Signs of Life
Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. 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. 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. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
–Ephesians 4:25-5:2
Speaking Truth(4:25)
- Falsehood abounds
- Truth matters
Facing Anger(4:26-27)
- Anger’s place
- Anger’s opportunity
- Anger’s timing
Discussion Questions:
- Where does falsehood abound in your life?
- What should it look like to speak the truth with one another? Can you give some practical examples of how that’s looked in your own life as a Christian?
- When you are angry, who does it come out at?
- Why/how does anger give the devil a foothold in our lives? Would you share about a way you’ve seen this happen in your life?
- What does it practically look like for you not to let the sun go down on your anger?
- What are the shortcuts you’ve taken that are forms of theft?
- What does it look like to live a productive life? What is the balance we should have with regards to productivity and rest(in other words, how do we guard against being workaholics)?
- Why is every member of the body commanded to share and be generous? What does this look like?
- Why is our speech a good diagnostic to see if we’re harboring unforgiveness?
- How does imitating God relate to being gracious and forgiving?
If it’s appropriate, confess unforgiveness and talk about what you might do to bring restoration to a broken relationship.