Worthy of the Lord

  Ephesians 4:1
Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,

Philippians 1:27
Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ

1 Thessalonians 2:12
…walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

2 Thessalonians 1:5
…so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God.

2 Thessalonians 1:11
…that our God will count you worthy of your calling.

Revelation 3:1-4
1 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 ‘Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. 3 ‘So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. 4 ‘But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.

• Paul uses a metaphor in 2 Timothy to help us see this:

2 Timothy 2:4
4 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.

A worthy walk is characterized by:

1. Christian growth

Colossians 1:4-6
4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel 6 which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth;

• Growth doesn’t happen over night and like natural growth – takes time:
• God takes 2 days to grow a mushroom and 60 years to grow an oak tree.
• Do you want to be a mushroom or an oak tree?

1. Begin Cultivating deep roots

                                                               i.      Spend time daily in God’s word

1. Eliminate the weeds in your life                                                                i.      That eat up time and energy and distract you from doing God’s will
2. Cooperate with God in the pruning process                                                                i.      By thanking Him for what He is doing in your lifr

                                                             ii.      He’s working to make you more fruitful

1. Wait expectantly for the harvest of spiritual fruit in your life.                                                                i.      If you’ve followed the first 3 steps, the harvest is inevitable!

                           As long as you're green, you're growing. As soon as you're ripe, you start to rot.

In 1968 a scientist discovered a 600 year old seed necklace in an Indian grave.  He planted one of the seeds – and it sprouted and grew.

• Even though it had been dormant for 600 years.
• The potential for growth was still there – in the seed.  

1. Love in the Spirit

Colossians 1:7-8
7 just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, 8 and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit.

Our calling and purpose as followers of Christ is to love God completely, to love self correctly, and to love others compassionately.

Romans 12:18
18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.

1 Peter 4:8
8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

1. Fruitful Service in the Body of Christ

Colossians 1:10
10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

God tends to use the one nearest him.

• Paul uses another metaphor in 2 Timothy to illustrate the character of our life:

2 Timothy 2:6
6 The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.

• A Farmer’s life is characterized by two important principles:
• Unending toil with many trials
• Patience for what is sown.

God didn't call you into the vineyard to eat grapes but to get busy and hoe.

• Some may be saying “I can’t do much”

A dewdrop does God's will as much as a thunderstorm.

1. A Teachable spirit.

Colossians 1:28-29
28 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. 29 For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

  When Mike returned home from his first day in kindergarten, his mother asked if he'd had a good day. "I can't read and I can't write and they won't let me talk, so what's the use?" he replied.