This sermon is taken from Ephesians. The first three chapters tell us the divine blessings that make the worthy walk described in the last three chapters possible.

The believer is chosen, predestined, adopted, accepted in the Beloved, redeemed and forgiven by the shed blood of Christ, participants in the final gathering together of all things in Christ (both Jew and Gentile and heaven and earth), and all of this is experienced “in Christ,” in the heavenlies.

The person who has experienced these blessings “in Christ” is equipped to live a worthy walk.

Eph. 4 calls the believer to walk in unity, in holiness, in love, and in hope and courage. We walk in unity as we walk in humility, meekness, patience, and forbearance in love.

These are the attitudes that make a worthy walk possible.

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Jesus had a reason for instructing his followers to celebrate the Lord’s Supper. We know there is something special about this service and that Jesus is present to minister to us in a special way, but exactly how Christ is present is a mystery. We may not fully understand the mystery, but we know that we are in need of something that Jesus offers us in Communion, grace and mercy, the Christ who came and the Christ who is coming again.

Psalm 22 describes David’s deep distress and suffering and foretells the suffering of Christ. The Psalm is the cry of a heart that is feeling lost and abandoned. And this is how both David and Jesus felt, but the heavenly Father had abandoned neither of them. The Father is not far away even though we feel alone. We need to see that while this Psalm begins with a lament – a picture of a suffering Savior – it ends with a song of victory

Jesus came to gain victory over his enemies. His death and resurrection delivers people from captivity to sin, the devil, and death. Christ is risen from the dead and He is able to bring to us the victory he won on the cross and in his resurrection.

Christ suffered greatly for us. We will suffer too. But we are also alive in the midst of suffering because Christ is risen from the dead. In the Lord’s Supper we celebrate the life Christ’s death and resurrection brings to us. The best of Jesus met the worst of humanity and Jesus was the victor. He was surrounded by men acting like animals, He experienced terrible suffering, and in the end, He won the victory. As we take these emblems this morning, let us remember not only Jesus’ suffering and death, but the reasons for it and the resurrection that followed, for there we can find victory.

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I Corinthians 12:31 introduces chapter 13, saying, “and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.” Charity is a requirement to honor Christ and bless others. Chapter 13 presents Christian charity–its importance, description, growth in it, and its permanence. Then chapter 14 begins, “Follow after charity” (KJV).

Jesus was a GREAT LIGHT in a dark world (Matt. 4:13-17). One way people “saw” or sensed this light was through Christ’s love. Jesus went to Heaven, but He had told His followers they were to be the light of the world (Matt. 5:14-16). “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt 5:16).

Faith without works is dead (James 2:14-17). Love without works is dead (I John 3:17-18). Works without love is dead too (I Cor. 13:1-3).

Paul wrote, “But we urge you, brethren, that you increase {in love} more and more” (I Thess. 4:10 NKJV). Christians who confess and repent, who pray for grace, will grow. Love is essential for our spiritual health and for our mission on earth.

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all (I Thess. 3:12 NKJV).

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