1. Marks of a True Christian
Good Morning! Today we will start a series from the book of Ephesians entitled, “Marks of a True Christian.” This is the first lesson in the series.

2. Real or Fake? “Champ Internatinal” Money Genuine Rolex The Real Deal
We all need to know the difference between the real and the fake. On my recent trip to Korea to teach, I saw a very nice sweat suit that I thought about buying for my nephew. It was well made, but on the front it said, “Champ Internatinal” They made a “knock off” or copy of the real brand, but they didn’t do too well on the spelling. (I can identify with that!).
Recently, by some miracle, I had a fifty dollar bill in my pocket. When I went to a restaurant and paid the bill with it, they quietly marked it with a pen that detects counterfeit money. Even though I had gotten it from the bank, my heart skipped a few beats. I’m glad it was real or I would still be washing dishes!
In Korea, they asked, “Want to buy a Rolex--$25” I said that I was not interested in a Rolex, but wanted a Seiko for my wife. “Seiko more expensive,” came the reply.” The Seiko was real, the Rolex was fake.
In every endeavor we want the real deal, not the fake. That is especially true in Christianity. The world has enough of fake Christians, it would like to see the real thing.
Somebody put it this way…….

3. Sitting in McDonald’s Won’t Make you a hamburger . . .
Sitting in McDonald’s for a few hours won’t make you a hamburger and ……

4. Sitting in CHURCH won’t make you a Christian!
Sitting in church won’t make you a Christian. You must take some action. You don’t just want to talk the talk, you want to walk the walk.
The old time version said, sitting in a hen house won’t make you a chicken. The times have changed, but the concept is the same.
You must take some action!!!

5. Two Approaches Doctrinal First Principles Church Practice Practical
Genus Specie
There are at least two approaches to the subject of who is a true Christian. We might ask, has this person obeyed the “first principles of the gospel.” Do they believe in Jesus as the son of God? Have they been baptized? We might concentrate of the doctrinal teachings of the church. Does the church truly teach what the Bible teaches? A true Christian would want to be associated with a church that teaches the Bible correctly. I would call this the “doctrinal approach”, meaning that it is concerned with doctrines of salvation and church. This is surely very important.
However, another approach is the practical approach. A true Christian not only meets the initial qualifications, they actually practice Christianity. This is more the emphasis in this series of lessons.
I think of it like classification in biology. One must know the genus and specie to truly make the right classification. Some of these organisms look a great deal alike. Not all Christians look exactly alike, but they should have the same designation: “True Christian.”

6. Overview of Ephesians Chapters 1-3 Doctrinal Base
Chapters 4-6 Practical Application
Parallel Passages
Colossians 3
Romans 12
1 Corinthians
In Chapters 1-3 of Ephesians, Paul deals with the doctrinal base of the church. This concerns many of the doctrinal issues I just mentioned, for example, becoming a Christian. These chapters deal with God’s eternal plan for the church, our adoption as his children, and the power that God wants to display in our lives. The first three passages lay the groundwork for the practical parts of the rest of the book.
In Chapters 4-6 there is a shift in emphasis. There is a different mood and a different approach. Paul deals with the fundamentals. One of my sons played baseball in college. They started having meetings in January. I asked him how the practices were going. “We’re in the classroom going over fundamentals: base running, signals, etc.,” he said. The fundamentals are important in baseball and Christianity. Even in college sports, the fundamentals are important. Another of my sons is a computer guru of sorts. When he was in the third grade, his science project dealt the binary code: 1’s and O’s. This is how computers work at the most fundamental level When it comes to Christian behavior, Paul is dealing with some fundamentals.
Paul deals with the practical application of Christianity in the lives of individuals. This is the area we are concentrating on today. I like these practical areas of behavior.
The information about Christian living found in Ephesians 4-6 is paralleled in Colossians 3, Romans 12, and 1 Corinthians 12. If you are a regular Bible reader, this should sound familiar because the basic concepts are also found in these passages. There are some real similarities, especially in Colossians.

