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Pastor Larry Gatlin, So Oregon --------
I,
therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling
with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering,
bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as 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 above all, and through all, and in you all.
A. WALK
WORTHY OF YOUR CALLING.
B. BEHAVE
ACCORDINGLY.
C. DOESN’T
MEAN THAT YOU’LL NEVER BLOW IT.
D. BUT
AS MUCH AS IS POSSIBLE BE LIKE CHRIST.
E. BE
HUMBLE, PATIENT, GENTLE, UNSELFISH,
F. MAKE
ALLOWANCE FOR THE DIFFERENCES THAT EXISTS BETWEEN US IN THE BODY OF CHRIST.
G. WORK
HARD TO MAINTAIN UNITY AND HARMONY IN THE BODY. WE WON’T ALWAYS AGREE ON EVERY
THING BUT WE CAN STILL GET ALONG.
H. SELFISHNESS
IS WHAT KEEPS US FROM HAVING A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER.
I. THERE
IS ONLY ONE BODY. MANY MEMBERS BUT ONE BODY.
J. THERE
ARE MANY GIFTINGS, BUT ONE BODY.
K. THERE
ARE MANY TALENTS, BUT ONE BODY.
L. WE
ONLY HAVE ONE LORD, JESUS, THERE IS ONLY ONE FAITH, BELIEF IN JESUS AS THE SON
OF GOD. AND ONE BAPTISM. WHICH IS THE BAPTISM FOR REPENTANCE OF SINS.
M. WHICH
LEADS US TO THE INFILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHICH WE CALL THE BAPTISM OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT. BECAUSE LIKE WATER BAPTISM WE BECOME EMERGED IN IT.
But
to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8
Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive,
And gave gifts to men."
9(Now
this, "He ascended" — what does it mean but that He also first
descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the
One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) 11
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and
some pastors and teachers.
A. WE
ALL HAVE GIFTS.
B. GOD
INTENDS FOR US TO USE THEM TO BRING UNITY TO THE BODY.
C. NOT
SELF- EXALTATION.
D. BUT
SERVICE
E. THERE
IS CONTROVERSY CONCERNING THE FIVE FOLD GIFTS.
F. BUT
FATHER GAVE THEM TO THE CHURCH FOR OUR BENEFIT AND TO BRING UNITY.
12 for the equipping of
the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13
till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of
God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about
with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness
of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all
things into Him who is the head — Christ —
16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every
joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its
share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
A. FIVE
FOLDS GIFTS ARE GIVEN TO EQUIP US TO DO THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY AND FULFILL
OUR CALLINGS.
B. BRINGS
US TO THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST-LIKENESS
C. BRINGS
CLARITY TO FALSE DOCTRINES.
D. KNITS
THE BODY TOGETHER FOR UNITY AND PURPOSE.
E. THE
PROBLEM, WHEN WE CEASE TO WALK IN SUBMISSION TO AUTHORITY.
F. NOT
BLIND SUBMISSION LIKE SOME TAUGHT IN THE SEVENTIES BUT OURS EYES ON JESUS AS
THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH.
G. IT
WILL CAUSE THE BODY TO FUNCTION AS A WELL TUNED INSTRUMENT IN FATHERS HANDS.
H. FULL
OF LOVE AND EDIFICATION FOR ONE ANOTHER.
I.
IT WILL AIDS US IN GROWING SPIRITUALLY AND
NUMERICALLY.
III. EPH 4:17-22 PUT
OFF THE OLD MAN:
This
I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as
the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their
understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the
ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who,
being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all
uncleanness with greediness.
20
But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have
been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22
that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows
corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
A. IF
THE CHURCH LIVED LIKE CHRISTIANS WE WOULD SOLVE MOST OF OUR CHURCH PROBLEMS.
B. BUT
TOO MANY JUST WANT TO BE RIGHT OR HAVE THEIR OWN WAY.
C. THEY
NEVER LOOK AT WHAT THE WORD SAYS ABOUT AN ISSUE.
D. ISN’T
IT TIME THAT WE LIVED WHAT WE SAY WE BELIEVE AND LET THE WORD RESOLVE OUR
ISSUES.
E. THERE
IS ALL TOO OFTEN A LARGE GAP BETWEEN WHAT WE SAY AND HOW WE LIVE.
F. OH
THE WORD IS A GOOD GUIDE, UNTIL IT ADVERSLY EFFECTS ME. THEN ITS AMBIGUOUS.
G. WE
NEED TO WALK INLOVE AND RESPECT FOR ONE ANOTHER AND FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS THAT
FATHER HAS GIVEN US.
IV. EPH. 4:23-29 ---
PUT ON THE NEW MAN: HERE’S HOW WE DO IT.
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in
truth.
25
Do Not Grieve the Spirit Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of
you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. 26
"Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
27 nor give place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but
rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have
something to give him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your
mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to
the hearers.
A. BE
RENEWED IN YOUR MIND. THIS AREA GETS US INTO A LOT OF TROUBLE.
B. DISCIPLINE
YOUR THOUGHT LIFE TO FLOW WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND GODS WORD.
C. SPEAK
THE TRUTH IN LOVE AND WALK IN TRUTH. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR ANYTHING EXCEPT THE
TRUTH IN THE CHRISTIAN WALK.
D. PUT
A GUARD ON YOUR MOUTH AND DON’T LET CORRUPT THINGS COME OUT.
E. LYING,
GOSSIP, BACK BITTING, DIRTY LANUAGE OR JOKES.
F. LET
THOSE WORDS THAT WILL BUILD UP AND EDIFY COME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH.
G. SOME
TIMES WE MAY FAIL. BUT WHEN WE DO, START OVER AGAIN BY ASKING FATHER TO FORGIVE
YOU AND THEN MOVE BACK INTO DOING THE RIGHT THING.
V. EPH. 4:30-32 ---- DO
NOT GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT:
30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of
redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be
put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
A. DO
NOT GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT.
B. SPIRIT
IS SENSITIVE
C. CAN
BE GRIEVED OR WOUNDED.
D. HE
IS WHEN WE HURT AND FIGHT WITH ONE ANOTHER WHEN WE SAY BAD AGAINST OUR BROTHERS
AND SISTERS.
E. WALK
AWAY FROM, BITTERNESS, WRATH, ANGER AND LOUD OBNOUCIOUS, EVIL SPEAKING TOWARDS
OTHER BELIEVERS.
F. DON’T
THINK EVIL THOUGHTS OR THINK UP EVIL SCHEMES AGAINST FELLOW BELIEVERS
G. BUT
IN STEAD,
Ø
BE KIND
Ø
TENDERHEARTED
Ø
FORGIVING
Ø
TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER
BECAUSE IF JESUS HAS BESTOWED THESE BLESSINGS ON
YOU, YOU SHOULD IN TURN BESTOW THEM ON OTHERS.
