Start our time again as we turn to the Lord in prayer and wanting to uh just pray the prayer as written by a Puritan compilation of prayers in the book uh the Valley of Vision and I do turn with me this evening’s prayer is entitled God
The source of all good and so do Bow your heads and and listen to these words they’re so deep so meaningful uh Lord help me to mean these oh Lord God you who dwell in eternity the heavens declare your glory the Earth your riches the universe is your temple your presence fills
Immensity yet you have Hast have of thy pleasure created life and communicated happiness you have made me what I am and given me what I have in you I live and move and have my being your Providence is set the bounds of my life and wisely administers all my Affairs I thank you
For your riches to me in Jesus for the unclouded revelation of him in your word where I behold his person character Grace Glory humiliation sufferings death and Resurrection get me to feel a need of his continual savior good and cry with job I am vile with Peter I perish
With the Publican be merciful to me a sinner subdue in me the love of sin let me know the need of Ren ation as well as forgiveness in order to serve and enjoy you forever I come to you in all in the all prevailing name of Jesus with
Nothing of my own to plead no Works no worthiness no promises I’m often strain often knowingly opposing your Authority often abusing your goodness impress me deeply with the sense of your omnipresence that you art above my path my ways my lying down and my end and
This we pray coming in the name of Jesus Amen well it’s good to be together and once again this evening continuing in a study in uh Ephesians chapter 4 moving on uh in the book and getting to that place where we’re going to start speaking about some very practical
Challenges and realities and they really are challenges as we come to them so it’s chapter 4 I’m going to read uh from verse 1 through to verse 6 16 so if you do have your Bible do keep it handy and follow with me even as we work through
The passage in just a few minutes so Paul writing he says I therefore a prisoner for the Lord urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you’ve been called with all humility and gentleness with patience bearing with one another in love eager to maintain the unity of the
Spirit in the bond of Peace there is one one body and one Spirit just as you were called to one hope that belongs to your call one Lord One Faith one baptism one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all but Grace was
Given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift therefore it says when he ascended on high he led a host of captives and he gave gifts to men in saying he ascended what does it mean that he had also descended into the lower regions
Uh the Earth he who descended is the one also ascended far above all the heavens that he might fill all things and he gave the apostles the prophets the evangelists the Shepherds and teachers to equip the Saints for the work of Ministry for building up the body of
Christ until we all attain to the unity of the faith of the knowledge of the Son of God to mature manhood to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ so that we may no longer be children tossed to and fro by the waves and
Carried about by every wind of Doctrine by human cunning by craftiness in deceitful schemes rather speaking the truth in love we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head into Christ from whom the whole body joined and held together by every joint which it is
Equipped when each part is working properly making the body grow so it builds itself up in love just so far the reading of God’s word did entitle this message and it will be the next uh couple of messages walking in a manner worthy of the Lord and we do come to a
Section part of this passage that we’re going to be considering tonight is the matter of unity and so just as we turn to this passage we notice that the opening sentence of chapter 4 marks the turning point in the book of Ephesians I therefore a prisoner of the Lord urge
You to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called and so what we see here is a a movement and it’s common we see it in the Book of Romans 2 chapter 1 to 11 theology chapter 12 to the end deals more so with
The Practical outworking of that theology that impacts the life of a Believer and so here too the message moves from theology to practice the shift can be expressed in many ways some people have said it’s a movement from Doctrine to duty from from Creed to contact uh conduct is a definite change
In emphasis here it is now this is what we ought to do walk and talk the life of faith it is a challenge this is a challenge to each of us therefore even the suitability of that prayer tonight oh Lord Make Me aware of my own uh failings my weakness My sinfulness Lead
Me constantly to the Cross Lead Me in growing in the grace and the knowledge of Jesus and so folk the the message mind-blowing theological realities that we’ve seen from chapter 1 to chapter 3 is nothing other than an overflow I urge you I urge you to walk in a manner
Worthy of the Lord so Jesus has done so much in achieving Redemption salvation for individual men and women and children from different tribes and languages and and and so the rest of our lives as Believers those who have been blessed with these uh unimaginable in unsearchable Riches of Christ must live
Our lives in response to that and so the question really tonight that we’ll begin to look at well what does it mean to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord what does it mean to live a life worthy of the calling you have received or the way
The ESV puts it walking in a manner worthy of the Lord and we’re going to see then uh really an answer to the question how then should we live three topics amongst others but certainly three main topics that we’ll be looking at uh Unity going to focus on that
Tonight and then as we move forward in days ahead maturity growing into a different kind of person more and more into the likeness of Jesus and then also dealing with the issue of Purity these are essential features of a life or a walk worthy of the Lord and so
