WEBVTT 00:00:00.750 --> 00:00:03.950 Word of God together today to Ephesians chapter 00:00:03.950 --> 00:00:14.470 4, where we take up our text in verse 29. Let 00:00:14.470 --> 00:00:17.829 no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, 00:00:18.030 --> 00:00:22.129 but only such a word as is good for edification, 00:00:22.530 --> 00:00:26.210 according to the need of the moment, that it 00:00:26.210 --> 00:00:30.300 may give grace to those who hear. and do not 00:00:30.300 --> 00:00:33.259 grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were 00:00:33.259 --> 00:00:37.179 sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness 00:00:37.179 --> 00:00:41.960 and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be 00:00:41.960 --> 00:00:46.240 put away from you, along with all malice, and 00:00:46.240 --> 00:00:50.200 be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving 00:00:50.200 --> 00:00:54.840 each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven 00:00:54.840 --> 00:01:01.520 you. It is a privilege to be an American citizen. 00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:05.959 I recognize that we may have some friends here 00:01:05.959 --> 00:01:08.099 today from other countries, and I'm sure you 00:01:08.099 --> 00:01:11.239 feel that same way about the country you're from. 00:01:12.379 --> 00:01:15.019 But those of us who are citizens of the United 00:01:15.019 --> 00:01:17.980 States have been reminded in the last few hours 00:01:17.980 --> 00:01:22.019 of the privilege that is ours in being citizens 00:01:22.019 --> 00:01:26.799 of such a great country. I watched the Boston 00:01:26.799 --> 00:01:29.379 Pops last night and listened to the crowd there 00:01:29.379 --> 00:01:32.859 sing the patriotic songs, and my heart was stirred, 00:01:32.980 --> 00:01:36.599 and maybe yours was too, as you listened to that 00:01:36.599 --> 00:01:39.900 particular telecast and saw people waving the 00:01:39.900 --> 00:01:43.939 flag, giving the Pledge of Allegiance, and honoring 00:01:43.939 --> 00:01:49.519 our nation and its history. I was mindful of 00:01:49.519 --> 00:01:51.319 the fact that there are those who have paid a 00:01:51.319 --> 00:01:53.900 supreme price that you and I might enjoy our 00:01:53.900 --> 00:01:57.620 liberty. I think of those who were willing to 00:01:57.620 --> 00:02:01.180 lay their lives, their honor, their fortunes 00:02:01.180 --> 00:02:04.640 on the line to declare our nation independent. 00:02:05.579 --> 00:02:07.819 I think of those who were willing to sign the 00:02:07.819 --> 00:02:11.120 Declaration of Independence from England. And 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:13.259 those who fought in the war and gave their lives 00:02:13.259 --> 00:02:17.479 so that we might begin as a nation. And then 00:02:17.479 --> 00:02:19.460 I think as well of those who down through the 00:02:19.460 --> 00:02:23.280 history of our country since then have given 00:02:23.280 --> 00:02:28.719 their lives. I think of my great uncle who was 00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:34.319 killed in World War I, of an uncle of mine who 00:02:34.319 --> 00:02:38.699 was killed in World War II. My grandmother was 00:02:38.699 --> 00:02:41.360 told that the last shot that was fired in that 00:02:41.360 --> 00:02:43.979 part of France as the war was coming to a close 00:02:43.979 --> 00:02:49.400 took the life of her second son. And his only 00:02:49.400 --> 00:02:53.710 brother, my father, became ill in World War II, 00:02:53.789 --> 00:02:56.590 and as a result of that illness, died at 33 years 00:02:56.590 --> 00:02:58.729 of age, just eight years after the war ended. 00:03:00.590 --> 00:03:03.469 Now, many of you can point to sacrifices even 00:03:03.469 --> 00:03:07.150 greater in your family, friends of yours who 00:03:07.150 --> 00:03:11.110 have been taken because of war, those who have 00:03:11.110 --> 00:03:14.370 been willing to lay down their lives so that 00:03:14.370 --> 00:03:17.250 you and I today might celebrate July 4th and 00:03:17.250 --> 00:03:20.129 call ourselves American citizens. It's a privilege 00:03:20.129 --> 00:03:22.550 to be an American. That doesn't mean that we're 00:03:22.550 --> 00:03:27.090 better than others, but to be citizens of this 00:03:27.090 --> 00:03:30.669 nation of constitutional freedom is a gift of 00:03:30.669 --> 00:03:32.870 God, and we ought not to forget that it is his 00:03:32.870 --> 00:03:35.969 gift. Who are we that we should be born here 00:03:35.969 --> 00:03:40.310 and not in some totalitarian state? And I hope 00:03:40.310 --> 00:03:44.550 that we are appreciative and good heirs of the 00:03:44.550 --> 00:03:48.870 liberty that we have been given by our past generations. 00:03:51.379 --> 00:03:53.900 Traveling in other countries, as some of us have 00:03:53.900 --> 00:03:57.360 done, one can sense the curiosity about the United 00:03:57.360 --> 00:04:02.620 States. American citizens often draw crowds, 00:04:02.699 --> 00:04:05.120 at least of children, some of whom have never 00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:09.159 seen white skin, or some of whom wonder what 00:04:09.159 --> 00:04:16.240 it must be like to be from America. look at American 00:04:16.240 --> 00:04:20.100 citizens traveling abroad with disdain, but there 00:04:20.100 --> 00:04:22.660 are still those who respect American citizens. 