Let's take our Bibles and turn
with me to the book of Ephesians, chapter 4. Ephesians, chapter
4. I'm going to read some out of
chapter 2, chapter 3, and then go into chapter 4, but let's
ask our Lord's blessing. Our Father, we thank you this
evening for this precious time. And we thank you for the blessing
that we have to call upon you in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And Lord, we ask tonight, and you told us to ask and to seek
and to knock. And you said we have not because
we don't. So Lord, we ask tonight. Would
you bless your word to our understanding, help us to worship, forgive us
where we failed you. For Christ's sake, amen. The Apostle Paul is the apostle
that the Lord called to preach to the Gentiles. And the miracle
of God's grace was that revelation that God Almighty would call Gentiles unto Himself. And Paul the Apostle is preaching
to a Gentile church. He's preaching to a church at
Ephesus. He said in Ephesians chapter
2, and he's telling them these precious truths. He said in verse
19 of Ephesians 2, he said, now therefore, ye are no more strangers
and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household
of God. He said, you're not foreigners
anymore, you're friends by the grace of God, fellow citizens. And he said, and are built upon
the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself
being the chief cornerstone. Built on the same truth, the
same person, the same foundation, as the Lord's apostles were built
upon, the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom all the building fitly
framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord, growing
as the Lord calls out His elect. God has a people that He's always
loved. They've always been His. But
this building, the church, the bride, groweth, calling out. In whom, verse 22, ye also are
built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit. You're not finished yet. God's
still calling out His people. You know, we're here tonight.
The Lord still has a people. And the Lord's church has all
been called unto Himself. Lord, come back. But here we
are, we're preaching the Gospel. God Almighty has a building,
has a church, has a bride. And then Paul the Apostle says
to them in verse 1 of chapter 3, he says, for this cause, because
God has been pleased to reveal to you that you're not strangers
anymore, for this cause I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ
for you Gentiles, if you've heard of the dispensation or the stewardship
of the grace of God which is given to me to you." He said,
you've heard how God called me to be a steward of the gospel.
He entrusted this gospel unto me to preach it to you. And he
said, how that by revelation, He made known unto me the mystery. As I wrote aphor in a few words,
we read part of those words just a minute ago. He said, you know
how that by God's revelation to me, He made known this mystery
to me. whereby when you read, you may
understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ. When you read
what I wrote aforetime, you'll understand what the Lord has
taught me, which in other ages was not made known unto the sons
of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets
by the Spirit, that the Gentiles, should be fellow heirs and of
the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the
gospel, whereof I was made a minister according to the gift of the
grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his
power." Here's where we'll start, right here. That's what Paul
is getting ready to say in verse 1 of chapter 4. I'm going to
just look at the first three verses. He says, I therefore,
I wanted to read those other verses so we could understand.
What is he talking about when he says, I therefore, because
you're not strangers, because you're built together, because
you're built on the same foundation, because God revealed to me the
mystery which was hidden in ages past. I therefore, the prisoner
of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation
wherewith you are called." Now, the first three chapters of the
book of Ephesians is the setting forth of the doctrinal truth
of God's sovereignty. We looked at Ephesians chapter
1 in verses 4-5, we read those verses, quote those verses all
the time. How God Almighty chose a people in Christ before the
foundation of the world that they should be holy and without
blame before Him in love. Predestinated. Determine the
destination beforehand. Predestinated. To be conformed,
the image of the Son. Predestinated unto the adoption
of children by Jesus Christ to Himself. And then in these latter
chapters, Paul, under the inspiration of God's Spirit, now is going
to set forth the effect or the evidence of those that the Lord
has revealed the doctrinal truth to. In those first three chapters,
doctrinal truth, truth of God's sovereignty. Truth of the Father's
electing grace, the Son's redeeming grace, the Holy Spirit's quickening
grace. And now he's going to talk under
the leadership and direction of God's Spirit on how a believer
walks in this world. The evidence of it. Faith without
the evidence of it. Faith without works. Works does
not save anybody. We're not saved by works of righteousness. Not by works of righteousness
that we've done. According to His mercy, He saved
us. But I'm telling you, faith that has no evidence of faith
is not true faith. So He says, I therefore, and
He repeats what He said over here in verse 1 of chapter 3,
the prisoner of the Lord. The Apostle Paul, you can read
over in Acts chapter 9, he was arrested on the road to Damascus. I mean the Lord just stopped
him. He was on his way to Damascus, he was going to take those who
were of the way, he was going to take believers, he was going
to take them back bound to Jerusalem. And he was doing what he was
doing. He was doing it zealously. He believed as he believed he
was serving God. He believed this is the right
thing. These followers of this Jesus of Nazareth, well, the
Lord stopped him. And he stopped him in the middle
of that road and he called him Saul. Saul, why persecutest thou
me? And Saul has in his hands letters
of authority to take all that were followers of this Jesus
of Nazareth. He's going to take them bound
back. And he said, Saul, he said, who are you, Lord? He said, I'm Jesus of Nazareth,
the one that you're persecuting. Why persecutest thou me? Lord,
what would you have me to do? Arrested on the road to Damascus
one day, but continually, till he died a prisoner bound by the
grace of God. You know, I thought about a prisoner.
