Sermon Tone Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Living Above The Darkness

The letter Paul writes to the Ephesians church and the churches surrounding the Ephesian church is, how to live above the seemingly endless darkness.

How to talk the talk the walk the walk.

For those of you just joining us on this journey - The Letter is broken into three major pieces

Who you are in Christ 1-3

How to Walk in Christ 4-5 and half of 6

How to War in Christ 6

Last week we were in Chapter 3

it is broken up into two main sections, The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed and the Church its Purpose and its Power.

Then on Wednesday we spoke about Paul’s second prayer.

I centered the sermon on vs 10 and how God will use and continue to use the church.

This mystery is God bringing two polar opposites together- Jew and Gentile

Gods has a Plan and it involves US

The plan involves you and me and the person next to you – what is your calling – what are you called to do.

God uses the Church

Today's Church will be the

promotor of faith - the standard of truth - Gods arms extended and the mouthpiece of hope to a lost world

Lets begin in ch 4 vs 1

Today we move into the second major division of the letter to the Ephesians - The walk of the Christian and in this section it is all about unity and focus.

We cannot walk it our unless we know who we are in Christ.

Which means our identity is critical.

( Why do you think Satan is attacking our children with an identity crisis.

Your identity is critical.

In the military we have branches of service.

Why - It defines who they are and then what they are to do.

In Canada we had a Prime Minister Lester Pierson who wanted to combine all the navy, army and airforce into one unit called the Armed Forces.

He took away there identity and even brought in similar uniforms.

-Needless to say that did not work out very well.

It was great idea to unite but like the church we are pieces of a body we are not all the same but we can work in unity.

Paul brings to light that you will walk according to how you beliefs

QUOTE:

How you act grows out of what you believe

C.S. Lewis said, ““You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you.”

Walking it out is a matter of life and death.

I want to believe rightly and I want to walk uprightly

Up until today our teaching was all about knowing who you are in Christ

Understanding the power behind the resurrection

Understanding you will have a much difficulty.

You are in a battle and to win you must get the foundation right.

This chapter is so critical in the way it starts and ends

It starts with Love and ends with it.

Are you ready to grow in your walk?

It is true that sometimes it feels that others grow so much faster and they seem to have it all together.

A lot of that is do to the level that we want to change or to the level we allow the Holy Spirit to change us.

In the next 2 ½ chapters we are going to see some very distinct ways we should Walk and the importance of Unity

Lets look over what we just read in Ch 4

As a prisoner for the Lord, ( Paul was chained to a guard – you don’t hear him say he is a prisoner of Rome – He understands his call – he knows what he has to do.

He is at the center of influence and he knows God has him there for a reason.

Sometimes you might feel chained to your job or stuck in a situation in which you are not comfortable but have you ever thought that God wants to use you right in your present situation.

You could be the answer that changes the life of those around you.

we are you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

( I heard a pastor sum this portion of scripture up by saying – ARE YOU ALL IN?

If I learned anything in ministry it is answering the question, “am I all in?”

The disciples were all pressed with the same question – Follow Me.

Not follow me half heartedly – leave your nets and follow me.

God wants us all in.

Life begins to make sense when we are all in.

When your all in – decisions become easier.

Your focused.

The scripture said walk worthy of the call you received.

Nit just being a child of God but fully committed to the call on your life.

When your walking in your call- it is much easier to exhibit Gods gracious qualities.

This does not mean life is now a cake walk.

You will have days where you get up and say- Is it worth it.

When you are all in it quickly becomes clear that it is all worth it.

AMEN

Be completely humble – ( thinking more about others than yourself – it also means assessing oneself appropriately)Now humility is essential to unity.

Pride lurks behind all discord, while the greatest single secret of concord is humility

and gentle;( defined as taming a horse- Gentling – If you watch Horse Movies you will see this.

There was a about Mustangs and they needed to be gentled so people would want to buy them.

Has God gentled you?

Remember I did not say this was going to easy - It is necessary

be patient, long suffering in other words suffering through long term pain.

Bearing with one another – means enduring something or someone that is unpleasant

Has anyone ever aggravated you?

How did you still the waters?

In Love – agape – love that is focused on the best of another individual.

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

These qualities that God has put in you play a huge part in Unity

Unity is a critical message in Scripture.

Think of it, Jew and Gentile have unity.

Christians have Unity.

We are a global body of believers and we are held together in unity.

It is defined as the quality of being united into one

Now this doesn't mean we become a political arm like the World Council of Churches formed in 1948 with its 352 members.

They seek justice and peace, renewal of creation.

It is a faith movement.

No where does it talk about Holiness and Salvation.

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.

What is the key word hear - ONE

We are one body – we serve one Lord – we have one faith – faith in Jesus – we are baptized into one family- it means immersion – we are immersed into this amazing love of God – there is one God – one father who is above all.-

The one we pray to by the name of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit.

One Spirit means one breath - The Holy Spirit breathes life into us.

This is very important and the core to this passage – It is time to come together and worship the Lord as one.

In every way and language in every culture and tongue.

Young and old, Male female, Jew Gentile – we are in this together.

We are one family even though we look different we serve the same God

One Hope- The return of Jesus or if we were to die right now we would be secure with Jesus in heaven.

vs7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.