The Christian Swag!
Eph 4:1-3
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you
were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in
love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 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.
I. OUR INHERITANCE
Ephesians Chapter 1
Blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ (1:3)
Chose us in Him before the foundation of the world (1:4)
Predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ (1:5)
Redeemed us through His blood (1:7)
Forgave our sins (1:7)
Revealed the mystery of His will (1:9)
Gave us an inheritance (1:11)
Sealed us with the Holy Spirit (1:13)
Ephesians Chapter 2
Made us alive with Christ when we were dead in our transgressions (2:5)
Raised us up with Christ (2:6)
Seated us with Him in the heavenly places (2:6)
Saved us by grace through faith (2:8)
Brought us near by the blood of Christ (2:13)
Reconciled us to God through the cross (2:16)
Granted us access to the Father by the Spirit (2:18)
Made us fellow citizens with God’s people and members of His household (2:19)
Joined us together as a holy temple in the Lord (2:21-22)
Ephesians Chapter 3
Revealed the mystery of Christ to us (3:3-6)
Gave us boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him (3:12)
Strengthened us with power through His Spirit (3:16)
Rooted and grounded us in love (3:17)
II. WALK WORTHY
Eph 4:1
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with
which you were called
“Walk” is peripateō , “to walk about,” thus, “to conduct one’s self, to order one’s
behavior.” “Worthy” is axiōs , an adverb, meaning “in a manner worthy of.”
Note: The adjective form means, “having the weight of (weighing as much as)
another thing
Ex. Parents talking to a College Student about all invested in them
Ex. Simone Biles. 500k to 750K
III. LOWLINESS
Eph 4:1-2
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with
which you were called, 2 with all lowliness
Tapeinophrosunē – humility, humble attitude, modesty, lowliness of mind
Phil 2:3
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let
each esteem others better than himself
1 Peter 5:5
Likewise, you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be
submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble”
1. What Humility is not – Counterfeit Humility
a. Being poor
b. Belittling yourself
c. Chronic Illness
d. Weakness
e. Allowing others to walk over you
f. Seeing yourself as a worm
g. Shyness
-Dictionary definition – not proud or arrogant; modest; to be humble
although successful
h. It’s not perfection
i. It’s not absolute (There is a range – Can’t be compared)
2. Humility is a sense of entire nothingness which comes when we truly see that
God is all in all. 2 Cor 3:5 “….but our sufficiency is of God…”
3. PAUL AND LOWLINESS
1 Corinthians 15:9 - "For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called
an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God."
Ephesians 3:8 - "To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace
was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ."
4. BENEFITS OF HUMILITY
a. Humility is the highest rank in the kingdom
Mat 18:4
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same
is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
b. Humility is the key to Promotion.
Mat 23:12
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall
humble himself shall be exalted.
In this verse there are two parallel pairs of active and passive verbs.
Active verb (Humble Yourself; Exalt Yourself) – means that we must
choose to initiate one or the other. There is something we must do if
we don’t do this thing nothing will happen. Passive verb (He will Exalt
you; He will humble you)– this does not depend on us. Whatever our
choice of the active verb the passive thing will happen inevitably
whether we want it to or not.
c. Humility is the key to Grace.
Jas 4:6
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resist the proud,
but giveth grace unto the humble.
1 Pe 5:5-6
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you
be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resist
the proud, and gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore
under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
d. God dwell swith the humble.
Isaiah 66:1-2
Thus, says the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my
footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the
place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all
those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even
to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at my word.
Isaiah 57:15-16
For thus saith the high and lofty One That inhabits eternity, whose
name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, With him also that is of
a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to
revive the heart of the contrite ones.
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IV. GENTLENESS
Eph 4:1-2
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with
which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness
Prautētos - meekness, mildness, humility, leniency
1. WAYS PAUL EXPRESSED GENTLENESS
1 Thess 2:5-7
For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for
covetousness—God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you
or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. 7 But
we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own
children.
2 Timothy 2:24-25
"And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach,
patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will
grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth."
2. WAYS JESUS EXPRESSED GENTLENESS
Matthew 11:28-30
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
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. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Isaiah 40:1-3
“Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I
have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. 2 He will
not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. 3 A
bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring
forth justice for truth.
Woman Caught in Adultery
John 8:10-11: "When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the
woman, He said to her, 'Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one
condemned you?' She said, 'No one, Lord.' And Jesus said to her, 'Neither do I
condemn you; go and sin no more.'"
Healing the Leper
Matthew 8:2-3: "And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, 'Lord, if
You are willing, You can make me clean.' Then Jesus put out His hand and
touched him, saying, 'I am willing; be cleansed.' Immediately his leprosy was
cleansed."
Healing the Servant’s Ear
Luke 22:50-51: "And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off
his right ear. But Jesus answered and said, 'Permit even this.' And He touched his
ear and healed him."
Forgiving Those Who Crucified Him
Luke 23:34: "Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what
they do.' And they divided His garments and cast lots."
V. LONGSUFFERING
Eph 4:1-2
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with
which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering
“Makrothumia – Patience in situations
1. Paul and Longsuffering
1 Cor 4:9-13
For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to
death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to
men. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak,
but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! 11 To the
present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten,
and homeless. 12 And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we
bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13 being defamed, we entreat. We have been
made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.
2. Jesus and Longsuffering
John 1:11
"He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him."
Matt 17:17-18
Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long
shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” 18 And
Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from
that very hour
VI. FORBEARANCE IN LOVE
Eph 4:1-2
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with
which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering,
bearing with one another in love,
“Forbearing” is anechō (ἀνεχω), “to hold up, to sustain, to bear with, endure
This is Putting up with People out of Love
1. Paul and Forbearance
Rom 14:1-4
Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.
For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.
3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does
not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4 Who are you to judge
another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made
to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
2. Jesus and Forbearance
Luke 9:51-56
Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He
steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 52 and sent messengers before His
face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for
Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to
Jerusalem. 54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord,
do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume
them, just as Elijah did?” 55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do
not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to
destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.
Ex. Judas and Money Bag
Ex. Mary and Martha Not Believing Him
Ex. Pharisees and Saducees
VII. PEACE
Eph 4:3
Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
“Peace” is eirēnē (εἰρηνη), “that which is bound together
Rom 12:18
If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men
Heb 12:14
Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord
