Ephesians 5:21-6:9 – New Halakah – The Importance of Relationships

Ephesians 5:21-6:9 – New Halakah – The Importance of Relationships

Ephesians 5:21-6:9 - New Halakah - The Importance of Relationships [35:52]

by Roy Schwarcz

http://www.royschwarcz.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Ephesians_521.mp3

We have been considering the New Halakah that is outlined in Ephesians. In what appears be a change of direction, Paul describes how we relate to people we are in constant contact with. We see this in Ephesians 5:22-6:9 – Where 6 types of relationships are described. Our relationships with our:

Wives – Ephesians 5:22-24, Husbands – Ephesians 5:25-33, Children – Ephesians 6:1-3, Fathers – Ephesians 6:4, Servants – Ephesians 6:5-8, Masters – Ephesians 6:9.

Relationships are a key element in the Kingdom of God. God is in an eternal relationship as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That relationship is functional, blessed and fruitful. We were created to reflect that to the world.

In Chapter 3 we learned about the Wisdom of God which is reflected in key relationships. Foundationally the Assembly of God’s people -. Jews and Gentiles brought together as one. But God’s wisdom in revealed to the world in our personal relationships. It is through our relationships that we reflect the love of God to the world.

Through marriage we reflect the image of God. “In His image He created them Male and Female”. It is through our children that we reproduce after our own kind and through them come in contact with others. It is through our relationships that we reflect the Wisdom and love of God.

Our relationships reflect the dynamics of the New Covenant: Submission, love, sacrifice, obedience, and honesty. By example we demonstrate in our relationships what is God’s will, and prepare others to be receptive to the Messiah!

Our walk is reflected in these relationships: Let’s consider our walk in Marriage: Wives in Ephesians 5:22-24. Wives are to submit to their husbands in everything…Just as they are to submit to the Lord. Just as the church is to submit to Messiah. So wives are called to submit to their husband. The reason: the husband is head of the wife, just as Messiah is head of the church. As there is lines of authority in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, so too in the family.

In the family, it is God’s Will that the husband be the head of the wife, and that parents be over their children.  Wives have the opportunity to demonstrate the wisdom and value of an important principle: submission. Jesus taught by both word and example the importance of submission, washing the disciples feet. We all are to submit in one way or another and be subject to one another in the fear of Messiah – Ephesians 5:21. Through their submission, wives prove that God’s will is best.

The walk of husbands Ephesians 5:25-30. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Messiah also does the church. The command “ Husbands, love your wives”, continues the mutual submission mentioned in Ephesians 5:21. “And be subject to one another in the fear of Messiah.”

The husband who submits to the Lord by being filled with His Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). Is able to love his wife with the love Yeshua has for His own bride, the church. The world’s love is object oriented based on personal appeal. It is fickle, as soon as it loses that appeal the love it was based on disappears. 

God loves us because it is His nature to love not bec[...]

Ephesians 5:15-18 – The Halakah of G-d

Ephesians 5:15-18 – The Halakah of G-d

Ephesians 5:15-18 - The Halakah of G-d [23:56]

by Roy Schwarcz

http://www.royschwarcz.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/70613-Roy.mp3

Paul urged the Ephesians to walk in a new way. In a manner worthy of their calling. The word for walk in Hebrew is Halak and is the root of the word Halakah. Halkah is the word used by Jewish people to describe God’s Law. The Torah, God’s Word or Law was given to God’s people that they might know how to walk rightly before Him and others. We belong to the Lord and as such we are to walk in a certain manner. As we continue in our study on how to walk we come to an essential element. Walking in God’s Spirit. Let’s look at Ephesians 5:15-18:

Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk — not as unwise people but as wise — making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless actions, but be filled by the Spirit:

How many of us enjoy going to gas station these days? It is crazy how much money we pay for a gallon of gas. But we’ll pay it because we like our cars and the help they are to us. We know that without fuel we won’t go very far. But What about our “Spiritual fuel”? Just like fuel for our car, we are dependent on Spiritual fuel. When the Temple stood the fuel that kept the light in the Holy Place burning was oil. Oil is a picture of the spiritual fuel we need in order to walk in God’s Spirit and in His Light.

Two thousand years ago on the anniversary of the Giving of the Law on Sinai God poured out His Spirit. God Poured out His Spirit to those who came to faith in Messiah. The evidence of this was Fire and Wind. The 120 in the upper room were baptized in the Holy Spirit and the New Halakah was put in their hearts. From that day to this day when men come to faith in Yeshua God baptizes them in His Spirit.

