In Ephesians 6:10-18 Paul gives us some of the most practical guidance anywhere in Scripture.
Ephesians 6:10
Finally be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
We are to be strong with the source of our strength coming from God’s power.
But how are we do to that?
Ephesians 6:11a
Put on the full armor of God
We are to put on all the armor that God is giving us.
We are not to just put on some of the armor; we are to put on every piece of the armor.
Why are we to depend of God’s power and put on God’s armor?
Ephesians 6:11b-12
So that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
We depend on God’s power and put on all the armor because our struggle is not against human powers but against spiritual powers.
Look at how Paul describes who we are struggling against:
The Rulers of This Dark world
The Authorities of This Dark World
The Powers of This Dark World
The Spiritual Forces of Evil in the Heavenly Realms
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is depending on God’s power and putting on the full armor because we struggle against powerful spiritual forces.
Paul then gives us one more reason why we are to put on all the armor.
Ephesians 6:13
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
We put on the full armor so that, when evil comes at us, we will be able to stand.
God does not want to see us knocked down and defeated. His will is for us to stand, live, and walk in victory.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is experiencing victory because we belong to Jesus.
Paul then outlines our armor.
Ephesians 6:14-17a
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation.
The armor:
The belt of truth
Truth is first because it holds all the other weapons together. We are to love truth, speak truth, proclaim truth, and live truth. If truth doesn’t come first, then none of the other pieces of the armor will be effective.
Breastplate of Righteousness
The breastplate guards the heart.
Righteousness needs to cover our hearts.
The heart is the seat of our will. Our will has to be righteous. Our will has to be conformed to the will of God because that is the only way our will can be righteous.
The Shoes Fitted with Readiness that Comes from the Gospel of Peace
The gospel is the good news that through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus we are no longer at war with God. It is that peace that gives our lives the stability we need.
Shield of Faith
Faith protects us from the many temptations that Satan will shoot at us.
Faith is believing God and not circumstances or feelings or others.
The Helmet of Salvation
In Romans 12 Paul tells us that we are to let God renew our minds. Salvation is not about emotions (emotions may be involved).
Salvation is not about following rules.
Salvation is not about going through religious rituals.
Salvation is about making an intentional choice (made with our minds) of surrendering our lives to the rule and authority of Jesus.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is putting on the whole armor of God.
Then Paul tells us we have more than just defensive armor; we also have a weapon.
Ephesians 6:17b
And the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God
God gives us His Word empowered by the Holy Spirit as a weapon to defeat the enemy.
In Matthew 4 where Jesus is tempted by Satan in the wilderness, He uses the Word of God to defeat him.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing, believing, and living out the Word of God.
Paul then gives us the context of how to best use the armor and the weapon.
Ephesians 6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
We use the armor and the weapon in the context of prayer.
Prayer is to be done:
In the Spirit - with the Spirit leading us to know what to pray
On all Occasions - not just in church on Sunday or just in our daily devotions, but all the time
All Kinds of Prayer and Request - praying about everything
Always Being Alert - not just going through the motions
By Keeping on Praying - praying and not ever giving up
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is praying and praying and praying.
We are in a battle and God wants us to win. We win by putting on the full armor of God, taking up the Word of God, and praying like we really believe God.
Dressed in the Full Armor of God, Using The Word of God and Praying, Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Sunday, May 29, 2016
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Respecting the Powerful and the Powerless
The early church was initially made up of mostly ordinary everyday people and outcasts. The church had few if any people who were very wealthy or powerful. The church as it grew reached more people who had wealth and were in positions of power and authority.
In Ephesians 6:1-9 Paul shares principles with both the powerful and the powerless.
Ephesians 6:1-3
Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother - which is the first commandment with a promise - that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.
Ephesians 6:5-8
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholehearted, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
We are to honor God by honoring the human authorities He allows to be in place in our lives.
We honor God by obeying the authorities.
We are as children living in our parent’s house and, under their authority, to obey them.
We are as workers, under the authority of our employers, to obey them.
Romans 13:1 tells us that we are to obey the governing authorities. We need to remember that Paul lived in a time when most if not all the human governing authorities were not Christian but opposed Christians.
We honor God by respecting the authorities.
