Ephesians 1:15-23 "God Revealed in Christ"

                What does it mean to know something or to know someone?  I don’t mean to know about them, but if you were to say that you really know someone, what does that mean?  When two people begin a relationship, the entire process is all about getting to know that person on a deeper level.  A man or a woman know instantly whether or not they are physically attracted to one another.  The entire process of dating is for them to truly get to know each other, and then see if they love each other along the way as they get to know them more and more.  You see, we all know about a lot of folks, but we really only truly know a much smaller group of people.  I bet most of you in here can count on your two hands (doubtful you need all 10 fingers) the number of people who actually truly know you, at least beyond a superficial or surface acquaintanceship.  Sure, you may know a lot of facts about someone else (where they grew up, their family, birthday, and things like that), but you probably don’t know what makes them tick, what drives that person, what their true desires are; not like, say for example, your spouse if you have one.  Your spouse can probably predict what you are going to say, how you are going to react, and what you will do in any particular situation without being given any hints.  Maybe you have a few friends who fall into a similar camp, but only a few.  Why is that; how do these folks know you so well?  Well, it’s because you actually really and truly know each other on an intimate level.

                In our text for today, Paul is calling the Ephesians to go beyond knowing God in a factual sense, and to come into a relationship with Him where there is a level of closeness and intimacy that is beyond compare.  Paul wants them to go beyond a mere head-knowledge of God and get to something much greater.  We might could say that he wants them to move from head-knowledge to heart-knowledge.  He starts off by commending them in the first few verses about how well the church is doing and how they seem to be growing rapidly since the time of Paul’s planting of the church.  Paul’s excited by that, but he tells them that there is much more to it than physical and numerical growth.  He tells them that there must be spiritual growth as well.  Paul calls them to grow in their “knowledge of [God], having the eyes of [their] hearts enlightened, that [they] may know what is the hope to which he has called [them].”  You see, it’s great that so many are professing Christ as their Lord and Savior and that such numbers are being added to the church there, but that isn’t the goal.  The goal is to bring them into a relationship with Christ.  The goal is to bring them to a place where instead of simply knowing about Christ, they know Christ, and know him intimately.  You see, that’s one of the problems that we face in the modern church.  For so long, the focus was/has been on simply growing churches in terms of numbers with little thought being paid to really training Christians, or “to equipping the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” as Paul says later on in this epistle.  And all of that led/has led to in Paul’s time and in recent history a group of uninformed and apathetic members of churches who really show no impact of the gospel upon their lives.  That’s not what the Christian faith is to be about.  The Christian faith is to be a relationship, a devotion, and an all-encompassing new way of life.  It’s not just life-altering, but life-changing.

                Paul tells the Ephesians that he wants them to “know what is the hope to which he has called [them], what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe.”  In other words, Paul wants them to know about the hope they are to have in God, the inheritance that is to be theirs, and the power that God bestows to those who believe in Him; and all of that is manifested in the work of Jesus Christ.  “According to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.”  Paul’s reminding the Ephesians what a great opportunity we have to know God on such an intimate level because not only has He revealed Himself to us throughout the ages, but He has given us the ultimate revelation of Himself in Jesus.  One of Jesus’ titles, Immanuel, means God with us.  The second person of the Trinity took the form of a servant.  Jesus, i.e. the Son, felt hunger like we do, pain like we do, and temptation like we do (although not succumbing to it).  John 11:35 is a pretty popular verse for a lot of reasons.  Do you know what they are?  Yes, the most obvious is that at only two words, it is the shortest verse in Scripture; Jesus wept.  However, think about the power of those two words.  Jesus wept; he wept even though he knew that in mere moments he was going to raise his friend Lazarus from the dead.  Even though Jesus knew what was to come, the sheer emotion of the death of his friend was enough to drive him to tears.  You see, Jesus is a wonderful chance for us to truly know God beyond head-knowledge and facts and commands and laws.  Now, Jesus is most assuredly much more than a chance for us to get to know God.  Jesus is most importantly the plan of our salvation that had been unfolding since the time of the fall.  One of the just mind-blowing things about the Christian faith (and there are many), is that Jesus became man and died.  In any other religion of the world, the Supreme Being is held in such high regard that you can’t even begin to think about relating to them, and in some cases even imagining or depicting them is a sin or crime.  Yet, when it comes to God, we feel this intimacy and closeness that at times causes us to be too casual with Him.  The fact that Jesus Christ, God Himself, took the form of man and lowered Himself to our level so-to-speak, ought to cause us to be more in awe of God and not create a sense of flippancy within us when it comes to our relationship with Him.

