Walking in a Way that is Worthy

But again to be with you all if you would turn in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians this morning

The book of Ephesians is where we will be this morning I'm thankful for the songs that we sang this morning reminding us who we are in Christ Helping us focus on really why we are here.

We're here to worship God and give him praise honor and glory well as You turn there, or if you are there already

Let's take a minute, and let's go to the Lord in prayer Gracious Heavenly Father we are thankful for the opportunity to gather together as a body of believers to worship you

We thank you Lord God that you would have given us Lord Psalms and hymns way we may sing our praises unto you

For you are the one who has given us life and life abundantly through your Son Christ Jesus our

Lord We once were dead in the trespasses of our sins yet By your grace and by your mercy you have made us alive together with Christ Lord thank you for the reminders that Lord we have heard as we sang together this morning

Thank you for your grace and mercy and each in every one of our lives

Lord we think of pastor Rob as he is in Southern, California Long Beach as he ministers to the body of Christ there at Long Beach We pray that Lord you would lift him up And we pray that you would lift the body of Christ up there in Long Beach that Lord they would be strengthened and encouraged

To continue to live out what you have called us to live out a life that is set apart useful for your good work and Lord I pray for each one of us here

Lord as we Lord would sit underneath your word That Lord you would give us wisdom and discernment that we may honor you in our lives

That we may understand what it is that you would have us to know in your word

To live for you and for your glory Lord your word teaches us that our lives are not our own.

We are yours we have been bought with a price and now we're to glorify you with our lives and Lord we are so thankful for the gift of salvation

Because Lord as your word teaches us that we were dead in the trespasses of our sins

What we've deserved we have not been given in Christ Jesus We have been freed from the penalty of our sin and now

Lord God We have been given new life in Christ by which we may be pleasing and honoring to you

We are no longer your enemies. Oh God, and we praise you and we thank you for that Lord we thank you for life and for breath and for the opportunity to be encouraged by one another through your word

Lord I pray this morning that as we look at Ephesians I Pray that Lord you would prepare my heart

To be pleasing and honoring to you That Lord what I say would be to the building up of your church the body of Christ That we may all

Be one in you that we would be strengthened to love and to care for one another and to Proclaim the gospel the good news to this lost and dying world

Lord only you are worthy of all praise honor Adoration exaltation and So Lord, I asked that you would be gracious and merciful as we look to your word

May I abide in your strength? May you be glorified? May you be honored? Give me clarity of speech

Lord God that I may clearly Teach and understand your word for your glory and for your honor

In Christ's name we pray Amen. Well again, we are in the book of Ephesians this morning

God in his grace has given me and my family The great opportunity to be with you all as your pastor fulfills his prior commitments

Until he can be with you here full -time Each time

I have the privilege To be with you I get excited about the plans

God has for his church The visible and invisible church the local body of Christ the corporate body of all believers

It wasn't long ago that we at Valley Bible Church just down the road here where my family and I attend

Had a similar situation as you We had called our pastor, but he wasn't able to be with us for some time in the time of our waiting

We had great we had a great privilege to hear that gifted pastors encourage and exhort us as they taught us the

Word of God It is a great blessing

To know that God loves his church the body of Christ He loves the individual church bodies who are seeking to glorify him

I think sometimes of my dear brothers and sisters who are at Grace Bible Church in Bozeman Who are at Emanuel Bible Church in Great Falls and other?

churches around the world that I've gotten to worship with individually

God and his loving -kindness Has laid his life down in order that we would be his bride his body a people for his own possession

We are the family of Christ the church, which he has purchased with his own blood

Acts 20 28 the Apostle Paul in his letter written to the

Church of Ephesus the book of Ephesians Reveals to us

God's plan for the church as I look around here at Laurel Bible Church.

I See many individuals who have come together Because God has worked in your heart to bring you to the understanding and to the knowledge of Jesus Christ Yet we all are very different Paul writing again as he did in the book of Philippians in Rome in prison most likely in house arrest

Chained to a prison guard in a rented living quarters.

