July 18, 2024 • 20 mins
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What does it mean to truly live a life worthy of your calling? Join Pastor Harry Behrens as he unpacks Ephesians 4:1-3, revealing the profound connection between Paul's imprisonment and his impassioned plea for Christians to live spirit-filled lives. Discover the divine power and promises that empower us to share the gospel with joy and enthusiasm, just as we naturally share our most joyous moments with loved ones. Reflect on how our daily walk can mirror God's call, embracing the practicalities of Christian living with authenticity and dynamism.
In this episode, we also tackle the deep yearning for joy and fulfillment that so many people face, juxtaposed with the unending joy that Christ offers. Pastor Behrens uses Paul's letters and powerful scriptural references to highlight the transformative journey of experiencing and sharing this divine joy. We emphasize the willingness to sacrifice for Christ and the unparalleled joy that follows. Finally, we equip you for ministry by encouraging you to utilize your God-given gifts and provide resources to support your faith journey. Tune in to be inspired, challenged, and supported as you walk this path of practical Christian living.
Please visit www.chosenbydesign.net for more information on Pastor Harry’s new book, "Chosen By Design - God’s Purpose for Your Life."
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello, welcome again to the Takeaway.
I'm your host, pastor HarryBehrens, and in today's episode
we're going to be transitioninginto Ephesians, chapter 4,
verses 1 to 3, living apractical life for Jesus.
Before we dive in, I want toinvite you to share any
questions or feedback you mayhave by using the Text Us link
in the episode description or byvisiting our website at
(00:22):
thetakeawayfaith.
Your input is invaluable inshaping our future episodes, and
we are committed to creatingcontent that supports your
spiritual growth, so please letus know your thoughts, as we
would love to hear from you Nowas we get started.
In our last episode, we sawthat Paul ended with a prayer
for believers, giving thanks toGod for their faith, and that
(00:43):
they would understand what hewas revealing to them the
mystery of the church that hadbeen hidden until now.
Paul spent the first threechapters of this letter
discussing the plan that God hadput into action to reveal his
glory in and through us, whom hehad chosen from before the
foundations of the world.
God's desire for each of hisadopted children is that we
(01:05):
glorify him by living aspirit-filled life, fully
submitted to his will.
In doing so, we have access tohis divine nature, so that we
may be effective in our ministry.
And now, as we transition intochapter 4, through the end of
Paul's letter, we will discussthe practical aspects of this
life God has planned for us.
He has given us everything weneed for life and godliness, but
(01:32):
it is our responsibility tosubmit to his will by living a
spirit-filled life that ispleasing to him.
We must enact our faith and nolonger live as we once did, as
Paul described in chapter 2.
So be ready to take action aswe begin this new section of
Practical Christian Living, asthis is now your calling, as a
believer in Christ, to no longerlive for yourself but for Him,
(01:55):
who redeemed you and set youfree in Christ, that you may be
a light into this world toreveal the glory of the Father
through the power of Christ thatlives in you.
2 Peter 1, 3-4.
His divine power has granted tous all things that pertain to
life and godliness, through theknowledge of Him, who called us
to His own glory and excellence,by which he has granted to us
His precious and very greatpromises, so that, through them,
(02:15):
you may become partakers of thedivine nature, having escaped
from the corruption that is inthe world because of sinful
desire.
As we open up in verse 1 ofchapter 4, paul uses the word
therefore to connect hisprevious thought with this one.
It's impossible to read theseverses without that previous
connection or you will lose thecontext in which they were
(02:37):
written.
Remember, paul ended his lastthought with a prayer that
believers would connect God'splan to the practical aspect of
living a life glorifying him.
Now, as we look at Ephesians4.1, I therefore, a prisoner for
the Lord, urge you to walk inamanner worthy of the calling to
which you have been called.
(02:57):
As we discussed in our previousepisodes, paul was in prison
when he wrote this epistle,which connects to the statement.
A prisoner of the Lord, paulrealized that he wasn't in
prison because he wrote thisepistle, which connects to the
statement.
A prisoner of the Lord, paulrealized that he wasn't in
prison because of man.
He was there because that'swhere the Lord willed him to be
for the furtherance of thegospel.
I discussed this in greaterdetail in our last episode.
(03:22):
Now notice Paul said he urges,as in begs, or pleads with us to
walk.
As he walks, he is trying hisbest to express what he has
received from the Lord and howgreat it is, desiring with all
his heart that others would joinhim in this endeavor.
He knows all too well what theyare missing out on and wants
nothing more than for them toexperience that same joy.
