Sunday
Morning Bible Study
June 18,
2006
Introduction
A few weeks ago we looked at how Paul reminded us that God has done a work
in our lives, changing us. We are to
learn to “put off” the “old man” and to “put on” the “new man”.
It’s a choice we need to make regularly in our life.
What are you going to put on in the morning when you wake up? What will your wardrobe look like?
But then the question arises, just what does the “new man” look like? What are the things we’re supposed to “put
off”?
Last week we looked at some of what that looked like. We continue …
:28 Let him who stole steal no longer,
steal – klepto (“kleptomaniac”) – to steal; to
commit a theft
Lesson
Greed
Greed takes many shapes and forms.
Some people have lost the sense of “what’s mine” and “what’s yours”. They
feel that if they can get their hands on it, it’s theirs.
It’s not very smart to steal …
Illustration
A guy walked into a little corner store with a shot gun
and demanded all the cash from the cash drawer. After the cashier put the cash
in a bag, the robber saw a bottle of scotch that he wanted behind the counter
on the shelf. He told the cashier to put it in the bag as well, but he refused
and said "Because I don't believe you are over 21." The robber said
he was, but the clerk still refused to give it to him because he didn't believe
him. At this point the robber took his drivers license out of his wallet and
gave it to the clerk. The clerk looked it over, and agreed that the man was in
fact over 21 and he put the scotch in the bag. The robber then ran from the
store with his loot. The cashier promptly called the police and gave the name
and address of the robber that he got off the license. They arrested the robber
two hours later.
For some who live in America,
it’s the welfare mentality, the Entitlement mentality.
They feel that somehow because they live in America,
that they are “owed”.
Years ago we had a family in the church that that seemed
to have this attitude. It took us a couple of years to figure out that the
husband of the family never intended to work, and they had no problem asking
people in the church to help them out financially. When one family took them
into their home and had several thousands of dollars of things stolen, we
confronted them. Their reply? “You rich people owe it to us.”
For others in America,
they make a lot of money, but they cry that the government takes too much in
taxes. In reality many are just greedy. They
want more and they want it all for themselves.
The “old man” is about greed.
Illustration
Monkey Treats
Monkey
trappers in North Africa have a clever
method of catching their prey. A number of gourds are filled with nuts (monkey
treats) and firmly fastened to a branch of a tree. Each has a hole just large
enough for the unwary monkey to stick his forepaw into it. When the hungry
animal discovers this, he quickly grasps a handful of nuts, but the hole is too
small for him to withdraw his clenched fist. And he doesn’t have enough sense
to open up his hand and let go in order to escape, so he is easily taken
captive.
Our greed, whether it comes in the form of stealing or in the form of
hoarding, is going to keep us trapped unless we learn to let go.
:28 but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good,
labor – kopiao –
to grow
weary, tired, exhausted; to labor with wearisome effort, to toil
Lesson
Hard work
I remember in high school it was ridiculed as “The Puritan
Work-Ethic”. I’d rather that we call it
“the Bible Work Ethic”.
God is in favor of hard work.
I know that not everyone is physically capable of work, but we need to be
careful that we don’t slip into the mentality that we’re “owed”.
(2 Th 3:6-10 NKJV) But we command you, brethren, in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks
disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. {7}
For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly
among you; {8} nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked with
labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, {9}
not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how
you should follow us. {10} For even when we were with you, we commanded you this:
If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.
Warren Wiersbe writes:
Every Jewish rabbi was taught a trade, for,
said the rabbis, “If you do not teach your son a trade, you teach him to be a
thief.” The men that God called in the Scriptures were busy working when their
call came. Moses was caring for sheep; Gideon was threshing wheat; David was
minding his father’s flock; and the first four disciples were either casting
nets or mending them. Jesus Himself was a carpenter. [1]
It’s not wrong for a disabled person to be collecting Social Security – I
think that’s a blessing we have in our country.
But don’t let yourself slip into the frame of mind that you don’t need to
contribute.
