WEBVTT 00:00:03.529 --> 00:00:05.750 With the air conditioners on, sometimes it's 00:00:05.750 --> 00:00:07.589 a little difficult to hear in the back. Can you 00:00:07.589 --> 00:00:11.589 hear all right today? Is there anybody who cannot 00:00:11.589 --> 00:00:17.589 hear? Let's ask it the other way. If you can 00:00:17.589 --> 00:00:19.010 hear all right in the back row, would you lift 00:00:19.010 --> 00:00:22.809 your hand? Okay, good. Thank you. And good morning 00:00:22.809 --> 00:00:27.329 to all of you. Let's turn our Bibles today to 00:00:27.329 --> 00:00:29.890 Ephesians chapter 4 as we continue our study 00:00:29.890 --> 00:00:35.100 in God's Word. We're going to look today at verses 00:00:35.100 --> 00:00:41.159 25 through 28. We are in a crisis in this nation. 00:00:42.939 --> 00:00:46.920 A Roper poll conducted recently showed that about 00:00:46.920 --> 00:00:52.100 71 % of adults in the U .S. are dissatisfied 00:00:52.100 --> 00:00:56.000 with the standards of honesty that we have. Seven 00:00:56.000 --> 00:00:59.240 out of ten are dissatisfied with the standards 00:00:59.240 --> 00:01:05.219 of honesty. It's found that only 49 % of adults 00:01:05.219 --> 00:01:09.680 felt that clergy always told the truth. Fewer 00:01:09.680 --> 00:01:13.379 than half. But I didn't feel too bad when I read 00:01:13.379 --> 00:01:15.280 the rest of the statement. That figure is higher 00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:19.140 than any other category of people. The poll also 00:01:19.140 --> 00:01:22.219 found that 48 % said they believed doctors always 00:01:22.219 --> 00:01:26.900 told the truth. 40 % believed their spouses always 00:01:26.900 --> 00:01:31.519 told the truth. 26 % felt their friends, their 00:01:31.519 --> 00:01:35.659 best friends, always told the truth. And only 00:01:35.659 --> 00:01:39.980 3 % felt that leaders of Congress always told 00:01:39.980 --> 00:01:42.819 the truth. I'd like to know who the 3 % are, 00:01:42.879 --> 00:01:47.480 wouldn't you? We're in a crisis, and it's a crisis 00:01:47.480 --> 00:01:52.299 of integrity. This crisis reaches to every arena 00:01:52.299 --> 00:01:56.439 of life, religion to politics. It includes business, 00:01:56.640 --> 00:02:00.159 medicine, science, education, law, media, labor. 00:02:00.379 --> 00:02:03.340 You enter into any arena of life today, there 00:02:03.340 --> 00:02:08.439 is a crisis, a crisis of integrity. And that 00:02:08.439 --> 00:02:11.919 should be no surprise to us. The heart of the 00:02:11.919 --> 00:02:16.120 natural person is sinful by nature and is naturally 00:02:16.120 --> 00:02:22.379 prone toward dishonesty. When a person, an unsaved 00:02:22.379 --> 00:02:26.849 person, is in an environment of morality and 00:02:26.849 --> 00:02:32.270 honesty, his natural tendency is suppressed. 00:02:33.569 --> 00:02:38.050 However, if you remove that external moral pressure, 00:02:38.449 --> 00:02:42.889 his dishonesty will become more apparent. My 00:02:42.889 --> 00:02:46.949 point is this, that the systematic undermining 00:02:46.949 --> 00:02:52.009 of the Judeo -Christian morality in our nation 00:02:53.099 --> 00:02:57.780 has resulted in this crisis of integrity that 00:02:57.780 --> 00:03:01.900 we face. We are becoming more and more pagan, 00:03:02.020 --> 00:03:07.580 and paganism breeds dishonesty. Our paganism 00:03:07.580 --> 00:03:12.259 has created a crisis of integrity. You say, yes, 00:03:12.259 --> 00:03:15.300 but it's in the Church, too. Yes, it is, because 00:03:15.300 --> 00:03:21.599 the Church today is far too worldly. Paul addresses 00:03:22.349 --> 00:03:25.909 the church at Ephesus, composed for the most 00:03:25.909 --> 00:03:30.389 part of converted pagans. These people likewise 00:03:30.389 --> 00:03:35.789 faced a crisis of integrity. Pressures from the 00:03:35.789 --> 00:03:39.030 heathen civilization around them to continue 00:03:39.030 --> 00:03:45.229 a lifestyle or a walk or conduct that was dishonest. 