Walking Worthy

Wasn't it fun, brethren, to study God's Word? And some are going through the Bible from beginning to end, in an order from Genesis to Revelation. Other study, oftentimes through topical studies. I tend to do a little bit of both, especially as I'm preparing sermons. Often, many of the sermons are topical studies in so many ways. And for me, what's enjoyable is to dive into the Bible on a subject that maybe even when I start out, I think, is there enough here to make a sermon out of? You know, there's a key scripture, too, that comes to mind, and I think, okay, well, let's see what's here. And the joy of it, and the amazing thing, and the beauty of God's Word is that it is, you know, line upon line. The fact that there's this thread that's woven throughout the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, and you can find a piece here, and here, and here. And when you bring it all together, it forms this beautiful picture that God would have a see from His Word. And what's incredible to me is, at times, like I said, I may be thinking, okay, is this a sermon topic, and is there even enough? But once you start digging, this leads to this, and it leads to this, and wow, it's everywhere, all throughout the Word of God. And again, of course, it would be, that's part of the unity, part of the cohesion, that binds the Word of God together. I spoke on that a couple of weeks ago. Today, I want to explore one such topic. I started looking at it recently, thinking, well, this is, okay, I know it's throughout the Bible, but maybe it's a little limited in its scope. But as I dug into it, I was amazed by the fact that, literally from Genesis to Revelation, this is carried all the way through, and many points in between, binding God's Word together. And so today, I'd like to speak on the concept of walking worthy. Walking worthy, that's the title for today, walking worthy.

And I want to begin, actually, with the verse that first drew me into this topic. And I thought, well, there's this verse. How many more verses are there? Let's start at this point and move forward. This might be a little bit more of a Bible study type format today in terms of quite a number of scriptures, but we'll see how this, how this moves through the Word of God.

Walking worthy. Let's go to 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 and begin in verse 10. 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 10, the Apostle Paul actually has a lot to say about this concept of walking worthy throughout his writings.

And 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 beginning in verse 10, Paul says, He says, And we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as the Father does his own children, that you walk worthy of God. That you walk worthy of God, worthy of God who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. And so, as I said, this is where my personal study began with this concept of walking worthy of God. I thought that's interesting. What does that mean and exactly what does that lead to? I want to explore some of that today. What does it mean to walk worthy? What does it look like? And what sorts of things can we be doing as God's people to walk worthy before him?

Shortly after Darla and I were married, I started a landscape maintenance business.

It was something that started out as a very part-time venture. We both had jobs outside the home, but in summertime, it stays light until 9-9-30 at night in the summertime.

So, this was part-time thing in the summer, on the weekends, on Sundays anyway. I would go out and sort of be a weekend warrior with this landscape business. And over the years, it eventually transitioned into full-time work. It became what it was that I quit my job and invested into full-time. Darla eventually, as our children came along as well, stayed home and assisted me in this work. And it was my sole manner of employment, eventually lasting for 22 years, until I was hired into full-time ministry for the church. So, I would say, going back to my childhood, I used to mow lawns and pull weeds and do various things. When I went to Ambassador College in the early 90s, I worked on the landscape department. So, the green thumb just sort of stuck with me, I suppose. And I enjoyed doing that work over the years, and it became my business. All during those years, my customers came to understand that there were certain things that I did and that I did not do. One of them was, I didn't work from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday. And they recognized, okay, it rained this week, Tuesday through Friday, and the sun's shining on Saturday. But Paul's not going to be here. Paul's not going to answer the phone. They knew I kept the Sabbath. They knew I kept the Holy Days. You have customers, for years and years, some of them went back to almost the beginning of my business over 20 years, that they were with me, and they came to understand that I kept this fall church festival. In fact, I would make phone calls probably around the late August timeframe. I'm connecting with people, letting them know what the schedule's going to be. Dozens and dozens of people, and there were a number who answered the phone, and they heard my voice, and they said, ah, you're planning your church festival. You're going to your church festival. And I said, I am, and here's the schedule.

