JFC "Walk Worthy"

Intro: Chapter 4 Paul instructs us to walk worthy of our calling and encourages us to maintain unity as a body of believers.

Historical Context:

Remember, for context, Paul is speaking to Gentile and Jewish believers who have many cultural differences.

The Jew and Gentiles didn’t like one another and there was great hostility between these two groups of people

Ephesians 2:14 “For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.”

Church Today:

We come from many different back rounds. God designed us uniquely different, we have different interests and hobbies, not to mention different maturity levels in the Lord

Some worked for the law and others ran from the law:)

Those things that make us uniquely different can cause division in the church

At times, the church can be so busy fighting with one another that we become ineffective in battling the true enemy.

I remember during the pandemic the church was completely divided

School of Ministry in SoCal:

I was working what we called the pastoral desk, where i would answer biblical questions and pray for people.

This women called and was very upset because our church didn’t close the doors.

Dr. Constable from the Dallas Theological Seminary said this,

"I do not think the Devil is concentrating in the nightclubs or on skid row or in the underworld or in the Mafia. [He already has these under his control.] I think he is concentrating on the church on Sunday morning. He is working on the spiritual front, and too many sleepy Christians seem to be totally unaware of that. The Devil is working in an area where we least expect to find him. He is not out on the town on Saturday night. He has gone to bed early so he can get up and go to church on Sunday morning. The spiritual battle is being fought wherever a man is giving out the Word of God, where a church is standing for the Word of God. That is the place the Devil wants to destroy, and that is the place of the spiritual battle

The enemy wants to distract us, stumble us, cause division, and stop the work of God

Paul wrote us to us and he encourage you and I to walk worthy of our calling

1. (V1) A prisoner for serving the Lord

1.a) Paul in prison on house arrest:

1.b) Paul a prisoner in the sense that he no longer lives to please himself

Willing bond servant or a soldier. Paul is a servant who marches to the order of Christ

Acts 9:15 “But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.”

As a follower of Christ, we must ask ourselves do we live to please ourselves or do we live to please Christ?

In modern Christianity, I find that some are unwilling to fully surrender to Christ.

Parents tell me all the time, sorry we didn’t make it to church, so and so was tired from playing sports on Saturday

Church doesn’t save anyone, but if you compromise in this area of life, what other areas to you compromise in?

1.1 Lead a life worthy of your calling

A) We all have a calling on our life:

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

God has a plan and a purpose for each one of us and we each have a calling

We all have unique gifts and abilities

B) What does it mean to walk worthy?

Your life is surrendered to Christ

Often, I ask the junior high kids, are you a Christian? But is your life surrendered to Christ?

Obedience to your calling

Walking worthy means that your life is surrendered to the Holy Spirit and you walk in obedience to His word and the calling on your life

Why walk worthy?

1.2 You have been called by God

A) Be a good steward with what you have been given and what you have been called to.

2. (V2) Live worthy of your calling through your actions in the way you treat others

Be humble, gentle, patient, make allowances for each others faults because of your love

Love is not a feeling (biblical love)

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”

3. (V3) Make every effort to keep yourself united in the Spirit binding yourself together with peace

A) Don’t get yourself caught up in someone else’s sin by responding in the flesh

B) Make every effort / Not always easy but we give our best effort

It takes both parties making every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit

C) There are times when peace is not possible

D) We can’t witness to the world when we are divided in the church

No peace when there is division in the church or between two believers

(1 Cor 6:1-6) Allow your self to be wronged rather than suing another believer

4. (V7) Gifts through the generosity of Christ

John 16:7 “But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.”

Looking back at the scriptures, we find the Apostles struggled to understand simple truths that Christ was explaining to them. It was through the Holy Spirit that gave them power to understand and walk faithful to their calling

5. (V12-13) Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work

A) Pressure to entertain kids, rather than teach the Word of God

I have experienced God radically change lives, as His people spend time in the Word of God

B) The word of God brings maturity in Christ

The difference between someone who is mature in the Lord vs someone who is struggling is simply time spent with our Lord