00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:49.180 That is why he insists on God's children walking 00:03:49.180 --> 00:03:52.340 in a manner of life consistent with their calling, 00:03:52.479 --> 00:03:56.120 a lifestyle that will be different than the pagan 00:03:56.120 --> 00:04:01.900 world in which they and we live. A walk that 00:04:01.900 --> 00:04:07.020 God judges to be a worthy walk of his children 00:04:07.020 --> 00:04:12.650 is known for its honesty. There are three areas 00:04:12.650 --> 00:04:14.930 of life that become immediately apparent in our 00:04:14.930 --> 00:04:18.290 text. Let's read the text. Therefore, laying 00:04:18.290 --> 00:04:22.129 aside falsehood, speak truth, each one of you, 00:04:22.149 --> 00:04:24.110 with his neighbor, for we are members of one 00:04:24.110 --> 00:04:28.290 another. Be angry, and yet do not sin. Do not 00:04:28.290 --> 00:04:30.730 let the sun go down on your anger, and do not 00:04:30.730 --> 00:04:34.509 give the devil an opportunity. Let him who steals, 00:04:34.589 --> 00:04:37.990 steal no longer. But rather let him labor, performing 00:04:37.990 --> 00:04:41.029 with his own hands what is good. in order that 00:04:41.029 --> 00:04:43.750 he may have something to share with him who has 00:04:43.750 --> 00:04:47.750 need. Three areas of life are isolated by the 00:04:47.750 --> 00:04:51.490 Apostle in these verses. First, he talks about 00:04:51.490 --> 00:04:54.509 speech, the importance of honesty in speech, 00:04:54.689 --> 00:04:58.990 the use of one's tongue. Secondly, the importance 00:04:58.990 --> 00:05:03.250 of honesty in anger, the reaction of one's emotions. 00:05:04.810 --> 00:05:08.990 And third, the importance of honesty in work. 00:05:10.319 --> 00:05:12.980 in our employment, in the use of our time and 00:05:12.980 --> 00:05:16.740 our energy. Let's think about these three areas 00:05:16.740 --> 00:05:20.160 where honesty is necessary for us to have a worthy 00:05:20.160 --> 00:05:23.160 walk. First, honesty in speech. You know, the 00:05:23.160 --> 00:05:26.620 Bible has a great deal to say about our tongues. 00:05:28.399 --> 00:05:32.000 In Matthew 12, 34, Jesus tells us that the tongue 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:35.879 exposes the content of the heart, for it's out 00:05:35.879 --> 00:05:37.699 of the abundance of the heart that the mouth 00:05:37.699 --> 00:05:41.990 speaks. By examining the tongue, a physician 00:05:41.990 --> 00:05:45.329 can tell much about the diseases in the body. 00:05:46.310 --> 00:05:49.410 Likewise, by examining the tongue, the listener 00:05:49.410 --> 00:05:53.250 can tell a great deal about the diseases of the 00:05:53.250 --> 00:05:57.129 soul. The Bible further tells us that the tongue 00:05:57.129 --> 00:06:00.610 needs direction and guarding. It tells us that 00:06:00.610 --> 00:06:03.850 it's a fire with tremendous destructive power, 00:06:04.170 --> 00:06:08.589 a poison that is deadly. It calls the tongue 00:06:08.589 --> 00:06:13.170 an untamed beast. But it also tells us that the 00:06:13.170 --> 00:06:17.810 tongue is capable of healing, of blessing, and 00:06:17.810 --> 00:06:21.790 of wisdom. The command of God's word here to 00:06:21.790 --> 00:06:26.790 you and to me is, Speak truth. This seems to 00:06:26.790 --> 00:06:30.490 be drawn from Zechariah 8 .16 in the Old Testament. 00:06:31.509 --> 00:06:34.649 The apostle is saying to us to make it a long 00:06:34.649 --> 00:06:39.449 -term habit of life, to keep on speaking truth. 00:06:40.490 --> 00:06:44.629 In other words, we are to use words that conform 00:06:44.629 --> 00:06:49.350 to reality. We are to be known for words that 00:06:49.350 --> 00:06:54.110 are frank, for true words that are spoken in 00:06:54.110 --> 00:06:59.050 love. We must begin to speak the truth by taking 00:06:59.050 --> 00:07:04.649 an action first, which is laying aside falsehood. 00:07:06.029 --> 00:07:08.529 The apostle tells us if we are going to be known 00:07:08.529 --> 00:07:11.189 for speaking the truth, we have to first of all 00:07:11.189 --> 00:07:16.829 lay aside the tendency to lie. That is to be 00:07:16.829 --> 00:07:21.430 dishonest in our speech. Lying is dangerous. 