Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Remembering to Say Thanks
Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!— Psalm 107:8 

In the Old Testament, we find an interesting story of how King Jehoshaphat took an uncommon approach when his enemies waged war against him. Instead of sending in his army first, he sent the choir and musicians.

Imagine the scene: “All right, guys, here’s the plan today. An army is out there, armed to the teeth. So we are sending in the choir and the musicians.” If I had been a choir member or musician, I might have wondered whether the king liked our music. But God had directed Jehoshaphat in this unusual battle tactic. We read that Jehoshaphat appointed people to sing to the Lord, praise the beauty of holiness, and go out in front of the army saying, “Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever” (2 Chronicles 20:21). So that is exactly what they did. The Bible tells us that when they began to sing and praise, God sent an ambush against the enemy, and they were destroyed. God’s people were able to go into this situation giving thanks, because He was in control.

What if you and I took that same approach? What do you mean Pastor Daryl, I'm supposed to sing my troubles away? In a way yes. Ever thought about when you need something from God you are antsy and not sure of anything? Jehoshaphat wasn't sure he'd win the battle, but he understood he needed to do something else to gain the victory. What about the stuff God has already done for you?

In approaching God to ask for new blessings we need to make sure, we never forget to thank Him for the blessings He has already given. Have you recently come to God for help and He came through for you? Did you come back to say “thank you”? If we would stop and think how many of the prayers we have offered to God have been answered and how seldom we come back to God to thank Him, it just might amaze us. We should be just as deliberate in giving thanks to God as we are in asking for His help. As you sit around the table today enjoying your meal remember what he has done in the past and what he has promised to do in the future...Happy Thanksgiving everyone! You are loved...

What's the Main Idea (2)

• Jesus sovereignly distributes His gifts to every member of His body
“But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

o First of all Jesus distributes gifts according to His sovereignty. Notice that Paul writes that each gift is given “as Christ apportioned it.” In other words, we don’t decide which gifts we get. Jesus determines what gifts each of us need in order to carry out God’s plans through the church. Don’t get confused with the fact that the Holy Spirit is the vehicle in how we receive the gifts; but it is Christ who distributes them. Jesus confirmed this principle Himself in the parable of the talents:

“To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability” Matthew 25:15 (NIV)

In this parable, the master, obviously a picture of God, determines what gifts He is going to entrust to each of His servants. Isn’t this about money you may ask? Don’t just look at the money aspect of the this parable. The money is the vehicle that the servants use to use their gifts. This is about the master giving the gifts.

And you’ll notice that He apportions those gifts based on the individual ability of each servant. But it’s interesting to me that there is no evidence that any of the three servants had any knowledge of what his true abilities or aptitudes were. But the master, who knows his servants intimately, is in a position to determine how to appropriate the talents in a way that will facilitate the accomplishment of His purposes.

Paul has already alluded to this principle earlier in his letter:
“Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.” Ephesians 3:8, 9 (NIV)

In His sovereignty, God had given Paul a specific grace, or gift – to be able to preach the gospel message to the Gentiles. He was to be an apostle. Paul didn’t decide that is what he was going to do. God determined that He would gift Paul with the grace he needed to carry out that purpose of God in his life. The acts 9 experience is about Christ meeting Paul and #1 Paul believing in Christ; #2 Christ telling him what he had been graced, or gifted to do.

o The second thing we see here is that these are Jesus’ gifts. Once again Paul uses a passive verb to make it clear that these gifts are not something that we earn or deserve or work for. These are not some character traits or abilities that we can develop on our own. Jesus gives us His grace as a gift.

o Thirdly, Perhaps, most importantly, it is clear that every member – each one of us – has been given gifts by Jesus through the Holy Spirit. This ought to put to rest once and for all the idea that only the pastors or the church leaders are to carry out the ministry of the church. Within the body of Christ every person has been given a gift and therefore every person is a minister.

