Ephesians 4:1

A Worthy Walk

Sermon on ephesians 4/:1 walk worthy of the calling You have received

 This is a text that has been on my mind and and has convicted me for years, likely since the very first time I read it.

Each time I come across it, it just grabs hold of my heart and my mind and won’t let go.

If you had two puzzles and there was one piece that could connect the puzzle to transform the two into one, that is what we have here as we come to this verse.

Living a life worthy is the very evidence of salvation, the evidence of a true conversion from death to life.

It is salvation lived out that is your calling here.

You are to live worthy of what has been done on your behalf.

It is to live worthy of something that you could never live up to or achieve, but only desire and only hope to.

Steven, the first new testament martyr, he only lived up to a fraction of that which has been lived for you and I.

That which has been done for you, and the calling is that God has rang out to those whom he loves and has been heard by those who love Him, is this ultimate work and the ulimate call that was all a part of Gods great plan to redeem a people to Himself.

This is the call to salvation.

To bring back those prodigals that have turned away.

To bring about a change of mind and new life.

To restore a relationship long ago broken.

This is the Fathers desire.

To have His people look to him, and follow Him, and obey Him and love him, as He first loved us.

That love was shown and made manifest to us in Himself through the Messiah, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.

Jesus Christ who took on flesh, who was made known to us by his perfect, sinless life. Shown to us by his overcoming of the greatest temptation at the weakest point anyone could ever be Jesus experienced the greatest temptation he was promised the whole world by the devil himself at the height of his weakness 40 days and 40 nights alone fasting that whole time he then don't do cause was charged charged with the penalty do terrible terrible punishment end it awful awful humiliating death across and why one because this was the only way we see that all throughout the Old Testament was the only way that God was able to wipe the slate clean to remove the charge against us 2 wipe away the debt that was due by us to him this great debt Zander ballion done thankfulness and ungratefulness unbelief hatred from us to him from a children to their father derma creation 2 their creator as we see in the Old Testament there was sacrificed in place but it was merely for a temporary covering of sin and it was just that which would represent give us this great picture of what was to come what has come it says unbelievable idea that one must be sacrificed for another but then the realization that there is not one worthy of sacrifice that could possibly B for a whole for all time not on this side of him it would have to be God himself the one who is responsible and 4 all the one who holds all in his hand would have to come under is and an experience that which he did not deserve but was willing to take for us because of his great love for us he became sin who said he received the wrath he was not do all so that for those who believe and are placed in Christ we may be seen as Christ in the father's eyes and therefore be redeemed reunited and made right in relationship with him Christ is the only way he is the only truth it is the only life now what do we do with that essentially in ephesians one to three we learn this Paul lays out for us the great doctrinal truths of God who Christ is of his absolute glory and majesty enriches he makes known to us that that is available for us for us who were far off for us who were against him for us who have not loved him for us who have been constantly in rebellion and turning from him is reading ephesians 2 the beginning of that great gospel session section we read that we for debt in our transgressions now you can read that is spiritually dead I think that would be correct you can also read that that we were dead generally at the time that he came those who were against him who were not for him who were not in Christ who were not in obedience out of love for God us before we turned to him before we believed him before we trusted him before we served him before he surrendered to him we were dead spiritually yes and we were dead internally yes the wages of sin is death death eventually here and death there his death is represented by an internal darkness about eternal separation from that who is like who is life who is love could there be anything more detrimental your minds to our hearts then the idea of living apart from the only 1 it was good James says every good and perfect gift comes from above so without him completely separated from him there is no good there's no gift there is no perfect there is nothing three the first 13 go through that grade section of love the love of God the character of God and we see that without God those things are no longer there or if they are their their their mere representation but not realized they’re merely a facade their whitewashed tomb it looks like maybe this is love but inside there’s no substance without God there is nothing worth anything but with God there is everything worst everything so what's the call here Paul starts out chapter 4 verse one 6 chapters in ephesians this place right in the middle this is a perfect transition start with their four must ask yourselves what is that therefore therefore therefore is there to summarize to transition saying because of what I just said because of everything that is just been discussed in these previous three chapters because of this grade love this great work that has been done for you by God alone because of this great salvation that is available to you by his grace alone through faith alone because of this for you who believe and receive for those of you who believe and repent for those who truly believe to the point where they give up everything they take up their cross and they follow him for those Paul says live a life worthy worthy event worthy of him guy was here awhile ago with village missions and he gave us his he did a quick mention on worthy and his picture was that of a old time scale that you would have at the front of a general store and that the absolute beautiful thing about that which I don’t know if anyone pointed out to think was Jeff who had noticed that pointed out to be but there at the front we had our harvest decoration set up and rate in front of the pulpit was an old time scale that you would see in the front of the store the exact thing that he was talking about and once that was pointed out to be the next Jeff I just stuck in my mind that illustration stuck in my mind and then that just that just emphasized it so much more in just just embedded it that much more that picture that he painted for us and that we could then see after was that of the scale and his picture was in order that’s how they would you know if you went in he said I would like 2 lbs of sugar I think was the example he gave he said they would they would put a 2 LB weight on one side of the scale