00:07:22.069 --> 00:07:25.730 It is dangerous to others, and it is dangerous 00:07:25.730 --> 00:07:31.389 to ourselves. I have known people who have lied 00:07:31.389 --> 00:07:36.180 so long to others. that they can no longer tell 00:07:36.180 --> 00:07:41.480 the truth from a lie. That is a sad state to 00:07:41.480 --> 00:07:45.639 get into. I believe it was Walter Scott who said, 00:07:45.699 --> 00:07:48.939 Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we 00:07:48.939 --> 00:07:53.600 practice to deceive. When we use our tongues 00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:59.240 to spin out deceit, when we use our speech to 00:07:59.240 --> 00:08:04.060 mislead and to deceive, It multiplies because 00:08:04.060 --> 00:08:07.079 then we have to lie to hide the lie, and we have 00:08:07.079 --> 00:08:10.079 to lie again to hide the first two lies. And 00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:13.740 before long, we are consumed. Satan is the source 00:08:13.740 --> 00:08:16.939 of all lying, of course. Jesus said he is the 00:08:16.939 --> 00:08:23.540 father of liars. He is a liar. Examples of dishonest 00:08:23.540 --> 00:08:27.699 speech include the outright lie, even the little 00:08:27.699 --> 00:08:32.240 white ones, flattery, which is... A compliment 00:08:32.240 --> 00:08:37.659 given insincerely with a hidden motive. Excuse 00:08:37.659 --> 00:08:41.379 is a form of lying. Someone has said that excuse 00:08:41.379 --> 00:08:47.480 is the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie. Exaggeration, 00:08:47.480 --> 00:08:50.860 when intended to deceive and not used as a figure 00:08:50.860 --> 00:08:54.860 of speech or as humor. Exaggeration is lying. 00:08:56.120 --> 00:08:59.940 We are to be known for our honesty in speech. 00:09:00.689 --> 00:09:05.730 Why? Why should we speak the truth? He tells 00:09:05.730 --> 00:09:10.149 us. We are members of one another. This command 00:09:10.149 --> 00:09:13.129 is given to us here based upon our body relationships. 00:09:14.009 --> 00:09:16.509 The point that he seems to be making here is 00:09:16.509 --> 00:09:19.610 to lie to someone else is only to destroy myself. 00:09:22.509 --> 00:09:25.450 To speak the truth to someone else is to bring 00:09:25.450 --> 00:09:29.639 blessing to myself. Because we are members one 00:09:29.639 --> 00:09:35.139 of another. If I have a disease, let's take for 00:09:35.139 --> 00:09:39.659 example diabetes, which causes my body to lie 00:09:39.659 --> 00:09:43.940 to itself that I am in trouble. I need to be 00:09:43.940 --> 00:09:47.659 careful. For example, with diabetes, you can 00:09:47.659 --> 00:09:50.419 injure a member of your body and the rest of 00:09:50.419 --> 00:09:53.779 your body may not become aware of that. The result 00:09:53.779 --> 00:09:56.500 being that that injury continues and festers 00:09:56.500 --> 00:09:59.139 until the whole body can be destroyed by that 00:09:59.139 --> 00:10:02.179 member of the body that was injured but didn't 00:10:02.179 --> 00:10:08.820 tell the truth about the injury. Likewise, lying 00:10:08.820 --> 00:10:12.820 within the Lord's body is not only wrong because 00:10:12.820 --> 00:10:17.080 it breaks the law of God, but because it creates 00:10:17.080 --> 00:10:22.490 friction, misunderstanding. mistrust, and disunity 00:10:22.490 --> 00:10:26.330 within the body. Therefore, our Lord tells us 00:10:26.330 --> 00:10:30.110 that we are to be known for honest speech, which 00:10:30.110 --> 00:10:33.529 is sweetened by grace and served up to others 00:10:33.529 --> 00:10:39.230 with love. A second area of life that he focuses 00:10:39.230 --> 00:10:42.629 on is that of anger. We're to be honest in our 00:10:42.629 --> 00:10:47.190 anger. Do you notice the command in verse 26? 00:10:47.529 --> 00:10:51.279 Be angry. Did you ever think the word of God 00:10:51.279 --> 00:10:54.740 would tell you to be angry? It does. In fact, 00:10:54.759 --> 00:10:57.720 he uses the same kind of a verb here that he 00:10:57.720 --> 00:11:00.899 used earlier. He means to be angry as a habit 00:11:00.899 --> 00:11:03.399 of life. What he's saying is that we're never 00:11:03.399 --> 00:11:06.019 to put it away completely. We're always to use 00:11:06.019 --> 00:11:09.580 anger when it's necessary and appropriate. Be 00:11:09.580 --> 00:11:13.340 angry, he says, drawing upon a passage from Psalm 00:11:13.340 --> 00:11:19.539 4. What does he mean by being angry? Well, he 00:11:19.539 --> 00:11:23.240 means to be righteously indignant in the light 00:11:23.240 --> 00:11:27.440 of sins and wrongs in our world. Oppression, 00:11:27.500 --> 00:11:34.700 injustice, sin should make us angry. If there 00:11:34.700 --> 00:11:36.899 is something in our character that will not allow 00:11:36.899 --> 00:11:39.840 us to become angry about those things, our character 00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:44.940 is not what it ought to be. Anger is a powerful 00:11:44.940 --> 00:11:49.960 energy. It is okay to feel angry. Did you know 00:11:49.960 --> 00:11:54.620 that? What you do with a feeling is what matters. 