Walk Worthily

Intro

In the psychiatry field, it is common for a person in their 20’s to look at their current behavior, treatment of others, and view on life and see very many similarities with those of their parents. Why? For their entire childhood, whether good or bad, that child has looked, watched meticulously, and either consciously or subconsciously modeled the actions of their parents. This is common. This is a revelation for many who grow up and wonder “why do I behave this way,” until they look to their parents and see the same behaviors.

This morning I want to take a one-off Sunday and look at a passage of Scripture that has been on my heart and mind for a few weeks now.

In Young Adult Bible Study we are going through Ephesians and this particular short passage really stuck out to me one night. It is encouraging, convicting, and should cause us to strive toward the call that Christ imparts on us: model Him.

In order to properly model the Savior, we must understand the call, live it out, and confess the hope that is found in Christ alone.

Firstly this morning, we must understand our call.

Understand the Call

Ephesians 4:1 (KJV 1900)

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

Paul, a prisoner of the Lord, encourages each of us to walk worthy of the calling to which we are called. What does this mean?

Starting out, I thought when we became Christians that we are freed from our chains, no longer slaves or prisoners. Isn’t this what we teach, sing, hear? Of course it is.

So, how is Paul still a prisoner?

Well, what is a prisoner? A prisoner is someone bound, captive, linked to something else often due to actions they have commited.

So, in calling himself a prisoner of the Lord, Paul is saying “I am, by the grace of God, held captive, linked to, bound by the things of God. Captive to mercy. Linked to love. Bound by the eternal grace of the Father.”

This, of course, is brought on by the redemptive acts of Christ as we accept them.

And, of course, this stands in opposition to the slavery to sin. When we are prisoners to sin, we are captive, bound, and linked to things of evil. Things of this world. Things of the Devil himself. Things which lead to eternal punishment in Hell. We are stuck in this prison until we accept Christ.

Our call is higher than that prison. As you understand your call this morning, you must understand the Gospel and your call to be bound to Christ.

All through Ephesians 1-3 Paul talks about the Gospel and how we are all called to that redemption. How each of us is called to believe that we are in fact sinful. How we are called to believe that Jesus loves us enough that while we were still sinners, He died to pay the price of our punishment. How that we can be redeemed to the Father through repentance.

And, once we are born again, we are prisoners of the Lord and called to walk worthy of the Gospel. To walk worthy of the Lord. To walk by the Scriptures in each and every situation.

So, what is the call? The call is to be born again. The call is repentance. The call is to live worthy of Christ Jesus’ sacrifice.

We model the Savior. Like a child, we must study, watch, read after, and find the behaviors and actions of the Savior and then, unlike many of those children, intentionally model the Savior. We shouldn’t passively model Christ, we should answer the call to model Christ as we walk worthily.

For no matter your worldly status, you are a prisoner of Christ, bound to Him for His glory and purpose. You are called to not only understand that, but to live that out!

Live out the Call

Ephesians 4:2–3 (KJV 1900)

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Paul keeps this simple. He says, listen folks, you are called to live higher than you have ever lived. To live more purely than you have ever lived. And you are to do so out of a love for the Father.

He also says “here is how you do it!” (spoiler alert, you simply live like Jesus!)

Humility

Lowliness is also translated a humility.

First, how do we walk worthily? With humility.

Just like in today’s culture, the first century did not respect humility. Humility was actually uncommon in most ancient Greek texts and when it was used, it held a negative connotation. Similarly to today, pride was more valued by most!

People thought of themselves more than anyone and this is what was taught and accepted. This is what was valued. This is not the worthy call. This is not Christlike living.

Exalting Jesus in Ephesians United by Christlike Conduct (4:2–3)

Pride means being filled with self. Conversely, humility is being filled with God (Eph 3:19).

Exalting Jesus in Ephesians United by Christlike Conduct (4:2–3)

Keller puts it this way: “The essence of gospel-humility is not thinking more of myself or thinking less of myself, it is thinking of myself less” (Freedom, Kindle, 32).

Jesus first. Others next. And you last. This is how Jesus lived. This is how you are called to live.

Meekness

Another term for this is gentleness. Over the last hundred years or so in American Christianity we have lost this graceful touch to evangelism. We are called to be gentle in our approach, not brash and frightening. Being bold and being brash are two separate things. You are called to be bold, but to be gentle in doing it.

For a long time, people worked to “scare people out of Hell.” And, for many, it worked! Altars were full, people flocked to the front to escape fiery hell.

However, studies now show that with many in the younger generations, this is not working anymore. There is no fear. But, there is a void of belonging.

How do we lead folks to Christ, with gentleness, showing them that there is another way, there is a place to belong. Heaven is real. Hell is real. We don’t stray from the truth, but we present it in a gentle way. This is what Paul teaches. This is how Jesus ministered. This is how we walk worthily.

