The Worthy Walk - part 2

Well, if you would take your Bible and turn back to Ephesians chapter 4, like I said, we're going to finish up these verses, verses 1 to 6. We're going to be primarily in verses 3 to 6. Now I will reference some other scriptures, and I know different people do different things throughout the message. Some of you are faithful to take notes, and some of you are faithful to write those other verses down. They all come together to help form the message that the Lord has for us. And you know, as you do your own study, you can come across other passages that solidify what we're studying, and that's a good thing for you to do.

Now I think most of you know that last week we started verses 1 to 6, and basically we did two important things in the message. First we transitioned into the second half of the book of Ephesians, which has brought us into more of what is called the practical portion of the letter. chapters 4 to 6 are all about practical Christian living. It's all about practical Christian living, of course, in one's own personal life, but it's also within the context of the church. It's also within the context of the family, even within the context of society. Now I want to point something out to you.

If you'll pay attention, the first section of chapter 4 is all about practical Christian living in the church. I think you'll see that if you pay attention to the verses. And last week I said that we have one command in the more theological section, but we see many, many commands in chapters 4 to 6. Paul's commands come one after the other, one after the other, one after the other. Now I want to make a challenge to you. I challenge you to read back through the book of Ephesians, make it your habit, maybe use several different translations. We can help you with that. Sometimes another translation can help you, just help solidify what's there.

If you'll take note of our summer program, if I can put it like that, on Wednesday nights we're in the book of James together. On Sunday nights in small groups we're in the book of Ecclesiastes. And on Sunday mornings we're in Ephesians. So make sure you study through the book of Ephesians, read through it carefully, and take note of these commands as you get into chapter 4, 5, and 6. And second, and more specifically, we started examining the worthy Christian walk that Paul called these Ephesian believers to live out in their everyday life. And make sure you see one important fact here. Paul did not call them to walk a walk.

He didn't call them to walk a worthy walk. He called them to walk the worthy walk. You see, God was not interested in a worthy walk that they developed on their own. No. And this fact is vital for us to see. God was calling them to the worthy walk, and he said, and he determined what that walk would be. And see, that applies for us too. God isn't interested in us determining what the worthy walk is. No. He has determined what the worthy walk is. So get it out of your mind, a worthy walk, and get it in your mind, the worthy walk. Now, Paul did a few specifics in these verses as he's writing to the Ephesian Christians.

Right away, he was reminding them that he was a prisoner for the Lord, and he was walking the worthy walk as God had called him to do. And out of his worthy walk, he called them to the worthy walk. Paul then clearly explained to them the characteristics of the worthy walk. He showed them what the worthy walk actually was, and it was a matter of the heart. It was a matter of the inner self, and that would manifest itself in arguably the most important work in the church. Some of you need to hear that. The work that is found here could be said and called the most important work in the church. Now, I will say this to you before we continue.

If you didn't get last week's message, make sure you get that. Sometimes some of you will ask for my notes. I don't ever mind sharing those with you, but go back and get that message because you're not going to get all the Lord wants you to get this morning without getting all the Lord wants you to get last week. But for us, for us in our day, through the Apostle Paul, God issues a call to us. Paul is our great example. He walked his worthy walk in light of his calling, and through Paul, God urges us to live in our everyday lives a life that is worthy of our salvation calling.

He is calling us to make sure that our daily lives are in equal weight and equal value to our salvation call. And we must see this fact. We must. The call to the worthy walk is a call to live an everyday life that is worthy of our salvation call the new life that is ours in Christ Jesus, that new life that we possess. And I hope you do possess that saving grace that should measure up to our walk should measure up to. And also for us, Paul, God through Paul describes to us and gives us the characteristics of the worthy walk. Paul shows us the characteristics of the worthy walk are matters of the heart. They're not matters of works.

Now notice, Paul does not say that the characteristics of our worthy walk are more in better religious activity. No, he doesn't. Paul does not say that the characteristics of our worthy walk are knowing and articulating the great doctrines of chapter one, two, and three. Paul explains that the characteristics of our worthy walk are matters of the heart and the inner self. See it's all about possessing and living in this great humility that comes into our lives through saving grace. And then it's about a gentleness or a meekness that comes from this humility. See it's all of work of grace.