Have you ever experiencedsomething so wonderful that you
(03:44):
urge those you love to do thesame?
Maybe it was a vacation youwent on, a meal you had or some
form of entertainment.
We do it all the time.
Why?
Because we want to share theexperience with those we love.
We do everything in our powerto convince them so we have a
shared joy we can talk about andreminisce, to retain it for an
extended period of time.
(04:04):
Are you seeing the picture?
Yet?
That's what Paul was doing here, and we should as well, but all
too often we don't, becausemany of us never get to a place
where the joy of the Lord is sooverwhelming that we can't help
but share the good news.
Think about that for a minute.
Do you think you are to sharethe good news of Jesus out of
obligation?
(04:24):
That's not what Scriptureteaches, as we see here, which
is that we are to share out ofthe overflow or abundance of the
heart.
Luke 6.45 A good man, out ofthe good treasures of his heart
brings forth good and an evilman.
Out of the evil treasure of hisheart, brings forth evil.
For out of the abundance of theLord in us.
(04:46):
First, if we are to share thegospel effectively, think back
to those experiences again thatyou shared because of the joy
you had.
How effective were you atgetting people to do them?
My guess is that you had a highconversion rate.
(05:07):
Why?
It wasn't the details of yourexperience that convinced them.
Your passion, joy andexcitement did.
They wanted to have what youhad, that joy that they knew
they didn't have.
Why do you think things goviral on the internet?
It's not because of how greatthe products are.
It's because we can express ourexcitement for those things
effectively, and that'sultimately what people purchase,
(05:30):
more than the product.
The heart of people wants sobadly to have that joy and they
are grasping at anything thatmight offer that.
It's that God-sized hole intheir heart and they don't know
what to place there, so they tryanything that seems to work.
That's why people get addictedto drugs, alcohol, sex and
whatever else.
The sad thing about this isn'tthat people get addicted to all
(05:53):
the wrong things.
It's that the church doesn'thave this joy either.
If we did, we would be tellingeveryone about Jesus in such a
way that they would feel likethey were missing out.
The opposite is true, though.
When the world sees us, theypity us instead and think that
we have a joyless religion.
That should make you tear up.
(06:14):
Jesus is offering us thefullness of joy that satisfies
us continually, and mostChristians have no clue what
that is or how to obtain it.
When you read Paul's letters,you could tell he had it and
wanted nothing more than for allbelievers to have that passion
as well.
That is exactly what I, too, amtrying to do.
(06:34):
I have that joy, and I want sobadly for those I interact with
to have it also.
It drives me to share Christwith everyone I can do it with.
It's not an obligation for me.
It's a joy and a great way tobe fully satisfied in God.
That's why I do this podcast,write books, preach on Sundays
and disciple anyone willing tolearn.
I can't pour myself out enough,because the more I do, the more
(06:57):
I have gained a brother andsister in Christ that I can
share this joy with, making itmuch more incredible.
Philippians 1, 3-5.
I thank my God in all myremembrance of you always in
every prayer of mine for you all, making my prayer with joy
because of your partnership inthe gospel, from the first day
(07:17):
until now.
So now the question is how doyou get there?
How do you get this tremendousand incredible joy that Jesus is
offering all of us?
First ask yourself do you wantit?
If so, are you willing to doanything to get it?
It's not something you can buy.
It requires you to give up yourlife in faith.
That's a big ask, but thereward is greater than the
(07:39):
sacrifice.
Why do you think so many peoplehave been able to die for the
gospel?
I promise you they are notdoing it out of obligation.
They are doing it because theyhave received a joy that
surpasses the understanding ofthis world, and they will do
whatever they have to tomaintain that joy, even if it
costs them their lives.
That's the ask Now.
(08:00):
Are you ready and willing totake that journey, because
that's where we're going to begoing in these last few chapters
?
If you're not, then you'rewasting your time going any
further than this.
All the knowledge of God's planis worthless if that's all
you're after.
Everything moving forward is acall to action on your part.
That's why Paul urges us.
He knows how easy it would befor us to stop here and never
(08:25):
move forward, but this is thepoint at which you take the step
and enter into the joy of theLord.
Could you imagine paying for acruise, getting on a plane to
fly to the port, carrying yourluggage to the gate and saying I
think I've come far enough?
How ridiculous would that be.
You have accomplished the mostchallenging part and stopped
short of entering the experienceyou paid and signed up for.
(08:46):
I've been on many vacations andI can tell you no one does that
.
The opposite is true.
