NOTES: Sticks & Stones, Part 1
Sermon: Sticks & Stones: Week 1- Go Low
Date: February 16, 2025
Text: Ephesians 4:25-5:2
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. 5 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Let’s Connect:
Today- What do we do with harsh & critical words spoken against us?
Text Explained:
For Christ-followers, every interaction with other people is formational
Ephesians 4:25, “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.”
Eph. 4:31, 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
Eph. 5:1-2 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
In order for us to walk in love, it will mean death to self (Romans 12:1-2)
Why don’t we really embrace this biblical response especially when it comes from ‘within’ our community/family?
Numbers 16:1-6, "Now Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men. 2 And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men. 3 They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”
Anger that “stays” is an opportunity for the enemy
Anger can become an offense
The result is bitterness—and blindness
When I take offense, I sin against others in response to their sin
The trap of offense is where deception thrives
…and our old nature is exploited
How do I know if I’m offended?
Num 16:4 When Moses heard it, he fell on his face, 5 and he said to Korah and all his company, “In the morning the Lord will show who is his, and who is holy, and will bring him near to him. The one whom he chooses he will bring near to him.
Moses makes an altar in the place of offense.
The Take Out:
Psalm 24:3–5, “3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. 5 He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness (or vindication) from the God of his salvation.”
“Clean Hands”—refusing to sin against other people through our words or actions
Matthew 15:11, "11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”
“Pure Heart”—guarding our hearts against bitterness through the daily cleansing with the Spirit.
Eph. 5:1-2. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Our Challenge:
Go low and stay low— before the Lord and others