TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. Ephesians 4:25
Read: Ephesians 4:25
Listen: Ephesians 4
TODAY’S MESSAGE
The first three parts of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians talk about who we are (such as God’s loved children, handiwork), where God found us (dead in our trespasses and sins), and God’s grace toward us. Paul’s instructions in Ephesians 4:24 lets us know our good actions flow out of first understanding who we are and God’s grace toward us. In Ephesians 4:25, Paul explicitly addresses honesty and calls his readers to put away falsehood and speak honestly. It’s possible that some of his readers were behaving in obviously manipulative and dishonest ways—and Paul challenges them to speak truthfully.
We need this message just as much as they did then. Often a conversation today about honesty is a conversation about hiding. We struggle and think people won’t want us if they really knew us. So, we hide. Maybe we hide by fabricating a version of ourselves we prefer, so people think highly of us. Perhaps we exaggerate our achievements and minimize our failures.
Watch this video clip as Pastor Jeff Manion talks about how understanding the gospel is like an invitation to come out of hiding. The gospel teaches us that we are infinitely loved, treasured, and secure. Knowing and living into THAT changes everything. It doesn’t mean that everyone needs all the truth all the time, but it means we need to stop hiding and let someone know. Understanding the gospel is an invitation to come out of hiding and invite the restoration work of Christ in our lives.
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
Journal on your mobile phone or a notebook about an area or two that you tend to lie, exaggerate or not be completely forthright. Consider why you do that and how the gospel may help you grow in your honesty in that area.
2023 SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
Join us all of 2023 developing a different spiritual practice each month. SPIRITUAL PRACTICES are intentional regular activities to deepen our relationship with God and mold us to be more like Jesus.
February is SABBATH. Keep track of our spiritual practices at beyondtheweekend.org/spiritualpractices.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