Also it's about a patience or long suffering that comes from this humility and from this gentleness. So that's all a work of grace and it builds. And last it's about forbearance or bearing with one another in the love of God and with the love of God. All of this starts in humility. It comes about by saving grace and it is a continual work of grace in the life. One commentator that I study often calls humility, meekness, patience, and forbearance for graces. I like that. That commentator calls humility, meekness, patience, and forbearance for graces.

I think we must see that because to call them graces points to the fact that these characteristics come from a work of God in the heart and in the life. He calls them for graces which are evidence that point to the essential balance between what? Our calling and our character. So with a little application here I want to ask you a question. Are these four graces found in your life? This humility that can only come from a work of God? This humility that can only come from a work of God that leads to meekness, that leads to patience, that leads to this forbearance? This should be an ongoing work in our lives as God's people.

If it's not there something's wrong with your quote unquote call. Now this morning we just pick up right where we left off last week. That was a quick review, a very quick review of what we covered. And we will continue in the verses and this is all about studying and working to live out the worthy walk as explained and given by God. Now look how good all this has been. Look at the past week. Some of you have been hearing and spiritually feeling and experiencing this call. I've heard it from you. Some of you have been explaining how God's been working in your life, how He's been correcting you, how God's been dealing with you.

He's been dealing with me. And see that is the call, that is the spirit calling you to this worthy walk. But this morning we move from the call to the worthy walk and the characteristics of the worthy walk and we're going to look at the work of the worthy walk and we're going to look at the why, the why from it all. You see the information on the screens before you. This is how we'll divide our verses this morning. This is just the worthy walk part two, the work of the worthy walk and the why of the worthy walk. Now I want us to go back and read the verses and then we'll get into the work and then we'll get into the why.

So let's look back at verse one and we'll read on down to verse six. Paul says, "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called with all humility, with all gentleness, with all patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body and one spirit just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all." So let's get started with what I call the body of the message, our first major truth, the work of the worthy walk. This is right out of verse three. This is what I call the work of the worthy walk. Here in verse three, we really find ourselves whether you know it or not at the climax or the apex of the teaching. Paul's ultimate desire here was to get these Ephesians to this work that is described in the verse.

And it was this work of God, a work of God through all of the verses and all that he had been writing that would get them to a place where they could be obedient here. Now this leads me to ask a few rhetorical questions. I'm going to answer the questions. This is just wading through this work found in verse three. The first question, what is the work? This work in the verse, what is the work? Paul calls them to be eager to maintain the unity of the spirit. The New American Standard says being diligent to preserve the unity of the spirit. Occasionally I'll reference the amplified. It is a paraphrase.

And notice what it says, "Be eager and strive earnestly to guard and to keep the harmony and the oneness of the spirit." See this was the work Paul was calling them to. He was telling them that they were to always be ready, willing and able to preserve, to guard, to protect the unity of the spirit in the church. One scholar said the language here speaks of a constant action, meaning they were to be constantly in the work. So this work was being eager. It was about being diligent to always preserve and to protect the unity of the spirit in the church. But the second question, what is this unity? What is this unity?

This unity of the spirit is not speaking of the unity of the Holy Spirit. Don't make that mistake. This unity of the spirit is the universal inner work of unifying believers in the spirit upon their conversion to Christ. All true believers are called by God and they are unified with each other by the miraculous work and power of the Holy Spirit in the life. Now you might have a good memory, but if you think back to what we've studied, you'll know that Paul has already covered this. I get you to look back in chapter 2, chapter 2 specifically, verses 11 to 16.

I want to read those verses, just follow me and see if you can't find this unifying work as we read the verses. Paul says, "Therefore, remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, you were called the uncircumcision." In your translation of God's word, it probably has the uncircumcision in parentheses. See the Jews called those people the uncircumcised. They were those other people. "Therefore, remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh," they look down on them, "called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision which is made in the flesh by hand." See the difference in the two?

"Remember that you were at one time," talking to the Gentiles, "separated from Christ, alienated or strangers from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world." Now in Christ Jesus, you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. See they've been redeemed.

"For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and is broken down in His flesh, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in the ordinances that He," that's God, "by creating in Himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace and might reconcile us both," that's Jew and Gentile, "and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross." Here Paul is describing this unity, this unity in the Spirit as God did what? He miraculously and mysteriously made both Jew and Gentile one new man, one new body, and how did He do it? Through the cross.

And now before we continue, I want to dispel any misconceptions here. A couple of things about this work in relation to the unity. First Paul was not commanding these Ephesians to bring about this unity. He was not commanding them to bring this unity about. They could not bring about this unity. This unifying work was the work of the Holy Spirit of God through the cross. It is Christ that unifies men. It is only through saving grace which brings about the unifying work of the Spirit of God that men and women can truly be unified. Men and churches and organizations can in no way do this work. And as a matter of fact, when men try, they fail.

They usually make matters worse. But then second, Paul was not commanding these Ephesians to bring about some type of physical organization on unity. We could think that this is some type of unity among like churches like we see in denominations. We could think that this is some kind of a unity among different churches. You know, you get all of the churches together for unity's sake. But this is a unifying work of the Spirit that brings about an inner Holy Spirit unity in any and all people who are redeemed through the cross. Men and churches cannot organize this type of unity. And when they try, they fail.

So this unity is a unity brought to any and all, any and all who are brought into the body of Christ by the saving work of grace. Ephesians 2.14 and Ephesians 2.16. Those verses say that this unity by the Spirit and then the Spirit produces one body and one new man, one body and one new man. Look folks, this is unity. This is unity. It simply comes by work of God, a miraculous, mysterious work of God in people. Now the third question, how? That's a legitimate question. How? How is this work of diligently keeping the unity in the body of Christ possible? What is, if I could put it like this, the magic sauce? What's the glue here?

A better way of asking it probably is what are the means by which this work is done? Paul says this work is done in and with the bond of peace. See it in the verse? Now there's a key word here and that is this word bond. The Bible scholar Leon Morris says that this word is similar to the word prisoner from verse one. See it means to be bound together. It means to be tied together. Morris says that maybe Paul, maybe Paul was hinting that they were prisoners of this peace. For me, the Bible scholar Albert Barnes helps me to see what Paul was driving out. And listen to what Barnes says. Maybe it'll help you.

He says, and I'm quoting, "They, they should be bound or united together in the sentiments and affections of peace. It is not mere external unity. It is not mere unity of creed. It is not a mere unity in the forms of public worship. It is such as the Holy Spirit produces in the hearts of Christians when it fills them all with the same love, all with the same joy and of peace in believing." So this work, this work of diligently maintaining and keeping the peace was done in and through Christian peace.

This humility, this meekness, this patience, this bearing with one another in and through the love of Christ, it gives believers the desire and the ability, the desire and the ability to be bound together in peace. So the glue, the magic sauce was together, being bound together. That's what the language really says. It sounds redundant. Together, being bound together with one another in peace. Now, I do this often. I ask you to take a step back from the verses and see and hear the work of the worthy walk. If God's help, we can see the work and we can hear the work, we can even get a grasp on the work.

If God's people will walk the worthy walk, the worthy walk, which is in equal weight and value to their call, to their saving call. If they will walk the worthy walk in all humility, which leads to all gentleness, which leads to all patience, which leads to this forbearing love, then and only then can they eagerly and diligently work hard at preserving and protecting the unity of the spirit in the church. And how is this done? By all together being bound together with this peace. Simply the work of the worthy walk is eagerly guarding and maintaining the unity of the spirit of the church to gather being bound together with this peace.

Go back to verse three again. Eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. Now here I want us to see two very important lessons and I want us to see two very important consequences or ramifications. First, the preservation of the church in the world. Think about that phrase with me. First I want us to think about the preservation of the church in the world and simply if this unity is not preserved by all of us, then the unity of the church is wrecked. It is wrecked and ruined. Many of you have the one volume Bible commentary by William McDonald. It's a good, good resource.

But William McDonald says and I'm quoting, "There is enough flesh in every one of us to wreck any local church." There is enough flesh, there is enough sin, there is enough self in every one of us to wreck any local church. Now some of you might be doubting that statement. Now listen to me. This unity is something that we are commanded to keep, right? We are commanded to protect it. And the fact that we are to bear with one another with and in the love of God certainly implies that sometimes, many times, we cannot get along. Sometimes and even at certain times we will not see the eye to eye with other believers.