00:04:23.220 --> 00:04:27.120 And I have sensed that, particularly in the Philippines, 00:04:27.339 --> 00:04:30.800 where we visited some missionaries this last 00:04:30.800 --> 00:04:35.920 fall. Even the younger generation expresses appreciation 00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:39.519 for what the United States forces have done in 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:44.170 preventing the communist takeover, the totalitarian 00:04:44.170 --> 00:04:48.810 takeover of the Philippines. Sadly, however, 00:04:48.970 --> 00:04:51.709 there are some U .S. citizens who, when traveling 00:04:51.709 --> 00:04:55.470 abroad, have abused that feeling toward Americans 00:04:55.470 --> 00:04:59.050 and who have acted arrogantly, leaving a bad 00:04:59.050 --> 00:05:03.629 taste in the mouths of those foreigners. That's 00:05:03.629 --> 00:05:05.589 why the book The Ugly American was written, I 00:05:05.589 --> 00:05:09.029 suppose, now over 20 years ago, to speak about 00:05:09.029 --> 00:05:12.629 that particular thing. When we hear about that 00:05:12.629 --> 00:05:15.449 sort of behavior on the part of American citizens 00:05:15.449 --> 00:05:19.449 in other lands, it makes us ashamed. We respond 00:05:19.449 --> 00:05:24.889 to that unseemly behavior with sorrow. And undoubtedly, 00:05:25.069 --> 00:05:27.310 we would like to say to those Americans, clean 00:05:27.310 --> 00:05:32.029 up your act. Conduct yourself as one who has 00:05:32.029 --> 00:05:35.629 the honor of being called an American. If you 00:05:35.629 --> 00:05:38.110 claim to be a citizen of the United States, then 00:05:38.110 --> 00:05:40.850 bring honor to our country by your behavior, 00:05:40.970 --> 00:05:45.370 not shame. Now it seems to me that there may 00:05:45.370 --> 00:05:49.129 be somewhere in there an application for us as 00:05:49.129 --> 00:05:52.569 citizens of God's kingdom, as children of God. 00:05:53.949 --> 00:05:57.290 Is it not even more tragic when one who professes 00:05:57.290 --> 00:06:01.170 the name of Jesus Christ lives inconsistently 00:06:01.170 --> 00:06:05.290 with that profession? Do we not feel like saying 00:06:05.290 --> 00:06:08.269 to that person, clean up your act, Christian? 00:06:09.209 --> 00:06:13.730 If you claim to belong to the Son of God and 00:06:13.730 --> 00:06:16.569 you have the honor of being called a Christian, 00:06:16.790 --> 00:06:20.410 please live that way. Bring honor to that name. 00:06:23.389 --> 00:06:25.829 That's what the Apostle Paul's burden is in our 00:06:25.829 --> 00:06:29.410 text. Because he was writing to Christians who 00:06:29.410 --> 00:06:31.370 were living in a pagan world, just as you and 00:06:31.370 --> 00:06:36.129 I are living in a pagan world. They were carrying 00:06:36.129 --> 00:06:38.550 over some of the habits from their former way 00:06:38.550 --> 00:06:43.050 of life. Though they claimed the name of Christ, 00:06:43.329 --> 00:06:45.810 though they claimed to be part of his kingdom 00:06:45.810 --> 00:06:48.769 in the world, they were living according to the 00:06:48.769 --> 00:06:53.430 standards of the pagans around them. And that's 00:06:53.430 --> 00:06:57.199 why he says to them literally, don't go on letting 00:06:57.199 --> 00:07:01.779 unwholesome words proceed from your mouth. You 00:07:01.779 --> 00:07:04.600 see, the implication was that they were allowing 00:07:04.600 --> 00:07:08.600 that. He says, don't go on grieving the Holy 00:07:08.600 --> 00:07:12.759 Spirit. Implication, they were grieving the Holy 00:07:12.759 --> 00:07:15.120 Spirit by the way they were living, at least 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:19.439 some of them. He says, let these vices that he 00:07:19.439 --> 00:07:22.819 names in verse 31 be put away from you decisively 00:07:22.819 --> 00:07:26.930 and once and for all. And then make it your habit 00:07:26.930 --> 00:07:31.170 of life, your long -term goal to be kind and 00:07:31.170 --> 00:07:35.269 tender -hearted, forgiving. You see, the Apostle 00:07:35.269 --> 00:07:39.550 was writing to people just like you and me, instructing 00:07:39.550 --> 00:07:42.350 all of us that we should live in a manner worthy 00:07:42.350 --> 00:07:45.550 of the kingdom that we claim to be citizens of. 00:07:46.410 --> 00:07:49.689 He tells us earlier in this chapter, walk worthy 00:07:49.689 --> 00:07:52.449 of the calling with which you have been called. 00:07:55.339 --> 00:07:58.319 The worthy walk of a Christian is one which pleases 00:07:58.319 --> 00:08:01.800 God. It's a lifestyle that is known for several 00:08:01.800 --> 00:08:04.680 features, some of them described for us in our 00:08:04.680 --> 00:08:09.160 text today. A worthy walk in the first place 00:08:09.160 --> 00:08:12.000 will involve a disciplined tongue. Look at verse 00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:18.420 29. It's really an extension of verse 25 where 00:08:18.420 --> 00:08:22.720 he tells us, laying aside falsehood, speak truth. 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:28.279 Now he says it a different way. Let no unwholesome 00:08:28.279 --> 00:08:33.379 word proceed from your mouth. An undisciplined 00:08:33.379 --> 00:08:41.080 tongue uses unwholesome words. The word unwholesome 00:08:41.080 --> 00:08:46.639 here means rotten. It means putrid, corrupt, 00:08:47.039 --> 00:08:52.600 falling apart, defiled. The picture is of a piece 00:08:52.600 --> 00:08:56.230 of fruit. that has become over -ripened and is 00:08:56.230 --> 00:09:00.129 no longer fit for human consumption. The apostle 00:09:00.129 --> 00:09:04.389 says, don't let words unfit for human consumption 00:09:04.389 --> 00:09:08.649 proceed from your mouth. Pretty graphic, isn't 00:09:08.649 --> 00:09:13.830 it? He says these kinds of words are injurious. 