If something gets in their way,like a flight delay or bad
weather, we see the worst ofpeople come out as they will do
whatever they have to to getwhat they've paid for.
They want what they want andthey will kick and scream until
they get it or have exhaustedthemselves trying to.
(09:06):
I can't say I have ever met aChristian who wanted Jesus that
bad and the joy that he offers.
But I want to be that personand I want to ask you to join me
on that journey, to experiencethis joy together.
We will then have an eternityto share this experience with
each other and those in thekingdom, so that our heavenly
Father is glorified Now.
(09:27):
Paul also stated this in Romans12, 1-2.
I appeal, which is the sameword for urge.
I appeal to you, therefore,brothers, by the mercies of God,
to present your bodies as aliving sacrifice, holy and
acceptable to God, which is yourspiritual worship.
Do not be conformed to thisworld, but be transformed by the
(09:49):
renewal of your mind that bytesting, you may discern what is
the will of God, what is goodand acceptable and perfect.
And in Philippians 1, 27 to 30,he said only let your manner of
life be worthy of the gospel ofChrist, so that, whether I come
and see you or am absent, I mayhear of you that you are
(10:12):
standing firm in one spirit,with one mind, striving side by
side for the faith of the gospeland not frightened in anything
by your opponents.
This is a clear sign to them oftheir destruction, but of your
salvation, and that from God,for it has been granted to you
(10:33):
that, for the sake of Christ,you should not only believe in
him, but also, here it is, youshould also suffer for his sake.
Engaged in the same conflictthat you saw I had and now hear
that I still have.
Our beliefs should manifest ina manner worthy of the one who
(10:56):
called us, even if it leads tosuffering, which we should
embrace.
This can be challenging forChristians, as they may struggle
to reconcile the joy we aresupposed to have with the
suffering we will experience.
Let me put it this way the loveof a parent for the child is
immeasurable.
It surpasses all boundaries andis a source of infinite joy.
(11:17):
A loving parent would willinglysacrifice their own life for
their child because of theimmense joy they received from
them.
This selfless love compels themto endure suffering and even
death.
Now, likewise, believers arewilling to make the ultimate
sacrifice for the faith inChrist because of the
unparalleled joy they find inJesus.
(11:38):
It is this joy that binds ustogether on our journey I'm
moving on to Ephesians 4, 2-3.
With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with
one another in love, eager tomaintain the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace.
The word humility is not foundin the original Greek or Latin
(12:03):
and was coined by ChristiansLowliness is another word used
or poor in the spiritPhilippians 2.3.
Do nothing from selfishambition or conceit, but in
humility count others moresignificant than yourselves.
The first beatitude in Matthew5.3 is blessed are the poor in
(12:23):
spirit, for theirs is thekingdom of heaven.
Now, are you characterized byhumility, or do we seek out the
flaws in others?
True humility involves lookinginward before criticizing others
.
It's important for us to assessour own faults before
addressing the issue we havewith them.
Matthew 7, 1-5, judge, not thatyou be not judged, for with the
(12:46):
judgment you pronounce you willbe judged and with the measure
you use it will be measured toyou.
Why do you see the speck thatis in your brother's eye, but do
not notice the log that is inyour own eye?
Or how can you say to yourbrother let me take the speck
out of your eye.
When there is the log in yourown eye?
(13:07):
You hypocrite.
First take the log out of yourown eye and then you will see
clearly to take the speck out ofyour brother's eye.
Now, the qualities of gentlenessand patience are closely
connected to humility, as theyare the outward manifestations
of it.
Bearing with one another is anatural outcome of practicing
these virtues.
(13:27):
Do we treat each other withkindness and respect, or are we
constantly focusing on thenegatives and complaining?
If you find yourself doing thelatter.
Maybe it's time to swallow yourpride and seek forgiveness from
those you may have wronged.
This act of humility allows youto realign yourself as a
believer.
As Jesus once said, you will beforgiven as you forgive others.
(13:48):
And it all begins with ushumbling ourselves and seeking
forgiveness.
Matthew 6, 14 to 15,.
For if you forgive others theirtrespasses, your heavenly
Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgiveothers their trespasses, neither
will your Father forgive yourtrespasses.
First, peter 4.8 says Above all, keep loving one another
(14:11):
earnestly, since love covers amultitude of sins.
Verse 3 says 1 Corinthians12.4-11.
The unity of the Spirit impliesthat we should eagerly uphold
the unity created by God in thechurch through His Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12, 4-11.
(14:32):
Now, there are varieties ofgifts, but the same Spirit, and
there are varieties of service,but the same Lord, and there are
varieties of activities, but itis the same God who empowers
them all in everyone.