So it was something that was actually fairly well known among those who were my customers at least long term. Many of them knew that I made trips to West Africa in the wintertime. That started in 2010. And, you know, when I come back, how was the winter? How was your trip to Africa? How are the churches there? How was your missionary is usually how they would term that.

And many of them knew as well, and especially, I would say, some of the older ladies. A number of my customers were these dear older ladies, widow ladies, and I didn't just mow their lawn. A lot of times I was fixing their dripping faucet and other things as well. And we would get in these conversations, and it would be oftentimes spiritual, religious in many ways. And so they would ask me as well Bible questions, and we would have those conversations. And they knew I would reply. So if you fast forward 22 years, and I accepted, then, a position of full-time employment with the United Church of God as a pastor, guess what I had to do in terms of my business? I had to go tell all my customers now, I'm transitioning, and I'm selling my business. And here's the gentleman who's buying my business. I made this introduction. And for me, it was important to hand off so many of those dear ladies to someone that would take good care of them. And as would obviously happen, the question would be, well, what are you going to do now? Right? It was usually, what are we going to do without you on a few of them? You know, I'd known them for over 20 years, and it's like, you're leaving? And then it usually came down to, well, what are you going to do now? And I said, well, actually, I've been hired by my church. I'm going to be a pastor. And it was interesting, the responses that I got, a number of them said, well, good for you. And probably a dozen said, you know, I'm really not surprised. Just kind of the interaction of our relationship over the years. They knew I traveled for the church, went to the church festivals. They said, you know, I'm really not surprised. And not to toot my own horn, but what I'm saying is, I was glad the response wasn't, what? You, of all people? You? That unreliable overbiller, you know, whatever. You know, I was grateful at least that I didn't have to hang my head. Well, what are you going to do? I was just a pastor. Right? But I'd walked through those 22 years actually not even understanding myself where this was taking me. But I was glad that I hadn't been, in terms of how I conducted my business with them, someone that had to be embarrassed or in some ways apologize for how I had treated them over the years, I was glad that I at least to some degree had walked in a manner that at least conveyed my convictions, conveyed what it is that I believe in terms of our calling from God. And hopefully, as best as I could, set a proper example so that when I told them what I was going to be doing, I wasn't bringing that into disrepute, or I wasn't bringing the church into disrepute. Because again, the response could have been you, you know, of all people. So, the Bible tells us that there are certain things that we need to do in order to walk in a worthy manner. And what I want us to see today is about how we conduct ourselves day by day. To walk worthy of God doesn't mean that you walk in such a manner that you earn the grace that's extended to you by God. Right? We understand. We cannot earn the grace of God. It's a gift. And if you could earn it by works, then it wouldn't be grace. But we also understand we respond in obedience to God. Certainly because of the grace, He's extended to us.

But understand to walk worthy means that your conduct reflects the grace that you live under. And it's to reflect as well the God who has called you into relationship with Him. It's to show forth the fruit of God in your life and the blessings that come from a reconciled relationship with Him. So, this is about letting our light shine to the world. Mr. Schmidt talked about the light, right? It's the light of God shining out from us. That should be evident in the world, and indeed it will be if we are walking worthy of God. And I know I've heard stories from so many of you as well. You know, you work somewhere long enough and suddenly people are, hopefully, you know, there's been comments like, well, don't cuss around them, you know? Or I worked for a company years and years ago that became close to sundown and everybody knew I had to be off on sundown. And so the whole team was like, we got to hurry up. Paul's got to get off. The sun's going down. So there's things people see and learn about us by interacting with us, and hopefully they don't just see or come to experience somebody that just sort of hides and doesn't let shine forth who and what they are. Walking worthy of God is actually demonstrating who we've been called to be as an obedient reflection of that calling and of that salvation to the world around us. Let's go to Colossians chapter 1 and verse 9.

Colossians 1 verse 9, let's see how this concept of walking worthy continues to expand out. Colossians chapter 1 and beginning in verse 9, Paul says, For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. Walk worthy of the Lord, Paul says.

Again, walking worthy, brethren, has to do with our day-to-day behavior in this life. It's how we conduct ourselves all along the way in this calling.

Does our walk reflect the hope within us? Does our walk reflect the one who we say we represent as ambassadors for Jesus Christ and citizens of the kingdom of heaven? Does our walk reflect the gospel message that we've been called to proclaim as a church?

We won't turn there, but Philippians chapter 1, verse 27 says, Let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ. Your conduct. Again, it's how we walk. It's how we live this life. Let it be worthy of the gospel of Christ. Is it just what we say that is lip service, or do we actually believe it and live it day by day?

The answer is going to be largely borne out in how we walk as the people of God.

As I indicated earlier, this isn't the New Testament concept only. It's not the writings of Paul only. This idea of walking is spread all throughout the Bible. The book of Amos, you follow me there, Amos chapter 3, actually poses an interesting question regarding walking. Amos chapter 3 and verse 3, this is a memory scripture, but I want us to put our eyes on it. Just this one verse. Amos chapter 3, beginning in verse 3, it asks the question, Can two walk together unless they are agreed? Can two walk together unless they are agreed? In other words, unless there is agreement between individuals, can it be a worthy relationship?

That's a Paul Moody paraphrase, okay? So just take that for what it is. But in my mind, that's how I read it. When it says, Can two walk unless they are agreed? My question is, unless there is agreement between individuals, can it be a worthy relationship? And the concept here is that there has to be agreement between individuals if they're going to walk together, and they're going to display worthiness in that relationship. Because if there is continual strife and contention and argument within them, between those two in that relationship is not going to be a worthy relationship at all, is it?

Right? Friends, two friends, have to be in agreement if they're going to walk together, if it's going to be a worthy relationship. Marriages are worthy when the husband and wife walk together in agreement. The Church of God, and the congregations in the Church of God, I would say, are worthy when they walk together in agreement with one another and with God. Obviously, God is the key in that process.

Because if you're right with God, but I'm not right with God myself, how in the world can we be right with each other? But if you're right with God and I'm right with God, why would we not be right with each other? That's what God has called us to be, to walk together in agreement.

Likewise, brethren, our individual relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ, and the gospel message which we proclaim is only going to be worthy when we walk in agreement with them.

Can two walk together unless they be agreed? Can we walk worthy of God, lest we be in agreement with Him?

I think we come to see, indeed, that agreement must take place.

Walking worthy shows forth the fruits of our agreement with God.

And if we take nothing else from the sermon today, I want us to take this point. Walking worthy shows forth the fruits of our agreement with God.

What you reflect is going to show forth your agreement, your relationship, how you walk with God.

Anything outside of that reflects a breakdown in the relationship.

Let's go to Genesis chapter 3.

Again, I told you this goes from the beginning to the end, so we're at least going to touch in Genesis and Revelation today.

But the concept of you have to be in agreement to walk together in this worthy relationship.

Genesis chapter 3, beginning in verse 7, it says, Then the eyes of both of them were opened.

We know the story. God said there's the tree of life, there's the tree of knowledge of good and evil as well.

Don't go near it. Don't eat of it. Don't even touch it, lest you die.

But then comes along, as my good friend Richard Duncan would say, sneaky snake.

Sneaky snake was in the garden.

He came along and had some pretty deceptive arguments for Eve and she partook, and then Adam followed suit as well.

So they had done this thing.

The eyes of both of them were opened, verse 7, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together, made themselves covering, and they heard the sound of the Lord God walking.

Walking in the midst of the garden, in the cool of the day. Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

And Lord God called to Adam and said, Where are you? And he said, I heard your voice in the garden. I was afraid because I was naked, and I hid myself.

And he said, Who told you you were naked?

And from there flows out the realization, or at least the admitting, of what it was that they had done.

But understand, from the very beginning of mankind's existence, we see the separation that takes place because of sin.

Adam and Eve hid themselves out of fear and out of shame.

Okay, God was walking. That's what it says.

He was walking in the midst of the garden, and the expectation was they would be there as well, and they would be walking with him.

Walking in agreement with him. That's the point. But instead, they're hiding.

Adam and Eve recognize that their sin created disagreement between them and God.

They withdrew from walking with God. They hid themselves.

And you know, the rest of the Bible's story is of God's work to bring mankind back into a reconciled relationship where they walk worthy with him again.

That's the story of salvation, right? To bring back the relationship whereby we walk worthy in agreement with God.

So all throughout the Bible, we see examples, then, of those who walked with God and those who did not.

And there were examples of relationship of agreement and examples of relationship torn asunder.

Genesis 5, verse 23, just a couple pages over.

Genesis 5. Verse 23, and it says, And Enoch walked with God. Okay, that's verse 24. So all the days that he knocked were 365 years. Okay, verse 24, Enoch walked with God. And it says, And he was not, for God took him. And I've touched on this before. No one has ascended to heaven except he who came from heaven, Jesus Christ. So God did not take him to heaven, but we understand. He was a righteous man in the midst of an unrighteous era generation, and God removed him the sake of his life. Okay, from this place. But it said, He walked with God. He was a man who believed in God, who trusted in him, and who walked in agreement with him. And as a result, he's listed in Hebrews 11, is he not, as a hero of faith, we would call him.

We won't turn there, but Hebrews 11, verse 5 and 6 says that before Enoch was taken, he had this testimony that he pleased God. He pleased him in this relationship. It says, He pleased God, but without faith. It continues on, verse 6, It is impossible to please him. So Enoch walked in faith. He walked with God. He walked worthy. I believe we can accurately declare that he lived his life walking worthy of God in a relationship that was in agreement with God. And as a result, God was pleased with him. Pleased with his example, and so much so. And this is an example for us. This is our calling to walk with God, to walk in agreement with God, to be pleasing to God through faith. Genesis 6 and verse 9. Genesis 6 and verse 9. Again, I'm trying to explore the concept of walking worthy as it's not like, Oh, you're worthy you get to walk with God because you've earned it. No, this is being a reflection of the grace of God and the relationship we have with him that our walk is such, that it reflects this value system. Genesis 6 and verse 9. This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. And Noah walked with God. He walked with him. Again, if you jump forward to the New Testament, 1 Peter, I won't turn there, but excuse me, 2 Peter, chapter 2 and verse 5. What's it say about Noah? Peter says Noah was a preacher of righteousness. So indeed, Noah himself lived amongst this perverse generation in the world, and he preached the gospel. There's a message on the everlasting gospel. It goes from Genesis to Revelation. Noah in his day preached the gospel. What did he preach?

Repent and be saved. Right? Maybe the message was slightly different than the day of judgment that's coming today, but there was a day of judgment in Noah today. And he preached repentance from dead works, reconciliation with God, and righteousness. And what would have been the result of that? Well, probably a seat on the boat.

But who outside of Noah's family actually wound up there? It was a work that largely fell on deaf ears. But he walked with God, and his fruits were displayed, a worthiness of walking with God. And he was, indeed again, a preacher of righteousness. Genesis 17 and verse 1. Genesis 17 verse 1. When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, I am Almighty God. Walk before me, walk before me, he says, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.

And so Abraham, too, he was called to walk, worthy of God, blameless, upright, obedient. And as we see by the record, he did so, so much so that when God said, Get up and leave, and leave it all, and go to the place I will show you, he went. And he's referred to as the Father of the faithful. And so he's the Father of the church. The Father of those of faith, that not every one of us are of the line, the genealogy that would come down by physical lineage from Abraham, but we are his sons by faith.

Again, the type of relationship he had with God, and he walked worthy. Brethren, walking worthy of God has always been the standard by which the righteous, down through the ages, were called to live. And it's no different for the church of God today. How we do this, day by day by day, is important. Mr. Schmidt and the sermonette talked about the fact that this life, it's the straight and narrow path, and we're called to do hard things. Because, frankly, we live in a world that's going completely the opposite direction.