00:09:15.190 --> 00:09:17.470 What kinds of words are these? Well, certainly 00:09:17.470 --> 00:09:21.610 it would include profanity. Do not let profanity 00:09:22.220 --> 00:09:26.360 proceed from your lips. Surely it would include 00:09:26.360 --> 00:09:29.899 obscenity as well. Do not be known for obscene, 00:09:29.899 --> 00:09:34.679 defiled, corrupt talk. It would include verbal 00:09:34.679 --> 00:09:39.600 abuse. Don't use your tongue as a whip to attack 00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:45.039 others, he is saying here. Corrupt talk includes 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:50.559 gossip and tail bearing. Do not let words escape 00:09:50.559 --> 00:09:54.919 your mouth, he says, which will injure other 00:09:54.919 --> 00:09:58.059 people, which will destroy them and tear them 00:09:58.059 --> 00:10:03.700 down. But on the other hand, he says, such a 00:10:03.700 --> 00:10:07.960 word as is good. In other words, the opposite 00:10:07.960 --> 00:10:13.639 of the corrupt word or the unwholesome word is 00:10:13.639 --> 00:10:17.850 the good word. The word good means beneficial, 00:10:18.070 --> 00:10:23.110 honorable, or helpful. And he says when we use 00:10:23.110 --> 00:10:27.710 these kinds of words, when we communicate with 00:10:27.710 --> 00:10:32.730 people using good words, there are three results. 00:10:33.610 --> 00:10:38.129 The first one is edification. That is, our words 00:10:38.129 --> 00:10:42.269 will build up other people. Our words will not 00:10:42.269 --> 00:10:45.990 drag them down. Our words will not undermine 00:10:45.990 --> 00:10:50.230 them. Our words will not destroy them. But our 00:10:50.230 --> 00:10:52.750 words, on the other hand, will lift them up. 00:10:53.409 --> 00:10:57.909 Our words will strengthen them. Isn't that a 00:10:57.909 --> 00:11:01.190 beautiful thought? How easy it is, though, for 00:11:01.190 --> 00:11:07.269 us to use our words otherwise to destroy people, 00:11:07.529 --> 00:11:19.129 to hurt them. to attack them. And it's sad when 00:11:19.129 --> 00:11:24.289 we do that. The apostle sets a standard here 00:11:24.289 --> 00:11:26.370 that's high enough that all of us have to look 00:11:26.370 --> 00:11:29.970 up to it. There's not a one of us who's reached 00:11:29.970 --> 00:11:36.250 it. And he says, stop allowing defiling words 00:11:36.250 --> 00:11:42.049 to escape your mouth. But rather, he says, good 00:11:42.049 --> 00:11:46.779 words that build up other people. That's the 00:11:46.779 --> 00:11:48.720 kind of people I like to be around, don't you? 00:11:49.519 --> 00:11:53.000 That's the kind of person I want to be. And then 00:11:53.000 --> 00:11:55.899 he says the second result of good words is that 00:11:55.899 --> 00:12:00.799 it meets the need of the moment. That's a great 00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:07.039 thought. You and I can use our words to meet 00:12:07.039 --> 00:12:13.039 people at the point of their need. And how blessed 00:12:13.039 --> 00:12:18.889 it is when we do that. The people who live around 00:12:18.889 --> 00:12:23.809 you, who work around you, are frequently communicating 00:12:23.809 --> 00:12:29.789 to you, I have a need. Now they may not use those 00:12:29.789 --> 00:12:32.929 words. In fact, what they say may sound just 00:12:32.929 --> 00:12:39.570 the opposite. Sometimes they are harsh. Sometimes 00:12:39.570 --> 00:12:45.049 they attack you. Sometimes they say things that 00:12:45.049 --> 00:12:48.889 hurt you. But keep in mind when people do that, 00:12:48.950 --> 00:12:52.070 what they are really saying is, I have a need. 00:12:52.210 --> 00:12:56.509 Will you help me? And it is at that point of 00:12:56.509 --> 00:12:59.950 their need that the apostle tells us here we're 00:12:59.950 --> 00:13:06.350 to open our mouths and let out good words. Proverbs 00:13:06.350 --> 00:13:08.769 has a lot to say about the tongue, about the 00:13:08.769 --> 00:13:11.990 mouth, about words. Open your Bible to Proverbs 00:13:11.990 --> 00:13:19.960 15, for example. And notice what the writer says. 00:13:20.460 --> 00:13:31.620 Proverbs 15 and verse 23. He says, A man has 00:13:31.620 --> 00:13:38.100 joy in an apt answer, and how delightful is a 00:13:38.100 --> 00:13:43.500 timely word. One of the most delightful experiences 00:13:43.500 --> 00:13:47.429 any of us can have. is to be in conversation 00:13:47.429 --> 00:13:52.169 with someone else who gives us a timely word, 00:13:52.350 --> 00:13:55.870 a word that we need just at that moment. Maybe 00:13:55.870 --> 00:14:00.129 it's a word of admonition. We've been overlooking 00:14:00.129 --> 00:14:02.450 something and this person says, hey, what about 00:14:02.450 --> 00:14:07.309 this? And we need that. Or maybe we're discouraged. 