There is only one baptism of God’s Spirit but many fillings. An essential of the New Halakah is to be filled with God’s Spirit. Sadly when we sin we lose the filling of God’s Spirit. How do we get filled with God’s Spirit? In Luke 11:13. God says that He gives the Holy Spirit “to them that obey Him” (Acts 5:32). You must be willing to remove every hindrance. We need to first surrender to God. We remove hindrances by confession, renunciation, and surrender. Let me express them in four simple words confess, renounce, surrender, believe.

Confess: In 1 John 1:9 we read: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” Sin confessed is sin forgiven, and sin forgiven is sin cleansed. “The blood of Yeshua cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). It is the Believer who is to confess his sins. God never tells an unbeliever to confess his sins. Unless one is born of God’s Spirit he won’t understand such things. If we tell a lost person to confess his sins we would be putting salvation on a basis of works, and salvation is not of works, but by faith.

When an unbeliever wants to come to God you don’t start with confession of sins. You point them to Yeshua. All a lost person can do is confess that he is a sinner and that he needs salvation. The tax collector cried: “God be merciful to me, a sinner”. He didn’t confess his sins. He simply admitted he was a sinner and needed mercy. With a Believer it is entirely different. The Believer who has has gone off the road must return. “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins”. God will never pour out[...]

Ephesians 5:6-9 – The Halakah of G-d

Ephesians 5:6-9 – The Halakah of G-d

Ephesians 5:6-9 - The Halakah of G-d [26:36]

by Roy Schwarcz

http://www.royschwarcz.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Ephesians_5_6_9.mp3

Ephesians 5:5-7

Is it possible to be content with your sins and be a true follower of God? This is a passage that is a wake up to many who think they are Believers. We are all vulnerable to sin but this is a passage that describes those who consistently live in a way not pleasing to God.

In his letter to the Galatians Paul warned us not to be deceived: “God cannot be mocked, a man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” Galatians 6:7-8.

Those who are sons of God have the Holy Spirit living in them and will live their lives to please God. When they lapse into sin, they will be convicted of it. They will be sincerely sorry for their sin and not just sorry that they got caught. Like David when confronted. Psalm 32:3-5.

On the other hand, those who live according to their natural ways will embrace sin because they live to please their sinful natures. That road leads to death and not life. Paul is warning against thinking that you can pursue an immoral lifestyle acceptable to our culture and still be followers of the God of Israel.

There is a distinction between leaping and lapsing into sin. There is a vast difference between the consequences of those differing lifestyles. Those who lapse do not lose their inheritance: Having believed, you were marked with a seal, the Holy Spirit, who guarantees our inheritance to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:13-14

In Ephesians 2, Paul described how all of us were dead in our transgressions and sins and were children of wrath. But for those in Yeshua, God has replaced His wrath with mercy and grace. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but salvation through our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 1 Thessalonians 5:9.

There are consequences when we sin. It hinders our relationship with God. God has to discipline us so that we recognize sin and confess and repent. But if we are children of God, we will never lose our inheritance or face the wrath of God.

But for those who live a lifestyle that is characterized by sin, the consequences are much more severe. Those people demonstrate that they have no inheritance both now and in the future.

Some interesting aspects of Ephesians 5:5: First it is a present tense verb – the immoral person has no inheritance. This is also the only place in the Bible where the phrase “the kingdom of Messiah and of God” is used. Paul uses these two concepts in his writings. The Kingdom of Messiah speaks of the present.

The person who lives an immoral lifestyle demonstrates that he is a citizen of this world and not of the Kingdom of Messiah. When Paul uses the phrase “kingdom of God”, he uses it to refer to the future, eternal reign of God. Galatians 5:19-21.

Paul uses the phrase “sons of God” to describe those whose lifestyle is consistent with the character of God. The phrase “sons of disobedience” describe those whose lives are characterized by immoral living. The wrath of God includes a present and future aspect of God’s wrath that they will experience.

We see the present aspect of wrath in Romans 1:18-19. Paul uses a present tense verb here. The wrath of God “is being revealed”. Paul goes on to describe this present wrath of God. Romans 1:24,26-27. There comes a point when God gives people over to the sinful desires of their hearts.

As terrible as the[...]

Ephesians 4:25-32 – The Halakah of G-d

Ephesians 4:25-32 – The Halakah of G-d

Ephesians 4:25-32 - The Halakah of God [32:53]

by Roy Schwarcz

http://www.royschwarcz.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Ephesians425-5-25-2013.mp3

The Halakah of God A key word in Ephesians is “Walk” Halak = Walk = Law, Walking Rightly is living rightly.