Well, what's the result if that's left unchecked? What's the result if that's not corrected? Well, disagreements and more disagreements, fuses, fights, possible divisions, possible anarchy in the life of the church. And look, that is not the way God's people are to behave in God's church. But whatever the disagreements, oh, whatever the fights, whatever the sins that are involved, we have no right to ignore this command. We must maintain the unity of the church. Think with me here. Don't call any names. How many churches are ruined and have been ruined not by bad doctrine. Now bad doctrine can ruin. Not by bad ministry methods.

Now bad ministry methods can ruin. But how many churches have been ruined by the total lack of unity, a total lack of unity and a spirit and a desire to preserve that unity in the bond of peace. So it's up to us. Yes, you, me, all of us to be as diligent as we ever can be to preserve the unity of this church, this church and see the preservation of the church in the world. But then second, the witness of the church in the world, the witness of the church in the world, simply if this unity is not preserved by all of us, then the witness of the church in the world is ruined. John 17 is what's called the great high priestly prayer there.

Jesus is praying for his disciples and he's also praying for all believers, all believers. And Jesus was praying for all believers of all time throughout all of the ages. And then Jesus in verse 21, he's asking his father here and notice what he says. He says that they, that is all of us may be one. May the unity just as you father are in me and I am in you that they also may be in us. And notice what the end of the verse says so that the world may believe that you have sent me. And notice Jesus was praying for unity, this oneness that would be seen by the world so that the world may believe that God sent his son, Jesus.

He says that Jesus is not praying for a oneness, but the manifestation of this oneness to the world. What good would it do for the oneness to exist if it wouldn't be seen by the world? Hey listen, church, especially if you're a member of Grace Life Church. Oh, if this is where God has called you to plant your life, if we want our children, if we want our family, if we want our neighbors, if we want our friends, even if we want people around the world to come to saving faith in Christ, then we must, we must see a Holy Spirit born unity.

They must see a Holy Spirit born unity and they must see us working hard to maintain and preserve this unity, not fussing and fighting. They can't see fussing, they can't see fighting, they can't see petty arguments and disagreements. But listen, this is all hinged on together, being bound together in peace. I can't help but think about a church that I was a part of years ago. Some of you will know what I'm talking about. Years ago, I was a part of the church that went through lots of disagreements, lots of fighting, and it just exploded. Nobody was there to maintain the unity in peace and it blew up.

And by God's perfect will for my life, I was spit out. And I'll never forget years later, I was working in a particular setting and I had an individual ask me who I am. He said, "Who are you?" Now I was working a secular job. And I introduced myself, told him my name. He said, "Oh, I know exactly who you are. You were at that church." And he began to describe everything that took place. He described it like he was sitting in the pew. Their witness was ruined, destroyed.

And you know, some of you will know about some of the things I'm speaking about, but we've had people here in the life of our church in the past who weren't careful to preserve and work hard and maintain the unity. As a matter of fact, they did things that fractured the unity. They even willfully, purposely tried to do things to destroy the unity of the church. And you know who I'm talking about. And listen, by God's good grace, they are gone. And what happened was it fractured the unity, it cracked the unity, it threatened the unity, and we had to work hard to repair it. Now I'll say this as a pastor. I'm very patient.

Some of you've known me for years. I'm patient and I'm fairly long suffering. I'll walk with you through sin, I'll walk with you through struggles, I will love you and I will help you. Look, as long as you're just trying to walk with the Lord, I'll be patient with you. The Lord has been patient with me. But I'm telling you, if you start being divisive, if you start being argumentative, even if a brother over here is wrong and you are right, if you start being argumentative, if you start building a coalition, if you start spreading rumors, if you start dividing, you're gonna get a knock on your door.

And there'll be a music minister, elder standing right beside me. And there'll be another group of men standing right beside me. You might say, "Pastor, you seem pretty impassioned here. "What does the text say? "I am to be eager. "And if you were to be eager, "how much more me, if I'm the pastor, "to maintain and to preserve and to work hard "to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace?" So what do we have? This is the work of the worthy walk, the work of the worthy walk. And number two, I want us to see the why of the worthy walk. We see this in verses four to six. The why of the worthy walk. I want us to read the verses.

