Ephesians - Part 7

  

     This message was preached at Word Of Grace Church on 9th August 2026, by Colin. For the audio , please click here.  For the worship, please click here.

Living Worthy of Your Calling: Unity, Maturity, and Purpose in Christ

"Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received." — Ephesians 4:1

As we begin the fourth chapter of Ephesians, the apostle Paul makes a remarkable transition. The first three chapters are filled with the incredible blessings God has freely given us in Christ—our identity, salvation, adoption, redemption, and every spiritual blessing. But chapter four shifts the focus from what God has done for us to how we should now live in response.

Grace is never meant to leave us unchanged. Those who have been called by God are invited to live lives that reflect the greatness of that calling.

Walk Worthy of Your Calling

Paul urges believers to "walk worthy" of the calling they have received. The word worthy carries the idea of balance or equal weight. God has lavished immeasurable blessings upon us through Christ, and our lives should now reflect the weight of those blessings.

Imagine a child who has been rescued from poverty, adopted into a loving family, clothed, fed, educated, and given an inheritance—yet continues to live like a beggar on the streets. That would contradict his new identity.

In the same way, God has brought us into His family and given us a new identity. We are no longer defined by our old life. We are called to live as sons and daughters of God.

Unity Is the Mark of the Church

Modern culture celebrates individuality and personal choice. While choice itself is not wrong, it often makes it difficult to think beyond ourselves. Yet God's design for the Church is very different.

Paul repeatedly emphasizes unity. We are one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all.

This unity is not something we create—it is something God has already given us through the Holy Spirit. Our responsibility is to protect and preserve it.

Paul tells us that unity is maintained through four Christ-like attitudes:

• Humility that places others before ourselves.
• Gentleness that exercises strength under control.
• Patience that is slow to anger and quick to extend grace.
• Bearing with one another in love despite each other's imperfections.

Every church family consists of imperfect people. Unity doesn't come from everyone being alike; it comes from everyone choosing love over preference and grace over pride.

Sometimes unity is expressed in simple acts of participation—praying together, fasting together, serving together, or standing together as one body. God delights in a people who pursue unity because where His people dwell together in unity, He commands His blessing.

Unity Without Compromising Truth

Biblical unity does not mean ignoring truth.

Paul reminds us that there are foundational truths that unite every believer: Jesus Christ is Lord, salvation is found in Him alone, His death and resurrection are central to our faith, and we belong to one body.

On these essential truths, there can be no compromise.

At the same time, believers may hold different opinions on secondary matters. In those areas, we extend liberty and charity while remaining united in Christ.

True unity is built on truth and sustained by love.

Christ Has Given Every Believer a Gift

Paul goes on to explain that every believer has received grace according to Christ's measure.

No Christian is giftless.

When Christ ascended in victory, He distributed gifts to His people. Among these are leadership gifts—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers—not so they can do all the ministry themselves, but so they can equip God's people for ministry.

This is one of the beautiful truths about the Church: ministry is not reserved for a few leaders. Every believer has a role to play.

The purpose of spiritual leadership is to prepare the entire body of Christ to serve.

Growing Toward Spiritual Maturity

As believers are equipped and actively serve, something wonderful happens.

They grow.

Paul describes this growth as increasing in the knowledge of Christ and becoming mature—measuring up to the fullness of Christ Himself.

Spiritual maturity isn't simply gaining more information. It involves putting God's Word into practice through daily obedience.

Jesus Himself modeled this life. Though He was the Son of God, He humbled Himself and learned obedience. As we follow His example, our lives are transformed, and we become more like Him.

Mature believers are also stable believers.

Instead of being tossed around by every new teaching or deceptive idea, they are firmly rooted in God's truth. They can discern error because they know Christ and His Word.

Every Part Matters

Paul concludes with a beautiful picture of the Church as a human body.

Every part has a purpose.

Every member contributes to the health of the whole.

When each person faithfully serves using the gifts God has given, the Church grows stronger, healthier, and more loving.

But when someone refuses to use the gifts God has entrusted to them, the body suffers. Just as a physical body struggles when one part is unable to function, the Church is hindered when believers choose not to serve.

This raises two important questions for each of us:

• Do I know the gifts God has given me?
• Am I faithfully using them to build up the body of Christ?

God has uniquely designed every believer for a purpose. Your contribution matters more than you may realize.

Looking Ahead with Hope

As believers, we have a glorious future.

One day we will receive new bodies. There will be no more pain, sickness, sorrow, or death. We will live forever in the presence of Christ.

But until that day arrives, God has given us a mission.

