or so of the church we preach through the gospel of John. We'll be continuing that sometime in
October, Lord willing, and we'll pick up in John 14. So we'll probably finish John around December.
We paused over the summer and we did one Sunday in each Psalm. So we started at Psalm 1 and we
finished on Psalm 8. Lord willing, we'll start next summer in Psalm 9 and do about eight weeks
of Psalms again. So now for these six weeks, we're doing a little series, as Jeremy mentioned,
on the biblical church. The series is called Life in the Father's House, and that's a phrase Jesus used
in John 17. He said, I'm going and I'm going to prepare a place for you in my Father's house.
There are many rooms. And he said, I will not leave you orphans. I will send my spirit to be with you
and to prepare you for my Father's house. And so that's what we're looking at today, Life in the
Father's House. And for this series, we've been using different passages. So we'll be preaching
through these first 16 verses of Ephesians chapter 4 today. As I read this, you can follow along
for yourself. Keep in mind that this is God's very own word for you, his people. We believe,
we confess that this is God's inspired, inerrant, infallible, clear, and sufficient word for you.
So when I'm done with our scripture reading, we'll say, this is the word of the Lord. We'll respond
as a congregation. Thanks be to God. Ephesians 1. I'm sorry, Ephesians chapter 4, starting
at verse 1.
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you, that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith
ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love,
endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit,
even as you are called in one hope of our calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all. But unto every one of
us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Verse 8, wherefore he saith,
when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. Now that he
ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? Verse 10,
he that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens that he might fill all things.
Verse 11, and he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors
and some teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of
the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God
unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we henceforth be no more
children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning
craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. Verse 15, but speaking the truth in love, may we grow up
unto him in all things, which is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body fit, joined together
and compacted by that which every joint supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of
every part, maketh increase of the body into the edifying of it, itself in love.
Verse, that's verse 16.
And this is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God. You may be seated.
The Bible says that the grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of the Lord endures forever.
Would you pray with me?
Amen.
Speak, O Lord, until your church is built and until the whole world is filled with your glory, we pray once again today.
Amen.
Beloved congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
what makes a good walk?
When you go for a walk and you get back and you sit down and look at each other, you say,
that was a good walk.
Well, what made it good?
Someone said that a good walk,
when you come back, everything now has twice its value somehow.
One blogger wrote about this of family walks.
She said that a walk offers the family the chance to de-stress,
to breathe fresh air,
to not feel rushed from here to there,
and to revel in the joy of spending time together.
There's an old man who walked every day, four miles every day,
until his body could no longer do it.
And they asked him,
what's his trick to walking so consistently for so long?
And he says,
you don't stop walking because you lose your health.
It's the other way around.
You lose your health when you stop walking.
A good walk, do you agree?
A good walk is good for your soul.
Think about it.
God made us physical beings on this earth,
and he breathed his spirit into us,
so we're spiritual beings that long to worship him.
And he could have made us fast like leopards or cheetahs.
He could have made us huge,
so we just take a few steps and we're there.
But he made humans with small legs that walk from here to there,
standing upright.
So it's very fitting that consistently in all of the Bible,
your life as a child of God on this earth is described as a walk.
Isn't that so fitting?
Look at what Paul writes to the church in Ephesus in verse 1.
He says,
Church, walk in a manner worthy of the calling for which you were called.
What is it that you need to do if Christ called you?
Now you need to walk as a church.
You walk together.
So walking with Christ in this life,
that means that you're cherishing his presence with you.
It means that he is with you.
While you are in this body, on this earth,
you are walking day by day, step by step with Jesus Christ.
And as you walk with Christ,
he teaches you to enjoy his presence walking this earth.
What's more,
he teaches you to enjoy walking with Christ and his family.
So I'm going to try to persuade you this morning from Scripture
that the best thing for your soul,
the very best thing for your soul,
as long as you are on earth,
is a long walk with the family of God.
Isn't that what church is?