To each is given themanifestation of the spirit for
the common good, for to one isgiven, through the spirit, the
(14:52):
utterance of wisdom and toanother the utterance of
knowledge.
According to the same spirit Toanother.
Faith by the same spirit Toanother.
Gifts of healing by the onespirit To another, the working
of miracles To another, prophecyTo another, the ability to
distinguish between spirits Toanother, the working of miracles
to another, prophecy to another, the ability to distinguish
between spirits to another,various kinds of tongues and to
another the interpretation oftongues.
(15:14):
All these are empowered by oneand the same Spirit, who
appoints to each oneindividually as he wills.
The gifts and diversitypresented within the church are
meant to be used to maintainunity within the body of Christ.
It is important to remember thatour gifts serve the purpose of
(15:36):
keeping the church united beforereaching out to this lost world
.
If the church is divided, itsability to effectively reach out
to the world will becompromised.
It is not enough to simplyshare the gospel.
The way the world perceives thechurch is crucial.
If the church is perceived assad, pathetic, complaining, sick
, hypocritical, sarcastic anddivided, our message will be
(15:57):
dismissed as untruthful.
On the other hand, a churchthat is united in love,
forgiveness, correction,patience and steadfastness will
serve as a living testimony tothe truth of the message it
proclaims.
John 13, 34-35.
A new commandment I give to youthat you love one another just
as I have loved you.
(16:17):
You also are to love oneanother.
By this, all people will knowthat you are my disciples if you
have love for one another.
In order to have a thriving andimpactful ministry that reaches
a world in need, it is vitalthat we are part of a community
characterized by unity.
(16:38):
This is God's intended designfor us.
The Christian life is not aboutgoing solo.
Rather, it is about comingtogether in fellowship.
Jesus teaches us that it isthrough this unity that we bring
glory to our Father.
Within the church, our role isto support, encourage and uplift
one another so that we mayeffectively spread the message
(16:58):
of the gospel.
As we do this, it leads to asense of worship and praise
within the church that not onlyglorifies God but also brings
joy to us.
So please take time today toreflect on finding a church that
embodies this unity and teachesthe Bible.
If you aren't currently in one,it's important to find a
community that aligns with God'sword so that you can mature in
(17:21):
the faith.
If you can't find one, considerstarting a small group with
friends and family to pray forand encourage one another.
Building genuine relationshipstakes time and effort, but it's
worth it.
Keep praying and seeking andyou will find the right place.
If you need help, feel free toreach out to us, as we would
love to pray for and help you onyour journey.
(17:44):
Let's pray, father.
Thank you so much for your wordtoday.
Thank you for the gifting ofthe Holy Spirit.
I thank you for the teachersand the leaders that you've
given us.
I thank you for the plan thatyou have laid before us and that
you've made it clear that yourdesire is for all the children
that you have called to yourselfto love one another, to care
(18:06):
for one another, to be united inChrist together.
God, you did not call us to runthis race alone.
You've called us to lift eachother up, to strengthen each
other, to pray for one another,to use the gifts that you've
given to us for one another.
God, I pray this for ourlisteners today God that you
will help them find a place thatembodies these traits, that
(18:30):
they can use their gifts to loveand to support and to care for
other believers in Christ.
God, that your son, jesus wouldbe exalted, that he would be
glorified, that he would bepraised and that he would be
preached into this lost worldand that we would see lost souls
saved because of it.
Father, we love you so much andwe thank you for the plan that
(18:51):
you have revealed to us, thatyou've made us a part of it, and
we ask, father, that you helpus to bear much fruit, that you
are glorified.
We love you and we thank you inJesus' name, amen.
Now I want to thank you forjoining us today and I hope this
message helped you take a stepcloser in your relationship with
Jesus and that you have abetter understanding of just how
(19:11):
much God loves you and wantsyou to know Him.
In our upcoming episode, we willdive further into the concept
of unity in verses 4-8.
Paul discusses the variousgifts and emphasizes their
essential role in nurturing thechurch.
Each individual has a uniqueand important part to play in
fostering the health andprosperity of their church
fellowship.
If we aspire to witness to theloss and prepare the church for
(19:33):
its divine mission, it isimperative that we utilize the
gifts bestowed upon us asfaithful servants of the Lord.
Failing to do so not onlygrieves God, but also may lead
others astray.
When we shirk ourresponsibilities and allow
others to take on our intendedtasks, we unnecessarily burden
the body of Christ andcompromise the testimony we are
meant to uphold.
