Lighthouse
Sunday May 24 th
  • Look At What The Lord Has Done
  • Living Hope
  • Holy Spirit
  • Freedom Reigns
  • Ephesians gives us 7 practices of the Christian walk in Ch 4-6 we are going to go through three of them today.
    QUESTION - Are you ready to grow in your walk?
    1. In Unity – Eph 4:4-6
    Ephesians 4:3–6 NASB95
    3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also 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 over all and through all and in all.
    UNITY DEFINED (Heb. yahad, adverb "unitedly"). Used to signify a oneness of sentiment, affection, or behavior, such as should exist among the people of God. Unanimity of belief in the same great truths of God, and the possession of the grace of faith in a similar form and degree. Ps 133:1
    Psalm 133:1 NASB95
    1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity!
    If I could make a bold statement. The world is sick of our disunity. Church leaders and Pastors are sick of the constant bickering and church splits.
    I was at a Ministerial meeting and a leader said get together at a table and talk about your differences. WHY? Because you know your right. If your right the other person has to be wrong. The other person feels the same way about you.
    It was an exercise to see if you can make the main thing the main thing or are other things the main thing. If other things are the main thing you will never have unity. LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN.
    So you have to solidify what is the main thing.
    We can all say Amen because we all know Christ is the main thing.
    Now I’m not talking about Cults, Im talking about Bible believing, Trinity believing followers of Jesus.
    Today if you have a slight disagreement, people quit the church and make a case on facebook and go somewhere else to start their own group while taking others with them.
    It is disgusting. It is sin !!! It is shameful ( and most of the time it is on none priority matter)
    A persons faith should not be bound by the feelings he is feeling that day. It has to be much deeper than that.
    Sometimes we forget , we need each other.
    Oneness does not mean we can be one as long as your on my side. It means we can be one becasue we are of one accord. AMEN
    This isn’t just a problem in the church world. It reflects on marriage as well.
    Where is the unity? Where is the coming together? Where is the all things in common? Where is the main thing? What is the main thing?
    Church lets work on this AMEN Lets make our differences compliment each other.
    The psalmist says it is good and pleasant to dwell in unity.
    He is the head, we are the body and unity is all maintained by the Holy Spirit
    Disunity comes when people place the headship of Christ under the leadership of man. When Jesus is the head we can have unity. When man is the head we have a lot of division.
    Colossians says love binds us together in Unity
    1 Corinthians 1:10 NASB95
    10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.
    Colossians 3:13 NLT
    13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
    We must remember the Spirit is the Spirit of Unity- we don’t need to create it we must live in it and preserve it. It is already here.
    When the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost it unites the world to one message - The message of the Gospel. When the Spirit came men spoke in tongues ( in this case in the languages of the world , everyone understood)
    They were united and motivated. Though they are different tribes nations and tongues they are united.
    Secret to Unity
    Philippians 2:2–8 NASB95
    2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
    Is unity possible? - YES
    Paul had to challenge the church in Corinth he said is Christ divided - NO so why are you saying I’m of Apollos , or Peter or Paul .
    Christ has to be the center. AMEN.
    Acts 4:32 NASB95
    32 And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them.
    In the church we have many different callings apostle, prohet, evangelist, pastor, teacher - even in this we can be united- AMEN
    Another way is to serve one another, pray for one another, lift one another.
    This brings us together on a spiritual level. and the spiritual makes its way into the natural.
    2. In Holiness
    Ephesians 4:22–28 NLT
    22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. 25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil. 28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.
    Holy in character, conduct, conversation
    The old is laid aside for the new you.
    What does the New You look like?
    It is a contrast.
    Romans 6:6 “6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;”
    Faith will keep you where grace has placed you
    Paul says to examine yourself daily to see if your in the faith
    Daily align your values with His
    Make sure your actions line up with Gods
    Contend for the faith with others
    Pray for power from the Holy Spirit
    Remember this is not a sprint it is a journey and preparation is crucial.
    When you turn on a light switch, you expect the room to illuminate. Now imagine if the light bulb said, 'I’m not really feeling it today.' If the light bulb refused to do its job, we’d be left in darkness. Our call to live a holy life is like that light – it’s not just a good idea; it’s our purpose! Without it, we leave the world in darkness, and living holy is no longer an option.
    You should see a contrast - get into the word and have God show it to you.
    Galatians 5:16–25 NASB95
    16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
    Three F’s
    Fact - you are saved - The old man is crucified - you have a new position in Christ Jesus- it is a place of victory and peace.
    Freedom - you now have a choice - the New man lives in you. You have been equipped with every spiritual blessing you need for life and godliness.
    2 Peter 1:3 NLT
    3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.
    Finality - It is a casting off - not putting in a closet - taking it outside and throwing it in the garbage. Not going back later and taking it out.
    Conclusion (Walk in Love)
    3. In Love
    1 John 3:14 NLT
    14 If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead.
    Love is His standard. Now it becomes our standard.
    Be love filled. Be love motivated. Be love activated.
    Paxson said, “Love in action is to undergird every relationship of ones life, in the home, in business, in society, and in the church. It is a life of voluntary self sacrifice.
    It is not an option
    In Love – agape – love that is focused on the best of another individual.

      • Ephesians 4:3–6NASB95

      • Psalm 133:1NASB95

      • 1 Corinthians 1:10NASB95

      • Colossians 3:13NASB95

      • Philippians 2:2–8NASB95

      • Acts 4:32NASB95

      • Ephesians 4:22–28NASB95

      • Galatians 5:16–25NASB95

      • 2 Peter 1:3NASB95

      • 1 John 3:14NASB95

Lighthouse
darryl.sandford@gmail.com
530-275-4822
https://lighthouse-v.faithlifesites.com
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