He calls us to protect the unity He has established, grow in faith and maturity, discover and use our spiritual gifts, and faithfully serve one another in love.

Final Thoughts

The Christian life is not merely about receiving God's blessings—it is about responding to them.

Because Christ has called us, we should walk worthy of that calling.

Because He has united us, we should preserve that unity.

Because He has gifted us, we should serve faithfully.

And because He is transforming us, we should continually grow into His likeness until the day we see Him face to face.

May we live lives that truly reflect the incredible calling we have received in Christ.

 Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that has people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is part of a wider international family of Churches called RegionsBeyond.To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org. 

Don't Miss the Moment - Part 3

   This message was preached at Word Of Grace Church on 22nd February 2026, by Colin. For the audio , please click here.  For the worship, please click here. 

Don’t Miss the Moment: Rediscovering Giving, Prayer & Fasting

As the weather shifts from winter into spring, we’re reminded that certain seasons call us to refocus. In the Christian calendar, this season is known as Lent—a 40-day period leading up to Easter traditionally devoted to prayer, fasting, repentance, and renewed devotion to God.

The word “Lent” literally means springtime or lengthening. It represents a spiritual awakening—a time to examine our hearts and realign our lives.

But here’s the honest question:
If we were left entirely to ourselves, would we consistently pray, fast, and give?

Probably not.

That’s why seasons like Lent matter. Not because they are legalistic requirements, but because they lovingly call us back to what truly sustains us.

The Heart Behind Spiritual Disciplines

In Gospel of Matthew 6, Jesus speaks about three core spiritual disciplines:

• Giving
• Praying
• Fasting

Notice something powerful—He says “when” you give, pray, and fast. Not if.

These practices are not optional extras for super-spiritual believers. They are expected rhythms of a disciple’s life. But Jesus goes deeper—He addresses not just what we do, but why we do it.

Over and over, He reminds us:
Your Father sees in secret.
Your Father rewards in secret.

These disciplines are not performances for people. They are acts of devotion to our Father in heaven.

1. Giving: A Matter of the Heart

Jesus warns against public displays of generosity done for applause. If recognition is our goal, recognition will be our only reward.

True giving flows from delight in God.

A beautiful example is found in 1 Chronicles 29. King David prepared offerings for the temple and declared:

“Everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your own hand.”

David understood something profound:
We are not owners—we are stewards.

When we give:

• We acknowledge that everything belongs to God.
• We participate in His purposes.
• We position ourselves for heavenly reward.

The question is not, “How much must I give?”
It is, “How grateful is my heart?”

2. Prayer: Our Lifeline

Jesus teaches that prayer is not about public performance or empty repetition. It is personal communion with our Father.

Let’s be honest, prayer is hard.

The moment we sit down to pray, distractions flood our minds. Bills, appointments, responsibilities. Our flesh resists stillness. Yet Scripture is clear, prayer is essential.

In Gospel of Matthew 6, Jesus gives us the Lord’s Prayer—a model that centers on:

• God’s holiness
• God’s kingdom
• Daily provision
• Forgiveness
• Deliverance

Prayer reshapes our priorities.

It is also powerful when done together. There is strength in agreement. When believers unite in prayer for families, churches, nations, and personal needs, heaven moves.

And again, Jesus promises:

“Your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

3. Forgiveness: The Hidden Blocker

Right in the middle of teaching on prayer, Jesus addresses forgiveness.

Unforgiveness quietly poisons spiritual life. We all get hurt. Offended. Misunderstood. But refusing to forgive restricts our own freedom.

Lent—or any reflective season—is an opportunity to ask:

• Who am I holding in my heart?
• Where do I need to release someone?

Forgiveness is not weakness.
It is spiritual strength.

4. Fasting: Humbling Ourselves Before God

Let’s admit it—fasting is probably the hardest discipline.

Jesus again says, “When you fast…” Not if.

Fasting humbles us. It quiets the flesh. It sharpens spiritual sensitivity. Throughout Scripture, fasting preceded breakthrough.

One powerful example appears in Book of Esther 4. Faced with national crisis and annihilation, Esther called the people to fast for three days. That fast shifted history. The king’s heart changed. The enemy’s plans collapsed.

Fasting is not about gloom or self-display. It is about desperation for God’s intervention.

In a world filled with injustice, conflict, and turmoil, can we afford not to fast?

This Is Not Legalism

Spiritual disciplines are not about earning God’s love.

We don’t:

• Pray because we have to
• Fast because we have to
• Give because we have to

We do these things because we want to draw near to our Father.

