Walk in Love

Ephesians 4:30-5:2 ESV

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Paul is switching from declarative to descriptive language. He was speaking of who we are in Christ, now of how we should act/conduct ourselves.

Loving others gives us a good idea of whether we are right with God. If we are not right with Him, we treat people badly. Loving others is for the glory of God. We can have great devotional lives and still be far from God.

Be angry and do not sin. Anger is not sinful or wrong. God is the angriest person in the bible. His anger is righteous. It is a reaction to sin. That is a proper response to evil. It is not just getting angry because things aren't going our way. That is not righteous anger. Sin is what impacts God's glory, His kingdom, and will. Not things in our little kingdoms. Righteous anger works toward good things in a controlled manner.

We are not often righteous in our anger. It is a rare thing... so Paul tells is to be careful. We often repeat the unhealthy ways of expressing anger as modeled by our parents. Paul lists off some unhealthy methods. Bitterness is a spiritual sourness which cannot see the goodness. Wrath and seething is like an explosive and boiling. Clamor is hot and uncontrolled. Slander is a cold and calculated anger. Malice is wishing ill will on others. We are to put off these ways.

Kindness is more than being nice. It is seeking to good of others. Tenderhearted is seeking to do good even to those who are dealing with the costs of things they rightly deserve. Forgiveness is accepting the cost of sin, rather than seeking payback from those who have wronged us. We are not exacting a cost of those who have wronged us.

The motivations of a Christian is different. It is because we have a relationship with Christ. The Holy Spirit lives in our hearts and when we do not live rightly, He is grieved. God chose this because he loves us. We choose to keep His commands because we do not wish to hurt Him. God wishes the best for us and sin breaks His heart. This love is why we want to change. The Holy Spirit is grieved, but keep grieving Him and He will discipline you. He will let you taste the emptiness of sinful living, so that we will repent.

The other reason for the Christian is because we are His children. We are in God's family and should live as such. We are adopted into the family of God and so we should dress and act.

The power to change our behavior or habits is not pure willpower. We are saved by grace, but it also motives us to work hard. We should use our energy to focus on what Christ has accomplished for us. It should be a cross-centered work. Your unrighteous anger comes from your idols. Hurtful, bitter, and upset over things that we desire... more than God. By focusing on God, we can let go of these little things, little desires. Kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness is a reflection of God's actions toward us in Christ. Jesus is the kindness, tenderness, and forgiveness from God. From this, we see how we are called to act. It is not an easy thing; but it is available through the grace of God. The power that raised Christ is at work in us. We can and will change.

Put off the old, put on the new

Ephesians 4:17-32 ESV

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.  Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Take off the old (clothes)

The old self that was crucified in Christ, is to be taken off like a garment. How do we recognize it? Corrupt, through deceitful desire.

What happens when we don't?

We become callous to the sin in our lives. Sin becomes normal. Hard hearts are where unbelievers are. Their hearts do not hear God. Hardened hearts are believers who hear but refuse to change or repent. Their ways of sin don't bring them a sense of enjoyment, but rather just emptiness. We start to lose sense of how God sees things. We become alienated from Christian friends, serving, praying, and God. We become bitter about what God asks of us.

What to put on

Okay, what goes on after we have put off the old self? We are to put on our new selves, put on our new identities in Christ. We are not just adding a couple of good habits. We are to start acting out of our new identity in Christ. We are to enjoy God; do the good works God has prepared for us; be renewed in our minds. It is not just an outward habit, but rather an inner change.

How to truly change

Change happens by looking at Christ personally. We are not called to know Christ as a set of facts, but to actually know Christ and have personal fellowship with Jesus. In order for change to be permanent, we are to encounter Christ personally. God is not looking down on us; looking for an opportunity to criticize. He is working in us, lovingly and patiently.

Paul gives us examples of how to put off. Truth rather than lies. But this is inward not just outward. What motivates us to lie? selfish desire? Caring about ourselves more than anything else? We should care more about God's desires over our own.