7. Ephesians Lesson Series
4:1-7 Walk Worthy
4:8-16 Building Up the Body
4:17-5:20 Light Versus Darkness
5:21-6:9 Relationships
6:10-18 The Christian Soldier
I could have preached one lesson that would last about two hours. Instead, I decided to have a series with these topics.
4:1-7 Walk Worthy
4:8-16 Building Up the Body
4:17-5:20 Light Versus Darkness
5:21-6:9 Relationships
6:10-18 The Christian Soldier
We will cover all these lessons eventually, if the Lord lets us live.

8. “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”
Let’s look at the key passages in this lesson. Ephesians 4:1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
“I, Paul, as a prisoner of the Lord.” It is clear that Paul wants to speak to them with a sense of authority. But at the same time, he uses tender, imploring words, “I urge you”. He doesn’t say, “I command you,” or “I force you.” He speaks to them or a real person level. Later this tone will change and he will command them to live righteous lives, but he begins with the person level. This tone is indicative of someone who has earned the right to speak to people because of his love and concern for them and his personal relationship with them.
“Guys, I am really asking you, I am pleading with you, and it is for your own good.” It is the way we talk to our children when they get older. “I am asking you to drive carefully, because I love you and I don’t want you to get hurt.” With younger children we may be more likely to command, with the older kids we are more likely to ask and explain. When they are sixteen we may say, “If you drive to fast, your car privileges are suspended.” When they are married, we remind them for their own good.
The phrase used here is “The calling you have received.” (advance slide)
Eph 4:1

9. “live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”
When Uncle Sam sends for you, the phrase is, “Uncle Sam wants you.” The expression here is, “God calls you.” Uncle Sam’s calling seems harsh and needy--but worthy. God’s calling is tender and loving. He calls us to come and stand beside Him. God will put His arm around us in loving embrace. He wants us more than He needs us. There is a difference in the message.

10. Live Worthy of Your Calling
Uncle Sam Wants You
God: I love you and call you.
Developed in chapters 1-3
The calling comes first
Col 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved,
We could get off on questions about predestination. Exactly what does it mean to be called? I would rather talk about it in practical terms.
Sometimes, I send out a call for workers in the church bulletin. Recently we got new carpet in the classrooms and I sent out an urgent call. “If you want to have Sunday School on Sunday, come help move the furniture back in the classrooms!”
The real idea is that God puts his arm around us and says, you know, I need some workers down there in Carbondale. I know you have some talent. I am confident of your abilities and I was hoping that you could help me with some things I need done.” It is tender and loving, but it is clear that God wants us to serve Him. That’s the way I picture the call of God. God is not desperate for our help, but he wants us to help.
The original word for, “live a life worthy” is peripateo. It literally means to walk in a worthy manner. The NIV translates it “live a life worthy.”
I’m sure you are familiar with this phrase, A lot people can talk the talk, but not everyone can walk the walk. Paul wants you not only to talk but walk.
Some people when they first come to church say, I’m not good enough to come to church. You’re right! If you come for forty years, you will still not be good enough. But understand this: God does not call us because we are good enough, but because He loves us. His love is prior to our response. A lot of people get the cart before the horse. They say, “when I get my live straightened out, I will come to church.” That is reversed. God says, “I want you to come and grow. Serve me with what you have now, to the best of your ability. I’m calling you because I love you.” Colossians puts it this way. Col 3:12 “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved,”

11. Live Worthy of Your Calling
Philippians 1:27, “worthy of the gospel of Christ”;
Colossians 1:10, “to lead a life worthy of the Lord”;
1 Thess 2:12, “to lead a life worthy of the God who calls”
Not mere moral advice—but based on the gospel.
This calling challenges us to live a life worthy of that calling. It is expressed in a very similar fashion in three different verses. Philippians 1:27, tells us to walk or live “worthy of the gospel of Christ”. Colossians 1:10 admonishes us, “to lead a life worthy of the Lord”. 1 Thessalonians 2:12 reiterates, “to lead a life worthy of the God who calls”.
What I want you to understand is that this is not mere moral advice. A lot of clubs give good moral advice--and I am glad they do. This command is more than good advice, it is based on the commands of God and is rooted in our love for God and relationship with Him.