It's hard to swim upstream at times. But it's what God has called us to, and it's what we do day by day by day. If we are walking with him, understand, it's in the action of the walking that God sees our heart of faith and obedience demonstrated towards him. He knows our thoughts, he knows our heart, but it's in the walking that he sees it demonstrated. He asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, the most precious thing in this physical life, to him, and he was willing to do so, and God stopped him at that moment, and he said, How do I know?

Because he saw the faith of Abraham in action as he walked with God. Again, walking worthy shows forth the fruit of our agreement with God. And if we're not willing to do so, then that's revealing to God as well. Exodus 16, and verse 2, notice God's testing here of ancient Israel. They've come out of Egypt, they're in the wilderness, a place they cannot possibly hope to survive on their own.

Right? God's hope was that they would look to him. Exodus 16, beginning in verse 2, Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said to them, Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate the bread, when things were so good, you know, it was there for us, and God's life was better there. Right? At least from their perspective at this point.

Why has the Lord brought us into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger? Then the Lord said to Moses, Behold, I will reign bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them whether they will walk in my law or not.

God said, I need to test them. I need to know. Are they going to walk in my law or not? This is a way of life. This is a way of conduct. This is a way, again, by which we show God our faith and our trust in Him. And, okay, this was the manna, and there are actually conditions on it. And if they didn't go out and gather the appropriate proportion on Friday, you were kind of hungry on the Sabbath, or if you tried to keep it over, you left over with something you couldn't get to the compost pile quick enough, right, in the morning.

It was a test to know if they would walk worthy of God or not. Sometimes God allows us to be tested in similar ways as well. Again, to see what's in our heart. To see, are you going to walk in agreement with me? Are you walking in agreement with me? How badly do you want it? There may be a struggle.

There may be a hurdle. And sometimes God allows those things to be there to see what's in our heart. And if we will indeed continue to walk worthy of Him. We know the story of Israel. God brought them out of Egypt to be a model nation to the world, to bring them to the Promised Land and say, here's my laws, my statutes, my judgment. Here's a land of freedom, land that will pass from parents to children, be in your family for generations. What will you do with it?

And His hope was they would be a model nation to the world, right? That everybody would look at Israel and say, wow, you are blessed of all people. This is your God. He has blessed you. He is God. And we want your God as our God. That's what God's plan for Israel originally was, but again, they fell short of walking worthy of God, walking as He desired.

There were few. There were few, very few. But most weren't willing. And indeed, I would say in our day and age, even what most of us in this room have seen or experienced in the history of the Church that we've lived around in, the faithfulness of continually walking with God day by day by day hasn't necessarily been for the majority, has it? But God needs to know, are you willing? Again, walking worthy shows forth the fruit of our agreement with God. And indeed, we must.

You and I, Church of God, we've been called to be the spiritual model nation to the world. And to set that example through our conduct, that when people look at us, they would say, this is what God looks like, right? In action through us. I'm going to go back to the sermonette. I appreciated that very much.

And I believe it ties in with much of what I want to point us to today. Are we reflecting God's light to the world so that people say, you are His? You are part of that nation. And we want your God to be our God as well, because indeed He is God.

