Pentecost 10 (7)
Notes
Transcript
Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-16
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 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. 7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Live a life worthy of the calling you have received? What does this mean?
When I read the exhortation to live a life worthy of the calling your have received, my thoughts go immediately to how someone lives who has received a divine call. Certainly it can relate to that. A few verses later St. Paul refers to apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. We think of the terminology in our synod that a person is not hired to be a pastor or teacher but they are called by a congregation or school to serve in those rules. So an application to live a life worthy of the call you have received would be for a pastor to live according the the instructions given in the Bible for pastors and outlined in the call document he had received. (example)
1 Timothy 3:1–7 (NIV84)
1 Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.
But even though that may be my first thought, it is not really what Paul is emphasizing and commanding here. The exhortation to live a life worthy of the calling you have received is not limited to a selected group of people. Nor is it limited to carrying out what Martin Luther refers to the Table of Duties. We should not think of this along the lines of: “Be the best farmer, laborer, technician, IT specialists, student, parent, volunteer you can be.” (Although that is a truism). We must take this in the context of what St. Paul wrote previously in Ephesians. What was the doctrinal emphasis of Ephesians 1-3 that St. Paul is not applying starting in chapter 4?
Previous chapters. Called to be united and at peace with each other and with God.
Ephesians 2:1–3 (NIV84)
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
Ephesians 2:11–13 (NIV84)
11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:19–22 (NIV84)
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Ephesians 4 can be called the second part of this short letter. The first letter emphasized the doctrinal basis for action. Now St. Paul begins to exhort, command, encourage, instruct his listeners on how they are to put this into practice. We will explore this the next several weeks.
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
The overall premise.
2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
You may recall the Mac Davis song: (Made more famous by Willie Nelson)
Oh Lord it's hard to be humble
When you're perfect in every way
I can't wait to look in the mirror
Cause I get better looking each day
To know me is to love me
I must be a hell of a man
Oh Lord it's hard to be humble
But I'm doing the best that I can
It is a wonderful truth that God has blessed us in so many ways and with so many talents and abilities. Paul’s encouragement is to not become arrogant and a braggart about our abilities or what we have been able to accomplish with them. Recall his own “boasting” or lack thereof.
4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. 7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Gentle
You may recall a TV show years ago with Dennis Weaver and Ron Howard’s not as famous brother Clint Howard. Gentle Ben. In this show a black bear (which can be fierce) is the gentle pet of a little boy. We can have great strength and ability but can use it to soothe and to care for others. Think of how a person with a sharp knife can either inflict great pain and suffering on you or use that scalpel to provide life saving surgery.
Patient
Ephesians (We are One Body in Christ / 4:1–16)
Be patient, bearing with one another in love. Patience (also translated “long-suffering”) conveys the quality of being able to handle one another’s faults and failures and refusing to avenge wrongs. No one is ever going to be perfect here on earth, so believers must be patient with one another despite their faults. Bearing with one another in love is the action side of patience. Very similar in meaning to “patience,” “bearing with one another” emphasizes the willingness to forgive and involves empathizing with the other person. To show patience requires love, which ought to be the guiding principle for all of a believer’s actions, even when natural differences and clashes occur. Bearing with one another presupposes that, at times, loving others will be a burden. Believers must be willing to carry the load without expecting reward, thanks, or return.
WHAT A VIRTUE!
Perhaps no other virtue seems so foreign to our culture as patience. Be honest: Do you ever stand by the microwave, tapping your foot impatiently as you wait for it to heat something? practically pull the paper out of the fax machine because it is working too slowly? swerve between lanes on the highway in order to get ahead a few car lengths? If these aren’t your particular problem areas, do you struggle with impatience in other areas? If you answered no to all the above, give yourself an F, for lying. We live in an instant world, and we expect instant results and instant gratification. Yet Paul instructs us to be patient with one another. How? We can start by reflecting on the patience God shows toward us—boundless, unmerited, compassionate—and then letting that same grace flow through us to others.
The main emphasis of this section is on unity.
Recall from last week that Paul is writing to one group of people that was once sharply divided culturally, morally, and theologically. At the heart of it was that you had God’s chosen people (the Jews) who had the true God and the Gentiles who were described in this way:
Ephesians 2:11–13 (NIV84)
11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 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.
1 Timothy 2:1–7 (NIV84)
1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 7 And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.
1 Corinthians 8:5–6 (NIV84)
5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
St. Paul is NOT calling on all people in the world to be united regardless of their actions, beliefs, or theologically persuasion. That would be taking this and other passages out of context. Christianity is an exclusive religion.
Ephesians (We are One Body in Christ / 4:1–16)
Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. True unity among believers follows naturally from the characteristics described in 4:2 and provides the theme for verses 3–6. Such unity is only possible when the Holy Spirit acts in believers’ lives—the Spirit originates and sustains oneness among believers. Love for each other, which the presence of the Spirit causes, makes peace possible. The bond of peace includes the idea of uniting the members into one body. This “bond” holds people together, like string or twine. Peace functions as the “binding twine” of unity. God gives it to us, producing equality and understanding.
The Holy Spirit builds unity. He leads, but we have to be willing to be led and to do our part to keep the peace. The word “endeavoring” points to our part in the process (see also 1 Thessalonians 2:17; 2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Peter 1:10, 15; 3:14). Believers cannot experience unity without the presence of the Holy Spirit, and neither can they maintain unity without allowing the Spirit to work in their lives. The Greek word translated endeavoring or “make every effort” is spoudazontes. The Greek word has no sense of the possibility of failure (“just try, even though you might fail”). The word conveys the idea of working toward something difficult with a determination to make it happen. Paul knew that maintaining unity among believers would take hard work and continual diligence. Believers face many attempts to tear apart their unity. False teachers would arise, even from within their ranks, attempting to divide the people; persecution would attempt to frighten the church and send it scattering. The believers in each of the churches in and around Ephesus would need to work diligently to maintain their unity. Churches today need the same quality of diligence in maintaining the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Paul promises that those who endeavor to be united in the Lord will benefit greatly from it.
Ephesians 4:14–16 (NIV84)
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
In this Paul uses a common example of unity. (One that is used elsewhere in the Bible.) Just as out body has different parts, senses, and systems, they are most functional when each part is doing its work to maximum ability. So too with the community of believers. When we work together, we can get much more accomplished and be more productive than if we count on just a few people to do all the work and refuse to contribute. But when we work together and are united in our goals and tasks, we can do much more than if alone.
