1. Following the Footsteps of the Master: Stepping onto the Path Ephesians 2:1-10; 4:1-14

2. To Follow In The Footsteps Of The Master, We Must Leave Behind Who We Once Were Ephesians 2:1-9 1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of

3. To Follow In The Footsteps Of The Master, We Must Leave Behind Who We Once Were mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

4. To Follow In The Footsteps Of The Master, We Must Leave Behind Who We Once Were 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

5. To Follow In The Footsteps Of The Master, We Must Leave Behind Who We Once Were Christ’s atonement for sin was once for all. Sin no longer separates us from God. Before our journey started: We were dead in our transgressions and sin. Christ paid for our sins once for all through his death on the cross. God raised us up to the heavenly realms with Christ.

6. To Follow In The Footsteps Of The Master, We Must Live Out Our Own Individual Call Ephesians 2:10; 4:1-3 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 4:1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

7. To Follow In The Footsteps Of The Master, We Must Live Out Our Own Individual Call Christ has prepared good works tailored for each one of us. Our individual path is set out before us.

8. To Follow In The Footsteps Of The Master, We Must Live Out Our Own Individual Call We do not need to worry about where we are going but the manner in which we get there. Arrogance Harshness Defiance Animosity Turmoil Humility Gentleness Patience Love Peace

9. To Follow In The Footsteps Of The Master, We Must Not Walk Alone Ephesians 4:11-14 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer

10. To Follow In The Footsteps Of The Master, We Must Not Walk Alone be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

11. To Follow In The Footsteps Of The Master, We Must Not Walk Alone Christ’s fullness will be attained by the Church. The job of pastors is to equip the saints. The job of the saints is the work of ministry. Striving to reach the fullness of Christ, We build up the body of Christ. We reach unity in the faith and knowledge of Christ. We grow into spiritual maturity.

12. To Follow In The Footsteps Of The Master… 1. This Easter season, reread one of the Gospels in order to study once again the footsteps of the master. 2. Thank God daily that we no longer have need to make sacrifices again and again, but that every sin we may ever commit has already been taken care of by Christ. 3. What is the hardest characteristic of unity for you? Spend this week seeking to grow in that area.