He writes to the church in Ephesus he had visited them twice before he had written this letter and He writes to them around 60 or 62

He Begins his letter reminding them that he is the Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God chapter 1 verse 1

He is proclaiming the sovereignty of God over all things even over our own lives as he has

Blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ chapter 1 verse 3 in The book of Philippians we will understand that the first three verses will teach us our position in Jesus Christ and The last three excuse me the first three chapters will teach us our position in Christ The last three chapters will teach us how we are to live out our position in Christ as believers our

Heavenly Father Before the foundation of the world chose us in him that we would be holy and blameless before him chapter 1 verse 4

We are set apart for his own possession God predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself through the kind intention of his will verse 5 of chapter 1 in Ephesians Believers have rejection through the shedding of the blood of Christ We are forgiven our sins according to the riches the wealth and grace given to us in Christ Jesus We like every person who is born into this world products of disobedience to God All mankind is dead in their sins never able to please

God unrighteous unholy enemies of God condemned by their own disobedience yet God in his grace

Through his perfect plan made you and us you and I alive in Christ You and I as believers

Just like the church in Ephesians Heard the message of Jesus Christ and responded in faith because of God's Predestination his kind intention according to his purpose according to the counsel of his will verse 11 chapter 1 as Believers we are sealed with the

Holy Spirit of promise verse 13 the Holy Spirit living in us is a

Reminder a monument of the of God working in us to be his possession to the praise of his glory verse 14

For with the Holy Spirit we show the working of God in us as he produces in us the fruits of the

Spirit love joy peace patience kindness goodness self -control faithfulness gentleness

So that we as the body of Christ may become complete in him

Paul in his letter to the church in Ephesus is Burdened for the church each individual member as he prays in verse 18

He prays that their hearts would be enlightened that they would understand the hope that we have in Christ through God's calling and What are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the believers?

the greatness of his power towards us as Believers by the working of the strength of his might in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and Also seating us with him at his right hand in the heavenly places

He says far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named

Jesus Christ is the head and Paul prays That we would know who he is that we would know him

Ephesians chapter 1 15 Through 20 Jesus Christ is our head

He is the one whom we are to submit to He is our great

Savior and Lord Jesus Christ was fully man and fully God was obedient to the point of death even death on the cross and The father has exalted him above all

It is he Who made it possible? For us to be his church his possession without sin pure and holy and set apart to glorify and to honor

God in Chapter 2 Paul reminds us in the book of Ephesians of our position before God He has redeemed us we were dead in the trespasses of our sins walking in the ways of this world according to the spirit that is working in the sons of disobedience we were

Submitted to the lust of the flesh the lust of the flesh Ruled our lives and we indulge in the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were children marked out for the wrath of God, but because of the great riches of God's mercy and his great love for us

He has made us alive in Christ He has raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places to show the glory of his grace chapter 2 verses 1 through 5 the love of God is demonstrated by the gift of his son to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins as In verse 8 of chapter 2 by grace you have been saved through faith yet not of yourselves

It is the gift of God not of works the works brothers and sisters that we show as believers

Are the works which God has already prepared beforehand for us that we would walk in them in Fact as believers when we show the fruits of the

Spirit we are showing God at work in us and We are showing that we are really of God that he is

Our Lord and Savior that he has in fact redeemed us as believers apart from God We would have no desire to walk in the ways that please him

Now as believers all the good that we do are because God has prepared it before us to walk in brothers and sisters here at Laurel Bible Church as you and I Have been given the lavishness of God's grace

For we were not a chosen nation like the Israelites or the

Jews We had no hope without God, but God in his grace and his mercy

Brought forth his son To redeem not only the

Jews, but also you and I You see the

Jews tried to be the people God had called them to be but they could not do it

In fact, they rather showed themselves To be a sinful nation who could not obey

God Just like you and I as Gentiles who could not obey God without God's grace and his mercy

Living within us You see the scripture teaches us clearly that we cannot work our way into heaven

There is no good in us By which God may be pleased

It is only by the grace of Jesus Christ dying in our place

The scripture teaches us that God demonstrates his own love towards us in that while we were yet sinners

Christ died for us Paul is reminding the church here in Ephesians That as believers we are called by God to be his people

And in Ephesians we see here the mystery that is revealed is that the

Gentiles and the Jews together are now a part of the body of Christ and Paul the

Apostle Paul was set apart that he would preach to the Gentiles and So he makes known this mystery that the

Gentiles too are also a part of the body of Christ here in Ephesians the body of Christ is made up again of Jews and Gentiles who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ Jesus Christ is our cornerstone our foundation whom the whole building

Being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord built together

By the Holy Spirit Paul proclaims here in Ephesians in chapter 3

Paul reveals as I have said this mystery that Jews and Gentiles now as believers those who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ are now the body of Christ They are

God's people To glorify him and to honor him together as the body of Christ This was

