Unity

As we continue to flourish, according to God’s will, there will be some challenges. How we address, handle and overcome these challenges will be the will be the gauge of our spiritual maturity.

It’s really been several weeks since we’ve played Scriptural Gymnastics, so I figure we are due.

You ready?

I want to remind you that when I say “you”, that includes me!

Our key passage is found in Ephesians chapter 4.

For those of you who haven’t heard me say it umpteen times… Ephesians chapter 4 is one of my faves.

In Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus, he structures in much like some other letters he wrote.

There are 6 chapters in Ephesians.

The first three, Paul is laying out the doctrine, our riches in Christ

and the last 3, he shows how we put it into practical use, as our responsibilities in Christ.

Paul teaches us in Ephesians that faith in the truth taught in chapters 1-3, should result in the works empowered by the Holy Spirit, as taught in chapters 4-6.

Because we know, “faith without works is dead”

So, let’s dig in a bit, shall we?

When you hear the word “prisoner” what comes to mind?

Webster’s Dictionary says that a prisoner is “a person deprived of liberty and kept under involuntary restraint”.

Paul was in fact a prisoner of the Roman Empire, but much more important, he was a “voluntary” prisoner of Christ.

Is that you? Are you a voluntary prisoner of Christ?

Body

We’ll be focused on the 1st three verses, in the 4th Chapter of Ephesians. (read from my bible)

Ephesians 4:1–3 “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Please stand with me as we honor God while reading His word.

In order for our message today to resonate through this passage, I want to examine a few keys words, from other translations.

Key word:

Beseech you

Beg you

Exhort you (strongly encourage)

There are many occasions when I encourage you to go home and read a passage or chapter, and let it soak in.

Going forward, instead of just encouraging you to read a passage or chapter, I may “exhort you”

Other translations:

Call upon you

Urge you

Make this request

Appeal to you

Implore you- English word is derived from the Latin word “implorare” (em-ploh-RAH-reh) which means to “invoke with tears”...I’m in touch with that emotion!

The next is a key phrase:

Lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.

humble and gentle, patient, because of your love

lowliness and meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another in love

Another key word:

Endeavoring

Make every effort

Giving diligence

Using diligence

Being eager

This last key phrase:

To keep the unity

Keep yourselves united

Maintain the unity

Preserve the unity

Keep the oneness

There is so much Paul is admonishing us, as to how to put into practice, the things he taught in chapters 1-3.

When we look at these first 3 verses, Paul is saying:

Not everything will go as we think it ought to go, but if we do it right, it will go as the Lord wants it to go!

But we gotta do it!

When things aren’t going as we think it should, is our first reaction to lash out, or seek discernment from the Holy Spirit?

Our practice must balance with what we profess, otherwise, we are just hypocrites, and the world hates hypocrites!

He then goes to list four graces that evidence Christian character:

Humility

Gentleness

Patience

Forbearance

All qualities necessary for solid relationships with others.

When we consider these 4, as a group, or in totality, if you will, is this even humanly possible? Seriously.

I think not.

We need the power of the Holy Spirit to make this happen.

Looking at the first two “fruits”, if you will, Paul writes “all humility and gentleness”, as though they are connected or associated together.

As I was breaking down the word “humility”, I thought of a phrase we used growing up around horses.

“That horse is high-headed”

For us, it meant he was stubborn, disobedient or had a mind of it’s own.

My first horse as a very young kid, was a Shetland Pony.

His name was “Candy Spots”. He had a mind of his own, without a doubt.

Paul is saying “we can’t have a mind of our own”. That is not the calling in which we are called!

Humility, in this context means putting Christ first, others second, and self last.

I read this last week “First the cross, then the Crown”. Let that sink in.