Unity of the Spirit in the Child of God

Welcome… Congrats to Terry an Lisa (Due in April), Prayer for Israel.

Our Build Story… what we do when we build.

The visionary

The sweat

The Gifts of the builders

The progress of the design, captured within the builders

The local church here.

LAST WEEK

GOAL

Strenghtened with Power through His Spirit so that Christ will dwell in our hearts.

We know the Love of Christ for us to be “filled up to all the fulness of God”

WHY

He loves us.

ANYTHING ELSE?

Quote…

Love—and the unity it attests to—is the mark Christ gave Christians to wear before the world. Only with this mark may the world know that Christians are indeed Christians and that Jesus was sent by the Father.

Francis Schaeffer

THIS WEEK

Unity of the Spirit in the Child of God - Ephesians 4:1-6

GOAL

Necessity of Unity

Components of Unity

Application of Unity

NECESSITY

Read…

Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update (Eph 4:1). (1995). The Lockman Foundation.

Calling

An action or step of faith in accordance with the purposes of God

Context Ephesians - Building the church

Him to us, for His purposes. (because he called, our roles and anointings)

Implore (beesch, urgent with strong force, great zeal) - Does God need our help?

Read…

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update (Romans 12:1). (1995). The Lockman Foundation.

Act of Worship to God

No doubt of the importance to Paul

Effects our relationship to the Lord (builds our relationship)

BUILDS A NARRATIVE, A STORY - OF WHO GOD IS AND WHO WE ARE. (WHY WE DIG, DEEP)

Walk Worthy (suitable) - little detour

To the level, the the importance of the purpose itself (why important…)

To the level of the One who is requesting - GOD (Exalted One)

To the level of the one in whom it is entrusted, responsibility of our position - CHILD OF GOD

God is thus exhalted

We are to carry ourselves as suitable to the level of our position - A CHILD OF THE KING

Not self righteousness, prideful but a servant.

Duty YES, but Identity more. (Changes our motivation)

Less a worker and more a son/daughter of the King of Kings. (Changes perspective)

COMPONENTS

Read…

with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update (Eph 4:2–3). (1995). The Lockman Foundation.

Components of Unity - taking care, being intentional with one another

Source of the Strenght of Components - LOVE (anything fimiliar?)

Read… But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update (Ga 5:22–23). (1995). The Lockman Foundation.

Source of Strenght to Love - Power within the Spirit to the “inner man” (last week)

Components all derived from God, source thru His Spirit.

Diligent (make every effort, eager)

Preserve The Unity

Why so important?

Through the acts of unity which are the acts of LOVE (towars one another).

Acts of Love bring a message to the world.

Read…

“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update (Jn 13:35). (1995). The Lockman Foundation.

Love is reality to the world

Love within the family of God, brings with it the Reality of God.

Love of Christ is the innermost, yet largle unknown desire of the entirity of mankind.

I was just like this, myself

Lack of community, (broken relationships) is the source of most of the cultural ills.

Family, Marriage, Prison, Violence

With it Peace

Peace with God

Peace with each other

Peace within ourselves

Unity within the Body makes God tangible and real.

They can now see us and touch him, through us.

HOW / APPLICATION

Read… There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update (Eph 4:4–6). (1995). The Lockman Foundation.

The Unity of God.

Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. “The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update (Mk 12:29–31). (1995). The Lockman Foundation.

The Lord esablishes He is One God, Unified.

God and Father over All (authority)

Through All (works through us all)

In All (Hold Spirit)

We are all together

One Body

One Spirit

One Hope

One Faith

One Baptism (death old, arising to the new).

Unity/community is first intentional.

Labor of love.

Carry your cross, perserverence, keep the faith

Acts done in tension, challanging the old man.

Iron sharpens Iron (sparks).

Dying to self.

Disagreements

War with the old self is KEEPING THE FAITH

Battles/Daily Skirmishs KEEPING THE UNITY

Satan battle plan is division and deception.

He initially attacks in small wispers...

He/She is wrong

I am not appreciated

I do all the work

Community is covenantal

Long suffering

Christ and marriage

Our Building - What the building does to us.

Back of the 29th - Continue Ephesians 4:7-13

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General Prayer

The LORDS Prayer

Apostles Creed (Stand)

Prayer of Thanks Giving

(Song)

Benediction

Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update (2 Co 13:11). (1995). The Lockman Foundation.

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