Grace Filled Living by holland davis

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Grace Filled Relationships

Paul is defining for the believer a new reality that is the foundation for a new way of life In Chapter 1 − Paul tells us that we’ve been blessed with every spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ − He tells that we are holy and blameless before Him in love − He tells us that we’ve been made accepted in the Beloved − He tells us that our sins are forgiven according to the riches of His grace − He tells us that we’ve been given the Holy Spirit as a guarantee − That we can know the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory of His inheritance and the exceeding greatness of His power In Chapter 2 − Paul tells us that we have been made alive to God − We who were dead are now alive because of His great love for us − That we are raised up and seated with Christ in heavenly places − That we can receive the exceeding riches of His grace and kindness − That we’ve been saved by grace through faith − That we are God’s masterpiece − That we have been brought near to God by the blood of Christ − That Jesus is our peace and we have peace with God and each other − That we are all family, members of the household of faith − That we are a dwelling place of God in the Spirit In Chapter 3 − That we are strengthened with might through the Spirit in the inner man − That Christ dwells in our hearts through faith − That we are rooted and grounded in love − That we can comprehend the height, the depth, the length and the breadth of God’s love − That we have this love that is beyond our capacity to figure it out − That He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we think or ask according to the power that works in us IN LIGHT OF ALL THAT HAS BEEN DONE FOR YOU… Ephesians 4:1 (NKJV)

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Grace Filled Relationships

Now when I first read that I thought… yes God. − I’m going to walk worthy. − I’m not going to let you down − And I’ve heard it preached that way – listen, God is up there watching − Better do right by God – better clean up your act − I’ve got a job to do, better stop doing bad things and get to work − God won’t bless you if unless you do − But that is NOT what Paul is saying Paul says… I beseech you to walk worthy − There is a sense of urgency to Paul’s message – please get this − Walking is a common biblical expression for how people normally live out their lives o It speaks of lifestyle − Worthy is really better translated consistent, fitting o Paul is talking about living a consistent lifestyle o Paul spends three chapters telling us we have a new nature o Now he tell us to live a life that is consistent with our new nature Paul told the Philippians this same thing Philippians 1:27 (NKJV) 27

Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, A story is told of a man handing out tracts. A man who could neither read nor write was handed a tract. He asked, “What is this?” When he was told it was a tract, he said, “Well I can’t read it; so I’ll watch your tracks.” That was the greatest short sermon this Christian could ever have had preached to him. Someone was watching his tracks. Paul says walk worthy of the calling with which you’ve been called − Calling and Called are two words that get used a lot in Christian circles − But what does that word mean? The word calling refers to an invitation. − It’s an invitation to a feast – a place of fellowship and intimacy Grace Filled Living – Ephesians 4:1-6 © 2011 Holland Davis

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Grace Filled Relationships

− It speaks of the divine invitation that God sends to each of us − It is an invitation to relationship, fellowship and intimacy with God − The second word called… means to call by name literally with a loud voice. − POINT: The invitation isn’t addressed to just anyone − It’s not like the advertisements you get in the mail that say… to so and so or current resident − The invitation is personal – you’ve been personally invited to intimacy with God But you can look at the first word calling another way − The word calling is also the same word for vocation or JOB − It is true that everyone of us has a JOB to do − We each have family roles and responsibilities as part of God’s family − In a sense, we are in the family business − Good management says… If you want people to be successful at their JOBS you need clear JOB DESCRIPTIONS − IN CHAPTER 4-6: Paul is writing out our NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS based on living a lifestyle consistent with our new nature Paul gives five characteristics that DESCRIBE Grace Filled Living Ephesians 4:2–3 (NKJV) 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. FIRST: Lowliness – to have a deep sense of one’s (moral) littleness. − To see ourselves as we truly are − It implies obedience and modesty without arrogance One theologian describes lowliness like this… “The Christian lowliness is no mere modesty or absence of pretension, nor yet a self-made grace. The making of ourselves small is pride in the disguise of humility. But the lowliness of mind which springs from a true estimate of ourselves—a deep sense of our own moral smallness and demerit.” Paul writes… Philippians 2:3 (NKJV) Grace Filled Living – Ephesians 4:1-6 © 2011 Holland Davis

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Grace Filled Relationships

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Jesus Himself is our example of this… Matthew 11:29 (NKJV) 29

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. SECOND: Gentleness, also translated Meekness − Gentleness or Meekness is power under control − It suggests having one’s emotions under control − It is a willingness to stand and do the will of God regardless the cost − This word is also used for a soothing medicine, a colt that had been broken and a soft wind − Each extremely powerful, but that power has been harnessed One theologian defines gentleness this way… This gentleness is not to be confused with weakness (as contemporary Graeco-Roman thought regarded it), but has to do with consideration for others and a willingness to waive one’s rights. − Meekness is bowing yourself to the will of God THIRD: Longsuffering − Slowness in avenging wrongs, endurance, perseverance and constancy − It implies one who is not easily provoked by people seeking to injure them − It implies one who under a great siege of trials, who bears up and does not lose courage − It makes allowance for the shortcomings of others and endures wrong rather than flying into a rage or desiring vengeance − It understands that all of us have our faults and weaknesses One scholar writes… Let every one say to himself, therefore, “In view of the fact that God has been so longsuffering toward me, even though in his holy eyes my sins must stand out far more clearly than do my brother’s blemishes in my eyes, I must surely be patient with my brother.

