God is Pro-Life & So Am I.

I know this sermon is out of order in terms of the sermons that have yet to be posted, but due to the relevance of this message to the Sanctity of Life Month 2017, I wanted to post it for your consideration.  If you feel it has merit, please feel free to share. - Pastor Rick

Footprints to Follow Series - Sermon 6 - "Opposites: A Testimony"

This sermon's recording was unsuccessful.  As a result, here are Pastor Rick's sermon notes.  We apologize for the inconvenience.

Today we continue our series from Ephesians about what it means to put off the old man and former lifestyle of sin and put on the new man created in righteousness and true holiness being renewed in the spirit of our minds.  We have learned that we do that by following Christ and walking in His ways. 

We learned that Truth is at the core of Who God is and whom we are to be in Him.  Truth is foundational to all lasting relationships and is essential to the life and integrity of couples, families, friends, and church families.

Next we learned about anger and the only proper way for it to be experienced or expressed.  The 3 parameters for Christian anger:

1.    Our anger must be sinless - In your anger do not sin.

2.    Our anger must be tempered, controlled, regulated, and not left to simmer.

3.    Our anger must not become a climate or environment permitting the devil a foothold in our lives.

We learned that anger is dangerous.  In it lies great potential for error, harm, and sin.  Therefore, like all our other emotions and actions, our anger must be surrendered to Christ and placed under His guidance and control.

Then we discovered that “work” is a gift, a grace, and a testimony and that becoming followers of Christ means that we go from being selfish takers to selfless givers and that for the Christian, even their secular work has a sacred quality.

Last week we learned the importance of our spoken words coming to an understanding that our speech demonstrates what is in our hearts, can determine where we will spend eternity, and can dim our relationship with God if we are not very careful.  We also learned that the path to changing from corrupt communication to pure communication takes 3 steps: Get clean; Self-discipline; and WORD Therapy.

This week we are going to pass through verse 30 (we will be coming back to that one soon) and pick up with verses 31 & 32.  Today is about a list of opposites.  Let us read our passage together:

17 ¶ This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

 19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

 20 But ye have not so learned Christ;

 21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

 22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

 27 Neither give place to the devil.

 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

(KJV)

Today we focus on verses 31 & 32:

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

In the Holman Christian Standard Bible it is:

³¹ All bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. ³² And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

Several of the scholars and commentators I studied see a close connection between these two verses.  As a result, I want to frame them before you as a series of contrasts that display a true testimony.  Remember we are still talking about putting off the old man and putting on the new in Christ Jesus.  In verse 31 there is a list of things that we are to “take off.” We translate the Greek words to say “Let [these things] be put away from you which in the Greek it means to “carry them away and make a clean sweep.”[1]  In other words, get rid of them completely sweep them off the floor and out the door of your heart.  Don’t permit them to remain.  Clean house!  In verse 32, however is a list of things we are to put on.  It begins with the English word “Be” [this way] which in the Greek is actually saying “Keep on becoming” [this way]. So if you combine the two verses they are saying, “Empty your heart of one group of behaviors and let it be constantly filling with the other behaviors.  If I could say it another way, I would say, empty – pour out – the pitcher of all these bad things and put it under the spout to be constantly filled with good things.

The first of these contrasts we want to talk about is

Bitterness versus Kindness

Before I dive into this I want to connect it for our kids a little bit.  What is bitterness?  Give me an example (interplay here with the kids).  When I think of something that is bitter I think of something that is acidic, tart, and sour like a lemon or sour candy, or even taking a nasty medicine. 

Now I have a video of Emma from about 4 years ago.  She is little and tries a lemon on camera.  It makes me giggle in the video and I still smile even now every time I see it.  Pay close attention to her face all the way through.  Please play the video of Emma.  You see, her face contorts and reacts to the bitterness of the fruit.  In this context it is only a momentary sensation and it is funny.  But what happens when bitterness is far more serious, deeper, and longer lasting than the taste of a lemon?  I am talking about bitterness in the heart.  Bitterness in the heart will contort the countenance far more than the taste of a lemon in your mouth. 

