Sabbath School lesson is one of the worldwide lessons studied by members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and we are in the third quarter of 2023. The adult Bible study lesson for this quarter was written by John K. McVay. We are currently studying the book of Ephesians, and the Sabbath School lesson for this week is titled “Christ-Shaped Lives and Spirit-Inspired Speech” August 12-18. Join Pastor Mark Finely as he gives a short preview of this week’s lesson.

<p>Sabbath School lesson is one of the worldwide lessons studied by members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and we are in the third quarter of 2023. The adult Bible study lesson for this quarter was written by John K. McVay. We are currently studying the book of Ephesians, and the Sabbath School lesson for this week is titled “Christ-Shaped Lives and Spirit-Inspired Speech” August 12-18. Join Pastor Mark Finely as he gives a short preview of this week’s lesson.</p>

<p>Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.</p>

HopeLives365

3rd Quarter Sabbath School 2023: Ephesians

Mark Finley

01 Paul and the Ephesians

02 God’s Grand, Christ-Centered Plan

03 The Power of the Exalted Jesus

04 How God Rescues Us

05 Horizontal Atonement: The Cross and the Church

06 The Mystery of the Gospel

07 The Unified Body of Christ

08 Christ-Shaped Lives and Spirit-Inspired Speech

09 Living Wisely

10 Husbands and Wives: Together at the Cross

11 Practicing Supreme Loyalty to Christ

12 “The Call to Stand”

13 Waging Peace

14 Ephesians in the Heart


Welcome back to lesson number 8 in our study of Ephesians, this Sabbath morning study of the Bible together. We're delighted that you have joined us and for this lesson. For this week's study our title is Christ-Shaped Lives in Spirit-Inspired Speech. The lesson focuses on the fact that we come to Jesus, we are a new person in Christ. The memory text, Ephesians 4, 22 to 24, says, you were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off the old self which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, to be made new in the attitude of your minds, and to put on the new self created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

We're going to unpack that a little later. The opening illustration in the lesson is quite a stunning illustration. It talks about Jose Antonio and Salva Garcia. Jose Antonio lived on the streets of Palma, Spain for years. He was a homeless man, 57 years old, but looked far beyond his age.

A deeply etched lines upon his face, all gray mangled tangled hair, odor coming from his body. And when Salva Garcia saw him, he got the idea that he might do something to clean him up. And so Salva Garcia, who ran a beauty salon, brought this homeless man in. They styled his hair, washed it. They gave him a good clean shave.

Eventually, a good shower, of course, and gave him new clothes. When Jose Antonio looked in the mirror, he said this, and I'm quoting him, "'Is this me? I'm so different, no one's going to recognize me. Later he would add, it wasn't just a change of looks, it changed my life. This man's life was changed, why?

Because somebody cared for him, somebody loved him. There's somebody that loves you, somebody that loves me, that can totally radically change our lives, Jesus Christ our Lord. And that's what this lesson is about. Not simply a change on the outside, but a change on the inside. Let's walk through our lesson together.

Sunday's lesson talks about the downward spiral of sin. It refers us to Ephesians chapter 4, starting with verse 17. And here, Paul talks about the way the Gentiles, now when the Bible used the word Gentiles, it's using the word for pagans, non-Jews. It says, they were had their understanding darkened. They were alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that was in them.

They had a hardening of heart. They were past feeling. They gave themselves over to licentiousness, to work in all uncleanness and greediness. And then the Bible says that they were living lives of evil. So without Christ, here is this life lost in sin.

Without Christ, here is this life of rebellion against the true God. Without Christ, here is a life of lostness, where human beings simply respond to the biological passions of their being. They simply walk, as the Bible says, in ways of unrighteousness, lasciviousness, and evil. But what happens? Here in Sunday's lesson, it says, Paul is not concerned, this is the last paragraph, about specific sins or behaviors exhibited by the Gentiles.

He's concerned about a pattern of behavior that they exhibit, a downward trajectory of living in the grip of sin. It says in Ephesians 4, 17 to 19, that it was in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God. So this is not a person who is a conscientious person and then simply fails. But here's a person who's the trajectory of their life. Here's a person who's alienated from the life of God.

What is the solution to this? In Sunday's lesson, we see the problem. Thank God we are not left with the problem. Monday's lesson, a dramatic change of clothing. And that's Ephesians 4, verse 20 to 24.

Ephesians 4, verse 20 to 24 talks about this dramatic change. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard him and have been taught by Him as the truth in Jesus. In other words, they haven't learned of Christ if they're in the old way of life, if they're alienated from the life of God, if they're living a life of rebellion and sin. But when we're taught of Jesus, we put off concerning the former conduct, the old man, which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lust, and be renewed in the spirit of mind that you put on the new man which was created according to God in righteousness and holiness." Notice you put off and you put on. Paul is alluding to garments.

There in the ancient times, a person would often wear an undergarment that came to about their waist and then a long flowing robe. That helped to protect them from the relentless beating of the Palestinian sun. And so here he says, you put off the old garment and you put on a new garment. Now in biblical times, often a person only had 1 change of clothing. They had to wash it in the evenings.

