The New Self Part One

Sermon from CCM:Gorton
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LISTEN

This sermon was preached by Tim Simmonds at the CCM:Gorton site of Christ Church Manchester on Sunday 11th February 2018.

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SERIES

This message was part of the ‘For Such a Time as This’ series, preached at Christ Church Manchester’s church in Gorton in late 2017. The full series included the following sermons:

BIBLE VERSES

This sermon was based on Ephesians 4:17-32

The New Life

17Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18They 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. 19They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 25Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27and give no opportunity to the devil. 28Let 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. 29Let 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. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

KEY POINTS

Uniforms must reflect what is internally true

  • Uniforms signify identity – it is external but powerful.
  • Uniforms reflect training, experience and skills. You can’t simply dress up as a pilot and think you can fly, you need the mind of a pilot.

Paul tells us to take off the old uniform of the Gentiles

  • We are told by Paul to have our minds and hearts changed by God, to put on a new uniform. The church would live for Jesus, be strengthened by Him, changed by Him and know His love in their lives.
  • Our old uniform is what Paul calls the life of the Gentiles.
  • Internally, the Gentiles were seen as having a darkened understanding, ignorance and had a hardness of heart. Externally they were seen as greedy and impure.

We are to put on the new uniform of Christ

  • Our new uniform looks like speaking truthfully, having healthy anger, being generous providers, encouragers, God pleasers, and community builders.
  • This new uniform is life and world changing, and when we walk in a manner worthy of our calling then we will see a huge impact in our community.

MORE SERMONS

To see more sermons from Christ Church Manchester, you can visit our sermons page, or why not consider subscribing on iTunes.