That's what church is.
It's a long walk with the family of God on this earth,
the best preparation for your soul and my soul,
for heaven, for eternity.
So I've got a few observations as we walk through this passage.
Number one,
Paul preaches to the church in Ephesus
that a good walk is a walk that is worth it.
Look at what he says in verse one.
I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord,
urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling
to which you have been called.
A good walk is a walk that is worthy.
It's worth it.
Now, Paul's writing, he says, as a prisoner.
Man, maybe you've had an injury or something
that put you cooped up.
You couldn't get outside and go for a walk anymore.
And it's the worst, isn't it?
There's nothing you would give to be able to just get outside
and go walk half a mile,
especially if you got to do it with someone you enjoy being with.
Paul had traveled everywhere,
traveled all over the known world,
all over the Roman Empire.
And he had walked these international highways
from one city to the other.
Now he's arrested for preaching the gospel.
In other letters, Paul highlights his apostolic authority.
He says, you need to obey what I'm writing you
because I write with the authority of Christ.
But that's not what he appeals to here, is it?
He appeals to his joyful weakness.
Look at what he says.
I am a prisoner for the Lord.
That's why I urge you to walk.
This shows the depth of Paul's care.
His love for Christ, it overflows into caring for the church
that belongs to Christ,
which he obtained with his very own blood.
We saw in Sunday school in Acts 20
how Paul's last time to see this congregation
was when he said goodbye to them
before he got arrested.
In Acts 20, we're told that Paul knelt down
and he prayed with them all.
That's how they said their goodbye.
They spent time praying together.
And there was much weeping by all.
And they embraced Paul.
And they were sorrowful
that they would not see his face again.
And then they accompanied Paul to his ship.
And so Paul sails away.
And that's what they would have remembered of Paul
as they read this letter.
I want to pause for a quick point of application here.
The first three chapters of this letter to this church in Ephesians,
it tells them who they are in Christ.
We looked at the first, you know,
the ending of chapter 1 into chapter 2.
He says,
You were dead in your sins.
That's who you were.
But you were chosen in Christ before time began.
You are united to him by the power of the Spirit
who breathed life into you.
So then after laying the foundation of three chapters
of who Christians are in Christ,
by grace and faith alone,
not by good works so that no man should boast,
now he begins chapter 4
with what this means now.
If this is who you are in Christ,
here's what it means is you walk with him.
And I urge you to walk in a manner
worthy of Christ who called you.
It's worth it.
If you don't know what this means,
to be dead in sin but made alive by the grace of Christ,
then I want to urge you not to try to walk this way.
Don't try to fake it.
Because what you'll be doing is piling up your pride,
your own self-righteousness,
righteousness, trying to make yourself worthy.
So if you don't know this joy of belonging to Christ
and being freed from the bondage of sin
and now being a joyful prisoner for the Lord Jesus
because he rules over you,
then don't try to imitate this pattern.
If you do belong to Christ, it will be inevitable.
You will walk with him.
He calls this the calling for which you were called.
In John 10, our Lord Jesus says,
My sheep know my voice, and I call each one by name.
And when I call my sheep to me, they follow me.
So if you know Christ and he calls you to follow him,
you will walk with your shepherd.
You will continue following him through your life.
And you will see more and more with each step.
He is worthy to be followed.
He is worth it.
This walk with him, if it lands me in prison like Paul,
it's so worth it.
How could I not follow my Lord Jesus wherever he takes me?
Paul preached to them in Ephesians 1, verse 7,
In Christ alone you have redemption
through his very own blood
for the forgiveness of our trespasses
according to the riches of his grace
which he lavished upon us.
A good walk is a walk that's worth it.
Think of something that is worth it to you
even if you had to walk 100 miles with no brakes.
You would do it.
It's worth it.
Now there's things that are not worth
walking across the living room for as well, right?
Paul's telling them,
walk in a manner worthy of Jesus Christ.