You're gonna notice a big change, a big shift in the language. Paul says, "There is one body, one spirit, "just as you were called to one hope "that belongs to your call. "One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father, "of all who was over all and through all and in all." Now, why do we do all this? I've been talking about a lot of work. I've been talking about this worthy walk. Now, why do we do all this? Why is this so very important? One scholar said that verses four to six are the reasons why believers should be so eager to keep the unity. Now, John MacArthur calls this the cause of the worthy walk. You know what a cause is?

If we're a part of a movement, if we're a part of a cause, you know, we're tied to that cause, we're tied to that movement. We give our time, we give our money, we give our resources. We even make sacrifices for the cause, for the movement. Isn't that right? Well, here Paul gives us certain facts that form the foundation of this unity that he has just given. And he writes here in a very unique way, giving one abrupt fact after another, one abrupt fact after another, with each fact introduced by the word one. And these facts form the very foundation of the unity. And this tells us why we do the work of the worthy walk. Again, questions.

So why the worthy walk? The text says there's one body. There is one body. In the original, there is isn't even in there. That's there for readability. Paul says one body, very abruptly. Of course, this is talking about the church. And this is the church which is comprised of all believers, all who have ever come to faith in Christ. This is what sometimes scholars or Christians call the universal church. Well, there's a key word here that we need to see. This word one. Now, you know, for some, this can be a really hard word to understand. But if you study it, you know what it means? One. Means one.

The problem is many people move away from the word. And what Paul is saying here is this. There was no Gentile church and there was no Jewish church. There was no church divided by slave and free. There was no church divided by race or ethnicity. There was no church divided by geography or even time. And there was no church divided by culture or class. He was even saying that there was no church divided by denominations or doctrine or labels or personal convictions. Paul is saying there is one. One body, one church. One body, one church. One body, one church. Let me show you just how sinful men are.

Throughout all of the ages, sinful men, Christian sinful men have taken this and what has it turned into? Denomination after denomination, sect after sect, division after division. Look folks, when we look back at all of these divisions in different churches and labels, it just shows us how sinful we are. Second. While the worthy walk, there is one spirit. There is one spirit. This of course is the spirit, the Holy Spirit. And this spirit is the Holy Spirit that birthed these Ephesians into the body of Christ. And this spirit is the spirit of God that called them to faith in Christ.

And this spirit is the same spirit that lives within the hearts and lives of all believers. And the fact that Paul links one body with one spirit emphasizes the oneness of the church and it emphasizes the fact that this one body is a spiritual body. This one body is comprised of people who are dwelt by the one spirit, the Holy Spirit. So not only do the individual members of the body possess the entwilling of the spirit of God, the body itself is somehow infused and inhabited by the spirit of God.

And you know, for some of us, we need to be reminded, if we are redeemed, it is the spirit that lives within us and somehow, some way, the spirit of God lives and moves within us as we gather together to worship and do what we do. And then third, why the worthy walk? Paul says there is one hope. Now this hope is not stated simply one hope. Paul changes. Paul says just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call. This calling, of course, is the calling to salvation, which these Ephesians had experienced and that which Paul referenced back in verse one. So Paul is referencing something that they had experienced personally.

And this hope is not just the hope of salvation in the life, this speaks to the hope that is to come. The hope that is to come is the hope that Christ will come back to get his own. Do you have this hope? Do you have this hope? Do you have this hope that you've been forgiven of your sin? Do you have this hope that you are forgiven and that you do not have to fear death? Listen folks, if you are not in Christ, death is your enemy. Oh, death is your enemy. You do not wanna die without Christ and stand before God. But those of us who are redeemed, he is our hope. He is my hope.

I have hope that I've been forgiven and I've got hope that I don't have to fear death. And then next, why the worthy walk? There is one Lord. Now this one Lord is none other than Jesus Christ, the son of God. This is none other than Jesus who was revealed all throughout the scriptures, both Old and New Testament. This is Jesus who is more specifically revealed in the gospels and then revealed all throughout the New Testament. In this language, one Lord speaks to the fact that there is no other Lords and no other gods.