As we look at verses 8-10, it is crucial that we view them in the context of this main idea that Paul has just expressed. If we don’t do that, it’s easy to come up with all kinds of wrong conclusions that will actually draw us away from what Paul is teaching us rather than help us to understand it.

In verse 8, Paul quotes from Psalm 68 in order to confirm the deity of Jesus and to show why He is the one who is qualified to apportion His grace as He sees fit. But there are some potential problems with Paul’s use of that passage that we need to address. I think some of those issues will be quite apparent if we look at the Old Testament passage Paul is using:

“When you ascended on high, you led captives in your train; you received gifts from men, even from the rebellious - that you, O LORD God, might dwell there.” Psalm 68:18 (NIV)

It’s obvious from even a cursory reading that Paul doesn’t quote this verse very accurately. First, he changes from the second person (you), to the third person (he). As we’ll see in a moment, that’s easily explainable. But more troubling is the fact that the Psalm speaks of the receiving of gifts, not the giving of gifts, which is the main theme of our passage in Ephesians.

There are several reasons why Paul may not have quoted this verse accurately. First, we have to remember that Paul couldn’t just go down to the prison library to read a commentary or use the internet to find it either. So, like many of the quotations from the Old Testament that we find in the New Testament, the quotation is not always accurate word for word.

The other thing we need to remember is that Paul is using this passage from Psalms to prove that Jesus is qualified to apportion His grace as He sees fit. In doing so, Paul was obviously very familiar with the purpose of the entire Psalm. In its original context Psalm 68 is a picture of God’s triumphs in the past, including the exodus, and His entrance into His sanctuary in Zion. The captives that He takes are not Gentile foes, but rather rebellious Jews.

That gives us a good idea of why Paul uses the third person (he), referring to Jesus, rather than the second person (you), which very clearly refers to God in Psalm 68. In doing so, Paul is confirming the deity of Jesus.

There is also some evidence that Psalm 68 is based, at least in part, on Numbers 8 and 18 where God describes the Levites as being taken from among his people by God. I’m convinced that this key verse from Numbers 18 has particular relevance to what the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 68:

“I myself have selected your fellow Levites from among the Israelites as a gift to you, dedicated to the LORD to do the work at the Tent of Meeting.” Numbers 18:6 (NIV)

God says that he has received the Levites as a gift to Himself, but the purpose of that gift is for Him to turn around and give that gift back to His people in order to minister in their midst. Isn’t that exactly the point Paul is making here in Ephesians 4?

Jesus has taken a people unto Himself, and then apportioned His grace to the individual members of that body so that He can give them back to the body where they can minister?

But Paul doesn’t just stop there. He adds a little more information to help us understand why He used Psalm 68 in that manner. So he writes:
“What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.”

I’m completely convinced that Paul is writing here to support the way he used Psalm 68:18 in the previous verse. The point he is making is that although Psalm 68 points to God the Father as the one who ascended to His sanctuary on Mount Zion, that he is justified in using that verse to refer to Jesus because of the deity of Christ. And to prove that deity, he echoes what he has already written about how God has raised Jesus above all things:
“That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.” Ephesians 1:19-21 (NIV)

So verses 7-10 taken together show how Jesus has apportioned his grace among His people as he determines and confirm that He has the right to do that because He is God.

More tomorrow...you are loved!

What’s the Main Idea (1)

Ever heard the quote "Keep the main idea the main idea?" This passage is just that. Paul is sharing with the Ephesians to Stay focused on the main idea.

“But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men." (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Ephesians 4:7-16 (NIV)

As Paul began chapter 4, we saw his emphasis on unity within the body of Christ. And so, particularly in verses 4-6, he stressed those things in that we have in common that allow us to be unified as followers of Jesus Christ. But, as we come to verse 7, while Paul is still dealing with unity, he is going to change his focus.
Hopefully one of the things that we’ve learned in our journey through Paul’s letter is the importance of connecting words and phrases such as “then”, “therefore”, “for”, “for this reason”, and the one he uses here – “but”. That little three letter word indicates that Paul is about to make some kind of contrast.