                Paul goes on to talk about Jesus being entrusted with all power and authority and dominion.  He talks about how the Son is eternal, just as the Father is eternal.  He talks about what we’ve already mentioned several times in this letter, that Christ is the head of the Church and that the Church “is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”  One of the main responsibilities of the Church is to help others grow in their faith, i.e. their relationship, their intimacy with God.  We do that by means which have been instituted and commanded by Christ.  We also know that we have access to God through worship, singing, and prayer because of the atoning sacrifice of Christ.  I mentioned earlier that Christ gives us a revelation of God.  I mentioned as well that that revelation is something that is unique to the Christian faith that no worldly religion can claim.  I also mentioned a bit about the failure on the part of the church (for the most part) to adequately help Christians grow in their relationships with the Lord.  So, where am I going with all of this?

                Well, I want to take two seconds and remind you of the purpose of the letter.  Paul is teaching them about the Church.  We said last Sunday, and have it reinforced for us this Sunday, that Christ is the head of the Church.  The Church is built upon Christ.  So, what understanding about the Church can we take from God’s being revealed to us in Christ?  What can we take from Christ’s work that speaks to the Church?  As I’ve pondered that question this week and read countless commentaries, it’s a question that doesn’t have a unified answer.  As I was cleaning off our kitchen table the other day, I noticed a few marks in the wood that weren’t there a few months ago.  You see, I know that table well because I built it.  I took these old canning shelves from Amy’s great-uncle’s house and turned them into a very imperfect table (imperfect by design).  I know every mark on there because I had Amy inspect the thing to tell me whether or not to leave it or sand it out in the making of that table.  These new marks weren’t there originally, but have since been put there by our kids.  At first I got a little upset because I had put a lot of time and work into this table and they were just treating it like no big deal.  And that’s when it hit me that many Christians treat the Church just like my kids treat that table.  Now, for me, it’s just a table and I’ll get over it (and already have to some extent).  However, for God, I can’t imagine what it must feel like when someone neglects or harms His Church, the very thing that is built upon the sacrifice of His Son.  Tim Keller once wrote, “Relationships are costly.  Whatever it will cost you to be with God is nothing compared to what it cost Him to be with you.”

                Paul is trying to tell the Ephesians that Christ died for the Church.  God gave up His only Son for the Church.  The Church is built upon the very one in whom we have our hope for salvation.  The Church is built upon the one who willingly and voluntarily gave himself up for us and bore the price for our sins upon the cross.  Paul is reminding the Ephesians of the price that was paid for them.  They (as well as us today) should want to get to know this God so intimately that we almost feel as if there isn’t anything left to know.  You see, that ought to be our desire as a church.  It’s not about bigger buildings and larger gatherings, but about knowing God.  It’s about knowing God and coming to know Him through the work of Jesus.  It’s about coming to know Jesus through the Church, the body of Christ.  That’s what we’re here to do; that’s our purpose.  And we have to strive to make every effort to see that our true task is accomplished each and every day, no matter the cost.  Even when it’s difficult and even when it causes us hardship, our goal is to know Christ and make him known to others.

Ephesians 1:3-14 "Elected, Redeemed, and Sealed"

                Last Sunday I felt kind of like a guy was about to propose to his girlfriend.  I know that sounds a little strange, but follow me for just a second.  When a guy knows that he’s about to pop the question, he has to muster every ounce of strength he can to not just blurt it out.  Seemingly every sentence could begin with “Will you marry me.”  You see, the anticipation of what he knows is coming (hopefully) is so much that it completely consumes him.  Well, that’s what I was fighting last Sunday.  I wanted so badly to get into the text that we have for today that I was mere seconds away from breaking into a second sermon.  Sure pieces got out, but thankfully I was able to restrain myself somewhat.  However, I did introduce our text for today and I want to remind you of that introduction, as well as a quote that I gave you last Sunday.  The quote came from John Stott, and it talked about the epistle to the Ephesians being a “magnificent combination of Christian doctrine and Christian duty, Christian faith and Christian life, what God has done through Christ and what we must be and do in consequence.”  Well, the first half of each of those three pairs (Christian doctrine, faith, and what God has done through Christ) is where Paul begins this letter.  In other words, Paul begins his letter by stating the position of the Christian before moving on to the desired practice or behavior of the Christian.  It’s the standard Pauline format of theology first, followed by the application of that theology.