Bearing with One Another in Love/Patience

1 Peter 4:8 (KJV 1900)

And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

This one can be tough. Bearing with one another is not easy. We are so different than people around us. So, when we answer the call to bear with one another in love that means we bear with their differences. Their quirks. Their opinions. Their contrary beliefs.

This is a call to patience!

Exalting Jesus in Ephesians United by Christlike Conduct (4:2–3)

To have patient love, we must endure annoyances and challenges over a period of time

Exalting Jesus in Ephesians United by Christlike Conduct (4:2–3)

How do you cultivate patience? By relying on the Spirit! And by meditating on the patience that Christ has shown you

Love covers a multitude of sins. It also covers a multitude of annoyances. Put up with one another in love and with patience.

Be Eager to Keep Unity

We are an eager people. Christians are eager people. Often for the wrong things though. We are eager in our flesh to respond to people the way we aren’t supposed to. Eager to fall back into certain sins. But, we are called to be eager, to keep unity!

To be eager is to want to do something very much and, we often don’t act like we want to keep unity very much. We will keep unity to avoid awkward situations or to please someone. But, we are called to more.

We are called to want to keep the unity with other believers because our unity is in the Spirit. Given by God in the bond of peace.

A sports team works together to keep the unity in the bond of winning. We ought to be the same way. We have the same goal. We have the same means to that end. We have the peace of God and we are called to allow that peace to reign in us and through us into our relationships.

Basically, church, you are called to live like Christ. Study His behaviors and model them. This is how we walk worthily. And, as we walk worthily, we all share in one Hope, our God. So, let’s together confess to that hope, the hope of our calling.

Confess to the Hope of the Call

Ephesians 4:4–6 (KJV 1900)

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

This early church creed sums it up!

We are one body. We serve one Spirit, one Lord, one God and Father. We are united by one faith, one baptism, and our God who is above all, through all, and in each of you who serve Him.

Each of these things is something we have in common with each other but differ from the world.

Exalting Jesus in Ephesians United by Gospel Confession (4:4–6)

One body. We share a common existence in Christ’s church. We are diverse in background and gifting, but we are united as one.

One Spirit. We share a common origin in the Holy Spirit’s work. The Spirit is the One who creates unity and empowers us to maintain it.

One hope. We share a common hope in Christ. Formerly, we were “without hope” (2:12) until we were called to Christ. Now we have hope, and we must live in a manner worthy of our calling.

One Lord. Believers confess and proclaim, “Jesus Christ as Lord” (2 Cor 4:5). When the early Christians said, “Jesus is Lord,” they were saying, “Caesar is not lord.” When Jewish Christians said this, they were boldly identifying Jesus with the God of the Hebrew Scriptures (cf. Deut 6:4). So this was not merely an empty creedal affirmation for early believers. This confession could cause you to lose your head.

One faith. The creed reminds us that we embrace the essential truths together, for “faith” here seems to refer to the body of truth we believe.

One baptism. We share a common experience of being spiritually baptized into Christ. We are united with Him. The act of baptism into water pictures this reality. This ordinance may be in view here.

One God and Father. As His adopted children, we share the same Father (cf. Eph 1:5). He is the God over all and the Father of all His children—regardless of their ethnicities. We are one big, adopted family.

Confess these truths. Confess them in your heart. Preach them to yourselves. Meditate over them. This is the Gospel. This is what we do, with whom and for whom we do it.

Your hope is in none other than the person of Jesus Christ, understand that, understand the call to live for Him, live out that call, and confess your hope in Him and Him alone.

Conclusion

SONG

The Gospel is this: Jesus Christ, our God, knows that you are a sinner. This is no secret. The sins you commit in the dark of night, by yourself, that you think nobody knows about. The sinful thoughts in the recesses of your mind. Jesus knows.

Jesus knows you are a sinner. And, Jesus knows what the punishment for your sin is: Hell.

Therefore, He took on your sin, became your sin Himself and died on the cross. He was crucified, killed, and all so that a sacrifice worthy enough could be made for the forgiveness of all humanity for all time. The price you owe, your punishment, was paid.

Then, rising from the dead and ascending back into heaven, Jesus is preparing a place for those who believe this, and accept it through repentance.

This is where you come in.

Are you ready to leave sin behind? Are you ready for a new life? Are you ready for purity? Are you ready to humble yourself and receive some help? Are you ready for a savior?

I invite you to come pray

*Salvation plea*

Christians in here today. You are called to model Christ, how are you doing? How is your discipline? Your prayer life? Your time studying God’s word? Do you help the stranger? Do you love the enemy? Do you provide for the least of these? Are you answering the Call to Excellence that Christ has called you to? Are you modeling Christ?

Come pray!