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Grace Filled Relationships

FOURTH: bearing with one another in love − To hold one’s self up or to hold one’s self back in the spirit of love, to sustain, to support for the sake of love − It suggests a grudging willingness to put up with difficult circumstances, persecutions or people. − GUYS: It’s what we do when we’re asked to go to shopping with our wives or when we’re asked to go to that person’s house for dinner that we really don’t want to go to Paul writes… Colossians 3:13 (NKJV) 13

bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. The Pillar New Testament Commentary describes it like this… The demand acknowledges that every Christian fellowship is made up of all kinds of people and that we will accordingly sometimes find ourselves in close fellowship with people who are very different than we are. For the sake of maintaining community, we will sometimes have to “put up with” people with whom we would not normally choose to associate. I like that – I don’t have to like every person I meet in church − There might be some that really irritate me − But for the sake of love, I support and put up with everyone… even if we don’t exactly click on a personal level − As believers bear with one another’s weaknesses and failures in the midst of tensions and conflicts, they show a lifestyle that is consistent with their new nature − This kind of behavior can only spring from God’s love – that fruit of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. FNALLY: Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace − The word endeavor is a strong word. − It means to be intentional or diligent. − It means to really put your best effort forward – to be quick to give attention to. Grace Filled Living – Ephesians 4:1-6 © 2011 Holland Davis

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Grace Filled Relationships

− If someone argues with us, we do our best not to argue with them. − Paul uses this word to place great importance on what he is about to say… The word to keep is another strong word. − It means to give special attention to, to protect, to guard, to not let go − It carries with it the idea of those who would watch or guard a prisoner − If you were guarding a prisoner you wouldn’t take your eyes off them for a second − If they tried to escape they went after them to keep them from leaving What is it that Paul is so concerned about? Two Things: The Unity of the Spirit and the Bond of Peace FIRST: Unity of the Spirit – − It is the unanimous sense of agreement in the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the love of God that is the product of the Holy Spirit − It is the Spirit’s work to produce unity, but it is our job to keep the peace − God has made the way for peace by tearing down the dividing walls − To live in a manner which mars the unity of the Spirit is to reject the redeeming work of grace that Jesus completed on the cross. SECOND: Bond of peace – − Paul speaks of the Bond that consists of peace − Speaking of peace in relationships between individuals Leo Tolstoy wrote a novel called War and Peace, but James writes this in the NT concerning War and Peace… James 3:14–18 (NKJV) Heavenly Versus Demonic Wisdom 14

But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. − It is this peace that holds us together like ligaments in a human body. Grace Filled Living – Ephesians 4:1-6 © 2011 Holland Davis

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Grace Filled Relationships

− It is this peace that floods into our hearts when we are settled with God and from this overflow of peace with God we are able to be at peace with one another. According to Paul – this is not an easy task. − It requires constant attention. − It means we have to be intentional about unity and peace − It means we need to be quick to respond when that unity is violated You can only imagine – − Paul comes bringing this glorious message of the gospel – we who were once divided are now united in Christ − And yet Jews and Gentiles were still divided over race and religion EX: I grew up in the South during the late sixties at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. It was a turbulent time. My dad was stationed at Parris Island, South Carolina. We lived in Beaufort and were bused to Shell Point Elementary School. I watched my white friends get beat up every week. Even though the laws had changed – people’s hearts had not changed and the racial divide was still great. Why is unity so important to Paul? Because whether we like it or not – we are all ONE in Christ. Ephesians 4:4–6 (NKJV) 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. Paul lists seven ways that we are unified… 1. There is ONE Body – speaking of the mystical Body of Christ – this is the Church – BIG “C”. This ONE Body is the product of the Holy Spirit 2. There is ONE Spirit – The Holy Spirit who baptizes each believer into the Body of Christ. The Spirit of Promise who seals all believers – that identifies that we belong to Christ. This ONE Spirit points the way to Jesus 3. ONE Hope of your calling – There is one calling… the call to relationship with Christ… this call brings hope that is firmly grounded in

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Grace Filled Relationships

God’s promise of salvation. This ONE Hope is the invitation to intimacy with Christ 4. ONE Lord – speaking of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. He is our Lord because He has purchased us out of slavery and He now owns us, loves us, cares for us and protects us. We recognize His rule and reign, recognize Him as our King, our Deliverer, we trust, obey, love and worship Him. This ONE Lord unites all believers as ONE Church. 5. ONE faith – speaking not of creeds and doctrines, but of true and genuine trust whereby we embrace the ONE Lord Jesus Christ. We believe Him. We trust Him. We believe His Word. We live in Obedience to His Word. This ONE faith is evidenced through Baptism. 6. ONE baptism – speaking not of water Baptism (the baptism of John) which is an outward sign of salvation, but of the baptism of the Jesus that baptizes us to the Body of Christ What is the Baptism of Jesus? John 1:33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ Acts 1:5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” The Baptism of Jesus is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit that baptizes us into the Body of Christ as we see in Acts 2. 7. ONE God And Father of All – referring to God the Father from whom the whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. All who have been born again or born of the Spirit are now sons and daughters in God’s family. And as family we are now heirs of the promises of God. Paul is talking about the walk of the believer under grace − He beings with the individual… we are to walk in a manner consistent with our new nature − He widens it to the entire church… we are ONE in Christ

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Grace Filled Relationships

− Finally he brings this passage to a great crescendo… Our God is transcendent and Almighty. Paul writes… Who is above all… through all… and in you all. − He is TRANSCENDENT – He is above all, above His creation, not dependent upon His creation. − He is EMINENT – He is through all and in you all. He is working both in us and through us. So the question… − Knowing that you are part of this new household of faith − Knowing that Jesus died on the cross for us to be ONE family − How then should you be treating your family? − Your husband, your wife, your kids, your boss, your friends, that difficult relationship in your life?