God's perfect plan from the beginning This was the revealing of God's perfect plan here in Ephesians chapter 3

That was not made known to man until the time as Paul would become the minister of the gospel the

Gentiles You and I are Given the grace of God to be joint heirs with the

Jewish believers the body of Christ The church the body of Christ is now made up of all who will call upon his name

There is no distinction. All tribes all nations are called to Christ to repent of their sins and The scripture teaches that no one will be rejected who call upon his name

John 6 37 Paul shares with the church again here in Ephesus Another prayer for them that they would be strengthened through the power of the

Holy Spirit that Christ would dwell in their hearts and that they would know what is the breadth length and height and depth of the love of Christ So that they would be rooted and grounded in love

You see the body of Christ is made up of many individuals

Who have different gifts different talents Who in many ways would probably not be

Together without the body of Christ without Christ drawing us

To become the body as we are new creatures in Christ We are set apart now to live

To build up one another for his glory and for his honor The first three chapters as we have looked at in brief

Help us understand who we are in Christ We are made alive in chapter 2 verse 5

Having been given a seat with him in the heavenly places so that we may proclaim to the world that we have in Christ the praise of his glory

The last three chapters help us understand how we work this out in our lives as believers as the body of Christ Chapters 4 through 6

Give us practical ways in which we are to live out our lives in the body of Christ in a sacrificial way

Which is unlike the world we live in brothers and sisters we live in a day -to -day of self autonomy

Pete people today live as though it is a virtue to be self -centered self -consumed

Self -reliant the world has no time to stop and help one another if it is not in some way benefiting their own pursuits in chapter 4

We will find That God is calling the church To humble

Ourselves that we may be servants of one another that we may build up and strengthen one another

Follow along with me as we read chapter 4 of Ephesians Paul writes to the church

Therefore I the prisoner of the Lord implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling by which you have been called

With all humility and gentleness with patience showing tolerance for one another in love

Being diligent to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace

There is one body one spirit just as you also were called in one hope of your calling one

Lord one faith one baptism one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all

But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gifts Therefore it says when he ascended on high he led captive a host of captives and gave gifts to men

Now this expression that he extended Ascended what does it mean except that he had also descended in the lower parts of the earth?

He who ascended is himself also who descended far above all the heavens so that he might fill all things and He gave some as Apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as pastors and teachers

For the equipping of the Saints for the work of service for the building up of the body of Christ Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the

Son of God to the mature man to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ as A result we are no longer to be children tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of Doctrine by the craft by the trickery of men and by craftiness in deceitful scheming

But speaking the truth in love we are to grow up in all aspects unto him who is the head even

Christ From whom the whole body being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies according to the proper working of each

Individual part causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love

So this I say and affirm together with the Lord That you walk no longer just as the

Gentiles also walked in the futility of their mind being darkened in their understanding excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them because of the hardness of their heart and They having become callous have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness

But you did not learn Christ in this way if indeed you have heard him and have been taught in him just as Truth is in Jesus That in reference to your former manner of life you lay aside the old self

Which is being corrupted in accordance with the lust of deceit and that you being rude

Renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new self Which is in the likeness of God and has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth therefore

Laying aside falsehoods speak truth each one of you with his neighbor For we are members of one another

Be angry yet do not sin do not let the Sun go down on your anger and do not give the devil an opportunity

He who steals Must steal no longer, but rather he must labor performing with his own hands

What is good so that he will have something to share with the one who has need? Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word it is good for edification according to the need of the moment

So that it will give grace to those who hear Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you

Along with all malice be kind to one another tender -hearted Forgiving each other just as God in Christ.

Jesus also Has forgiven you this morning?

We will be looking at just the first three verses here in Ephesians chapter 4

Paul is reminding the church in Chapter 4 verse 1 that our circumstances must not dictate our walk in Christ as he reminds them that he is the prisoner of the

Lord as He sits in Rome chain to guard a prison guard

He is reminding the church the church here in Ephesus who they are to be for the glory of God Paul is not consumed by his

Circumstances rather he is using his circumstances to think and to build up other

Believers who make up the body of Christ Paul is not concerned rather by His Sufferings But rather the church and how the church will be pleasing in honoring to Christ brothers and sisters are

Calling dictates our walk how we live our lives as We face trials and temptation

Do we show ourselves to be self -reliant or do we show ourselves to be dependent on God and?

on one another in Christ Jesus What happens when things don't go the way we want them to Do we kick the dog or Lash out at those closest to us

Do we immediately praise God for his sovereign control and ask him to strengthen us to walk?

