Messages
from the Bible
A Sermon by Dr. Neil Chadwick
Being again in India reminded me of a major difference between our life style and theirs - in India, people walk. Not all of them, of course. They have vehicles - cars, trucks, bicycles, hand pulled rickshaws, bicycle rickshaws, auto rickshaws, scooters, motorbikes and carts drawn by horses and oxen. But what struck me while standing along any road in city or country - most people walk.
While ministering in the city of Mysore, I met the family of a former student, and noticed that each of the children had been given a Bible name. One of them had a name that I had never known to be given to a child - the name of the youngest son was Enoch. You remember him, he was the man of whom it was said, "He walked with God." (Genesis 5:24)
Actually, the Bible has much to say about this matter of walking.
But we understand that this idea of walking is not about moving the body from one place to another by the means of a particular kind of leg movement. The "walk" is your life, particularly that which is lived in view of other people.
Here are a few examples of the Biblical use of the word, "walk":
Jethro gave this advice to Moses, "Thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. (Exodus 18:20)
Moses included this instruction in his farewell speech, "Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess." (Deuteronomy 5:33)
Joshua reiterated the commands of Moses: "But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. (Joshua 22:5)
The Psalmist declared, "I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living." (Psalms 116:9)
Isaiah wrote, "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left." (Isaiah 30:21) We all love this promise, also written by Isaiah, "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)
Micah, a contemporary of Isaiah, gives us this wonderful verse, "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?' ( Micah 6:8)
In the New Testament, Paul uses the idea of walking when he says we "should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:4) "Walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7)
Becoming a Christian is more than adopting a set of beliefs, more than ascribing to a list of doctrines - it has to do with how we walk in this world. There is a life style change, there is a conduct change.
In many of Paul's letters there are two major divisions. First there are the doctrinal statements, then follows the application section. First comes the understanding, then follow the activities which demonstrate to the world what it is that we believe.
In Ephesians, the transition from belief to behavior takes place at Chapter 4. Starting there, we can see that there are four kinds of walks.
1. Walk worthy
Note that the "calling" may be likened to receiving an invitation to a banquet. If you were one of the special, privileged people to receive an invitation to the King's feast, it would show. Your walk would be lighter, your shoulders back and head held high. There would be a tinge of excitement.
Writing this from prison, Paul cannot come and go as he pleases, his walk is restricted, but his readers are not. When I was a student in Bible School we were given "outstation" assignments where we would have opportunity to minister as part of our training. At one point I was part of a group that went into a prison to conduct a service. The senior student was the one chosen to do the preaching, but he wasn't too careful to consider the uniqueness of his audience when he said in passing, "When you're out walking along the street . . ." Obviously that was not something they could do! Paul is saying, "I can't be out there demonstrating the Gospel, but you can - so "walk worthy."
First note that our great example is Christ who gave Himself. In this regard, compare John 3:16 and I John 3:16.
Then also note that this should not be separated from 4:25-5:1 which helps us understand what walking in love is all about.
I John 1:6, 7 - "If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."
I like this word "circumspectly". In it you can easily see two words - "circum", which means "around" as in the circumference of a circle, and "spect", to see as in "spectacles". So to walk "circumspectly" is to be always watchful as you walk.
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8)
2. Love - How much time and effort is spent doing what is good for you as compared with what is good for others?
3. Light - Is your understanding of God's Word, God's Ways, and God's Will growing?
4. Is great care being given not to fall into the temptations of the evil one?
"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind. "(Ephesians 4:17)
Walking
Next Sermon
Download
But the most frequent use of this idea of "walking" comes from the little book of Ephesians.
"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called." (Ephesians 4:1) (KJV) "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received." (NIV)
2. Walk in love
"And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor." (Ephesians 5:2)
"speak truthfully" (25);
3. Walk in light
"in your anger do not sin" (26);
"share with those in need" (28);
"build others up" (29);
"get rid of all bitterness, etc." (31);
"be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other" (32).
"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light." (Ephesians 5:8)
Verse 6 helps us understand what he means: "Let no one deceive you." There needs to be a regular reading and studying of the Word in order to avoid being deceived by good sounding doctrines and ideas. (We want "Good Sound Doctrine", not merely "Good Sounding Doctrine".)
4. Walk in wisdom
"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise." (Ephesians 5:15)
The question must be put to each one of us, "How is your walk?"
1. Worthy - Are you proud to be a Christian, and living the daily life in such a way as to bring credit to the Gospel?
For the most part we've been talking about the positive side of walking. Paul also addresses the negative:
"Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." (Ephesians 2:2)
Please Take A Moment To Sign The Guest Book[ Hymns ] [ Leaders ] [ Marriage ] [ Church ] [ Humor ]
|