00:14:07.809 --> 00:14:09.929 Perhaps we're at the point of being ready to 00:14:09.929 --> 00:14:13.269 give up and someone comes along and with a timely 00:14:13.269 --> 00:14:19.110 word, lifts us up and enables us to go on. That's 00:14:19.110 --> 00:14:22.610 what he's talking about. He says, how delightful 00:14:22.610 --> 00:14:27.809 is that timely word. There is joy when someone 00:14:27.809 --> 00:14:31.509 gives us an appropriate answer at that moment 00:14:31.509 --> 00:14:35.649 of our need. And then turn to chapter 25 of Proverbs 00:14:35.649 --> 00:14:43.350 and look at verse 11. Proverbs 25 and verse 11. 00:14:44.779 --> 00:14:49.360 Like apples of gold in settings of silver is 00:14:49.360 --> 00:14:53.379 a word spoken in right circumstances. We're not 00:14:53.379 --> 00:14:57.039 exactly sure what the writer is trying to communicate 00:14:57.039 --> 00:15:00.399 to us in the first part of that verse, but the 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:06.100 most obvious simile seems to be a silver bowl 00:15:06.100 --> 00:15:15.639 in which golden apples have been placed. centerpiece 00:15:15.639 --> 00:15:20.879 is put on the table to grace it, to make it beautiful. 00:15:21.740 --> 00:15:26.580 Now he says to you and me that our words, spoken 00:15:26.580 --> 00:15:32.320 in right circumstances, can grace and make lovely 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:37.539 a situation for other people. You and I can use 00:15:37.539 --> 00:15:42.860 our good words to cause others to see beauty. 00:15:43.519 --> 00:15:48.860 in circumstances, instead of darkness and ugliness. 00:15:49.139 --> 00:15:53.059 You and I can use our words to bring benefit 00:15:53.059 --> 00:15:57.700 to other people. That's what he's saying. What 00:15:57.700 --> 00:16:04.080 a wonderful way to exercise our tongues. What 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:08.080 a great thing to be known as this kind of a person 00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:13.080 who uses his tongue or her tongue to build up 00:16:13.080 --> 00:16:15.940 other people, and to meet them at the point of 00:16:15.940 --> 00:16:21.100 their need. And then, don't turn back there, 00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:25.100 but there is a third result of good words from 00:16:25.100 --> 00:16:28.000 the tongue, and that is it imparts grace to the 00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:31.460 hearer. In other words, our tongues can bring 00:16:31.460 --> 00:16:36.799 healing, health, restoration to those who hear 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:40.059 us. Our tongues, that is, can encourage them. 00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:44.539 can console them. God can use our tongues to 00:16:44.539 --> 00:16:48.899 meet their genuine needs so that grace is imparted 00:16:48.899 --> 00:16:52.159 to them. We're in Proverbs. Turn over to chapter 00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:59.019 16 and look at verse 24. He says, Pleasant words 00:16:59.019 --> 00:17:04.420 are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing 00:17:04.420 --> 00:17:09.059 to the bones. Back in those days, they didn't 00:17:09.059 --> 00:17:13.599 have. M &M's, Babe Ruth's, Butterfingers, and 00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:15.779 those kinds of things that we enjoy eating as 00:17:15.779 --> 00:17:21.599 candy. When they wanted something sweet to bring 00:17:21.599 --> 00:17:24.299 vitality to them, when they wanted something 00:17:24.299 --> 00:17:28.460 that would taste good, they would go to a honeycomb 00:17:28.460 --> 00:17:30.539 and take a piece of that and put it in their 00:17:30.539 --> 00:17:34.000 mouths and chew it. That sweetness would satisfy 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:37.799 their need at that moment. Well, he's telling 00:17:37.799 --> 00:17:41.089 us here, That pleasant words are that way. They're 00:17:41.089 --> 00:17:45.450 like candy bars to us. And they bring sweetness 00:17:45.450 --> 00:17:49.250 to the soul. That's the inner part of us. In 00:17:49.250 --> 00:17:51.829 addition to that, they bring healing to the bones. 00:17:51.990 --> 00:17:56.089 What is suggested here is that pleasant words 00:17:56.089 --> 00:18:00.710 actually bring health to our bodies. Why is that? 00:18:01.950 --> 00:18:05.589 Because so many of the problems that attack our 00:18:05.589 --> 00:18:10.680 bodies come because of stress. tension, and pressure. 00:18:11.900 --> 00:18:15.539 And when we minister to other people with sweet 00:18:15.539 --> 00:18:19.640 words, pleasant words, which are like candy bars 00:18:19.640 --> 00:18:23.640 to the soul, he says that that even has benefit 00:18:23.640 --> 00:18:28.539 for our physical bodies. How wonderful to be 00:18:28.539 --> 00:18:31.160 known as that kind of person who imparts grace, 00:18:31.500 --> 00:18:36.619 healing, restoration, health to those who listen 00:18:36.619 --> 00:18:42.019 to the conversation. There was one who lived 00:18:42.019 --> 00:18:45.680 on the earth who never once misused his tongue. 00:18:45.859 --> 00:18:48.299 He had a perfectly disciplined tongue, and of 00:18:48.299 --> 00:18:51.519 course that's the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn in 00:18:51.519 --> 00:18:55.000 your Bible to the Gospel of Luke and the fourth 00:18:55.000 --> 00:18:59.900 chapter. Of our Savior, it says in Psalm 45, 00:19:00.119 --> 00:19:05.500 2, it says of him who is the King, the Messiah, 00:19:06.269 --> 00:19:10.990 Grace is poured into thy lips. And here in Luke 00:19:10.990 --> 00:19:14.789 chapter 4, we see an expression that comes from 00:19:14.789 --> 00:19:21.410 Psalm 45 too. But it's important for us to notice 00:19:21.410 --> 00:19:25.250 the full context here. You'll notice that Jesus 00:19:25.250 --> 00:19:29.890 has been ministering in other parts down in Judea. 