49-22 The Believer's Walk, Pt 3
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Ephesians 4:2-3
Ephesians 4:2-3
Scripture Reading—1 Peter 2:21-25; 4:12-19
Today is Palm Sunday—the traditional day LJC rode into Jerusalem in “Triumphal Entry.” It marks the beginning of Passion Week—culminating in the suffering of the Lord on “Good Friday” leading up to the day of Resurrection on Sunday. Let me read to you from 1 Peter
Sermon
I’m sure you’re frustrated by the constant, non-stop, relentless expressions of just how degraded our society is becoming. For decades we have been witnessing a shift in what society values. The sanctity of life is no longer a value. So what becomes common place is mass shootings, abortion, murder and lessening of sentencing of those convicted of such. We see the loss of the sanctity of marriage and family. “Equality” is today’s battle cry by those who embrace the alternative lifestyles of LGBTQ. The loosening of sexual morality (promotion of same sex marriage, acceptance of transgenderism) will destroy marriage and the family, and the destruction/collapse of society will quickly follow.
There is also the devaluing of the sanctity of the truth. Pilate’s question to Jesus “what is truth?” is repeated every single day to the point that very few people love the truth and most find it convenient to ignore it.
With 24-hour news the degradation of our society is constantly in our faces and it leaves the Xn bewildered, discouraged, disheartened and exasperated. God’s answer for the believer is “keep on rejoicing” (not in the advancement of unrighteousness) b/c it relates to your experience in the future. Rejoicing in the midst of present day suffering prepares you to fully experience the joy that will be ours when LJC returns.
but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.
Much of the Xn walk involves suffering.
For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
Sometimes this involves personal persecution b/c we belong to Christ. Sometimes, b/c of the degradation of the society we suffer as “the church” (which is the pillar and support of the truth). This is part of God’s purpose for us—that we would suffer for the name of Christ and doing so brings no shame but it finds favor with God.
The nature of the Xn’s walk is the concern of Paul in Eph 4. Writing under the inspiration of the HS he says: 4:1-3
As we talk about the Christian walk (life, conduct), we must realize it is first of all about who we are and not initially what we do. The Word of God does its work “in” us, beginning the work of transforming the inner man. You will then begin to see the power of God at work in your life as the HS begins to strengthen the inner man. Then the HS manifests His power outwardly.
This is a general principle in Scripture
For as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, “Eat and drink!” But his heart is not with you.
The worthy walk starts with the inner man. Bible never instructs an unbeliever to start acting like a Xn before there is regeneration. That’s b/c what is on the outside always proceeds from the inside.
“Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil.
A. Humility
A. Humility
To think lowly of ourselves
For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
B. Gentleness
B. Gentleness
“Power Under Control”
The work must 1st begin in the heart (work of grace), and then as the believer grows he will show evidence of his salvation & transformation outwardly. So, the characteristics of the worthy walk in Eph 4 are primarily directed at the heart. Humility and gentleness are virtues that reveal the condition of the heart that is being transformed by the grace of God.
C. Patience
C. Patience
Gk makrothumia “longsuffering, patience” it is the ability to remain calm (tranquil) in the face of provocation or misfortune without complaint or irritation.
This term is used in a variety of contexts (classical Gk): of a Dr treating a chronic illness, waiting for the patient to show signs of improvement (esp where there is little hope for recovery). It is used in military setting of a general or soldier putting up with hardships until their goal is reached. It serves as an illustration that those who are the battles of life are compared to swimmers in the sea who are seeking the safety of the shore. (it seems overwhelming) but they endure.
Some lexicons describe it as endurance, particularly in relation to difficult circumstances and difficult people.
Before going further—importance of seeing this in God’s response to human sinfulness. Scripture often expresses God’s perspective toward us as “longsuffering, slow to anger” as He delays His wrath toward the sinner.
Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;
Slow to anger is longsuffering, patience. This doesn’t mean the complete end of wrath only that God shows restraint in postponing wrath.
“For the sake of My name I delay My wrath, And for My praise I restrain it for you, In order not to cut you off.
“Yet My eye spared them rather than destroying them, and I did not cause their annihilation in the wilderness.
What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?
who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.
The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
God is patient—his patience and kindness lead to repentance (Rom 2:4).
1) Patience Endures Difficult Circumstances
1) Patience Endures Difficult Circumstances
Difficult circumstances include all the hardships, sufferings, moments that press upon us that are less than desirable—and patience enable us to bear up under the weight of these things that cause us such great distress (like when our nation progresses in unrighteousness). Remember Peter’s words “keep on rejoicing” in the moments of those fiery ordeals. Scripture is filled with examples of those who approached life with endurance.
Heb 6:11-12, 13-15
God promised Abraham descendents that would be as numerous as stars in the heavens as sands on the seashore (Gen 22:17). He promised to make him a great nation and that all families would be blessed all the while Abraham & Sarah had no children and advanced in age. Abraham as 100 (Rom 4:19-20) when Isaac was born and yet he believed God and waited patiently for the fulfillment of these promises.
Moses’ endurance is mentioned 2x in Heb 11:25-27 in the midst of negative circumstances patient people have the ability to endure them without complaint or irritation.
That’s convicting isn’t it?
James 5:7-11 The prophets were examples of patience. He mentions Job specifically.
