Walking Worthily of Our Calling

Salvation has location. Ephesians 1 emphasizes what we find in Christ. Terms like In Him, in the Lord Christ, in Jesus are repeated throughout the chapter, and this concept bleeds over into chapter 2. Paul explains that being in Christ constitutes a new life, emerging from the death of sin into the spiritual resurrection in Jesus. We are made alive through Him. Paul concludes chapter 2 with reconciliation to God, emphasizing the elimination of racial and carnal divisions through the cross of Christ. This leads into chapter 3, discussing this as God’s eternal purpose. Christ’s role, our reconciliation, our spiritual rebirth – all of this is God’s plan based in His love.

In this book, Paul expresses his sympathy and understanding for everything the Ephesians are facing. In these first three chapters, Paul reminds us it matters not who we are, where we come from, how old we are, our cultural background, what sins we may have committed – we all need Christ, and He is available to all. Chapters 4-6, however, change focus from God’s plan to our response to that plan. He focuses on our walk, our conduct. We once walked according to this world, but now I must change my path if I am to be a follower of Christ.

Walking Befitting Christ’s Sacrifice
Ephesians 4:1 begins with a statement to walk worthily of our calling. The first three chapters make clear the care and deliberation that went into our salvation. We should therefore be as careful and as deliberate in our own lives as Christians, as followers of Christ. In verse 22, Paul calls on us to crucify our former selves, putting on new selves created in the holiness of God’s truth. We are not to walk as the world. In this, Paul points our three important facets – walking in love, walking in light, walking carefully. This is presented in the context of Paul writing that salvation is in Christ, that salvation remakes us anew, and that His sacrifice and salvation is not an accident.

• Walking in Love – Ephesians 5:1. Are we willing to give ourselves up for one another? Our walks of love are to resemble the love God shows us. John 13:34-35, I John 4:7-11, Romans 5:8 – these recount God’s love for us is a sacrificial unconditional love even when we are unlovable. We have to put to death hatefulness and enmity to clothe ourselves in the love of Christ.
• Walking in Light – Ephesians 5:7-8. Matthew 5:14 records Jesus calling His followers a light to the world. If we claim to wear His name, we should brighten the world around us, avoiding darkness in our attitudes and conduct. Philippians 2:15 reminds us to consider the example we set in all we say and do. Wearing the name in Christ necessitates that we walk in light.
• Walk Carefully – Ephesians 5:15. Some translations say to walk circumspectly, carrying the idea of looking around carefully as we walk. We carefully consider those things we engage in and approve of, examining their benefit to our Christian lives. Proverbs 14:16, I Thessalonians 5:21 – these remind us to be careful in all we do as followers of God.

Conclusion
Paul calls us to walk wisely in light and love as response to Christ’s sacrifice for us. God shines His love on us in His deliberate and intentional plan for our salvation and reconciliation to Him. Our walk should be the same. Jesus did not die on the cross so I may live however I want – foolishly thinking that will bring me closer to Him. We should sacrifice ourselves as Christ sacrificed for us. We have a new life with new expectations and a new hope when we submit ourselves to Him and walk after His example.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Servants in the House of the Lord

Servitude is a theme replete throughout scripture. In Matthew 20:20, when a mother asks that her sons sit on His right and left sides, the apostles grow contentious over their rank in the kingdom. Jesus, however, says they should not seek to be masters but servants, for it shall be the servants that will be honored in His kingdom. Jesus’ mission is one of service, and our mission should be likewise focused. Also, Romans 12:7 and I Peter 4:9-10 encourage us to devote ourselves to our lives of service, and II Corinthians 11:8 records Paul his acceptance of donations from other congregations was for the purpose of service.

In Ephesians 6:5-8, Paul is specifically speaking to the servant-master relationship, and he tells those servants to be obedient. He explains, though, that giving goodwill service to another is giving service to God. Finally, in Galatians 5:13, Paul tells us to use our spiritual freedom to become servants one to another.

