~ Intro: As in the video where gratefulness changes everything… We have come
the point in Ephesians where salvation changes everything. Paul now examines how our actions are to change because of our gratitude for this salvation.
Turn with me to our text for today Ephesians 4:1…
1. We become worthy when we understand that that this is something we become and not something we do…it’s a lifestyle.(vrs 1)
• We need to live a life worthy of our calling.
- When God calls us to follow Him and become part of His family, the church, it’s the challenge we receive…
- Are we willing to commit to a lifetime of effort and change?
To help us understand the choice to become worthy we need to look the details involved and this brings us to our 2nd point…
2. We become worthy when we make unity a priority.(vrs 2-6)
• Note the priority is on unity not uniformity.
- Later in our text the church is referred to as a body.
~ If a body is only one part it can’t function
~ Look at this picture…it looks like a face but can’t function…
- Unity is where all parts work together in harmony.
• This will only be possible if we expend every effort to this end.
- Not some or most but every effort.
- This requires sacrifice.
~ Time, comfort, preference, pride, impatience, even frustration or hate
~ Or as stated here: Be humble and gentle, patient, bearing each other…
• Unity has been achieved when peace reigns supreme.
Remember as we think about peace and unity we are not talking about uniformity. This is especially true in light of our next point…
3. We become worthy as we use our uniqueness to serve.(vrs 7-13)
• This is the calling we have received that we must be found living a life worthy of.
- Remember we are to be like Jesus and He came, “not to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many.” (Matt 20:28)
• This service is to the church or God’s family.
• These different abilities and callings come from God.
- Basically, we all have a purpose or job, we are all needed.
- Pastors teach and train, leading others to their areas of service.
- They are to be used for the sake of unity.
~ Unlike the evangelist who once said to a pastor, “My job is to blow in, blow up, and blow out…letting you pick up the pieces.”
- It’s been said ...
~ The human body does not exist to meet the needs of the hand. The hand exists to meet the needs of the body and in doing so gets its own needs met.
- The Church does not exist to meet our needs.
~ We exist to carry out the work of the church and in doing so our own needs are met.
Now to truly be found worthy there is one more thing we must do…
4. We have become worthy or mature when we lovingly communicate truth to each other.(vrs 14-16)
• There are two parts we need to be doing here.
- We need to speak truth…God’s Word.
~ Not our take on it, not others opinions, but God’s Word
- We are to do this with love or with the others best interest in mind.
- This results in everyone maturing as we all function as God intends.
• We are mature enough to do this when we are willing to accept the truth being spoken to us.
~ Conclusion:
• What happens if we don’t walk in a manner worthy of our calling and serve?
- We don’t mature and we become divided.
- We become a self-centered and unstable body.
• So are you worthy? God might be pointing out an area to work on.
- Living the life instead of ‘doing church’
- Putting our all into securing unity and peace
- Showing we are like Christ by serving
- Maturing as we lovingly speak the truth
• Today you may be here and realized for the first time that God removed the walls so that you can have a relationship with Him.
- Accepting what He did and starting a relationship with Him isn’t hard...
~ It’s as simple as the A, B, C’s…