He is the one who redeemed you by his very own blood
according to the riches of his grace
which he lavished upon you.
If you belong to him,
you will see he is worth following.
He is worthy of your best thought,
like our hymn says,
by day or by night,
waking or sleeping.
It's his presence with you on this walk
that is your light and your delight.
So the best thing for your soul
is to walk with the one who calls you,
Jesus Christ,
and who purchased you with his very own blood.
Number two, a good walk
is a walk where you're enjoying a peaceful path.
One time we went for a walk
where we used to live.
There was a pasture with some cattle on it
and we thought it'd be fun.
It looks beautiful today.
Let's go out.
Well, when the cows started taking some steps
towards our family,
it was not fun and peaceful anymore
and that path was one
we probably shouldn't have been on.
But Paul says to them,
verses one and two,
walk in a manner worthy of the calling
to which you were called.
And what is that peaceful path?
I love how clear and specific it is.
Look at verse two.
It's a path marked by all humility,
gentleness, and patience.
Bearing with one another in love.
Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace.
Paul just stacks up five key words here.
You could call these like the five footsteps
of that peaceful path.
And it's a contrast with the way that's broad
that leads to death.
This is the narrow path of Christ himself.
And it goes the opposite direction
of the pattern of the world.
Do you remember Psalm 1?
There's two ways to live.
Well, James also describes the broad way
that leads to death.
He says it's a way or a path of bitter jealousy
and selfish ambition.
And James says to the church,
if that's what marks your unity,
then it's a demonic influence.
He says if you have bitter jealousy
and selfish ambition,
that is from Satan working in your lives.
That is not from the Lord.
And it always leads to disorder.
But God is a God of order.
Look at what he did in the first creation.
He brought all things into perfect,
harmonious order.
Why would he not do that
with his new creation,
with his church?
James wrote them in James 3
that God gives wisdom and power
to obey what he says
is pure, peaceable, and gentle.
Do you hear these same Christian virtues
coming to layer onto the church
what it means to walk with Christ?
So let's take these five
that he gives us here
and let's make sure we get
the correct meaning of each one.
He says humility, gentleness,
patience, bearing in love,
eager, and peaceful.
So first, humility.
Paul is writing to them
that we have every gift
in the church
because Christ is the one
who stooped down to give it.
That's his whole argument
in this passage.
So do you see gifts
that God is using within the church?
Well then give glory to God
for those gifts.
He had told them earlier
in Ephesians,
he had said that
God has foreordained good works
that you should walk in them.
So if you see
those in the congregation
doing good works,
it's because God already prepared
that needed to happen
for my church at that time
and this would be the person
I would bring
to do it for them.
So who gets all the glory
as those gifts are used
in the church?
All glory be to God alone.
That's humility.
What about gentleness?
The word gentleness
is meekness.
Gentleness.
A wonderful way
to paraphrase it
as one commentator put it
is gentleness is power
under control.
Power under control.
And sometimes this was used
in the ancient Greek language
to describe a colt
like a young horse
that was being trained.
It has a lot of power
but it's under control now.
It could also be used
to describe soothing medicine.
So if you take too much
of this medicine,
it's powerful
and it'll kill you.
It'll be poison.
But if you take the doctor
prescribed amount,
this will help you.
Or a soft wind.
Too much wind
and it's going to wreck your ship.
It's going to tip you over.
But a soft wind
is powerful
but it's restrained
and it gets you right
where you need to go.
What does that look like
if the church
is to treat one another
with God's gentleness?
It means that we handle
every single one
that God brings
into His church
with extreme care.
with great tenderness
and fragility.
That's how we treat
one another.
Every believer
is Christ's
precious vessel
consecrated
and set apart
for God's
sacred purposes.
That's how the church
will treat one another
with gentleness.
The next word
is really a phrase.
It's patience
connected to
bearing in love.
So patience
to bear together
in love.