Acts 4, 12 says, and there is salvation and no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Folks, there's one Lord. And I know that we will be tempted to think about all roads lead to heaven. No, they do not. There's only one Lord and he is Christ Jesus. And then next, so why the worthy walk? There is one faith. Now if it is true that there is one Lord and it is, then there can only be one faith. And here Paul is speaking of this one faith, this one true faith. We would say the Christian faith. And this is not a faith that is revealed by churches and church traditions and denominations.

This is not revealed by popes and ecclesiastical boards. No, this faith is the one faith that has been revealed through God's word, through the scriptures. The little book of Jude, verse three, it only has one chapter. Jude verse three, Jude says, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith, contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. Now how was it delivered? This one faith has been delivered by God through men and those men were inspired to put down the scriptures. This one faith is revealed in the scriptures. And my question for you is this, do you see this as one faith?

Again, we do not believe in a plurality of faiths. All other faiths are manmade, one faith. There's only one. And then next, so while the worthy walk, there is one baptism. Now within the scriptures, we see two baptisms. Yes, two. We see a spiritual baptism. A spiritual baptism is described in 1 Corinthians 12, 13. But then we also see a physical baptism and the physical is spiritual as well. This physical baptism is when converts to Christ profess their identification with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. And the type or mode of baptism as seen in the New Testament scripture is what's called believer's baptism.

And believer's baptism is seen and explained in the scriptures as baptism by immersion. Well, what baptism is Paul speaking about? Paul is certainly speaking of physical baptism, water baptism, believer's baptism and physical baptism, which has spiritual meaning, yes, water baptism, believer's baptism is seen in the gospels all throughout the book of Acts and all throughout the New Testament scriptures. Simply there is no denying that the biblical mode is after one is converted to Christ, they are to be baptized in what is called believer's baptism, which is their true profession of faith.

I did this last week, I referenced our church statement of faith. I have invited you numerous times to pick up a copy. It's on our church website as well. You know, a funny thing about our church name, Grace Life Church, many times people say, well, are y'all a Baptist church? Many times people ask that just 'cause Baptist isn't in our name. Well, Baptist is a part of our statement of faith, baptism, the belief in believer's baptism. And in section nine, you'll see that we believe in two ordinances, baptism and the Lord's supper. And listen to what our statement of faith says about baptism.

We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of the believer in water. Now there's a whole list of scripture to back up that statement. We didn't pull that out of thin air. Performed in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Again, scriptural references. In order to demonstrate in a solemn and beautiful emblem, the believer's faith in a crucified buried in risen savior and his purifying power that baptism symbolizes that the believer is now dead in sin and resurrected to walk in newness of life. Again, a whole list of scriptures. That baptism has no saving power. You need to hear that.

Baptism has no saving power within itself and therefore does not so much as aid in salvation, but follows salvation. And that it is a prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord's table. And again, scripture references to back up that doctrinal statement and position. Now my question for you is this, have you been scripturally baptized? Those who are scripturally baptized are baptized after their profession of faith, after they say they've been converted to Christ. You know, we have a list of folks, a group of folks who said that they've been converted to Christ and we will be observing baptism soon.

And if you believe God has converted you, you need to come to me or Brother Keith and we need to talk to you and counsel with you to say that you've been converted and that you are qualified for scriptural baptism. And then last, why the worthy walk? There's one God and Father, the text says. Here Paul is speaking of the most fundamental belief of the Jews. The fact that there was and he is one Lord who is Lord over all. Of course there's one verse where this can be seen, Deuteronomy 6.4, which is commonly called the Shema for the Jews is very famous. And Deuteronomy 6.4 says, here O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

And not only was this the most fundamental belief of the Jews, it was also the most fundamental belief of the New Testament church and it still is. God the Father is the most comprehensive title given to God within the scriptures. And all through the New Testament, God the Father is never separated from God the Son and never separated from God the Spirit in nature and in power. And notice how Paul explains God the Father, a little further in the verse. Here he explains his supremacy, his power and his relatability. As God the Father. First, Paul says he is over all.

This speaks to the fact that he is the supreme sovereign king of the universe. All things, all people, all rulers and all nations. All things seen and unseen. All things past, present and future, especially as church. He is over all. Look folks, when you look around, it's not falling apart. It's falling into place. Second, he is through all. This speaks to the fact that he is at work in all things to accomplish his will and purposes. Yes, he is. God is in all things, not to try to accomplish his will and purpose. He is in all things so as to accomplish his will and his purposes. Now, especially the church. And then third, he is in all.

