Life’s Jiffy Lube
Ephesians 4: 17-29
I. Chad’s First Oil Change
A. Forgot to drain the old oil: TWICE!
B. Talk of the family get-togethers for months!
C. Believe it or not, there is a lesson on Christian living in all of this.
II. Why the oil needed changing. Ephesians 4: 17-19
A. Old oil becomes dark and impure.
1. When oil gets old, it becomes dark and is not as slick as it once was. (v. 18)
a. This was also the case with the Gentiles in verse 18. They were of no use to God in their present state, because they did not know Jesus, and therefore did not possess the properties that made them useful to God.
b. This is also what can happen to us when we
conform to this world and stop displaying the characteristics that make us a useful witness.
2. When oil is left in a car to long, it gets filled with dirt
and filth. (v. 19)
a. The Gentiles, being non-Christians, had
given them selves over to sensuality, practicing every kind of impurity, with greediness.
b. Now before we get to judgmental of the
Gentiles and non-Christians, don’t we often times conform to the impurities and filth of this world? When we see that happening, we know its time for an oil change!
III. How to change your oil without blowing your engine (vv. 20-22)
A. Drain the oil first! (You may want to use muddy water visual)
1. You can’t just pour new oil on top of old oil and expect the new oil to work properly.
2. Neither can you put on Christianity without
repentance and think that you have fixed the problem. Read Romans 6: 1-2. We might still fail, but our lifestyle should be one of striving for perfection no matter how unreachable!
B. Put on a new filter! (v.23)
1. Verse 23 tells us to be “renewed in the spirit of your
mind”. Renewal of oil is done by the filter.
2. A filter lets oil pass through and holds back the filth
and contaminates. II Corinthians 10:5 says “we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” By taking our thoughts captive, we filter what flows through.
C. Pour in the new clean oil. (v. 24)
1. Only after the impurities have been removed and a
new filter put in place, are we ready to be filled with
clean oil.
2. When we allow Jesus to cleanse us through faith and we demonstrate our sincerity by our repentance, can God fill us with “righteousness and holiness of truth.”