In fact, when you begin to think about bitterness it is not a long metaphorical leap to connect bitterness and poison.  Poison attacks the systems of the body and interferes with their normal operation.  Poisons can cause illness, impairment, paralysis, and death.  (Poisoning was associated with 727,500 emergency department visits in the United States in 2010.)[2] When poison has been ingested into the body, the only solutions really are to absorb it and expel it.  This is done by ingestion of activated charcoal to absorb it and then various other very uncomfortable ways to remove it from your body.  Poisoning is something we do not want to experience. 

Like poison, bitterness interferes with the spiritual life of a person and can deeply inhibit the functionality of the body of Christ.  As a result, just like poison must be removed from the human body completely to ensure survivability and health, Paul tells us here that bitterness also must be completely swept out of our hearts. 

Bitterness against our past, against others, against our circumstances, against ourselves, against God: in all cases bitterness poisons and convulses the soul.  It inhibits the functioning of our minds and hearts as they should.  It prevents healthy relationships and separates us from others and from God.  Bitterness is vile thing that can poison the richest of friendships and ruin the deepest bonds. 

I think you get the picture.  Paul is clearly telling us to kick bitterness out the door.  Get rid of it.  Let it go.  It will only damage and destroy.  In place of bitterness, we are to practice kindness.  It is hard for kindness toward someone to exist when we are bitter toward them.  Conversely it is hard to be bitter against someone when we are being kind to them.  There is connection in kindness.  And, at very least kindness extended to the undeserving is a picture of grace.  Once the bitterness is expelled from the heart, it is to be replaced by a continual filling of kindness.  That kindness should then overflow out of the heart and splash into your life and into the lives of others. 

To show the strength of the kindness we are to have, let’s look at another place where the Greek word chrestos (which we translate kindness) is used.  Romans 2:4 – “…Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”  Wow! The goodness of God!  That puts it into a new light. Instead of a poisoning bitterness that consumes and convulses the heart impairing everything we are and impacting everything we do, we are to be continually becoming kind filled with the riches of goodness/kindness of God himself! Don’t be bitter – be kind! 

If we do this, we will find our lives and relationships enriched.  As we are filled with his goodness and kindness it will transform how we perceive others and how we respond to them.  If we are ever living to look at people through the eyes of Christ to see them and love them as He does, we will find ourselves putting off the old man and putting on the new. 

The next contrast is

Wrath & Anger vs. Tenderheartedness

We have already spent time talking about anger and wrath and their appropriate exercise in the Christian heart.  I won’t rehash it.  The key here is the contrast between the angry wrathful heart and life versus one filled with compassion.  Show me a person being wrathful and compassionate to a person at the same time.  You will have a hard time convincing me that the red-in-the-face shouting individual who is clearly enraged is being kind and compassionate to the object of his wrath.  Those two things do not easily go together.  As followers of Christ, our hearts are to be swept clean of the anger and the rage and the uncontrolled violent passion and find it continually replaced with tenderness and compassion toward each other.  This goes for spouses, for siblings, for families, for friends, for brothers and sisters in the Lord.  What a difference it displays in our lives to the glory of God when wrath and anger are replaced with the tender compassion of Christ!  What a testimony to family, friends, coworkers, and even enemies when they experience our compassion and tenderness where they only expected and maybe even deserved anger and wrath. 

The next contrast is

“Clamor and Evil Speaking” vs. Forgiveness 

 The concept here is that when you are bitter about someone or angry at them what is the tendency for most people?  We speak badly of them.  We try to cast them in a bad light to ourselves and to others.  This is a means of self-justification.  It is incredibly damaging.  This simple act of an outcry against another person or speaking badly of them (blasphemia) can destroy life-long friendships, fracture marriages, split churches, and utterly demolish a community.  Sadly there is a long and terrible track record for this one even in the church world.   Paul recognized its danger and said “get it out.”  It must be swept out of our hearts into banishment.  Do not permit it to linger near.  It is deadly.

In its place, should be forgiveness.  When we encounter those moments in our relationships that for the old man would have been damaging, we have a solution.  When others hurt us or impact us in ways that once would have resulted in bitterness and rage, we are to respond with forgiveness.  Oh I know it is not an easy thing.  But this is where it is comforting to know that this is a filling of God’s goodness pouring into our hearts.  When the temptation to speak evil of or to clamor against someone else is presented we are to respond with forgiveness. 

