The way we walk out our Christian life is a direct result of the way we hear the call of God on our lives. This can be illustrated by thinking about my children playing in the backyard. When I call them to come inside for a meal they have been looking forward to, the way they walk (or run) into the house is much different than when I call them inside to get some chores done.

If I hear God’s call on my life, like it’s my Christian duty to do something, then I will walk begrudgingly. If I hear God’s call on my life, like it’s an opportunity to earn his acceptance, then I might come running at first, only to end up hiding on the sidelines when I fail to live up to his standards.

But if I hear God’s call on my life, in light of who he says I am and in light of what Christ has done for me at the cross of Calvary, then there’s nothing that can stop me from charging the gates of hell with passionate, joy-filled expectancy for God to show up and do miraculous things.

That’s the picture I have of Paul in the first six verses of Ephesians chapter four. He’s a man that knows who he is in Christ Jesus and he knows what Jesus did for him at the cross of Calvary and nothing will stop him from obeying the call of God on his life. He’s been called by God. He belongs to God. And he takes his calling seriously because his hope is in Christ alone for the glory of God alone.

Look at Ephesians 4:1 – 6…

1I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call – 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

To be called by God is to be a prisoner for the Lord who walks in a worthy manner because of a single hope. There are two phrases that Paul uses here that I want to highlight. In verse 1 he uses the phrase “the calling to which you have been called.” And then in verse 4 he uses the phrase “called to the one hope that belongs to your call.” Every person that follows Christ is a person who is following the call of God on their lives.

But what is this call of God? What does it mean to be called by God? In Romans 8:28 – 30 Paul teaches us “28that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” God’s purpose in calling a person is to glorify Christ in them as the firstborn from among the dead.

To be called by God is to be someone who loves God. The person that God calls is a person that God knew from before the beginning of time. God’s purpose or plan for a person that he calls is to conform that person into the image or the likeness of his son Jesus. A person who is called by God is a person that is becoming more and more like Jesus because God’s plan for them is to become like Christ so that Christ is glorified in them. Therefore a called person is justified or made right and glorified by God because he ahs called them.

Do you love God because he first loved you? Do you know the God who knew you first? Are you becoming more and more like Jesus? This is the essence of what Paul is saying in Ephesians 4 when he says “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called… just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call”. To be called by God is to be a prisoner for the Lord who walks in a worthy manner because of a single hope. Can you say: I’ve been called by God? Can you say: I am God’s prisoner and I belong to him? Can you say: I take my calling seriously because Christ is my only hope?

#1: We are called to walk as prisoners for the Lord

Prison doesn’t sound like a fun place to me. Sounds restrictive. Sounds lonely. Sounds depressing. Being a prisoner doesn’t sound like something I want to brag about. It doesn’t seem like a good reference on a job application or a resume. It doesn’t sound like the best foot to put forward as a qualification for a new relationship. Being a prisoner is probably not the first thing I want on my social media profile.

But for Paul, the first thing he wants us to know about himself in relation to his charge of walking out our calling is that he is a prisoner for the Lord. He belongs to God. God owns him. And in light of this circumstance he believes he is more than qualified to urge us to walk out our calling. He says “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk.” We are called to walk as prisoners for the Lord. Called to walk as people who belong to God. Called to walk as people who are owned by God.

What does it mean to walk as a prisoner for the Lord and what does that look like? When Paul says that he is a prisoner for the Lord he is referencing the fact that he is literally in chains for preaching the gospel. In Philippians 1:12 – 14 he says “I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” A person who walks as a prisoner for the Lord is committed or consumed with the advancement of the gospel. If you meet this kind of person you know that they are committed to the gospel and you are encouraged and inspired to walk in the same kind of confidence.

The apostle Paul’s circumstances might have been radically different if he had chosen to disobey the call of God on his life. If he had chosen to believe that he was the master of his own destiny. If he had chosen to obey his human desires. If he had chosen to be controlled by fear or consumed by loneliness or imprisoned by human acceptance his earthly circumstances might have been different.

There are many things that can become my master. Many things that I can become imprisoned to. Many things that I can give myself obediently to that will require me to be disobedient to the call of God on my life. The first step in obeying the call of God on my life is seeing myself as a prisoner for the Lord.

Can you say: I’ve been called by God? Can you say: I am God’s prisoner and I belong to him? Can you say: I take my calling seriously because Christ is my only hope? To be called by God is to be a prisoner for the Lord who walks in a worthy manner because of a single hope.

#2: We are called to walk in a worthy manner

The word “worthy” in our text could be taken to mean “worthwhile, serious or careful”. There are a lot of things in this world that I believe are worthwhile. Many things that I think should be taken seriously. Many things that I believe we should be careful with.

But one thing we should be very serious and careful about is making small things into big things and big things into small things. When we make lesser things into major things we turn good things into idolatrous things. When we ignore worthwhile things we take serious things and turn them into forgotten things.

Paul doesn’t want us to forget the seriousness of the call of God to walk in a manner that is worthwhile. He believes we should take our calling very seriously. He believes we should be careful about how we walk out our Christian calling. He says, “I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” We are called to walk in a worthwhile, serious and careful manner before the Lord.

What does it mean to walk in a worthy manner and what does that look like? In verses 2 – 3 Paul says that we are to walk “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”. We are called to be people of godly character. We are called to take our walk seriously and carefully. We are called to be teachable and gentle and patient. We are called to bear with one another’s shortcomings. We are called to fight for true unity and peace as the Spirit of God enables us. This is what it looks like to walk in a worthwhile, serious and careful manner before the Lord.