00:19:30.150 --> 00:19:33.430 And now he comes back to Galilee, to his home 00:19:33.430 --> 00:19:37.559 region. And there the news spreads about him, 00:19:37.619 --> 00:19:39.960 and he began teaching in their synagogues and 00:19:39.960 --> 00:19:44.259 was praised by all. Here is this young rabbi 00:19:44.259 --> 00:19:48.000 who has come back now to his home area, Galilee, 00:19:48.180 --> 00:19:52.640 and who has been received widely. And then he 00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:56.279 came to Nazareth. This is his hometown where 00:19:56.279 --> 00:20:01.779 he was raised. And it was his custom on the Sabbath 00:20:01.779 --> 00:20:04.630 to go to the synagogue. And he stood up to read. 00:20:06.710 --> 00:20:09.049 Well, the book of the prophet Isaiah was given 00:20:09.049 --> 00:20:12.750 to him. And it says he opened the book and found 00:20:12.750 --> 00:20:15.549 the place where it was written, The Spirit of 00:20:15.549 --> 00:20:18.150 the Lord is upon me because he anointed me to 00:20:18.150 --> 00:20:22.329 preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me 00:20:22.329 --> 00:20:24.890 to proclaim release to the captives and recovery 00:20:24.890 --> 00:20:28.589 of sight to the blind, to set free those who 00:20:28.589 --> 00:20:32.319 are downtrodden. to proclaim the favorable year 00:20:32.319 --> 00:20:35.640 of the Lord. And then he rolled up the scroll. 00:20:36.579 --> 00:20:41.200 Now he stopped in the middle of a verse in Isaiah. 00:20:41.920 --> 00:20:44.440 He excluded the part of the verse that spoke 00:20:44.440 --> 00:20:47.779 of judgment, because that has to do with his 00:20:47.779 --> 00:20:50.680 second advent, when he comes back to the earth. 00:20:51.500 --> 00:20:54.160 He stopped at that part of the verse that spoke 00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:57.920 of his ministry at that time in his first coming. 00:20:59.690 --> 00:21:01.730 When he closed the book, gave it back to the 00:21:01.730 --> 00:21:04.349 attendant, sat down, and notice it says the eyes 00:21:04.349 --> 00:21:08.109 of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. They 00:21:08.109 --> 00:21:11.009 wondered what he was going to say about that 00:21:11.009 --> 00:21:14.789 text that he had read. And he said something 00:21:14.789 --> 00:21:19.690 they didn't expect. He said, today this scripture 00:21:19.690 --> 00:21:25.970 has been fulfilled in your hearing. They knew 00:21:25.970 --> 00:21:29.670 exactly what he was claiming. He was saying that 00:21:29.670 --> 00:21:32.490 that prophecy of Isaiah regarding the Messiah 00:21:32.490 --> 00:21:42.150 was fulfilled in himself. And it says, Isn't 00:21:42.150 --> 00:21:47.769 that a beautiful description of our Lord? They 00:21:47.769 --> 00:21:51.289 were wondering at the gracious words falling 00:21:51.289 --> 00:21:56.970 from his lips. But then the whole situation turned. 00:21:58.539 --> 00:22:03.759 They were saying, Is this not Joseph's son? And 00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:05.680 he said to them, No doubt you will quote this 00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:09.359 proverb to me, Physician, heal yourself. Whatever 00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:12.220 we've heard you've done at Capernaum, do here 00:22:12.220 --> 00:22:16.180 in your hometown as well. And he said, Truly 00:22:16.180 --> 00:22:19.160 I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown. 00:22:20.079 --> 00:22:23.730 But I say to you in truth, There were many widows 00:22:23.730 --> 00:22:26.069 in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky 00:22:26.069 --> 00:22:29.269 was shut up for three years and six months, when 00:22:29.269 --> 00:22:31.829 a great famine came over the land. And yet Elijah 00:22:31.829 --> 00:22:35.309 was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath 00:22:35.309 --> 00:22:37.970 in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 00:22:39.890 --> 00:22:42.289 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time 00:22:42.289 --> 00:22:45.049 of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed, 00:22:45.049 --> 00:22:50.059 but only Naaman the Syrian. And all in the synagogue 00:22:50.059 --> 00:22:54.799 were filled with rage as they heard these things. 00:22:55.019 --> 00:22:57.880 And they rose up and cast him out of the city 00:22:57.880 --> 00:23:00.440 and led him to the brow of the hill on which 00:23:00.440 --> 00:23:03.400 their city had been built in order to throw him 00:23:03.400 --> 00:23:06.059 down the cliff. But passing through their midst, 00:23:06.140 --> 00:23:09.839 he went on his way. What an amazing turn of events. 