The eternal perspective

Ephesians 3:1-13 ESV

For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.   Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

Rev. Dwight Yoo

This passage is Paul's digression from his prayer for them. He talks about God's work in the context of his imprisonment.

The gospel is the surprise that keeps on  surprising.

God takes on flesh to save humanity. He takes on flesh, dies the death of a criminal, and lives the life we cannot live. The gospel is a mystery. It is not a message that is not immediately obvious.  Jesus defeats evil, sin, and death by dying. This is counter-intuitive. Dying on the cross is how God triumphs? This is not what we expect. Ask your average person, how do you get right with God? Do good, they would say. But that is not what the gospel tells us, it tells us that it comes by grace through faith. That is how salvation comes. God has to open the door. Not only is the gospel generally a mystery, but there are mysteries within portions of the gospel. God chooses the Jews and yet also chooses the gentiles... Jews are the chosen people of God, but the gentiles are also welcomed into the family of God. That somehow both Gentile and Jew are the same family. This was very difficult for the Jews to accept. It is another mystery.

The church is God's masterpiece.

God uses the church to display His manifold wisdom and power. God points to the church as a group consisting of people from various tribes, tongues, cultures, economic status, shapes, and sizes... as his masterpiece. And he will receive praise for this... not only from humans, but heavenly beings... angels and, perhaps, even demons. When the angels look at the church, it brings into light God's wisdom... it illuminates his power. The church often seems unimpressive to us. So is God wrong about the church? Probably not. It is our perspective that is off. We're looking at the back of a tapestry. Or we're zoomed in on an impressionist painting. It looks like a jumbled mess from here, but on the other side of eternity, we will be awed alongside the angels.

How does this comfort the Ephesians?

Paul tells them of these things so the Ephesian church would not worry about him. He is in jail by choice. He is not imprisoned by the Romans but rather by the grace of God. He is willing to give up everything for his witness because of what God had already done for him.

Paul knows that even when he loses, he will win. Suffering for Christ is okay because God will complete the work. God's plan will come to fruition regardless of setbacks, trials, and tribulation. Suffering brings God glory... and not only that, but it brings us glory. Imprisonment, suffering, and cancer will bring about good. The worst things in our lives will be used for good. They will be redeemed. And no matter what happens, the best is yet to come.

One in Christ

Ephesians 2:11-22 ESV

Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Future faithfulness is fueled by Christ's finished work.

once ____, but now _____

Paul speaks of how we were before Christ and now what has changed.

The wonder of oneness

Back in this age, the Jews saw the world as two. Jew and gentile. Jews were called to be holy and separate. But this became the basis for a sense of superiority.

Not only that, but there were the Greeks. They saw themselves as enlightened and viewed the rest of the world as uneducated barbarians.

So there was often animosity between these two groups. Yet there was one place where they lived in peace together, the church. They greeted each other with a holy kiss as family. Paul exhorted them to celebrate this unity.

In our day and age, there are many divisions. Ferguson shows that we are not in a "post-racial" America. So many heated arguments on this. Or the influx of hipsters and young families into Philly and the impact on the poor families that have lived here. Where in the gospel in all this? The gospel is the one way to lasting unity and oneness. It can bring together divisive and hostile groups into community.

The way of oneness

The gospel tells us that we are all human, we are all sinners in need of a savior, and we are need Christ for life and hope.

Jews prided themselves on circumcision and their status as a holy people. But all of this was only available through the grace of God.

Christ gives Shalom, not just peace, but rather wholeness. Not only not hating and not living in hostility, but loving those around us. The Jews were following specific practices to show that they were different. But this became superiority. When Christ comes, he shows that we are all sinners in need of salvation. When we have self-righteous justification, we compare our righteousness against one another. But from God's perspective, it looks like we're comparing whose $h1t smells less. It's all worthless and pointless. Our righteousness is filthy rags.