We are to respect our parents. This respecting is never to end.
We are to respect our bosses.
Respect is acknowledging the right of those who are in authority over you to exercise their God-given authority and seeing them as worthy of honor.
We honor God by being sincere about obeying and respecting God-established authority.
This obeying, respecting and sincerity is not because these authorities are always right.
This obeying, respecting, and sincerity is because that is God’s will and it is what pleases Him.
It will not always be easy.
It will not always be fun.
It will not always be according to our natural desire.
It will always please and honor God.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is obeying and respecting those in authority.
Paul also speaks to the those in authority.
Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:9
And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know He who is both their Master and yours in heaven, and there is no favoritism with Him.
We show God to the world when we respect the powerless.
We show God to the world when we don’t exasperate people. Exasperate means to rouse to wrath.
The gospel is offensive to many, but we are not act in ways that cause more offense.
We can cause more exasperation by:
Talking the talk, but not walking the walk
Being legalistic
Being wishy-washy and not standing firm
Not speaking the truth in love
We show God to the world by sharing God’s love and truth with the powerless.
In James 2 we are warned not to judge by outward appearances and show favoritism to those who look good on the outside. We are to treat the poor and powerless the same way that we treat the wealthy and the powerful.
Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves and our neighbor is anyone who has a need.
We show God to the world seeing all people - rich or poor, powerful or powerless - as are brothers and sisters.
Revelation 7:9, in a vision of heaven, shows a great multitude of people surrounding the throne of God from all tribes, peoples, and languages. These people are not only going to be from all different people groups but also from all different strata of the culture.
We show God to the world when we see others as better than ourselves.
In Philippians 2:3 we are told to do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is loving and respecting the powerless.
We as parents are to see ourselves as not raising children but raising adults. We are not to use our position to beat down our children but to lift them and create the atmosphere for them to follow Jesus.
We, being in positions of authority, are to see that position as one in which we are not to exercise our power to advance ourselves but as a position to use our power to advance others.
Jesus tells us not to do good to those people who can in turn do something good for us, but to do good those who can never repay or return the favor.
The measure of how much we are like Jesus is how we treat the powerless people we encounter.
With Love and Respect Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
In Ephesians 6:1-9 Paul shares principles with both the powerful and the powerless.
Ephesians 6:1-3
Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother - which is the first commandment with a promise - that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.
Ephesians 6:5-8
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholehearted, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
We are to honor God by honoring the human authorities He allows to be in place in our lives.
We honor God by obeying the authorities.
We are as children living in our parent’s house and, under their authority, to obey them.
We are as workers, under the authority of our employers, to obey them.
Romans 13:1 tells us that we are to obey the governing authorities. We need to remember that Paul lived in a time when most if not all the human governing authorities were not Christian but opposed Christians.
We honor God by respecting the authorities.
We are to respect our parents. This respecting is never to end.
We are to respect our bosses.
Respect is acknowledging the right of those who are in authority over you to exercise their God-given authority and seeing them as worthy of honor.
We honor God by being sincere about obeying and respecting God-established authority.
This obeying, respecting and sincerity is not because these authorities are always right.
This obeying, respecting, and sincerity is because that is God’s will and it is what pleases Him.
It will not always be easy.
It will not always be fun.
It will not always be according to our natural desire.
It will always please and honor God.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is obeying and respecting those in authority.
Paul also speaks to the those in authority.
Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:9
And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know He who is both their Master and yours in heaven, and there is no favoritism with Him.
We show God to the world when we respect the powerless.
We show God to the world when we don’t exasperate people. Exasperate means to rouse to wrath.
The gospel is offensive to many, but we are not act in ways that cause more offense.
We can cause more exasperation by:
Talking the talk, but not walking the walk
Being legalistic
Being wishy-washy and not standing firm
Not speaking the truth in love
We show God to the world by sharing God’s love and truth with the powerless.
In James 2 we are warned not to judge by outward appearances and show favoritism to those who look good on the outside. We are to treat the poor and powerless the same way that we treat the wealthy and the powerful.
Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves and our neighbor is anyone who has a need.
We show God to the world seeing all people - rich or poor, powerful or powerless - as are brothers and sisters.