00:23:10.539 --> 00:23:13.920 Up to this point, everyone was applauding. They 00:23:13.920 --> 00:23:16.420 were all speaking well of him and praising him. 00:23:17.099 --> 00:23:21.319 But now in his hometown, he read that key passage 00:23:21.319 --> 00:23:25.819 from Isaiah and said, This refers to me. What 00:23:25.819 --> 00:23:28.059 you have heard about me and what I have said 00:23:28.059 --> 00:23:31.680 and the miracles that I have done, that refers, 00:23:32.180 --> 00:23:36.539 that rather has been fulfilled in your hearing 00:23:36.539 --> 00:23:42.839 in this day. And our Savior at that moment was 00:23:42.839 --> 00:23:46.119 ministering to their need. You say, what do you 00:23:46.119 --> 00:23:49.920 mean? You see, Jesus knew exactly what their 00:23:49.920 --> 00:23:53.460 real heart need was. Their hearts were filled 00:23:53.460 --> 00:23:57.640 with unbelief. It's evidenced in what they said. 00:23:57.740 --> 00:24:00.220 Isn't this Joseph's son? We saw this kid grow 00:24:00.220 --> 00:24:04.539 up. Who does he think he is to make this kind 00:24:04.539 --> 00:24:09.299 of claim, is the implication. And then our Savior 00:24:09.299 --> 00:24:13.940 began to expose to them their unbelief. And the 00:24:13.940 --> 00:24:16.420 result was that they were filled with anger and 00:24:16.420 --> 00:24:19.339 rage at him and attempted to kill him, but because 00:24:19.339 --> 00:24:22.400 of his powerful presence, he merely walked through 00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:26.940 the crowd and went on his way. Isn't it interesting 00:24:26.940 --> 00:24:30.160 that here in the very text where it says that 00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:35.259 grace issued forth from his lips, that what came 00:24:35.259 --> 00:24:39.319 forth was actually a confrontation with sin? 00:24:41.609 --> 00:24:45.670 My point is this. There are some times when we 00:24:45.670 --> 00:24:52.049 think that if one uses good words, gracious words, 00:24:52.289 --> 00:24:57.049 it means never confronting sin. It means never 00:24:57.049 --> 00:25:01.630 making anyone else angry. It means if there's 00:25:01.630 --> 00:25:03.910 something wrong, just to ignore that and, as 00:25:03.910 --> 00:25:06.950 it were, sweep it under the rug so that there 00:25:06.950 --> 00:25:11.240 are no problems. But here is our Lord Jesus Christ, 00:25:11.460 --> 00:25:13.980 who never let any corrupt communication proceed 00:25:13.980 --> 00:25:18.099 from his mouth, who is known for grace pouring 00:25:18.099 --> 00:25:22.240 from his lips, and what does he do? He confronts 00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:26.900 sin lovingly and graciously. Why? Because he 00:25:26.900 --> 00:25:29.839 knew that was the point of their genuine need. 00:25:33.680 --> 00:25:36.890 Here's what I'm saying. As you and I obey what 00:25:36.890 --> 00:25:43.589 is said in Ephesians 4 .29, as we use good, beneficial, 00:25:43.789 --> 00:25:50.829 gracious words toward other people, we need to 00:25:50.829 --> 00:25:54.230 gear those words to truly meet their needs at 00:25:54.230 --> 00:25:57.970 the moment. And sometimes that will mean confronting 00:25:57.970 --> 00:26:02.789 their sin. Sometimes that will mean they're becoming 00:26:02.789 --> 00:26:07.549 angry. with us. But the point is that we need 00:26:07.549 --> 00:26:12.049 to look after their genuine good, what they really 00:26:12.049 --> 00:26:16.130 need at that moment, and use good words that 00:26:16.130 --> 00:26:18.569 God would give us to minister to them, that they 00:26:18.569 --> 00:26:22.450 might be built up, that they might be ministered 00:26:22.450 --> 00:26:26.089 to with grace, and that the need of the moment, 00:26:26.150 --> 00:26:29.890 the true need of the moment in their lives may 00:26:29.890 --> 00:26:35.250 be met. A disciplined tongue can confront people 00:26:35.250 --> 00:26:40.210 with power, as did our Savior's tongue on this 00:26:40.210 --> 00:26:45.750 occasion. A disciplined tongue. Oh, may God help 00:26:45.750 --> 00:26:50.650 us to know the experience of a disciplined tongue. 00:26:50.910 --> 00:26:53.650 As I said before, he set the standard high enough 00:26:53.650 --> 00:26:57.250 that all of us have to look up to see it. And 00:26:57.250 --> 00:26:59.910 we all need his enablement in the inner man. 00:27:00.599 --> 00:27:04.000 that our tongues may be brought into control. 00:27:04.920 --> 00:27:09.380 It's true in families, and it's true in Bible 00:27:09.380 --> 00:27:11.839 study groups, and it's true in small churches, 00:27:11.900 --> 00:27:15.579 and it's true wherever we are, that our tongues 00:27:15.579 --> 00:27:19.980 need to be under the control of God the Holy 00:27:19.980 --> 00:27:24.380 Spirit. That brings us to the second feature 00:27:24.380 --> 00:27:27.569 of a life that is... pleasing the Lord in the 00:27:27.569 --> 00:27:30.710 life that is worthy of one claiming to be a Christian. 00:27:31.509 --> 00:27:35.170 The second feature in verse 30 I entitle a sensitive 00:27:35.170 --> 00:27:40.029 spirit. The life that is walking in a manner 00:27:40.029 --> 00:27:43.130 worthy of the calling with which it has been 00:27:43.130 --> 00:27:46.589 called is a life that is known for a disciplined 00:27:46.589 --> 00:27:51.950 tongue and secondly for a sensitive spirit. He 00:27:51.950 --> 00:27:58.430 says do not grieve the Holy Spirit. of God. The 00:27:58.430 --> 00:28:01.430 Holy Spirit of God is the third person of the 00:28:01.430 --> 00:28:05.849 Blessed Trinity who indwells us according to 00:28:05.849 --> 00:28:10.009 chapter 2, verse 22. We are being built together 00:28:10.009 --> 00:28:12.289 into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. In other 00:28:12.289 --> 00:28:15.730 words, God dwells in us by His Spirit. The Holy 00:28:15.730 --> 00:28:19.309 Spirit is in us to enable us, to teach us, and 00:28:19.309 --> 00:28:23.240 as it says here, to be our seal. He says, by 00:28:23.240 --> 00:28:26.720 whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 00:28:27.500 --> 00:28:31.460 What is the seal? Well, it's a seal of security. 