Welcome to Saturday, July 31st!
This episode of The 7-Minute Cross Talk Bible Study is titled:
Walking Worthy of Your Calling and Gifts
For this Bible Study, we are considering the words of this week’s Epistle Lesson - Ephesians 4:1-16
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Scripture Quotations: New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995).
This podcast is a ministry outreach of Our Savior's Lutheran in Argyle, Minnesota - United States.
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Walking Worthy of Your Calling and Gifts
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For this Saturday Bible Study, we will consider the words of this week's Epistle Lesson: Ephesians 4:1-16
Hopefully, these studies encourage you to engage in a deeper analysis of the current passage. But, more importantly, I hope these studies deepen your love for the Word of God.
Let's begin:
The first section of this week's Epistle Lesson notes that the believer is to walk worthy of his calling.
The second half of the lesson notes that the believer must use the gifts that God has given Him in His service.
Follow along as I read this week's Epistle Lesson:
Ephesians 4:1-16 NAS95
Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, [2] with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, [3] being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. [4] There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; [5] one Lord, one faith, one baptism, [6] one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. [7] But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. [8] Therefore it says, "WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN." [9] (Now this expression, "He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? [10] He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.) [11] And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, [12] for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; [13] until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. [14] As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; [15] but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, [16] from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
A moment ago, I noted that the Epistle Lesson's first verses encourage the believer to walk worthy of his calling.
What does that mean?
As we read these first verses and connect them with the overall works of the Apostle Paul, we can see that Paul wants us to understand how much God did for us and then to serve and obey Him out of gratitude.
We are citizens of God's kingdom and should operate as such.
Paul begins here by noting that he is a prisoner of the Lord. Since Ephesians is one of the Captivity Epistles, this statement embodies a double meaning.
Paul is noting that Jesus Christ has captured his heart and life and that he is also in prison because of his faith.
The believer is always to remember to whose family he belongs.
In high school, when I would leave for a movie or a date with my girlfriend, my father would tell me, "Remember who you belong to!" What he meant by this was that I should be careful to bring no shame upon him and the family name.
As we look back on our earlier years, we might comment that we owe our parents and family a great deal.
What do we owe God? We certainly owe Him more than we could ever repay. He provided a Substitute who died for us, a substitute who bore our sin and thereby offered a new life for us.
Since this is the case, we are to live lives that honor and please Him. We are to walk in a manner worthy of the calling.
If we claim the name of Christ as our own we must now live in such a way as to bring honor to the name of Christ and His church.
Ephesians 4:1 NAS95
Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.
When are we to walk this way? We are to walk this way regardless of where we are and what we are doing.
As a pastor, I have experienced the violation of the following two verses many times.
Ephesians 4:2-3 NAS95
With all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, [3] being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Too often, Christians show less humility, gentleness, patience, and tolerance within the church and with each other than one would experience working with non-Christians.
Why is that when we are part of the family of God? All of us have come to faith the same way; through Jesus Christ. Therefore, unity should be present between all believers.
When our old ways and old self are allowed to enter the picture, divisiveness enters the church, and unity disappears.
The second half of the lesson notes that believers must use the gifts that God has given them in His service.
Ephesians 4:11-16 NAS95
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, [12] for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; [13] until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. [14] As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; [15] but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, [16] from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
Many folks have told me that they have no gift to use in the church and kingdom work. Does Scripture say that some have gifts and others do not?
Listen to the words of:
1 Peter 4:10 NAS95
As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
The Apostle Paul says the same thing in:
1 Corinthians 12:7 NAS95
But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
Why did Jesus provide these gifts to the church?
Ephesians 4:12 NAS95
For the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
Ponder this: Jesus gave us the greatest gift of all - the gift of meaning, purpose, and significance in life. He then gave each of us a gift that we are to use to honor Him.
Perhaps, you have never thought about what gift you might have. I encourage you to ask God to show you what your gift is and to step out in faith and use it. You have been given a gift, and God expects you to utilize it.
As we use our gifts and grow in maturity, it causes us to be solid unmoveable Christians not affected by the tides of this world.
Ephesians 4:14 NAS95
As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
Pastors and teachers equip the church so that each believer has a solid faith. As a pastor, I take my position very seriously. What I teach must be solidly based on the Word of God.
There are too many pastors and teachers out there today who teach false doctrines, which cause their listeners to follow the false trails of false doctrine.
We are all to do our part in building up the church through our gifts so that it operates as the body of Christ should.
Ephesians 4:16 NAS95
From whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
As members of God's family, we are to give all that we have to get the job done.
Let's Pray,
Gracious Heavenly Father,
May we see our involvement in Your church and ministry as a great privilege.
Help us always to walk worthy of who we are in Christ.
Help us to walk in faith and trust in You this day.
In the Name of Jesus,
Amen!