Paul has already hinted at the idea that unity does not mean uniformity. He acknowledges the uniqueness of each of his readers. But his emphasis up to this point has been on what they share in common. Not only does Paul use the word “but” to introduce this contrast, but for the very first time, he also uses the phrase “each one of us.” So there is a shift from the corporate to the individual, from our privileges to our responsibilities, from what God has already done for us to what He is doing through us.

That's the amazing part of being a believer in Christ; Each of us has a responsibility in the body and our gifted to do ministry. If you are like me, Christmas is a special time where we get to open gifts that others have given us. I personally like giving gifts...Think about God in that way. God is ready to gift you and show you how to use those spiritual gifts in order for you to minister to others in the same way you were, ministered to. We get all the spiritual blessings of God and we get to pay it forward to others God has placed in our lives. To me, that's so cool.     

Now this is another one of those passages that can be quite difficult to deal with. Verse 7 is actually pretty straightforward, but there are some significant difficulties that arise with the remainder of our text. As I researched this passage this week, I was amazed at how many pastors just avoided dealing with verses 8-10 altogether or who just glossed over those verses. And even one of my favorite commentaries on Ephesians barely mentions verse 8 and doesn’t deal with verses 9 and 10 at all.

Why would Paul write this unless it was important? More tomorrow...you are loved!

The Nurture of Unity (4)

Ephesians 4:3, Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Unity Trait #2: Flexibility
Romans 14:19 “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”

Pride and stubbornness are two of the greatest threats to unity. Paul says that we should do whatever leads to peace and mutual edification.

We should do and say whatever will bring peace and be what’s best for everyone. We’ve got to be flexible in things that aren’t of spiritual significance. We’ve got to be flexible in things that aren’t the essentials that are listed in Ephesians 4. We’ve got to be flexible on new ways of doing things. We’ve got to be flexible on doing things in ways that will reach more people.

None of us like change, but things change every day! We need to make every effort to do what leads to peace. And we need to make every effort to do what is best for the body of Christ.

Unity trait#3: That’s what spiritually mature people do…Maturity
We need to grow up in Christ And growing in Christ means maintaining unity.
So I want to mention three areas of maturity that I believe will help us maintain unity…

Avoid Foolish Controversy.
Titus 3:9, “But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.”
Controversy leads to division.
We need to mature by learning how to speak and act in ways that don’t lead to controversy.
 I think most of us are beginning to understand the importance of getting to know each other better. We need to avoid foolish controversy so that we can be of one heart and one mind.

We Need to Be an Encourager.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
Nothing will allow Satan to divide and conquer better than a person who criticizes and gossips about other brothers and sisters. This is crucial. A critical mouth sets itself to divide with the very words it speaks. In order to guard against becoming critical and negative, we need to look for the good in others and encourage them as often as we can.
When we criticize we hasten disunity.
When we encourage, we breathe life and unity. 1Co_14:3  (GW)  “But when a person speaks what God has revealed, he speaks to people to help them grow, to encourage them, and to comfort them.”

Heb 10:24 (GW) “We must also consider how to encourage each other to show love and to do good things.” The NIV says to “spur one another on to love and good deeds.”

Becoming an encourager is a mark of maturity that will nurture unity.

Learn to Be a Servant.
Philippians 1:27, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel.”
Being a servant is sign of maturity.
Being a servant to others promotes unity.
Being a servant will help us to contend as one man for the gospel.

Forgive Others.
Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
One thing that will prevent people from being united is unwillingness to forgive.
When I was a youth minister in Westport, a deacon came up to me and said, so is a youth pastor a real pastor? I had a choice to be hurt or to forgive? Because he meant it in a harmful way; I chose to be compassionate instead of holding a grudge. People have come and gone in our life while pastoring here. I’ve had to make a conscious effort in some cases to choose forgiveness. Was it easy, no! Forgiving others isn’t always easy but it is what God desires from us.
We need to forgive, just as God forgave us.
The ability to forgive is a mark of maturity that helps maintain unity.
Transition: In order to mature, we all need to avoid foolish controversies, be encouragers, be servants, and be quick to forgive.