Relationship vs Religion

Ephesians 4:17-24

Two weeks ago we saw: Why walking worldly won’t work and What happens when we think and walk like the world.

Abiding in Word transforms us Ephesians 4:25-32

This week we will consider how right thinking works out in our lives: The character of the new person transformed by God’s Word.

Ephesians 4:25-32, Ephesians 4:29-32

God’s Provision I want to begin by reminding us of two essential things:

God has given the gift of complete forgiveness and God has given us power through His indwelling Spirit to live holy lives.

God’s Will for Us

God does not want us to go through life, from one failure to another. One source of pain to another. God’s desire for us is that we live holy, joyful and abundant lives. Free from sin and its consequences in a loving relationship with Him.

Today’s Passage Two sections led to today’s passage:

Ephesians 4:17-19, where Paul commands us to no longer live as the Gentiles live. Ephesians 4:20-24 – Putting off our old self

Old Clothes for New Changing clothes, replacing dirty garments with garments of righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24

Isaiah spoke of this Isaiah 1:18

Walking Cooperatively

Paul lists sins that characterize our old self that needs to be put off. Putting off is a cooperative effort between us and God – a partnership. We want God to do it all – That’s why deliverance services are so popular. But God wants to partner with us for deliverance – together

We must be clothed w God

We can’t do it on our own – without God. It is only in God that we have power to change – to “put off” sin. We must surrender and cooperate with God in His appointed way.

Put off Falsehood

First sin to take off is lying. Ephesians 4:25 Lay aside falsehood, and put on truth. The reason – Because we are members of one Body. Are we different? Today many Believers are indistinguishable from those in the world. Does our life demonstrate that we are different? Do we have the mind of God or think as the world thinks?

Thinking that leads to death We are called to give up the “futility of such thinking.” Thinking like the world. Man makes up all kinds of stuff about himself and God – We have advanced studies in everything. There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12.

The Garments

Do you think of lying as a sin? Do you hate it the way God hates it? This is a sin we tolerate in ourselves and diminish its importance. We think it is ok to exaggerate to make ourselves look better. Lying is destructive and corrosive. It breeds falsehood instead of truth, deceit instead of integrity, dishonesty instead of honesty. Dishonesty keep us from knowing God better.

Consequences

Proverbs 12:22 “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal faithfully are His delight.” When lie, we break fellowship with God – one another and ourselves. Is it any wonder why we feel alone and few really know and understands us.

Faith overcomes

Do you struggle with lying? Along with Paul, I urge you to surrender that area of your life to God, “to put that off.” It takes faith – trusting that God will protect you. Faith comes from God’s Word. Reading it daily.

Anger

Ephesians 4:26-27 we are to “Put off anger’. Ang[...]

Deuteronomy 16:16 – Shavout

Deuteronomy 16:16 – Shavout

Deuteronomy 16:16 - Shavout [35:39]

by Roy Schwarcz

http://www.royschwarcz.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/shavuot.mp3

God appointed Holy Days as times for God’s people to meet with him.

To remind His people of how He provided for them. To rest (sabbath). To give thanks through offerings. To repent and offer sacrifices. To read the Scriptures. The Feasts of the Lord.

Three of the seven were pilgrimage feasts when all Jewish males were required to go to Jerusalem to“appear before the Lord” (Deuteronomy 16:16).

Passover The First Pilgrim Holy Day. Commemorates God’s deliverance. of Israel out of slavery in Egypt. Passover is a permanent ordinance for generations to come. Observed on the 14th day of the first month beginning at twilight. The Passover lamb was to be perfect without spot or blemish.

Passover at the time of Yeshua At his Passover meal, Yeshua broke Matzah and took the 3rd cup of wine, saying these were his body and blood. He said he would not eat the Passover again until the kingdom of God comes. This event became known as the Last Supper.

Passover Yeshua was crucified as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). The Lord’s Supper is a remembrance of his sacrifice as the perfect Passover Lamb. It was no coincidence that Yeshua died on Passover. He fulfilled what Passover foreshadowed. Yeshua is the Lamb of God. Just as blood was required on the door post to avoid death so we must apply His blood to our hearts that death will pass over us,

Firstfruits Yom Bikkurim Background Firstfruits are offerings given for the spring barley harvest. The first ripe sheaf (firstfruits) of barley was offered to the Lord as an act of dedicating the harvest to him. A marked sheaf of grain was bundled and left standing in the field. The day after the Passover Sabbath was the first day of Unleavened Bread. On the day after the Sabbath of Passover, the priest waved the sheaf before the Lord. Counting the days (omer) then began and continued up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, the 50th day. The 50th day is called Shavuot or Pentecost.

