As you know, for the last three weeks, we have been in the book of Ephesians. Paul has told us back in chapter one how we are blessed, adopted, chosen, and sealed in Jesus Christ. In chapter two, he told us about what we were like before Christ came, aliens and strangers to grace! Last week, we learned how we are heard in Jesus Christ. In chapters four to six, we see a shift or change in the book of Ephesians. In these last three chapters, we see the rubber hitting the road. We move from the classroom to the field. We see the truths go into practice. We see Law and Gospel in action. Paul takes the doctrinal truths of chapters one to three and puts them into context for Christian living. Today, Paul tells us about our call in Jesus Christ and what it means. For in Christ, you have been called.
Paul begins his teaching by picking his words carefully. He says, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy (or a better translation, appropriate) of the calling to which you have been called.” There is a famous war movie that ends with one soldier getting fatally wounded to save another. As the wounded soldier takes his final breaths, he tells the man who he saved these words: “Earn this.” The movie then flashforwards to when the saved soldier is old and grey in a graveyard of white crosses. The man falls to his knees at the grave of this solider, and crying, says, “I hope I have earned what you have done for me. I have remembered your words everyday.” The weight of the soldier’s words stayed with him his whole life. While the sacrifice was amazing, the weight of his words stayed upon the man and were much to live up to.
As Paul teaches, he choses his words carefully. He doesn’t want to burden us or use the Law. He uses his apostolic authority with care. Notice that Paul says, “I urge you” He doesn’t say, “you must do this” or “I’m forcing you” or “I making you” or “I’m playing the Apostle card.” No. He says “urge.” He is encouraging and pleading. He also carefully said, “to walk in a manner worthy, or appropriate to your calling.” He didn’t say “justify your calling,” or “prove it!” or “earn it!” Rather, live in response to what Christ has done for you. Paul encourages us to live in the calling that we have received. He wants us to walk in a way that is appropriate to it. The apostle encourages us to conduct our lives as people saved by Jesus Christ. We don’t have to earn or justify this calling. We don’t have to prove it. We live in it.
The Apostle then naturally moves onto some virtues to color and guide our walk in this calling. He encourages us to live our lives with all humility. We live with not a little bit of humility, or some. Rather, we live with all humility, and this is significant. In Paul’s day, humility was a despised virtue and characteristic. It was seen as a weak, servile, and ignoble quality. The Philosopher Aristotle didn’t even consider it among his virtues. People looked down on those who were humble. It is not too different today as our society exalts the self and is all about me. It says put yourself first and look out for numero uno. It is hard to be humble when we live in, breathe, and come into contact with this thinking constantly. However, this is the quality that Paul says we are to exhibit.
What is the opposite of humility? Pride. And what is in the middle of pride? “I.” Humility is the opposite of this. It places a greater value on others than oneself. It sees others as greater and more important. It puts them first. Humility is never below serving.
And Paul pairs this with his second virtue, gentleness. One commentator described it well by saying gentleness is a loving submissiveness. It is a patient yielding to others, even when provoked. It is a willingness to serve and share rather than to demand. It is the opposite of a self-assertive rudeness. This is the perfect companion for humility. It is humility in action.
Paul next moves to patience. The Greek has a helpful word picture of the word patience. It comes from the word macrothumia. The word macro means “long” or “big.” The word thumia is where we get words like thermostat or thermometer from. It means “heat.” Put it all together and you get “long heat” or “big heat.” To be patient is to be long on the heat. It is to have a long fuse. You don’t blow up over everything. It is a helpful and fun description of patience. It is also worth mentioning that this is the word that describes God’s patience towards sinful humanity. It is the patience that God has towards us! The apostle encourages us to be patient.
He next says, “bear with one another in love”. In any relationship, people will upset you, hurt you, bother you, annoy you, and do things that drive you crazy. When that happens, Paul doesn’t say pick up the toys and go home. He doesn’t say “hit back” or “get even.” Rather, bear with them in love. Bear with them in love even when they don’t deserve it! The Apostle also urges us to be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. The Spirit has made us one because the Spirit has made the Church one in Jesus. We are to treasure this unity and to act accordingly. We have unity in the bond of peace. Peace ties us to God, and it ties us to another.