And these
many Greek words
could have been chosen
here by Paul
to describe patience
but the one he chooses
it's really talking
about length
like long suffering
bearing for the long haul.
It means long sold
like a magnanimous soul
that's not going to run out
of patience.
It's long suffering
together.
You're bearing
under the weight
of the burden together.
And you do this
by taking a long term view.
That's patience.
What does this look like
in the church?
Well
when things go wrong
between a relationship
or in the life
of a congregation
we continue to labor on
in weakness
and gentleness
and humility
toward one another
and we rejoice
that God
is the one
who heals.
You know
he's talking about
the unity
of the congregation.
And after Sunday school
someone brought up
a really good point
of clarification.
This means what
kind of unity?
Well it means
that we are united
under Christ the head
with his Holy Spirit
we share one faith.
Okay that's great
but what about
when there's a wrong teaching?
Should everybody
try to have unity
under this one
wrong teaching?
Because you've probably
heard that be used that way.
In fact that's how
the Roman Catholic Church
used it in the Reformation.
The reformers said
those bringing
a wrong teaching
to the people of God
are the ones
causing division.
And that's what
Paul was writing
in Acts 20
to the church of Ephesus.
He pulled the elders in
and said
there will be those
that will bring
a twisted teaching.
Guard against that.
They're the ones
destroying unity.
The true unity
in a church
needs to be united
around Christ the head
by the ministry
of his word.
And if anyone
brings something
against that
that's the person
causing division.
So the Holy Spirit
inside of each
true believer
knows the truth
from the word
by the help
of the Holy Spirit.
That's the type
of unity
that the church
needs to be characterized
by.
So we bear
with one another
toward that type
of spiritual
doctrinal unity.
Okay well this
sounds like very
maybe soft words
right?
Humble
gentle
patient.
Does this mean
it's a church
of really laid back
hippies
where it's all
just love
you know
rainbows?
Well look at the
next word
is eager.
He says
the church
of God
full of the
Holy Spirit
following King
Jesus
is a church
that's eager.
Now it's not
eager to compromise
all those other
things
but it is eager
for what?
Eager to work
together
to work at it
for unity.
Picture this
you know
in Ephesians 5
he describes
the relationship
between a husband
and a wife
that's a picture
of the relationship
between Christ
and his bride.
If you saw
a young couple
having some
troubles
is it right
for the man
just to say
I'm just gonna
be you know
be laissez-faire
just go along
go with the flow
whatever you want
goes
and I mean
there's no
drive
there's no
eagerness
for unity.
So yeah
maybe it's patient
but it's not eager.
So Christ
he wants his church
to be eager
he wants his church
to have a fire
in the belly
and to be willing
to fight
for the unity
around his truth.
It's so much easier
to just lower
the bar of truth
and doctrine
and pretend like
we have a superficial unity
but if it's not unity
on Christ's word
then it's no unity
at all.
We might as well
just go join a golf club
or something else
you prefer.
If there's unity
in the church
it's unity around
the teaching
of Jesus Christ.
A zeal to fight
for what we enjoy
together in Christ
which is his gospel
and his mission
in this world
that we get
to be part of that.
That's the type
of unity
we need to be eager
to fight for.
And the last one
is peace.
If a person
is not at peace
with God
he will never
be at peace
within the church.
If you see
a troubled soul
and they're taking it out
they're kicking the cat
yelling at their kids
those are all symptoms.
That soul
is not at peace
with God.
They need the gospel.
You and I
need the gospel.
We need God
to bring
his peace
to our soul
and to settle us.
It's only possible
to have peace
if it's the Holy Spirit
bearing the fruit
of the Spirit
in your life.
So this can be
a point of encouragement
for you
in your sanctification
even maybe
your assurance
of salvation.
Are you
more peaceful
more at peace
with God
now
than you were
six months ago?
Three years ago?
Then praise the Lord.
That's his Holy Spirit
who's growing
your peace
in Christ
and it's overflowing
onto your life.
