, where you're positioned to know what direction to head off in, yes? So if we have a true picture of who we used to be, that helps ground us and prepare us to move in the correct better direction.
A true picture of who we used to be helps to keep us sensible and helps keep us and maintain a sensible approach to develop worthily, accurately, with behaviour that is a credit to the divine calling to which we have been called, thankfulness is a big part of that. An attitude of gratitude is very, very helpful when it comes to behaviour modification.
And we're talking about behaviour modification, adjustment of our behaviour, bringing our behaviour in line with scripture. Paul talks about things like, living purposefully, worthily, accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise, sensible, intelligent people. Don't be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is. Okay?
So this is a real key part of that. Because if we're thankful, sometimes that will help. Remember, the spirit within constraineth me? And Ephesians 4 tells us to walk away, get, get, be separated from our anger, wrath, bad temper, jumping to conclusions. No, no, no, no, no. but be kind one to another, tender -hearted, forgiving one another, as God for Christ's sake has forgiven us.
And look, I don't know about you, but I could not just click my fingers and suddenly I was tender -hearted forgiving one another as God for Christ's sake hadn't forgiven me. It was something that I had to grow in, and I suspect that the vast majority of people need to grow in areas where their flesh may not be following a scriptural requirement, alright?
And yes, we got born again of the spirit, but we need to be born again of the flesh in the mind as well. And that takes time. So thankfulness is a very big part of that.
A true picture of Who we used to be helps keep us Christ focused. Okay?
Now, Romans chapter 5 verse 1, therefore, this is the amplified Bible. Therefore, since we are justified, acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God through faith, let us grasp the fact. Now that's a big mix.
Back on the farm in New Zealand, I would grasp that bridle. And I developed very, very powerful forearms as a young person, as a teenager because I was milking cows and hanging on tight to riding horses. And I had very strong forearms, much stronger than anyone else at school. Yeah, anyway.
But grasping the fact that we have the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the anointed one. Let us grasp this fact. We have the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy peace with God. To enjoy peace with God. That's huge.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One, this is really powerful information, and it needs to become revelation. It needs to not just be what we know, but who it is that I now have become. I've become somebody,
and may I suggest you need to become somebody, if you're not there already, that is just at peace with God. And you know that the peace of reconciliation, you've grasped that. You've grasped it with both hands. You've grasped it with your heart and mind.
And it's not just what you believe, it's who you have become. And you are this person that is now just at peace with God. And the Lord Jesus Christ. You just know that you know that you know that God loves you and that you love him and you are together in this. Yes.
And that's so powerful. It's something that just, you know, it's who you are. It's not just what you believe, yeah. So to be content, to be at peace, knowing that if God be for you who could possibly be against you, It's not arrogance. It's actually very humbling that the God, the creator of heaven and earth, would do this for us. Romans 5 verse 10, for while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God.
For if while we were enemies, while we were still enemies, we were reconciled to God, through the death of his son, it's much more certain now that we are reconciled, that we shall be saved, daily delivered from sin's dominion through his resurrection life. I'm going to read that again. Romans 5 verse 10, for if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his son. While we are enemies, he did that for us.
It is much more certain now that we are reconciled, that we shall be saved, daily delivered from sin's dominion, through his resurrection life. This seems to undermine the excuses for sin that we have. We're going to be daily delivered from sins dominion. No more sin excuses, all right?
Do I really want this? Do I really show my gratitude for this? Just how much do we want to live an effective and purposeful life with behaviour that is a credit to the divine calling, yeah, that's placed on us. Wow, no more sin excuses. How much do I want to live an effective and purposeful life for Jesus?
Remember, the more effective and purposeful our lives are in the things of God, the greater the impact is that we have for ourselves, for our family, for the kingdom, for others, and for the gospel. So very important to understand that. It's no longer, you know, well, that's just the way I am, deal with it. No, that can't work anymore. I am able with God's support to help and to change the way I am now,
yes? And so are you.
You are able with God's support to help and to change the way you now are. Remember, Philippians chapter 2 verse 13, this is big. Not in your own strength, for it is God who is all the while, effectually at work in you, energising and creating in you the power and the desire, both to will and to work for his good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.
It is God who is all the while effectually at work in you, energising and creating in you the power and the desire. Oh, wow, both to will and to work for his good pleasure and satisfaction and delight. Romans 5, 17 to 19, for if because of one man's trespass, that's an offence, that's Adam, death reigned through one, through that one, much more surely will.
Don't you just love that? If because of Adam's trespasses, you know, his lapse, his offence, death reigned through Adam, much more surely will those who receive God's overflowing grace, his unmerited favour, and the free gift of righteousness, putting them into right standing with himself, much more surely will those people reign as kings in life through the one man,
Christ Jesus, the Messiah, the anointed one.
To reign as a king or a queen. That's quite bizarre. Yeah? Royalty. They know that they're royalty. They hold position. They hold authority. They command respect. They generally possess significant wealth. Have systems in place for governing?
How well do we govern our own lives. Do you have a royal or a regal attitude and an outlook, reigning in this life the way a king or queen reigns in their kingdom?
Yeah? Royalty have to think like this 24 -7, and they're very, very careful indeed about what they say and do. And it's pretty much like they're on show 24 -7.
Well, we're on show to 24 -7. We are. Before the Lord, before our families, before the world, before all of the spirit world, before our employers and colleagues,
and before all the angelic and demonic spirit world, you know, as I just said, I just wonder what everyone is seeing when they look at us.
What does everybody see when they look at you? What do the angels and the demons see when they look at you? Do you look at your life as your own kingdom to minister to with wisdom, to which you have been called.
You have significance. You have importance. Yes, that's really, really powerful. You have significance. You have importance before a holy God. Not because of anything, you know, you or I did, or not because of anything you or I know, but because of what Jesus did and what Jesus knew and has God himself believed in you. God believes in you and I right now, yes?
He believes in your future. He believes in your contribution. He believes in you being included in his future. Royalty never doubt who they are. Please do not ever doubt who you are in Christ Jesus. That's so important.
Friends, we're out of time for today. Please do join with me on the station next week. Remember to go to our website and download this free study, livingsuccess.org, www.livingsuccess.org and get this free study living an effective life. God bless.
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