Let me close with this:

A missionary told of a time when a little child in an African tribe wandered off into the tall jungle grass and could not be found, although the tribe searched all day. The next day the tribal members all held hands and walked through the grass together. This enabled them to find the child, but due to the cold night he had not survived.  In her anguish and through tears, the mother cried, "If only we would have held hands sooner." It is not enough that we all share a common goal. We must all work together to accomplish it without hesitation.

You are loved!

The Nurture of Unity (3)

 
Ephesians 4:3, Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Do we have any part in unity? Yes! Paul says keep the unity of the spirit, which leads to peace.

We clearly have a responsibility to do everything we can to maintain the unity that Christ has given us and He has so earnestly prayed for.

 But this is important. We are to “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
It is the responsibility of every believer to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Prevailing churches know that every believer has to be on guard for the subtle ways that Satan attempts to drive a wedge between us and destroy the unity that Christ has given us.

Prevailing churches understand the absolute necessity of protecting our unity!
Unity Trait #1 Humility
Romans 12:16 “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.”

We need to have the humility to treat each other as Christ would treat us—He would love them and wash their feet. (Jesus showed us power under control when he humbled himself and told the disciples that if they followed this example they emulate him.) I love sports, especially football. If you have watched football long enough especially pros, none of them seem to walk in humility. In a world that emulates athletes and celebrities the idea of servant hood gets lost. Jesus humbled himself to die on a cross for us. That's an example to follow...So what is our part?

We need to have the humility to submit to those even if they are new to the church and you’ve been here a long time.

We need to have the humility to submit to those even if they don’t seem to do as much work as you do.
We need to have the humility to submit to those even if they do things differently than you do them.
We need to have the humility to go to their house and clean their toilet for them. To sit by the sick even if you are scared that you will get sick. We need to have the humility to greet each other and sincerely ask how they are doing and to pray for their well-being. When we develop this kind of humility it makes it very difficult for Satan to drive a wedge between us.

More tomorrow...You are loved...

The Nature of Unity (2)

Ephesians 4:3-6, “Make 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 when you were called-- 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

How do we keep biblical unity when many are striving for unity just for unity’s sake? Great question....Can we still be an effective church in our culture today and maintain biblical standards? Absolutely! We must all have a common thread to follow through God’s word. One of the big things that my mentor inspired me to believe was that God's word is true and never swerve from it. 

Let me use an example; Communion:
We partake of communion once a month. Some partake of communion quarterly, others do it weekly. Does the Bible set a specific time for which Communion should be observed? No, Acts says the first church observed it weekly in the temple courts and daily from house to house, but it does not command a time-table. So should we have unity with those who only take communion quarterly or weekly—absolutely?

Paul tells us in Ephesians 4 how to define what that unity should be based on…
“4 There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called to one hope when you were called-- 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Should we be united with those who believe there is only one body? (that is Christ’s body or the true "Church")

Should we unite with those who believe there is only one Spirit? The Holy Spirit lives in us and God uses His spirit in us to give us power to walk this journey of faith.

Should we be united with people who believe there is only one hope of eternal life—which is through Jesus Christ? We therefore cannot be united with Muslims and Buddhist or anyone else who believes there is more than one hope of eternal life. That doesn’t mean we don’t share our faith, it means we have no foundation belief or unity with them.

Should we be united with people who believe there is only one Lord—which is Jesus Christ? We cannot be united with anyone who tells us that there is more than one person we must obey.

Should we be united with people who believe there is only one faith—which is faith in God through Christ?

Should we be united with people who believe there is only one baptism?

Should we be united with people who believe there is only one true God?