You know, when we think of a prisoner, you think of one Milton Howard,
a pastor in Ball, Louisiana. Milton preaches, if I'm not mistaken,
I think he told me, it's in the teens, how many times he preaches
every week. They're not only there at Kitchens
Creek at the church, but going over to the prison. He preaches
in English, he preaches in Spanish, he preaches to prisoners. He told me, he said, it's amazing.
He said, you can't find one hardly that's guilty. He said, they're
all innocent. They're just victims of circumstance.
I don't know how I got here. He said, nobody's guilty. But
you know, you think of a prisoner. He's one that obviously doesn't
want to get caught. Everything in the world he can
to avoid getting caught. And hating the thought of getting
caught when he is apprehended. All he wants to do is to hurry
up and do his time and get out. Not so with a prisoner of the
Lord Jesus Christ. One who has been arrested by
power and grace. A prisoner of the Lord whose
mercy has been bestowed upon me. And he'll say this, I've
been arrested by the grace of God. You that know him, Do you
really want to be away? The Lord asked His apostles one
day after so many of them wouldn't follow Him anymore. They heard
what the Lord had said, no man can come to Me except the Father
which has sent Me, draw him. No man can. No man has the ability. No man has the ability to come.
That's a hard saying. That's sovereignty, that's hard,
and they walked no more with it. They left. And the Lord asked
His apostles, will you go away also? And here's what a prisoner
of the Lord Jesus Christ says, Lord, to whom shall we go? Where are we going to go? Thou hast the words of eternal
life, and we believe. and are sure that thou art that
Christ, the Son of the living God. We don't want to go anywhere. I want to be right here. I want
to be where He is, meeting where His people is, because that's
where He is. I want to hear His gospel. I
want the Spirit of God to open my eyes to some understanding
of His Word. I want to sing the songs that
magnify Him. That's why we sing these songs,
Brother Gary picks these songs out, and if there's a song and
it just doesn't ring right, you know, we just don't sing it.
We want to honor Him, a prisoner of the Lord Jesus Christ. I want
to be where God's people are, where the Lord is. I was reading
this morning in 2 Kings. I'm not going to read it, I'll
just tell you. It's in 2 Kings chapter 2. But
three times, The Lord was going to take Elijah. He was going
to receive him up into heaven. It was known because the sons
of the prophets would tell Elisha three times as Elijah was going.
And Elisha was following him. And three different times, Elijah,
he knew that the Lord was going to take him. He knew he was.
The Lord had revealed to him that he was going to take him.
And three times, Elijah told Elisha they'd come to Bethel.
And three times, Elijah told Elisha He said, you stay here, you stay
here, I'm going to go on. And Elisha told him three times,
he said, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will
not leave thee. I'm not leaving. You know what
happened? Elijah, just before the Lord
took him, asked him, he said, what do you ask? What do you
want of me? Elisha said, I want a double
portion. of what the Lord's given you.
Boy, what a request. I want a double portion of what
God's given you. Elijah said, if you see me when
the Lord takes me up, you'll have it. And he did. He did. But Elisha wasn't going anywhere.