00:28:32.440 --> 00:28:37.799 It's a seal of protection. It is a seal that 00:28:37.799 --> 00:28:42.119 vouches safe the object that has been placed 00:28:42.119 --> 00:28:48.180 under the seal. Now he says, you and I have been 00:28:48.180 --> 00:28:51.420 sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption. 00:28:51.539 --> 00:28:55.140 That is, the day when our redemption is consummated. 00:28:55.980 --> 00:29:00.079 When we, body, soul, and spirit, are brought 00:29:00.079 --> 00:29:02.279 into the presence of the Lord. It's that day 00:29:02.279 --> 00:29:04.920 of the rapture that we talked about last Sunday 00:29:04.920 --> 00:29:09.039 night. Now he tells us here that we have been 00:29:09.039 --> 00:29:13.559 sealed by the Spirit of God, but... He says that 00:29:13.559 --> 00:29:19.579 same Spirit of God can be grieved. He can be 00:29:19.579 --> 00:29:29.019 hurt. He can be cut deeply by those whom he has 00:29:29.019 --> 00:29:36.039 sealed. How is the Holy Spirit grieved? Well, 00:29:36.079 --> 00:29:38.819 the context here has to do with words. That's 00:29:38.819 --> 00:29:40.779 the immediate context. Notice that it begins 00:29:40.779 --> 00:29:45.490 with and. He talks about using our tongues rightly, 00:29:45.549 --> 00:29:47.490 and then he says, and do not grieve the Holy 00:29:47.490 --> 00:29:51.369 Spirit. So one way in which we grieve the Holy 00:29:51.369 --> 00:29:56.269 Spirit is by employing our mouths in defiling 00:29:56.269 --> 00:30:00.849 and corrupt ways, by allowing words to issue 00:30:00.849 --> 00:30:05.410 forth from our mouths that harm and destroy other 00:30:05.410 --> 00:30:11.130 people. That grieves the Holy Spirit. But not 00:30:11.130 --> 00:30:15.589 only our words, He mentions earlier stealing. 00:30:17.609 --> 00:30:20.390 He talks about lying, whether it be by lip or 00:30:20.390 --> 00:30:25.289 by life. He mentions giving vent to sinful anger. 00:30:27.450 --> 00:30:30.170 You see, these are things too that grieve the 00:30:30.170 --> 00:30:32.589 Holy Spirit. So the bottom line is this. We grieve 00:30:32.589 --> 00:30:36.869 the Holy Spirit by our disobedience. I want you 00:30:36.869 --> 00:30:42.670 to notice that the same Holy Spirit who seals 00:30:42.670 --> 00:30:47.910 us, is the same Holy Spirit who can be grieved 00:30:47.910 --> 00:30:53.430 by our sin. The point is this, that our sin does 00:30:53.430 --> 00:30:58.609 not break the seal of the Holy Spirit. We are 00:30:58.609 --> 00:31:03.549 kept secure and vouchsafed to God by grace. We 00:31:03.549 --> 00:31:08.150 are sealed not until the day that we sin, not 00:31:08.150 --> 00:31:12.839 until the day that we fail of grace, Not until 00:31:12.839 --> 00:31:15.319 the day that we backslide, notice that, we are 00:31:15.319 --> 00:31:21.480 sealed unto the day of redemption by the Holy 00:31:21.480 --> 00:31:25.180 Spirit. But that same Holy Spirit can be wounded, 00:31:25.359 --> 00:31:31.200 can be caused to sorrow, nonetheless, by our 00:31:31.200 --> 00:31:37.079 disobedience. I do think that most of us have 00:31:37.079 --> 00:31:42.849 not considered seriously enough How our sin affects 00:31:42.849 --> 00:31:47.910 the Holy Spirit. We usually think in terms of 00:31:47.910 --> 00:31:51.630 how it's going to affect us. What's going to 00:31:51.630 --> 00:31:55.890 happen if I get caught? Or what am I going to 00:31:55.890 --> 00:32:00.269 do to make this right? Or we may think how it 00:32:00.269 --> 00:32:03.869 affects other people. But do we think seriously 00:32:03.869 --> 00:32:09.630 about how our sinning grieves the Holy Spirit? 00:32:10.089 --> 00:32:16.869 I tell you, the Holy Spirit has wept an ocean 00:32:16.869 --> 00:32:23.970 full of tears over all of us. And it may be today 00:32:23.970 --> 00:32:28.710 he's weeping and grieving because of what's happening 00:32:28.710 --> 00:32:34.509 in our lives. James says of the Holy Spirit, 00:32:34.630 --> 00:32:41.400 he yearns for us even under jealous envy. Do 00:32:41.400 --> 00:32:46.059 you love someone? If you do, there's a certain 00:32:46.059 --> 00:32:50.140 jealousy about that person. There's an envy you 00:32:50.140 --> 00:32:52.859 have for that person. You want the best for that 00:32:52.859 --> 00:32:55.000 one. You don't want anything less than that. 00:32:56.779 --> 00:33:00.759 Sometimes children don't understand why parents 00:33:00.759 --> 00:33:05.940 make the decisions that they do. They sometimes 00:33:05.940 --> 00:33:10.230 don't seem reasonable. Sometimes they... They 00:33:10.230 --> 00:33:12.950 seem like they're pretty hard. But the fact is 00:33:12.950 --> 00:33:16.309 that parents love their children. And the reason 00:33:16.309 --> 00:33:18.970 that they make the decisions they do is because 00:33:18.970 --> 00:33:21.250 they are jealous for the very best for their 00:33:21.250 --> 00:33:25.950 kids. What we learn here is that the Holy Spirit 00:33:25.950 --> 00:33:31.430 yearns for us. There is one who lives in you 00:33:31.430 --> 00:33:37.089 who groans deeply within, desiring the full will 00:33:37.089 --> 00:33:42.500 of God. in our experience. He desires to see 00:33:42.500 --> 00:33:45.740 the completion of the sanctifying work of grace. 