Literally the Greek word here means to “grant as a favor, gratuitously, in kindness, pardon, or rescue: to deliver; frankly to forgive, and freely give or grant that forgiveness.”[3]  To pardon or rescue: wow.  That puts a new spin on things.  When you are extending forgiveness to someone, you are extending a pardon, a rescue to them.  This implies that their words or actions may very well have been wrong and be in need of pardon or even more that their actions or words may demonstrate they are in need of rescue.  Our job is to extend the pardon or offer that rescue and we do so by forgiving.  And that forgiveness is to be granted gratuitously which means even when others would find it unwarranted, even when it is not merited, it is to be given free of charge without obligation.[4]

The final contrast is

“All Malice” vs. “God for Christ’s sake”

Here the Greek word kakia which we translate as “malice” means badness, depravity, malignity, evil, naughtiness, wickedness.  All that bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking – the destruction – of that old man at its root stems from the depravity of the heart, the sinfulness of evil, and the wickedness that is in this world.  This is contrasted with what we are to have by putting on the new man in Christ Jesus.  From Him we are filled with kindness, favor, and compassion toward our fellow men, extending forgiveness like an unmerited rescue to even those who would be against us and we do this just as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven us. 

Against a backdrop of the darkness, bitterness, destruction, and despair of evil we are shown the brightness of the glory of God in Christ who died on the cross as a sacrifice unto God opening the heart of God to us wherein we can experience His kindness, tender compassion, and gratuitous forgiveness.  What a difference!  Therefore, as followers of Christ, our old man with all its bitterness, anger, wrath, and evil speaking rooted in the wickedness and malignity of sin and evil is supposed to be put off – kicked out – from our hearts.  In its place we are to put on the new man in Christ Jesus which is ever being filled with His love to us from which we extend kindness, tender compassion, and gratuitous forgiveness to our fellow men.  Truly this is a contrast.  Truly it is a testimony to the power of God’s grace in our lives. 

 “31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”

---

[1] Robertson’s new Testament Word Pictures for Ephesians 4:31, accessed via PowerBibleCD 2.9

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison

[3] From Strong’s Concordance, # 5483

[4] http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/word/gratuitous

The Gospel of John Series - A MIRACLE of CHOICES

Listen as Pastor Rick explores some wonderful ideas from the 1st Miracle Jesus ever performed as recorded by the Apostle John.  There is lots to learn here and maybe some things you've never thought of.  Is the water of your obedience being transformed into the wine of His glory?

Fervent Charity

Stirred in his heart by pictures of Pope Francis in action, Pastor Rick turns our attention to the writings of the Apostles Peter & Paul to call us to deep, fervent love toward our fellow men above all else.  This helps defeat the enemy in spiritual warfare, preventing the establishment of a beachhead in our lives and in the church. 

LOST & FOUND

Listen as Pastor Rick shares a famous story to teach a simple but powerful truth in this message, "Lost and Found."

The Strength of Sacrifice - Contagious Christians Series #6

Listen as Pastor Rick wraps up the teaching on Potent Christian Living from the book by Mark Mittelberg & Bill Hybels.  Sacrifice is memorable, powerful, and reaching.  Are you living sacrificially?

The Pull of Compassion - Contagious Christian Series #5

Listen as Pastor Rick challenges us to live and work with the compassion of Christ.  Are you as compassionate as you think?

VISION 2013 - "DEEPER"

Technical Issues Resolved!  Listen as Pastor Rick shares a Review of 2012 & the Vision for 2013 titled "DEEPER." Be challenged & pray for us! 

SPECTACULAR LOVE!

Listen as Pastor Rick reminds us of how spectacular is God's Love toward us as shown in the story of Hosea & Gomer!  Are you serving Him today?

Contagious 1 - People Matter to God

Feeling the burden to reach our community for Christ, Pastor Rick begins a new series designed to help us do that.  Based on the book Becoming a Contagious Christian by Bill Hybels and Mark Mittelberg, Pastor Rick helps us learn new perspectives and methodologies to equip us for soul-winning.

