Sermon or Lesson:  Ephesians 4:1, with 2:11-13, 19 (NIV based)
[Lesson Questions included]

TITLE:  Live A Life Worthy Of Your Calling

INTRO:  For some of us, we like to get nostalgic and remember the good old days, thinking that life in the past was better in some ways than it is now.

TRANSITION:  From God’s perspective in regard to contemplating the past, He wants us to review the past in order to motivate us in the present for our good in the future.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

READ:  Ephesians 2:11-13, 19

[Lesson Question:  What are we believers instructed to “remember”?]

SECTION POINT:  We believers are instructed to “remember” how God has rescued us from our former predicament of being separated from God.

We Gentiles are to remember our “former” predicament.  (v.11)
- - We were “called uncircumcised” (v.11) - suggesting being pagan, godless.
- - We “were separated from Christ” (v.12) - not connected to God.
- - We were “excluded from citizenship” in God's Kingdom and heaven (v.12); “excluded” = Strong’s # 0526 “to estrange away, to be non-participant; alienated from”; i.e. locked out of a relationship with God.
- - We were “without hope and without God in the world” (v.12) - no hope of having a relationship with God in the present or in the future.

But now God has fixed this predicament from being excluded to be included.  (v.13)
- - This was accomplished by Christ Jesus.  (v.13)
- - And it was achieved through His blood, when He died on the cross and gave His life as a perfect sinless sacrifice to pay the penalty for the sins of those who believe in Him.  (v.13)
- - Thereupon, citizenship has been granted to those who believe.  (v.19)
- - We believing Gentiles, who were formerly godless pagans, are now fellow citizens with God’s people.  (v.19)
- - We believing Gentiles are now each a fellow member of God’s household.  (v.19)

- - We Gentile believers are to remember, realize, and appreciate how God has rescued us by the blood of Christ Jesus from being pagan, being separated from God, being excluded from citizenship in heaven, and having no hope of remedying this predicament on our own.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TRANSITION:  Because of what God has done to fix and rescue us from our former predicament, we true believers now have an obligation.

READ:  Ephesians 4:1

[Lesson Question:  As we remember and review what God has done for us, what should now be our corresponding response?]

SECTION POINT:  As we remember and review what God has done for us and that He has called us, we are now urged to respond to this calling by living in a manner that correlates to what God has done for us.

- - We are “urged” to respond; “urged” = Strong’s # 3870 “exhort; to call near, i.e. invite, invoke (by imploration, hortation or consolation)".
- - Our response should include the quality of having gratitude and praise.  (vv.3:20-21)
- - Our response should be active, “to live a life worthy of the calling you have received”.

- - For those of you who are believers, your lifestyle should change accordingly, no longer reflecting your former predicament and now authentically matching your new position and standing.
- - God has chosen you who are believers and called you out from the rest of the non-believers, who remain heading for everlasting torment.
- - Because you have been “called”, you now have an obligation to fulfill before God.
- - You have a privileged or high calling, which necessitates you improving or raising up the moral quality of your lifestyle in order to “worthily” meet the expectations God has for this calling.
- - This high calling automatically comes with God’s rescue, as part of the package (so to speak) that “you have received”.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BIG IDEA:  Remember what God brought you out of or rescued you from, and respond to Him accordingly by “living a life worthy of the calling you have received”.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

APPLICATION:
- - Are you believers doing this - living this kind of life worthy of the calling you have received?
- - Or instead are you merely exerting a half-hearted attempt at living a good Christian life, which is not enough - not "worthy of the calling you have received"?

- - Are you intentionally endeavoring to fulfill what God has planned for you to do as part of His high calling for your life?
- - Or, are you picking and choosing what parts of His calling that suit you, or make you comfortable, or are easy and brief, or fit into your comfort zone?

- - When you do engage in fulfilling the high calling God has for you, are you doing it in a manner and attitude that is pleasing to God, that is at a high level of quality “worthy” of His high calling?
- - And when no one is around, now how does your life measure up to God’s high calling He has given you?

- - For those of you who are not believers, you do realize, don't you, that you remain excluded from citizenship in God's Kingdom and heaven?
- - And also, you do realize, don't you, that your excluded status will be irrevocably locked-in eternally the very moment you die?
- - Have you seriously contemplated the consequences and the eternality of your exclusion status because you are not a believer in Jesus?
- - Why not choose right now to place your faith in Jesus, that through His blood He gave when He died on the cross as a perfect sinless sacrifice to pay the penalty for your sins, you can be given citizenship into God's Kingdom and heaven?  (cf. Romans 3:20-25)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Works Cited:
Bible. “The Holy Bible: New International Version.” The Bible Library CD‑ROM. Oklahoma City, OK: Ellis Enterprises, 1988.

“Strong's Greek Dictionary”. The Bible Library CD‑ROM. Oklahoma City, OK: Ellis Enterprises, 1988.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyrights:
Scriptures taken from Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Copyright © 2015, 2016 Mel W. Coddington, and permission is hereby granted that this document may be distributed non-commercially to non-profit organizations, individuals, churches, ministries, and schools worldwide, provided the copies are distributed at no charge and retain this sources documentation as supplied herein. This document is not for sale, resale, or for use as a gift or premium to be offered in connection with solicitations or contributions.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
File name: Ephesians4_1-SermonOrLesson.___ (.htm, .doc, .pdf)
Translation used: NIV, quoted or referred to in various places within this document
Source: www.BelieverAssist.com
Updated: July 28, 2016