God gives us what we need, and I pray we do better than Israel. He's given us His word, which is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. He's given us His Spirit, whereby we actually can make the leap from the carnal to the spiritual in our nature and serve Him as He's called. We've been called to do better. Ephesians chapter 4, and back to the Apostle Paul. And by the way, on the undercurrent of this, this is a unity sermon, and it's being given at a wonderful time of unity. Whenever I give a unity sermon, sometimes people will go, is everything okay? It's good. Okay? Let's just constantly be reminded of these things. Ephesians chapter 4, beginning in verse 1, the Apostle Paul writing, I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you are called. So we've seen Paul's words about walking worthy of God, walking worthy of Jesus Christ, conducting ourselves worthy of the gospel, and now we're being admonished here to walk worthy of our calling. Again, it's about living up to our calling, demonstrating our calling each and every day through our words and through our actions, and to live according to the standard that God has set through this calling. We can't be worthy to live up in our actions to earn this. Again, we understand in the Church of God how grace works, and we respond to God in obedience. So who's going to give a gift to their children who are just rotten, disobedient people? But the fact is, we cannot earn the gift of salvation, the gift of grace God has given us. But certainly, if we are living under that, we ought to be showing forth our gratitude and our obedience to what God has given us. So we must walk worthy of the calling with which we've been called. Walk in a worthy manner. Do people look at us at the job, at school, and say, that's a trustworthy person? That's a worthy person to give responsibility to? Or do we display something else? Indeed, our worthy manner must match up to the expectations God has for us as His children. So Paul says, walk worthy of the calling with which you've been called. Verse 2, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. These are all elements to walking worthy in our calling with God. It's humility, right? Lowliness.

What was the prime sin of the adversary who did not walk in agreement with God? It was pride. So understand what we have to instill in our own hearts. Humility, Paul said, it's longsuffering, it's patience with one another, it's godly love, it's unity, it's peace in the body of Jesus Christ, and this all comes by the Spirit of God. Walking worthy, showing forth what has been given to you by God's Spirit, these things must flow forth because they don't come naturally from our carnal nature. They come from God working in us. If they become a part of who and what we are, then we will be found walking in a manner that's pleasing to Him, and that is worthy of Him. Galatians 5, verse 16, Paul writes, Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. That's the only way this is going to happen. So if we carry on then, Ephesians 4, verse 4, he says, For there is one body, one Spirit, just as you are called, in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

God reigns supreme, and we are called to be His children, and it is by His Spirit in us that this will be accomplished. It's the only way it will be accomplished. Verse 17, dropping down, it says, This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart, who being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness and greediness. He says, But you have not so learned Christ. You have not so learned Christ. Brethren, there's a way that this world walks. And Paul writes about that in other places. They walk according to the course of this world, according to the prince of power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience. They walk in disagreement with God. Can two walk together unless they be agreed? They cannot. They cannot, but we've been called to something different. You've not so learned Christ, Paul said. You've not so seen that example. You've seen a very specific example from Jesus Christ. So when we were baptized, we made a covenant commitment to walk, didn't we? Walk in newness of life. That's what Romans 6, verse 4 says. Walk in newness of life. It's like I was walking this way, according to the course of the world. God called me. If you're first generation, struck down, that light shines. And suddenly you say, I've got to repent. I've got to change. And by definition, repentance is, I was going this way, but now I'm going this way. It's a turning. Not just, I'm sorry, it's actually sorry through our actions and a change. And we walk in newness of life, according to righteousness. And it's different than the world around us. It is according, actually, to what we have seen and learned in Jesus Christ. And that's the point Paul is making. You've learned from Jesus Christ what this walk looks like. And it's your calling, then, to imitate Him. I don't think any of us here would argue with the concept that Jesus Christ walked worthy of God when He came in the flesh. In fact, He was Emmanuel. Right? He was God with us. Because of that, everything He did was worthy. And we study His example, we're to learn from His example, and we imitate Him. 1 John 2, verse 3. 1 John 2, verse 3. Again, this goes cover to cover. Right? And it's not... This is just an example of a topic, but you can go to a Scripture and find a point. And this is God's Spirit that binds this book together, and it takes you quite some deep places. 1 John 2, beginning in verse 3. John says, Now this we know, that we know Him if we keep His commandments. He who says, I know Him and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in Him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in Him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says He abides in Him ought Himself also to walk, just as He walked.

So if you claim to know God, claim to know Jesus Christ, then keep His commandments. And if you claim to abide in Him, then John says, walk just as He walked. And if you do, you can be assured then you are walking worthy of God in the manner which you learn, again, through that example of Jesus Christ. Walk as He walked. 1 Peter 2, verse 20.