I think we can agree
these five virtues
are pretty clear.
What they mean
is no secret.
There's no hidden mystery
or special explanation
needed.
That's what the church
looks like.
Just because
it's common sense
does not make it
common practice though.
Isn't that true?
Mark Twain said
it is not
the things
which I don't understand
in the Bible
that trouble me
but it's the things
I do understand.
So I think
Paul's message
to us is this
that the best thing
for our souls
is to walk
the clear
peaceful path
in the footsteps
of Jesus Christ
by his Spirit
together.
The path is clear
but the way
is narrow
and he calls us
by his Spirit
to follow him
one step at a time.
Third point.
We do this walk
not as individuals
and not according
to our own fancies
of where we want
to walk
and where we want
to go.
We walk in step
with Jesus Christ
in step with
his Holy Spirit
in us individually
and with us
as a body.
There will be times
in the life
of a congregation
where even collectively
we don't know
what the right thing
is to do.
We don't know
but we need to pray.
We need to fast
as a congregation.
We need to get
on our knees together
and ask for the Lord
to show us.
We need to be
walking in step.
And it is true
also individually.
The closer we walk
with Christ individually,
picture the Lord Jesus
as the shepherd.
The closer that each
of his sheep
follow his voice,
the closer we get
to him,
the closer we are
to one another.
I know that even
preaching this series
on the church
is painful
or maybe
it's just not something
you really want
right now.
I'm just trusting
that in God's providence
what the needs
of this congregation
were and when God
brought you,
this is what he has
for you.
Even if I don't
understand it
or you don't see
right away
why is this
what we're focused on.
And I was thinking
that to walk
in step with Christ
it can be beautiful
when a church
is doing it together.
It can be so lonely
when it feels like
you're being obedient
to Christ
but you look around
or you look at
where a congregation
is going
and that's not the path.
Isn't that one
of the hardest things
Christ calls us to do?
So I don't know
each of your circumstances
but I do know
what that feels like
and I pray for you
that whatever God
has for you
and your family
he will show you
what it looks like
to walk in step
with him.
I think I also
to bring you
the full counsel
and not be guilty
of holding anything
back from you
without knowing
I also want you
to reflect
and ask God
to search you
if some of your pain
in previous conversations
I'm sorry
some of the pain
that you've had
in previous congregations
was maybe because
you came up short
on your own
sanctification as well.
You brought your own
sins into it.
In verse 2
I just invite you
to confess
to the Lord
today
even if you can't
settle other relationships
confess to the Lord
times when you've
lacked humility
times when you
and I have lacked
gentleness
with other Christians
when we have
lacked patience
and have not
bared
through it together
with other believers
confess to God
if there have been
times where you
were not eager
to maintain
true unity
as much as it
was possible
to be at peace
with others.
