Eph 4:1-6

Pray for God to show you something to use from the passage Read the Passage at least twice Who is in the passage? What action verbs do you see? What other words stick out in your mind

vs 1 Paul in stating his situation as a prisioner is not boasting. Rather he is showing he is has been willing to pay the price for His calling. He has not given in, He has not allowed cunning and craftiness of men (vs 14) to take him from his call that was given to him by God. He isn't a prisioner for himself, it is the cause of Christ. Paul is saying you to have a call that God has given you. Live your life based on that call no matter where it may take you.

vs 3-6 In living out the call we need to understand several things. First we have received the calling as a gift by God for us to make a difference in the body of Christ. It is not about us. It is about God! So to excersise this gift you have to be:

• Humble (not your ability, it is God's rich gift (2:8-10)

• Gentle, patient, bearing with one another in love - our motivation is the building of the body of Christ (vs 12). To do this means working and ministering among others. It takes the qualities listed to do this well. For we all have faults, hurts and can be selfish. We must remember the common purpose of reaching the fullness of Christ together.

• Remember what we have in common

• One Body- not Jew and Gentile (2:14-15)

• One Spirit- at work in us to reach the goal of the fullness of God (1:14, 17)

• One Hope- (1:12, 18) the trust that our answering God's call in Christ is the right way

• One Lord- there aren't many ways only one Christ(1:21-23)

• one faith- saved through belief in what Jesus did (2:8)

• one baptism- Made alive by Christ - we were died (2:1, now we are alive 2:5 through Christ (see Col 2:12)

• One God and Father- all for His glory (3:14-15)

vs 6- There is nothing that has been or will be that does not have God as its creator. Therefore He is over all. He is Through all in the sense there is no area He does not touch. In all through His Spirit that dwells in us (2:22)

Unity comes from realizing you aren't in control, God is. He has brought us peace and we should live for Him in that peace. (Col 3:15)