1 Peter 2, verse 20. For what credit is it when you are beaten for your faults, that you take it patiently, but when you do good and you suffer if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God? Have you ever done something that was like the good thing, the right thing to do, and the consequence was backlash? It was like, well, fine, no good deed goes unpunished, right? I hate that phrase. I hate the word hate, but I really hate that phrase more. So, you know, I don't like it when I get that seed in my head. No good deed goes unpunished. What did Jesus Christ do? He did good and He suffered for it. And that's the example, indeed, that has been left for us. Verse 21. For this you were called, to this you were called. This is our calling. Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, then, that you should walk, that you should follow His steps. Kind of easier to walk through deep snow when you're walking in the same foot track that somebody else has made in front of you. And Jesus Christ tread the same ground that we tread, interacted with the same kind of people we interact with. And He showed us the way, and we were to walk and we were to follow just as He walked. And indeed, it's a path that leads to righteousness. Verse 22. Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth. Who when He was reviled, did not revile and return. When He suffered, He did not threaten. But committed Himself to Him who judges righteously. He was perfect, and yet He suffered. And we must commit to following His steps. To walking as He walked. To living to the glory of God. Even if in this life and in this world, we take the short end of the stick. God's called us, in some ways, to take the short end of the stick in this life. It's called sacrifice. It's called laying your life down for others. Clauses chapter 2 and verse 6 says, If you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.

So again, He set the example that is worthy, and we follow. John chapter 8. John chapter 8. Just more detail of the example that was set. John chapter 8 and verse 12. Because if we're to look to Him, and He set the example, there are certain things that we emulate day by day. John chapter 8 and verse 12. Then Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. He's saying, that's me. I am the light of the life. I'm the light that's come into a dark world, and I shine forth. If you walk as I walk, you're going to be that light as well. In fact, He said, let it shine. We won't turn there, but Matthew 5 verse 14 through 16. He said, let it shine. Don't take that lamp and put it under a basket where it can't give light to the house. Set it on the table, and it shines forth, and it gives light to all. The point was, it gives glory to God. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works. Walk worthy and give glory to your Father in Heaven. And that's the point. The glory always goes to God. But it's that light, once again, from Him through Jesus Christ to us that shines forth to this world. I appreciated that concept very much in the first message. Ephesians chapter 5, again, back to Paul, talking about walking in light. Ephesians chapter 5 verse 8. Ephesians 5 verse 8, There's a manor in which you're going to walk if you're a child of light. And frankly, there's a manor you're going to walk if you're a child of darkness. He says, you've been called out of the darkness into His marvelous light. So walk in such a way you're reflecting that. Verse 9, Finding out, inquiring, seeking, asking God, What do you desire from me? What is acceptable to you? And there's different ways that we dig around for that. We look to His Word. We come to understand that through His Word. We understand that through His Spirit, how He wants us to walk. And we respond accordingly. Verse 15, Again, we're coming back to understanding, to seeking God, to inquiring of Him. What is it that you want to see in me as your child? I'm here to reflect you and your light, and to set an example. How do I do that in a worthy manner? That should be a part of our prayer. Each and every day to God. How can I walk today, this day, while it's called today? Show me the opportunities I have. Maybe it's going to school or to work or the grocery store or to the gym. What is it? How can I shine and walk worthy of you as an example today?

Seek that out diligently. Second John, verse 4.

We have one chapter here. Second John, verse 4. This book is written to the elect lady and her children. This is to us. This is to the church at large. Second John, verse 4. John says, Okay, so we're seeing different examples. What does it mean to walk worthy? You walked in light. Now we're walking in truth as we receive commandment from the Father. And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment that you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.

