Sunday School Lesson

1. Ephesians 4:1-10
Walking Together
Unity in the Body of Christ
October 13, 2019
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA
What’s the number one thing?
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The Glory of God!
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1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of
God.
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2. References
• MacArthur, John, The MacArthur Study Bible (Nashville, Nelson Publishing,
1997).
• Palmer, Edwin H., The NIV Study Bible (Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 1985).
• Missler, Dr. Chuck, Ephesians, Session 6, Koinonia House Ministries, YouTube
Channel.
Introduction to Ephesians
• Paul’s letter to the churches in Ephesus and in Asia Minor.
• Written while Paul was in prison 60-62 AD (Acts 28:16-31).
• The Gospel was brought to Ephesus by Priscilla and Aquilla about 50 AD
(Acts 18:26).
• Paul was pastor at Ephesus church for 3 years (Acts 19).
The Ephesus Church
• Church had been formed for about 10 years.
• Jews and Gentiles, who had become Christians, were worshipping
together.
• There was conflict in the church with false teachers (Judaizers) and false
doctrine.
• Because Jews and Gentiles came from such different backgrounds, unity
was a real problem in the church.
Outline of Ephesians
• Chapters 1-3:
▪ Emphasis on doctrine of Christianity.
- What we are in Christ.
- Our position in Christ.
• Chapters 4-6:
Our duty and responsibilities of Christian behavior.
- Our response to Christ living in us.
- Believers are to walk in unity.
Introduction to Ephesians 4
• Paul’s approach reflects the “indicative/imperative” principle of the
Christian life.
• “Indicative” verb ‒ An action that is already true.
• “Imperative” verb ‒ An action that has not taken place yet; a command.
• The walk of the believer should express the new life he or she has
received in Christ.

3. Contrasts of God in the Old and New Testaments
• Old Testament – “Obey me and I will bless you.”
• New Testament – “I have already blessed you. Now, in response to my
love and grace, obey me.”
• We respond to His love in obedience and not for a blessing.
Contrasts of World Views
• Secular Worldview – Do something and you can be somebody.
• Biblical Christian Worldview – Be somebody and then you can do
something.
• If you are not a believer, you are on the sidelines.
Ephesians 4:1 NKJV
1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling
with which you were called,
• “therefore” – Marks the transition from doctrine to duty, principle to
practice, position to behavior.
• “prisoner” – Paul is reminding them that a faithful walk can come at a
considerable personal price.
• “beseech” – At God’s urging.
• Romans 12:1 NKJV
12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you
present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is
your reasonable service.
“to walk worthy of the calling”
• “walk” – Frequently used in the NT to refer to daily conduct.
• “worthy” – Living to match one’s position in Christ.
• “calling” – God’s sovereign call to salvation.
• Paul urged his readers to be everything the Lord desires and empowers
them to be.
Ephesians 4:2 NKJV
2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another
in love,
• “lowliness” or “humility” – A term not found in the Latin or Greek
vocabularies of Paul’s day; the Greek word was apparently coined by
Christians, possibly in Paul’s day to describe this quality for which no word
was available.
• “humility” – Not prideful.

4. “Humility” is the most foundational Christian virtue.
• James 4:6 NKJV
6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
• James 4:10 NJKV
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
• Matthew 5:3 NKJV
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
• “poor in spirit” – Humble: those who know they need God.
Christ is our example of humility
• Philippians 2:5-8 NKJV
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the
form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made
Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in
the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He
humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the
death of the cross.
Humility!

5. Secular Worldview of Humility – HUMOR!!
Song by Mac Davis
• “Oh Lord, it's hard to be humble
When you're perfect in every way
I can't wait to look in the mirror
Cause I get better lookin' each day
To know me is to love me
I must be a heck of a man
Oh Lord, it's hard to be humble
But I'm doin' the best that I can!”
“with all lowliness and gentleness”
• “gentleness” – meekness; mild-spirited; power under control
• Matthew 5:5 NKJV
5 “Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.”
• Matthew 11:29 NKJV
29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in
heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Meekness and Gentleness in Christians:
• Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no
law.
• Colossians 3:12-13 NKJV
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies,
kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another,
and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another;
even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
“with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,”
• “longsuffering” – long tempered or patience.
• Patience is an outgrowth of humility and gentleness.
• Loving one another is the outward manifestation of all these traits.
• Loving one another is more than just “being nice.”
• It is a true concern and devotion to another.