Grace is the foundation. Discipline is the response.

Don’t Miss the Moment

Whether during Lent or any season of life, this is an invitation:

• Grow in generosity.
• Deepen your prayer life.
• Embrace fasting.
• Walk in forgiveness.

There is always room to grow.

The aim is not perfection—but transformation.
The goal is not ritual—but relationship.

And the promise remains steady and sure:

Your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Don’t miss the moment.

 Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that has people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is part of a wider international family of Churches called RegionsBeyond.To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org. 

James - War and Peace - Part 4

 This message was preached at Word Of Grace Church on November 16th 2025, by Lasya. For the audio & video, please click here.  For the worship, please click here. 

War and Peace 

How many of you left your hometown at one point or another? How do you feel when you move to a new city/country? Like you don't belong, so you need to prove yourself, like you finally get to do what you want? 

James is writing to the dispersed believers across the known world. They are dealing with persecution, but also opportunity. They are immersed in the gentile way of life and the ethos of the world seems to be getting into them a bit. He’s hearing a lot of words but not enough action, a lot of thoughts but not enough wisdom and a lot of plans but not God’s purpose. Do we see any of this in our own situation today?  

Let’s look at James 4 and here is the set up to it:

James 3: 13- 18 “13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

James makes a distinction between worldly wisdom and heavenly wisdom, and the distinguishing factor is the motive of bitter jealousy and selfish ambition. But wisdom that comes from God is unadulterated- no hidden agenda, it reaps a fruit of righteousness as it is sown in peace by peacemakers - blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God. 

Peace is a weighty word, and it is not merely the absence of war, but the presence of God. So how do we lose peace? James is bringing some wisdom. He uses this method of asking questions to let us ponder the deeper issues of the human heart.  

James 4:1-17

James points out 3 ways in which our peace is compromised. Don’t look at these as condemnation, but an inspection of the walls of our peace. We have more anxiety in our day than any generation before. We are richer than ever before but unhappy. Think about your own lives… is your peace compromised? It’s likely one of these things: 

1. Fights

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?

James does not address the nature of the conflict, only the condition of our hearts. 2 battles - one on the inside and one on the outside. 

Romans 7:18-19 “ 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” Does this sound familiar? Have you experienced this battle? 

Passion here refers to hedonistic pleasure - wanting to be comfortable, to feel good. Our hearts have a throne and whatever is enthroned in that place is the driver for all the decisions we make. What is on the throne of your heart? Illustration of a life driven by comfort v. wanting to please God.  

V. 2 - You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. Example of the very first murder - Cain and Abel. Cain wanted to be approved the way Abel was. But God did not give in to his emotions - he said, If you do well, will you not be accepted? 

2 Outworking of punishment - external quarrels, internal judgement. 

You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

How is our prayer life? What does our prayer list look like?

The question is twofold - Do you pray? COME FOR PRAYER MEETINGS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR PRAYER LIST! What do you pray for? Why do you want the things you want? The self care movement has completely made us selfish. When is the last time you’ve been blessed with something that you didn't spend on yourself?  The word Spend is the same verb used to describe the wasteful spending of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:14.

So where do fights come from? When 2 selfish people rub shoulders, there is conflict. 2 ways to resolve it… either let God soften our edges or don't rub shoulders. The issue with the latter is that there is a deeper problem.  In our digital age, we can think we don't fight with anyone. But we cannot have quarrels if we don't have real relationships.

2. Friendships

Whether we acknowledge it or not, we have friends and enemies. Popular quote “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”. The second we open our eyes, there are calls for our attention, affection, time… whose calls do you answer the most? 

4  You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?

Meeting with God for 15 mins in the morning and not thinking about him the rest of the day is a chore/ business meeting, not a friendship. What occupies our thoughts when we are free?  Abraham was called a friend of God. Means, he desired to respond to God in obedience more than the passions of his own heart. 

Romans 8:7 “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.”

Why does God desire submission and humility? Does he want to control us? Not at all.. Quite the opposite! 

Gal 5:1 , 13-18 ”It is for freedom that Christ has set us free… You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”

How do we get out of this mess? 

6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore 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 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Our relationship with God - cause and effect relationship - friendship with the world means enmity with God. 

Let’s practice this each morning:

• submit yourselves to God and he will give grace , 
• resist the devil and he will flee, 
• draw near to God and he will draw near to you 
• Humble yourselves and he will exalt you 
  
  

3. Future 

The final thing on peace is the future - anxiety stems from not knowing the future. 

