A Walk That Is Worthy Part 11
Unity: An Open Door Before Us
Text: Eph 4:1-5
Intro:
This morning I would like to continue on with our examination of the book of Ephesians.I have entitled the series “A walk that is Worthy” This morning in our text we read these words…Paul said “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received” As we have been going through the book of Ephesians we have been looking at exactly how we are to live our lives in light of what has been given to us. You can really split this book in half at this point. Paul took the first three chapters and told us what God has done for us.
His Grace, Our Position, His immeasurable Blessings.
Now based upon these incredible things, Paul begins to speak to the practical ways in which we are to live up to that calling. Unity, Marriage & Family, Work, Spiritual Warfare.
Remember now the audience of this letter was the CHURCH in Ephesus. This was not a general letter to be posted for unbelievers to read.Paul was speaking directly to Christians. We find him specifically addressing the area of unity in our text this morning.
Illus
A little 5-year-old boy one day was playing with his 2-year-old brother when the 2 year old reached up and yanked his older brother’s hair. He screamed in pain, and his mother came rushing in. He cried and said that his younger brother had pulled his hair. His mom said, “Well, he’s only 2 years old and he doesn’t know what its like to have his hair pulled.” The mom left and seconds later she heard a scream from the bedroom, but this time it was the 2 year old screaming in pain. She rushed in and asked what had happened, to which the 5 year old explained, “You said he didn’t know what it felt like, well now he does.”
I titled the this message…”A Door Standing Before Us”
We have an incredible opportunity before us as a body of believers. This morning I want to speak of the doorway of unity that stands wide open before us. If we are willing to do what He asks us to do, there is going to be a harvest I believe like has never been seen before.But we must step through the door that is before us. So many times when a message on unity is preached we think…”Man I need to get the tape of this sermon…so and so needs to hear this” This morning I want you to apply each of Pauls encouragements to yourself. If your focus shifts to other people, I want you to take those thoughts captive. The thoughts I am going to share are to be personally applied…not force fed to someone you know.
This is the nature of Pauls encouragement to the believers in Ephesus, a deeply personal challenge that affected to whole church. Lets look specifically at what that 5 fold challenge is.
1) Humility
2) Gentle
3) Patient
4) Bearing One Another in Love
5) Peacemaker
Now we are going to take a quick look at this list this morning. But I would like to start with the last one and work our way to the top. Each one of these builds upon the other.
1) Peacemaker
Paul told the Ephesian believers that he wanted them to make ever effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. This is a challenging statement.
Illus:
At the end of their first date, a young man takes the girl back to her home. Emboldened by the night, he decides to try for that important first kiss. With an air of confidence, he leans with his hand against the wall and, smiling, he says to her, "Darling, how ’bout a good night kiss?" Embarrassed, she replies, "Oh, I couldn’t do that. My parents will see us!"
"Oh come on! Who’s gonna see us at this hour?"
"No, please. I would just die of embarrassment if someone saw us."
"Oh come on, there’s nobody around, they’re all sleeping!"
"No way. It’s just too risky!"
"Oh please, please, I like you so much!!"
"No. I like you too, but I just can’t!"
"Oh yes you can. Please?"
"NO, no. I just can’t."
"Pleeeeease?..."
Out of the blue, the porch light goes on, and the girl’s sister shows up in her pajamas, hair disheveled. In a sleepy voice the sister says: "Dad says to go ahead and give him a kiss. Or I can do it. Or if need be, he’ll come down himself and do it. But for crying out loud tell him to take his hand off the intercom button!"
Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit.
“Ecc 4:12
Benjamin Franklin said… “We must all hang together, or we shall all hang separately.”
Paul says we have a responsibility to go the extra mile…to work for that unity. To expend all of our efforts in keeping peace within the body. How do we do this…I think the next four points show us the ingredients to make this come about.
2) Bearing with one another in love.
The next foundational point is Love. We must have an unselfish love for one another.
I Cor 13 says that we can work the mighty works of God and Speak incredible words…but if we do not have love we are like a clanging symbol or a banging gong.
Do you know who picks up on this hypocrisy first… unbelievers. They can see right through us. When they look at the church and they see a group of people that are unwilling to embrace one another, yet are reaching into the community to embrace the unbelievers…there must be a degree of doubt concerning authenticity.
Folks we must be marked by our love. Bearing with one another in love. Figuratively this means to “Put up with”…”Suffer” in order to love them.
We have a door that is set before us…will we step through. Lets look at how we can have this kind of Self Sacrificing Love.
3) Be Patient
The third foundation is Patients. How can we sacrificially love…through exhibiting patience with one another.
Illus:
Two men were riding a bicycle built for two when they came to a big steep hill. It took a great deal of struggle for the men to complete what proved to be a very stiff climb. When they got to the top the man in front turned to the other and said, "Boy, that sure was a hard climb." The fellow in back replied, "Yes, and if I hadn’t kept the brakes on all the way we would certainly have rolled down backwards."
James 5:7,8
I Thes 5:14,15
We sacrificially love one another by being patient…knowing that as we reach out to them in love, one of two things are going to happen.
1) The Spirit of God will slowly change them.
2) The Spirit of God will slowly change us.
Lets look at the fourth foundation step…
4) Be Gentle
We must learn to be Gentle.
1 Cor 3:12-14
What a tremendous quality a gentle spirit is.
Charles R. Swindoll said this:
“In our rough-and-rugged individualism, we think of gentleness as weakness, being soft, and virtually spineless. Not so! ... Gentleness includes such enviable qualities as having strength under control, being calm and peaceful when surrounded by a heated atmosphere, emitting a soothing effect on those who may be angry or otherwise beside themselves, and possessing tact and gracious courtesy that causes others to retain their self-esteem and dignity.... Instead of losing, the gentle gain. Instead of being ripped off and taken advantage of, they come out ahead! “
This is so important with our words…
Finally the last step that will help us to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
5) Be Humble
He instructs us as Christians that we are to be humble…and not only that, but completely humble. We could look a dozen different scriptures concerning this.
1 Peter 5:5-6
Charles Spurgeon said: "Humility is to make a right estimate of one’s self."
We love one another and over look their faults and differences because we understand there are things we do that probably bug them as well. Humility says I accept you just as you are, because I am needing you to accept me just as I am. We will never experience true unity with one another until we take this
attitude and clothe ourselves with humility.
Conclusion
I believe with all my heart that a door is standing open before us today. God is beginning to Sovereignly move by His Spirit, and He is giving us an opportunity to come on board. But He is wanting to build His Kingdom and not ours. If we want to be part of the process we must do things His way. Henry Blackaby said this…”Spiritual Ends Require Spiritual Means”
If we want to experience the power of God spoken of in Scripture we must do it Gods way. We cannot sow to the flesh and expect spiritual returns. We must sow to the spirit. Now remember your haven’t applied this message to anyone else you know…you are applying this message to yourself. Plan to day to reach out to someone you have had difficulty with.
I give you permission to use this message as the reason for making contact.
You have a door standing open before you…go through.