Revelation 7:9, in a vision of heaven, shows a great multitude of people surrounding the throne of God from all tribes, peoples, and languages. These people are not only going to be from all different people groups but also from all different strata of the culture.
We show God to the world when we see others as better than ourselves.
In Philippians 2:3 we are told to do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is loving and respecting the powerless.
We as parents are to see ourselves as not raising children but raising adults. We are not to use our position to beat down our children but to lift them and create the atmosphere for them to follow Jesus.
We, being in positions of authority, are to see that position as one in which we are not to exercise our power to advance ourselves but as a position to use our power to advance others.
Jesus tells us not to do good to those people who can in turn do something good for us, but to do good those who can never repay or return the favor.
The measure of how much we are like Jesus is how we treat the powerless people we encounter.
With Love and Respect Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Sunday, May 15, 2016
A God Honoring Marriage
In Ephesians 5:21-33 Paul gives us five principles that make a God- honoring marriage. If a marriage does not contain these characteristics, it does not mean the marriage won’t survive. it means it is not a marriage that reflects the truth and character of God.
Ephesians 5:21
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Principle #1: A God-honoring marriage features mutual submission.
The concept is that marriage is not made up of one dominant person and one subordinate person. It is made up of two people mutually and voluntarily submitting to one another.
My focus as a husband is to submit my desires so that I can better help, encourage, and support my wife. My wife’ s focus is to submit her desires so she can better help, encourage, and support me.
We don’t do this just because we love each other; we also do it out of reverence for Jesus. We submit to each other because we want to obey Jesus.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is having a marriage where both spouses submit to each other out their mutual love for Jesus.
Ephesians 5:22-24
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body of which He is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so alsso wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Principle #2: Wives are to give unconditional respect to their husbands.
We talk a lot about unconditional love in the church.
We talk very little about unconditional respect in the church.
Wives are to show unconditional respect to their husbands because they are their husbands.
It has already been established that we are to mutually submit to one another, so what is Paul telling wives to do in this passage? He is telling them to respect their husbands without any conditions placed on showing that respect.
Why are wives told to show unconditional respect to their husbands?
First, because that is the number one thing a man needs from his wife.
Men are wired by God to need respect, and the most important person we need respect from is our wives.
Second, women are wired to love, and showing respect does not come naturally, so God commands wives to do it. Women are not told to love their husbands because that is natural for them to do; thus no command is necessary.
When a women shows unconditional respect to her husband, he perceives that respect as being loved by his wife.
Notice three important things.
This respect is not a respect that is earned. It is a respect given by virtue of the man being her husband. In any other area of life, respect is to be earned but in the husband/wife relationship, respect is given simply because her husband is her husband.
This respect is given to her husband and only her husband. It is not a universal respect given by all women to all men. Sorry, you other guys: you have to earn my wife’s respect.
The husband is described as the head of the wife. This is not a position of privilege or authority. It is a position of responsibility.
The husband is the head of the wife as Jesus is head of the church. Jesus gave His life for the church. A wife is to respect the one who, as head, is willing to give his life for her.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is a marriage where the wife unconditionally respects her husband.
Ephesians 5:25-30
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loves the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church - for we are members of His body.
Principle #3: Husbands are to give unconditional love to their wives.
The Greek word for love here is the word agape. Agape love is a love that has no conditions or boundaries. It is a love not because of something, but a love that is based on the choice to love.
Why does God command men to love their wives and not respect them?
Women are wired by God to need to be loved.
Women need to know that their husbands love them no matter what. They need to know that their husbands will love them not based on how they look, how they perform sexually, or what they do to make their husbands lives better. They need to know that their husbands love them because they are their wives.
By the way, guys, we are to love only our wives, not any other woman, with this unconditional love.
Paul show us two aspects of this love.
We are love our wives as Jesus loved the church and gave Himself for the church.
We are to love our wives as we as men love our bodies.
This love will be:
Passionate
Sacrificial
Timeless
Practical
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is a marriage where the husband loves his wife unconditionally.
Ephesians 5:31-33
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church. However each also must love his wife as he loves himself and the wife must respect her husband.
Principle #4: The marriage relationship becomes the primary human relationship in a person’s life.
