Ephesians 4:1-6 – “We are one”

Jon Beck

My sermon notes for Sunday, Jan 6th.  Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon.  To see the sermon each week or subscribe to the weekly sermon podcast please visit http://www.fbcap.net

 

Ephesians 4:1–6 – [1] I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, [2] with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, [3] eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. [4] There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—[5] one Lord, one faith, one baptism, [6] one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (ESV)

 

Eph 4:1-6 – WE ARE ONE

 

INTRO:

(As we kick of our abide21 emphasis in Highlands County.) There are things we need to consider as we begin to celebrate that we are ONE.  Yes as believers we are ONE,  BUT IT IS EASY TO SAY.  We are One.  One church.  One people.  One body.  We are one in Christ.  We say it, but do we really know what it means?

This passage of scripture teaches us clearly what it means to be ONE as the body of Christ.  This passage teaches us that we are united by our conversion, consecration, and our confession.   SO, TO BE REALLY EXCITED TO BE ONE.  TO TRULY EXPERIENCE 21 DAYS OF SEEKING THE FACE OF JESUS… the we MUST understand what we are united on.  OUR CONVERSION, OUR CONSECRATION, OUR CONFESSION.

 

TEXT:

United by our Conversion – v. 1

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called”

Our salvation, our calling.

We are not united just because we all believe in Jesus.  We are united because we have been BORN AGAIN.  When we have been born again, we are all ONE.

  • Prisoner of the Lord – one of the prison epistles. He was literally in prison for being a faithful follower of Christ.  (A Christian life is not necessarily an easy life)
  • Walk worthy (bringing up the scales)
    • All the great promises of Chapters 1-3 become true in our own life.

 

United by our consecration- vv. 2-3

“with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, [3] eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

To dedicate for a higher purpose.  Turn from the world and follow after Christ.  GROWING AND CHANGING INTO THE LIKENESS OF CHRIST.  The goal of the Christian life.

We are not one because we belong to a particular church.  We are one because we have consecrated ourselves to live for HIS GLORY.  We have come together to live a certain way and make a difference in the World that we do live in.  What makes us one is our goals and purposes.  TO BE DIFFERENT.  TO LIVE MORE LIKE JESUS AND LESS LIKE US.

  • Humility – not prideful
    • Gentleness – not harsh
      • Patience – reactionary with others
        • Bearing with one another in love

 

  • Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit. UNITY in the Spirit.  A ONENESS. (which leads to vv. 4-6)

 

United by our Confession – vv. 4-6

“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—[5] one Lord, one faith, one baptism, [6] one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all”

 

To confess means you agree.  To confess means that there is also something you disagree with.

It would appear that it is harder and harder to stand for TRUTH today.  Yet, what make the early church ONE was what they believed.  They lived in a pagan world yet proclaimed THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST… THE GOSPEL.  We too live in a pagan world and that is even more the reason that we need to stand on THE TRUTH OF THE MESSAGE OF JESUS CHRIST… THE GOSPEL.  If we do not get the Gospel right then what are we united upon.

In the world of FAKE NEWS….  TRUTH DEFINES.

What we have in the Spirit

  • One body – the Church.  Everyone that has trusted in Christ as Savior and Lord
  • One Spirit – The Holy Spirit possess every believer at conversion.  We each are a temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor. 3:16-17
  • One Hope – our inheritance. Eph 1:11-14

What we have in the Son

  • One Lord – Jesus.  Acts 4:12.  There is no other name…
  • One Faith – What we place our trust in.  What is essential to believe.  Jude 3 – Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. (ESV)
  • One Baptism – Spiritual Baptism.

What we have in the Father

  • One God and Father of all.
    • Who is over all- All knowing
    • through all – All powerful
    • In all – All present

 

We are God created, God saved, God loved, God filled, God sustained, God blessed!

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