In a way that is worthy of his calling in us Do we think of those?

Who may be struggling? And ask God to give them strength to live for him in the midst of suffering you

Have just gone through I believe the book of Philippians as Paul Teaches the church in Philippi what it means to live for the glory of God in Paul in the in the book of Philippians shares with the church his own personal struggle his struggle is that he would love to be with Christ and To be seated with him and his glory but he knows that it is more important for him to Proclaim the good news of the

Word of God and to build up the church in Philippi and He says to them that he would continue

To build him up for the glory of God he says in Philippians chapter 1 verse 21.

He says for me to live as Christ and to die as gain But if I'm to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me.

I Do not know which to choose, but I'm hard -pressed from both directions Having the desire to be to depart and be with Christ where that is very much better Yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake

Convinced of this I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your prognosis in joy in faith

So that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus Through my coming to you again

You see Paul was not concerned about his own life rather he was concerned about the body of Christ and We see his concern here in the book of Ephesians as he

Continues to teach the church in Ephesians how they are to function with one another brothers and sisters

Paul calls us here To walk in chapter 4 verse 1

In a manner worthy of our calling by which we have been called in Christ Are we walking worthy of our calling as we are living?

Excuse me as we are alive in Christ. We are no longer to live as the world does in chapter 2 1

We were living as slaves to our flesh Indulging in the desires of the flesh and in the mind children of wrath enemies of God but By the grace of God we have been called out of that life

So that we as the body of Christ may build up one another for the glory of God We are to no longer live for ourselves

But for him who laid down his life for us as he demonstrated his love for us in giving us his life a sacrifice unto

God on our behalf Jesus Christ laid down his life that you and I may have life as members of the body of Christ We have been called to be one in Christ.

We are individual members of one another We have been given gifts as believers to build up the body of Christ Each of us have been uniquely given gifts by God to build up one another in Christ Jesus So that we may serve one another in love

That we as a body of Christ may be built up to the fullness of Christ verse 16 of chapter 4 a pastor and mentor of mine

Which I'm sure all of you guys have heard just a couple weeks ago. John MacArthur Says we are all snowflakes in the body of Christ End quote each one of us has different gifts to serve the body in a unique way

That is fulfilling for the one serving in his or her gift and also for the one being served as We live with one another and serve one another

Paul teaches us three ways here in Ephesians chapter 4 1 through 3

To preserve the unity of the body of Christ in the bond of peace

These here are given to us in verse 2 he says with all humility gentleness with patience showing tolerance one another in love

Be diligent to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace

Paul understands that we as believers know that God has began a good work in us and He reminds the church in Philippi that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus You see

God desires to be intimately involved with those whom he has called and chosen to be his people and He desires that we would be complete in Christ That we would know him and serve him and honor him with our lives

Paul reminds the church in Philippians of His first joy for them as they heard the gospel and they responded to the gospel

But he says to them make my joy complete in the book of Philippians He reminds them that his joy is not complete until he sees the unity of Christ in the body of believers

He calls them in chapter 2 to love one another more importantly than himself in Philippians chapter 2 he says that as believers

There's be no selfishness No conceit But to serve one another with humility

Thinking of others as more important than ourselves Not looking out for our own personal interests

But to think of how we may build up one another in the body of Christ Paul here in Ephesians chapter 4 gives us three ways that we may express a

Genuine form of unity Unity that we may preserve unity in the body of Christ Through the power of the

Holy Spirit We are to put out put on humility gentleness and patience

This must come from the work of the Holy Spirit in us as believers Galatians chapter 5 teaches us that the flesh

Does not know the things of God if you turn back just a page or two to the book of Galatians We see

Paul in the church of Galatians reminding the church in The Galatian region what it means to live in the fruits of the

Spirit He reminds them in verse 19 now the deeds of the flesh are evident which are immorality impurity sensuality

Idolatry sorcery enmity strife jealousy outbursts of anger disputes dissensions factions envying drunkenness

Carousing and things like these of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things

Will not inherit the kingdom of God This should not mark us as believers

He goes on to say but the fruit of the Spirit in verse 22 Is love joy peace patience kindness goodness?