In the passage before us the first couple of verses Paul elaborates on the unity that God intends for his new Society for the Community of Faith and my first point that I entitled here tonight is why should Christians strive toward Unity well the word one appears some seven times in this particular passage
Uh repeated in four verses actually verses 3-6 uh three of those times the referen is to the three persons of the Trinity verse four one Spirit verse five one Lord and verse six one God and Father the remaining four Lo to your and my Christian experience in relation to the
Three persons of the trinity and so I’m going to touch on all of these and of course much more can be said that I’m going to say tonight but certainly I hope that this Sparks some kind of thinking and uh application of the mind uh to these uh truths that are brought
To us tonight so in the first place there is the person of the spirit the Holy Spirit and his work that brings about Unity One body and one Spirit the one body is the church and it’s it’s the universal church we need to understand that the local church is a mere
Outcropping of this universal church that uh uh is is the redeemed community of God and this community this body has been brought to life by the spirit made alive uh by the spirit and it comprises of both Jewish and Gentile Believers in other words as we would understand it
People from All Nations and so the cohesion of the body is due to the work of the spirit who not not only creates making alive regenerates causing people to be born again but also fills and we’ll get to that a little bit later in the book be filled with the spirit uh orchestrating
Empowering revealing the truth of God and I’m going to say a little bit more about that just now uh a word I remember learning when I was back at theological College uh the truth of God inscripturated God breathed work of the spirit Spirit bringing about clear truth as opposed to
Error that which is the will of God that which is the mind of God that which is indisputable that which is without error that which is authoritative that which is the measure that which is the cannon and so it is our common possession as Believers this one Holy Spirit
Integrating us into the body passage like 1 Corinthians 12:13 for we were all baptized immersed that’s the direct translation by one Spirit into one body whether Jews or Greeks slave or free and we were all given the one Spirit to drink so there is the work of the spirit in his many
Aspects and and and areas of work that is involved in bringing about Unity that we ought to be responding to that we ought to be relating to that we ought to be St driving toward unity in uh responding to the work of the spirit but secondly we also need to see there’s the
Person of Christ and his work in ministering Unity uh verse four and five it is one body one Spirit just as you were called to one hope that belongs to your core one Lord One Faith one baptism referring here to Jesus in whom we now have been included by the spirit into
His body we believe is the object and focus of our faith uh the faith which is uh revealed it’s not just a faith uh in positive thinking and but it is a faith and response to the propositional truth the historical truth that Jesus lived a righteous life that he died the death
For Sinners that he suffered under the WTH of God that he was raised from the dead that he was that he ascended into heaven and that he now Reigns from uh the Throne of God and so we’ve all been we’ve all participated as as every believer uh regardless of what
Generation and and and and and what denomination if there is someone who is regenerated by the spirit of God someone who has experienced the application of the Redemption that Jesus achieved where this Redemption has been applied immersed into the body of the Lord Jesus and so we share every one of us as
Believers one Lord One Faith one baptism bringing about one hope so careful we need to be so careful about the divisions that we bring about in in our denominational thinking sometimes and and and very often also in our little groups that we like to gather in in
Feeling comfortable and and and we we look forward this one Lord that gather gathers us together will one day return and we look forward to that day when he will make All Things New the appearing ultimately of our great God and savior the Lord Jesus Titus 2:3 while we wait
For the Blessed hope the Glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ then thirdly also there is the person of the father and his work in unity verse six one Lord One Faith one baptism verse 6 one God and Father father of all who
Is over all and through all and in all we have shared fraternity Our Father in Heaven my father your father We Are Family We Are Family brought about through the redeeming work of Christ adopted into the family of God and so it is that we share with Brothers
And Sisters in Christ we have the same father We are family and so there can only be one Christian family only one Christian faith one hope one baptism because there is only one God Father Son and Holy Spirit so you see the trinitarian work that we need to be
Considering when we talk about the reality of striving toward being united you can no more multiply churches that you can then you can multiply God is the only one God then he has only one Church spiritual reality and it must become a visible reality and so the third verse
Says make every effort make every effort bearing with one another in love eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace and so secondly I want to move on to how can Unity be a reality this this is the Practical side because there are divisions churches divide sometimes
There are sharp disagreements we we see that we understand that and and so those of us sinful creatures those of us who struggle with the remaining marks of sin we need to understand well how can we work on this challenge this urging from God that there be Unity Among Us
Well the unity which Paul urges Upon Us begins a very very important challenge to each one of us has the key Godly character second verse you see walking a manner worthy of the calling which you have been called how with all humility and gentleness patience bearing with one another in