Should we be united with people who believe there is a God who is Supreme—over all and through all and in all?

Yes!

Are there other churches that believe these things besides just ours? Absolutely! Should we therefore be striving for unity with those people in those church bodies? Absolutely!
If they believe those things their saved!
If they believe those things they’re our brothers and sisters in Christ!
If they believe those things, they’re family!
If they believe those things, we should be united with them!

But here’s the hard part…if they don’t believe ALL of those things we should not unite with them just for the sake of unity! Because we would be going against Gods own word. More tomorrow....You are loved!

Unity is a Necessity (1)

Ephesians 4:3-6, “Make 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 when you were called-- 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Heard a story of a children’s minister who was sharing a "children’s sermon" one Sunday.
A bright-eyed three-year-old girl listened intently as he explained that God wanted them all to get along and love each other. "God wants us all to be one," he said.  To which the little girl replied, "But I don’t want to be one. I want to be four!" Disunity is that easy.  

When Jesus was speaking to His disciples about the church, he said "…upon this rock I will build dozens of teeny little churches in every town; and they shall never see beyond their own little stained glassed windows."

Clearly that is not what Jesus said, but sadly that is what has happened. He said upon this rock I will build the church; he was talking to Peter and the disciples at the time casting Gods vision for His kingdom on this earth. If the church is to be a prevailing church (a church that is relevant to its culture) there must be an uncommon unity among us.

In John 17:20-23 Jesus prays this amazing prayer, "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me? 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me?”

This was Jesus’ prayer the night before He went to the cross. He’s praying a prayer for us knowing that he is about to go to the cross, basically praying we would learn to live with and love each other. The whole chapter in John 17 is a prayer. Jesus prayed for Himself in verses 1-5, He prayed for the apostles in 6-19, and for those who would believe through the apostles’ message (which is us) in 20-24. You and I weren’t even born yet, but here is Jesus praying for our unity. It makes sense that if He was going to die for us, that He would really want us to be united.

Have you ever sung the song “they would know we are Christians by our love?” What’s funny is I asked everyone under 40 if they knew this song and no one did. The simple truth behind this simple song is that we get along with each other and love each other.

That is what Jesus is saying, and John is telling us is that by our unity others will see our Love and unity and respond to it.

When Jesus prays “May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me.” He also prays that we would be completely united so that the world would know that we were following a super-natural being.

Who else could unite people together? Christ’s father…he prays “Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me?”
Jesus wants us to be united with each other, but our enemy Satan “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Don’t be devoured…instead Peter says, “Resist him standing firm in the faith.”  Do you know easy it is to step out of unity into dissention and Unforgiveness?

Remember the two blind men who Jesus healed in Mark 8 and John 9? Think about the conversation they might have about their healings. In John 9, Jesus had spit on the ground and made mud which he used to heal the man’s eyes and in Mark 8 He spit into his hands touched the man’s eyes.

They get together and began to relate their stories to each other, the man whom Jesus had healed with the mud says to the other, “That’s great, but you forgot the part where Jesus spit on the ground and made mud to put on your eyes.” The other guy says “I don’t know anything about that. He just touched my eyes.”

The man from John 9 replies, “But that’s not the way Jesus gives sight. If he didn’t spit on the ground and make mud to restore your site, then I’m beginning to doubt if you can even see at all.”

When we get our focus on Jesus’ methods rather than making Him Lord; we have just walked away from unity. More tomorrow...you are loved!

Unity in the Body (4)

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”  Ephesians 4:1-3 (NIV)

o Four attitudes that preserve unity:

Each of the four attitudes that Paul writes about in this passage are very similar. Each of them are an antidote to the “me-first”, self-centered culture that we live in today. We’ve already addressed that issue several times in our journey through Ephesians, We’ve seen that the church was never intended to strictly be a place where I come to get my own needs met, but rather it is a place where the followers of Jesus Christ come together to serve each other and our world so that we can demonstrate the manifold wisdom of God both here on earth and in the heavens. In order for that to happen, we need to develop these four key attitudes:

§ Humility

The word for humility literally means to think lowly of oneself. It means that I put the needs of others ahead of my own. I particularly like Lawrence Richards’ definition of humility:

“It is not a weak man’s surrender, but a strong man’s rejection of selfishness and determination to be actively concerned with the needs and interests of others.”

