Jesus 101

SUMMARY

Karl Ihfe continues the "Domino Effect" series by examining Ephesians 4, focusing on the pivotal decision of who we choose to follow. Drawing from Paul's letter, Ihfe contrasts two paths: the way of the Gentiles, characterized by "futility of thinking," darkened understanding, and insatiable desires, versus the way of Jesus, which leads to renewal and transformation.

Ihfe explains that following Jesus means "putting off the old self" and "putting on the new self" as described in Ephesians 4:22-24. This transformation manifests in practical ways: speaking truthfully, managing anger appropriately, working honestly to share with others, using words that build up rather than tear down, and replacing bitterness with kindness and forgiveness. Ihfe challenges the congregation to become "radical encouragers" who reflect God's character in their daily interactions, reminding them that their decision about who to follow will impact every aspect of their lives and relationships.

TRANSCRIPTION:

Well, if you have your Bible, I invite you to turn over to Ephesians chapter four. We'll be spending our time there today. As we've been thinking together in the series Domino Effect about the power of our decisions and how those decisions can impact not only our lives, but the lives of people that we love. We've spent some time thinking some about the power of our decision, about what we're going to believe and the role that we'll choose to allow grace to play in our lives, to be people who pursue peace to people who pursue unity, those kinds of things. Today I want us to think about a decision that I think Paul is going to hang a lot on today.

This decision of who are we gonna follow? Who are we gonna follow? When you need advice, where do you go? Who do you go to? You know, a lot of us, we find friends or family, folks that we know and love and trust, who know us and who we know have our best interests at heart.

We'll ask for some advice, some wisdom. Maybe for some of us we go to a mentor or a coach, maybe an expert in a particular field, that financial advisor or, or some other area. A lot of us are going online these days. You may not have heard of this little app called TikTok, but there's this app out there called TikTok that a lot of people are pursuing wisdom from. Now if you've been on that app, you know, that may not be the best place to be looking for that.

There's a lot of other social media opportunities there as well. Where do we go when we need help? Maybe it's a book or a magazine kind of. Depending on the issue, it may shape where we go. But there's this question that also comes along with it is what is a good life?

You know, last year we spent a whole series talking about this idea of what is the good life and Jesus picture of that. Because Jesus offers us a way to live. He offers us wisdom and advice about the best way that we could spend our time. And he's willing to give it and he's willing for us to live into it if we want to. You see, none of us come pre programmed on how to live.

I've shared with you the story of driving home after our first child was born, just watching the rear view mirror, waiting for the nurses and doctors to come running out after me, going, whoa, whoa, whoa, we can't send that child home with you. You don't know what you're doing right. And they didn't. They just kind of Pushed us out the door and said, good luck. Where do you go when you need help on how to live?

Because it doesn't come naturally, right? Some things come naturally. But how to live a really good life, it doesn't happen by accident. You see, Jesus offers us a way to live. And I think it's what Paul's been challenging this young church in Ephesus to think about and to make a decision on purpose.

For, you see, Jesus claimed that his way of life was the best way to live. In fact, he said, I came to the world not just to save you from your sins, though he did do that. Not just so that we could be together forever, throughout eternity. Although that is true, he said, I came for another reason. In John's gospel, he says it this way.

I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and to kill and destroy. But I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.

Jesus said, part of the reason why I came was for you to have life. And not just any life, a full life. I came that you would have an abundant life. And so, again, I think this is the decision that Paul's challenging the young church in Ephesus to make. A choice.

Who will we choose to follow? It's a decision that we have to make every day. Who are we gonna follow? You see, so far, he's talked to them about the power of deciding what they're gonna believe. And if they choose to believe in Jesus, that there's a new way that's available to them.

He's talked to them about the power of grace. And if they choose to allow grace to have an impact on them, he says, it's all grace. It can all actually be grace. That you could be a gracious person. And not only that, it would change how you live.

Like, you could become a peacemaker in the world around you, where there's so much chaos and turmoil and hurt and angst and worry and fear. He says, what about if you chose to be a peacemaker? Or what if you chose to pray big prayers, not just for that parking spot up close to the building, but thinking about those big prayers that God, would you help us to grasp, really how wide and long and deep and high is the love of Jesus? And would you pray that we would become the actual body of Christ in the world, that we would understand that and then begin to live into it? Last week, we talked about his challenge for the church to really hold onto unity?