Now there are
others here as well
and maybe the same
people in the same
situation
who were truly
hurt by
legitimate wolves
and I don't know
their motives
or hearts
or words even
I also want to
comfort you
if you're a true
sheep who's been
wounded deeply
this was what was
on Paul's mind
in Acts chapter 20
which we saw in
Sunday school
which was goodbye
to the same church
and he said
fierce wolves
will come in
among you
not sparing
the flock
and I ask
you then
to
ask the Lord
to heal you
then
if you truly
had those claws
or those teeth
of wolves
who brought in
twisted teachings
and it was
it was a hurt
to your soul
that you would
ask God
the good shepherd
to comfort you
once again
with his words
for him to
pick you up
to care for you
to make the
bleeding stop
put the balm
of the gospel
inside those wounds
again today
restore you
and set you
on that path
taking those
little lamb
steps
one at a time
following your
good shepherd
because he
will never
hurt you
he is the
chief shepherd
of your souls
this church
in Ephesus
had division
they had been
hurt by one
another
they had
issues of
pride
they needed
to bear
one another's
burdens
better than
they had
and how
does Paul
minister to
them with
all these
needs
look at what
he says in
verses 4
5 and 6
he says
church
you who are
hurting and
broken and
wounded
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
he says
you all
if you're a
true Christian
you stand
on the same
foundation
this foundation
is seven
layers deep
you see what
he says
we have
one body
one spirit
one hope
one call
one Lord
one faith
one baptism
one God
that's what
we all have
in common
Sinclair Ferguson
pointed this
out that
reconciliation
to God
will come
to expression
in the
quality of
our reconciliation
with one
another
why is the
church to
live as
one
it's because
we are one
in Christ
the visible
church
throughout the
world is
made up of
you
you and I
are just
regular people
but we share
a faith in
one God
Jesus Christ
who came to
set his
captives free
so that we
would follow
him
and he doesn't
leave those
captives he set
free
he doesn't
leave those
lambs to
fend for
themselves and
to stumble
around in
darkness
he doesn't
leave Christians
out there
to be devoured
as individuals
he gathers
his people
around him
he protects
them
he feeds
them
if you belong
to Christ
he is your
shepherd
and you are
one with his
flock
no matter what
your tribe
race
ethnicity
no matter what
what you came
from what family
he saved you out
of what churches
he's you've heard
the shepherd's
voice he will
care for your
soul and he
will unite you
to his
people
we share
one spirit
think of that
there is one
holy spirit
the third person
of the trinity
and we share
one spirit
it's the holy
spirit that
dwells in the
believer
it's that same
spirit
in every single
true Christian
one of our
dear brothers
here
had a
loss
he told me
this story
of his
friend who
was born
on the streets
in a different
country
and the
lord saved
him
the lord put
his holy
spirit inside
of him
and then his
ministry was to
take other
boys off the
street to
show them
christ's love
and when our
brother visited
him coming
from a totally
different part
of the world
different context
that spirit
that holy
spirit inside
of him
from here
knew with
these boys
with this
brother who
now passed
we share
one spirit
have you ever
gotten to
experience what
that's like
that's a
foretaste of
heaven
and the
great cloud
of witnesses
that will
join at the
throne of
god
our shepherd
has one
flock
satan wants
to divide
and conquer
peel you
away
and tear
you to
shreds
our lord
wants to
keep you
with his
flock
feeding you
and caring
for you
why do we
need to have
church unity
around truth
and doctrine
and the love
and the spirit
that we share
well here's
another reason
is we are
stuck with
one another
for eternity
if christ
purchased you
with his
own blood
you are
his
why would
we bicker
now when
we're going
to be together
for eternity
around the
throne of
christ
he will tell
us what's
important
what we need
to care about
what we think
about at that
time
we do ask
the lord
with this
be thou
my wisdom
and thou
my true
word
i ever
with thee
and thou
with me
lord
thou
my great
father
and i
thy true
son
thou
in me
dwelling
and i
with thee
one
we're about
to sing this
hymn at the
end
when you hear
a voice
around you
singing that
we are
one in
christ
it's the
same spirit
dwelling
in each
one of
us
and that's
why the
best thing
for your
soul
is to
walk
closely
with christ
realizing
that as
we grow
in him
we have
unity
as his
one
body