Without a doubt, the best example of humility is Jesus Christ. Paul very vividly describes that humility for us in Philippians 2 where he describes how Jesus gave up all the glory of heaven to come to this earth to meet our greatest need – a need that we could never meet on our own. A church that is full of people who are here to meet the needs of others, rather than to focus on their own needs will never have a problem with keeping the unity.

§ Gentleness

This word could also be translated “meekness”, as it is in the KJV. But unfortunately in our culture that word carries with it the connotation of weakness. But the word Paul uses here is a word that indicates power under control. It is a word that Jesus used to describe Himself:

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29 (NIV)

Certainly Jesus wasn’t weak, but he was gentle or meek in the sense that the great power he possessed was always under control. In other words, gentleness means that rather than fighting for my rights, I focus on what is best for others. Again, when we have a church full of people with that kind of attitude, preserving unity is an easy task.

§ Patience
The word Paul uses here is a word that literally means “long tempered”. The KJV very accurately renders this word “longsuffering”. Vine’s defines it as “...that quality of self-restraint in the face of provocation which does not hastily retaliate or promptly punish...” It is the same word used to describe God’s attitude toward us.

[Patience] is the spirit which bears insult and injury without bitterness and without complaint. It is the spirit which can suffer unpleasant people with graciousness and fools without irritation.

In the church, this means that we’re willing to put up with people that insult us and frustrate us. It means that, just like God does with us, we’re willing to put up with the actions of others that hurt us without seeking to get even. It means that we’re willing to put up with those who are less spiritually mature and often don’t know any better. Obviously that doesn’t mean that we don’t deal with conspicuous sin or that we don’t try to encourage others to grow spiritually. But it does mean being willing to be long-tempered with those people and allow God to work in their lives in His own time.

§ Bearing with one another

While Paul encourages unity; he never expects uniformity in the body. Every one of us has different personalities, abilities and temperaments. Paul is encouraging his readers to make allowances for the uniqueness of each individual part of the body. It means that we are to allow for the faults and failures of others. Once again, Paul is not saying that we are to tolerate blatant sin in the body, but we are to put up with and tolerate those who are different than us. Bearing with one another is more than just an outward façade. It is a decision to love others in spite of our differences. You are loved!

Unity in the Body (3)

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”  Ephesians 4:1-3 (NIV)



• My Attitudes do not Create Unity
Paul Says... keep the unity...

Paul makes it very clear that we, as followers of Jesus Christ, are not responsible for creating unity in the body. It is quite apparent from what Paul has already written that Jesus Himself has already established that unity through what He has done for us:

“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace” Ephesians 2:14, 15 (NIV)

So our responsibility, as His followers, is merely to maintain or preserve what Jesus has already established in his body, the church. And it seems to me, based on the context of Paul’s letter, that concept applies to both the universal church as well as our local body. Think of it this way. You as a parent have established rules for your children to live by. Within those rules are everything your children need to be successful. If they follow them they reap the rewards; if they don't there's a penalty. When Jesus came and brought forth God's new plan he fulfilled all the rules for us so that all we had to do was live in them. If we live in them we have success, or we pay the penalty if we don't. So in essence Christ established this unity for the church through His actions here on this earth. You may ask is it really that easy? Yes and no. Our attitudes and actions do have consequences.

• My Attitudes either Preserve or Destroy Unity

Although we can’t create unity, our actions either work to preserve that unity or they lead to the destruction of that unity. In his letter to the Roman Christians, Paul emphasized the need for us to do everything in our power to live at peace with our Christian brothers and sisters:

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18 (NIV)

So how do we do that? Tomorrow we will look at what Paul describes as the four fundamentals...be blessed today...you are loved!