and then they would fill up a container of sugar or bag until it was level and that showed that that sugar was worthy of that weight so now we can take that illustration and we can apply it to what we have here before us Paul is saying live a life worthy of your calling what is the weight of that calling what is the measure of God’s love what is the value of his riches must be red as we read in the first part of ephesians it's a measurable it's a measurable but yet here Paul calls us to live a life worthy of that calling level the scale Paul says on one side you have all that has been done you have God’s love manifested in the life and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on our behalf and Paul says live a life worthy of that no work in one day would fall on his face and say Oh dear God I can’t find in bed brothers and sisters is the point and second this alone IANS it says May God make you worthy of his calling and as we're going to discuss a bit on what it looks like to practically live out this calling and what in this glimpse we get into what a life looks like that is lived out in a worthy fashion We must come to the realization that we must keep in our minds and we will see it brought out all throughout the scriptures is that just as this salvation is ultimately not our not done in our will or in our works or in our power it is all of him and all by him we will then to realize that that also is the case when it comes to our life lived out of that his life we live at us yes we are doing you know another another verse that is stuck in my mind and and at more so lately because we were going through James as Group A man in our Mens Bible study was too not be merely hearers of the word but doers of the word no now that's going to seem somewhat contrary but stick with me on this I hope that I hope that this comes to life there we see and get in our minds OK yes don’t be merely hearers of the word but yours so we’re called to here yeah you bet you know we read you read how blessed are those who who bring the word ‘cause it’s by hearing the word that they made in their state that’s how we’re saved right now God could supernaturally through the work of the spirit do that their stories of guys in prison in solitary confinement reading the word of God God reveals himself to them and they are saved David nothing is outside of go but we see is the primary the prescriptive course of this world and how believers are to be in it we are to be ministers of reconciliation mere to be ambassadors we are to preach the word in and add a season and it is by preaching of the gospel that people hear the gospel and that many received OK so then we come to James James says don’t be just merely hearers so we here we’re saved and then we must do so James is getting it those who hear and believe trust have put their faith they’ve transferred their faith from this world from their old master of evil Satan they have transferred their allegiance from him to God is that picture we get that faith is no longer in anything else that it was in before but now is placed firmly in Christ OK we have faith in Christ now James is saying well if so well then we must not just remain hearers but we must then be doers will ascentia Lee evidenced her faith later says faith without works is dead so I’m making the statement that yes faith is not by our works promotes a saying our works is not by our works not at its very foundation at the very foundation of our works the power and the majesty and the grace I’ve got the works of God are accomplished by God through us so then what does that look like what does it leak look like and what does it mean toDo the works of God or as our main text says what is it to live a life worthy a life worthy of Our Calling life worthy of Christ Christ is the way the truth and the life he has made the way is given us truth then he is given us life so therefore now then because of in light of these truce love redemption by the hand of God by the son of God and by the spirit of God how then are we to live what is our life to look like if we truly are children of the heavenly father and no longer children of the devil what then are we to be like we talk often of transformation we throw it around you say I’ve been transformed as we've discussed that's another word for another phrase we often use for conversion or being born again let's think about that word for a minute transformed or is it to be transformed I think of the think of the movie Transformers not a favorite of mine but I seen the toys you get the point you get a car and it transforms into what robot so it's one thing and then it becomes something very different that is us we were one way we were one creature we were born once into one life and now we've born again into a new life life not of this world but of Christ a life not in our power but in his a life not of our own but a life that has been given solely by him in a life that is solely sustained by him and therefore directed by him read that he is a lamp for our feet he guides and knows our every step you know we talk about you know the good that is in store for those who love him we will be known by our love for each other because that represents our love for him and our love for him is only possible because he first loved class so then everything stems back to him to his love for us to sacrifice for us into his gift of salvation new life and the help that we have and the power that we have and the intercession that we have and the way that we have forward by his spirit fusion 6 before we get into before Paul gets into the armor of God first line before that transition essentially how he transitions as he says in the strength and might or in the power of God before we go into anything before we put on any armor before we walk before we stand before we can do anything we must realize that it is by his strength alone that we may stand and walk right our righteousness is Christ so without Christ without God there is no righteousness so if we walk by the flesh by our will by our sinful nature in our own strength we will fail we often read the fruit of the spirit in galatians 521 or 23 but how often do we do we read the portion above which essentially is the fruit of the flesh that gives us a very healthy reminder I’m what we produce on our own and what is produced through us when we submit everything that we are to everything that he is that is the key if we are to do the work of God if we are to live out the will of God if we are to walk by the spirit if we are to live a life worthy of Our Calling we must submit all that we are and draw near to the one who has called Make s and submit to him ‘cause that is our Lord and our king and he is sovereign and he knows best and he has the way and he has planned out everything and he is good right and true he is perfect why would we think that in any way we could know or do or be stronger apart from God that is insanity we must surrender all that we are and take on everything that he is which he has made available for us he takes our sin and we get his righteousness we get to lay our side our weaknesses and we get to take on his strength

