Ephesians Series Week #22 The Ephesian Admonition Ephesians 4:1-6 4/21/2013

Transcription

1 Ephesians Series Week #22 The Ephesian Admonition Ephesians 4:1-6 4/21/2013 I. Introduction and review A. It has been said that: All knowledge can be divided into two categories, pure and theoretical knowledge and applied or practical knowledge 1. In the book of Ephesians the first three chapters deal with doctrine and the last three with application 2. Chapters 1-3 Pure, theoretical knowledge, Doctrine and truth 3. Chapters 4-6 Application, applied or practical knowledge 4. If we liken our study of the first three chapters to lying in the cool green grass and looking up into the night sky a. Instead of seeing stars and constellations b. We see our adoption into the family of God c. We see the hope of our inheritance d. We can look at Christ s glorious rulership e. And over there God s marvelous grace f. At another place we see our unity as believers 5. Now its time that we get up and walk through the gate of therefore a. There s a path that leads from that gate b. And that path leads us to a closeness with God c. And an understanding of His way for us Page 1 of 8

2 B. So Paul now leaves the prayer for the saints and starts a new section of the book 1. This section starts with the word therefore which he has used in other letters as a hinge 2. This word is common in the the middle of Paul s epistles, in that it serves as a hinge 3. The hinge is used to signal a change in direction C. He also continues to refer to himself as a prisoner of the Lord 1. Why would he do that? 2. He may be communicating to the reader the level of commitment that he demands from himself 3. And therefore, the level of commitment that the reader should adopt for themself 4. He then uses the word parakaleo (implore) a. This word means to do something earnestly and urgently b. He wants to implore them with great unction 5. What is it that he wants them to do? II. The Ephesian Admonition [4:1-6] A. First he wants them to walk in a manner worthy of their calling 1. If that was said to you what would that mean, or what would be the key part of that to understand 2. The concept of our calling is key to our understanding this admonition 3. The term calling is used in verse 1:18 4. kale,w kaleo {kal-eh'-o} Meaning: 1) to call 1a) to call aloud, utter in Page 2 of 8

3 a loud voice 1b) to invite 2) to call i.e. to name, by name 2a) to give a name to 2a1) to receive the name of, receive as a name 2a2) to give some name to one, call his name 2b) to be called i.e. to bear a name or title (among men) 2c) to salute one by name a. As a representative or ambassador b. Consider Ephesians 6:20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. c. 2 Corinthians 5:20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 5. To walk (peripateo): the Hebrew concept of to live, to regulate one's life, to conduct one's self, to pass one's life 6. Manner worthy avxi,wj axios {ax-ee'-oce} Meaning: 1) suitably, worthily, in a manner worthy of 7. You are to conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the name and position that you have inherited a. Consider the calling of a deacon b. I Tim. 3:8-13 would a son want to disqualify his father? B. Well how do you walk in a manner that is worthy? 1. Paul starts with two admonitions: a. Exhibit these traits b. Preserve the unity of the Spirit 2. The traits of someone who walks worthy Page 3 of 8

4 a. They will be humble (1) tapeinofrosu,nh tapeinophrosune {tap-i-nof-ros-oo'- nay} Meaning: 1) the having a humble opinion of one's self 2) a deep sense of one's (moral) littleness 3) modesty, humility, lowliness of mind (2) aside from love, humility most distinguishes us from the rest of the world (3) humility was not a virtue that the Greeks or the Romans admired (4) we should understand humility to be an attitude of the heart that recognizes God s love for and value of others and is willing to put their needs first. b. They will be gentle (1) prao,thj praotes {prah-ot'-ace} Meaning: 1) gentleness, mildness, meekness (2) where humility is an attitude, gentleness is the action delivered from it (3) this word describes not weakness, but strength under control [e.g. Jesus on the cross] (4) gentle people are not harsh with others and don t strive to get their way c. They will be patient (1) makroqumi,a makrothumia {mak-roth-oo-mee'-ah} Page 4 of 8

5 Meaning: 1) patience, endurance, constancy, steadfastness, perseverance 2) patience, forbearance, longsuffering, slowness in avenging wrongs (2) humility may be the hardest of these traits to learn, but patience comes in the hardest way (3) patience is not the American way, or at least it is becoming that more and more (4) patience allows others the opportunity to fail and grow, or to make mistakes and to learn from them d. They will show tolerance in love (1) avne,xomai anechomai {an-ekh'-om-ahee} Meaning: 1) to hold up 2) to hold one's self erect and firm 3) to sustain, to bear, to endure (2) in the same way that humility and gentleness work together, patience and loving tolerance work together (3) tolerance is more the action side of patience (4) tolerance reaches out in forgiveness and empathy (5) that of course is the way that God treats us 3. Being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit a. The key word here is unity (1) Unity is not uniformity we don t have to all be alike (a) Is motivated from within, while is the result of pressure from without Page 5 of 8

6 (b) Unity is a spiritual grace, while uniformity is worldly demand (c) Unity is all about teamwork, while uniformity is all about sameness (2) Unity is not unanimity we don t have to agree on everything (a) Am I saying we don t have to agree on anything? (3) Unity is not a coming together of Christians where we set aside our core beliefs to find the lowest common denominator of agreement (4) It is accepting Jesus as the Lord of our life, Husband and Leader of the Church, and bowing before Him (5) It involves focusing on what we have in common in the church and not where we are different (6) What do we have in common among other true believers b. Paul gives us seven points of unity (1) we are all part of the same fellowship or body of believers (2) we all share in one Spirit the Holy Spirit of God, who activates that fellowship (3) we all have one hope in our calling spending eternity with our Lord Jesus Christ (4) we all have one Lord, Jesus Christ our Master (5) we all have one faith a singular commitment to Christ Page 6 of 8

7 (6) we all have one baptism the sign of entry into the Church (7) we all have one God, the Father of all who keeps us for eternity c. These points are the minimum acceptable agreement standard III. Concepts to take with us: A. If we are going to walk in a manner worthy of our calling, we will remember 1. Our Purpose we walk purposefully, not randomly, but along the path of God s calling us 2. Our Progress our walk is to be a measured walk, a walk where progress is evident. If we are not making progress in sanctification [becoming more Christ like], we are not walking worthy of our calling 3. Our Perseverance we do not quit, surrender or renounce our faith we are overcomers [Rev. 2:7, 11,17 & 26; 3:5, 12 &21] B. Notice that Paul did not discuss the concept of unity, until after he had spent the first half of the book laying the doctrinal foundation C. God has chosen us to be Christ s representatives here on earth. In light of that truth, how well are we representing Him? 1. How well are you representing Him? 2. Can that change? D. Unity does not just happen, it requires work 1. Differences in people sometimes leads to divisions 2. That should not happen in the Church 3. We should not focus on what divides us but on what unites us Page 7 of 8

8 4. That presents some tough questions a. Do we join in a disaster relief program which has groups participating which are: (1) Muslim groups (2) Mormon groups (3) Emergent church groups b. Do we join in an evangelistic crusade effort if there are groups involved who do not believe in: (1) salvation by faith alone (2) baptism by emersion Page 8 of 8