00:11:55.820 --> 00:11:58.440 What we need to do is to learn to deal with those 00:11:58.440 --> 00:12:01.940 feelings of anger properly. Christians are not 00:12:01.940 --> 00:12:05.860 immune to anger. It is a universal feeling of 00:12:05.860 --> 00:12:09.899 all people at times. I want you to consider some 00:12:09.899 --> 00:12:12.600 basic assumptions that the Bible gives to us 00:12:12.600 --> 00:12:15.000 regarding anger. First of all, anger is an emotion. 00:12:16.139 --> 00:12:21.500 which is not inherently right or wrong, but it 00:12:21.500 --> 00:12:27.179 leads to attitudes and behavior that are either 00:12:27.179 --> 00:12:32.539 right or wrong. So anger in itself, that feeling 00:12:32.539 --> 00:12:36.039 of anger, is not wrong or right. It's what we 00:12:36.039 --> 00:12:40.899 do with it. Secondly, we can choose how we respond 00:12:40.899 --> 00:12:45.870 to angry feelings. We can. And we are responsible 00:12:45.870 --> 00:12:52.809 to God for those choices. Thirdly, living a disciplined 00:12:52.809 --> 00:12:57.330 Christian life will reduce times when we feel 00:12:57.330 --> 00:13:03.970 angry unnecessarily and inappropriately. I think 00:13:03.970 --> 00:13:07.210 that's a key. Living a consistent, disciplined 00:13:07.210 --> 00:13:10.450 Christian life will reduce the times when we 00:13:10.450 --> 00:13:16.799 feel angry and we need not. This command, be 00:13:16.799 --> 00:13:20.480 angry, is tempered or modified by three negative 00:13:20.480 --> 00:13:24.860 commands. Do you notice them? Each one of them 00:13:24.860 --> 00:13:28.740 suggests present action, which is to be stopped. 00:13:30.759 --> 00:13:36.659 The apostle says, be angry, but don't go on sinning. 00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:41.500 Don't go on letting the sun go down in your anger. 00:13:42.409 --> 00:13:45.029 Don't go on giving the devil an opportunity. 00:13:46.610 --> 00:13:49.549 With each of these three negative commands, we 00:13:49.549 --> 00:13:52.490 see a principle that will teach us how to deal 00:13:52.490 --> 00:13:56.590 with our anger. The first command is, do not 00:13:56.590 --> 00:14:03.250 sin. That is, be angry, but do not sin by wrongly 00:14:03.250 --> 00:14:08.970 expressing your anger. There are two basic ways 00:14:08.970 --> 00:14:14.919 that we express our anger. They are rage and 00:14:14.919 --> 00:14:22.340 resentment. Rage is blowing up. It's the volcano 00:14:22.340 --> 00:14:26.720 exploding and the hot lava striking everybody 00:14:26.720 --> 00:14:32.279 who's near. That's a wrong response to feelings 00:14:32.279 --> 00:14:37.279 of anger. Resentment is anger that is stuffed 00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:41.750 within. It is held down. It's not admitted to. 00:14:42.409 --> 00:14:45.990 It's anger that is pushed down, but it's just 00:14:45.990 --> 00:14:50.509 like a tennis ball, or rather any kind of a ball 00:14:50.509 --> 00:14:52.090 for that matter. I was thinking of a ping pong 00:14:52.090 --> 00:14:54.450 ball that you put down into water, and you stuff 00:14:54.450 --> 00:14:56.149 it down to the bottom, and what happens to it? 00:14:56.230 --> 00:15:00.190 It comes right back. Anger that is suppressed, 00:15:00.429 --> 00:15:02.730 that is stuffed down in your life, is going to 00:15:02.730 --> 00:15:06.929 come out somewhere else. There is one proper 00:15:06.929 --> 00:15:12.570 way to handle angry feelings, and that is a term 00:15:12.570 --> 00:15:14.970 that I've already used, righteous indignation. 