Walking in Your Calling: Ephesians 4

1. The Call

Paul, writing to the church in Ephesus, URGES us to walk in a manner worthy of the CALLING that we have.

we all have a calling

we have to act a certain way BECAUSE of that calling

It is a privilege to be called

This was written to the church, everyone read this, not just the pastors or the ones who went to seminary.

each and every one of us is called according to the purpose of God, and as believers, we have a duty to walk in a certain way.

Paul says to walk in a manner worthy of our calling. Would you tell someone to walk in a way that is worthy of something if it weren’t desirable. Our callings have WORTH and that worth is the dedication of our LIVES.

Not only does it Honor the calling on our lives, but it honors the work that God has done. Obedience to this life style should be an outpouring of what Christ has done for us.

so what does it look like to behave worthily for this high calling God has placed on us?

2. The Manner

Humility

Lowliness of the mind

if we have a notion that we are lowly, how much bigger does God get? if we have a notion that we are so small, how much easier is it to love and forgive others?

Humility is not just being humble and shaking off compliments, humility is a state of mind: one that elevates God, and elevates his creation above ourselves.

Gentleness

translated from meekness:

seemingly repetitive of “Humility”

Gentleness is the actions that arise out of humility. If humility is a mindset that we adopt, Gentleness is actions that are an outpouring of that. What you think determines how you act.

To be gentle is to treat things with extreme caution and fragility. The same way you might treat your mother-in-law’s fancy china. We are to treat and walk with an heir of fragility, knowing just how valuable God’s creation and PEOPLE are to him.

Treat with care.

Patience

especially as seen in troubles and ills

I don’t know about you, but I really consider myself a patient person. Like I truly get annoyed, but I am pretty good at hiding it, staying calm, and controlling my mouth.

However, when I am in a real problem, I definitely am not the same way. I might be able to control myself for things that don’t matter, but when it comes to real life? I don’t know anymore.

But THAT is the point. That is what Paul is writing to this church. He’s saying “Church! When you are in the thick of it, be PATIENT, be steadfast, have endurance, keep persevering.”

In order to walk in a manner that is worthy of our calling, this is an essential trait. To not only keep composure, but to keep our tenacity when bad things happen.

Love

bear with one another in love

endure in community in love. we don’t have to have perfect lives to walk in our calling. we don’t have to never go through trials in order to walk in our calling. What we do have to do is to endure together, with LOVE at the center of our support.

3. Unity

Unity is a quality that Paul says we should be eager to maintain. Unity is a concept central not only to this passage, but the passages following.

Unity is understanding that everything is connected: the body to the spirit; the Spirit to the one Lord, one faith, one baptism; the Spirit to the one God. Without one of the above we have an incomplete picture, and without that picture of perfect unity, it is impossible to walk in your calling.

We have one Hope: one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism