Full Service

What should be our response to the calling we have received?

- “to live a life worthy of it…”

- Paul makes a transition from focusing on doctrine to application (1)

- “If God’s salvation is so good then live like it” Klyne Snodgrass

What does that look like?”

- Paul describes it in the context of how we relate to fellow believers

1. Keep UNITY in the CROSS(hairs) (4-6)

by… being completely humble + gentle (2)

• humility is the most foundational Christian virtue
• starts in the way we think a/b ourselves and others
• imitate the example of Jesus (Phil 2:5-8)

by… being patient, bearing with one another in love (2)

• “have a wide + BIG SOUL” John Chrysostom
• put up with one another in love
• act of our will, founded in having personally experienced God’s love and grace

by… making every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace (3)

• be zealous/eager
• no room for being indifferent or lazy

why… because our unity is in the CROSS

-in Christ we share in common…

• one body, one spirit, one hope (4)
• one Lord, one faith, one baptism (5)
• one God + Father (6)

2) Equipped to respond well (7-11)

a) Personally - (7)

-‘grace’ - each of us, enabled by God to contribute to keeping the unity of the Spirit.

-gifts:

• everyone receives at least one gift
• are a reminder of grace - not earned or merited
• distributed according to the sovereign will of Christ

b) Corporately (11)

• apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors/teachers
• role- to equip HIS people for works of service

3) Your response matters! (12-16)

So that, (12)

• the body of Christ may be built up
• becoming mature
• reflecting the character of Christ - living lives worthy of the calling we have received.

Contrast

Infancy | Maturity

tossed about | joined and held together

deception | speaking truth in love

from humans | from Christ

crafty people serving themselves | loving people/serving people

Ask God to recover in us a sense of the calling we have received and remember with the gift comes responsibility - to live out the reality of God’s love in community with one another

Key to unity + maturity in the body of Christ

K eep UNITY in the CROSS(hairs)

E quipped to respond well

Y our response matters

“Obedience is the response to grace”