                The other thing that I mentioned last Sunday, and what I’m going to spend the rest of our time this morning focusing on, is the work of the Triune God as it’s laid out in vv. 3-14.  I said last Sunday that 3-6 describe the work of the Father, 7-10 the work of the Son, and 11-14 the work of the Holy Spirit.  Well, let me give a little bit more information to those sections in terms of the type of work that we see done.  Vv. 3-6 describes the electing or choosing work of the Father.  Vv. 7-10 describes the redeeming work of the Son.  Vv. 11-14 describes the sealing work of the Holy Spirit.  So, we’ve got chosen by the Father, redeemed by the Son, and sealed by the Holy Spirit.  That’s going to be our working outline for today.  That’s going to be our framework for this passage.

                Now, I know that as I read the first part of today’s text that there might have been some ears cringe as I read the words chose, predestined, and adopted.  Amy and I had some friends who years ago wouldn’t come to church with us because they were convinced that all Presbyterians talked about was predestination and baptizing babies.  You see, they couldn’t even hear the word predestination without getting upset.  My response to them (and others who have made similar comments) is to not blame me, blame God.  After all, God is the author of Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16), and He’s the one that inspired Paul to use those words, not me.  You see, we have to have an understanding of what this word predestination means because it’s a biblical word.  It isn’t something made up by Presbyterians, but a word specifically used here by Paul to describe our relationship with God.  What does it mean to say that “God chose us in him before the foundation of the world” or that “in love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ”?  What does that mean?  Well, this is one of the main texts for the support of the biblical doctrine of election.  Well, what is election, biblically speaking?  Simply put (maybe even overly so), the doctrine of election teaches that God choses those whom He will call to saving faith.  In John 6, we find Jesus telling his disciples that no one can come to him unless the Father who sent him draws that person to him first.  He later says that no one can come to Jesus unless it is granted him by the Father.  Now, for many this concept of election takes different forms.  Some view it as a pre-knowing on God’s part about the choices that the person will make.  Others, myself included, view it as the understanding that God choses whom He will save and bestows upon them the gift of eternal salvation.  Now, I will admit that this is difficult to understand.  Beyond that, many will call it unfair.  How could God choose some and not all?  However, for us to think that it is unfair is to only look at half of the story, and in reality less than half of the story.

                If we start with the position of what is called the total depravity of man, then it seems not unfair, but completely generous and loving.  When Adam ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, how far did we fall?  Did we fall a little, a lot, or none at all?  You see if we didn’t fall or didn’t fall that far, then we could earn our way back to salvation; we could earn our way back into heaven, into a right relationship with God.  However, if we fell completely (which Scripture clearly teaches is the case), then it is impossible for us to get back to good; it’s impossible for us to earn our salvation.  Also, without God choosing to bring us to saving faith, then there is no way for us to earn our salvation, thus no way for Him to foreknow salvation and acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior without Him placing that upon our hearts in the first place.  If there is nothing good in us (from a Godly perspective), then we are incapable of complete obedience.  It is impossible for us to transform ourselves from slaves to sin to worshipers of Jesus Christ without God doing that work in us.  God’s choosing, electing, or whatever other word you want to use of those whom he will bring out of slavery and into the light is the work of the Father.  It’s not an unjust work, but a loving work that He would choose to save any of us at all.  Now, unfortunately I could talk about this topic for hours, but time doesn’t permit and there are still two other persons of the Trinity that are mentioned here as working in us.  If you want to discuss this issue in greater depth just let me know.