Now, the King James here reads in all of you. Now, this speaks to the fact that he is in the hearts of all believers. Specifically, these Ephesian believers and us. Here Paul is simply referencing what he had said earlier in chapter two, verse 22, when he said that they were the dwelling place for God by the spirit. Simply God lives in his people and in his church. Now again, step back from the verses and notice why the worthy walk. And look, with God's help, we can truly see why we would eagerly engage in this work of the worthy walk. It's because there is one body and we are a part of that body. And there is one spirit.

And that spirit dwells within us and among us. And there is one hope, that hope to which we have been called and there is one faith, one baptism, one God and one God and Father who is over all things, working through all things and working in us who are the redeemed to accomplish his purposes within the world. Simply the work of the worthy walk is the most worthy walk and cause. You need to hear that again. The work of the worthy walk is the most worthy work and cause and the work of the worthy walk is worth it. Not simply because we are commanded to do it.

This work is a worthy walk because there is one body, one spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father who is over all and in all and through all and he is in us. That is the foundation of it all. Now a couple of questions here and application. Would you do anything to jeopardize or threaten or destroy the oneness, the unity in your marriage with your spouse, would you? I hope that you would scream no. I hope that you would jump to your feet and scream no. Think about that. Would you do anything to jeopardize, to threaten or even destroy the oneness, the union that you have with your spouse?

Would you do anything to jeopardize or threaten or destroy the oneness that is presented in verses four to six, would you? The easy answer is yes, but you'll be tested here. Now listen, this kind of test isn't a test to see what you know and this kind of test isn't a test for God to see what you're going to do. God already knows what you're going to do. Remember when God tested Abraham, God told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, his one and only son. Did God know what Abraham was going to do? He certainly did. But Abraham did not know what Abraham was going to do. And listen folks, you will be tested here.

You will, you will be tested when you have to stand up and preserve this oneness even when those that you love are attacking it. You will have to stand up and work to maintain this oneness even when you have to die to sin and when you have to die to things in your life that are wrong. Any individualism here is sinful. And listen, we will be tested and it will show that some are not approved. And then for some, you will be tested and it will make you more fit and faithful for the work. So the why of the worthy work is the foundation of it all and the cause is definitely worth it. Now, as I close real quickly, I have an assignment for us all.

Yes, homework. Homework won't kill us folks. Homework. Not to move away from verses one to six, but I give you this assignment to help solidify the verses and the teaching in our hearts and in our minds and in our understanding. Not that we would simply quote the verses, not that we would simply even quote the meaning. This is so that we may be able to live up to the verses, that we would be able to live the call, live the characteristics, live the work and live the why. Now here's my assignment. Memorize verses four to six. These verses, they are our creed. That's a very important word.

Webster defines a creed as a belief, an authoritative religious formula or a belief. Let me say that again. Webster defines a creed as a belief, an authoritative religious formula or belief. Now you tell me, is this authoritative? Yes, they are. And this must be our creed. We must believe every inch of verses one to six and we must live every inch of what is in verses one to six. So memorize your creed folks. And then second, memorize verses one to three because verses one to three, they are our command. We are commanded by Paul to do what is found in the verses. God expects his people, his church to do all that is found in the verses.

And you can't do what you don't know to do. Memorize the verses, meditate over them, have the meaning in your heart and in your mind and in your understanding. And look, if we have this creed and these commands in our hearts, then and only then can we walk the worthy walk in his church and for his church and for his glory. Now let's do this and then we'll close. Let's read the verses together and then we'll commit them to the Lord and we'll pray and we'll sing and we'll dismiss. Verse one, Paul says, "I therefore a prisoner for the Lord." He's walking his worthy walk.

"I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility, with all gentleness, with all patience, bearing with one another in love, the love of Christ in us and through us, eager, eager to maintain and preserve and protect the unity of the spirit together in the bond of peace. For there is one body, one spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and father of all, who was overall and through all and in all." Look folks, it's real simple. It's the worthy walk. Let's pray and then we'll sing and we'll dismiss.