Worthyness

WORTHYNESS

INTRODUCTION

· ILLUSTRATION:

· THE FIRST HALF OF EPHESIANS IS ABOUT WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST,

AND THE SECOND HALF IS ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD LIVE.

· WHO WE ARE SHOULD AFFECT HOW WE ACT.

· BIG IDEA: WALKING WORTHY OF OUR CALLING REQUIRES US TO DEVELOP GOD PLEASING CHARACTERISTICS, TO REST IN UNITY WITH FELLOW BELIEVERS, AND TO IMMERSE OURSELVES IN THE LORDSHIP, FAITH, AND BAPTISM OF CHRIST.

I. TO WALK WORTHY REQUIRES US TO EMBRACE OUR CALLING FROM GOD.

· PAUL WAS IMPRISONED BECAUSE OF HIS WORTHY WALK.

· PAUL URGES US TO WALK WORTHY OF OUR CALLING.

- ILLUSTRATION: A GOOD COACH WILL RUN THE RACE WITH HIS TEAM AND URGE THEM ON.

· PAUL REMINDS US THAT WE DIDN’T INITIATE OUR SALVATION, JESUS DID.

- ROMANS 8:28; JOHN 6:44; JOHN 15:16

II. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A WORTHY WALK

· THE GREEKS AND ROMANS DESPISED HUMILITY AS MUCH AS OUR SECULAR WORLD DOES TODAY.

· JESUS IS THE GREATEST EXAMPLE OF HUMILITY AND WE NEED TO IMITATE HIM.

- PHILIPPIANS 2:8; MATTHEW 11:29

· GENTLENESS IS NOT TIMIDITY, INDIFFERENCE, OR COWARDICE.

- ILLUSTRATION: MOSES WAS MORE HUMBLE THAN ANY MAN ON EARTH, YET, GOD USED HIM TO DELIVER THE PEOPLE AND RECEIVE THE LAW.

- MATTHEW 11:29; MATTHEW 26:53

· WE ARE TO BE LONGSUFFERING AND FORBEARING, LIKE GOD HIMSELF.

- 1 PETER 3:5; 1 CORINTHIANS 13; JAMES 5:12; 1 PETER 1:22, 17

· UNITY AND PEACE ARE BLESSED BY GOD.

(EPHESIANS 4:3; MATTHEW 5:9)

- ILLUSTRATION: TWO BATTLESHIPS ENGAGE ALL NIGHT, ONLY TO DISCOVER IN THE MORNING THAT THEY ARE FROM THE SAME NAVY.

WE WALK WORTHY BECAUSE OF THE SPIRIT.

· EPHESIANS 4:4–6

· ONE BODY IS THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST.

· ONE SPIRIT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO IMMERSED US SPIRITUALLY INTO THIS BODY.

- 1 CORINTHIANS12:13

· ONE HOPE IS OUR CALLING TO BE LIKE JESUS.

CONCLUSION

· WE WALK WORTHY BECAUSE OF GOD THE FATHER WHO UNIFIES US ALL (EPHESIANS 4:6).

· ARE WE BIG-GODDERS OR LITTLE- GODDERS?

· DOES OUR WALK MATCH OUR TALK?