next
observation
paul calls
us with
a difficult
reference to
psalms here
to walk
i'm going to
put it in my
own words
walk like
your family
owns it
andrea and i
went on an
anniversary trip
this past
summer and
we got there
too late to
this one
place but we
really wanted
to walk
through a
little trail
in the
woods
but when we
got there
the guy
said
we're
closing
in 30
minutes
but we
had just
gotten there
so we
went ahead
and walked
but the
whole time
we're watching
the clock
we're thinking
about it
and man
wouldn't it
just be
different if
we could
say go
ahead
you are
the prince
of you
know
whatever
i mean
your dad
is the king
he owns
all these
forests
so go out
and enjoy
it
you stay
out there
as late
as you
would like
it's such
a difference
now paul
says walk
like what you
really are
the reason he
says that is
because this
reference from
psalm 68
paints this
glorious picture
and paul's
applying this
now to the
church
so that
glorious image
that the
old testament
believers
couldn't quite
understand
it's speaking
about you
church
look at what
he says
in verse 7
through 10
paul says
grace was given
to each one
of us
according to
the measure
of christ's
gift
so he's
saying that
christ holds
the gift
of grace
and he's
going to
give his
gift
to every
true
believer
but it's
christ
so it
opens up
some
questions
how does
christ
have this
as his
to give
it out
to dispense
it
and he
answers this
with something
we would have
never come
up with
but the
holy spirit
causing paul
to meditate
on the
psalms
and now
apply it
in the
light of
christ's
work
through the
church
he says
this in
verse 8
quoting psalm
68
which we
read
when he
ascended
on high
he led
a host of
captives
and he
gave gifts
to men
now that's
the quote
from psalm
8
psalm
9 and
10
he clarifies
a bit
he says
in saying
he ascended
what does
it mean
but that
he had
also
descended
into the
lower
regions
on earth
verse 10
he who
descended
is the
one
who also
ascended
far above
the heavens
that he
might fill
all things
well the
imagery
in psalm
68
is of
a king
who just
came back
from battle
and he's
got this
triumphal
procession
behind him
paul loves
to use
this image
to the
church
and in
psalm 8
we heard
that the
enemy
vanquishes
like smoke
and melts
like wax
and all the
other mountains
surrounding it
even bashan
which has
the highest
peaks
a mountain
represents
a kingdom
all these
other kingdoms
look and
they say
why this
little hill
of zion
why through
jerusalem
would the
king come
that all
the other
empires
would run
away from
in fear
and paul's
saying he
ascended
and he
gives gifts
that's because
god himself
descended
he took on
the form
of a man
he became
man
being fully
god
and he did
that to
ransom
all those
described in
psalm 68
they were
described as
captives
as weak
as fatherless
as lowly
and he ransoms
his people
and now he
leads this
procession
and he's
writing to
ephesus
a city
in rome
the romans
would do
this triumphal
procession
as well
they would
have a
servant
be in the
chariot
with the
general
who came
back from
war
and that
servant's
job was
to tell
the general
repeating
over and
over
omo est
that means
you are
but a
man
because as
he would
parade
through the
cities
the praise
was so
great
he would
think he
was a
god
he had
to be
reminded
you're
not a
god
and so
paul is
tapping
into
this
roman
imagery
he's
taking
this
fulfillment
of
psalm
68
and he's
showing
this
great
general
who comes
back
victorious
it is
jesus
christ
he
descended
he
accomplished
his
work
through
his
active
and
passive
obedience
now he
rules
from on
high
and he's
giving
gifts
out to
his
church
the
victory
of christ
death
and
resurrection
gave
christ
all the
great
spoils
of the
war
against
satan
and christ
sets
the fruit
of his
victory
on display
in his
church
so he
says
every gift
that you
see being
used in
the church
we can
say
when we're
serving
when we're
setting up
chairs
sweeping
preparing
a meal
teaching
the kids
these are
gifts
of christ
conquering
he is
giving
this
to display
his glory
in his
church
like a
great
general
sinclair
ferguson
helped me
with this
as well
he pointed
out how
pentecost
was the
triumph
day
of christ
his victory
was publicly
celebrated
by an
outpouring
of gifts
on the
citizens
of his
kingdom
and the
soldiers
of his
army
that he
has conquered
and he
now reigns
and he
gives
the signs
of the
victory
through his
church
to the
whole
world
that all
could see
his glory
through a
widespread
distribution
of gifts
everything
a church
will need
it is
christ's
glory
his work
being put
on display
in a
simple