Yeshua (Jesus) Yeshua rose on the day after the Sabbath of Passover, the day of Firstfruits (Luke 24:46-47). Jesus’ resurrection is the promise of the future resurrection of believers (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).

The manna, which God provided from heaven as food for the Israelites while in the wilderness, stopped on this day after they entered the Promised Land.

Since the temple was destroyed in AD 70, firstfruits are no longer offered on this day. We begin the counting the days (omer) on Firstfruits. The counting ends on the 50th day which is Shavout or Pentecost.

This year Shavout was celebrated last Tuesday at Sundown. But there is debate regarding what day to begin counting the omer (days). Is the Sabbath the Holy Day or the weekly Sabbath (Saturday)? The Rabbi’s believe that the Holy Day is the Sabbath referred to. But in Colossians 1:16-17 we read that the Holy Days were a shadow of what was to come. They foreshadow Messiah. Yeshua died on Passover and rose on Bikkurim which was the first day of the week. Then the counting began.

Feast of Weeks Shavuot Celebrated 50 days after Passover (the day after seven weeks or seven Sabbaths). Shavuot means “weeks.” Pentecost means “fifty.”

There are three aspects of Shavout: Going up to Jerusalem. The Giving of the Torah. The offering of the two loaves.

Going up to Jerusalem: No matter where you came from going to Jerusalem meant “going up”. Coming to Jerusalem was an act of obedience. It brought joy and blessing [...]

Leviticus 23:16-21 – Shavuot

Leviticus 23:16-21 – Shavuot

Leviticus 23:16-21 - Shavuot [55:56]

by Roy Schwarcz

http://www.royschwarcz.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Lev23_16_21.mp3

If you were Jewish the Law required that you go up to Jeruslaem. Shavuot is second of 3 feasts that Jews were commanded by God to present themselves before Him in the Temple in Jerusalem. Passover and Sukkot are the other two.

Historical Background: Shavuot was first celebrated after the children of Israel settled in the promised land. It was a feast that called all Israel to thank God for the land and the start of the Harvest. With the destruction of the Temple, it was impossible to fulfill most of the commandments related to the feasts. So the Rabbi’s changed the meaning and message of Shavuot. They shifted the focus to the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. Israel left Egypt on Passover and 50 days later Moses brought the Ten Commandments down from the mountain Exodus 19:1.

Shavuot began on the Jewish calendar last Tuesday at Sundown. But there is controversy over the dating. The question is what does the Scripture mean when it says “Sabbath”. The counting of the omer, or days, begin on the day after the Sabbath of Passover. Is that Sabbath the Holy Day Sabbath or the weekly Sabbath. The Jews interpret that the Passover is the Holy Day referred to while other people of faith believe it is first Saturday after Passover that the counting is to begin. Since the feasts are a shadow of what was to come and Shavuot foreshadowed the birth of Church then Shavuot Biblically should be celebrated this Saturday at Sundown.

There are 3 significant aspects of Shavuot I want us to consider this evening:

1) The command to go up to Jerusalem.

2) the giving of the law.

3) the two loaves of leavened bread offered to the Lord.

Going up to Jerusalem – No matter where a person came from, getting to Jerusalem always involved going up. As Jews from Israel and the diaspora would come in obedience to God, they were moved to consider the Lord. It was an experience of great joy.

Thousands upon thousands of families thronging into the city of Jerusalem to participate in a celebration of the Goodness and faithfulness of God. We get an idea of what it was like from Luke 2:41-45. While the Holy Days were a reminder and for thanksgiving it also was the setting for events spoken of by the prophets; The coming of the Messiah. The Rabbis write that all the law and the prophets were for nothing except the Messiah.

Every Passover there was the anticipation that on that day the Messiah would come. We set a place for Elijah, and at certain point in the ceremony go to the door to see if he is there. For the prophets foretold that Elijah would herald the coming of the Messiah. 1500 years after the first Passover, God did send His promised Messiah to Jerusalem. The Passover Lamb as prophesied by Isaiah 53. The majority of the plain people recognized Jesus as that Messiah.

