September 15, 2013
We are taking a break this morning from our verse-by-verse study through the Gospel of Matthew. If you would, please find your way to Ephesians chapter 4. I’d like to share something with you that encouraged me this past week. It’s a wonderful passage of Scripture that has application for us as individuals and as a congregation for those of you who call Calvary Hanford your church home.
This morning, I’ll be reading out of the New Living Translation. Everyone has a favorite version of the Bible and that’s a good thing. But it can be refreshing to pick up a different translation from time to time and allow it to present God’s word to you in a way that is not inconsistent or contrary, but distinctive in it’s expression. There are a lot of excellent translations and I’d encourage you to enjoy a number of them.
So we come to Ephesians. Our main text will be chapter 4, verses 1 through 10.
To give us some context of this passage, Paul is writing to the church in Ephesus and showing them how God is at work, through the Church, doing a great many things. The first 3 chapters talk about that work. The second 3 chapters talk about our responsibilities as believers to be a part of that work.
Paul says in this book that this arrangement that God has made with the Church, His Body here on the earth, is a mystery being revealed for the first time. It’s not something that we could’ve discovered or structured or figured out on our own. But, because our God loves to explain Himself and show Himself to us, He communicates and proclaims His intentions for us.
If you’re a Christian here this morning, here’s what God has to say about His intentions for us:
Ephesians 3.10-11 – God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display His wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was His eternal plan, which He carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Being in a relationship with God is not simply a legal arrangement. It would be enough if the righteous God of heaven would agree to forgive us of our sins. But for Him, that’s only the starting point. That’s only the beginning of an incredible, personal relationship, where God gives us Himself and transforms our lives, giving us real value and real purpose.
Existential philosophers are correct in their assessment that life has no meaning and no value, because they formulate their equation without God as a part of it. When you remove God from the equation, when you seek to live life without a real relationship with your Creator, there is no real value. There is no lasting purpose. Because from dust we came and to dust we shall return.
But when you bring the God of the Bible into the equation of your life, He brings all of His value and His power and His purpose with Him. And He says that He installs those things into your life, bringing you from death and worthlessness to life and great worth. He says He will bring us forth like gold refined.
And together, as the Church, God’s plan is to display His wisdom in its rich variety. To display the fact that He is real and He is love and He is able to save.
But that’s not the end of His intentions for us. Here’s what else the Lord has to say:
Ephesians 3.16-19 – I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
That’s what God wants for you. That’s what He wants for us. That’s where He’s leading us in our walks with Him. Having said that, Paul moves into chapter 4 and talks about how we keep pace with the movement of God. He talks about our part to play as active participants in this relationship.
So as we see these verses, my hope is that we would all be encouraged by the goodness and graciousness of our God this morning. And I hope that we all get some direction from these words so that we stay the course and keep pace with the Lord. And perhaps there is some correction that we might need. Some adjustment that God will reveal as we turn His word on ourselves and honestly evaluate whether we’re living the Christian life as presented on the pages of Scripture.
In verse 1 we read:
Ephesians 4.1 – Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.
There are 2 important considerations in this verse.
The first is that we all have a calling. The second is that it is possible to not walk worthy of that calling.
But what is this calling that Paul is talking about? Even outside of the Church, people talk about “their calling in life.” But what does that mean? In the world, a person’s calling is usually what makes them feel the happiest. It’s something that brings them pleasure.
As Christians, our calling is very different. Rather than being focused within, our calling is about what brings God pleasure. What pleases Him?
When it comes to our calling as Christians, there are really 2 levels. The first level is one we all share. We’re all called to represent Christ in this world. Each Christian is commissioned by God to be ambassadors and servants of the Kingdom, wherever He has scattered us around the world. It’s a common calling.
But then for each of us there is a second, personal level of calling, where we are given unique tasks and ministries and opportunities to serve the Lord in specific ways as we live out our lives. There will be day-to-day callings from God and there will be more prominent callings from the Lord that will be featured as major projects in the course of our lives.
An example that shows this in the Old Testament is David. David did a lot of things. He’s known for a lot of things. Most famously, he is known as the man God used to defeat Goliath. That was a defining calling in his life. After he was established as king, he decided he wanted to build a temple for the Lord. Not a bad goal. In fact, that was a very good goal. But God responded to him and said, “David, you’re not the guy I have in mind for that job. That’s a job I want done, but there’s someone else who I’m going to have do it.” David did a great many things for the Lord, some that are recorded in the Bible, and obviously countless others that were just day-to-day things, but the Lord had specific callings for his life.