12. A Calling or Reputation
Family reputation
Alumni of a school.
Member of a team.
I don’t know if I would do it again, but when the boys were starting to drive, we had a van with “STEEDS 5” for the plate number. (Now I would have to up the number to “STEEDS 7—and counting). There was a subtle message in this. When you go out on your own on Friday and Saturday evening—Go where you want to go, park where you want to park, but remember--you have our family name on the car you are driving! (Implied in this is the idea that it will probably get back to dad where this car was parked.) The general idea is that there is a sense of family belonging and reputation to be upheld.
The same thing is true of being an alumni of a school. One of our members works for the SIU Alumni association. We take great pride in our alumni who do well. And the ones that don’t—we try to disown them!
Team membership is a similar phenomenon. We will talk about this in a minute under the concept of unity. In my son’s high school, football players were required to dress up when they went out of town for a ball game. When they dressed the part, they were more likely to live up to their expectations. They were to live up to the school’s reputation.
Our Christian calling implies that we will live up to God’s expectations for us. God says that you are part of His family, an alumni of His school, a member of His team. God wants you to be a credit to His bunch.

13. Ephesians 4:2
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”
We have established that we are to walk worthy, now we turn to some specifics of that calling. First, humility. “4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

14. Humble Lowliness of mind—in contrast to high-mindedness. Weakness?
Matthew 5:5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”
Matthew 23:12 “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
The term for humility literally means, lowliness of mind. It is set in contrast to “highmindedness.” It is a person who is willing to put himself down in a positive sort of way. One who is willing to take a lower position to show love for others.
In the mind of the people of that day, that was weakness. It may represent much the say for people today. However, that is not the way that God views it.
Matthew 5:5 says, Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. And Matthew 23:12 states, For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. The person who becomes like a little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. The true Christian doesn’t have to go around bragging on what they have done, they are able to show true humility.

15. Gentle Fruit of the Spirit
2 Timothy 2:24 “And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth”
The Christian is to exhibit gentleness. Gentleness is a fruit of the spirit. In church, the true Christian should not be terribly hard to get along with. “Cantankerous” is not a good adjective for the Christian. In Christianity, even when we are right, we are not supposed to go around arguing about everything. Instead, we are to go about with gentle instruction.

16. Patient “Long temper” as compared to “short temper”
Matthew 5:5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”
Matthew 23:12 “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
The Christian is to be patient. Patient literally means, “long termper”. He or she is to have “long” temper rather than a “short” temper, a long fuse rather than a short fuse.
All I can think of is that I have some “22 long rifle” shells. I am not sure what this is all about since I am not a true firearms person, but it congers up an image for me. “If you have to explode, go a long way before you do so!”
We all what to watch out for those with a short fuse or short temper. If you have short fuse, you may not be living up to your calling.
Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Matthew 23:12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

17. 4:3 “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
Eph 4:3

18. Unity of the Spirit Vern’s License: “Peacbl” The “glue” or “bond”
How hard do you try to get along with others?
The church is to exhibit the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. A friend of mine has a car with the license plate reading “Peacbl”. You are only allowed to have eight letters, so I assume that this is his abbreviation. I think it means he tries to get along with everyone.
Peace is the glue or bond that keeps the church together. The church begins in unity and it is peace that keeps it together.
Teams can start out united, but jealousy and envy often gets in the way of keeping that unity. Often, We read of jealousies among high paid athletes. But it is also true that “work” teams and “church” teams also fail to bear with one another.
Bearing with one another implies that I will make mistakes and you will have to bear with me. If I were perfect (or you were perfect), then it would not be necessary for our to bear with each other.
My question for you is, “How hard do you try to get along with others?”

19. 4 There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called—
The last concept we will look at today is the idea that “There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called—”
There are no lone ranger Christians. We must live as a part of the community of the faithful.
Eph 4:4

20. 5 “one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
The emphasis is on the unity of the church. There are seven “ones” in this section. There is not a Jewish church and a gentile church, a southern church and a northern church, there is one church and one body.
Eph 4:5

21. Conclusion Don’t just talk the talk - - - walk the walk!
If you have been baptized to start your Christian journey - -great!
If not, why not do so today?
If you need to rededicate your life do so today!
As we conclude this lesson today, remember that talking the talk is not the same as walking the walk. Just being baptized is not all there is to it, you must not just start the journey, you must finish it.
Today, if you would like to baptized, it is a great day to do so. If you have been a Christian, but need to rededicate your life this would be a great time.

22. STEED’S SERMONS
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