Eph 4:1-7

CHAPTER 4

1          I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

2          With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

3          Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4          There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

5          One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6          One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

7          But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Once upon the time in the ministry a member of a congregation came to me and said, “I was in a Rated R movie and I looked over and saw Rev So and So.  I couldn’t believe it.”

I said, “but you were in this movie too correct?”

They said, “Yes…but I am not a reverend or a preacher!”

I took this person to the scriptures above.

What they didn’t understand was that whatever rules applied to the “reverend” applied to them.

We are all called.

We are all ministers.

There are no "lay" people.

It’s just some have recognized and acknowledged their calling.

So whatever expectations that you have towards a “preacher”, you really should apply to yourself.

What would you think if you heard a preacher cursing?  Awful right?  Well you are called too…so you shouldn’t curse.

What would you think about a preacher who didn’t keep stuff in confidence?  Awful right?  Well you are called too…so you shouldn’t gossip.

What would you think about a preacher who listened to “secular music”?  Shady right?  Well maybe you shouldn’t be listening either?

There are no double standards in the Body of Christ.

What applies to “them” applies to all.