Maybe they might have 2 if they're a little more wealthy, but often they only have 1. So Paul's talking about putting off this old garment. This garment that's dusty and dirty. This garment that's stained with sin. This garment that's defiled with unrighteousness.

Put off that, put on the new garment that there is in Christ. He's talking about a radical change. He's not talking about simply washing the old garment, not talking about patching up the holes in the old garment, but he's talking about a radical change through the living power of Christ. In this lesson talking about this radical change, the author writes, Dr. John McVeigh, we acknowledge that the risen and exalted Jesus is alive and present with us.

We are shaped by his teachings and example and exercise loyalty to him as our living Lord. We open our lives to the active guidance and protection direction through the Spirit of the Word. In other words, we don't change ourself. It's not that we take off an old garment and we in ourself put on a new garment. It is rather Paul's expression that we make a conscious decision that the old way of life will be not the dominant way of life in our being, in our living, but that the old way of life is gone and that through Jesus, by Jesus, because of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit there is a new way of life.

And this builds unity in the church. This new way of life gives us a new way of speaking. Now in Tuesday's lesson we read, which of Paul's words of counsel with regard to the use of speech among believers are the most important to us right now? Which of these words, I'm going to ask the question another way, which of these words reveal the new way of life that there is in Christ? Now notice in Ephesians 4 25 to 29 there are a number of expressions that talk about this new way of life, this new way of speaking.

Therefore, putting away lying, new way of speaking, honesty, integrity. Each 1 speak the truth to his neighbor. So you put off something, you put on something. You put away lying. The word for put away is divorce.

You divorce yourself from lying and you put on the new person in Christ to speak the truth. We're members of 1 another. Be angry and do not sin. So what does it mean be angry and do not sin? Anger is a feeling.

You may have feelings of anger toward another, but do not express those and break relationships. Do not sin. Don't let the sun go down on your wrath. In other words, deal with anger quickly. If you feel angry toward another, resentful toward another, bitter toward another, deal with that very quickly, deal with that rapidly.

Don't let it build up and fester in your life. So he talks about lying, he talks about anger. Let him who stole steal no longer. He talks about stealing, but let him labor, working with his hands what is good. You see the contrast.

Don't lie, put on truth. Don't be angry, live a life of righteousness, not sin. Don't steal, labor. So he's talking about positive Christian qualities that take place when we put on the new man in Christ. It says, let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification.

Again, the contrast. Don't let corrupt communication, what type of corruption, what type of communication is corrupt communication? Corrupt communication tears people down rather than build them up. Corrupt communication is spiteful, it's hateful. Corrupt communication is bitter, it's critical, it's cynical, corrupt communication builds, tears people down, it does not build them up.

Notice what it says here, Paul then commands, let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, Ephesians 429, which describes a destructive word making it seemingly unstoppable way toward the lips to do damaging work. Positively, Paul imagines any negative expression not being just stopped, but replaced by a statement that has 3 criteria. It's good for building up, it fits the occasion, and it gives grace to those who hear it. Now, I want you to think this through very, very carefully. This through very, very carefully.

It is not merely that we replace negative statements in our own strength. It's not merely that we just stop talking evil in our own strength, we just try to grit our teeth and bear it. It is that as we come to Christ, the Holy Spirit enters into our life and replaces that which we once did with something else. The old man is taken off, the new man is put on through the spirit and grace of Christ. It is in Christ, by Christ, and through Christ that we live triumphant lives.

Now notice it says the Holy Spirit in the believer's life in Wednesday's lesson. If we indulge dishonesty, if we indulge anger, if we indulge stealing, if we allow corrupt communication to come out of our mouth, what happens? Verse 30 is the result. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by which you are sealed for the day of redemption. What does it mean to grieve the Holy Spirit of God?

It means to wound the Holy Spirit. What is this business sealing to the day of redemption? A seal was affixed to a document to authenticate the document. The seal of the Holy Spirit in our life, enabling us to be positive, energetic, enthusiastic, grace-filled Christians, is the seal that authenticates that we have genuine Christianity. When we have genuine Christianity, there are certain aspects that we put away.

And the Bible goes on to tell us what they are. It gives us them. Bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking, be put away with all malice. So when Christ comes into our life, the Holy Spirit fills us. The attitudes of bitterness are gone.

The attitudes of wrath are gone. The attitudes of clamor, that's evil speaking about others, are gone, and complaining they're gone. We are new in Christ. And the Holy Spirit that comes into our life seals us. Now what about this idea of the seal of God being the Sabbath at end time?

How could the Holy Spirit seal us at conversion? The seal that comes from the Holy Spirit at conversion is a seal that's affixed. God guarantees through the Holy Spirit when we come to Christ that we will live a godly life. That Holy Spirit dwells in our heart as long as we surrender to that spirit, as long as we choose to let the spirit work in our life, God then sealed, that we are sealed. But the sealing is a process.

