Sermon Tone Analysis

*Left Side, Strong Side*

Ephesians 4:1-16

 

Introduction

 

Opening: Show clip from “Remember the Titans” (chapters 9-11: 29:09-35:42)

 

·         What is the church?

The church is a body, the body of Jesus Christ.

·         It is like a team that when it fails it is often because it has division, strife, personal agendas and pride.

·         It is like a team that when it works together it is because the players ‘mesh’, ‘gel’ or ‘read each other’.

·         It is when they finally learn that it is not all about them but about the team.

·         One of the greatest tools of Satan is too create disunity in the church and it is no wonder that it is a hot topic through out the NT and unfortunately still is a problem today.

·         Ephesians 4:1-16 is Paul calling the church at Ephesus to grow and to stay strong, work together and be the winning combination God intended the church to be.

\\ We have been Called.

(4:1)

 

*4:1* I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live worthily of the calling with which you have been called,

 

1…to Faith in Christ.

(Calling)

·         Calling is used by Paul as synonymous with reconciliation through Christ.

·         Using the word ‘calling’ indicates the sovereignty with which God saves people.

·         If it were not for God choosing his people there would be no hope of a relationship with God.

Romans 8:30 states that his predestination was the means of us coming to Christ.

And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.

·         If you have placed your trust in God through Christ it is because you were called.

2…to Live for Christ.

(Walk or Live)

·         The actual word is ‘walk’ in the Greek.

The conduct of our lives is to be like Christ.

·         Paul in v. 2 will explain further what this means but for now let it suffice that we are to walk in the same path as Christ.

3…to Act like Christ.

(Worthily)

·         The idea of living worthily is that of acting in such a way that confirms your position in Christ.

·         Paul is stating that the Call is that of Christ with all its sovereignty, majesty, and power

·         He is calling Christians to the life they are expected to conform to which is born out in their calling.

·         God took the initiative to save us, to reconcile us to himself and this presupposes that we will respond because of our high privilege and with high responsibility.

In the eleventh century, King Henry III of Bavaria grew tired of court life and the pressures of being a monarch.

He made application to Prior Richard at a local monastery, asking to be accepted as a contemplative and spend the rest of his life in the monastery.

“Your Majesty,” said Prior Richard, “do you understand that the pledge here is one of obedience?

That will be hard because you have been a king.”

“I understand,” said Henry.

“The rest of my life I will be obedient to you, as Christ leads you.”

“Then I will tell you what to do,” said Prior Richard.

“Go back to your throne and serve faithfully in the place where God has put you.”

When King Henry died, a statement was written: “The King learned to rule by being obedient.”

·         We have been called to Faith but also called to live according to who we are.

·         We are God’s Children and he asks us to be obedient, living as his children.

·         God has said who we are and expects that we will be who he says we are.

We are given a task.

(4:2-12)

 

*4:2* with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, *4:3* making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

*4:4* There is one body and one Spirit, just as you too were called to the one hope of your calling, *4:5* one Lord, one faith, one baptism, *4:6* one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

*4:7* But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

*4:8* Therefore it says/, /“*/When he ascended on high he captured/*/ *captives*; *he gave gifts to men*/.”

*4:9* Now what is the meaning of “*/he ascended/*,” except that he also descended to the lower regions, namely, the earth? *4:10* He, the very one who descended, is also the one who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things.

*4:11* It was he who gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, *4:12* to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ,

 

1.

How is it done?

(v.

2a)

·         The word humility literally means ‘lowliness of mind’ and is the opposite of pride or considering yourself overly important.

·         To call Christians to humility went against Greco-Roman society.

To have humility was considered a negative trait.

It was associated with slavery.

·         Paul is merely echoing the thoughts and character of Christ in Matt.

11:29:

 

Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

·         Even today to be humble or lowly of mind is thought of negatively.

A person of prominence has to take the bull by the horns, think positively and take command.

They expect that pride makes winners.

·         The word ‘gentleness’ or ‘meekness’ to the Greeks meant to give merciful justice to those that could not speak for themselves.

·         The context of Ephesians indicates that it involves courtesy and willingness to waive one’s rights that comes from seeking the common good without being concerned for personal reputation or gain.

·         Unity is the theme of this passage and Paul is exhorting his readers and us to work for the common good.

·         Having a ‘long temper’ rather than a short temper is the meaning of patience.

·         Relationships are in view in this passage and so it makes sense that if unity is to be kept or created it will come when the body of Christ makes allowances for others’ shortcomings.

·         The virtues of humility, gentleness and patience are echoed in Col. 3:12:

 

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,

 

2.

What should be done?

(v.

2b-12)

            Bearing with one another.

(2b)

·         This command is closely linked to having patience because it is directly from practicing patience that putting up with others shortcomings is possible.

·         None of us is perfect, all of us have things that we need to improve upon.

We all have strange habits, little quirks, weird ideas that shape our outlook and perceptions that influence our interaction with others.

·         Conflict is normal and Paul is exhorting the Ephesians to not simple take a passive resignation but a positive attitude towards others.

·         Paul continues this thought in 4:32:

 

Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.

Keeping unity.

(3-6)

·         The entire context of this passage must be understood corporately not individually.

·         One of the greatest disasters in the growth of the Church is the devastating problem of disunity.

·         It comes from pride, harshness and a short temperedness.

It comes from people wanting to have things their own way instead of the Biblical way.

It comes from a struggle for dominance and power-it can destroy the church.

·         The essence of unity is love and peace (Col.

3:14-15) and is a gift of the Holy Spirit.

·         Through Christ and power of the Spirit, unity has been achieved, separation from God has been taken away and believers have a common interest.

·         The church is simply called to maintain what is already been given, to live up to who we have already been told we are.

It is the idea of, “You are Christians, start acting like Christians.”

·         He says there is one body (the church), one Holy Spirit (our power on this earth), one hope (our salvation to come), one Lord (Jesus is only to be worshiped), one faith (belief in Christ alone), one baptism (confession of who is Lord), one God and Father (complete sovereignty who is beyond everything but also intertwined and in everything)

·         The church is not a group of lone rangers.

It is a collection of very odd, eccentric, and normal individuals who have one thing in common above all else-a relationship with Christ.

·         All else is to be set aside to maintain the unity of the body of Jesus.

·         Unity is the product of giving up our ‘so called’ rights.

Using Gifts given by Christ.

(7-12)

·         In v. 7 Paul begins by talking about diversity within the body of Christ, but it is all in the context of the unity of the church.

·         The grace given Christians is the good will and favor of God on those who follow Christ.