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

How many planners do we have in the house? The real issue here is not about planning, but the source of it. We need to realise that our very breath is given us by God, so how much more should we seek him for the purpose of our lives. 

Proverbs 3:6 “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

 Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that has people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is part of a wider international family of Churches called RegionsBeyond.To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org. 

Worthy Goals for 2025

 This message was preached at Word Of Grace Church on January 5th 2025 by Colin. For the audio & video please click here.  For the worship please click here. 

Worthy Goals for 2025

When we enter New Year, we make resolutions. We want to believe that the old has gone and new has come. 

As we began the New Year, our hearts need to be filled with gratitude for God's faithfulness. We are all alive today and that's because of God. We need to be thankful to God. Let us look at Philippians chapter 1.

Let us look at some worthy goals to put forward for the year.

Philippians 1:1-2 NIV - [1] Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: [2] Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul was used by God in an amazing way. He calls himself a born servant. This actually means a slave. We can see Paul's great humility here. 

Let us look at this attitude of humility. As Christians we must cultivate it. According to the New Testament, if you are saved, you are a saint. This letter is addressed to the overseers, deacons and saints. 

Philippians 1:3 NIV - [3] I thank my God every time I remember you.

What a beautiful thing to say. In our lives, there could be people who cause pain when we think about them. 

Philippians 1:4-8 NIV - [4] In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy [5] because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, [6] being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. [7] It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. [8] God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Here we see that Paul was filled with deep love towards these believers. That's a wonderful example to follow. 

Acts 16:6-7 NIV - [6] Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. [7] When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 

What we see here is that Paul and his companions were led by the Spirit. Discernment was needed to differentiate between right and wrong and also God's will and their will. Going to preach is good but what was God's will?

Even in our lives, we must know the difference between Good and bad and also God's will and our will. That's why we must be connected to God by His Spirit.

Acts 16:8-14 NIV - [8] So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. [9] During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” [10] After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.  [11] From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. [12] From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. [13] On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. [14] One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 

For salvation to come, we must go and preach and also God's must touch their hearts to put their faith in Jesus.

Acts 16:15 NIV - [15] When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Salvation is always followed by baptism which is a public declaration of faith in Jesus.

Acts 16:16-17 NIV - [16] Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. [17] She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 

We see that when the demonic spirits we're sharing the gospel. 

From verses 18 to 24, we see that Paul and Silas were arrested and clogged for sharing the gospel.

Acts 16:25 NIV - [25] About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 

Even in the midst of their trial, Paul and Silas chose to praise God. 

In our lives we are going to face struggles,  trials, sickness and persecution. But we must continue to worship God and praise him. 

Acts 16:27-28 NIV - [27] The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. [28] But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

Those days if any prisoner escaped, the jailer was executed. Here, when the jailer realized that the prison doors were opened he thought that the prisoners had escaped. He knew he'd be executed. So he drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul stopped him.

Acts 16:30 NIV - [30] He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

These are the golden words which we long to hear from the unbelievers - "What must I do to be saved?"

Acts 16:31-34 NIV - [31] They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” [32] Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. [33] At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. [34] The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

After the jailer asked them, Paul and Silas shared the gospel and the jailer and his entire household were saved and baptized. Amazing! 

When they left Philippi, there were just a few believers gathering and Paul was thanking them for their partnership with him. 

We can also partner in 3 ways - 

1. Going

2. Giving

3. Loving 

The Church of Philippi partnered with Paul by finding the gospel. Let us pray for the people who attended the Carols event that God touch them and open their hearts. 

We have to be friends with the unbelievers because Jesus was a friend of sinners.

When we come to faith, that's just the first step but not the last.

It is good that a baby is born but when there's no growth its not good. Similarly, when a new Christian is born, he or she must grow and mature. 

God's Word is our food to grow spiritually. Let us be a people of book - read God's Word. 

Joshua 1:8 NIV - [8] Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 

As we give ourselves to feeding on God's Word, we will see the difference in our lives. 

One thing that's connected to feeding on the Word is Prayer and the other is Fasting.

Philippians 1:7 NIV - [7] It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 

Here we see Paul's love and deep affection for the believers. This is the quality of love God wants to see in His people. 

We must pray that God would help us to love our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

We must grow more in loving one another. We are all in WIP - Work In Progress.

We all have shortcomings and failures. Till our death, we will have these. But when we sin, we must recognise it, repent and seek forgiveness and keep moving forward so that we may be pure and blameless. 

When you commit a sin, don't be surprised as that's a sign of pride. We must be humble enough to say we're wrong. 

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that has people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is part of a wider international family of Churches called RegionsBeyond.To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.