The husband is to leave his father and mother. The tradition in Jewish families was for the couple to move in with the husband’s family. The wife automatically left her home, but not the husband. God is commanding that the focus of both the husband and wife be on each other, not either set of parents.
I have seen marriages pulled apart because:
One or both spouses didn’t leave father and mother and their primary focus was not on each other but on their parents.
One or both sets of parents didn’t let go and interfered with their children’s marriage.
One or both spouses focused on their children and not each other.
I love my children and now my grandchildren. But I raised my child to be an adult and to make his own life. God is not pleased when we raise our children to be dependent on us into their adult years. God is not pleased when we continue to be dependent on our parents when we are married adults.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is, once we are married, that the marriage relationship becomes your primary human relationship.
Principle #5: The marriage relationship is to be a one-flesh relationship.
The term one-flesh means glued together.
The marriage relationship is where two people become one. That doesn’t mean we stop being who we are or that we lose our uniqueness.
It means that now my life is about us (Jesus, my spouse, and me).
It means that my marriage is a lifetime commitment.
It means that my spouse is my very best friend.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is a marriage that is characterized by a one-flesh relationship.
Jesus, Jan, Joe Raising The Roof and Removing the Walls,
Joe
Ephesians 5:21
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Principle #1: A God-honoring marriage features mutual submission.
The concept is that marriage is not made up of one dominant person and one subordinate person. It is made up of two people mutually and voluntarily submitting to one another.
My focus as a husband is to submit my desires so that I can better help, encourage, and support my wife. My wife’ s focus is to submit her desires so she can better help, encourage, and support me.
We don’t do this just because we love each other; we also do it out of reverence for Jesus. We submit to each other because we want to obey Jesus.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is having a marriage where both spouses submit to each other out their mutual love for Jesus.
Ephesians 5:22-24
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body of which He is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so alsso wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Principle #2: Wives are to give unconditional respect to their husbands.
We talk a lot about unconditional love in the church.
We talk very little about unconditional respect in the church.
Wives are to show unconditional respect to their husbands because they are their husbands.
It has already been established that we are to mutually submit to one another, so what is Paul telling wives to do in this passage? He is telling them to respect their husbands without any conditions placed on showing that respect.
Why are wives told to show unconditional respect to their husbands?
First, because that is the number one thing a man needs from his wife.
Men are wired by God to need respect, and the most important person we need respect from is our wives.
Second, women are wired to love, and showing respect does not come naturally, so God commands wives to do it. Women are not told to love their husbands because that is natural for them to do; thus no command is necessary.
When a women shows unconditional respect to her husband, he perceives that respect as being loved by his wife.
Notice three important things.
This respect is not a respect that is earned. It is a respect given by virtue of the man being her husband. In any other area of life, respect is to be earned but in the husband/wife relationship, respect is given simply because her husband is her husband.
This respect is given to her husband and only her husband. It is not a universal respect given by all women to all men. Sorry, you other guys: you have to earn my wife’s respect.
The husband is described as the head of the wife. This is not a position of privilege or authority. It is a position of responsibility.
The husband is the head of the wife as Jesus is head of the church. Jesus gave His life for the church. A wife is to respect the one who, as head, is willing to give his life for her.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is a marriage where the wife unconditionally respects her husband.
Ephesians 5:25-30
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loves the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church - for we are members of His body.
Principle #3: Husbands are to give unconditional love to their wives.
The Greek word for love here is the word agape. Agape love is a love that has no conditions or boundaries. It is a love not because of something, but a love that is based on the choice to love.
Why does God command men to love their wives and not respect them?
Women are wired by God to need to be loved.
Women need to know that their husbands love them no matter what. They need to know that their husbands will love them not based on how they look, how they perform sexually, or what they do to make their husbands lives better. They need to know that their husbands love them because they are their wives.
By the way, guys, we are to love only our wives, not any other woman, with this unconditional love.
Paul show us two aspects of this love.
We are love our wives as Jesus loved the church and gave Himself for the church.
We are to love our wives as we as men love our bodies.
This love will be:
Passionate
Sacrificial
Timeless
Practical
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is a marriage where the husband loves his wife unconditionally.
Ephesians 5:31-33
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church. However each also must love his wife as he loves himself and the wife must respect her husband.