Unity in the Body (2)

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”  Ephesians 4:1-3 (NIV)



1. My practice does not determine my position, but my position does determine my practice.


• My practice does not determine my position

...of the calling you have received...
Obviously in just a moment we’re going to focus on this whole idea of living a life that is worthy, but I think it’s important that we first determine what it needs to be worthy of. When Paul writes of our calling, it seems to me that he is once again summarizing everything he has written about in the first three chapters of Ephesians. It includes all those spiritual blessings that Paul describes there – everything from being chosen by God to being filled with all the fullness of God.

All of that together comprises our position In Jesus Christ. All of those spiritual blessings are 100% a result of what He has done for us. Not one part of my position in Christ is dependent on my own practice. There is absolutely nothing that I could ever do to earn or deserve all that God has done for me.

You’ll notice the word “then” near the beginning of verse 1. Most other translations render that word “therefore”. As we ought to know by now that is a connecting word which makes it even more apparent that Paul is referring back to what he has written in the first three chapters of his letter when he refers to our calling. So it is very clear that my practice, my behavior, does not determine my position in Christ, but this passage makes it equally clear that...

• My position does determine my practice
...I urge you to live a life worthy...

The word translated “worthy” comes from a root word that means to balance the scales. It came to be applied to anything that was expected to correspond to something else. For instance, a person who was worthy of his pay, was someone whose work effort corresponded to the amount he was paid.

Paul is urging us here to live our lives in such a way that they are in balance with, or correspond to our calling. He is saying that there needs to be a balance between our doctrine and our doing, between our position and our practice.

In a similar passage in Colossians, Paul reinforces this concept of balancing our position in Christ and our practice:
“And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:10-14 (NIV)

Paul begins by pointing out the importance of living a life that is worthy of the Lord and he even describes what that looks like – it involves bearing fruit, growing in the knowledge of God and having endurance and patience. But you’ll also notice that he encourages his readers to give thanks to God, because He is the one who has given them an inheritance and He is the one who has rescued them from the dominion of darkness and brought them into the kingdom of His Son. It is our position that determines our practice.

At first, this principle didn’t seem to me to have a whole lot to do with maintaining the unity of the church. But the fact that we all have a common position in Christ is indeed a crucial unifying factor. We are all members together of this body because of what Jesus has done for us. That ought to be the driving force for the way we all live out our lives. You are loved!

Unity in the Body (1)

 

Unity is a big word with a lot of meaning. I’m sure that most of us have either been part of a church split or know someone else who has been involved in one.  Many church splits seem to occur because of theological disputes, but I believe disagreements on doctrine are merely a smokescreen to cover up a more fundamental problem.  

I believe the main root or cause of disunity is the conflict of personalities. When people disagree it is the protracted struggle, clash or opposition between personalities, ideas, and interests of strong-willed individuals...

Churches split because of paint or carpet color. The songs we sing in worship, should the preacher just preach topical sermons or verse by verse through the bible.

A church split usually finds its roots in our passion to make ourselves – our needs, our opinions, our group, our goals, and our theology – the center of our egoistic pursuit. It is the “I” factor; the self-centeredness and individualistic mind-set that cause the separation. When we allow an attitude of self-centeredness to creep into our spirits we allow satan the opportunity to use us for his purposes, not God’s.

That’s why the Apostle Paul addressed this very situation in his letter to the Ephesians.
“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”  Ephesians 4:1-3 (NIV)

Paul is concerned about the unity of the church in Ephesians, because he’s not there. As he makes the transition from his description of what God has done for us in the first half of his letter to how we need to respond to God’s work in our life in the second half of the letter, he begins by stressing the need for unity in the body as we apply these life principles.

In this passage, there are two very important principles that as first glance seem to be somewhat unrelated. But the more I looked at them, the more it became apparent that both of these principles work hand in hand to preserve unity in the church. You are loved!

