Living Worthy of the Calling

Ephesians 4:1-3 Therefore I, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, accepting one another in love, 3 diligently keeping the unity of the Spirit with the peace that binds us. (HCSB)

A. The Timeline

The Scriptures present a simple linear timeline with two ages. This age and the age to come. This age is shaped like the cross (mercy, self-sacrificing love). The age to come is the age of GLORY (resurrection, reward, and restoration). The Day of the Lord is the climactic transition between the two ages.

Acts 17:23-31 …The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands… 26 and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation… 30 Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead. (NASB)

B. The Covenants

1. Restoration not annihilation. God’s covenant with creation. Many scriptures directly and indirectly state the perpetuity (“forever”ness) of the Earth based on God’s covenant with creation and his promise to Israel to have a land allotment forever. He will not allow the curse of sin and death to permeate His creation to the point of no return.Jeremiah 33:19-22 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 20 “This is what the Lord says: ‘If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer come at their appointed time, 21 then my covenant with David my servant—and my covenant with the Levites who are priests ministering before me—can be broken and David will no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne. 22 I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before me as countless as the stars in the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore.’” (ESV)Romans 8:19-21 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. (NIV)
2. A people on the land forever. God’s covenant with Abraham.Psalm 105:8-12 He remembers His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, 9The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac, 10And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel as an everlasting covenant, 11Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan As the allotment of your inheritance,” 12When they were few in number, Indeed very few, and strangers in it.
3. A king to rule over the people forever. God’s covenant with David.Psalm 89:1-37 I will sing of the LORD’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. 2 I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself. 3 You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant, 4 ‘I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.’… 27 I will also appoint him my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth 28 I will maintain my love to him forever, and my covenant with him will never fail. …His (David’s) offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me. 37 Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies.

C. The Cross

This age is essentially shaped like the cross. In light of the coming judgement (The Day of the Lord), we are to act like God is acting right now – showing mercy. Also we follow in His steps, just as He went to the cross before His resurrection and the coming glory of the age to come. We also must pick up our cross, follow Him before glory.

1. Romans 5:6-9 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! (NIV)
2. John 15:12-13 12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (ESV)
3. Romans 8:16-17 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (ESV)

D. The Day of the Lord

Redemptive history culminates with a future day of judgement. When you begin to see the centrality of the Day of the Lord in the Scripture then you can begin to relate everything to that Day. Other Scripture, the people and events around us, and even our own lives. We realize that all things will be humbled before the Lord on His day.

Isaiah 2:11 The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day. (ESV)

1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. (ESV)

A.John 15:12-13 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (ESV)

B.1 Peter 2:19-23 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. (ESV)

C.2 Timothy 2:11-13 The saying is trustworthy, for:
If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. (ESV)

D.Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (ESV)

E.Mark 8:34-35 34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. (ESV)

A.James 4:7-10 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? 6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. (ESV)

B.Colossians 3:1-8 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. (ESV)

C.Galatians 5:16-26 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do 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 And 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 keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (ESV)

D.Ephesians 1:13-14 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

E.Galatians 6:7-10 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (ESV)

[one_half]Conference Archive Home[/one_half][one_half_last]Opening Session – Conference Vision – Tim Miller[/one_half_last]

[one_half]DAY 1[/one_half][one_half_last]DAY 2[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Session 1 – Group Activity[/one_half][one_half_last][/one_half_last]

[one_half]Session 2 – What is “The Faith?” – Josh Hawkins[/one_half][one_half_last]Session 2 – Spiritual Gifts and the “Unity of the Faith”- Hans Kim[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Session 3 – Living Worthy of the Calling- Dave Horsman[/one_half][one_half_last]Session 3 – Attaining to the Full Stature of Christ – Jeremy Johnson[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Session 4 – “Unity of the Faith” in Local Churches – John Harrigan[/one_half][one_half_last]Session 4 – The “One New Man” – Jacob Stone[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Session 5 – The Role of Leadership in the “Unity of the Faith”- Tim Miller[/one_half][one_half_last]Session 5 – The “Unity of the Faith” at the End of the Age – Stephen Holmes[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Group Discussion[/one_half][one_half_last]Group Discussion[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Solemn Assembly[/one_half][one_half_last]Solemn Assembly[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Conference Ending – Where Do We Go From Here? – Jeremy Johnson[/one_half][one_half_last][/one_half_last]