Faithfulness gentleness self -control against such things there is no law Now those in verse 24 who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires

If we live by the Spirit let us also walk by the Spirit let us not become boastful

Challenging one another and envying one another you see

Humility and gentleness comes from the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives

And that is why I believe Paul reminds the church here that we as believers are to be diligent to preserve the unity of the

Spirit in the bond of peace You see in Christ. We have the power over sin

The unbeliever does not The unbeliever is enslaved to his sin

But as believers in Christ we are new creatures and no longer sin has control over us

We have the power to put it to death We have the power in Christ To be pleasing and honoring to him

Humility Humility is pictured for us as Jesus Christ was obedient to the

Father in his perfect plan from the foundation of the world Philippians 2 Jesus being in the form of God did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped

Jesus did not seize clutch or grasp onto his position with the Father He had nothing more to gain

He was and is God the Son of God And he lived to fulfill his role as the

Son of God to entrust himself to the Father's perfect will He is our perfect example of humility

He did not demand privileges His own glory his own honor

He sought to glorify the Father in his obedience Just as we have been called in the body of Christ to glorify

God together with one another in unity Gentleness is the second way of preserving unity in the body of Christ Gentleness may be also seen as meekness

This is demonstrated as we have self -control as Our Lord and Savior was reviled and yet did not he did not revile the scripture says in return

While suffering he uttered no threats by kepting Entrusting himself to him who judges rightly 1st

Peter chapter 2 21 through 25 as Believers we are to fix our eyes on Jesus the author and the perfecter of our faith

Who for the joy set before him endured the cross Despising the shame has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God Hebrews chapter 12 1 through 3 says the third way

We are to we are called to preserve the unity is patience The scriptures teach us of the prophets

Noah in the Old Testament built the ark of God for a hundred and twenty years being obedient to God and Proclaiming the gospel and yet only eight people

Him and his sons wives came on to the ark James speaks of Job and his suffering entrusting himself to God Other prophets like Ezekiel Daniel Jeremiah who are obedient to the faithfully serve the

Lord in the midst of trials and opposition patience is patiently waiting or entrusting ourselves to the

Father being slow

To look elsewhere, but to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ humility gentleness and patience

Should be the mark of you and I as believers So that we may preserve the unity of the

Spirit in the bond of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as You and I work together as the body of Christ We are to be seeking the opportunity to build up one another

Our goal and focus is to be complete in Christ For his glory and for his honor

We are to give praise and honor and adoration to God Who has qualified us to be his inheritance?

That we may become one as he and the Father are one for the glory of One and only true

God who has predestined us and chose us and called us to be his people the body of Christ brothers and sisters we have been given a great measure of grace

We have been given the power through the Holy Spirit to live for the glory of God Paul reminds the church here in Ephesians That we as the body of Christ Are to work hard to love and to care for one another

We need to be looking out for one another Sadly enough

I find even in my own life Being consumed by just what is around me and what is going on in my own life

Am I really looking out to see who may be struggling who may be in need of encouragement and prayer?

Paul reminds the church That we are to preserve the unity of the

Spirit in the bond of peace in humility and gentleness and patience

Showing tolerance for one another which means at times people are going to rub us the wrong way in Fact we're gonna rub people the wrong way not even knowing we have done it and sometimes knowing we have done it but God calls us

To be gracious and to be loving that we are to be patient that we are to be

Loving one another as Christ loved us as Paul was patient with the church in Philippi and Galatians and Ephesians that they would be filled up to the glory of Christ that they would be

One body pleasing to the Lord You and I have a great opportunity as fellow believers in Christ to preserve the unity of the

Spirit to love and to care for one another in the body of Christ As you prepare

For your pastor to come. I'm sure many of you are doing this but be praying for him

Be praying for him and his family For the change that will take place for them as they minister to your body be praying for one another here as The change takes place here for you in the body of Christ There will be much change

That will call us To grow together and to encourage and to strengthen one another and it is for the glory of God For he is our glory to whom we are to glorify and to honor

Let's pray gracious Heavenly Father.

We thank you for once again for the opportunity to study your word to see how you have brought us out of death and Into life and into the body of Christ Where we be as one another worship you

That we would be united in one as one To glorify you and to honor you and to worship you as you have called us to Lord help us not to be distracted by the things of this world

Help us to fix our eyes on Jesus the author and the perfect of our faith

Help us to be reminded Lord God of those who have come before us Who has prepared the gospel for us to hear?

that we may in turn Build up one another and that we may prepare our own hearts to proclaim the gospel to those who haven't heard

That Lord one day We would be built up as the body of Christ in its fullness

For your glory and for your honor Lord, may you be exalted. May you be honored in Christ's name we pray.