:28 that he may have something to give him who has need.
that – hina – that, in order that, so that … there’s a
reason for work hard …
Lesson
A heart of giving
The reason we are to work hard, is so we might have more to give.
I think that for most Americans who work hard, they work hard so they can
have more for themselves.
Paul says we ought to work hard so we have more to give to those in need.
The “new man” is one that gives.
At the beginning of the book of Ephesians, we talked about the organization
of the book: “Sit – Walk – Stand”. The idea of the first three chapters was to
teach us all about the things that God has done for us, things we learn as we
“sit” in the heavenlies and look at what God has done for us. Those things
become the foundation of the section we’re in now, where we learn how to
“walk”, how to live our life. The things God wants to teach us about living
life aren’t isolated from what He’s done for us. They’re based on what God has
done for us.
We need to learn to be a people who give because we have been changed by a
God who gives.
If you don’t know how to give, you don’t know the God who
gives. The first chapter of Ephesians is
all about the incredible spiritual blessings that God has given to us in
Christ.
(Eph 2:4-8
NKJV) But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He
loved us, {5} even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with
Christ (by grace you have been saved), {6} and raised us up together, and made
us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, {7} that in the ages to
come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us
in Christ Jesus. {8} For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that
not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
God’s grace is all about what God gives us. It’s all about
what God has done for us despite what we deserve.
The greatest example of God’s giving nature is seen in Jesus.
(John 3:16 NKJV) "For God so loved the world
that He gave …
(2 Cor 8:9 NKJV) For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through
His poverty might become rich.
We even see it in Old Testament times where God teaches people to give.
Elijah was living in the middle of a drought and a famine. His first source
of food had dried up and it was time to see God provide in a different way.
(1 Ki 17:8-16 NKJV) Then
the word of the LORD came to him, saying, {9} "Arise, go to Zarephath,
which belongs to Sidon,
and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you."
Notice that God is the one behind what this widow is going
to be giving.
{10} So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the
gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to
her and said, "Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink."
{11} And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, "Please
bring me a morsel of bread in your hand." {12} So she said, "As the
LORD your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and
a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go
in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die."
{13} And Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but
make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some
for yourself and your son. {14} "For thus says the LORD God of Israel:
'The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until
the day the LORD sends rain on the earth.'"
Elijah’s words might sound a little like those
televangelists on TV, but the difference was that Elijah was actually telling
the truth – he was letting her know that God was promising to take care of this
woman, but on one condition: She learn to “give” first. If God is the one
prompting you to give, you don’t need to be afraid of the consequences. Just be
sure that God is the one prompting you, and not some slick con artist or even a
well meaning, but carnal Christian.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians, trying to teach them about
giving:
(2 Cor 9:6-8 NKJV) But this I say: He who sows
sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap
bountifully. {7} So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not
grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. {8} And God is able
to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in
all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
If you learn to give according to God’s promptings, God
promises to take care of you.
So what happened to the widow in Zarephath?
{15} So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and
she and he and her household ate for many days. {16} The bin of flour was not
used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD
which He spoke by Elijah.
God’s desire is for His people to be a giving people. Just like Him.
:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth,
corrupt – sapros –
rotten,
putrefied; corrupted by one and no longer fit for use, worn out; of poor
quality, bad, unfit for use, worthless
Lesson
Corrupt words
The words that come from our mouths are only a reflection of what goes on
in our heart.
(Luke 6:45 NKJV)
"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth
good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.
For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
If we’ve been changed by Jesus, the change ought to go
down to the core of our being, and that is shown by the words that come from
our mouths.
I think we generally think of things like using bad words or dirty jokes.
Illustration
A pastor was making a wooden trellis to support a climbing
vine. As he was pounding away, he noticed that a little boy was watching
him. The youngster didn’t say a word, so
the preacher kept on working, thinking the lad would leave. But he didn’t. Pleased at the thought that
his work was being admired, the pastor finally said, “Well, son, trying to pick
up some pointers on gardening?” “No,” he
replied. “I’m just waiting to hear what
a preacher says when he hits his thumb with a hammer.”