50 days later, Israel was once again commanded to come to Jerusalem to present to God the offering required by the law to give thanks for the start of the summer harvests. But God once again was setting the stage for another event in His prophetic timetable. This was to be the day that all Israel would witness the promise of God’s Spirit taking up residence not in the Temple but in His children. Acts 2:1-13 Read:

The Giving of The Law at Sinai – The Law when it was given at Sinai was a gift from God. When obeyed it brought blessing and peace. It was the requirements of God’s covenant with Israel. It set Israel apart as a sp[...]

Ephesians 4:17-24 – The New Halakah

Ephesians 4:17-24 – The New Halakah

Ephesians 4:17-24 [30:03]

by Roy Schwarcz

http://www.royschwarcz.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/May11.mp3

The Halakah of God God created man to enjoy Him and Walk with Him. Ever since then mankind has hid from God Religion is one of the ways we hide from God. It is a like the fig leaves

Religion vs Relationship Religion helps us to cover the shame we feel because of our sin. We learn about God, enjoy worship, and believe our nakedness is covered up. But when we leave our holy huddle and face the world we really haven’t been changed.

Ephesians 4:17 Paul tells us that God has made provision just as in Eden. So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. (NIV)

Ephesians 4:17 NASB: This I say therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, “live” in the NIV and “walk” NASB & ESV. How we walk affects how we live.

God’s Provision – God wants to walk with us – If we walk with Him our lives will be transformed If we want His blessings we must walk in His ways

The Power of God’s Word How we live is rooted in God’s Law or God’s Word. God’s Word is His Law. When we abide in God’s Word it affects how we think, how we walk, how we live. Faith and life comes from God’s Word. God spoke and the world was created. God’s Word is powerful .

Shema – Deuteronomy 6:4 True life, God’s life comes from His Word. The essence of Jewish faith is rooted in the Shema The Walk that leads to life

The Shema – (Deuteronomy 6:4-7).

God’s Word Transforms When God’s word is on our minds it penetrates to our hearts When it penetrates our hearts it affects how we walk, how we live. It influences our family, and all those we come in contact with.

Our Passage presents Three things (Ephesians 4:17-24): Why walking worldly won’t work What happens when we think and walk like the world Abiding in Word transforms us

Walking worldly won’t work “So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.” – (Ephesians 4:17) Paul “insists” He is exercising his God given authority.

“This is from the Lord”: Our Lives are not our own. When we came to Messiah we were redeemed (purchased). We were bought by the Lord to be His slaves. We are to cultivate the mind of our Master. Not the mind of the Gentiles (nations-world).

Wrong thinking “no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God” – (Ephesians 4:17b-18a) Ignorance and disobedience to God’s Word hardens the heart (ie. Pharaoh}.

Are we different? Today many Believers are indistinguishable from those in the world. Does our life demonstrate that we are different? Do we have the mind of God or think as the world thinks?

Thinking that leads to death We are called to give up the “futility of such thinking.” Thinking like the world. Man makes up all kinds of stuff about himself and God – We have advanced studies in everything. There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. (Proverbs 14:12)

The thinking of life Yeshua said “I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life.” His mind leads to life. And we are to have the mind of Messiah. His way is completely different than the way of the world.

Worldly thinking Worldly thinking is darkened in ignorance which is not knowing. Just because w[...]

Genesis 26:1-35 – Genesis 27:1-10 – Abraham and Isaac

Genesis 26:1-35 – Genesis 27:1-10 – Abraham and Isaac

Genesis 26 - 27 - Abraham and Isaac [1:10:35]

by Roy Schwarcz

http://www.royschwarcz.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Genesis_26.mp3

Genesis 26:1-11 – A famine comes to the land where Isaac was living, the famine apparently did not affect the coast where the Philistines lived in the land now known as Gaza. God graciously appears to Isaac and tells him not to leave the land of promise. Note in V 5 that this blessing comes to Isaac because of Abraham’s obedience; it is easy to speculate that this is here because of his actions with Esau. In the rich tradition of his father, when Isaac comes to the land of the Philistines he does what Abraham did and says that she is his sister.

The reason is the same as Abraham, he feared that the Philistines would kill him so that the king would be able to marry Rebekah. This is as bad a wrong if not worse than Abraham’s – worse because he should have known better. He probably reasoned that Abraham’s actions weren’t fatal but like Abraham’s lie there would be consequences. In the case of Isaac he will from this point on experience hostility with the Philistines his entire life.

Isaac’s lie was discovered when Abimelech happened to see Isaac and Rebecca embracing from a palace window. When he confronted Isaac with the evidence, Isaac admitted the truth and the reason. Isaac was then rebuked by Abimelech saying that Isaac compromised his entire nation by potentially causing his people to commit a sin with Rebekah. 