                The second person of the Trinity that is mentioned is the Son.  Specifically it is the redeeming work of Jesus Christ that is given attention.  While all three members of the Trinity were at work in Christ’s accomplishing this, the Son was central in this work.  “We have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses.”  In other words, we are delivered from a state of slavery to sin to a state of mercy in Christ through the shedding of the blood of Jesus upon the cross which atoned for our sins.  Because of Christ’s death upon the tree at Calvary we are not only delivered from sin to freedom, but ultimately (much through the work of the Holy Spirit that we will get to in a moment), we are ultimately to be delivered into a state of glory.  Paul wrote to Titus in Titus 2:14 that Jesus “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession.”  Peter writes in his first epistle that Christ was ransomed on our behalf, that his precious blood takes away all blemishes, and that all of this was the plan of God before the foundations of the earth.  To redeem something is to compensate for a fault.  To be redeemed means that our faults, our shortcomings, our failures, have been compensated for by something or someone, and that someone is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  The shedding of Christ’s blood is what redeems us, sets us right with God.  It’s not our actions or our good deeds, but Christ’s atoning sacrifice that restores us.

                I love the flow of Paul’s teaching here.  Between Father and Son, as a transition, he says that “we are blessed in the Beloved” and then goes on to talk about the Beloved.  In vv. 11-12 he talks about our inheritance, our being chosen in Christ by the Father who is the architect not only of the plan of salvation but all things, and talks about how glorious all of this is for us.  Then, he gives us the guarantee, the Holy Spirit.  What good does vv. 3-12 serve if it’s left up to us?  Time and time again even the most Godly of biblical figures prove that we will mess things up if left to our own doing.  Forgetting Adam and Eve for a second, look at Noah.  Look at Isaac and Jacob.  Look at Moses.  Look at David.  All of these men were very Godly, but all of them committed some type of sin that by definition should have placed them outside of God’s covenant promises and blessings.  I mean, David was God’s anointed, and the most famous thing people know about him aside from his slaying for the giant Goliath is his adultery with Bathsheba.  If the Lord’s anointed failed, that certainly doesn’t give a positive outlook for our chances.  However, God doesn’t elect us, redeem us, and then send us on our way.  Instead, He gives us His Holy Spirit in order to seal our election and redemption.  To seal something means to make it secure, to guarantee it.  When we seal something, we are promising that it is solidified for good.  I’m not talking about some television infomercial lifetime guarantee that’s filled with all kinds of fine print and loopholes.  I’m talking about God’s guarantee.  You see, God’s sealing our salvation is His promising that salvation is a guarantee for those whom He has chosen to be found in Him.  The “Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”  The Holy Spirit is not just a fulfillment of God’s promise to indwell His people, but is a guarantee that He will bring them to their final inheritance.  The Holy Spirit is but a foretaste of the glory of the age to come.  Paul writes about this in Romans 8 about how the frailty, brokenness, corruption, and futility that we experience in this lifetime is no more in the age to come.  God doesn’t just tell us that He’s going to do something; He tells us that He is going to do something in us, to us, and through us, and then He does it.  That is the work of the Holy Spirit.

                So, why all of this?  Why did Paul begin this letter to this church by getting into the work of the Trinity?  Remember, there isn’t a problem here.  Paul isn’t trying to correct some misguided theology or a misunderstanding of the Triune God.  Also, remember that Paul is writing to the Ephesian church about the church, about the body of Christ.  Why, if he’s writing about the church, does he talk about election, redemption, and sealing?  No less than 10x in this one Greek sentence that makes up vv. 3-14 does Paul use the phrase “in Christ” or “in him”.  Some particular translation decisions could give more, but 10 is a conservative number.  Don’t you think that’s kind of a lot of times to use one phrase in a sentence?  If I were to use one phrase 10x in an entire sermon y’all would think that that was all I wanted y’all to take away from it wouldn’t you?  Well, if Paul’s writing about the church here, what role does Christ play in the church?  Jesus Christ is the head of the Church.  It’s a simple thing really, but it’s often forgotten.  Jesus Christ is the head of the Church.  I don’t care what your tradition may be; the pastor isn’t the head of the church, nor the elders, nor the deacons, nor the trustees, nor the priests, nor the bishops, nor the cardinals, nor the pope are the head of the Church.  The one and only true head of the Church is Jesus Christ.  The Church exists in and through Jesus Christ.  Paul, at the time of his writing this epistle, had already written to the church is Colossi and given them these words, “And he [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church.  He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.  For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.  And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.” 

