In this study we commence the 2nd half, and the practical section of the book emphasizing the Christian Life. Paul goes to great pains to exhort us to walk worthy of our great and high calling by being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Learn how to preserve the unity that God has already supernaturally created between every true child of God!
Teaching Notes:
The Unity Of The Spirit
Ephesians 4:1-6
Intro: We come this morning to the 2nd half of this letter. As you know, Ephesians divides itself into 2 parts: Doctrine (chapters 1-3) and Duty (chapters 4-6). Or, to put it another way Our Wealth, and then Our Walk. Chapters 1-3 – I’ve made you a saint. Chapters 4-6 – Now live a saintly life. Up until this point, Paul hasn’t told us to do a single thing. From now on, practically everything is application. Therefore: because of everything I’ve told you about your wealth in Christ (election, adoption, predestination, redemption, inheritance, sealing, regeneration, reconciliation) live this way.
It is so important to have unity in our families. Has your family ever experienced perfect unity & peace for even 24 hours? Hardly! We shouldn’t be surprised if we have conflicts within the family of God. As long as church made up of imperfect people we will experience conflicts, hurt feelings, anger and resentments. How can we maintain unity of body?
The Prisoner Of The Lord: Paul was in prison as he wrote, but was not a prisoner of the Roman guard. He was the Lord’s prisoner. He was in prison because the Lord had providentially brought him into that circumstance. Paul is not moaning and groaning, and whining about this. He sees that God has ordered it for his good and God’s glory, so he is content and at peace.
Walk In A Manner Worthy of The Calling: this calling was described in 2:1-5. This call is absolutely wonderful! It was a life giving call that raised us from spiritual death, united us to Christ, and made us alive together with Him. This call is based on His grace, and not on our works. However, this call results in the good works God had prepared beforehand for us to walk in. We need to walk worthy of that calling. Walk means “to live, to conduct yourself.” Paul is calling on us to live lives worthy of our high and heavenly calling. If we live angry, irritated, selfish lives, this is unworthy of our great calling. But how do we walk worthy of our calling? His answer is in verses 2-3. We do it by being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
1. The Call To Unity:
A. This is the First Thing He Calls Us To: Isn’t it interesting that the very first thing Paul focuses on when he gets down to Practical Application is Unity, Harmonious Relationships in the body. He doesn’t talk about witnessing, prayer, the Word, or family. He talks about the Church, and he talks about Unity in the Church as of supreme importance. He begs us urgently to walk worthy of our calling by walking in unity with one another!
B. Implore: the Greek word is parakaleo. Literally, it means “to exhort, or to call.” It has been translated in many ways: “beseech, implore, entreat, beg, urge, call upon you, exhort.” The NASB uses the word “implore.” This word means “to beg urgently.” The old NASB uses “entreat” which means “to ask earnestly.” This is a strong verb. Paul is urgently and earnestly calling us to walk worthily by walking in unity.
C. Being Diligent: how do we walk worthy? By being diligent to preserve. The word diligent means “make every effort.” It’s definitely not a passive thing. We don’t sit around & wait for unity to be preserved. We actively work at it. “Being diligent” is a present participle, which means it is something that we are to do continually. We can’t take vacation from this. All must continually be on guard for disruptions in unity of body & seek reconciliation.
D. Preserve: we are not called to create it. It has already been created by God supernaturally. We are just called to preserve it, guard it, keep it.
E. Bond of Peace: how does this unity manifest itself? Peace. When there is strife & contention unity flies out window. If are to preserve unity, we must be peacemakers!
2. The Way To Unity: (summarized in 5 words)
A. Humility: spirit of person willing to lower themselves. Phil.2:3 – “regarding one another as more important than yourself.” The reason we have so much conflict is that we are so self-centered! James 4:1-2. We think far too much of ourselves. If we would take a lower place in our own estimation and put others before ourselves there would be much more peace & harmony in our relationships in the body. When facing a conflict ask, “Am I putting myself or the other person first in this situation?”
B. Gentleness: this word speaks of meekness, not weakness. Moses was the meekest man in all the earth, but he was definitely not weak. Jesus said, “I am gentle and humble in heart” (Mt.11:29). Jesus was definitely not weak. One way to view meekness is power under control. A colt which has been broken is a “gentle” or “meek” colt. That colt may be a very strong and powerful animal, but once it is broken, it is gentle. To be gentle is to be God-controlled. Too often instead of being controlled by Spirit, we are harsh and rough with each other. When someone does something to hurt us we either lash out in anger or coil into a little ball. God is calling us to be gentle, responding to others as He directs instead of how our flesh wants to react. What a difference it would make if when someone hurts me I immediately seek God to fill me and enable me to respond according to His will.
