Elected, Called and Gifted pt2
Stewarding the Call
Ephesians 4:1-16
The Lord placed this series on my heart when I was ending the last series “Mom’s and Miracles” and we talked about “walking in the Miracle”
In Matthew 14 Jesus calls Peter to walk on the water… it was there that God spoke to my heart and said, “im still calling them”
In part 1 of this mini series we were re-assured that God chose us, elected us and selected us, and what a priveledge that is. We have God’s vote
We also learned that God is continually calling out to us. He calls us initially to follow Him then He continues to call us to deeper intamicy with Him.
He Calls to us when we are in the storms of life and when the shame and sting of sin has isolated us into depression… His call is continual.
And lastly we learned that He has gifted us for the calling that He calls us to. Gifted with the Holy Spirit so that nothing we do is on our own power.
Today I want to continue with Elected – Called and Gifted and we will learn what we need to do to Steward the calling that God has for us.
Stewardship = the management or care of something you have been entrusted with…. Particularly the kind that works…
“where there is a successful business there is careful stewardship”
So how than can you and I nurture the call, protect the call, and Live out the call to the fullest that God intended when He chose us?
Ephesians 4:1-16 – stand and read…
Within these scriptures I believe the Lord is revealing to us a sure-fired way to LIVE OUT TO THE FULLEST Extent the call of God, for each of us.. lets take a look..
Because I am Called I must continually
1. Build My Character
Now understand something, when God initially called us to Him, He didn’t call us because we had and were showing great character…
How many of us were at some low point in our lives when we first responded to His call? I know I wasn’t showing exemplary character as a meth addict when I responded…
Yet He called to us based on the Character He knew He could develop into a willing heart. And that is a character He will continue to develop in us.
So weather you responded 21 years ago, 21 days ago or 21 minutes ago… God wants to continue to build your character.
Lets take a look at the characteristics we are to walk in and grow in, in order to live to the fullest calling…
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, be patient, bearing with one another in love, Eph. 4:1-2
Right after Paul writes, to walk worthy of the calling He goes into what that walk looks like:
Walk In Humbleness = not in arrogance that you’re the chosen one but, honored that He called you… meekness and mild in approach
Walk in Gentleness = to handle with care and kindness, not to be abrasive and brash but to Treat people with kindness even when your correcting them…
“pastor I know I just got rebuked but how come I feel so encouraged and excited about my life?”
Walk In Patience – Don’t expect things to be done on your time, remember when we are interacting with and Networking with others… there are 3 time zones at work…
Yours – Theirs – God’s = you cant expect people to grow at your speed, or mature on in your time zone even when they are learning on your time.
Bearing with one another = Forebearance = to show tolerance with people… “I cant tolerate hot weather, but I make the best if it when its hot”
And how long do we live like this?
13 until we all… …become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Eph. 4:13c
The bottom line is we should be showing growth in every area of our life, every day of our life
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. Eph. 4:14-15
We cant settle for where you are right now as being the be all end all. There is growth for your life today, and for tomorrow.
Don’t settle for stunted growth.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.
8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Tim. 1:5-8
Because I’ve Been Called I Must continually
2. Build Bridges For Unity
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. Ephesians 4:3-6
The anointing of the Holy Spirit didn’t flow into the disciples until they were together and in unity of heart and mind… not when they were off doing their own thing, but united.
We need to make every effort to keep the unity of the Holy Spirit, how? By honoring the kingdom hierarchy God has placed us in…
You can be Absolom or Solomon. Absolom didn’t honor His father David as King and self promoted and spread negativity about the king…
Yet Solomon honored His Father as King and was handed the kingdom… in Solomons Kingdom wisdom and anointing flowed…
In Absoloms brief kingdom death and distruction flowed to its end. So we must build bridges to unity in the spirit at all cost…
And the cost is swallowing our pride, and living the charater we discussed ABOVE.
...so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God... Ephesians 4:12-13a
From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:16
We are better together and we are bitter when we are separated, and at the end of the day the bible makes it clear that we need each other…
12 A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12
Because I am Called I must Continually
3. Bring Out My Gifts and Build On My Gifts
7 However, he has given each one of us a special gift through 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.” Eph. 4:7-8
EXPOUND – He has gifted you with a special gift, God had created you in such a way that you have special gifts that you must bring with you every day, and build upon everyday
11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. Eph. 4:11-12
Apostle is an emissary of God, similar to the Old Testament prophets, with special authority and status in Christ for the sake of the gospel. A messenger, a delegate, a sent one…
Prophets = someone who prophecies about related events or visions BEFOREHAND… someone who proclaims the truth with God’s authority (TELL FORTH)
Evangelist = one who travels to preach the word not only to get people saved but to call them into ministry, Evangelist call the pastors…
Pastors one who takes care of a church or a flock
Teacher one who teaches the word…
These are GIFTS TO THE CHURCH… I am a gift to this church, by the way this gift needs some new batteries….
6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. Romans 12:6-8
I must continually Remember that
4. The Call Is Reciprocal. (I must continually Call Out To Him)
3 ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ Jer. 33:3
He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him. Psalm 91:15
30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Matthew 14:30
