The Calling.

The Calling. Ephesians 4:1-16NIV

Ephesians 1-3, Are all about sovereignty and grace. These 3 chapters are the foundations of our faith.

Ephesians 1-3, teach that we are blessed with every spiritual blessing.

Ephesians 1-3, gives the believer something to praise God about!

Here’s what we learned in, Ephesians 1-3. We praise God because He chose us, We praise God because He adopted us. We praise God, because He redeemed us, We praise God, because He forgave us, We praise God, because He lavishes us with His grace, We- praise God, because we may known the mystery of His will to us, We praise God, because He provided an eternal inheritance for us. We praise God because He sealed us by the Holy Spirit, We praise God, because He guaranteed our inheritance.

It’s easy for a believer to live with spiritual amnesia. They forget that our God is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent.

* Forever present. (Put your emptiness in God)!

* All Knowing. (He sees the big picture)!

* All powerful. (God's glory fills all things)!

Ephesians 4:1NIV As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

Are you a prisoner for the Lord? If yes, then you are to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

Remember this, “What the caterpillar calls the end, God calls a butterfly."

Ephesians 4:1MSG In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do. While I’m locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel.

What does Paul urge every follower of Jesus to do? -To walk.

I love that word; it says it all, since it refers to a persons conduct or lifestyle. I like it that Paul didn't say, fly or sprint or run or charge. -Walk.

Paul states, “Walk the road God has put you on.”

Stepping stones- Ephesians 4:2NIV Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Verse 2, gives us stepping stones. From Humility to Love.

These steppingstones are humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance and love.

This word humility is the same Greek word used in, Philippians 2:3NIV Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves...

The second stepping stone is, Gentleness. Gentleness and humility go hand and hand. -Gentleness takes the edge off.

Charles Swindoll states “If all of us in the church, balanced our strengths with humility and gentleness, as Jesus did, then virtually all our conflicts would disappear.”

The third stepping stone is, patience.

God does not want you to just zip by, speed through.

The fourth, and fifth stepping stone: Tolerance, and love.

“Before God can bless your run, He has to bless, and be Lord over your walk. P.H

-Sometimes you have to slow down.” P.H

Charles Spurgeon, “I think I may say to every person whom I am addressing, “If you are yourself saved, the work is but half done until you are employed to bring others to Christ. You are as yet but half formed in the image of your Lord.” You have not attained to the full development of the Christ-life in you unless you have commenced in some feeble way to tell others of the grace of God; and I trust that you will find no rest to the sole of your foot till you have been the means of leading many to that blessed Savior who is your confidence and your hope.

Spurgeon then states, “Let us ask Him to give us grace to go a-fishing, and so to cast our nets that we may take a great multitude of fishes. Oh, that the Holy Ghost may raise up from among us some master-fishers, who shall sail their boats in many a sea, and surround great shoals of fish!"

Ephesians 4:3NIV Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

When you are born again, New Birth produces unity of the spirit. Agreement produces peace. -A peace that surpasses all understanding, Philippians 4.7

Again, Make every effort to keep unity of the spirit. J

Jesus states to Peter, That through your proclamation of who I Am.

Matthew 16:19NIV I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Ephesians 4:4-6NIV 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.

Again verse 4,...Just as you were called.

What we are called from and called to: