Called Out Series

Called Out

Ephesians 4:1-10

August 6, 2006

Ephesians 4:1 (NLT)

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.

Called by God

 God has specifically called you

 His child

 His vessel

 To His service

 2 Thessalonians 1:11

2 Thessalonians 1:11 (NLT)

And so we keep on praying for you, that our God will make you worthy of the life to which he called you. And we pray that God, by his power, will fulfill all your good intentions and faithful deeds.

Called by God

 God has specifically called you

 His child

 His vessel

 To His service

 2 Thessalonians 1:11

 Walking worthy

 Your actions reflect upon God

 Others are walking

Ephesians 4:2 (NLT)

Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

Everyone has Faults

 Patience and gentleness

 Shown to us by God

 Others deserve the same from us

 Accept others in spite of their faults

 Allow for their quirks

 Motivated by love

Ephesians 4:3 (NLT)

Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace.

United in Spirit

 The Holy Spirit binds us together

 Unity is the result of His work

 Peace is the chord that binds us together

 Forgiveness and mercy

 Refusal to fault find

 Unconditional love

Ephesians 4:4 (NLT)

We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future.

The Same Holy Spirit

 The same Holy Spirit indwells all believers

 No favoritism

 No partisanship

 All believers share the same destiny

 To become more Christ-like

 To spend eternity in His presence

Ephesians 4:5-6 (NLT)

There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, [6] and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all.

Just One

 One Lord

 No one can serve two masters

 One Faith

 There are not many paths to salvation

 One Baptism

 A shared testimony

 One God

 Not one of many

 Lives in you and works through you

Ephesians 4:7-8 (NLT)

However, he has given each one of us a special gift according to the generosity of Christ. [8] That is why the Scriptures say,

"When he ascended to the heights,

he led a crowd of captives

and gave gifts to his people."

The Gift of Grace

 Jesus perfect sacrifice

 Paid the price for our sins

 Pardoned us from the penalty of sin

 Made us heirs of God’s kingdom

 Made available to everyone

 We are unified through grace

Ephesians 4:9-10 (NLT)

Notice that it says "he ascended." This means that Christ first came down to the lowly world in which we live. [10] The same one who came down is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that his rule might fill the entire universe.

He’s Been There

 Jesus descended from the splendor of heaven

 Took on flesh

 Dealt with the fallen condition of man

 Subjected Himself to torture and death

 Jesus has ascended

 Taking his rightful place as ruler of all

Key Points

 You’ve been called

 Others are watching

 Our faith unites us

 Jesus sacrificed himself to make your calling possible

**Powerpoint available on request