In Philippians 3:17 – 19 Paul says, “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.” We are called to carefully and seriously watch and imitate those who walk according to the example of Christ. If we ignore this instruction we will not take this call seriously. We will regard our earthly desires as more important than our spiritual needs. The outcome of our lives will be destructive. This is serious. We are called to walk in a worthwhile, serious and careful manner before the Lord.

In Colossians 1:10 Paul prays that we would “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” We must seriously ask whether or not our lives are a pleasing aroma to the Lord. We must seriously ask if the fruit of our lives honors God. We must seriously pursue growing in the knowledge of God. This is what it means to walk in a worthwhile, serious and careful manner before the Lord.

In Romans 13:13 – 14 Paul says “Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” We are not called to walk in darkness. We are not called to do shameful things in secret. We are called to walk properly. We are called to walk in the light. We are called to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. We are called to starve our fleshly desires. We are called to walk in a worthwhile, serious and careful manner before the Lord.

It feels better in the moment to walk in a way that neglects my spiritual needs. My momentary wants are usually far more emotionally, more psychologically and more physically powerful than my spiritual needs. But, when I gratify my momentary wants and resist my spiritual needs, I starve my heart and soul of what it really needs while giving my sinful flesh what it wants. This is a serious thing to consider. I must be careful to walk in a manner that is worthy of my calling.

Can you say: I’ve been called by God? Can you say: I am God’s prisoner and I belong to him? Can you say: I take my calling seriously because Christ is my only hope? To be called by God is to be a prisoner for the Lord who walks in a worthy manner because of a single hope.

#3: We are called to walk according to one hope

It’s interesting to think about how hope affects a person’s walk. There are only two places to put my hope in. I either hope for earthly things or I hope for eternal things. I hope in things below or I hope in things above. When my hope rests in earthly things I experience momentary happiness at the expense of eternal joy.

You see, I experience certain levels of happiness in being married, being a father and being a pastor. I have great hope for my marriage, my children and our church family. I dream about what we will be in the future and I ask God to make those dreams come true. They are good dreams. They are not sinful dreams in and of themselves.

But the moment that something goes wrong in any of those areas is the moment when the foundation of my hope gets tested. When my wife and I have a spat or one of the kids has a rough day or the church isn’t progressing the way I wished it would, that’s the moment where my hope get’s tested. Do I lash out in anger? Do I harbor bitterness? Do I retreat and escape? Do I fall into despair? Do I pursue rebellion? In these moments when I interrogate my heart, I have an opportunity to redirect my heart towards one, stable and steadfast foundation where hope produces eternal joy.

True hope produces eternal joy amidst difficult earthly circumstances. When Paul says, “I urge you to walk just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call” he reminds me of Psalm 42:5 where David says “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” The way we walk is directly affected by the source of our hope. We are called to walk according to one hope and that one hope is Christ. My one hope is not my marriage. My one hope is not my children and my one hope is not in the success of our church.

Christ is my one hope. He is my salvation and he is worthy of my praise even in the midst of the worst circumstances. Even when my earthly dreams are dashed on the rocks of hardship and disappointment. The only way I walk like Jesus in a world full of brokenness and rebellion and fear and opposition and persecution is to constantly reorient the fulfillment of my dreams to the sure and steadfast anchor for my soul which is Christ.

This is the hope that possessed Paul. This one hope enabled Paul, whose earthly existence in a prison cell seemed dismal at best, to be able to say “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called… just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call”. Christ is my one and only hope. Every other hope, every other dream, every other pursuit, every other good thing that I can desire will leave me empty in comparison to the one hope that I have in the work of Christ at the cross.

We are called to walk according to one hope. Can you say: I’ve been called by God? Can you say: I am God’s prisoner and I belong to him? Can you say: I take my calling seriously because Christ is my only hope? To be called by God is to be a prisoner for the Lord who walks in a worthy manner because of a single hope.

Conclusion…

In conclusion I want us to think about what we’ve learned and the effect this could have on a church family and in the community around us. What would happen if we began to walk like God has called us to? If we began to walk like we belong to God? If we began to take our walk more seriously? If we began to walk like our only hope is in Christ? What would happen in our church family and in our community if we obeyed the call to walk this way?

I think an immediate and simple result of this kind of obedience would be the church Paul describes in verses 12 – 14 of the same chapter where he says that the saints would be equipped “for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ 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, so that we may no longer 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.” If we become obedient to the call of God on our lives to be his prisoners, to walk in a worthwhile, careful and serious way and to hold fast to Christ as our only hope, then the result will be a church that is becoming more and more united by our faith in Christ.

Less divided. More united. Less childish. More mature. Less, full-of-ourselves. More full of the presence of Christ. Less like children. More like adults. Not tossed back and forth by every wind and wave of new teaching. Not derailed by human or earthly teaching. Not given over to quick fix schemes that deceive the heart.

This looks like marriages that are built to last. Friendships that are reconciled and restored. Families that are whole and healed. Victory over addictions. Ministries that serve real needs. Widows being cared for. Orphans being adopted. Starving people being fed. Homeless people being given new homes. Outreach events that serve the community. And broken people being invited into the family of God. People hearing and following the call of God.

To be called by God is to be a prisoner for the Lord who walks in a worthy manner because of a single hope. Can you say: I’ve been called by God? Can you say: I am God’s prisoner and I belong to him? Can you say: I take my calling seriously because Christ is my only hope?