6. Ephesians 4:3 NKJV
3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
• Ephesians 4:3 NIV
3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of
peace.
• The bond of peace is the spiritual cord that surrounds and binds God’s
people together.
• Matthew 5:9 NKJV
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.”
Ephesians 4:4-6 NKJV
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your
calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is
above all, and through all, and in you all.
• Paul uses the word “one” seven times in these verses to emphasize the
unity in Christianity.
• Note the unity of the Trinity: one Spirit, one Lord, one God and Father.
“one body, and one Spirit just as you were called in one hope”
• The church, the body of Christ, is composed of every believer since
Pentecost without distinction, by the work of the “one Spirit.”
• The “one hope” is our eternal inheritance given each believer and sealed
by the “one Spirit.”
“one Lord, one faith,”
• The “essentials of the faith” are identified in great lengths in Ephesians 1-3
and other letters.
• The deity of Christ – John 10:30.
• Salvation by grace – Ephesians 2:8-9.
• Salvation through Christ alone – John 14:6.
• The resurrection of Christ – 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.
• The gospel – 1 Corinthians 1-4.
The theological concepts Paul addressed in Ephesians 1:3-14 for “one faith.”
• Blessings: Riches in Christ
• Election
• Predestination
• Redemption
• Adoption
• Will of God
• Mysteries
• Dispensationalism
• Forgiveness
• Inheritance
• Sealing

7. Paul warns against those who want to divide the faith.
• Galatians 1:6-8 NKJV
6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in
the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there
are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But
even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than
what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
• 1 Corinthians 1:22-23 NKJV
22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach
Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks
foolishness,
“one baptism;”
• Probably refers to the physical act of water baptism after one becomes a
believer to identify with the church.
• Some believe the reference is to the baptism of the Spirit when one
becomes a believer.
Introduction to Ephesians 4:7-10
• Paul shifts gears from unity in the church to spiritual gifts given to each
member of the church.
• He presents the power and authority of Christ to give spiritual gifts and the
purpose of those gifts.
• He uses the analogy of a King returning from a battle victory and giving
gifts from the spoils of war.
Ephesians 4:7 NKJV
7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
• In Christ’s grace, each believer has been given spiritual gifts (talents,
desires, opportunities) to serve each other and the church.
• In verse 12 Paul describes the use of the spiritual gifts to edify or build up
the body of Christ (the church).
Ephesians 4:8 NKJV
8 Therefore He says:
“When He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
And gave gifts to men.”
• Paul paraphrases Psalm 68:18.

8. Paul’s example of Christ’s ascension after victory.
• Psalm 68 is David’s victory hymn of conquest of Jerusalem and God’s
ascent for worship to Mt. Zion.
• Psalm 68:18 NKJV
18 You have ascended on high,
You have led captivity captive;
You have received gifts among men,
Even from the rebellious,
That the Lord God might dwell there.
Ephesians 4:9-10 NKJV
9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended
into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who
ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
Christ descended from heaven to become a human and our sacrifice and
Savior.
• Philippians 2:5-8 NKJV
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the
form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made
Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in
the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He
humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the
death of the cross.
“He who descended”
• Christ descended to the earth to take on human flesh and to die for our
sins (The Incarnation).
• Between Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, He descended to the abyss
to proclaimed victory over the demon spirits who were bound at the time
of Noah, and to proclaim victory over sin and death.
• Colossians 2:15 NKJV
15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public
spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
Peter describes the descent.
• 1 Peter 3:18-20 NKJV
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might
bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the
Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who
formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in
the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that
is, eight souls, were saved through water.

9. Peter describes Christ’s ascent back to heaven and His position.
• 1 Peter 3:21-22 NKJV
21 There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal
of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God),
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and
is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having
been made subject to Him.
Paul describes Christ’s ascension and position in victory.
• Philippians 2:9-11 NKJV
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name
which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under
the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
“that He might fill all things.”
• Christ ascended back to heaven after He fulfilled all prophecies and all
His divinely appointed redemptive tasks.
• Christ gained the right to rule the church and to give gifts as He was filling
the entire universe with His divine presence, power, sovereignty and
blessing.
What’s next???
Jesus is coming back!!!
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NKJV
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who
have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if
we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with
Him those who sleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and
remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who
are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout,
with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the
dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And
thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another
with these words.

10. Jesus is Coming Back!!!
The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
John 3:16-17 NKJV
16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever
believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not
send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him
might be saved.”
John 14:6 NKJV
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through Me.”
Romans 3:23 NKJV
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23a NKJV
23a For the wages of sin is death,
• Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.
• Even Jesus, the only one who doesn’t deserve death, died in this life to
pay the penalty for our sin.
• The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the “second death” explained in
Revelation 21:8.
Revelation 21:8 NKJV
8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral,
sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with
fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
• Anyone who’s lifestyle is one or more of the sins listed in Revelation 21:8,
will experience the “second death,” if they do not repent.
• To Repent means to turn around, to go in the opposite direction, to turn
away from sin and to come to Jesus.

11. Romans 5:8 NKJV
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.
Romans 6:23b NKJV
23b but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Revelation 21:7 NKJV
7 “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be
My son.”
• Romans 10:9-10 explain to us how to be overcomers.
Romans 10:9-10 NKJV
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that
God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one
believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.
Romans 10:13 NKJV
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Do you have questions?
Would you like to know more?
Please, contact First Baptist Church Jackson at 601-949-1900 or
http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/