God Cares.

Listen as Pastor Rick examines the disciples' anguished cry, "Master, Carest Thou Not...?"  Be uplifted as you realize how much God really does care for you and everything about you.  God sees.  God understands.  God cares.

Moments of Eternity

Last week, I met Tyrone in a parking lot.  He was homeless.  He was looking to score a buck off an easy mark like me.  Well, I didn’t have much, but I promised I would give him what I had if he would let me pray for him.  He consented and there in the parking lot of Golden Corral I put my hand on his shoulder and lifted my voice to Heaven on behalf of Tyrone.  I gave him a few bucks and our ways parted.   

As I drove home though, I was burdened.  Can those brief moments really change eternity for Tyrone?  It doesn’t seem like enough!  Is that how Christ felt as He walked this earth? “These moments are not long enough; I can never touch them all!” I think He understands my emotion.  That is part of why he invested so much in His disciples so they would continue across the centuries to spread the love of God and power of the Gospel into the lives of men and women across the globe.

            I may never see Tyrone again, but, for a few moments light was splashed across his pathway and the love of Christ was shed abroad in his heart.  I don’t know what he will do with the money I gave him.  That is not my concern.  My only duty was to give and love and sow the seed.  Perhaps his eternity will be changed forever by a moment in the presence of Christ: a moment of eternity.

"Good" Samaritan?

     A few days ago I failed to set my alarm properly which resulted in missing my early-morning ride to work.  However, on my resulting drive to work, I found out why.  As I prayed in my car, I began to wrestle with the idea of who we want in our church. 

     Our church like many others has been attended from time-to-time by people who don’t quite fit the cookie-cutter image of a “Christian” or "typical" church attendee.  Our church is attended by people from every economic station and class.  Some people might be put-off by people who seem to be of greater material or spiritual need.  I had to honestly pray this matter through with God to ensure that I was viewing people as Christ does. 

     I must confess that before this prayer session I would rather have reached doctors and lawyers and other “successful” people: a nice “white-collar church.”  However, I felt very convicted about this mentality.  Jesus Christ came to those who needed Him…to those who needed the touch of the Master Physician.  Who are we to do any less?  How can we turn away from the man, woman, or child lying by life’s roadside who has been kicked and beaten by circumstances and background, abused, and robbed of all dignity, respect, and hope?  Dare we pass by on the other side of the road? (Luke 10:25-36)

     We must pause in spite of the danger that we might be robbed ourselves, in spite of being sullied by the dirt of their lives or blood of their wounds.  We must pick them up, bandage them, and love them with abandon with no expectation of anything in return.  We must have compassion and love as Christ loves: Who died and gave Himself for us.

     And so I prayed today, “Lord, send us the people who need you!  Let our paths cross the paths of those who desperately need to know Your peace and need Your mighty power in their lives.  Let our church be a church for the disillusioned, downtrodden, and broken-hearted!  Don’t bring us people who will harden their hearts, worship other gods, or refuse to repent and be redeemed.  Send us those in need of compassion and ready for the cross.” 

     As I prayed, I wept at this idea: How many Christians and churches abort new babes in Christ?  What about the broken souls who are ready to receive the touch of Christ and instead are turned away, given the cold shoulder, referred to a program, or are lost simply because we do not have the eyes to see, ears to hear, or hearts to have compassion?  With our lives and conduct are we turning souls away from the cross or thwarting the work of the Holy Spirit in our community?  I was heavily burdened by this idea.  I do not want to be one who aborts babes in Christ!

     Instead I want to lead a crowd of “crown flingers.”  What?!  That’s right!  I want to reach heaven someday and when we gather before Him, I don’t want my crown to be the only one clattering to the ground as I prostrate myself before the throne of Christ!  I want a whole pile of crowns falling thick and fast from souls who were rescued from the burning by our church: souls who rejoice with us because we had the compassion of Christ and the stamina of the Holy Spirit to bear fruit unto the Gospel of Christ and bring newborn Christians into the Kingdom!

     This is my heartbeat…is it yours?