In Christ, we are all in the family of God. We may be different in many ways, but we are family. Different income, socio-economic, culture, etc.

The chief identity of every Christian is being in Christ. This does not eliminate race, economic, and other differences. But it should not be what we find most value in. How does this look? Your identity shows up in who you hang out with. We only hang out with those like us. And additionally, we are afraid of anything that threatens our identity.

The "so what" of oneness

We should worship. We should be awed by what God has done. There is much of brokenness in this world, but the church is a new thing.

We should reach out to people from all walks of life. Do not root your identity in other things. Root it in Christ.

From Death To Life

Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Rev. Charles Han

Total Depravity -  corruption of every part of ourselves: mentally, physically, spiritually.
Before Christ, we were dead in our sins. So God resurrected us. Dead bodies don't need a bandage, a cast, or even resuscitation... they need resurrection. But why? Why would God resurrect those who hate him? Because God is rich in mercy and love.
Church is not about becoming nice people, or becoming more religious, or going to church regularly... it is about becoming new people. Being reborn.

The grace of God is not simply resurrection.

We are his workmanship. We are made for good works. This too is a gift from God. The faith you have is also a gift from God. Our obedience is not a response to God's grace; it is part of God's grace to you. Your salvation includes being rebirth as a new person, not just a small change in lifestyle.

Revived: A balanced life

John 17:1, 22-23 ESV

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,  The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,  I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

This is Jesus' thoughts on how to have a revived life. How to find a deep and satisfying relationship with God, the Father.

A revived you, the Father's better version of you, is found in the sweet spot of balance between Up, In, and Out.

Jesus models this for us in this prayer. He prays on our behalf to the Father. Then he prays about the cross.

Up

Jesus prays standing up, looking up. If we wish to be healthy, we need to be looking up towards God. Our lives should be oriented towards God in a worship stance.

Inward

Jesus is concerned about unity. He speaks of glory, a sort of weight, to Christians living in unity. This is not something we can fabricate, but something that comes through the Holy Spirit. It is "Holy Spirit" Unity to quote my friend, Doug Logan in Camden, NJ.

Outward

"So That" is a indicator of purpose/reason. He prays upward for our inward to turn outward. Worship is better in heaven because Jesus is right there. Prayer is better, there's no ambiguity. The Lord's supper is a taste of the grand banquet in heaven. There is one thing better here than heaven. Our ability to evangelize and share about Jesus.

Our worship is not only for God. It is also so the world would know. Our unity should reflect the unity of God to show that we are disciples of God. Our mission to spread the gospel should be in a healthy revived life.

Revived: By the Spirit of Jesus

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Acts 2:1-4, 14-16, 22-24, 40-47 ESV

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.  But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:  “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.  And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Being revived is by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus promises power to his disciples. He promises "dynamite" for them to be witnesses for Him. That they would be so fired up that they would give up their lives for their witness.

Chapter 1 is about Jesus promising revival through the Holy Spirit.
Chapter 2 is about the fulfillment of that promise.

The spirit turns weaklings into witnesses.

The power God gives enables us to share about Jesus. It gives us courage and strength to talk publicly about Jesus.

Peter stands up and testifies about Jesus being the Messiah. Prior to this Peter had denied Jesus three times. He had run away while Jesus was dying on the cross. Peter had changed. He was changed by the spirit.

The spirit turns crowds into communities

The church is a motley crew. It is made up of people who wouldn't normally be friends or even love one another. It molds a crowd into an intimate group of fellowship.

The Pentecostal celebration was attended by people who only had the festival in common. After the spirit, they broke bread together and prayed together. They were devoted to the teachings of the apostles.

The spirit turns cities into saturation points.

The spirit changes people and crowds until an entire city becomes a witness to Jesus. Three thousand became Christian on the first day. Out of a population of 600,000. 0.5% in one day. By the end of the week, three thousand men... in other words, there thousand families. Enough house churches to witness to every neighborhood in Jerusalem. This is what God wants.