00:15:15.690 --> 00:15:19.669 What I mean by that is managing your feelings 00:15:19.669 --> 00:15:24.870 of anger toward a constructive response to whatever 00:15:24.870 --> 00:15:30.789 is making you angry. The principle that we see 00:15:30.789 --> 00:15:32.970 here with anger is that we are to deal with it 00:15:32.970 --> 00:15:37.360 constructively. Then there's a second command. 00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:39.600 Do not let the sun go down on your angry mood, 00:15:39.779 --> 00:15:42.940 he says. Really a different word here. He's talking 00:15:42.940 --> 00:15:47.059 about sullenness or resentment. He says, don't 00:15:47.059 --> 00:15:51.059 let the sun go down on your angry mood. The point 00:15:51.059 --> 00:15:53.679 is, get it out of your system quickly. Don't 00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:58.279 carry it over from day to day. In Deuteronomy 00:15:58.279 --> 00:16:02.730 24, verses 13, again in 15. In ancient Israel, 00:16:02.889 --> 00:16:05.649 every day they were to take care of some things. 00:16:05.769 --> 00:16:07.970 For example, sureties that were given were to 00:16:07.970 --> 00:16:10.690 be returned. Wages were to be paid every day. 00:16:10.769 --> 00:16:12.490 It wasn't to be carried over from day to day. 00:16:13.730 --> 00:16:16.330 The same is true with our anger. The principle 00:16:16.330 --> 00:16:21.389 is this, deal with it quickly. And then the third 00:16:21.389 --> 00:16:23.370 command, do not give the devil an opportunity. 00:16:24.970 --> 00:16:28.429 An opportunity through anger to turn you toward 00:16:28.429 --> 00:16:33.960 revenge. You see, your spiritual enemy will seek 00:16:33.960 --> 00:16:37.679 to use those feelings of anger to establish a 00:16:37.679 --> 00:16:42.320 beachhead in your life. He will seek a place 00:16:42.320 --> 00:16:48.580 that he can begin to maneuver in you. So he says, 00:16:48.700 --> 00:16:51.799 don't give the devil that place. The idea is, 00:16:51.980 --> 00:16:57.200 get it out. Deal with it completely. And so it 00:16:57.200 --> 00:16:59.519 seems to me that he says here, be angry, but 00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:01.720 here are the three principles to guide you. First 00:17:01.720 --> 00:17:05.480 of all, deal with it constructively. Secondly, 00:17:05.640 --> 00:17:08.099 deal with it quickly. Thirdly, deal with it completely. 00:17:10.160 --> 00:17:12.759 There's not a one of us who names the name of 00:17:12.759 --> 00:17:15.900 Christ who should not be angry with the kind 00:17:15.900 --> 00:17:18.240 of stuff that is available in our community at 00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:23.700 U .S. Video. Now one response to that is to go 00:17:23.700 --> 00:17:28.029 over there and burn the place down. But that's 00:17:28.029 --> 00:17:33.309 an improper response. What is a proper response? 00:17:33.630 --> 00:17:37.269 Righteous indignation, picking up a sign and 00:17:37.269 --> 00:17:41.730 going over there and marching up and down, protesting 00:17:41.730 --> 00:17:44.490 the presence of that cesspool in this community. 00:17:44.910 --> 00:17:50.349 That is a righteous response to anger. I have 00:17:50.349 --> 00:17:52.309 before mentioned to you a book that I will mention 00:17:52.309 --> 00:17:55.220 again that I think is very helpful. In fact, 00:17:55.279 --> 00:17:57.339 I learned about it from Dale Peterson, whom you've 00:17:57.339 --> 00:18:01.400 met this morning. It is entitled, Anger, Yours 00:18:01.400 --> 00:18:04.740 and Mine and What to Do About It. It is available 00:18:04.740 --> 00:18:06.700 in our bookstore. I noticed this morning there 00:18:06.700 --> 00:18:09.220 are nine or ten copies out there. I think Richard 00:18:09.220 --> 00:18:11.579 Walters has captured some important biblical 00:18:11.579 --> 00:18:15.819 truths regarding anger. Learning to be honest 00:18:15.819 --> 00:18:19.740 with one's emotions, learning to be honest with 00:18:19.740 --> 00:18:22.339 the angry feelings that we have and handling 00:18:22.339 --> 00:18:25.539 them the way that we should, will create emotional 00:18:25.539 --> 00:18:30.039 and mental health. And it will also give you 00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:33.359 new reserves of energy that right now may be 00:18:33.359 --> 00:18:36.000 draining out of your life through your anger 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:40.660 that is improperly handled through rage or resentment. 