Series: Fully Alive - A Study of Ephesians
Sermon Recap
Ephesians 4:17–32 teaches us that real change doesn’t come from trying harder, but from trusting who we already are in Christ. We are no longer defined by our old self, but by the new life God has given us. As our minds are renewed, our lives begin to reflect that reality in the way we speak, act, and relate to others. The Christian life is not about fixing the old — it’s about living out the new.
Ephesians 4:17-32
The New Life
[17] Now this I say and testify in the Lord,
that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their
minds. [18] They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life
of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of
heart. [19] They have become callous and have given themselves up to
sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. [20] But that is not the
way you learned Christ! — [21] assuming that you have heard about Him and were
taught in Him, as the truth is in Jesus, [22] to put off your old self, which
belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,
[23] and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, [24] and to put on the new
self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. [25]
Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with
his neighbor, for we are members one of another. [26] Be angry and do not sin;
do not let the sun go down on your anger, [27] and give no opportunity to the
devil. [28] Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing
honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with
anyone in need. [29] Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only
such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace
to those who hear. [30] And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by 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. (ESV)
The
Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001
by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Ephesians 4:
17-32.
Closing Thoughts
Ephesians 4 shows that our witness is not
just what we say, but how we love, speak, forgive, and serve one another. As a
group, this means we help each other put off old patterns and put on the new
life Christ has given us. We speak truth, extend grace, and build one another
up, creating a community that reflects the transforming power of the gospel.
When people see a group marked by honesty, generosity, and forgiveness, they
see a picture of what it looks like to be made new in Christ.
END
Teacher Notes:
Over the years, there have been songs that
connected with people because they put words to something many have felt but
struggle to explain.
For me, this is one of those songs...
There
comes a point in life when many people realize that outward success does not
guarantee inward peace. A person can build a career, raise a family, accumulate
possessions, and still feel something missing deep inside.
Ephesians 4:17-19
Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that
you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.
They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God
because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They
have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to
practice every kind of impurity.
What does it mean that the battle for the
Christian life is often won or lost in the mind long before it appears in
behavior?
Behavior is usually the fruit of
something deeper. People live according to what they truly believe, value, and
dwell on in their minds.
In Ephesians 4, Paul traces sinful living
back to:
- futile thinking,
- darkened understanding,
- and hardened hearts.
- In other words, wrong living begins with wrong thinking.
If the mind is disconnected from God’s truth,
eventually the life will follow. A person may try to change outward habits for
a while, but lasting transformation cannot happen unless the heart and mind are
renewed.
This is why Paul doesn't simply say: Stop doing bad things.
Instead, he says believers must “be renewed
in the spirit of your minds.”
Paul understood that:
- bitterness begins with thoughts we rehearse,
- fear grows from what we believe,
- greed flows from what we value,
- anger grows from how we interpret situations,
- and hope comes from truth filling the mind.
The battle for the Christian life is often
won or lost in the mind long before it appears in behavior.
This is also why the Gospel is so powerful.
God does not merely command outward change — He gives believers a new identity,
a renewed perspective, and truth that reshapes the entire person from the
inside out.
Paul knew that if a person’s thinking never changes, their behavior may improve temporarily, but their heart will eventually return to old patterns.
The problem with our old life is not simply what we do — it is what we are disconnected from.
Ephesians 4:20-24
But that is not the way you learned Christ! —
assuming that you have heard about Him and were taught in Him, as the truth is
in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life
and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of
your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in
true righteousness and holiness.
Paul says, “But that is not how you learned
Christ.”
Christianity is not simply learning rules —
it is learning Christ Himself.
Paul tells believers to:
- put off the old self,
- be renewed in the spirit of their minds,
- and put on the new self.
Real transformation begins internally before
it is ever seen externally.
The world focuses on:
- image,
- appearance,
- achievement,
- and self-improvement.
But God works much deeper.
He renews:
- the mind,
- the heart,
- the desires,
- and the identity.
Many believers still live under old labels:
- failure,
- shame,
- regret,
- insecurity,
- bitterness,
- or fear.
But Paul says believers have already been
given a new self, created in the likeness of God.
We are not trying to earn a new identity.
We are learning to live from the one Christ
has already given us.
Ephesians 4:25-32
Therefore, having put away falsehood, let
each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of
another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger and
give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let
him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something
to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths,
but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give
grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you
were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger
and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to
one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave
you.
Paul now gives us practical evidence of
transformation.
A renewed heart changes relationships.
Instead of:
lying → we speak truth,
sinful anger → we pursue peace,
stealing → we become generous,
harmful speech → we encourage,
bitterness → we forgive.
These are not random moral commands. They are
evidence that Christ is transforming our heart.
The longer we live, the easier it can become
to carry:
- resentment,
- cynicism,
- anger,
- or emotional walls.
But Paul says believers are to walk in:
- kindness,
- compassion,
- and forgiveness.
One of the clearest signs of spiritual
maturity is not merely Bible knowledge — it is Christlike character.
Conclusion
The world recognizes the feeling of “running
on empty,” but only Christ offers true renewal.
Paul reminds us that Christianity is not
about polishing up the old self, pretending, or trying harder.
It is about becoming new through Christ.
God does not simply refill an empty life. He
gives a completely new one.
What a great day we all had with food, fellowship and Randy Lucas brought us a closing entertainment and testimony.