As we look at our walk, as we look at our direction, and at our past paths, we see that we don’t walk appropriate to our Christian faith. We don’t embody these virtues and practices like we should. Fortunately, they are the qualities of the One Who called us! For Jesus’ humility led him to take on human flesh and to die in our place, so that we might live eternally. Our Savior deals with us stubborn sinners gently. He shows us His extreme patience, His macrothumia, as He desires our repentance, salvation, and works with and in us. Jesus bears with us in love, and we don’t deserve it! He won peace for us with God and each other through the shedding of His blood on the cross, and gives it freely. He doesn’t say “Earn this!” but “take this!” He is humble, patient, gentle, loving, and peaceful towards us. And what’s more, these are also qualities that He works and cultivates in us through our baptism and the Word, as they are fruits of the Spirit. Our Lord helps us do the walk that He has called us to!
Now after talking about the walk of our calling, Paul moves to telling us about the unity of our calling. As Paul takes us through verses four to six, what “one” word is repeated seven times? What “one” thing is repeated? I will give you “one” more moment to figure it out. Did you see the “one” word I was talking about? It is “one!” Listen to what we have been called to. Listen to what we have unity in. Paul says there is one body. There is one Church, which is our Lord’s body, and it is rooted and grounded in Him. There is one Spirit, and He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies us. There is one Spirit that we have access to God in. There is one Spirit given in baptism. He is indivisible and unites us all.
Paul says that there is one hope that belongs to our call. This is a present hope, and not just a future one. It is the hope that we are forgiven in Jesus Christ and have eternal life in Him. The Apostle proclaims that there is one Lord, Jesus, to whom every knee will one day bow. Luther explains brilliantly what it means to call Jesus “Lord”. He says, “But what does it mean to become Lord? It is this. He has redeemed me from sin, from the devil, from death, and from all evil. For before I did not have a Lord or King, but was captive under the devil’s power.” That is what it means to call Him “Lord” and to have one! Our Lord has saved us from those things. Your Lord has removed these powers’ control over you!
Paul also says there is one faith, not multiple versions of it. This is where the creeds and catechisms are a great blessing to us. They are great, simple, and faithful expressions of the faith. The apostle says there is one baptism. Our hymn put it well when it said, “One Lord, one faith, one birth.” We are reborn and made new in baptism. As the Creed says, “one baptism for the remission of sins.” And Paul finishes it by saying, “one God and Father of all, Who is over all and through all and in all.” We have one God and Father because of Christ. Only in Him can we acknowledge and call God “Father.” It is these things that we have unity in. This is the unity of our calling, and it all comes from Christ.
Paul finishes it up by tell us about the gifts of our calling. “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.” As members of Christ’s body, the Church, God has given us all gifts and talents to use so that we can serve Him and others in it. He equips us and gives gifts to those whom He has called.
At Seminary, we had what was called the “TFL,” which stood for the “Theologically Football League,” and it was a big deal. Almost everyone was a part of it, and it consisted of seven times in its first year with a three week playoff season. Honestly speaking, I’m not very good at Football. I’m not great at catching. I’m even worse at throwing. I can’t play defense to save my life. However, I was good at the thing that no one wanted to do, blocking. It certainly wasn’t a position of prestige, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t important, or not needed. When everyone on our team played to their strengths, we had success, and won the playoffs.
That’s beauty of the Church. God has given us all different gifts, talents, and abilities. They aren’t the same, and that is awesome. What are yours? What has God blessed you with? How can you use those things to serve Him and others in the body? How can you use them here at Emmaus, or continue to? What’s your role on the team, so to say?
Over the next few weeks, Paul will continue to apply his previous truths to our lives. In Jesus Christ, you are called. In His name, Amen.