He didn't want to go anywhere. And God's people don't want to
go anywhere. Escape from him? Aren't you glad that we're kept? by the power of God through faith,
ready to be revealed in that day. Paul had related the truth
of God's mercy and grace to these people. And now he tells them,
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, having told you what
God has revealed to me, I beseech you, I charge you, that you walk
Worthy. Worthy. That word, I got to thinking
about that word this morning. Worthy. And you know, believers
are going to say, but who's worthy to do it? Well, here's what the
word means. You walk appropriately. Walk as it becometh. The calling, the vocation wherewith
you're called. I know this, we have no ability
in ourselves to walk as we would, as we ought to. I know we have
no ability to. We admit our frailty, but according
to the leadership and grace of God Almighty, we strive after
it. I want to. I want to. A believer knows that of himself
he can do nothing. But according to the Lord's mercy,
here's what Paul is saying. Take heed to your conduct. Take heed to your attitude. Take
heed to your speech. Strive to be a credit. Strive to be a proper ambassador
to the one who has called us out of darkness, to the one that
has eternally loved us, to the Lord Jesus Christ who has, in
particular, redeemed his people. He laid down his life for the
sheep. powerfully called by grace unto
himself and keeps us by power and mercy. Adorn the gospel of
the Lord Jesus Christ by your walk. Adorn it. Titus 2.7 says
this, in all things showing thyself a pattern of good works. That is presenting or exhibiting
yourself to be the model, the model, the die, the die,
the stamp of good works. In all things, present yourself,
exhibit yourself, showing yourself to be the model. Boy, I thought,
oh Lord help me. Help me Lord that I might walk
appropriately, mindful. A believer is immediately reminded
by the Spirit of God. He knows, he knows himself, he
knows. But in all things, in doctrine and in walk, in doctrine
and the evidence of believing, in our walk, walk by faith, walk
in love, not as fools. Walk in the light that we have. I want you to turn to 1 Thessalonians. Hold your place there in Ephesians.
1 Thessalonians chapter 1. 1 Thessalonians 1. This is what the Apostle Paul
said to the church of Thessalonica. 1 Thessalonians 1 verse 4 to
7. Knowing, brethren, beloved, your
election of God. He said, for our gospel came
not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy
Ghost, and in much assurance, as you know what manner of men
we were among you for your sake. And he said, we know your election
of God because you became followers of us and of the Lord. You received
the word, having received the word in much affliction, with
joy of the Holy Ghost. And look, he said, also we know
of your election so that you were examples to all that believe
in Macedonia and Achaia. A believer, he knows what he is in himself. He knows, he knows that in him,
that is in my flesh, there dwells no good thing. But a believer
is a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is one that God has given
a heart that desires and strives after, being a pattern. I want to adorn the gospel. I want to be an example. Don't you? I mean, is there a
believer that would sit here and say, I don't have any desire
whatsoever to walk as a believer? There's something wrong. Something's
wrong. A believer desires, longs after
to be a pattern and puts no confidence in his flesh. Strives to do that which is honoring
to Christ. Apostle Paul back in Ephesians
4, back in verse 2, he said, in verse 1, I therefore the prisoner
of the Lord beseech you that you walk worthy of a vocation wherewith you call
with all lowliness and meekness. He said in a spirit of humility,
in a spirit of gentleness, He said, put the best thoughts of
others on them, and the lowest thoughts on yourself. With all
lowliness, esteeming others better, better than yourself. I'm telling
you, starting right here in this pulpit, if all of us would esteem
everybody else in here better than himself, and take the lower
seat, take the lower way, esteem them with lowliness and meekness,
submitting to the leadership of God's Spirit, seeking the
Lord's hand in His providential dealings with us. You know, I
can stand up, it's amazing how I can stand up and I can preach so easily. And I believe this. I believe
this. I believe this. All things work together for
good to them that love God. To them who are called according
to His purpose. I believe that. I believe that.
All things. And I'll stand here and I will
state what I truly believe. All things and something will
happen, and I'm telling you, bam! Man, I'll fly off the handle,
and I'm thinking, are you kidding me? What kind of an attitude
is that? Well, what kind of laugh? With
all lowliness and meekness, this fella come up one day to
David and started cussing him and throwing rocks at him. One
of David's mighty men said, you want me to take his head off
for you? I'm telling you, he's gone. He's gone, David said. The Lord told him. The Lord told
him to curse David. The Lord did that. For all lowliness,
meekness. He ordered our steps, I know
that. Whatever it was, it was for my good and for His glory.
Grace has placed us where we are. That's what it is. I beseech you, walk worthy of
the vocation. Lord, teach me, help me. I'm a frail creature and not
worthy to even remotely be called a pattern. With all lowliness, meekness,
long suffering, patient endurance of an offense. Oh my. By nature, we're so defensive. We're so, you know, you get me,
I'm going to get you back. I'm going to get you better.
