Sermon Tone Analysis

Turn to Ephesians 4

The Call of God

Turn to

Today is a special day for Adam and for our church family.

We’re not exalting Adam, he is no more special than anyone else - but we are celebrating with him and we’re celebrating what Christ has done in him and what Christ is calling Adam to do.

What we’re celebrating fits perfectly into where we are as a congregation and where we are heading - that God is calling us to be the best church we can be.

God is calling us to excellence.

As we seek God’s direction and vision for this church, I believe we will see more people called into specific areas of ministry.

Our Nazarene denomination, as do many others, believes that all believers in Christ are called to minister.

All believers are to be actively engaged in ministry.

I’ve said this before, that

“Every Christian is a minister and every minister has a ministry.”

Every Christian has a skill or talent they should use for the Kingdom of God.

Furthermore, God has provided spiritual gifts to each Christian for works of service.

This is what I call “Doing what you can with what you’ve been given.”

We also recognize that God calls some men and women into specific and public ministry.

We see many examples of this throughout Scripture.

For example, God called all Israelites to freedom, but He specifically called Moses to lead Israel; God ordained Aaron and his sons of priests; God anointed David as king; Jesus appointed His 12 disciples and then sent them out.

Understand that God has not stopped calling and sending.

The problem, however, is not that God is calling less people; the problem is that less people are responding to His call.

They are putting other things before God … but that’s another sermon.

Now Adam, we believe, has received a call to fulltime ministry.

Which means, God-willing, he will move on to a district license and eventually ordination.

That process is a 4 to 6-year journey of education, interviews and gaining experience.

So let’s talk about this Call of God.

Turn to ’m using the NLT this morning.

Captures the essence of the passage.

I think it’s important to note that chapter 4 starts with the adverb - therefore.

This is a significant turning point in the letter.

Chapters 1-3 are largely exposition - they’re doctrine and theological.

Chapters 4-6 are exhortation and application.

Chapters 1-3 are what God accomplished through Christ – that Jew and Gentile alike are saved by grace through faith - chapters 4-6 are then how we live in Christ.

This is what God has done - therefore - this is how we ought to live.

We need to stop there and identify the “who” – to whom is Paul addressing?

We need to stop there and identify the “who” – to whom is Paul addressing?

Most scholars agree that Paul was writing to the church in Ephesus?

However, not all early manuscripts include “to Ephesus,” leading many scholars to believe that Paul was writing to the churches within the vicinity of Ephesus - about a 30-mile radius.

That includes a lot of people.

So this is what we call a circular letter – the intent was to circulate the letter among multiple congregations.

Of course, we can now extend that audience to include us as well.

So Paul is writing to Christians.

“Wow!

Thanks a lot Captain Obvious!

You went to Bible college just to tell us that!” Yes, but let’s take it a step further – what kind of Christians?

In chapter 1, Paul calls them Saints, or God’s holy people.

If you’re in Christ, you’re a saint.

Now, turn to .

Paul says this to these saints:

4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead.

(It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

So who is Paul writing to?

Not just Christians, but former pagans, heathens, sinners - people who used to indulge the flesh - drinking, drugging, carousing, lying, cheating, cold dead-beating, two-timin’, double dealin’ mean mistreatin’ … people.

People who once walked in darkness - doing things that people shouldn’t do.

He’s writing to people who used to live that way BUT, who have been transformed by the Spirit of the living God.

So who is Paul writing to?

Not just Christians, but former pagans, heathens, sinners - people who used to indulge the flesh - drinking, drugging, carousing, lying, cheating, cold dead-beating, two-timin’, double dealin’ mean mistreatin’ … people.

People who once walked in darkness - doing things that people shouldn’t do.

He’s writing to people who used to live that way BUT, who have been transformed by the Spirit of the living God.

Now notice only once does Paul say, “You people!”

Then he expands it - “All of us used to live that way.”

He includes himself, but the broader context of God’s Word includes us as well.

He’s not just writing to Christians, he’s writing to saints who used to be sinners.

So when we talk about God’s calling, we must remember that

Every sinner is called to salvation and remember, Every saint used to be a sinner.

Go back to 4:1.

Paul exhorts them to live a life worthy their calling.

This is a general or comprehensive calling to all believers to live the same Christ-like lifestyle.

We call that holiness, and holiness is a one size fits all.

Every sinner is called to salvation; every saint is called to sanctification …

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified ….

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

The pursuit of holiness is living a life worthy of the calling.

And verses 2-6 provides an overview of holiness.

Eph.

4:2-6

Eph.

2:2-6

The pursuit of holiness is living a life worthy of the calling.

And verses 2-6 provides an overview of holiness.

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.

4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.

5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.

Of course, we can add many other Christian characteristics – such as love, peace, forgiveness, service, prayer, integrity, purity, compassion etc.

And that is the purpose and progress of sanctification – that the sinner sins less and exemplifies holiness or Christ-likeness.

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.

4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.

5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.

Of course, we can add many other Christian characteristics – such as love, peace, forgiveness, service, prayer, integrity, purity, compassion etc.

And that is the purpose and progress of sanctification – that the sinner sins less and exemplifies holiness or Christ-likeness.

Of course, we can add many other Christian characteristics – such as love, peace, forgiveness, service, prayer, integrity, purity, compassion etc.

And that is the purpose and progress of sanctification – that the sinner sins less and exemplifies holiness or Christ-likeness.

Let me add this -

Just as a sinful past does not exclude us from the gift of salvation, our salvation does not excuse us from sanctification.

What does that mean?

In short – it doesn’t matter who we are or what we’ve done – we all have the same calling to salvation and the same calling to sanctification or holiness – without exception.

Being saved is not the end of the journey - the pursuit of holiness is a lifelong process.

The greatest proof of salvation and sanctification is expressed through the greatest command - (Matt.

22:37-40).

- to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind - and - to love your neighbor as yourself.

Every sinner is called to salvation; every saint is called to sanctification … and service.

Look at verse 7.