C. Patience: This word does not mean the ability to wait long periods without becoming agitated. It means long-suffering, or long-tempered. It is the idea of a person who has a long fuse. It is the person who resists provocation and refuses to retaliate. Jesus is the perfect model of patience. When he was being beaten, mocked, scourged, and crucified, he refused to lash out at his persecutors, but was long-suffering. Do you bear other’s faults without striking back?
D. Tolerance: This word means to put up with people. Instead of writing people off, because they say or do things you don’t think are right, tolerate them. Bear with them. Put up with them. God knows they have to do the same with you! We are not talking about tolerating sin without saying anything about it. Jesus tells us what to do about that (Luke 17:3; Mt.18:15-17). We’re talking about immaturity, weaknesses, and personality flaws.
D. Love: The Greek word is “agape.” It is the unconditional, self-sacrificing love of God. Our love is too often conditional – I will love you if you love me, are loveable, or make me happy, special or important. God loves us in spite of us (Eph.2:4-5). In spite of the way someone treats me, my only response should be love. We ought to be able to say, “nothing he can do will ever make me seek anything but his highest good.” Love is not the result of an emotional high, but a decision of the will. We must choose love. Are you seeking one another’s good in spite of how they treat you?
3. The Basis of Unity: (7 spiritual realities that unite all Christians). Why should we be diligent to preserve unity. Because anything else us unnatural. If we fracture, fight and divide this is freakish and against our nature. God has already supernaturally made all Christians 1. Must be diligent to preserve what we are. Instead of magnifying differences, should emphasize 7 positive realities. Word “one” occurs 7 times.
A. 1 Body: 1:22-23 (church). We are all members of the same church. Regardless of our differences (color, race, culture, language, personality, doctrine) there is only 1 body made up of all born-again believers. In Paul’s day would be easy to divide into the Jewish Church the Gentile Church. No! Eph. 2:14-16.
B. 1 Spirit: The same Holy Spirit indwells every believer. All Christians have this in common. 1Cor.12:13.
C. 1 Hope of Your Calling: We all have the same hope of heaven. What have we been called to? A great hope! Eph.1:18. Titus. 2:13; 3:7. Eternal heavenly glory with Christ. We are all going to the same place. We might as well learn to get along down here! There is not going to be a separate division of heaven for Baptists, Pentecostals, and Calvinists.
D. 1 Lord: Jesus Christ. Lord = Master. Only 1. Christ rules over every one of us! Great unifying factor.
E. 1 Faith: either 1) Christian faith (body of doctrine once for all delivered to saints & preserved in the New Testament); the essentials of Christianity. Or 2) principle of faith: one way of salvation through faith apart from works. All have received salvation in the same way.
F. 1 Baptism: All Christians have experienced the same baptism. Not water baptism. 1Cor.12:13 – this is the act of the Holy Spirit when He places the believing sinner into the Body of Christ.
G. 1 God and Father: all = all believers. All believers have the same Father who adopted us into His family. Above all – this speaks of His supremacy (sovereignty). Through all – this speaks of His providence (works out His purposes through His people). In all – indwelling all believers.
Application:
1. What should we do when we do not have agreement?Leave and find another church? No! Decide we will never talk about things we disagree on? No! Pursue love. Show respect to others. Listen to others. Have a teachable spirit. Refuse to take offense or bear a grudge. Focus on what we have in common rather than what we disagree on.
2. What Should we do When Others Irritate Us? Be humble, gentle, patient, tolerant and loving. In other words, be like Jesus! Actually, it is good for us to be around people who irritate us. It forces us to pray and become more like Christ.
3. What Should We Do When Someone Gossips To Us? Prov.6:16-19; Prov.20:19. Mt.18:15
__________________________________________
© Stone Bridge Ministries
Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For web posting, a link to this document on our website is preferred. Any exceptions to the above must be approved by Stone Bridge Ministries.
Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By Brian Anderson. © Stone Bridge Ministries. Website: www.StoneBridgeMinistries.net
Follow Us!