Live a Life Worthy (PART 1)

Intro

Working so hard to finally get something is so satisfying

But, what if it is beyond your reach? Then it’s depressing—the opposite of satisfying—cause you will never make it.

Cycle of oppression where the oppression keeps you from getting out.

Life is a self-inflicted cycle of self-oppression where the only way out is that God rescue us.

(CSB)

1 Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to [We receive the call and then we live the life—backwards from the rest of the world where you have to earn it before you get it.]

4 Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to live worthy of the calling you have received, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope, at 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 all.

live worthy of the calling you have received, [PAUL paints a 4-fold picture of the person who has been counted worthy]

2 with all humility [derogatory, “bond-servant virtue” — one who voluntarily makes himself low] [cf. arrogant (defense mechanism)]

and gentleness, [ILL: Trained animal; both angry and never getting angry.] [cf. bully (defense mechanism)]

with patience, [not fearful passivity, but calculated and bold patience; the accusation is not of one who stands tapping their foot by the microwave as if modern convenience weren’t fast enough. Rather, this is the one who proactively prepares to wait until just the precise right time. I.e. not one who explodes when a song they don’t like is played, but one who tolerates minor offenses in order to be a part of a much greater and glorious thing, the church.] [cf. in a rush, hurried (defense mechanism)]

bearing with one another in love, [forbearance, cf. treating others better than self] [cf. rejecting (defense mechanism)]

3 making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. [the call is unity—even when its hard and even when it hurts]

4 There is one body [cf. 1 cor 12] and one Spirit [The Holy Spirit]—just as you were called to one hope [no one comes to the father but through me], at your calling—5 one Lord, [what about the Lord of the OT?] one faith [the basic principles/doctrines that unite us], one baptism [denominations are only operational, cf. 1 cor 3?—thankful i did not baptize any of you], 6 one God and Father [against idols] of all, who is above all and through all and in all. [Early church hymnology]

POINT: When people live in this way they (vv. 1-2) then they foster unity ala 3-6. When they don’t they divide the body, blaspheme the Spirit, derive other means of hope, redefine Christ’s lordship, compromise doctrine, invalidate baptism, run after other gods who are not God.

Application:

Where to divide? When the clear principles of scripture are being compromised by 1) tradition, 2) progression, or 3) heretical doctrines.

“Your life is too short and your calling too great to get offended by something small.” Craig Groeschel

Where to unite? — one people made up of millions of unique individuals

Across denominational lines

Across political line

Across generations

Across ethnicities

Across genders

What does it mean to unite?