(19:54):
Paul's objective in theremainder of this letter is to
fully equip you for the ministryto which God has called you by
utilizing the gifts he hasbestowed upon you.
Now, before we go, I want toencourage you to visit us at
thetakeawayfaith.
On our website, you can sign upto receive email notifications
or send us a text message fromthe link provided in the
description of this episode.
(20:15):
We hope that you would use thispodcast as a resource to help
others and that you would sendus a message, a word of
encouragement or any questionsor comments, as we would love to
hear from you.
God bless, and we'll see younext time on the Takeaway.
Hello, welcome again to the Takeaway.
I'm your host, pastor HarryBehrens, and in today's episode
we're going to be transitioninginto Ephesians, chapter 4,
verses 1 to 3, living apractical life for Jesus.
Before we dive in, I want toinvite you to share any
questions or feedback you mayhave by using the Text Us link
in the episode description or byvisiting our website at
(00:22):
thetakeawayfaith.
Your input is invaluable inshaping our future episodes, and
we are committed to creatingcontent that supports your
spiritual growth, so please letus know your thoughts, as we
would love to hear from you Nowas we get started.
In our last episode, we sawthat Paul ended with a prayer
for believers, giving thanks toGod for their faith, and that
(00:43):
they would understand what hewas revealing to them the
mystery of the church that hadbeen hidden until now.
Paul spent the first threechapters of this letter
discussing the plan that God hadput into action to reveal his
glory in and through us, whom hehad chosen from before the
foundations of the world.
God's desire for each of hisadopted children is that we
(01:05):
glorify him by living aspirit-filled life, fully
submitted to his will.
In doing so, we have access tohis divine nature, so that we
may be effective in our ministry.
And now, as we transition intochapter 4, through the end of
Paul's letter, we will discussthe practical aspects of this
life God has planned for us.
He has given us everything weneed for life and godliness, but
(01:32):
it is our responsibility tosubmit to his will by living a
spirit-filled life that ispleasing to him.
We must enact our faith and nolonger live as we once did, as
Paul described in chapter 2.
So be ready to take action aswe begin this new section of
Practical Christian Living, asthis is now your calling, as a
believer in Christ, to no longerlive for yourself but for Him,
(01:55):
who redeemed you and set youfree in Christ, that you may be
a light into this world toreveal the glory of the Father
through the power of Christ thatlives in you.
2 Peter 1, 3-4.
His divine power has granted tous all things that pertain to
life and godliness, through theknowledge of Him, who called us
to His own glory and excellence,by which he has granted to us
His precious and very greatpromises, so that, through them,
(02:15):
you may become partakers of thedivine nature, having escaped
from the corruption that is inthe world because of sinful
desire.
As we open up in verse 1 ofchapter 4, paul uses the word
therefore to connect hisprevious thought with this one.
It's impossible to read theseverses without that previous
connection or you will lose thecontext in which they were
(02:37):
written.
Remember, paul ended his lastthought with a prayer that
believers would connect God'splan to the practical aspect of
living a life glorifying him.
Now, as we look at Ephesians4.1, I therefore, a prisoner for
the Lord, urge you to walk inamanner worthy of the calling to
which you have been called.
(02:57):
As we discussed in our previousepisodes, paul was in prison
when he wrote this epistle,which connects to the statement.
A prisoner of the Lord, paulrealized that he wasn't in
prison because he wrote thisepistle, which connects to the
statement.
A prisoner of the Lord, paulrealized that he wasn't in
prison because of man.
He was there because that'swhere the Lord willed him to be
for the furtherance of thegospel.
I discussed this in greaterdetail in our last episode.
(03:22):
Now notice Paul said he urges,as in begs, or pleads with us to
walk.
As he walks, he is trying hisbest to express what he has
received from the Lord and howgreat it is, desiring with all
his heart that others would joinhim in this endeavor.
He knows all too well what theyare missing out on and wants
nothing more than for them toexperience that same joy.
Have you ever experiencedsomething so wonderful that you
(03:44):
urge those you love to do thesame?
Maybe it was a vacation youwent on, a meal you had or some
form of entertainment.
We do it all the time.
Why?
Because we want to share theexperience with those we love.
We do everything in our powerto convince them so we have a
shared joy we can talk about andreminisce, to retain it for an
extended period of time.
(04:04):
Are you seeing the picture?
Yet?
That's what Paul was doing here, and we should as well, but all
too often we don't, becausemany of us never get to a place
where the joy of the Lord is sooverwhelming that we can't help
but share the good news.