Principle #4: The marriage relationship becomes the primary human relationship in a person’s life.
The husband is to leave his father and mother. The tradition in Jewish families was for the couple to move in with the husband’s family. The wife automatically left her home, but not the husband. God is commanding that the focus of both the husband and wife be on each other, not either set of parents.
I have seen marriages pulled apart because:
One or both spouses didn’t leave father and mother and their primary focus was not on each other but on their parents.
One or both sets of parents didn’t let go and interfered with their children’s marriage.
One or both spouses focused on their children and not each other.
I love my children and now my grandchildren. But I raised my child to be an adult and to make his own life. God is not pleased when we raise our children to be dependent on us into their adult years. God is not pleased when we continue to be dependent on our parents when we are married adults.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is, once we are married, that the marriage relationship becomes your primary human relationship.
Principle #5: The marriage relationship is to be a one-flesh relationship.
The term one-flesh means glued together.
The marriage relationship is where two people become one. That doesn’t mean we stop being who we are or that we lose our uniqueness.
It means that now my life is about us (Jesus, my spouse, and me).
It means that my marriage is a lifetime commitment.
It means that my spouse is my very best friend.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is a marriage that is characterized by a one-flesh relationship.
Jesus, Jan, Joe Raising The Roof and Removing the Walls,
Joe
Sunday, May 8, 2016
Living Wise as Children of the Light
Listen to what I say, don’t watch how I live.
If this is your life’s theme then you will be an influence on others in a very negative way. People are much quicker to pick up and be influenced by your actions than your words.
In Ephesians 5:3-21 Paul shares four things that help us to be a positive influence by the way we live.
Ephesians 5:3-6
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person - such a man is an idolater - has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
Our actions as followers of Jesus are to be consistent with the character of the person, Jesus, we are following.
Things like sexual immorality, impurity, greed are not reflecting the true character of Jesus.
Our words as followers of Jesus are to be consistent with the character of the person, Jesus, we are following.
Conversations that are filled with obscene talk or foolish talk or coarse joking are not reflecting the true character of Jesus.
Our conversations are to be characterized by thanksgiving because that does reflect the true character of Jesus.
We are reminded that no immoral or impure or greedy person will inherit the kingdom of Christ because whoever is characterized by these traits is an idolater. Idolaters are people who worship a false god.
We are not to let anyone, (yes, that includes people who are pastors, preachers, Bible teachers, or who someone who claims special revelation from God) to deceive us from the truth. It will cause us to disobey God.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is conforming our speech and behavior to the truth of who God is.
Ephesians 3:7
Therefore do not be partners with them.
We are to not only avoid acting or speaking in ways that don’t reflect the truth of Jesus, but we are also not to partner with those that do.
2 Corinthians 6:14 says that we are not to be yoked together with unbelievers because righteousness and wickedness have nothing in common.
We usually associate this with marriage, but I believe it can be applied to any relationship.
We as believers are to connect with and reach out to unbelievers, but not allow them to be people who influence our actions or words.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is being an influence but not being influenced by the unbelieving world.
Ephesians 5:8-14
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
We are to live as children of light.
We once lived in darkness, but Jesus has brought us into His light and made us light.
We as children of the light are to exhibit goodness, righteousness, and truth. We are not to have anything to do with the deeds of darkness because they are fruitless. It is God’s will for us to produce fruit. And we are to expose the deeds of darkness.
The light illumines everything.
In 1 John 1:7 it says that if we walk in the light as Jesus is in the light we will have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus will purify us from all sin.
If we are living according to God’s desire for us then the light will show behaviors and speech that reflect the reality of Jesus.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is walking in the light with Jesus.
Ephesians 5:15-21
Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drink on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord. always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
We are to be careful how we live and we are live in a wise manner.
Living in a wise manner means:
Using every opportunity to show forth the truth of Jesus because we live in evil times
Understanding what God’s will is
Being filled and controlled by God’s Spirit, not outside substances
Speaking in loving and encouraging ways to others
Praising and giving thanks to God continually
Submitting to each other out of honor for God
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living based on the wisdom of God.
The key to all of what Paul says in this passage is found in verse 10, where he says to find out what pleases God and in verse 17 where he says understand what the Lord’s will is.
We have to seek and understand what God’s will is and do it.
