Title Ephesians 04:7-16
Contents
Title: According to the sheep
Bible: Ephesians 4:7-16
Theme: Let's live a life of faithful faith of grace.
In reality, let's live by the measure of grace with hope and faithful faith.
A. Introduction
It is said that the life of faith is difficult and difficult. Divided into three categories, those who have lived a religious life to a certain extent because they did not know what to do when they were new believers are not able to keep up with various difficult things and life in the world. It will be because you see However, if you live a spiritually filled life of faith, you can overcome all of them and have hope.
B. Body
1. Ephesians and the text
1) Ephesians
(a) Chapters 1-3: God’s grace
* 1:3-14 - God's abundant grace of redemption
God's Call and Election (Body of Christ)
God's Redemptive Grace (Christ's Salvation)
Sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise (Life filled with the Holy Spirit)
Praise God's Glory (Purpose)
* Conversion from 4:1, follow the call
(b) Chapters 4-6: The Christian Life
2) Text
* Christ gave grace (apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher, etc.) as a gift.
* its purpose
G. make the saints whole
N. to do the work of service
c. It is to build up the body (church) of Christ.
* Accordingly
Become one in believing and knowing the Son of God,
make a perfect man,
to the full measure of the stature of the stature of Christ,
not like a child,
We must not be swayed by all the winds of the world, succumbing to trickery and deceitful temptations.
But speaking the truth in love, grow up to him in all things.
He is the head, the Christ.
4:7 - Grace has been given to each of us according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
4:13 - to the full measure of the stature of the stature of Christ.
4:16 - It works according to the measure of each member, making the body grow and build up itself in love.
- By working according to the measure of each member (4:16), we, the body of Christ, grow and mature.
* Quantity - each job, position, occupation, and work given by God's grace
In qualitative and quantitative terms, quantity means length, and in the text it refers to work. specifically about life.
* Maturity
- It is said that growth and maturity will occur if each person is devoted to the grace (the task entrusted to).
2. Be faithful to your faith in your daily life according to your measure.
1) Be faithful in your daily life.
An example of a soldier's story in the Battle of Fire that he will surely achieve something if he is faithful to his job in the midst of ordinary things.
The story of a soldier in the fiercest battle of World War II, the Battle of Fire (a battle that began a German counterattack in Belgium in 1944 and repulsed it in January 1945), he said, was nothing special. However, he confessed that he only knew after the war that the battle was such a serious battle.
- Great victories are achieved when ordinary people faithfully perform the duties assigned to them.
2) A psychological way to achieve goals and goals
For behavioral therapy, psychologists use 'like ... induce them to act like
This means that change must 'act as if it will happen' so as to keep the motivations for actual action going.
- The way to become a knight is to act like a knight.
The way to become a saint is to act like a saint.
If you are unsure of your husband's love, act like you love him.
If you cannot forgive your children, act as if you have forgiven them.
- The life of faith can be achieved by acting as if all the words of God are true.
- Even if there is no solid evidence, act as if God loves you.
- We never see God. In order to find God, we must have the act of seeking God and obedience to follow Him.
- Pray, "I believe, help my unbelief." Then, even in my unbelief, at some point I will be in my faith.
- Act first and then you will see it.
- When you are troubled by doubts, when there is no certainty, humbly accept your position as My creatures and rely on Him to go beyond your limits. Confess that my whole life depends on him.
3) How to rely on God in times of disaster
When a certain part of life does not function properly, the whole system of life collapses.
Learn to follow God and rely firmly on His grace, even when other areas of your life are in jeopardy.
- Realize that even when you feel low and hypocritical, you are still an earthen vessel that God can use.
- The other side of my life is chaotic, but nevertheless, trusting God to take care of the problems before me is faith. In desperate helplessness, God draws us to Him.
* The story of William Cowper (1731-1800, British poet), a story that tells us that God is with us even when we do not feel grace, and that God has given us grace in the end.
- Lyricist for Saved a Sinner Like Me (Hymn 405 - Amazing Grace), who lived with John Newton, a converted slave trader
- His poetry was a symbol of transparency that bloomed in a life stained with sorrow and pain.
- He confessed that the love of salvation was always a constant theme until death.
- He personally felt little love of salvation, but he wrote hymns about the love of salvation, like jewels.
- No matter what happened, he wrote and performed such poems to hold onto his pain and praise to God.
- God uses our present failures and frustrations to shape us in His image.
- Be determined to do God's will. The pilgrimage of faith begins with uncertainty and weak trust.
3. Let's live with hope.
- The life of faith does not disappear and can be maintained even in times of dark soil.
Unless we fall out of it. You have to go on the road quietly.
- It's a constant practice. To become a magnificent and wonderful lord, you must first become familiar with everyday things.
- Life is hard. It takes faith to recognize the possibility of finding joy in the midst of suffering.
You live with the belief that it solves all your problems and makes your life more comfortable, but over time you will realize that it is intricately intertwined with your daily life. As someone said, the gospel puts more burdens on us than it lightens them, but Jesus said that Jesus certainly gives us rest in Matthew 11:28. Jesus gave us peace, including a new job. There is peace in fear, peace in darkness, peace in doubt. It is natural for believers to feel anxious and unsatisfied in the world. Because we are citizens of heaven.
Living is hard work.
God is merciful.
Heaven is definitely there.
Faith is accepting unproven facts and acknowledging things that we can never be sure of.
Love is caring for those most of us are reluctant to care for.
Hope is the power to look beyond the environment that seems hopeless.
In John Bunyan's journey as an old man, the pilgrim makes a foolish mistake and faces a crisis of evangelism that will cost him his life. He turns from the wrong place and goes astray. His comrades fall into the abyss of despair. Pilgrims sometimes succumb to worldly temptations. He contemplates suicide and decides to give up on his travels several times. Then, at some point, Mr. Hope reassures him. "Cheer up, brother. Your foundation is very strong." The pilgrim continues his journey with courageous faith and arrives at the holy city.
C. Conclusion
In reality, let's live according to grace and according to the measure, with hope and faith.
Let's live a faithful life of faith.
Let's keep our faith life by taking responsibility and carrying out the tasks set before us even in difficult times.
Let's live by faith.
Let's act while faithfully overcoming the difficulties of reality, and win with strong faith.