Think about that for a minute.
Do you think you are to sharethe good news of Jesus out of
obligation?
(04:24):
That's not what Scriptureteaches, as we see here, which
is that we are to share out ofthe overflow or abundance of the
heart.
Luke 6.45 A good man, out ofthe good treasures of his heart
brings forth good and an evilman.
Out of the evil treasure of hisheart, brings forth evil.
For out of the abundance of theLord in us.
(04:46):
First, if we are to share thegospel effectively, think back
to those experiences again thatyou shared because of the joy
you had.
How effective were you atgetting people to do them?
My guess is that you had a highconversion rate.
(05:07):
Why?
It wasn't the details of yourexperience that convinced them.
Your passion, joy andexcitement did.
They wanted to have what youhad, that joy that they knew
they didn't have.
Why do you think things goviral on the internet?
It's not because of how greatthe products are.
It's because we can express ourexcitement for those things
effectively, and that'sultimately what people purchase,
(05:30):
more than the product.
The heart of people wants sobadly to have that joy and they
are grasping at anything thatmight offer that.
It's that God-sized hole intheir heart and they don't know
what to place there, so they tryanything that seems to work.
That's why people get addictedto drugs, alcohol, sex and
whatever else.
The sad thing about this isn'tthat people get addicted to all
(05:53):
the wrong things.
It's that the church doesn'thave this joy either.
If we did, we would be tellingeveryone about Jesus in such a
way that they would feel likethey were missing out.
The opposite is true, though.
When the world sees us, theypity us instead and think that
we have a joyless religion.
That should make you tear up.
(06:14):
Jesus is offering us thefullness of joy that satisfies
us continually, and mostChristians have no clue what
that is or how to obtain it.
When you read Paul's letters,you could tell he had it and
wanted nothing more than for allbelievers to have that passion
as well.
That is exactly what I, too, amtrying to do.
(06:34):
I have that joy, and I want sobadly for those I interact with
to have it also.
It drives me to share Christwith everyone I can do it with.
It's not an obligation for me.
It's a joy and a great way tobe fully satisfied in God.
That's why I do this podcast,write books, preach on Sundays
and disciple anyone willing tolearn.
I can't pour myself out enough,because the more I do, the more
(06:57):
I have gained a brother andsister in Christ that I can
share this joy with, making itmuch more incredible.
Philippians 1, 3-5.
I thank my God in all myremembrance of you always in
every prayer of mine for you all, making my prayer with joy
because of your partnership inthe gospel, from the first day
(07:17):
until now.
So now the question is how doyou get there?
How do you get this tremendousand incredible joy that Jesus is
offering all of us?
First ask yourself do you wantit?
If so, are you willing to doanything to get it?
It's not something you can buy.
It requires you to give up yourlife in faith.
That's a big ask, but thereward is greater than the
(07:39):
sacrifice.
Why do you think so many peoplehave been able to die for the
gospel?
I promise you they are notdoing it out of obligation.
They are doing it because theyhave received a joy that
surpasses the understanding ofthis world, and they will do
whatever they have to tomaintain that joy, even if it
costs them their lives.
That's the ask Now.
(08:00):
Are you ready and willing totake that journey, because
that's where we're going to begoing in these last few chapters
?
If you're not, then you'rewasting your time going any
further than this.
All the knowledge of God's planis worthless if that's all
you're after.
Everything moving forward is acall to action on your part.
That's why Paul urges us.
He knows how easy it would befor us to stop here and never
(08:25):
move forward, but this is thepoint at which you take the step
and enter into the joy of theLord.
Could you imagine paying for acruise, getting on a plane to
fly to the port, carrying yourluggage to the gate and saying I
think I've come far enough?
How ridiculous would that be.
You have accomplished the mostchallenging part and stopped
short of entering the experienceyou paid and signed up for.
(08:46):
I've been on many vacations andI can tell you no one does that
.
The opposite is true.
If something gets in their way,like a flight delay or bad
weather, we see the worst ofpeople come out as they will do
whatever they have to to getwhat they've paid for.
They want what they want andthey will kick and scream until
they get it or have exhaustedthemselves trying to.
(09:06):
I can't say I have ever met aChristian who wanted Jesus that
bad and the joy that he offers.
But I want to be that personand I want to ask you to join me
on that journey, to experiencethis joy together.
We will then have an eternityto share this experience with
each other and those in thekingdom, so that our heavenly
Father is glorified Now.
(09:27):
Paul also stated this in Romans12, 1-2.
I appeal, which is the sameword for urge.
