2009-05-03
Ephesians - Walk Worthy of the Call
Steve Lane

A. Review/Introduction
First three chapters... now action
God's glorious grace - Destiny and purpose - Joy!
Resurrection power, riches of His grace, love that surpasses knowledge, lavished upon us
Taste of Heaven on Earth - our purpose and inexhaustible resources
The church - we are a temple
"In vital connection with him, having the source of its life in Him, sustained and directed by His power, the instrument also by which He works."
-Wuest

Context - The church; your place in the church; the purpose of the church and your purpose in the world.

B. Walk Worthy

Live in a way that shows the worthiness of the gospel and the worthiness of our calling.
A blueprint for the church: practical groundwork if the church is to...

Humility
Lowly; to be made low; low-lying. A dollar waitin' on a dime, son
Most of the time, impatience is pride. Impatience with God is out of place and prideful.

Humility means doing things God's way, rather than my way.

Ephesians 4: 11 - 12
Tools to train and teach: Word, prayer and hospitality.
True hospitality requires us to put others' needs ahead of our own.
Pride, self-protection - John 5: 30
Humility is a matter of this: who are you going to please?

Gentleness and meekness
Meekness is associated with self-control. (Galatians 5: 23)
Meekness is about not forcing your own way. In fact, it is not about self at all.

Patient, bearing with one another
One of our biggest struggles: self-preeminence
An element of true growth and maturity is seeing our own sin more.
Ephesians 4: 15 addresses this "speaking the truth in love"

Unity
Ephesians 4: 3 - Without these qualities, we will not have unity. Without unity, we will not be the church we are called to be -- you will not fulfill your grand calling: to bring praise to His glorious grace, and to know the fullness of His joy.