Wisdom is understanding the times, understanding God’s will and obeying God’s will.
Walking in the Light as Jesus is in the Light Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
If this is your life’s theme then you will be an influence on others in a very negative way. People are much quicker to pick up and be influenced by your actions than your words.
In Ephesians 5:3-21 Paul shares four things that help us to be a positive influence by the way we live.
Ephesians 5:3-6
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person - such a man is an idolater - has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
Our actions as followers of Jesus are to be consistent with the character of the person, Jesus, we are following.
Things like sexual immorality, impurity, greed are not reflecting the true character of Jesus.
Our words as followers of Jesus are to be consistent with the character of the person, Jesus, we are following.
Conversations that are filled with obscene talk or foolish talk or coarse joking are not reflecting the true character of Jesus.
Our conversations are to be characterized by thanksgiving because that does reflect the true character of Jesus.
We are reminded that no immoral or impure or greedy person will inherit the kingdom of Christ because whoever is characterized by these traits is an idolater. Idolaters are people who worship a false god.
We are not to let anyone, (yes, that includes people who are pastors, preachers, Bible teachers, or who someone who claims special revelation from God) to deceive us from the truth. It will cause us to disobey God.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is conforming our speech and behavior to the truth of who God is.
Ephesians 3:7
Therefore do not be partners with them.
We are to not only avoid acting or speaking in ways that don’t reflect the truth of Jesus, but we are also not to partner with those that do.
2 Corinthians 6:14 says that we are not to be yoked together with unbelievers because righteousness and wickedness have nothing in common.
We usually associate this with marriage, but I believe it can be applied to any relationship.
We as believers are to connect with and reach out to unbelievers, but not allow them to be people who influence our actions or words.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is being an influence but not being influenced by the unbelieving world.
Ephesians 5:8-14
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
We are to live as children of light.
We once lived in darkness, but Jesus has brought us into His light and made us light.
We as children of the light are to exhibit goodness, righteousness, and truth. We are not to have anything to do with the deeds of darkness because they are fruitless. It is God’s will for us to produce fruit. And we are to expose the deeds of darkness.
The light illumines everything.
In 1 John 1:7 it says that if we walk in the light as Jesus is in the light we will have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus will purify us from all sin.
If we are living according to God’s desire for us then the light will show behaviors and speech that reflect the reality of Jesus.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is walking in the light with Jesus.
Ephesians 5:15-21
Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drink on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord. always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
We are to be careful how we live and we are live in a wise manner.
Living in a wise manner means:
Using every opportunity to show forth the truth of Jesus because we live in evil times
Understanding what God’s will is
Being filled and controlled by God’s Spirit, not outside substances
Speaking in loving and encouraging ways to others
Praising and giving thanks to God continually
Submitting to each other out of honor for God
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living based on the wisdom of God.
The key to all of what Paul says in this passage is found in verse 10, where he says to find out what pleases God and in verse 17 where he says understand what the Lord’s will is.
We have to seek and understand what God’s will is and do it.
Wisdom is understanding the times, understanding God’s will and obeying God’s will.
Walking in the Light as Jesus is in the Light Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Sunday, May 1, 2016
Being Imitators of God
Have you ever listened as somebody described you to someone who didn’t know you? I recently prayed at a meeting in our community and was introduced by someone who didn’t know me and was reading from information about me. I have to be honest. As I listened, I was impressed with the person that was being introduced, and then realized that it was me they were introducing. I asked them where they got the information and was informed that they had gotten it from our church’s web site and from someone who knew me. As I listened I realized that you can make most people sound really good. I also know that the introduction made me sound better than I really am, and that no matter how others view you, what matters is how God views you.
In Ephesians 5:1-2 Paul says, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
We are to be imitators of God.
Leviticus 11:44-45
For I am the Lord your God, consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground. For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
1 Peter 1:15-16
But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
As imitators of God, we are to be holy.
Holiness has two components.
People who are holy as God is holy are morally upright.
Many times I am told by people that they believe in God or that they go to church or that they are Christians, but their lives don’t reflect the moral uprightness of God.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-6a
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified; that you should avoid sexual immorality ; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him.
If we are followers of Jesus then we are to be holy, and being holy means living a morally upright life.