I appeal to you, therefore,brothers, by the mercies of God,
to present your bodies as aliving sacrifice, holy and
acceptable to God, which is yourspiritual worship.
Do not be conformed to thisworld, but be transformed by the
(09:49):
renewal of your mind that bytesting, you may discern what is
the will of God, what is goodand acceptable and perfect.
And in Philippians 1, 27 to 30,he said only let your manner of
life be worthy of the gospel ofChrist, so that, whether I come
and see you or am absent, I mayhear of you that you are
(10:12):
standing firm in one spirit,with one mind, striving side by
side for the faith of the gospeland not frightened in anything
by your opponents.
This is a clear sign to them oftheir destruction, but of your
salvation, and that from God,for it has been granted to you
(10:33):
that, for the sake of Christ,you should not only believe in
him, but also, here it is, youshould also suffer for his sake.
Engaged in the same conflictthat you saw I had and now hear
that I still have.
Our beliefs should manifest ina manner worthy of the one who
(10:56):
called us, even if it leads tosuffering, which we should
embrace.
This can be challenging forChristians, as they may struggle
to reconcile the joy we aresupposed to have with the
suffering we will experience.
Let me put it this way the loveof a parent for the child is
immeasurable.
It surpasses all boundaries andis a source of infinite joy.
(11:17):
A loving parent would willinglysacrifice their own life for
their child because of theimmense joy they received from
them.
This selfless love compels themto endure suffering and even
death.
Now, likewise, believers arewilling to make the ultimate
sacrifice for the faith inChrist because of the
unparalleled joy they find inJesus.
(11:38):
It is this joy that binds ustogether on our journey I'm
moving on to Ephesians 4, 2-3.
With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with
one another in love, eager tomaintain the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace.
The word humility is not foundin the original Greek or Latin
(12:03):
and was coined by ChristiansLowliness is another word used
or poor in the spiritPhilippians 2.3.
Do nothing from selfishambition or conceit, but in
humility count others moresignificant than yourselves.
The first beatitude in Matthew5.3 is blessed are the poor in
(12:23):
spirit, for theirs is thekingdom of heaven.
Now, are you characterized byhumility, or do we seek out the
flaws in others?
True humility involves lookinginward before criticizing others
.
It's important for us to assessour own faults before
addressing the issue we havewith them.
Matthew 7, 1-5, judge, not thatyou be not judged, for with the
(12:46):
judgment you pronounce you willbe judged and with the measure
you use it will be measured toyou.
Why do you see the speck thatis in your brother's eye, but do
not notice the log that is inyour own eye?
Or how can you say to yourbrother let me take the speck
out of your eye.
When there is the log in yourown eye?
(13:07):
You hypocrite.
First take the log out of yourown eye and then you will see
clearly to take the speck out ofyour brother's eye.
Now, the qualities of gentlenessand patience are closely
connected to humility, as theyare the outward manifestations
of it.
Bearing with one another is anatural outcome of practicing
these virtues.
(13:27):
Do we treat each other withkindness and respect, or are we
constantly focusing on thenegatives and complaining?
If you find yourself doing thelatter.
Maybe it's time to swallow yourpride and seek forgiveness from
those you may have wronged.
This act of humility allows youto realign yourself as a
believer.
As Jesus once said, you will beforgiven as you forgive others.
(13:48):
And it all begins with ushumbling ourselves and seeking
forgiveness.
Matthew 6, 14 to 15,.
For if you forgive others theirtrespasses, your heavenly
Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgiveothers their trespasses, neither
will your Father forgive yourtrespasses.
First, peter 4.8 says Above all, keep loving one another
(14:11):
earnestly, since love covers amultitude of sins.
Verse 3 says 1 Corinthians12.4-11.
The unity of the Spirit impliesthat we should eagerly uphold
the unity created by God in thechurch through His Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12, 4-11.
(14:32):
Now, there are varieties ofgifts, but the same Spirit, and
there are varieties of service,but the same Lord, and there are
varieties of activities, but itis the same God who empowers
them all in everyone.
To each is given themanifestation of the spirit for
the common good, for to one isgiven, through the spirit, the
(14:52):
utterance of wisdom and toanother the utterance of
knowledge.
According to the same spirit Toanother.
Faith by the same spirit Toanother.
Gifts of healing by the onespirit To another, the working
of miracles To another, prophecyTo another, the ability to
distinguish between spirits Toanother, the working of miracles
to another, prophecy to another, the ability to distinguish
between spirits to another,various kinds of tongues and to
another the interpretation oftongues.