You see the same arrangement throughout the Bible. Thinking about the Book of Acts, we see that God had specific callings for specific people. Peter here, Paul there, Philip down that way. And the Lord’s desire is to call you to specific tasks and opportunities as well.
For that reason, Paul says that he begs them to walk worthy. Because God cares a great deal about the way we live our lives. Through the way we live, it’s possible for us to miss the callings of God. It’s possible for us to squander the opportunities that are set before us. Like the servant in the parable who took the coins that his master gave him and just buried them in the ground. There was no investment. There was no profit. The time and the resources and the opportunities had been wasted by someone who did not respond to what the master had called him to do.
Paul says, “Don’t squander your Christian life!” And then he shows us how not to:
Ephesians 4.2 – Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.
Love is to be the defining characteristic of our lives and our behavior. The Bible says that if you don’t have love, show love, walk in love, it doesn’t matter what you say or what you do or how great you think you are. Without love it’s noise. It’s a waste. Before we seek to grow in knowledge, we should grow in love. Before we seek to grow in influence, we should grow in love. Before we seek to grow in any pursuit, we’re first called to grow in love, because that is to be the defining characteristic of our lives above all other things.
And that love is a particular kind of love. It’s a self-sacrificing love. A love for others that is gentle and humble, not demanding. Not self-serving.
We’re commanded here to be patient and accepting of one another, not defining people by their faults, but by the fact that they are loved by God.
It’s easy to find fault, isn’t it? Finding fault is the easiest thing in the world. It amuses and entertains the sin nature. But it isn’t Godly. And when we give in to that urge, it eats away at our spiritual fruit. I know I certainly need to be corrected in this regard.
Ephesus 4.3-4 – Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.
Make every effort to stay united with your fellow believers. And it says we are to be united not by dogma or politics or styles, but we are to be united in the Spirit. Meaning we are to be united in our desire to be led and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
The Bible says, “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord.” We are to live and walk and worship by the Spirit of God, allowing Him to direct us and fills us and bring forth fruit in our lives.
You cannot live the Christian life if you’re not seeking to be Spirit-filled. He is the Helper that God sent and we cannot keep pace with the Lord without Him. It’s impossible to be a real disciple if we’re not filled with the Holy Spirit. We should take very seriously the pursuit of a Spirit-filled life.
And here we see that the Spirit is moving toward one common, glorious hope for the future. One goal. The plan that Jesus Christ is working in us and through us.
As Christians, we’re to be goal oriented. But not our own goals. Not our own pet projects. We’re to be devoted to God’s goals. Does that mean that we can’t have hobbies or temporal pursuits? Of course not. But as we live out the Christian life and as we relate to the Church, the goal is not to be man-oriented, but God oriented. Because He has already crafted and laid out a master plan. He’s already got a strategy and a method and agenda, which He reveals to us in His word and by His Spirit.
And because there is a definite goal in mind, because God is working out His will and His plan for us and for this world, what the Holy Spirit wants is empowered Christians who are bearing fruit, making an impact on this world.
Ephesians 4.5-8 – There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all. However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. That is why the Scriptures say, “When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.”
Think for a moment about the best gift you ever received. Maybe it was a special birthday or Christmas. Maybe it was from your spouse on the day you got married. Something so valuable and meaningful that it stands above the rest.
In fantasy books and movies there’s often a scene where the main characters or band of warriors are presented with gifts by someone. I can think of 3 major movie franchises in the fantasy genre that features scenes like this. What happens is that, before the great battle or quest, the characters are presented with special items. They’re usually practical and useful, but also mysterious. And they’re usually tailored for each specific character.
And what happens is that later on those gifts become not only necessary, but powerful and effective toward accomplishing their goals.
Now, what we see in Ephesians 4 verse 7 is that the God of the universe, the God of all power and wisdom and might and ability has reached down to you and given you not just a gift, but a special gift. Each one of us. Something that is precious and generous and particularly chosen for you. The Lord gives us these gifts to bless us and to show us His love. But He also gives them to us so that they can be used for His Kingdom. A tool in our hands to be a part of the work He is doing.