gathering
of simple
people
all glory
be to
christ
already
possesses
the fullness
of grace
with which
he will
fill his
church
as you
walk
with him
so think
about that
there are
more graces
more gifts
god will
bring about
in you
and through
you
for his
church
that he's
already
prepared in
advance
don't you
want to be
part of
that
don't you
want to
grow into
that which
he's already
ordained
you would
do
how do
you do
that
then
will you
walk
one step
at a
time
with christ
with his
church
and you
watch him
do that
in your
life
maybe you
have a
desire
but you
feel like
the gifts
are lacking
walk
one step
at a
time
with christ
with his
church
and just
let him
put those
gifts in
your hand
they come
from him
and him
alone
like the
hymn says
he is the
high king
of heaven
he has won
our victory
and our
prayer as we
walk with
him is to
reach
heaven's
joys
following our
bright
heaven
sun
well i had set
out to go all
the way through
verse 16 but i
did not plan this as
well as i should
have but i just
want to summarize
he talks
he talks from
verses 11
through 15
about the
ministry of
the word
through the
apostles and
prophets he
gave the
word
prophets of
the old
testament the
apostles through
the new
testament
through the
evangelists who
at the time
worked to
help the
apostles he
ministered the
word he
ministers the
word now to
do the work
of an
evangelist
cast the
seed of the
gospel through
his word
teach the
church build
up the
church equip
the church
through the
ministry of
the word
and everybody
has a part in
that it
anchors us so
that we're not
tossed back and
forth so we do
know the truth
from the word
every single one
of us and look
at the part that
we all have
every day
verse 15
we are to speak
the truth in
love as we
grow up in
every way into
him who is the
head Jesus
Christ we
minister the
word to one
another and we
do it in a
loving way for
the glory
of God
so the last
application I
want to give
you is this
that as we
walk with God
he promises to
fill his
church that's
what all this
builds toward
he builds his
church up in
love that he
may fill his
church with all
that his church
needs we feel
our our lack
of energy we
feel our lack
of resources we
feel maybe our
lack of space
Christ is the
one who fills
all in all as
we walk with
him I was
reading about how
sheep are highly
emotionally intelligent
and sheep can read
facial expressions of
other sheep I
didn't know that
the good news for
sheep is that when
they when they do
display anxiety or
fear it's the the
emotions of the
shepherd that are
transmitted to the
sheep as well so
when the shepherd is
calm and his sheep
are agitated just by
talking to them he
soothes them and
the and the
emotions of the
shepherd they're
transmitted and they
settle in the entire
flock think of our
Lord Jesus Christ
through the ministry
of his word through
each one who's
speaking the truth
and love it's the
voice of Christ
comforting consoling
settling in the
the sheep that
belong to him that
know his voice if we
have peace if we
have joy it's because
it oozes onto us
from our Lord Jesus
our good shepherd as
we walk following
him so I ask you
initially what makes
a good walk one step
at a time someone
said that's good
walking I ask you to
reflect on what is
that one step the
Lord is calling you to
take today walk with
your shepherd one
step one baby lamb
step following your
shepherd's voice that's
good walking Christ
loves you and his
Holy Spirit's mission
is to prepare your
soul for eternity with
God and he knows the
best way to prepare
your soul for eternity
with him and it's for
you to follow him your
good shepherd walk in a
manner worthy of
Christ worthy of Christ
calling on you he
called you by name that's
the best thing for your
soul to stay on this
long walk it's good
following our shepherd
with his family his
church would you pray
with me
father we we depend on
your energy we depend on
you Lord showing us your
loveliness growing our
gratitude our thanks for
you and as we do take
one step at a time father
we pray that you will
teach us to live as you
lived as you taught Paul
to live like he said in
Acts 20 to not count our
lives as anything of any
worth for itself you're the
one Lord who laid down your
life for your sheep help us
to be joyfully poured out
in gratitude to Christ and
help us to finish the
course and the ministry
that you have given to
each one who is following
you may we testify to the
gospel of the grace of God
with every step we take
with you for your glory in
Christ sakes we pray amen
God bless you so much to
из må
amen