(15:14):
All these are empowered by oneand the same Spirit, who
appoints to each oneindividually as he wills.
The gifts and diversitypresented within the church are
meant to be used to maintainunity within the body of Christ.
It is important to remember thatour gifts serve the purpose of
(15:36):
keeping the church united beforereaching out to this lost world
.
If the church is divided, itsability to effectively reach out
to the world will becompromised.
It is not enough to simplyshare the gospel.
The way the world perceives thechurch is crucial.
If the church is perceived assad, pathetic, complaining, sick
, hypocritical, sarcastic anddivided, our message will be
(15:57):
dismissed as untruthful.
On the other hand, a churchthat is united in love,
forgiveness, correction,patience and steadfastness will
serve as a living testimony tothe truth of the message it
proclaims.
John 13, 34-35.
A new commandment I give to youthat you love one another just
as I have loved you.
(16:17):
You also are to love oneanother.
By this, all people will knowthat you are my disciples if you
have love for one another.
In order to have a thriving andimpactful ministry that reaches
a world in need, it is vitalthat we are part of a community
characterized by unity.
(16:38):
This is God's intended designfor us.
The Christian life is not aboutgoing solo.
Rather, it is about comingtogether in fellowship.
Jesus teaches us that it isthrough this unity that we bring
glory to our Father.
Within the church, our role isto support, encourage and uplift
one another so that we mayeffectively spread the message
(16:58):
of the gospel.
As we do this, it leads to asense of worship and praise
within the church that not onlyglorifies God but also brings
joy to us.
So please take time today toreflect on finding a church that
embodies this unity and teachesthe Bible.
If you aren't currently in one,it's important to find a
community that aligns with God'sword so that you can mature in
(17:21):
the faith.
If you can't find one, considerstarting a small group with
friends and family to pray forand encourage one another.
Building genuine relationshipstakes time and effort, but it's
worth it.
Keep praying and seeking andyou will find the right place.
If you need help, feel free toreach out to us, as we would
love to pray for and help you onyour journey.
(17:44):
Let's pray, father.
Thank you so much for your wordtoday.
Thank you for the gifting ofthe Holy Spirit.
I thank you for the teachersand the leaders that you've
given us.
I thank you for the plan thatyou have laid before us and that
you've made it clear that yourdesire is for all the children
that you have called to yourselfto love one another, to care
(18:06):
for one another, to be united inChrist together.
God, you did not call us to runthis race alone.
You've called us to lift eachother up, to strengthen each
other, to pray for one another,to use the gifts that you've
given to us for one another.
God, I pray this for ourlisteners today God that you
will help them find a place thatembodies these traits, that
(18:30):
they can use their gifts to loveand to support and to care for
other believers in Christ.
God, that your son, jesus wouldbe exalted, that he would be
glorified, that he would bepraised and that he would be
preached into this lost worldand that we would see lost souls
saved because of it.
Father, we love you so much andwe thank you for the plan that
(18:51):
you have revealed to us, thatyou've made us a part of it, and
we ask, father, that you helpus to bear much fruit, that you
are glorified.
We love you and we thank you inJesus' name, amen.
Now I want to thank you forjoining us today and I hope this
message helped you take a stepcloser in your relationship with
Jesus and that you have abetter understanding of just how
(19:11):
much God loves you and wantsyou to know Him.
In our upcoming episode, we willdive further into the concept
of unity in verses 4-8.
Paul discusses the variousgifts and emphasizes their
essential role in nurturing thechurch.
Each individual has a uniqueand important part to play in
fostering the health andprosperity of their church
fellowship.
If we aspire to witness to theloss and prepare the church for
(19:33):
its divine mission, it isimperative that we utilize the
gifts bestowed upon us asfaithful servants of the Lord.
Failing to do so not onlygrieves God, but also may lead
others astray.
When we shirk ourresponsibilities and allow
others to take on our intendedtasks, we unnecessarily burden
the body of Christ andcompromise the testimony we are
meant to uphold.
(19:54):
Paul's objective in theremainder of this letter is to
fully equip you for the ministryto which God has called you by
utilizing the gifts he hasbestowed upon you.
Now, before we go, I want toencourage you to visit us at
thetakeawayfaith.
On our website, you can sign upto receive email notifications
or send us a text message fromthe link provided in the
description of this episode.
(20:15):
We hope that you would use thispodcast as a resource to help
others and that you would sendus a message, a word of
encouragement or any questionsor comments, as we would love to
hear from you.
God bless, and we'll see younext time on the Takeaway.
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