Ephesians 4:17-24

Sermon SummaryEphesians 4:17-24 exhorts us not to live like we are not saved. It reminds us that salvation includes regeneration - the giving of new spiritual life! Those who are saved have a new self created in the image of God for righteousness and holiness. This means it is possible for Christians to overcome sin. In fact, we are called to daily put off the old self and to put on the new - to choose righteousness as people made new. On the other hand, the unsaved do not have spiritual life and are enslaved to sin. This reminds us to have realistic expectations about the world and to remember that the greatest need of every person is salvation through faith in Jesus.

Sermon SummaryEphesians 4:1-16 would be shocking to a person who had observed modern church practices but never before read the Bible. It points us away from a consumer mentality where church is all about the benefit I receive and away from casually breaking fellowship. Ephesians 4 tells us that the church ought to be one because we have one Lord and one Faith and one Father. It also tells us that unity is desirable because we need each other. God has given his gifts to the church - gifts which we benefit from by being routinely involved in the church community. As we examined Ephesians 4:1-16 we were challenged to eagerly protect the unity of the church, to be humble and gentle, to be patient, and to bear with one another. In this way we preserve unity and receive the greatest benefit from all of God's gifts.