00:18:41.859 --> 00:18:44.299 I tell you there are real benefits to obeying 00:18:44.299 --> 00:18:48.160 what God says to us here about anger. Be honest 00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:51.759 in your anger. And thirdly, he says, be honest 00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:56.380 in your work. Stealing, of course, is improper 00:18:56.380 --> 00:19:00.099 for a Christian. It's improper for anyone. One 00:19:00.099 --> 00:19:02.480 of God's commandments is that we should not steal. 00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:12.200 It is sin. Pilfering or theft by employees has 00:19:12.200 --> 00:19:16.900 always been a problem in a pagan society. Slaves 00:19:16.900 --> 00:19:19.079 in the day in which the New Testament was written 00:19:19.079 --> 00:19:22.680 were famous for their methods of pilfering from 00:19:22.680 --> 00:19:26.970 their masters. That is why Paul in Titus 2 verses 00:19:26.970 --> 00:19:30.970 9 and 10 writes especially to slaves and says 00:19:30.970 --> 00:19:33.269 to them to stop stealing from their masters. 00:19:34.509 --> 00:19:38.650 The application to us today is obvious. In a 00:19:38.650 --> 00:19:42.190 world where theft is so common, where billions 00:19:42.190 --> 00:19:47.789 of dollars a year are lost in our economy because 00:19:47.789 --> 00:19:51.150 of shoplifting, employee theft, petty theft, 00:19:51.230 --> 00:19:55.630 and so on. There is a crisis in the marketplace. 00:19:57.589 --> 00:20:01.089 You and I who name the name of Jesus Christ are 00:20:01.089 --> 00:20:08.069 to be absolutely honest in our work. Employees 00:20:08.069 --> 00:20:11.410 today are known for stealing materials, tools, 00:20:11.630 --> 00:20:19.430 products, and even time. Do you think God has 00:20:19.430 --> 00:20:24.140 a sense of humor? I do. I know God does. This 00:20:24.140 --> 00:20:28.519 last week as I was studying in this text, I was 00:20:28.519 --> 00:20:32.000 using one particular book and I turned it over 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:34.220 to the back side and I saw the price sticker 00:20:34.220 --> 00:20:36.900 on it and I was reminded that there was a book 00:20:36.900 --> 00:20:40.500 I had stolen from our bookstore. No one was out 00:20:40.500 --> 00:20:42.640 there and I picked it up to use it one day and 00:20:42.640 --> 00:20:45.440 forgot to pay for it. So in the very message 00:20:45.440 --> 00:20:47.460 when I'm saying do not steal, I found a book 00:20:47.460 --> 00:20:51.640 in my library I had stolen. Somebody borrowed 00:20:51.640 --> 00:20:53.940 my Vines Dictionary a few weeks ago and hasn't 00:20:53.940 --> 00:20:55.839 returned it either. I hope you get this message. 00:20:59.220 --> 00:21:05.039 Because I don't remember who it was. God commands 00:21:05.039 --> 00:21:11.000 of us a work ethic as a way of life. God says 00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:16.339 to us, work hard. Put diligence with it. Labor 00:21:16.339 --> 00:21:21.130 to the point of exhaustion. Honest hard work, 00:21:21.170 --> 00:21:25.109 by the way, is satisfying, isn't it? And he says 00:21:25.109 --> 00:21:27.650 that we are to do this with our own hands in 00:21:27.650 --> 00:21:30.890 what is good. That is in the good thing. We are 00:21:30.890 --> 00:21:36.309 to work hard at beneficial projects. We are to 00:21:36.309 --> 00:21:38.490 work hard at those things that are useful to 00:21:38.490 --> 00:21:42.109 ourselves and to others. That's the work ethic. 00:21:42.730 --> 00:21:45.470 That's one reason that we stand so vehemently 00:21:45.470 --> 00:21:50.720 against gambling and against lottery. Because, 00:21:50.759 --> 00:21:52.920 you see, these are attempts to enrich oneself 00:21:52.920 --> 00:21:56.960 without working, avoiding the work ethic that 00:21:56.960 --> 00:22:01.079 God commands of us here. There are three reasons 00:22:01.079 --> 00:22:04.400 why honesty in work is commanded. First of all, 00:22:04.400 --> 00:22:07.700 it provides for our own needs. And that's an 00:22:07.700 --> 00:22:10.660 important biblical principle. 