Whatever you need more of; make room for it.

'...Elisha went to Shunem, where there was a notable woman...' 2 Kings 4:8 NKJV

The Bible says: '...Elisha went to Shunem, where there was a notable woman, and she persuaded him to eat some food. So it was, as often as he passed by, he would turn in there to eat some food. And she said to her husband...Let us make him a small upper room...and let us put a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lamp stand...' (2 Kings 4:8-10 NKJV)

Observe: (1) Whatever you need more of; make room for it.You don't get what you 'want' in life; you get what you 'prepare for'. This woman's generosity toward Elisha resulted in her having a child when she wasn't able to, and her child later being raised from the dead when sickness claimed him. When you make room for God in your life; you make room for the blessings that come with Him. (2) Notice the four things she put in the prophet's room:(a) A bed. There are times when you must run, and there are times when you must rest. Indeed, if you don't learn to slow down, you'll break down. (b) A table. You need spiritual food to nourish your soul. If you plan to keep giving out, you must keep taking in. (c) A chair. This speaks of study. 'Study to...present yourself to God... a workman who has no cause to be ashamed...accurately dividing...the Word of Truth.' (2 Timothy 2:15 AMP) (d) A lamp. A place of illumination. Even after you've studied long and hard, you need the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth to your heart. And that's how to become a notable woman (or man). You are Loved...

Immeasurably More than you can Imagine or Ask For (3)

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20, 21 (NIV)

A LOOK AHEAD – GOD’S GLORY IN US
Paul writes something quite interesting in verse 21. In his doxology, he writes “to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus”. Why would he put the church first? The whole idea that God gets glory in the church is really quite amazing in the first place. But what’s even more interesting to me is the fact that Paul puts the church before Jesus Christ in this phrase. Paul seems to be indicating that since the church is the body of Jesus Christ, it is so inextricably linked to Christ that it is really impossible to separate the church from its head, Jesus Christ.

We’ve already seen Paul use the phrase “in Jesus”, “in Christ” “in him” or its equivalent throughout his letter. I know you are probably tired of hearing this, but All the spiritual blessings that we have, all of God’s power working in our lives is only possible because of what Jesus has done for us. So it’s pretty easy to see how God gets glory through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. But how does God get glory through the church? Paul has already given us a hint in the preceding verse:

[I pray] that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:19 (NIV)

As we become more mature in our faith and as we are filled more and more with the fullness of God, then God receives glory. But as we’ve seen, and as Paul points out again in this passage, we’re not capable of being filled with God’s fullness on our own. Certainly that is something that is immeasurably more that we could ever ask for or imagine. That’s why we need His power at work in our lives.

So in the next three chapters, Paul is going to give us some practical advice about how we, as the church, can together live our lives in such a manner that they will bring glory to God. The first verse of chapter 4 introduces that whole section:

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
Ephesians 4:1 (NIV)

In the first three chapters, Paul has described the calling we have received. And in the next three chapters, he gives us some practical guidance for how we can live lives that are worthy of that calling. Frankly, what he’ll describe to us is often simple, but it’s never easy. It’s only possible for us to live in that manner if the power of God continues to work in our lives.

As a young Christian I struggled with the whole idea of God's power working in me. But as I began to trust God, his word, the fullness and power came to live in me. I began to believe that I could live a life worthy of the calling that God had called me to. This power and calling is for everyone. Only God can lead you to this place that he had led me.

I mentioned to you at the beginning of this message that this has always been one of my favorite passages. But after looking at it again in a whole new light, I can now tell you that this is no longer one of my favorite passages in God’s Word. It’s not one of my favorites. It is without a doubt, my very favorite passage. The two powerful verses remind me of how God has already done immeasurably more than I could ever ask or imagine in my life. And they are also an encouragement for me to live my life in a way that will give Him glory as that power continues to work in my life. How about you? You are loved...