Background – Bible project - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y71r-T98E2Q&t=2s

Paul was dealing with two levels of difficulty there in Ephesus – A city steeped in idolatry and idol making and a creeping Gnosticism.

 

READING: Simply read the text to help keep it in its correct context. This Pericope lands as the first part of the second half of the Epistle.

“4 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.

7 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, 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.”

 

Looking at all the ways that the simple Greek word for Calling is used in the New Testament.

 

Distinguishing between the two different callings in the first line “therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,”

The second is Kaleo, a simple way to refer to calling and a common way to think of it.

The first is different 440 ἀνεγκλησία (anegklēsia), ας (as), ἡ (hē): n.fem.; ≡ Str 507 + 2821—blamelessness - Why is this different and why does it matter??

 

There are two different ways in which the Scriptures refer to “Calling”

1.       Calling from death to life (a call to repentance)

2.       Calling one into ministry and the work of the Lord after the afore mentioned “Calling”

Let’s look at some of the different Scriptures that help us to understand the ideas of Calling in Scripture:

•       Phil 3:13-14 (NKJV) “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

•       Called UPWARD – out of the grave – into righteousness – holiness - BLAMELESSNESS

 

•       Rom 11:28-31 (NKJV) “From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers;  for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience,”

•       Called to gifting – called to 5922 χάρισμα (charisma), gracious gift. - Irrevocably gifted

 

•       2 Timothy 1:8-9 “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began”

•       Called to a HOLY calling. A set apart-ness, not by works but according to HIS glorious GRACE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The calling of Aslan – The Silver Chair

“Young one, you called to me only because I was calling to you”

Called out of this world…

•      Not to Narnia, but to something much more beautiful

•      Called to the kingdom of God

 

For those that love visuals this is a small taste of what Jesus did for us:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FHYI3kdK_g

 

He removed every obstacle for you to spend eternity with Him…

Will you put your trust in Him tonight? If so all you need to do is:

•      Come to Him by faith,

•      Turn from your wrong-doing…

•      Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead then you WILL be saved!

•      Pray with me now, and if you are already saved pray for someone who needs to hear this!

 

Lesson: Holy Vacation Eph 4:1 – (KJV)

 

- I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vacation wherewith ye are called,

WAIT… WHAT… OH… One letter makes all the difference … LOL

Eph 4:1 – KJV “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,”

ἀνεγκλησία (anegklēsia) – [divine] calling – vocation – blamelessness – calling

 

4 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.

Lesson: Unity from the Spirit

 

•       Lowliness

•       Gentleness

•       Longsuffering

•       Love

•       Peace

Compare that with the list in Galatians 5:22

•       Love

•       Joy

•       Peace

•       Longsuffering

•       Kindness

•       Goodness

•       faithfulness

•       Gentleness

•       Self-control

 

“There is a unity that comes from the Holy Spirit AND Christians need to cherish it by their harmonious relationships with each other” – Gutherie & Motyer

 

J I Packer teaches us about Christian Unity and what it means in a nutshell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn0VGD8MyZ8

 

READ: “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.)”

~Lament that we do not have time to dive deeper into this part of the message…

 

Lesson: Edify the whole Body

 

•       11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 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—

 

Highlighting that fact that the above-mentioned titles are to equip the body for ministry NOT do all the ministry. Ministry is in fact for ALL believers…

 

Compare these two parts of the scripture that the apostle Paul links for us:

•       12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry,

•       …

•       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.

ALL of the saints are to be equipped to do the ministry that God has called the church to do…

How do we as Calvary chapel of Fullerton define the tasks that God has called us to do:

•       Win the Lost

•       Equip the Saints

•       Send the Servants

 

 

In Closing

•       Called out of death to life – life-long commitment

•       Called to a Holy Vocation

•       Called to Unity of the Spirit

•       Called to Edify the whole body in LOVE

 

Fin…