Making our Walk Match our Talk

Ephesians 4:1–6 NKJV

1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Worthy- Axios, in a manner fitting or appropriate, of equal weight

I. The Calling of our walk.

In 2017 my dad and I had traveled to Wyoming for a week long Mule deer hunt. For six months I had hit the gym, losing weight and spend countless hours on the treadmill and stair master, often doing so wearing a heavy backpack. Why would I do that you may ask, it was because I was aware of the rigors that lay ahead on this journey. The anticipated trip finally arrived and after two days of traveling across America, we arrived in the mountains of western Wyoming. On the first morning our guide drove us in search of our trophy prize. However, after only a few minutes he stopped and said lets go to the top of this hill and scout the mountain. Knowing I had spent months in preparation for this moment, I was eager to display my new mountain goat prowess. I hopped out of the truck with full gear attached and after taking a single step realized this hill was more inline with a cliff than it was the hills of North Georgia. Still I was confident in my conditioning and felt I would be okay. However, I was sorely mistaken and only after a grueling 100 feet did I realize I was in trouble. It was not the step incline that was defeating me, it was the lack of oxygen. No matter how hard I panted, I could not catch my breath. The low oxygen level at that high of an elevation, was greater than my training.

Now the truth is, you can not train for high elevation. Instead, you must go there and let your body adjust. To be prepared, one must spend time in the appropriate environment. Here Paul urges the church to walk worthy of their calling. The only way this can be accomplished is to spend time walking in the presence of God.

There is no substitute for living with God. You must spend time in His presence. Eph 4.1

Ephesians 4:1 NKJV

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

A. The reality of our call.

Faithfulness in our walk

B. The responsibility of our call.

Walk in a way that is appropriate for Ambassadors of Christ.

II. The Characteristics of our Walk.

Ephesians 4:2 NKJV

2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,

It is a common theme for hikers to take off on a new trail underprepared. This happens quite often at Hood Mountain near Portland, OR.

Over the past decade, we have witnessed more folks attempting routes regarded as advanced and highly technical, including the Devils Kitchen headwall and the Wyeast face. While all routes to the summit are technical and dangerous, the common south side routes like Old Chute and the Pearly Gates are appropriate for beginners when properly equipped, trained and guided by a qualified instructor. Even these routes are not appropriate for most climbers in winter conditions.NEWS RELEASE: SAR teams respond after climber falls on Mt. Hood; climber found deceased. Date: 01/25/2026Around 9:45 a.m. on Sunday, January 25, 2026, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Search & Rescue (SAR) coordinators responded to a report of a climber who had fallen on Mt. Hood.Witnesses called 911 and reported seeing a climber fall an estimated 300 feet near Devil’s Kitchen. Sheriff’s Office SAR coordinators requested assistance from Portland Mountain Rescue and American Medical Response’s Reach and Treat Team.Upon reaching the climber, rescuers found the individual deceased.

The issue is that many climbers hike with the wrong mindset.

Ephesians 4:2 NKJV

with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,

Humility

Controlled Power

A Controlled temper

Enduring one another

Ephesians 4:3 NKJV

3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Working to keep unity

We don’t work to gain unity, we work to maintain the unity we have ibn Christ.

III. The Components of our Walk

Ephesians 4:4 NKJV

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;

One Body - The Universal Church

Ephesians 4:5 NKJV

5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

One Spirit - The Holy Spirit

One Hope - A Common Hope in Christ

One Lord - Jesus

One Faith - The subjective faith in practice

One Baptism - Water baptism, the outward symbol of inward reality.

Ephesians 4:6 NKJV

6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

One God - A relational Father

Rules over all things

Sustains all creation

Indwells all of His children