Love and so as we strive toward Unity we ought to be people who are humble and gentle humility was not something sought after by secular people in Paul’s day and humility is not something sought after in our own day it’s an issue not only with the unconverted it is an issue that we
Struggle with pride is at the core of sin we can call it different things ego sinful nature uh so much of our Trouble Comes about because of us me at times the male or female ego wanting to be in control wanting to demonstrate uh being self assured or wanting to demonstrate Independence and
And and Perfection and uh greatness and wanting greatness no Paul promotes humility absolutely crucial and he couples it with the characteristic of gentleness now gentleness is not weakness I think we need to understand it it is strength under control there’s nothing spineless or timid about it Jesus described himself with both words
Matthew 11:29 take my yoke upon upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls well what do we see in Jesus in the steel like meekness well we see that he has an ability to
Forgive even on the cross remember Luke 23:24 father forgive them for they do not know but they doing while we were yet sinners Christ died for us God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten you see the nature of God compassionate forgiving it it it’s it’s a it’s a
Characteristic it it’s that which demonstrates this this meekness but secondly and this is where many of us go wrong Jesus fiercely defended the truth I have seen in the course of my Ministry over the years even in the broader context of uh denomination or Union of churches a minimizing of Truth a
Dilution of Truth arguing that Unity surpasses all things that is not so that is not true if you look at the high Priestly prayer of Jesus in John chapter 17 he prays for Unity but he prays also that the Lord would sanctify them by truth and so Unity can only come
About in the context where there is the promotion of Truth where are where there are those who reject the plain truth of God there are issues that need to be resolved issues that need to be dealt with and then it’s not just a question of of truth it’s a question of Sin in our context of churches we often speak of the necessity of discipline PA right to the Corinthian Church speaks about the necessity of disciplining why discipline shouldn’t we just promote Unity at all costs no if somebody needs to be confronted with respect to sin with respect to something which is
Outside of the scope of God’s revealed truth and will di atrophies great example in 3 John John speaks very clearly that this man is out of line and he needs to be dealt with there’s no covering over or bearing under the sand the reality that this man is in need of
Correction Jesus fiercely defended the truth and so Pride self-promoting arrogance so disunity but a humble and gentle man or woman is like a refreshing Breeze but secondly from at least patient patient bearing with one another we are all in need of continued sanctification we need to be patient
Lord help me to be patient with others but Lord I pray that others will be patient with me you’re not done with me yet it’s not an excuse It’s a reality bearing with one another in love it’s more than tolerating one another it’s what one author described as what oil is to the
Angel Peter began as a proud rough impatient man says in his first letter now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you now have sincere love for your brothers love one another deeply from the heart show proper respect to everyone love the Brotherhood of Believers fear God and
Honor the king finally all of you live in harmony with one another be sympathetic love as brothers be compassionate and humble above all love each other deeply because love covers a multitude of sins and so in the building of unity meaningful relationships are essential transparent relationships are essential there’s no
Value in establishing structures to facilitate Unity if there’s an absence of character if there’s an absence of conduct if there’s an absence of truth if there’s an absence of morality the spiritual fruit of humility and patience will bring about Unity the love for God’s truth not only in the
Head but also in the expression from the heart and then also to see that there is purpose in div in diversity although there’s only one body One Faith one family it must not be misconstrued as a lifeless or colorless uniformity we’re all different we have different personalities we have different gifts we
Have different backgrounds we have different cultures we have different challenges we have different blind spots and so don’t imagine that every Christian is an exact replica of everyone else instead the church is exciting and its diversity diversity because of our differentness Jesus distributes even different gifts for the works of service
You see in the later on in the passage for the building up and the enrichment of our common life and so dear friends this is the vision of the church this is a challenge this is a big challenge not to be fragmented not to be broken but
Together in Union with each other but led by the truth of God in all things the charge is simple and clear God through Paul urging you and me to make a zealous effort in living a life worthy of the calling to walk in a manner worthy of God
Growing in Godly character I know I need to grow in Godly character do you deepening Fellowship between others in The Fellowship of the church and eagerness to protect the church to maintain the unity of the church challenging study tonight but I do trust that the Lord uses his word by
His Spirit to mold us to change us to lead us and in this he will be exalted he will be glorified so some questions that there are and just as our closed you could also take a picture of that Lord help us we pray indeed we are lord always in
Need of much grace please unite us help us to search our own hearts that your spirit would search our hearts in the light of your word in Jesus name am amen
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