The work of the Triune God as displayed through Christ’s sacrifice is the foundation of the church.  You see, the Church isn’t built on people or preachers or programs or buildings or anything else that we can rattle off.  The Church is built on Jesus Christ and Christ alone, just as our lives should be.  Last Sunday Amy and the kids talked about the story of the 2 houses in Sunday School.  I don’t have time to recount the story, but I’ll just tell you that I asked the kids about it when we got home and Thomas simply told me, “If you’re house ain’t built on Jesus, then it’s gonna fall.”  He’s going be a great preacher one day.  Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Ephesians 1:1-3 "Welcome Saints"

                As we embark upon a study of the book of Ephesians, Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus, today that will take us right up to the Advent season of the church, I want to remind you of the state of affairs in Ephesus leading up to and during Paul’s time of writing this epistle.  I say remind because you already know some of what was prominent in Ephesus from when we walked through the book of Acts during the latter part of this past year.  In fact, almost the entirety of Acts 19 and 20 (towards the end of our journey through Acts) records various encounters that Paul had in Ephesus.  We were told about Paul’s preaching in the synagogue and his grassroots ministry that he began there.  We looked at what is in essence his laboring to plant a church there.  We also saw his encounter with the seven sons of the Jewish high priest Sceva and how the power of the Holy Spirit worked through Paul to completely embarrass these traveling exorcists.  We saw Paul’s tiff with the silversmith Demetrius and the other merchants who relied heavily upon the worship of the goddess Artemis.  You have to understand that to many of the Ephesians, Artemis was the very reason why they enjoyed the prosperity that they did.  The temple of Artemis there in Ephesus is still considered one of the seven great wonders of the world.  The people of the city of Ephesus thought that because of their love for and nurturing of the goddess, that she rewarded them by making them the most glorious city in all of Asia and one of the most glorious in the world.  When Paul came in denouncing this goddess and proclaiming the One True God, it was no wonder that some got upset, especially those whose livelihood depended upon the worship of Artemis.  Finally, we looked at the proclamation of the gospel that Paul gave to the Ephesian elders.  Through all of this, Paul had been used by God to bring many in that community to faith and to really plant a church there in Ephesus that consisted of not just a few people, but a church that was quite substantial and even had numerous key political and social figures as part of their membership.  Paul didn’t just introduce the gospel and then depart, but he introduced it and helped establish a means by which the gospel might flourish in Ephesus and the surrounding area before he moved on to the next location.

As he did with so many of the churches that he planted, Paul wrote a letter, this epistle to the church in Ephesus, to encourage them in their continued faith and to check in on how they were functioning as a body of believers.  However, unlike most of the other epistles, there isn’t some major problem that needs addressing.  There isn’t some divisive issue that if not resolved will destroy the church.  Actually, the church in Ephesus was fairing quite well.  So, Paul, instead of dealing with some particular issue, is able to simply speak to them about any topic that he chooses.  In other words, he’s able to teach instead of correct.  Now, it’s true that correcting someone can and does educate them, but there is something different about getting new information versus going over old information again.  He’s able to give them anything that he feels would be of benefit to their growing in the grace and knowledge of God.  It’s very similar to the book of Romans in that regard.  Also, I want to remind you as well that Paul wrote this epistle while he was sitting in prison.  It would be very easy for him to sound bitter and angry about his current situation, but instead all we find is unbridled joy for the sake of the gospel.  Of all the things that Paul could write to the Ephesians about, he chooses to write to them about the body of Christ, he chooses to write to them about the church.  And not only does he write about the church itself, but he makes sure to point out that we are all a part of the body of Christ and that we all have a role to play in making the bride of Christ operate as she was intended, as God intends for her to operate.  We all have a responsibility to care for the church and her members, to make sure that we are all walking in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called as he writes to begin chapter 4.  Paul makes it very clear in this epistle that the church isn’t just to be something that we do, but an entirely new society and a new way of life.  Your faith shouldn’t just be a descriptor as to who you are, but should be your complete and total identity.  John Stott has what is probably the best summation of Paul’s intentions and focus in this letter when he writes, “The whole letter is thus a magnificent combination of Christian doctrine and Christian duty, Christian faith and Christian life, what God has done through Christ and what we must be and do in consequence.”

