Sermon The New Self pt. 3 Eph 4:28-32 Hands, Mouth, Heart Introduction

To be grounded for our daily walk we must cast our anchor in the heavenly places where we are seated with Christ. Cast your anchor UPWARD.

ALL LIVES MATTER AND ALL OF LIFE MATTERS

28] Let him who steals, steal no longer 28] Let him who steals, steal no longer. Let him work with his own hands, that he may have something to give to those in need. 29]Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may give grace those who listen.

30] And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. [31] Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. [32] Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

THIS IS GROUND ZERO OF DAILY SANCTIFICATION Both Your HANDS and Your MOUTH, are to be instruments of grace as they reflect the grace that has been received in your HEART. THIS IS GROUND ZERO OF DAILY SANCTIFICATION OUR HANDS, MOUTHS, AND HEARTS

Piper: “All our secular work is to be a display of grace; and all our speech is to be a display of grace. Do you see how all-encompassing and how far reaching our Christian faith must be.”

PROFESSING THE NAME OF CHRIST means nothing it we aren’t SEEKING to reflect our calling in the everyday affairs of life.

J.I. Packer – “The whole NT labors the thought that Christians will be radically different from those around them, and from the way they themselves lived before. The proclamation of newness as both a divine gift and a Christian obligation is loud and clear.”

YOUR HANDS / work life… Those who have RECEIVED GRACE will GIVE grace in order to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which they have been called.

YOUR MOUTH – If you’re going to talk the talk, then you’ve got to talk HIS Talk! no rotten speech A new heart should give rise to new speech. Love your neighbor with your words.

There are two sides to these rotten words: Those that are clearly rotten and stink Words that seem positive and encouraging, but they are self- serving and point our hearts to trust in self or the decaying idols of the world

IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO AVOID ROTTEN WORDS, we are to speak in a manner worthy of the calling with which we have been called. We are called to be ambassadors of grace by speaking GRACE WORDS

Our relationships do not belong to us, but to God. TONGUE TEST

For 1 week … no grumbling, no boasting, no gossip, don’t run down others, don’t defend yourself , or make excuses DO always affirm other people and speak words that meet a need

GRACED PEOPLE are deeply loved, and they want to love others with their words.