I'll get you better than you got me. But with long suffering,
be patient with the faults. and the infirmities of others. The Lord said, vengeance is mine. Instead of me flying off the
handle, let me talk to him about it. Let me ask the Lord, longsuffering,
don't be easily provoked to anger or offended by a misunderstanding. 1 Corinthians 13.4, charity,
love, suffereth long. And it's kind. It's kind. Consider this. The Lord been
patient with me, been patient with you that know Him. Listen
to this, 2 Peter 3.9. The Lord is not slack. He's not delaying. concerning
His promise, as some men count slackness or tardiness. But His
long-suffering, patient to us, to His people, not willing that
any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. The
Lord's people are going to come to Him. All that the Father giveth
Me, the Lord said in John 6.37, shall come to Me. and him that cometh to me I will
in no wise cast out." But here this scripture speaks of the
Lord's long suffering to us. How long has it been long suffering?
He's always been long suffering. I'm telling you, we came forth
from my mother's womb speaking lies. Liars from birth. Sin. Born in sin. Sinners by
practice. Sinners by choice. Sinners that
love it. And God Almighty is long-suffering.
Long-suffering. Why? He's not willing that any
should perish. But that all that He had given
the Son in electing grace should come to Him. Forbearing. Last part of verse 2. For bearing
one another in love. Bearing with. Bearing with. For bearing. Bearing with. Enduring. Brother Henry Mahan made this
statement I thought was so good. He says, making whatever allowances
are necessary because you love one another. Whatever allowances
are necessary Boy, doesn't this go against the grain of all of
us? Colossians 3, 13, forbearing
one another and forgiving one another. If any man have a quarrel
against any, I'm going to give us all some advice right here.
Now here's the bottom line. I was listening to Brother Henry.
In fact, it was this morning, I was listening to a message
that he preached and he made this, he was preaching out of
Titus, but he made this statement and he said, he said, now, he
said, I'm going to, I'm going to read this scripture. And he
said, I know that all of us here are going to hear it. He said,
because all of us sitting here, he said, we can hear. And he
said, here's the bottom line. He said, for all that know the
Lord." He said, I'm going to tell you right now. He said,
either you'll hear it with ear and the Lord teach it to your
heart now, or he said, Lord going to teach you anyway. He said,
I wish I could learn to just do it the easy way and just hear
it. And God gave me a heart to do
it. But he said, I'm going to tell you right now. He said,
you're going to do it. You're going to do it. It's going
to happen. If any man have a quarrel against
any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do you. You've got to
be for somebody. You've got to be for somebody.
Forgive them. As the Lord forgave you, you
forgive them. 1 Peter 4, 8, and above all things,
have fervent charity among yourselves, for charity shall cover the multitude
of sins. Last verse for this evening,
endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace. Exerting yourself, endeavoring,
endeavoring, exerting yourself strenuously, eagerly making every effort doing
whatever it takes, whatever it takes. Don't let there be a root
of bitterness in this body and it be my fault. Don't let there be any bickering
going on and it be me. Endeavoring. to keep, to watch,
to guard the unity of the Spirit. That unity that was produced
and maintained by God's Spirit. The unity of the Spirit in the
bond of peace. Uniting ourselves together in
love and quietness. Quietness. Coming together Meeting
together, hear the Word of God, worshipping, seeking Him, asking
for His direction, asking for His blessing, endeavouring. Not
be taken up with, you know, listen, I'm telling you there's so much
stuff in this world that's just always, you know, crashing in,
pushing in. You that have to go to work every
day, I've told you before, I'm so greatly blessed to be able
to come and sit and study, and it's quiet, and I don't have
to deal with so much that you have to deal with. And I know
it's hard. I know it's hard. But I'm telling
you, when we come together, let's come together and strenuously,
strenuously make that effort to keep The unity of the spirit
in the bond of peace. This is the mark, the characteristics,
the badge of a believer. By this, the Lord said, shall
all men know that you are my disciples. How is that Lord? You love one another. You love
one another. You care for one another. You
lift up one another. You got each other's back. I
told you about Bo Scott telling me that one time. That meant
so much to me. He said, Marvin, I love you so
much. And he said, I got your back. I got your back. I thought,
man, if Bo Scott's got my back, humanly speaking, I'm thankful
for that. A believer, he believes what
God says concerning his truth of his sovereignty. He believes
the Lord. He believes God. And he wants
to truly adorn what the Lord's taught him by walking worthy. Walking worthy. I beseech you,
walk worthy of the vocation to which you're called with all
lowliness, meekness, long-suffering, gentleness, endeavoring to keep
the unity, the bond of peace. Lord bless these words to our
heart for Christ's sake.