Will we become people who pursue unity, who maintain that unity that Christ brings to us? This week we're going to talk about, well, so who are we going to follow? And I think this is the decision that all those others depend on right here. Who are we going to follow? Who are we going to trust that actually has the best way to live?

You see, we all have a picture of what that life looks like. We all have a picture of what the good life looks like. Well, so too did the folks that were living in Ephesus of that day. In fact, we can hear a little bit of what that good life looked like when we listen to the words of Paul here in Ephesians chapter 4. He says, so I tell you this, verse 17, and insist on it in the Lord that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do in the futility of their thinking.

If you have your Bible that you can Mark in, I just invite you to circle that word futility. We're going to come back to that in just a moment. But he says, I encourage you. Don't live like the Gentiles do in the futility of their thinking. They're darkened in their understanding and they're separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that's in them due to the hardening of their hearts.

Having lost all sensitivity, they've given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity. And they're full of greed. You see, their idea of the good life was doing whatever feels right, whatever feels good. I'm just going to do that. It changed the way that their hearts and their minds work.

Paul says they became dark, right? Their thinking was futile. It dulled it. They became empty and purposeless. You know, Peter would use the same word, this futile thinking, when he was writing his second letter.

He says, for they speak bombastic nonsense. Was the way Peter talked about it, this futile thinking. Their ability to understand and respond to the world around them was darkened. It became jaded, right? Ignorance started to seem like wisdom and their hearts began to harden.

Now, before we get too judgy on these Ephesians here, right, we know this, don't we? I mean, we know this. We wrestle with it all the time. Because just like them, we too used to live that way. In fact, Paul will say as much at the beginning of chapter two.

He says it like this. He goes, as for y', all, now remember, this is our West Texas translation. These yous that you see in there, you need to write Y', all, because it's plural. He says, and don't you remember? Y' all were dead in your transgressions and sins when you all used to live.

You followed the ways of the world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit, who's now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us, he says, all of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts like the rest, like everybody else, like everyone, you lock eyes with Ephesians, we too were by nature deserving wrath. And Paul says, the reason this is so familiar to us and that we can recognize it in others is because it's in here. We wrestle with this too. So Paul begins, verse 17.

So I tell you this, and I don't know about your translation, my NIV says, and insist on it, that word right there, it also means to testify or it means to witness, right? Paul says, I'm going to tell you this, and I'm going to testify to it because I know what it's like. I'm gonna bring witness to this reality that there is a way of living that's outside of the kingdom of God. It's not the way of Jesus. And it's gonna darken our minds, it's gonna darken and harden our hearts so that we can't see what truth really is.

You see, Paul understood there is another way to follow, there is another way to go. He's seen it in the world, he's experienced it in his own life. And he says, if you choose to follow this way, if you choose to go this route, you'll lose your sensitivity. You'll lose your sense of the Holy Spirit at work in your life. Now, again, we know this, don't we?

Right? When we stop reading Scripture and we stop reflecting on God's Word and we stop praying, when we stop gathering in community, it becomes harder to hear God's prompting and leading in our life if we know that. Paul says, yeah, there's a reason. Because what's happening is we're giving ourselves, we're following another way, and it's not the way of Jesus. He says, in fact, if we do this, you'll find yourself just being greedy for all kinds of things.

I love how he says they've lost all sensitivity. They've given themselves their sensuality as to indulge in every kind of impurity. And they're greedy. We go, yeah, they're greedy. Not just for money, but they're greedy to have their desire satisfied.

Have you ever noticed that when we give ourselves to that, there's never enough? If you've ever struggled with an addiction or if you've ever known somebody who struggled with an addiction, you understand what Paul's talking about here, that there's not enough. I love to tell the old preacher joke, who's more content, the man with 10 kids or the man with $10 million? We say, well, it's the man with 10 kids. Why?

Because he doesn't want anymore.

When we just satisfy the cravings of our sinful nature, we always want more. We always want more. I heard a great teacher talking about this and talking about it in our sexual relationships. And he says, you know, sex is like a fire and it was created for a relationship marriage. But if we pull that out of the fireplace, like the fire goes in the fireplace.

But if you pull fire out, it'll burn your house down. But what's left standing? Fireplace. That desire is still there. Why?

Because when we gratify the cravings of our sinful nature, this is not the way of Jesus. It actually only leads to wanting more all the time. There's never enough. You're never satisfied.