2 Thessalonians 00:22:10.660 --> 00:22:16.000 3 has a whole paragraph about that. He warns 00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:19.890 against those who... take advantage of others 00:22:19.890 --> 00:22:23.869 who are unwilling to work to earn their own living. 00:22:24.109 --> 00:22:26.150 He says, basically, if they won't work, don't 00:22:26.150 --> 00:22:29.430 let them eat. Let them starve. They'll work eventually. 00:22:31.970 --> 00:22:34.829 That's not a blanket condemnation, by the way, 00:22:34.849 --> 00:22:38.009 of welfare. But what it is, is the uplifting 00:22:38.009 --> 00:22:41.109 of the work ethic. Not only does it provide for 00:22:41.109 --> 00:22:43.390 our own needs, but honesty in work, secondly, 00:22:43.450 --> 00:22:47.440 provides benefit to society. Hard work at a good 00:22:47.440 --> 00:22:51.579 project creates wealth in a society. It doesn't 00:22:51.579 --> 00:22:53.900 redistribute it, which seems to be the key term 00:22:53.900 --> 00:22:56.259 today in this increasingly socialistic place 00:22:56.259 --> 00:23:00.599 we live. The redistribution of wealth. What the 00:23:00.599 --> 00:23:03.200 Bible commands of us is the creation of wealth 00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:07.980 through honest, hard work in good projects. And 00:23:07.980 --> 00:23:10.740 thirdly, honesty in work provides one with the 00:23:10.740 --> 00:23:14.579 means to assist others who have genuine needs. 00:23:16.109 --> 00:23:18.990 What a joy it is to be able to help others, and 00:23:18.990 --> 00:23:21.109 not only in their financial needs, but in their 00:23:21.109 --> 00:23:24.789 true needs, their eternal needs. You see, one 00:23:24.789 --> 00:23:27.710 of the great joys we have as believers is to 00:23:27.710 --> 00:23:30.809 give toward the ministry of a church. What does 00:23:30.809 --> 00:23:33.309 that mean? It means that we give so ministry 00:23:33.309 --> 00:23:38.289 is supported that people can be helped. So people's 00:23:38.289 --> 00:23:41.049 truer needs, the deeper needs, the eternal needs 00:23:41.049 --> 00:23:45.980 can be ministered to effectively. Honesty in 00:23:45.980 --> 00:23:49.539 work honors God and it gives oneself a sense 00:23:49.539 --> 00:23:53.400 of happy accomplishment. And it gives one as 00:23:53.400 --> 00:23:57.980 well the ability to give to others. Beloved, 00:23:57.980 --> 00:24:02.440 in an increasingly pagan society, a society that 00:24:02.440 --> 00:24:05.279 is reverting so much like the Roman society in 00:24:05.279 --> 00:24:08.579 the day in which Paul wrote these words, we today 00:24:08.579 --> 00:24:16.839 need a healthy dose of honesty. That day was 00:24:16.839 --> 00:24:24.380 a day of crisis, of integrity. So was ours. And 00:24:24.380 --> 00:24:27.079 in the midst of the present crisis, as the people 00:24:27.079 --> 00:24:34.099 of God called out to be the saints of God, called 00:24:34.099 --> 00:24:37.400 out to be the body of Jesus Christ in this world, 00:24:37.559 --> 00:24:42.440 his life representation to the world, let us 00:24:42.440 --> 00:24:47.480 therefore be honest. in our speech, and in our 00:24:47.480 --> 00:24:54.079 anger, and in our work. Thomas Jefferson said, 00:24:54.180 --> 00:24:56.859 Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom. 00:24:57.920 --> 00:25:01.680 Do you want to lead a life of wisdom? Be a wise 00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:05.720 person? Who wants to be a fool? Wisdom begins 00:25:05.720 --> 00:25:11.119 with honesty. And frankly, to be honest with 00:25:11.119 --> 00:25:15.220 others, we have to first be honest with ourselves, 00:25:15.519 --> 00:25:22.700 and be honest with God. As you search your own 00:25:22.700 --> 00:25:26.420 heart this morning, are you honest with yourself? 00:25:29.220 --> 00:25:33.039 Are you honest with the Lord? Are you honest 00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:35.259 regarding your relationship to Jesus Christ? 00:25:35.339 --> 00:25:39.119 Are you truly born again? Do you have that assurance 00:25:39.119 --> 00:25:42.920 honestly now? Do you have that assurance in your 00:25:42.920 --> 00:25:46.869 heart? that you are a genuine child of Jesus 00:25:46.869 --> 00:25:50.750 Christ? Have you truly trusted him, honestly? 