Walking, Running, or Something Else Entirely?
The New Testament is full of the analogy of "running" or "walking" as a descriptor of faith. Have you noticed that? Just like my stories about football seem to dominate my mental pictures, running and other athletic analogies dominate the writings of Paul. He must have been an athlete or loved the games! As I think about it, it could also just be the fact that it is such an apt descriptor of what faith actually is like! Today I talked with the 46! middle school students who came early to JumpStart about what God asks us to do in terms of faith...
Let's see what God had to say to us:
Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.
Epehesians 4.1-6
The NLT translates it as "lead a life" to make it simpler to understand (less interpretation required!) but many other translations say "walk worthy." That's a strong request, if I do say so myself. I mean, it asks us to live a life that is worthy of the death of Jesus Christ. That's not easy by any stretch of the imagination! I know of people who have lived their lives differently because of someone's gift of life to them (diving on a grenade, giving an organ, saving someone from a fire, etc.). Why should Jesus' gift of life to us be any different? Is it the less visceral impact of eternal life that we cannot yet see? I think so.
But, the most important part of this passage comes after that admonition to "live a life worthy of God's calling": Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. Notice, Paul is telling us what we need to do to live a life worthy of our calling! First off he tells us to always (not just sometimes) be humble and gentle. Seems easy enough for starters, right? But then comes the kicker: asking us to be patient with and make allowances for each other's faults! That is so not easy. However, it is the more important as it is the only way we can ever live up to number three, staying united in God while holding on to peace and love.
Have you seen this in a church lately? In many (not just my own, because I'll admit my own congregation isn't perfect! If it was, I'd really screw it up anyways...) churches, there isn't much unity in the Spirit much less bearing with each other in patience. I see it most years as the new 6th graders come in. They are often REALLY annoying causing the 7th and 8th graders to go semi-crazy. The funny part is, each year I have to make the same speech, just to different people, about having patience and remembering how they were a year or two ago (and often those who are most annoyed were the most annoying prior!). That's a microcosm of the church as a whole: there is change afoot and people either like it or don't. The thing is, change is one of the only constants in life, so we ought to be used to it by now! But, we aren't and instead of "walking worthy" we sit down and pout where we are since we're not getting our way.
So here's the question: are you walking, running or something else? When I ask that I mean in terms of living your life. Is it something you'd be proud for God to put on display or something you'd rather He never see? Is it worth the sacrifice Jesus made for you? If not, why? This morning I hope you take a second and evaluate how (or if!) you're living.
My prayer is that you live a life worthy of your calling, because you have been called by God. I hope you can always be humble and gentle. I also pray that you are patient with others, making allowance for their faults because of your love for them. You have been called to one glorious hope for the future as a united part of His team. So, walk worthy as we go onward...
Let's see what God had to say to us:
Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.
Epehesians 4.1-6
The NLT translates it as "lead a life" to make it simpler to understand (less interpretation required!) but many other translations say "walk worthy." That's a strong request, if I do say so myself. I mean, it asks us to live a life that is worthy of the death of Jesus Christ. That's not easy by any stretch of the imagination! I know of people who have lived their lives differently because of someone's gift of life to them (diving on a grenade, giving an organ, saving someone from a fire, etc.). Why should Jesus' gift of life to us be any different? Is it the less visceral impact of eternal life that we cannot yet see? I think so.
But, the most important part of this passage comes after that admonition to "live a life worthy of God's calling": Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. Notice, Paul is telling us what we need to do to live a life worthy of our calling! First off he tells us to always (not just sometimes) be humble and gentle. Seems easy enough for starters, right? But then comes the kicker: asking us to be patient with and make allowances for each other's faults! That is so not easy. However, it is the more important as it is the only way we can ever live up to number three, staying united in God while holding on to peace and love.
Have you seen this in a church lately? In many (not just my own, because I'll admit my own congregation isn't perfect! If it was, I'd really screw it up anyways...) churches, there isn't much unity in the Spirit much less bearing with each other in patience. I see it most years as the new 6th graders come in. They are often REALLY annoying causing the 7th and 8th graders to go semi-crazy. The funny part is, each year I have to make the same speech, just to different people, about having patience and remembering how they were a year or two ago (and often those who are most annoyed were the most annoying prior!). That's a microcosm of the church as a whole: there is change afoot and people either like it or don't. The thing is, change is one of the only constants in life, so we ought to be used to it by now! But, we aren't and instead of "walking worthy" we sit down and pout where we are since we're not getting our way.
So here's the question: are you walking, running or something else? When I ask that I mean in terms of living your life. Is it something you'd be proud for God to put on display or something you'd rather He never see? Is it worth the sacrifice Jesus made for you? If not, why? This morning I hope you take a second and evaluate how (or if!) you're living.
My prayer is that you live a life worthy of your calling, because you have been called by God. I hope you can always be humble and gentle. I also pray that you are patient with others, making allowance for their faults because of your love for them. You have been called to one glorious hope for the future as a united part of His team. So, walk worthy as we go onward...
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