Jesus says, or rather Paul says, that's not the way we learn Jesus. That's not how you came to know who Christ really is. That's not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and when you were taught in him in accordance with the truth that's in him. You see, that's not the way of Jesus. That's not how you learn the gospel.

It's distinctly different. He says it's actually opposite. And he reminds him of this different way. It looks like something. What does it look like, Paul?

Well, he says, you were taught with regard to your former way of life that old way to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, and to be made new in the attitude of your mind and to put on the new self created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. You're taught to take off that old self and to put on new, like changing clothes. You put those away, you get rid of them, you put on a new outfit. He says, you were created in the image of God, so live like it. Live in such a way that it reflects the image of God that you were created in.

He began chapter four by saying, live a life worthy of the calling that you've received. Here, Paul says, you've been created as an image bearer of God. Live a life worthy of that image in you. Live a life worthy of that creation. See, in our world, it's going to look really different.

It's going to sound really different. In fact, he points to some specific ways that it's going to look different in Ephesus, and I would argue it's going to sound different in Lubbock, Texas. If we'll choose to follow Jesus. He says, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully. Verse 25.

To your neighbor. For we're all members of what? One body.

Not only that, in your anger, you're going to get angry. Don't sin. Don't let the sun go down while you're still angry. Don't give the devil a foothold. Anyone who's been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands that they may have something to share with with those in need.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what's helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen and do not grieve. The Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness and rage, anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you. And Paul says, that's Jesus 101 right there that we're studying at the University of Jesus, Jesus, you.

And he says, this is where it starts. It impacts even how we talk to one another, how we talk to those who are outside of our circles, those who don't know Christ, who may not follow him. Are you getting a sense for why it matters so much who Christians choose to follow? Because it reflects in our lives, it reflects in our social media, it reflects in our conversations around the water cooler, Right? It reflects in our marriages, how we talk to one another.

In fact, Paul's gonna spend the rest of his ink in chapter five, talking about those most intimate relationships between husbands and wives and parents and kids and folks who are working and serving and those who are in charge of stuff. Paul says it's going to be reflective of who you follow, that folks will be able to watch and listen to you. He says, if you're stealing, stop stealing. Take that energy and become a creator that you can share with someone instead of stealing. We share instead of getting angry.

He says, get rid of the bitterness and the anger and the rage and the brawling and the slander. Does Any of this sound familiar? Have you turned the news on recently? He says, get rid of all anger and rage and bitterness and brawling and slander, and instead what? Be kind, be compassionate.

Why? Because that's the image in which you were created. And to do those other things, it's just giving into your evil desires. He says, you're gonna get angry. Don't let the sun go down on that anger.

Don't deep the devil a foothold in your life because you're so angry. He says, instead, get rid of that. By what? Being kind and compassionate. Forgive.

Why? Why, Paul? Why should we do this? He says, because in Christ, God's done that for you. That's the image of the one that you have been created in is a God who loves to forgive, who loves to show kindness and compassion.

Even when people are wrong, even when they say the wrong thing or they believe the wrong thing or they're doing the wrong thing. He we're going to be kind, we're going to be compassionate. And when we get angry and we're tempted to take it out on someone else, we're instead going to work on learning how do we forgive? How do we let go see church? My challenge for us this week, could we be just radical encouragers this week?

Could you just make it your decision, your intention to say, I'm going to be an encourager this week, that I'm going to use the words that come out of my mouth to just encourage people? I mean, I invite you to think in your own life, how many people in your life are just a radical encourager for you? Who all they talk about is just building folks up, building others up, that it might benefit those who listen according to their needs. What if we became those people that week, this week, just be a radical encourager. How do we do this?

Paul keeps going. He says, like in any good learning community, we need some examples, we need some models, some folks to follow to watch after. And so he says, as chapter five opens up, follow God's example.

Follow God's example as dearly loved children. Let's walk in the way of love. Just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God, let's follow Jesus. Let's model our lives after him. Man, the last 75 years, it's been amazing.

I've been so deeply impacted, even though I've only been a part of this community for 13 years, to see people who have said, I'm going to try it out. I'm gonna bet My life. I'm gonna stake my life that the way of love is the best way to live. And so folks who might have been tempted to be bitter or angry about the things that have happened to them in their life instead chose to be gracious and kind. I look around the room this morning and I see people who are going through some things and they could have turned angry and bitter and resentful and instead chose to be gracious.