Examples of Service

• John 13 records the events of the last supper. Starting in verse 4, Jesus kneels to wash His disciples’ feet, taking on the role of servant to His followers. Knowing He was about to die, Jesus takes these last few hours to teach humble servitude to those who had been following him these last three years.
• In Acts 9:36, we meet a woman named Tabitha through her death. She is described as reputed for her charity. She served others, and, when she dies, those upon whom she had shown charity were gathered around her, displaying gifts she had given them.
• During the events of John 11, Martha works to serve the many people coming in and out of her home. In the presence of Jesus and His followers, she busies herself
• Philippians 2:22 records Paul describing Timothy as a fellow servant in the gospel. He describes his relationship with Timothy like father and son. That’s how attentive Timothy is to Paul in their service to the Lord.

Korah and Servitude

Psalms 42-49 and Psalms 84-89 (with the exception of one Psalm in each of those groupings) are attributed to the sons of Korah. In Numbers 16, Korah and many of his family rise up against Aaron and Moses – wanting to be as important in their role before God. This small revolt ends poorly for Korah and his supporters, but some of his family survived to write some of the Psalms.

In one of these Psalms, number 84:9, these sons of Korah express they would rather be doorkeepers in the house of Jehovah that dwell in the homes of the wicked. These sons demonstrate a contentment their forefather lacked. They are content to be servants rather than masters. Psalm 42 focuses on longing after serving God, and, throughout these Psalms written by the sons of Korah, this attitude of service and gratitude repeats. It no longer matters to these sons their level of importance in God’s work, so long as they can serve and glorify God.

Personal Applications

It’s not easy to focus on others before self. It’s not easy to deny self, but that is what our Savior did. We have to develop a servant mindset, and we have to be able to put God and others first. There are many things we can do, whether we are like Tabitha with charity, like Martha with hospitality,or like Timothy in service to the gospel. We should be serving one another in love. We should be more like the sons of Korah in Psalms, happy to be doorkeepers in the house of the Lord, submitting to God and to one another in humility.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Our Need for Atonement

What concept of sin, separation, and salvation do the patriarchs under the old covenant have? Psalm 32:1 begins with blessings for those whose sins are forgiven by God, and David acknowledges the sorrow associated with separation from God. Also, Psalm 38:1 opens with a plea for mercy from judgment, the consequences of the sins he confesses in verse 15. Psalm 51:1 begins again with a plea for mercy, asking the psalmists’ transgressions be blotted and cleansed. He asks for purification by God in verse 7. These psalms demonstrate an understanding of sin, separation, and forgiveness that we sometimes don’t attribute to those who lived under the Old Testament.

Today is the Day of Atonement on the Jewish calendar – Yom Kippur. In the Old Testament, the Day of Atonement is a monumental occasion, the day when the high priest enters the holiest place, when the scapegoat is released, a day of fasting. Would they forget what necessitated atonement? Do we likewise emphasize the death of Christ while forgetting what put Him on that cross?

If it is only the death of Christ on which we should focus, the New Testament writers might have demonstrated less reserve in describing that death. They are not concerned with portraying agony for agony’s sake. They do not concern themselves with theatrical or dramatic portrayals of the cross. The significance is not only in what happened but also why. The reason for Christ’s death is sin – yours and mine. How we view our sins affects how we view the cross just as those in the Old Testament had to appreciate their need for atonement to appreciate the meaning behind the Day of Atonement.

The Seriousness of Sin
We often define sin as, “missing the mark,” and that does not sound so severe. Missing a mark can be close, and we have little problem with being close. However, God sees sin as a condemnable act, and we should take it so seriously. Multiple times in Ezekiel 18, the prophet proclaims that the soul who sins stands condemned to death. Luke 13:1 accounts a discussions where the Pharisees are talking about the consequences of others’ sins, but Jesus rebukes them for not taking their own sins seriously. In John 8:24, Jesus warns that sin brings death without His intervention.

Sin is a terminal disease, but we have a tendency to trivialize it and tolerate it. We feel guilt, but we learn to shrug that guilt away. SIn corrupts character, creates barriers between men, causes crime and abuse. When we define sin as simply missing a mark, we miss a true appreciation of the seriousness of sin. It is rebellion against God, and, if we participate in it, Isaiah 59:1-2 warns it creates a separation between ourselves and our God.

The Greatness of Salvation
If we view sin as the serious offense it is, then we can truly appreciate the greatness of God’s salvation. Salvation is more than a good disposition or a general mindset. Romans 3:23 warns that all have sinned, and Peter writes that God wants all to repent from the sin that separates man. We have problems reconciling God’s love the idea of punishment, but in Matthew 25:30, in the context of a parable, Jesus speaks of an outer darkness. Verses 41 and 46 talk of eternal fire and punishment. Mark 9:43 records Jesus preaching of the desperate measures we should be willing to take in avoiding condemnation.

