Sermon Synopsis for November 18, 2007

Ephesians 4:1-16 “Speak the Truth in Love”

During his missionary travels the Apostle Paul didn’t stay very long in any one place. Ephesus was an exception. During his first visit (which was an afterthought) he left Priscilla and Aquilla to preach, teach and organize the church. When he returned, he stayed about 3 years.

Some time later, Paul was in prison (probably in Rome) and he sent letters to a number of churches in the region. The other letters were addressing specific problems in the churches. The letter to the Ephesians was different; there were no specific troubles. Paul wrote so that they would continue to mature as a church and witness for our Lord Jesus.

Often typical of Paul’s writing, he starts with the theological framework and moves onto the application. Chapter 4 begins the practical application in this letter. In today’s scripture passage Paul tells them what they need to be and do to continue to be a good, sound church:

Do you tell the truth? We live in a world where there is a lot of “untruth.”

A recent poll asked us if we lied.
91% of us lie regularly, mostly to friends and relatives.
We lie about weight, income, fishing stories, golfing, etc.
Did you ever overhear a group of pastors talk about the attendance at their churches?

A University of Virginia psychologist had subjects keep a diary recording the lies that they told and concluded that “People tell about two lies a day, or at least that is how many they admit to”

What about all the commercials we hear on TV and radio:
By the time we reach adolescence, we have been bombarded with so many advertisements claiming wealth, peace, happiness, and instant joy, that the truth becomes rare to us.
We use many words: white lie, fib, falsehood, perjury (Barry Bonds), false witness (from the big 10). They’re all lies.

Postmodern philosophy teaches that truth is relative …

SOME TRUTH DOES NOT NEED TO BE TOLD (exactly)
Husbands, how do you respond to your wife when she asks …
“Does this make me look fat?”
“What do you think of my new recipe?” (“Tell me the truth now.”)

Did your boss ever come to you wearing an ugly suit and ask, “What do you think of my new suit?”

I had a lot of African American friends when I was growing up. I joined the choir at Second Baptist in Coatesville just to sing with them. After 2 weeks the choir named a committee to tell me, “In Christian Love, I need to tell you …..” The fact is I have no rhythm. But they made me feel good, even great, about not being a part of their choir. Maybe it’s just the way you tell someone.

For a Christian, telling the truth should not be such a difficult thing.
10 commandments remind us: You shall not give false testimony (tell lies)
The Mennonite Confession of faith, article 20: “We commit ourselves to tell the truth, to give a simple yes or no …”

TRUTH IS (SHOULD BE) OBJECTIVE

The “loving thing” is to …. Tell the truth.

President Clinton lied about his relationship with an intern. He said he lied because he wanted to protect his family.

Can lies be for the good of others? Usually it is just for our own good.

The bottom line – we need to know the truth.

Telling the truth implies that we know the truth.
What is truth? That was Pilate’s question to Jesus (or in front of Jesus)
Jesus prefaced much of what he said with “I tell you the truth”
Earlier, in the upper room with his disciples, Jesus said, “I am … the truth.” (Jn 14:6)

The first step in telling the truth in love is – knowing the truth - Jesus

Paul told the church in Corinth: “For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.” (2 Cor 3:18) – truth will eventually win out.

Know Jesus = know the truth.

LOVE IS SUBJECTIVE
Truth is objective, but love is subjective.

Many people can speak the truth: policeman, judge, school teacher, physicist, scientist, bank, loan officer, etc.

There is a difference between just speaking the truth, and speaking the truth in love.

In the world people may let you down, but it should be different with us.

Have you heard someone say, “I accepted his word, because I knew he loved me.” Or “I had no reason to doubt him.”

In Christ it should be different.
Eph 4:15 “Instead, speaking the truth in Love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”

In 2 Samuel chapter 12 – Nathan confronts David. He’s his friend; Nathan loves David. He tells him a story (a rich man takes the sheep of a poor man); he lets David react; he confronts him (with the present truth), and gives him God’s word (the eternal truth)

What was necessary for this to happen?
There was an existing relationship, a relationship of trust and confidence, a relationship of assuming the best.

Nathan doesn’t confront David in a rough or abrupt way; he tells him the truth in love.

What if Nathan had just let it go? It may have resulted in a kingdom like Ahab and Jezebel.

We can read James 5:19-20 – James concludes his letter with this caution.
“My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover a multitude of sins.”

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE
When you speak the truth in love, things happen.

First, spiritual growth should be expected and realized (check out Ephesians 4: 15).

Verses 3 & 13 speak about the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace. We all reach the unity in the faith and knowledge of the Son of God.

Verse12 tells us that people will be prepared for ministry (many varied ministries).

Verses 13, 14 & 15 speak about maturity, “attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” We are “no longer infants.” We “grow up in to him who is the head – Christ”

Christians should increase in spirituality and vitality and the lost should come to a knowledge of the truth. The church as God's creation should result in spiritual growth and spiritual increase and is built upon on the presentation and reception of the truth.

Second, one should also expect some adverse reactions to the matter of speaking the truth in love.
Jesus' speaking the truth in love caused some of his disciples to "…walked no more with him" and even resulted in division among his Jewish brethren (John 6:66; 7:43).

Jesus told his followers on many occasions, “If you are not against us, you are for us” – there was opposition.

Speaking the truth in love resulted in Stephen being murdered by a mad mob (Acts 7).

We should be ready for spiritual and numerical growth.
We should be ready for persecution.

BRINGING IT TOGETHER
Paul tells the Ephesian Christians that they have a good church, and he gives them some counsel on how to have a great church in chapter 4.

Verse 1: (all of you) “Live a life worth of the calling you have received” (a calling to faith in Jesus Christ).

Verse11: Have gifted leaders who seek to prepare and build up everyone else in the church.

Verse15: Speak the truth in love.

Purpose of the church consultation is to better be the church of Jesus Christ.
Here’s one of the recommendations of the consultation: Speak the truth in the appropriate settings, in respectful ways.

We show our love to each other by being truthful and respectful with each other, in a relationship of trust. This will build-up the body of Christ and lead to spiritual maturity.

True love thinks of the other person: 1 Corinthians 13 was written to the church:
It’s an example for the new couple of what love is (that’s why we read it at weddings), but it is to show the church how to love.

What is our first commandment? Love God / Love others.

Our ability to speak the truth in love is found in relationship: our relationship with
God, our relationship with Others.

Can you tell God anything and everything? Truthfully!
Can you tell others anything and everything? Truthfuly!

This is the basis of our Christian relationship: speak the truth in love.