Quote a couple verses about submission/surrender and God leading and directing us and the Spirit of God empowering us.

Now I’m going 2 do a very high level overview of the next three chapters of ephesians so I’m going to take you through chapter 4-5 and six if we were gonna enter this as a study as a sermon series this could very likely be many months long we went through just a small portion of this as part of our men’s Bible study and there's a lot here and it is so deep and so rich and the first 3 chapters are so much of that and more but today I just want to in light of what we've discussed so far about what it is to live a life worthy we've established The Who in the why and how and the when always but now this next three chapters gives us a practical picture of what that looks like so bear with me and it may come hard and fast and and I apologize ‘cause we don't have anytime to go into great detail on any of these things that we're going to see here but we know much about what they represent so I think this me reminder an overview will give us much to contemplate and much to think about I just highly encourage you if you have time in your study or when you're done studying whatever it is you're going through right now go to the letter Paul to the ephesians jenn essentia Lee a letter to to us to the to all churches the all body of believers go to it and just see the goodness of God in at all see what God is done see who God is see who you are apart from him and see who you are in him it see the glorious life he calls you too and be mightily encouraged to live it and to trust that he has done at all so that you can and will this what we're about to go through is the evidence of a Christian this is the character trades that a Christian should take on and embody and reflect unto this world we are an ambassador of our Lord Jesus Christ who is God and he has lived out these character traits and every way displayed them perfectly for us and if we are his and if we do love him and if we do love others how could we not desire to live in such a fashion that is worthy of that brothers and sisters I beg you to take this to heart don't be just hearers today but be doers don't just be merely entertained but put into practice that would you hear apply what you hear apply the word of God to your lives be transformed renew your mind with the truth of God allow the word of God to sink in meditate on it chew on it over and over and over like an old cow work it through and work it through until you have fully digested every bit of it and I’ve gotten every nutrient out of it so that you may be failed and sustained now it's a little time left bear with me I know this is running a bit long longer than maybe here you were wanting God has something to say today and he’s saying it to each and everyone of us none of us are exempt from the word of God and there is nothing in the word of God that is not useful so today let's hear the call from the apostle Paul and let's take it to heart let's humble ourselves let's put all our pride aside and let’s truly take in these words and meditate on them understand them no them remember them and apply them by the power and grace Of God