This week I was listening to Jon Courson on the radio – he was talking
about “bearing false testimony”.
One of the examples he gave was about the false witnesses that testified at
Jesus’ trial. They said that Jesus claimed
He was going to tear down the Temple
and rebuild it in three days. And though
this was technically true, it was a twisted version of what Jesus said. Jesus had been talking about the temple of
His body, and His resurrection from the dead.
They spoke the truth but mangled the intent, and the result was
conviction.
Then Jon went on to talk about how we often will talk about people. We might say, “Oh, that person is a great
person … but let me tell you …” and then we go on to speak half-truths or twisted
truths, sometimes to make ourselves look good and the other person look bad.
We will take a person that Jesus loves and cares for, and
kill their reputation in front of others.
This is a “corrupt” word.
Illustration
It was Ring Lardner who said, “The family you come from is not as important
as the family you are going to have.”
He’s right. The truth is, I can’t do anything about the home which I was
born into. In my case, it was a good one. But now that I’m the dad, it’s on my
shoulders to make a good home.
What’s going to be the atmosphere of my home? More than anything else, it
will be my words that spell the difference between construction and
destruction. What kind of words will echo off the walls of my home and sink
into the souls of those impressionable folks under my roof? Unjust words like,
“You’ll never amount to anything.” Unjust statements like, “Here, give me the
wrench! You look so darned awkward with that thing.”
-- Steve Farrar,
Finishing Strong (Questar Publishing, 1995), p. 133.
:29 but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to
the hearers.
edification – oikodome –
(the act
of) building, building up; it’s a construction word, but instead of building a
house, we build up each other.
necessary – chreia –
necessity,
need
Same word used for “need” in verse 28.
There are people in need. They
don’t need financial help, but they need spiritual and emotional help. Do we “work hard” (vs. 28) to have something
to give to them?
impart – didomi –
to give;
the same root word used in vs. 28 (“something to give”)
grace – charis –
grace; that
which affords joy, pleasure, delight
Lesson
Gracious Words
Illustration
Lawrence Peter “Yogi” Berra, Montclair
State University,
East Rutherford, NJ, said the following to the class of ‘96 upon their
graduation:
I am happy to speak my words at the university graduation. A lot of people have been quoting me ever
since I came to play for the Yankees in 1946.
But, as I once said, I really didn’t say everything I said. So now it’s my turn. I want to give some of my famous advice to
the graduates. First, never give up
because it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.
Second, during the years ahead, when you come to the fork in the road,
take it. Third, don’t always follow the
crowd, because nobody goes there anymore.
It’s too crowded. Fourth, stay
alert. You can observe a lot by
watching. Fifth, and last, remember that
whatever you do in life, 90% of it is half mental. In closing, I want to quote myself
again: Thank you, Montclair
State University,
for making this day necessary.
-- USA Today, 5-24-96, p. 15A.
(Prov 12:18 NKJV)
There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of
the wise promotes health.
Illustration
To appreciate the power of the tongue, we need only picture the people of Great
Britain in the early days of World War II,
gathered in their living rooms listening to Prime Minister Winston Churchill
deliver one of the most stirring speeches of the war: “The whole fury and might of the enemy must
very soon be turned on us.... Let us
therefore brace ourselves to our duties and so bear ourselves that, if the British
Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will
still say: ‘This was their finest
hour.’” The heroism so evident in Britain’s
battle against Nazi Germany may have lain dormant in the British people had not
Churchill’s words helped galvanize their will.
Our words have the ability to “edify” others.
Illustration
Alan Redpath wrote, “I once formed a mutual encouragement fellowship at a
time of stress in one of my pastorates. The members subscribed to a simple
formula applied before speaking of any person or subject that was perhaps
controversial.
T—Is it true?
H—Is it helpful?
I—Is it inspiring?
N—Is it necessary?
K—Is it kind?
When I look at those suggestions, I find that I might not
have quite as many things to say.