It's not simply an event where we're stamped and the seal is affixed, the seal is placed in our life, but this issue of affixing the seal is something that takes place in the process of sanctification. And when the final test comes of the Sabbath Sunday question and we settle into the truth spiritually and intellectually as Ellen White says so we cannot be moved the seal then is permanently affixed so the seal is placed in us or affixed in us at conversion. But it still is a fluid seal because we are growing in grace. The Spirit of God is continuing to work on our life. We've been justified, but we're in the process of sanctification.

But when we meet the final test and we are not moved by the temptations of Satan, we're not moved and fall, we're not shaken out by Satan's evil machinations, that we stand when the National Sunday was passed. For example, we stand for Christ because his spirit is in our life strengthening us. At that moment, at the final test of Sabbath Sunday, we stand. And the Sabbath is the external manifestation that we have been settled in the truth and we have not moved. Just like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego would not go in to that fiery furnace unless they had not bowed down to the image.

So we don't bow down to the image, and we go into the fiery furnace because we haven't bowed down to the image, the fiery furnace of tribulation. Let me state it more simply and clearly. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down to the image on the plains of Dura. Therefore, because they did not bow down, they were thrown into the fiery furnace. Had they bowed down, they wouldn't have been thrown in.

So their refusal to bow down caused them to be thrown into the fiery furnace. That was, if they would have bowed down, it would have been a violation of the second commandment, thou shalt not have any other gods before me. Thou shalt not, the first commandment, then the second commandment, thou shalt not worship any graven images. So the graven image commandment, the first and second commandments actually, having no other gods in the great, in the commandment regarding graven image, those commandments were test questions of their inner loyalty. So the Sabbath at end time becomes a test question of our inner loyalty.

And we are now when we come to Christ, the Holy Spirit enters our life. The seal is affixed. But as we grow in grace day by day, that seal becomes harder and harder and harder or we become more solid in our Christian faith so that we do not yield at end time. Now, in Thursday's lesson, it says, by referring to the day of redemption, this is kindness, not bitterness, Paul has just invited his readers to consider their usages of speech in the context of the second coming. The question is, in the light of Christ's return, what attitudes and behaviors related to speech should be discarded?

What attitudes and behaviors should be embraced? Well, the should be discarded. What are they? Bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking. What should be embraced?

Be kind to 1 another. Tenderhearted, forgiving 1 another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you. So we sense that we are forgiven by Jesus. We sense that the grace of God has redeemed us. We sense that there's no condemnation that there is in Christ.

We sense that we've come to Christ and he said if you confess your sins I'm faithful and just to forgive your sins. We are forgiven. We are redeemed by grace. We are adopted into the family of God. The gift of eternal life is ours.

And because Christ has forgiven us, we can forgive others. Because Christ has released us from his condemnation, we can release others from our condemnation. Because Christ is not angry and bitter and wrathful toward us, We need not be bitter and angry and wrathful toward others. We can be kind. Reaching out in love.

I love the way Ellen White puts it, Friday's lesson, first paragraph. She says, if you have love in your heart, you will seek to establish and build up your brother in the most holy faith. If a word is dropped that is detrimental to the character of your friend or brother, do not encourage this evil speaking. It is the work of the enemy. It's the work of what?

The enemy. Kindly remind the speaker that the word of God forbids that kind of conversation. You'll find that Ellen White Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, June 5th, 1888. So we ask the question, what brings unity in the church? Unity comes in the church when, through the grace of the living Christ, we're changed within.

And we put off the old man, the old person, the old way of bitterness, anger, and resentment, and we put on the new person in Christ, and we're kind and forgiving, loving, compassionate, and understanding. What brings unity? The new birth, the transformation that Christ brings in our life. Don't you want that in your life? Don't you want that in your church?

The new life in Jesus. Let's pray. Father in heaven, we thank you for the new life that comes through Jesus Christ our Lord. We thank you that we can take off the old garments of sin and unrighteousness and put on the new garment in Christ. Thank you, Lord, so much that you love us, that your Holy Spirit desires to work in us, and thank you that because we have been forgiven, we can be forgiving.

In Jesus' name, amen. This media was brought to you by AudioVerse, a website dedicated to spreading God's word through free sermon audio and much more. If you would like to know more about AudioVerse or if you would like to listen to more sermons, please visit www.audioverse.org.

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Series

3rd Quarter Sabbath School 2023: Ephesians

08 Christ-Shaped Lives and Spirit-Inspired Speech

Description

Parent Series

Sponsor

Recorded

Other Teachings in Series

01 Paul and the Ephesians

18m

02 God’s Grand, Christ-Centered Plan

21m

03 The Power of the Exalted Jesus

18m

04 How God Rescues Us

17m

05 Horizontal Atonement: The Cross and the Church

20m

06 The Mystery of the Gospel

19m

07 The Unified Body of Christ

21m

08 Christ-Shaped Lives and Spirit-Inspired Speech

20m

09 Living Wisely

20m

10 Husbands and Wives: Together at the Cross

18m

11 Practicing Supreme Loyalty to Christ

21m

12 “The Call to Stand”

19m

13 Waging Peace

17m

14 Ephesians in the Heart

22m

Sound Doctrine