2) Patience Endures Difficult People
2) Patience Endures Difficult People
Sometimes the problems we need to endure are not circumstances but people. Often this word addresses how we are to deal with others who are problematic for us.
We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
“unruly” lead undisciplined lives often manifest as laziness and idleness (admonish, warn instruct). “fainthearted” are weak, feebleminded “small souled” who instinctively live in fear (encourage). “weak” those who are weak in faith and therefore powerless in a moral and spiritual sense—susceptible to sin (help). Patient will all.
It is easy for healthy Xns to become frustrated, discouraged and even angry with those who aren’t as mature.
You begin to understand how these virtues build on one another. Patience flows out of gentleness which must be built on genuine humility. Whatever people might throw at us: insult, injury, persecution, unjust treatment, slander, criticism, gossip, hatred, jealousy…the characteristic of walking worthy of Christ is to endure without bitterness or being irritated.
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;
It is essential that those in church leadership, esp. pastors (those charged with preaching and teaching) have patience which corresponds to how they serve and shepherd those alloted to their charge.
The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,
preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
Jesus always demonstrated perfect patience.
Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you,
Now, it is good to understand the connection b/t patience and biblical love. Genuine love manifests itself in patience.
Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
Patience is also the fruit of the HS (Gal 5:22-23) as we grow in sanctification—so too patience will manifest itself in greater endurance, long-suffering, bearing up under provocation without complaint.
Spurgeon illustrates “the anvil is struck by the hammer, and the anvil never strikes in return. Yet the anvil wears the hammer out. Patience baffles fury and vanquishes malice. The nonresistance principle involves a resistance which is irresistible.”
D. Loving Tolerance
D. Loving Tolerance
Other translations say “bearing with” or :”forbearing”
Gk means to hold up (as a torch in a wedding), to hold up oneself, to bear up under and as a fig of speech to tolerate the weaknesses of one another. The idea is that in the midst of faults that offend and displease us we don’t stop loving one another (closely related to the patience—enduring difficult people).
Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions.
Paul says the sphere of this tolerance for one another’s weaknesses is “love”.
English doesn’t distinguish b/t kinds of “love” you can love your spouse, children…you can love bbq ribs, you can love your friends, you can love to hunt, fish. But you don’t mean the same thing with all. Gk had 3 common words for love:
Eros—sensual love (b/t man and woman) that expresses longing and craving. It is essentially a love that gratifies self.
Phileo—most general word for love (to regard with affection). It includes the ideas of concern, care, hospitality, love for things in the sense of a fondness for that thing.
Agape—highest form of love which always gives and always has in view the good of the object loved. (of God—Jn 3:16; Jesus Jn 15:13)
Rom 5:6-10
There is before us the challenge of loving one another and tolerating those things offend or displease us.
One of the greatest descriptions of this:
Matt 5:43-48
This is key to walking worthy of our calling—to have that forbearing, loving tolerance of others weaknesses. (what a joy to know that other Xns are doing the same for me).
E. Diligent to Preserve Unity
E. Diligent to Preserve Unity
This last characteristic becomes the launching pad for Paul to address a critical element of the Xn’s walk—the unity of the church.
Let me show you 3 ideas Paul has about unity:
1) The Statement of Urgency
1) The Statement of Urgency
Be diligent… “to make haste, to take pains, make every effort” to be eager in the effort…underscores the urgency for every believer to make this our strong commitment. The term has in it the aspect of work. Preserving unity takes effort.
Paul told Timothy toward the end of his life
Make every effort to come to me soon;
Its not something that you can sit idly by and expect to happen automatically. Diligence implies work. It is very easy to destroy unity (especially if we’re proud, harsh, impatient, not tolerant of other’s weaknesses.) Unity can vanish in a heartbeat. But thru diligent work, a strong commitment to living according to God’s truth we can preserve the unity which exists within the body of Christ—it is urgent.
2) The Particular Responsibility
2) The Particular Responsibility
The responsibility for this falls to you—O Xn. Paul is not addressing the pastor, the elders or deacons—it falls on you preserve unity. Now, take note: we don’t create unity. When JC—Eph 2:14-15 There is unity in the church. We can preserve it or destroy it.
3) The Strategic Fastener
3) The Strategic Fastener
“bond of peace” bond is the word sundesmos “that which holds something together” word used of fastenings that hold a ship together, or ligaments of the body. As it relates to the church it pictures the body of Christ fastened together with the spiritual bond of peace. Peace is the rope that binds us together in unity.
Our unity has its origin in the HS, a unity that exists even in the most extreme cases of differences that exist b/t humans (Jew & Gentile). But b/c of our common salvation we are brought together and nothing is a more sure testimony to the world than brothers dwell together in unity.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity!
Application
The unity that we are charged with keeping, preserving cannot be kept when (and these correlate to the other 4 virtues)
We consider ourselves superior to others
We treat others harshly without grace
We get frustrated by the slow progress that others seem to be making—not advancing in sanctification
More concerned about the sins and weaknesses of others than being convicted of our own.
We live in the midst of frustrating times, but the call for every believer is to walk worthy of Christ and of God who calls you. Do this and the world will see in us the image of JC and probably persecute you, but some may be drawn to the Savior on account of your Xn walk.