Once again the ungodly are rebuking the Godly, because of their lack of faith and by not speaking the truth. The English poet John Dryden wrote, “Truth is the foundation of all knowledge and the cement of all societies.” When people don’t keep their word, the foundations of society begin to shake and things start to fall apart.

Happy homes, lasting friendships, thriving businesses, stable governments, and effective churches all depend on truth for their success. Isaac explains his motive for his lie but the excuse appears rather lame. Even if the men appeared to covet his wife, a man of faith would not stoop to lies to save his own neck. The King appears far more righteous than Isaac and his actions in V 11 demonstrate his commitment not to harm Isaac or Rebekah.

Genesis 26:12-14 – Isaac was then greatly blessed by the Lord even though he remained in the land of the Philistines. This land was also part of the land that he would eventually inherit through his children. Isaac, perhaps because of the famine now begins to not only raise cattle, but crops as well. His crops were mightily blessed with a hundred fold increase. God kept His promise and blessed Isaac in all that he did. How could the Lord bless somebody who claimed to be a believer and yet deliberately lied to his unbelieving neighbors? 

Because God is always faithful to His covenant and keeps His promises; and the only condition God attached to His promise of blessing was that Isaac remain in the land and not go to Egypt.  The blessing of God was so strongly upon Isaac that Abimelech’s servants became jealous. Water was an essential ingredient to Isaac’s success and his water came from the many wells that Abraham had dug in the land of the Philistines. The people of the land wanted to force Isaac away and so began to plug up all the wells so that Isaac would have to be forced to leave their land. The king responds to his people=s fear and jealousy by requesting Isaac to leave his territory, so Isaac leaves.

 Genesis 26:1[...]

Ephesians 4:1-6 – Unity In The Body of Christ

Ephesians 4:1-6 – Unity In The Body of Christ

Ephesians 4:1-6 - Unity In The Body of Christ [33:38]

by Roy Schwarcz

http://www.royschwarcz.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Ephesians4.mp3

The New Halakah Halakah is defined in Jewish tradition as rules handed down in Torah which are to guide everyday behavior. In other words it is defined as walking according to God’s revealed commands.

This has not changed but we now operate under the New Covenant Jeremiah 31:31-33 Review – Because of what Messiah Yeshua had done for us we have received great blessings. We may enter into the Holy of Holies clothed with holy garments. Commissioned and entrusted with the mysteries of God.

1 Peter 1:10-12 – Concerning this salvation, the prophets… searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Messiah in them was pointing … It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, … things even angels long to look into.

Our day to day walk  – The first three chapters of Ephesians lays down theological truths about our walk. The last three chapters deal with how we are to live day to day. How does our relationship with Yeshua help us deal with problems and trials in our day to day living?

Behavior & Beliefs – Ephesians 4:1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called? Does our behavior match our beliefs? Does our walk match our words?

The Old way vs. the New – In Ephesians 2:2 we learned that prior to faith we walked in a worldly way. This is our default mode, whether in religious life or in our a secular life. We were dead in sin but now alive in God. The Old way vs. the New – We wandered wherever the winds of this world blew…But now in Messiah we can walk in righteousness and holiness if we walk in Him.

SO… Where are we going? How are we living? Do our lives truly reflect His glory & majesty? How we are to walk – We have been called by God to live a life that demonstrates God’s great love for man. How we live, How we walk is of supreme importance. It’s not a matter of appearance but of perspective. Paul’s example – Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:1 that we need the right perspective. We need to understand that we are prisoners of the Lord.

Paul’s words carry authority because he lived this out imprisoned in Rome for his faith. Flesh vs Spirit – Paul call’s us to a WALK that is WORTHY of our calling. We tend to WALK apart from the Lord in our own strength, in our own way. We tend to believe that we must act and God responds to our efforts. If I pray enough, give enough, do enough, then God will bless me.

Flesh – BUT in reality that doesn’t work. It only leads to frustration & disappointment! WHY? Because we can NEVER DO ENOUGH.  We need to change our perspective Ephesians 4:2-3

The Right Attitude – Ephesians 4:2-3 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Paul gives us 3 characteristics of the right attitude:

The First Characteristic – Humility and Gentleness – The opposite of asserting yourself. Some of God’s people aren’t happy unless their ideas are acted on, and their vision is embraced.

Humility & Gentleness – BUT the way of the cross is humility and self-sacrifice. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in hum[...]