Many of these gifts are listed in the Bible. There are a lot of them. They’re all supernatural, but there really are a wide variety. For example, God gives some the gift of generosity. He gives some the gift of celibacy. He gives some the gift of discerning of spirits. He gives some the gift of administration. Later in this chapter Paul says that the Lord gave the gifts of apostles and prophets and evangelists and pastors to the Church. When it comes to these gifts that he’s talking about, there is an incredibly wide spectrum to think about and understand. God has no shortage of gifts.
Sometimes God even gives us a gift of opportunity.
Have you ever given someone tickets as a gift? Maybe to a ballgame or a concert or a show? You’re not gifting them the piece of paper, you’re gifting them the opportunity to go and experience whatever the ticket grants them access to.
God gifts each of us a lot of opportunities. We don’t always recognize them when they come, but luckily the Lord gives these gifts to us a lot. Opportunities to minister to someone and represent Jesus to them. Opportunities to share God’s wisdom with someone who needs answers. Opportunities to encourage a person or lead someone to Christ. And these opportunities are not random. They’re things God has specifically wrapped up for you as an individual. Like He did with Philip. He said, “Philip, go sit on this desert road, because I’ve got something special for you today!” He said, “Paul, don’t go to Asia right now, go to Macedonia, because, boy do I have something waiting there!” He said, “Jonathan, head over to the Philistine garrison, because I have a victory waiting for you there.” In those situations, the Lord didn’t just say, “I need a warm body. Someone head over that way!” Instead, He thoughtfully set apart specific people to give them these opportunities.
That’s what our God loves to do! He loves to specifically involve us as individuals in His redemptive plan. He reached down to us so that He could do this.
Look at verse 9:
Ephesians 4.9-10 – Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.
God not only reached down, He came down to our lowly world. Why? Because you are significant to Him. He loves you and His desire is to fill the entire universe, including your heart and your life and your day-planner with Himself.
We often slip into a way of life that compartmentalizes God. It’s easy for us to separate out our faith from the other parts of our life. But see here that the Lord’s desire is to fill the entire universe with Himself. His presence. His power. His glory. His love and His wisdom.
And when it comes to our lives, the Bible says that even when we’re eating food we can do it as unto the Lord as we allow Him and His purpose to fill us up.
You know, God is in the business of filling. Not depleting. Not ruining. The Lord gets accused of being withholding, but nothing could be further from the truth. 2nd John says that His plan is to make our joy full. It says that God’s plan is to give you a full reward. And James 1:4 says that God’s desire is that we may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. That’s the plan. Sounds too good to be true!
But, as we’ve seen at the very beginning of the passage, we have a part to play in this. We’re active participants in this arrangement. There’s a path to walk. A call must be answered. A gift must be opened. Opportunities have to be taken. And hearts have to be unlocked in order for the Lord to fill them up. He won’t force Himself in. Not into our hearts and not into our schedules. We’ve got to respond to what God has done for us.
Our part is to surrender to this God and turn to Him and apply what He’s saying to our thoughts and our activities. We’ve got to apply His life to ourselves and live a new life with Him. For those of you who are married, many of you had vows that included the phrase, “Forsaking all others.” Because, obviously, in a proper marriage there is no room for another person. Two people must surrender themselves and forsake all others. And that’s what we’re called to do in our relationship with Jesus Christ.
This is how that surrender is described by the Holy Spirit:
Ephesians 4.17-5.2 – [Paul says] With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.
But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.
If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ.
This is the way we get there. By being careful how we live. Taking care to live Spirit-filled lives so that we can grow and experience those Ephesians chapter 3 things that God wants for us. That power and that wisdom and that presence and that purpose. All those incredible things that each of us long for! We can get there. We’re shown how to get there. It’s by walking with God actively and purposefully, forsaking all others and allowing the natural growth of the Spirit to take place by giving Him control of our hearts and lives.
The Lord wants fullness for us. He wants our Christianity to be dynamic and flavorful and effective.
This is His purpose:
Ephesians 3.17 – [That] Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.
It’s a good plan. It’s better than we could ask or imagine. And it’s accessible to us right now as we choose to really live the Christian life, not in name, but in practice, with passion and devotion to the incredible God who’s offered all of this to us.