The second component of holiness is to be separated.
We are to be different than people who are not followers of Jesus.
We are to be different in our:
Speech
Behavior
Thoughts
Values
Our speech, behavior, thoughts, values are to be those of Jesus.
Holiness means that we will reflect Jesus by being in the world but not of the world. We will love people but live in obedience to God’s will.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living holy like God.
As imitators of God we are to be righteous.
Righteous means in right relationship with God.
We will not be in opposition to God.
We will be in cooperation with God.
Righteousness means we live in a way that honors God. We honor God by our lives reflecting God’s character.
We can’t earn holiness or righteousness.
We can’t work hard and produce holiness or righteousness.
We can’t create holiness or righteousness.
We are declared and made holy and righteous by our faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection.
When we surrender our lives to the absolute authority of Jesus, He then lives His holy and righteous life through us.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living righteously like Jesus.
We are also to live a life of love.
We are to love like Jesus loved.
Jesus loved:
Unconditionally
With No Strings Attached
With No Boundaries
Not Based on Us But Based on Him
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living love like Jesus.
Now for a reality check: Do I always live a holy, righteous, loving life?
No!
But we have such an awesome God in Jesus that He covers that.
We are His beloved children.
We are loved by Him all the time.
He gave Himself as our sacrifice.
Our motivation for being holy, righteous, and loving is not:
To Impress God
To earn God’s love
Our motivation for being holy, righteous, and loving is that we are loved by God.
1 John 4:19
We love because He first loved us.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living like Jesus because He loves us.
We cannot be holy like God apart from Jesus.
We cannot be righteous like God apart from Jesus.
We cannot love like God apart from Jesus.
We have to yield, submit, surrender our lives to Jesus so that His holiness and righteousness and love is in us and flows out of us.
By Holiness, Righteousness, and Love Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
In Ephesians 5:1-2 Paul says, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
We are to be imitators of God.
Leviticus 11:44-45
For I am the Lord your God, consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground. For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
1 Peter 1:15-16
But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
As imitators of God, we are to be holy.
Holiness has two components.
People who are holy as God is holy are morally upright.
Many times I am told by people that they believe in God or that they go to church or that they are Christians, but their lives don’t reflect the moral uprightness of God.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-6a
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified; that you should avoid sexual immorality ; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him.
If we are followers of Jesus then we are to be holy, and being holy means living a morally upright life.
The second component of holiness is to be separated.
We are to be different than people who are not followers of Jesus.
We are to be different in our:
Speech
Behavior
Thoughts
Values
Our speech, behavior, thoughts, values are to be those of Jesus.
Holiness means that we will reflect Jesus by being in the world but not of the world. We will love people but live in obedience to God’s will.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living holy like God.
As imitators of God we are to be righteous.
Righteous means in right relationship with God.
We will not be in opposition to God.
We will be in cooperation with God.
Righteousness means we live in a way that honors God. We honor God by our lives reflecting God’s character.
We can’t earn holiness or righteousness.
We can’t work hard and produce holiness or righteousness.
We can’t create holiness or righteousness.
We are declared and made holy and righteous by our faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection.
When we surrender our lives to the absolute authority of Jesus, He then lives His holy and righteous life through us.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living righteously like Jesus.
We are also to live a life of love.
We are to love like Jesus loved.
Jesus loved:
Unconditionally
With No Strings Attached
With No Boundaries
Not Based on Us But Based on Him
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living love like Jesus.
Now for a reality check: Do I always live a holy, righteous, loving life?
No!
But we have such an awesome God in Jesus that He covers that.
We are His beloved children.
We are loved by Him all the time.
He gave Himself as our sacrifice.
Our motivation for being holy, righteous, and loving is not:
To Impress God
To earn God’s love
Our motivation for being holy, righteous, and loving is that we are loved by God.
1 John 4:19
We love because He first loved us.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living like Jesus because He loves us.
We cannot be holy like God apart from Jesus.
We cannot be righteous like God apart from Jesus.
We cannot love like God apart from Jesus.
We have to yield, submit, surrender our lives to Jesus so that His holiness and righteousness and love is in us and flows out of us.
By Holiness, Righteousness, and Love Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
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