00:33:46.759 --> 00:33:51.680 He longs for that. And when you and I come short 00:33:51.680 --> 00:33:57.940 of it, the Holy Spirit sorrows. He is cut to 00:33:57.940 --> 00:34:03.960 the heart by our resistance, rebellion, independence, 00:34:04.500 --> 00:34:10.230 coldness. A worthy walk is one which is sensitive 00:34:10.230 --> 00:34:16.369 to the Spirit. A worthy walk is one that obeys. 00:34:16.489 --> 00:34:19.329 When the Spirit directs here, the one who is 00:34:19.329 --> 00:34:23.769 walking worthy says, I will go there. When the 00:34:23.769 --> 00:34:26.670 Spirit of God prohibits, the one who is walking 00:34:26.670 --> 00:34:30.730 worthy says, I will not do that. And when the 00:34:30.730 --> 00:34:34.210 Spirit of God is grieved, the one who is walking 00:34:34.210 --> 00:34:40.880 worthy weeps. and repents. He says, as did the 00:34:40.880 --> 00:34:45.300 solo this morning that we heard sung, Lord, forgive 00:34:45.300 --> 00:34:50.920 me. I wonder if right now you're at that point 00:34:50.920 --> 00:34:53.099 in your life where you want to say to the Holy 00:34:53.099 --> 00:35:00.280 Spirit, forgive me. I have pressed for my own 00:35:00.280 --> 00:35:06.219 way. Forgive me. I have not listened to your 00:35:06.219 --> 00:35:14.960 voice. Forgive me. In Thessalonians, the Apostle 00:35:14.960 --> 00:35:17.840 Paul says that you and I can also quench the 00:35:17.840 --> 00:35:21.099 Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is compared to a 00:35:21.099 --> 00:35:24.139 fire in various places in Scripture. And the 00:35:24.139 --> 00:35:26.219 picture there is of pouring water on the Spirit. 00:35:28.139 --> 00:35:34.170 Have you done that? O child of God, today will 00:35:34.170 --> 00:35:38.369 you join me in saying to this one who indwells 00:35:38.369 --> 00:35:45.510 us, Blessed Holy Spirit, make me sensitive. Peel 00:35:45.510 --> 00:35:48.250 off the calluses that have built up on my heart. 00:35:49.610 --> 00:35:53.929 Soften my heart. Lord, cause me to feel with 00:35:53.929 --> 00:36:02.920 you and not to cause you pain. If you do not 00:36:02.920 --> 00:36:05.320 know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, the 00:36:05.320 --> 00:36:07.619 Bible tells us there is one other way you may 00:36:07.619 --> 00:36:11.679 act toward the Holy Spirit. James spoke to an 00:36:11.679 --> 00:36:14.760 unbelieving crowd in his day, and he said to 00:36:14.760 --> 00:36:23.280 them, you go on resisting the Holy Spirit. And 00:36:23.280 --> 00:36:25.639 it may be that you have heard the gospel and 00:36:25.639 --> 00:36:28.699 you know you need to be saved, and you have felt 00:36:28.699 --> 00:36:31.599 drawn in that direction. But there's been one 00:36:31.599 --> 00:36:35.079 excuse after another. One reason that you've 00:36:35.079 --> 00:36:38.340 put up after another as to why not today. I'll 00:36:38.340 --> 00:36:41.019 do it later. I've got to get myself cleaned up 00:36:41.019 --> 00:36:44.380 first. And the Spirit of God has pledged with 00:36:44.380 --> 00:36:46.280 you and he's pulled you and wooed you and you 00:36:46.280 --> 00:36:48.880 have resisted the Spirit of God. Oh, how dangerous 00:36:48.880 --> 00:36:53.420 that is. Today I implore you to stop resisting 00:36:53.420 --> 00:36:57.360 and allow the Spirit of God to bring you into 00:36:57.360 --> 00:37:03.090 the family of God. Believe on the Lord Jesus 00:37:03.090 --> 00:37:05.650 Christ and you will be saved. Trust him today. 00:37:05.829 --> 00:37:12.530 Receive him as Savior. I speak mostly to Christians 00:37:12.530 --> 00:37:15.869 in this crowd this morning. And it is to us that 00:37:15.869 --> 00:37:19.650 this word is written. Don't go on grieving the 00:37:19.650 --> 00:37:24.809 Holy Spirit. Don't quench the Spirit, that one 00:37:24.809 --> 00:37:27.769 who seals you to the day of redemption. But let 00:37:27.769 --> 00:37:32.460 your heart be sensitive. to the Spirit of God. 00:37:33.639 --> 00:37:41.300 Let's bow together as we close the service. What 00:37:41.300 --> 00:37:43.679 might it be, my friend, that the Spirit of God 00:37:43.679 --> 00:37:47.260 is speaking to you about? What is it that has 00:37:47.260 --> 00:37:53.800 caused him to weep over your soul? What is the 00:37:53.800 --> 00:37:57.300 unfulfilled yearning that he has for your life? 00:38:01.230 --> 00:38:03.650 In the quietness of this moment, will you say 00:38:03.650 --> 00:38:06.469 to the Spirit of God, if you've been insensitive, 00:38:06.789 --> 00:38:14.389 forgive me? Will you ask him to do a fresh work 00:38:14.389 --> 00:38:17.010 to make you sensitive again to his presence? 00:38:22.550 --> 00:38:26.090 Father in heaven, I thank you for the faithfulness 00:38:26.090 --> 00:38:31.130 of the Holy Spirit. And for the fact that we 00:38:31.130 --> 00:38:33.590 see here in our text today that though we may 00:38:33.590 --> 00:38:37.590 grieve him, he never leaves us. He never stops 00:38:37.590 --> 00:38:45.150 being our seal unto the day of redemption. To 00:38:45.150 --> 00:38:51.730 such a faithful one as this, we ask you, Father, 00:38:51.730 --> 00:38:58.130 to make us sensitive. And wherein the Spirit 00:38:58.130 --> 00:39:06.690 of God is, Wounded today. And sorrowful. By grace 00:39:06.690 --> 00:39:11.489 enable us to bring correction to our lives. So 00:39:11.489 --> 00:39:15.750 that we might not go on grieving him. And this 00:39:15.750 --> 00:39:19.809 we pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.