Today’s message is found in Ephesians 4:1-6. Please follow along in your Bible or on a Bible app. Follow the Sermon Notes through the Church Center App as well.
Ephesians 4:1-6
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
- The content of the letter to the Ephesian church moves from theology to practicality.
Thought: This shift can be expressed in many ways: from doctrine to duty; from calling to conduct; from the Christian’s wealth to his walk; from exposition to exhortation; from the indicative to the imperative; from high society to a high life.
- Because of the amazing theological realities of Chapters 1 through 3, Paul urges the Ephesians (and us) to “…to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”
(MULTILINE REVEAL SMALL)
Verse 1: As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
A Life Worthy!
- The Greek word translated “worthy” is axios, which has the root idea of weight.
- English word, axiom – “to be equal of weight”
- Paul is saying we should try to live lives equal to the great blessings described in chapters 1-3.
- How are we to walk worthy?
- The remainder of Ephesians answers this question!!!
- Paul begins chapter 4 by answering this question… THROUGH UNITY!!!
Verse 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
(MULTILINE REVEAL SMALL)
Paul Defines The Character Which Brings Christian Unity! (v.2)
- The unity which Paul urges us begins with Character!
2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
- Think about the people who bring unity?
- They are “humble and gentle”
- This type of character or personality trait was despised in the Greco-Roman world.
- What does the Greco-Roman man look like in our current culture?
- Bravado
- Agression
- Self – Assured
- Pride & Self Promotion
- Paul is extolling humility and then couples it with the tandem characteristic of “gentleness” (or meekness).
- THIS IS NOT WEAKNESS!!!
- It is Strength Under Control!
- What do those unhealthy traits produce?
- Those who walk in unity are not only humble and gentle but, as the second part states, “patient, bearing with one another in love” verse 2.
- Patient…Not Short -Tempered but Long-Tempered!
- Always coming back to the basis of LOVE
Thought: Love is intrinsic or the core value of all of the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22 “Love is the key. Joy is love singing. Peace is love resting. Long – Suffering is love enduring. Kindness is love’s touch. Goodness is love’s character. Faithfulness is love’s habit. Gentleness is love’s self-forgetfulness. Self-Control is love holding the reins”.
(MULTILINE REVEAL SMALL)
THIS ULTIMATELY IS OUR TESTIMONY
- Look what Jesus says about this type of characteristic and action!
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
- People are watching us!!!
- Don’t tolerate each other – LOVE ONE ANOTHER!
- The Apostle Peter, who began as a proud, rough, impatient man says this in his first letter:
- 1 Peter 1:22
- 22 …have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.
- 1 Peter 2:17
- 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers…
- 1 Peter 3:8
- 8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.
- 1 Peter 4:8
- 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Thought: The truth that radiates from verse 2 is that Christian unity doesn’t begin with an external structure, but rather in the attitudes of the heart – humility and mildness and patience and loving tolerance of one another.
(MULTILINE REVEAL SMALL)
- If We Are To Be A Church “Expanding Our Tent” Than We Must Be A Church In Unity…and If We Are To Be A Church In Unity, We Must Understand Where These Attitudes Originate From!
The Origin of Christian Unity (vv. 4-6)
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
- Our Unity is rooted in the Trinity!
- God The Father
- God The Son
- God The Holy Spirit
- First, we see the Person of the Holy Spirit and his work in bringing unity – 4 There is one body and one Spirit,
- The Holy Spirit creates the Body of Christ, of which we are members.
- 1 Corinthians 12:13 – 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
- The Holy Spirit:
- Creates
- Fills
- Coordinates
- Orchestrates
- Empowers the Body of Christ!
- Second, there is the Person of Christ and his work in ministering unity – 4b just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
- 1 Corinthians 8:6 says, …and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
- As our “one Lord” he creates “one faith” because he is the object and focus of our belief.
- Because of our “one faith” we all have participated in “one baptism” – “into the name of Jesus”.
- Lastly, there is the Person of the Father and his work in unity – verse 6…one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
- Ephesians theme of SHARED PATERNITY!!!
- We Are Family!
(MULTILINE REVEAL SMALL)
Thought: Our Unity comes from seven grand unities all rooted in the Trinity: “one body…one Spirit…one hope…one Lord…one faith…one baptism…one God and Father of all.
The Charge To Build Christian Unity (v.3)
3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
- Paul is using language to help us understand the urgency!
- Make haste
- “Do your utmost to keep the unity of the Spirit – this is urgent!”
- There is no room for rivalries or hatreds or factions!
- This a personal call to conviction as we work together, “unto Him”
- The latter part of the verse states – through the bond of peace…
- We are called to be PEACEMAKERS!!!
- Peacemakers are:
- Honest
- Willing To Risk Pain
- Is a Fighter
- Romans 14:19 – Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
(MULTILINE REVEAL SMALL)
Thought: How beautiful true peacemakers are. Filled with peace themselves, they are honest about the state of the relationships around them. They are honest about what is in their own hearts and sensitive to where others are. They refuse to say “peace, peace” when their is none. They are willing to risk pain and misunderstanding to make things right. Peacemakers will even fight for peace…Are we like this?
- There are lonely, alienated people all around us who long for a new humanity where there is peace and love and acceptance.
Thought: And if they see the Church living out its indestructible unity with humility and gentleness and patience and forbearing love, they will be drawn to it.
Thought: John 17:21-23 NIV 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
(MULTILINE REVEAL SMALL)
Are We Walking In Unity?
- We must reflect on our unity, rooted in the Trinity.
- We must focus on Christ
- 1 John 1:3 – 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
- We must consciously ask the Holy Spirit to help us cultivate a character which builds unity – a character of humility, gentleness, patience, and loving forbearance.
- We must be peacemakers
- We must admit the absence of peace when there is none. We need to confess our culpability if there is any. We must take steps to make peace.
IF WE ARE TO GROW OUR CHURCH AND TO EXPAND OUR TENT, PAUL STATES THAT THIS GROWTH IS A RESULT OF OUR UNITY!
(MULTILINE REVEAL SMALL)