00:25:54.410 --> 00:25:57.369 Are you living for him, honestly, child of God? 00:25:58.210 --> 00:26:02.369 I mean, let's put away the pictures that we like 00:26:02.369 --> 00:26:05.210 to paint of ourselves and the masks that we put 00:26:05.210 --> 00:26:07.710 on at various occasions, and let's just look 00:26:07.710 --> 00:26:12.930 deeply inside. Are you honest before God in the 00:26:12.930 --> 00:26:16.109 way you're living? Living the way He wants you 00:26:16.109 --> 00:26:19.049 to? As you can see here, not only is there the 00:26:19.049 --> 00:26:20.950 benefit of knowing that we're pleasing Him, but 00:26:20.950 --> 00:26:24.710 there's personal benefit in living honestly in 00:26:24.710 --> 00:26:32.109 every area of life. Let's pray together. With 00:26:32.109 --> 00:26:38.650 our heads bowed, as the Spirit of God sovereignly 00:26:38.650 --> 00:26:45.309 and lovingly shows to perhaps many of us areas 00:26:45.309 --> 00:26:49.049 of life where we need to be honest. How will 00:26:49.049 --> 00:26:57.130 you respond to those areas? As he exposes what 00:26:57.130 --> 00:27:01.890 is of a concern to him, will you today say, Lord, 00:27:02.109 --> 00:27:08.670 you're right. I'll be honest. I'll be honest 00:27:08.670 --> 00:27:14.279 with you and myself and with others. Will you 00:27:14.279 --> 00:27:16.819 right now deal with that area right in the quietness 00:27:16.819 --> 00:27:19.359 of your own heart as you talk to God right there? 00:27:23.259 --> 00:27:28.220 Will you be honest with the Lord? If you're not 00:27:28.220 --> 00:27:30.680 at the point of wanting to make a change, at 00:27:30.680 --> 00:27:32.579 least will you be honest and say that to the 00:27:32.579 --> 00:27:44.420 Lord? We're talking about honesty. And how about 00:27:44.420 --> 00:27:46.759 you, my friend, who has never trusted the Lord 00:27:46.759 --> 00:27:51.259 Jesus Christ? Would you today do that? Would 00:27:51.259 --> 00:27:55.359 you be honest about your need? You may not be 00:27:55.359 --> 00:27:59.339 the most immoral person in the world. As you 00:27:59.339 --> 00:28:02.779 look around, you may be a fairly clean person 00:28:02.779 --> 00:28:08.799 compared to others. But the Bible says that the 00:28:08.799 --> 00:28:13.980 wages of sin is death. And if you have sin that 00:28:13.980 --> 00:28:16.839 has not been forgiven by the blood of Jesus being 00:28:16.839 --> 00:28:21.579 shed for it, death is where you're headed. Honestly, 00:28:21.779 --> 00:28:26.440 that's the truth. Will you right now trust Jesus 00:28:26.440 --> 00:28:30.660 Christ as your Savior, honestly? Open your heart 00:28:30.660 --> 00:28:38.400 to Him. Our Savior, we bless you that you died 00:28:38.400 --> 00:28:43.109 for our sins and rose again. And I pray that 00:28:43.109 --> 00:28:45.809 someone here will understand that truth and receive 00:28:45.809 --> 00:28:53.309 you truly. And I pray that those of us who have 00:28:53.309 --> 00:28:58.190 done that will walk truly before you in a way 00:28:58.190 --> 00:29:02.170 that is worthy of our calling. May we be an honest 00:29:02.170 --> 00:29:10.660 people. We need the Spirit of God's help, folks, 00:29:10.740 --> 00:29:15.359 to do that. Would you sing with me? Spirit of 00:29:15.359 --> 00:29:31.680 the living God, fall fresh on me. Spirit of the 00:29:31.680 --> 00:29:53.119 living God. fresh on me melt me mold me fill 00:29:53.119 --> 00:30:19.190 me use me Spirit of Let's stand with our heads 00:30:19.190 --> 00:30:24.390 bowed. And our Heavenly Father, we pray that 00:30:24.390 --> 00:30:30.630 the Holy Spirit will melt us before you and mold 00:30:30.630 --> 00:30:34.009 us in Christ -likeness, that we might be like 00:30:34.009 --> 00:30:40.730 him who is the truth. And then we pray, fill 00:30:40.730 --> 00:30:44.410 us, empower us, Lord, to walk that way in the 00:30:44.410 --> 00:30:49.579 midst of this pagan world. and use us. Use us 00:30:49.579 --> 00:30:54.299 as a testimony to the truth. Draw others to the 00:30:54.299 --> 00:30:58.759 Lord Jesus Christ as we live for him before them. 00:30:59.960 --> 00:31:03.019 To that end, I pray your blessing upon us as 00:31:03.019 --> 00:31:06.539 we depart from this time of worship today. Amen.