Salvation delivers us from terrible consequences, and it is not something to view casually. In Hebrews 5:9 calls Jesus high priest to all who obey Him. How then should we feel about our atonement? How should we feel about the cross?

• Romans 6:23 makes it clear that sin causes death, and our Savior died on that cross to pay that debt.
• II Peter 2:22 and II Corinthians 5:21 emphasize Jesus’ lack of sin. He died because of sin, but He did not die for His own.
• II Corinthians 5:21 makes it clear Jesus was made sin on our behalf.

In Isaiah 53, the prophet writes of how the suffering servant bears my sin, my sorrows, my transgressions, my iniquities. He takes on my punishment. His stripes heal me. The consequence of sin is death, but Jesus did not die for His own sins. Instead His sacrifice took my place.

Conclusion
Jesus’ death is more than an act of martyrdom. It is a sanctification that allows us to drive sin and its consequences from our lives. Romans 6:1-2 warns us against assuming God’s grace. Rather we should die to that sin for which Jesus died. Jesus took our grief and transgressions. In response, we must purge sin from our lives, looking at sin the way God does. We can remember our Lord, repent, and turn toward a Lord who has brought us a great salvation from the consequences of sin.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Necessary Changes

Psalm 51 occurs after David’s sin with Bathsheba becomes public knowledge. He prays to God to be purified in this Psalm. He calls to be cleaned whiter than snow. In verses 16-17, he expresses a broken heart and a humbled sacrifice in sacrifice to God. David recognizes the change he needs in his life, and David vows to help others turn to God as he himself has made necessary changes. We should all want to share God’s word with others, but David recognizes his need to change himself before attempting to influence others.

Points of Transformation
In Acts 3:19, in a sermon very similar to the one preached at Pentecost, Peter encourages his audience to repent and turn from their sins, being forgiven by the Lord. Romans 12:1-2 calls us living sacrifices, transformed from conformity to this world. Paul calls our minds renewed by God’s word. How do we make these necessary changes, renewing our minds, and transforming ourselves in God’s image?

• Reverence to Worship. Are we coming into God’s presence with reverence and awe? Mark 7 records Jesus chastising the Pharisees for lip-service in the context of their traditions. He says their hearts are far from Him in their worship, and Luke 18:9 begins a parable of a tax collector and Pharisee – the latter trusting self and lacking reverence for God and His mercy. We all need to set self aside so we may be filled with God.
• Attitude Toward Service. Do we consider service to others a burden? In Galatians 6:7 begins a passage that encourages to never grow weary in working good. In Ephesians 2:10, Paul calls us God’s workmanship, created for the purpose of doing good works. Our attitude toward helping others should be a source of joy, walking in the good works God has prepared for us.
• Ignorance to Knowledge. How comfortable am I studying with someone about spiritually difficult topics? In I Timothy 1:7, in the context of vain speaking, Paul speaks of those who wish to be teachers but have no understanding. Hebrews 5 begins by chastising the author’s audience who have not matured spiritually – due to a lack of study and knowledge. We should be striving daily to build our spiritual knowledge.
• Infancy to Adulthood. In the context of building our knowledge, Hebrews 5 also encourages us to spiritually mature. In Hebrews 6:1, the author calls on us to push on to full growth. This problem is present in I Corinthians 3, where Paul calls those Christians spiritually immature. We have to put our faith into practice so we may grow.
• Laziness to Zeal. Romans 13:11 calls on us to wake up in our spiritual work. I Corinthians 15:32 records Paul speaking to the futility of our spirituality if the resurrection is a lie, and, in verse 34, he again calls us to wake ourselves up. In Ephesians 5:14, after writing about our spiritual walk, Paul calls the sleepers to awaken. If we are asleep in our service to God, we need to wake up and get to work. We should be giving as much to God as we can.

Conclusion
We have to give God our most and our best. Back in Psalm 51, David recognizes how much change would have to happen in his life to draw closer to God. If we are to be in God’s presence, we have to change our minds, our attitudes, and our actions. In every aspect of our lives, we can transform ourselves to draw closer to God as He draws closer to us.

lesson by Tim Smelser