Sermon Tone Analysis

Walk worthily of your calling

chapter 1-3 was doctrinal, the set of beliefs held by the church, now Paul gets to the practical application of these beliefs.

This is what we believe, therefore, this is how we should respond if we truly believe what we say we believe.

This is how we walk the talk

prisoner—bond servant—willing prisoner bc of God’s amazing plan, the grace extended him and the multi-dimensional love of God, based on all I’ve just taught, doctrine, this is how you apply or what it should look like.

Great to study and know doctrine, but if we don’t apply it, if our heart hasn’t been stirred and captivated by the God who has done all this, if it doesn’t overflow with gratitude, then we may not believe it as much as we think we do.

Listen to what James says

James 1:22-

Paul’s desire is for every proclaiming believer to mature into the likeness of Christ.

walk—a slow daily lifestyle.

Lead a life that is worthy.

manner worthy—if you sacrificed a sum of money to help get someone out of debt, what would you expect in return?

By God sacrificing Jesus, what would you think He’d expect in return?

step by step, moment by moment, decision by decision, follow Jesus, life in a way the honors God, honors the life you’ve been given as you were rescued from the immanent death that awaited.

If fact in chapt 3 we were already dead and God woke us so we could believe.

worthy of your calling—as a follower of Jesus what is our calling?

Is is to become a bondservant of Christ?

Yes it is

1 Corinthians 7

So what is our calling?

To be an image bearer of God, to honor and glorify Him with this life.

So how do we do that?

It starts with humility, not pride, comes with gentleness and patience, bearing with one another in love.

Dealing with one another in love, the easy and the difficult.

Eager to maintain peace, not discord, thru the unity of the Spirit.

This comes by focusing on what we have in common, not what we don’t.

Paul will list the most important things the believers have in common.

The one section

Ephesians 4:4-

One body—the church, the body of Christ.

This is an exclusive statement that is inclusive.

Meaning that there is only one body of Christ, not many, the other religions are not the one and only true body of Jesus, Only Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, nobody comes to the Father but by me.

It doesn’t matter what part of the body you are, just that you realize you are part of the body and need to work for the best of the body and do your part as a functioning member of the body.

The one body is also formed by a diverse people.

One Spirit—the promised Holy Spirit that Paul wrote about in chapter 1

Ephesians 1:

All believers have the same Holy Spirit, how can this not unify us?

So why is there so much division within the Church, I won’t talk of the differences within some denominations, but we can focus on the big 4, Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, and Presbyterian, why even 4?

This is where man has gotten involved and emphasized one minor issue over another, or maybe a major issue.

It is a failure to maintain the bond of peace through the unity of the Spirit.

The unity is from the fact that all were sinners on this side of the cross and all are saved by grace through faith on the other.

One hope—the hope in Jesus as the way the truth and the life, the only way to the Father, the only way for us to have forgiveness of our sins, the resurrection of our bodies, life eternal in heaven with Jesus.

One Lord—Jesus, one master, one leader, one way to live.

One faith—faith, hope, trust.

The faith given to us by God and the faith in the same Lord and Savior, Jesus.

One baptism—the joining with us in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, the public proclamation of our faith, and the symbolic action of dying to this life and rising to new life in Christ.

One God and Father—of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

One creator God, one who we can now call Father, and Jesus His Son, and God the Holy Spirit, the trinity.

Ephesians 4:11-

Gifts to His people, the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry and for the building up of the body.

The gifts are the people, to each other and for each other

apostles, sent ones on a mission with a message.

prophets, speak the word of God boldly

evangelists, evangelion, missionaries, speakers of the Good News.

pastors and teachers, or shepherds and teachers, carers of the flock of God, Jesus is the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep, and so must these shepherds be.

Both are to help care for and help grow the believers so they can fulfill their duties in the church.