I think back to my third Sunday, fourth Sunday here, Tim Talley was preaching.

My son looks at me and he goes, that was pretty good, Dad.

I said, I know it was good.

He said, it was better than yours.

I know, I heard it.

I visit with the tallies. They're not angry or bitter or resentful. They're going through some things.

Grace, always grace, only grace, ever grace, man. They're not the only ones. I know a lot of folks. I was thinking about Ms. Lynn and how many thousands of hugs have been given in that corner of our building. Only because the love of Christ, right?

Lynn's been through some things. If you've heard her tell her story. She's been through some things, and she's chosen to. To just be loving and kind and gracious, right? And those are just two stories out of thousands of stories of people who could have chosen one way and they instead chose to follow Jesus.

Right? We have wealthy people here at Broadway who could have gotten greedy, who could have been obsessed with having the newest and the best of everything, and instead they've chosen to be generous and kind to others who have nothing. Why? Because that's the way of Jesus. Because they've chosen to follow Jesus.

And because of that choice, nothing's ever been the same. I think that's why Paul says a little later in chapter five, he says, wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. He's just waiting to shine. Church. Will we allow Christ to shine in us this week?

Will we choose to follow him and become this light bearer in our world who just commit. We're gonna be radical encouragers. We're gonna be that person in the office who just is relentlessly, recklessly encouraging. Always something kind to say. Why?

Because we know the words that come out of our mouth need to benefit those who listen. That the words that come out of our mouth need to be predicated on what are the needs of the people around us, not just, well, I'm tired of it and I've gotta say something. Well, no, you don't, actually. That's the Cool thing you don't, sometimes you don't need to say anything.

Do you hear why this message is so important in our world today? There are groups that are attempting to co opt the church to say what Marks you out as a follower of Jesus is not how you actually live. It's not what you actually say. It's who you voted for in the last election. Oh, well, that's all I need to know.

I have a good friend who's no longer following Jesus and he's saying it's because of the way the church is behaving. There's a lot of things going on there. Right. But we have not helped the conversation to go. What if we became the people that refused to stoop to the level of name calling, angry tirades say no, we're going to be people that don't let any unwholesome talk come out of this mouth.

But only what's for benefiting. Well, he says speak the truth. Paul doesn't say shy away from it, just sit on it, don't say anything. No, no, he says speak the truth in love and live in such a way that when folks see you, they see something different. Oh, church, that's my prayer.

This week you're gonna have a chance to make a decision. Who you gonna follow? Who are you gonna follow? My prayer is that we'll follow Jesus. God, may that be true for each and every situation we find ourselves in this week as we celebrate today 75 years of men and women here in this place following you on this corner.

We are so thankful we've been impacted by their decision to follow you and God, we want to, we want to receive that legacy and live into it, into the future. That God, wherever you may call us to go, whether we stay here, whether we go to another corner, wherever it may be. God, we know in the history of our church, for 135 years we've been a people committed to following you. God, we want to carry that forward. So would you help us this week when we're at school, we're going to face a decision to who we're going to follow.

What are we going to say? How are we going to speak about this person that's maybe not in the room?

God, when we're at work and we're tempted to want to say a word or two that's negative and pulls people down? God, would you help us to be radical encouragers? God, there's going to be a moment where we have a decision this week where we're going to be tempted to steal a moment. Maybe it's not even literally stealing something, but it's going to be stealing a moment. God, would you help us to become the kind of people who instead share, who just give recklessly?

Because that's who you are. You're that prodigal father who just gave, who just longs to see his children come home. To not give themselves to a lesser dream, to follow a lesser way, but instead to follow you. So, God, would you give us the courage to be your people, whatever that may be this week? Would you give us eyes to see and ears to hear it and the courage to follow you?

Holy Spirit? Lord, we don't want our minds and our hearts darkened and hardened by insensitivity. Instead, God, would you make us more empathetic? Would you help us to see those who are struggling, who are living way outside the box? God, that we would be filled with compassion for them and that we do our best to try to live a different way, to model a different way.

And God, as your church, your hands, your feet, your body and Lubbock, God, would give us the courage to be a different voice in our community. A voice that speaks to truth with love. A voice that speaks radical encouragement and inclusivity. A voice that will draw others not to us, but to you. Thank you, Father, for having those people here for the last on this corner, 75 years.

God, we are a living witness to their faithfulness to you. God, may we be that for the next generation. We pray in Jesus name. Amen.