GVCC sermon notes Ephesians 4:1-3

Garden Valley Community Church
Pastor Shane Moffitt         August 12^th 2012

 “Who am I before God?” series

Study of the Book of Ephesians
“What does UNITY look like?”    
Ephesians 4:1-3

“Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.

 ² Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

 ³ Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.”

Paul shifts from doctrine to duty

·        We MUST have UNITY in WHAT we BELIEVE before we can experience UNITY in our DAILY LIVES as Christians
·        Doctrine without Practice leads to hypocritical “rules” driven religion
·        Practice without Doctrine leads to intense experiences without God

4:1    ~ Live a Life Worthy ~

·        “prisoner” of who?   John 15:18-21
KEY:        See everything VERTICALLY  before seeing it HORIZONTALLY
MEMORIZE:  Psalm 16:8
·        “worthy” flavor equal weight in scales
Your day-to-day living must match               
Your spiritual relationship with God
·        “calling” defined in chapters 1-3
·        KEY: Know WHO you are in Christ   
 BEFORE you try to WALK in Christ

4:2-3  ~ FOUR Attitudes of UNITY ~

·        NOTE: all 3 have to do with HOW we relate to each other 
John 13:34-35
·        Unity:   KEY ~ Romans 12:18

1)    Humility: judge others with kindness      
Humility begins with perspective ~ 
HOW you see God, yourself, others
Numbers 12:3, Philippians 2:7-8

2)    Gentleness: is power under control              
* Gentleness is produced by humility                                    
* NT word for wind pushing a boat             
Matthew 26:53, 1 Samuel 24:1-7

3)    Patience: literally “long tempered”                      
* result of humility & gentleness
* opposite of “short tempered”

4)    Love: giving someone what they need   
the most ~ when they deserve it the     
least ~ at great personal cost to you   
~  without getting anything in return

* Genuine love has 2 qualities:
sincerity: opposite of hypocrisy
discernment: opposite of gullibility
* READ: 1 John 3:14
TEST of your love: How do you 
react when someone hurts you?