“Live Worthy of Your Calling”

Eph 4:1-16

·         Wasn’t our Celebration Sunday last week awesome!

·         Building fund offering is still coming in and being counted... if you missed last week, still give today!

·         Tentative figures from last week:           Regular Tithes & Offering -                 $5319.38

                                                                        Special Building Fund Offering -         $36,294.16

                                                                        Children’s Banks Offering -                $585.40

                                                                        Total Building fund to date -                $176,560.35

·         Praise the Lord – over $42,000 was given to the Lord this past Sunday – AMEN!

Thank You for Giving!

2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.

·         Thanks be unto God!  Give thanks to the Lord and praise His Holy Name!  What a Sunday!

·         I often hear statements like, “I don’t feel worthy”, “God can’t use me”, “I don’t know the Bible very well”, “How can I know the will of God for my life?”  “Why do I feel spiritually dry?”

·         This morning let’s look at how we can “Live worthy of your calling”... Mt 22:14 says many are called but few are chosen... this speaks of the “common call” but also of our “saving choice” (individual response).

Before we begin, ask yourself... Who am I in Jesus Christ?  God calls you a born again believer, He calls every Christian a NEW “saint” (means ‘most holy’, ‘set apart one’ & used over 60 times), You are a NEW creation, with a NEW identity, you have a NEW name written down in heaven, you have a NEW mind and a NEW attitude, You have NEW joy and NEW peace, God has given You a NEW heart with a NEW song to sing, You have a NEW Spirit and you are living under a NEW covenant with a NEW commandment and a NEW commission, making you a NEW man, You are getting ready for NEW heavens and a NEW earth where you will dwell in the NEW Jerusalem with King Jesus Forever!

·         God calls us pilgrims, sojourners, aliens and strangers in this world, ambassadors for Christ...

Choose to...

1.      Be Living by God’s Expectations.

Ephesians 4:1-3 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ² Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³ Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

·         God calls every Christian without exception to walk worthy of your high exalted position in Christ.

·         This is easier said than done.  You might say, “so what... I’ll live the way I want to...”  BE CAREFUL

·         You’ve been bought with a price therefore walk worthy of your high calling in Christ Jesus (1Co 6:20)

·         You choose to call upon the name of the Lord to be saved... you choose how you live out your life in Christ

·         “We measure ourselves by God’s standard not mine” 2 Corinthians 10:12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.

·         Paul says “I urge you to live life worthy of your calling” – I beg of you, I implore you, I exhort you

·         We must choose to live, to be governed by God’s rulebook not my own fallen thought process

God shows us what His expectations are...

§         Complete Humility

1 Peter 5:5-6 ⁵ Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." ⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

Psalms 25:9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.

Psalms 149:4 For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation.

§         Gentleness

1 Timothy 3:3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

Philippians 4:5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

§         Patience

Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

1 Timothy 1:16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.

§         Agape Love

Matthew 22:37-39 ³⁷ Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

§         Unity of the Spirit

John 17:23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Colossians 3:14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

§         Bond of Peace

1 Thessalonians 5:13b ...Live in peace with each other.

Romans 14:19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

The seven reasons for walking worthy

Eph 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called to one hope when you were called-- ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

·         It’s not you do your thing & I’ll do mine... we’re on the same team... we are ONE body – that must function

·         Every believer is indwelt by the same Holy Spirit... we have the same HOPE... the same LORD Jesus... We have the same Salvation by FAITH... All baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ and or public demonstration in waters of baptism in obedience to God’s Word... Same God and Father is everything!

2.      Be Aware of Your Spiritual Giftedness.

Ephesians 4:7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

·         We must align our lives up to God’s expectations and purpose for our lives... be in His Word.

·         We must chose to be aware of your spiritual giftedness – sign up for CLASS 301 (201 & 101)

·         The moment you trusted Jesus Christ you are supernaturally gifted by the Holy Spirit.  God says...

1 Corinthians 12:1 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.

1 Corinthians 12:7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

1 Corinthians 12:12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.

1 Corinthians 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

3.      Be Equipped to do the Ministry

Ephesians 4:11-12a ¹¹ It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, ¹² to prepare God's people for works of service...

·         “To prepare” – to equip, to perfect, to mend (as in fishing nets – Mt 4:21)

·         To walk worthy of your calling you must choose to be prepared by your Pastors/teachers

·         Choose to put yourself in position to learn and grow... allowing God’s Word into your life.

·         God tells us the Pastor’s job is the “mend your nets” so you are able to do the ministry.

·         Gifted people ministers God’s Word to others who in turn use their spiritual giftedness to minister in the church body... Isn’t it awesome how God designed all this!  It’s beautiful

Ephesians 4:12-15 ¹² to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. ¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

“Every Member a Minister”

·         The Lord expects you to be praying, reading His Word, faithfulness, giving, learning, growing, serving...

·         When you are His will & purpose for your life becomes clear, your joy overflows, you become focused!

·         You are “Growing to SERVE” – Actually your giving is an indicator of your spiritual condition!

·         Look at the results, the outcome of active involvement in making correct choices...

Results...

ü      Church Body is built up!

·         Unto a “mature man”... personally growing and corporately growing in a healthy church

·         Every member mutually edifying the body of Christ... every member serving where they “fit”

ü      Reach Unity in the Faith!

·         As each believer functions in his giftedness the church body enjoys unity and grows in faith

·         Destroy the fellowship and you destroy the church... unity is essential

ü      Become more Christlike!

·         As each individual functions they become more mature & grows others... Christlikeness

·         In all things growing up into Him... the head of the Church, Jesus Christ. V16 sums it all us...

Eph 4:16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

·         A ligament is a short band of tough fibrous connective tissue composed mainly of long, stringy fibres. Ligaments connect bones to other bones to form a joint.

·         God’s ultimate purpose for each of us is to do what ligaments do... cause us to function & grow

·         Notice how the church grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work

·         What’s hindering you from doing your part here at Cross Creek?

No exceptions ~ God calls EVERY Ligament to do its part!

·         No one person can do it all... God is calling all ligaments to get in gear – Growing to Serve!

·         Sign up for Class 101, 201, 301 being offered next Sunday Aug 20^th at 4pm (with PIZZA)

·         Choose to live a life worthy of your calling... make it happen, take charge of your life

·         Begin making wise, Godly decisions and watch what happens!

“An eternal weight of responsibility rests upon every single believer, for each one is responsible for reaching people and building them up.”

How many would say – YES Lord, I desire to live worthy of my calling!