Series: Accounting [#11]
MANAGE YOUR SPIRITUAL RICHES
Ephesians 4:1-6
Introduction:
In the 1st 3 chapters, Paul wrote to the Ephesians about our spiritual riches in Christ. Paul taught them, prayed for them, and then urged them to live worthy and to love in unity. The 1st 3 chapters describe the position of the believer. The last 3 chapters focus on the practice of the believer. What you believe is important; but what you believe will eventually make itself known in what you do. Christians, we are spiritually rich; so why does so many Christians seem spiritually poor? We have to practice what we believe. We have to live it.
My mom had a relative that lived in very poor conditions. The family had dirt floors and they rationed their food, (usually beans). Their clothes appeared to be the clothes of extremely poor people. When he died, it was discovered that he had donated all of his inheritance to the Southern Baptist Convention. He had accumulated over a million dollars and yet he never properly took care of his family. Fortunately for the family, the SBC gave them some of the money back. You can be spiritually rich and live like a pauper.
Ephesians 4:1-3 (NIV)
1As 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.
Manage…
1. Your Christian walk.
Knowing how you should live and doing it is 2 different things. Christians are to live a life that is worthy of the name and calling that we have been given. Your life should honor the name of Jesus. So, how do you live this type of life? Our text gives us the answer to this question.
Walk…
* In humbleness.
Humbleness is making everyone else more important than yourself. Jesus Christ is our best example of this- He humbled Himself by leaving Heaven and taking on the form of man.
Walk…
* In gentleness.
Gentleness is not weakness. We should deal with others in a calm and mild manner. There is no need to scream and cuss. Stay calm.
Walk…
* In patience.
Patience is something that you build by going through things. If you want to make someone mad, tell them that you are praying that they learn patience. Patience is waiting upon God to do what He is going to do.
Walk…
* In bearing with one another.
This means to put up with one another. We all have our issues and sometimes we are not fun to be around. This is when we must bear with one another.
Walk…
* In unity.
We are to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit.” How do you do that? By applying the peace of God. The only way that we can be unified is through the Holy Spirit. That means that all Christians have to be walking with Christ at all times in order to be unified.
Ephesians 4:3-6 (NIV)
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.
Manage…
2. Your Christian peace.
This peace is the peace that comes from Jesus. This peace makes no sense to the world. This peace is necessary to keep unity in the Body of Christ. Christians need to remember this very important point that Paul was making.
There is one…
* Body.
There is one…
* Spirit.
There is one…
* Hope.
There is one…
* Lord.
There is one…
* Faith.
There is one…
* Baptism.
There is one…
* God and Father of all.
Conclusion:
Christians have to remember that we are all part of 1 Body. That means that we must allow God to lead us as 1. The Body of Christ cannot have “free agents”. What I do, affects all other believers. We are 1 in Christ.
