Walk the Walk/Talk the Talk

Text: Ephesians 4:1-6

Let’s stand in the honor of the reading of God’s word.

Ephesians 4:1–6 CSB

Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope at your calling— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

Let’s PRAY

Once, a group of friends (Bob, Sally, and Caden) decided to start a running club. They all had different levels of fitness, different mile times, and different understandings of running, but shared a common goal: to run a 5K. As they trained together, they encouraged one another, challenged one another, celebrated small victories, and laughed off the mishaps—like the time one friend tripped over his own shoelaces! (They definitely weren’t the friends who laughed first then helped. You also aren’t that friend either?) What they eventually understood was Bob’s training didn’t magically transfer to Sally or Caden. If Sally and Caden wanted to finish well, they had to put in the work as well. Success didn’t associate itself with the entire friend group, but rather the individual who worked for it. In the end, side by side, and one by one they crossed the finish line together, embodying the perfect example of walking worthy of their calling (to run a 5K), inspiring and lifting each other up along the way!

In this illustration we see a great example of a group of friends who “walk the walk and talk the talk” to finish a 5K that they chose to do. They didn’t just say they dreamt of completing a 5K, instead they put in the work necessary to complete what they called each other to do. Some questions arise as I thought of this illustration, but we will hear those later throughout the sermon tonight.

(What would have happened if one of the friends wouldn’t have trained?) —> one possibility is that the friend who never trained could have drug those friends training down. Inviting them to other plans or to do anythings else than training…

(What would be required for the friends training to tell the one not training no if they were invited to anything else other than training?) discipline, humility, love for the goal

(What if they never learned about running a 5K or heard the talk about 5K’s?) —> they would have been ignorant and would have not known how to correctly train, fuel, run, etc. They wouldn’t be prepared)

(What if they would have just created this idea and never acted upon it? Would they have gotten a finisher medal? Why?) they would be considered phonies/dreamers/lazy. No finisher medals for them because finisher medals are for those who do what is required to cross that finish line.

What Walk? (v1-3)

Ephesians 4:1 “Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received,”

What do we think the significance of the “Therefore” is? What is Paul trying to tell us? Remember what I just told you (Chapter 1-3). If we forget what Paul just told us in the first three chapters then chapters, 4-6 will not make alot of sense. Does anyone remember the repeated words in chapters 1-3 and even now in chapter 4? IN CHIRST/THROUGH CHRIST I believe it is safe to say that if we miss that main idea, we miss the main idea Paul is trying to teach the church in Ephesus.

Who wrote Ephesians? Where was he? Who is he writing to? Why is Paul writing this letter? to remind the Christians of their first love, Christ.

The word “urge” here could also mean BEG. Paul is saying “Therefore I BEG you to walk worthy of the calling you have received”

When do we beg for something? I would say when it’s my last chance to get something, I really really want something, or when I want someone to pay very close attention.

Why does a teacher beg their students to take notes? because they want them to truly get the information. They want the information to be imprinted on their brains. I believe that is what Paul is trying to do for us.

What calling is Paul talking about here? I want you to notice the shift here in Chp 4. Paul goes from the church’s belief statement to the church’s mission statement. I picture Paul saying this “Hey I have taught you what to believe, now here is how to do it/ do it.”

Ephesians 4:2 “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,”

I believe Colossians 3:12–17 explains the calling that Paul is urging the church of Ephesus to “Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Ephesians 4:3 “making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

What Talk? (v4-6)

How Do We Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk? (Chp:1-3)