So again, clearly the commandments of God, they're to be lived today, they're not done away, they're not thrown out, they're not minimized. And He says, and if you walk in the commandments, you will walk in truth, and you will walk in love, and my light will be shown forth from you as my children. So there's all these verses you can walk through. No pun intended. All these verses you can walk through in the Bible. There's a number of them I left on the cutting room floor, because we don't have that much time today, but it just expands out so much the more. What does it mean to walk worthy, and what does that look like? And I encourage you to continue in this study, but we're not going to cover them all, but here's the general summary. You will be walking worthy when you walk in love, when you walk in faith, when you walk in truth, when you walk in light, when you walk in unity, when you walk in humility, when you walk in patience, when you walk in the Spirit of God, when you walk in good works, as you created four good works that you should walk in them, when you walk in thanksgiving, and so many more you can just walk through. Make the list. Draw it all out and seek God. Ask for Him to show you even more so. How can I walk today in a manner that is worthy to you? If we walk as Jesus Christ walked, then we'll be walking in a way worthy of God, of Christ, of the Gospel, and of this calling. Indeed, that's what we've been given to do. As I mentioned, and we went and saw it, starts in Genesis. Walking with God, walking in agreement. It actually takes us all the way through the book of Revelation, and what we find is that we were created to walk continually, not just in this flesh, but forever. Revelation chapter 3 and verse 4.

Revelation chapter 3 and verse 4, this is the letter to the Church of Sardis.

Understand there's principles and points in each of these letters for us to gain as the Church of God. Revelation chapter 3 and verse 4, the words of Jesus Christ, He says, You have a few names, even in Sardis, who have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with Me in white. For they are worthy. Verse 5, He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out His name from the book of life.

But I will confess His name before My Father, and before His angels, He who has a near, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. So Jesus Christ says that if you walk worthy today, then you will walk with Him in white forever. What is walking in white? It is actually walking in righteousness. You will walk in righteousness with Jesus Christ forever if you walk worthy today.

What a wonderful outcome to worthy walking in our lives such as we have been called to today. And if we are walking with Jesus Christ, following His return, if we are following the Lamb wherever He goes, which is what the Bible tells us, that we are following Him wherever He goes, then understand we will actually be given the blessing of helping future people, right? People that will live on the earth in that age, the Millennium, great white throne, judgment period, following the return of Jesus Christ, as kings and priests of Christ, we will have the opportunity to help them walk in a way that is worthy as well. That, too, is part of our calling. Let's conclude, brethren, over in Isaiah chapter 30. Isaiah chapter 30, verse 19, this is a millennial prophecy, one that we often read at the Feast of Tabernacles each year. It's very encouraging. Isaiah chapter 30 and verse 19, what are we going to do with all this that we learn, walking worthy day by day?

Isaiah chapter 30 and verse 19, this is following the return of Jesus Christ, the establishment of the kingdom of God, the regathering of Israel. And it says, For the people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem, you shall weep no more. He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry. When He hears it, He will answer you. And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, He says, Your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, but your eyes shall see your teachers. Okay, that's you and me in part. As we understand, we're reigning with Christ on the earth, kings and priests of God, teachers in that day. And it says, Your eyes will see your teachers, and your ears will hear a word behind you saying, This is the way. Walk in it.

Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.

Again, what a wonderful prophecy and a wonderful point you and I will have to play in helping mankind in the future to walk worthy of God, walk worthy of Christ, walk worthy of the gospel message that is proclaimed, and to walk worthy of their calling.

We're training for that now, and this is our day of salvation, and God has called us to walk worthy before Him today.

Brethren, let us focus each and every day on walking worthy. Walking worthy of God our Father, walking worthy of Jesus Christ our Elder Brother, walking worthy of the gospel message we proclaim, and walking worthy of our calling, our calling to walk just as He walked.

Okay, it starts in Genesis, takes us through Revelation, and frankly takes us beyond the biblical record because we will walk with God in Christ in righteousness forever.

Indeed, walking worthy shows forth the fruit of our agreement with God.

That's the point. Take that point away, please. Can two walk together unless they are in agreement? They cannot.

But the fruit of our worthy walking is a display of our agreement with God.

So, brethren, lace up the shoes. Get your walking boots on, whatever it may be.

Let's look at the example of our Elder Brother, Jesus Christ. Let's encourage each other along the way, and let's keep walking because the destination God has set before us is indeed worth the effort.