                Now, I’ve limited our text for today to mainly just the greeting that Paul gives in this letter primarily because there simply isn’t enough time to give both a proper introduction to this epistle and a full wrestling with the very weighty, heavy, and at times controversial (at least in some circles) matters that are discussed in verses 4-14.  In fact, verses 3-14 of this first chapter of this epistle are actually one sentence in the original Greek.  So, you can see why I would be hesitant to separate too much.  If Paul didn’t end the sentence then it is very likely that he intended for the concepts spoken of in that sentence to be taken as a whole, which we will do next Sunday.  However, I want to at least introduce what Paul is opening this letter with, so I’ve included verse 3 along with the standard Pauline greeting in our text for today.  We see that Paul states his apostleship, states his audience, and wishes them grace and peace.  He could have started with a recounting of what he had done there in Ephesus, but instead he chooses his standard greeting and to remind them of who he is, who they are, and the gifts that God has given to all of us.  You see, Paul doesn’t go into what happened previously with him in Ephesus because that’s not what matters (or at least shouldn’t).  What should matter is that he is an apostle sent by God.  The Greek word translated as apostle literally means a messenger sent from one person to another.  Let’s say that you go to the doctor for an issue that you’ve been dealing with.  After running tests, that doctor then comes back with a diagnosis.  Now, whether or not you have known that doctor or had any prior experience with him/her ought to be irrelevant.  The fact that they graduated medical school and have been licensed as a doctor ought to be all the credentials required for you to take it that they know what they’re talking about.  Now, I realize that some of you disagree with that analogy, but you cannot disagree with the reality of that being the way that it ought to work.  However, I will also remind you that Paul was well-known by this time.  So, this wouldn’t be just any doctor.  If I were to tear up my knee running one morning and Dr. James Andrews at UAB were to do the surgery to repair it, I would feel pretty good about it, even though I have never meet the man or had any interaction with him.  The fact that I have heard so much about him and his work should and would be enough for me to trust his opinion and his expertise.

                Anyways, Paul then goes on to tell them, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…”  Now, I read all of the rest of this one Greek sentence during the reading of our text today simply so you would be familiar with it even though I’m really not going to get into it today.  If you’re a note-taker and want to write this down you can, but I’m going to repeat in next Sunday as well.  Notice that Paul lays out in this order Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit (every spiritual blessing).  Ok, so that last one is a bit of a stretch, but after next Sunday you’ll see why I am attempting such a leap.  Just looking ahead for one second to these verses we see the following pattern:  in verses 3-6 Paul deals with the work of the Father, 7-10 the work of the Son, and 11-14 the work of the Holy Spirit.  As I said, I’m going to deal with this next Sunday because we simply don’t have the time to even scratch the surface of what is going on there today.  However, I want you to remember this in terms of an introduction of sorts.  Paul is starting out by introducing the way in which the persons of the Trinity; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, work together in order for us to receive the full blessings of God.  When it comes to salvation for example, the Father is the architect of the plan, the Son is the achiever or accomplisher of that plan, and the Holy Spirit is the applier of the benefits of the accomplishment of that plan.  Well, if we take that analogy of all three members of the Trinity working together and apply it to the theme of this look at Ephesians, then we ought to have the understanding that all parts of the church must work in conjunction with one another if we are to enjoy the full blessings of the bride of Christ and if we are to honor God faithfully in our being part of this Christian community.  You see, one of the beautiful things about the Christian faith is that it isn’t a faith of isolation.  In other words, it isn’t (or at least shouldn’t be) something that is private or done alone.  Instead, it is something that very wonderfully is to be shared with others.  We rely on other Christians, church members, and most importantly our God for strength and encouragement.  I’ll be completely honest with you, my profession has been ranked by many publications as the loneliest of professions.  And honestly, there are times when that feels like the truth.  Why is that the case?  Well, it has to do largely with the nature of the job, but also with the way in which we have individually privatized our faiths.  However, when we are working as we should, both individually and collectively, this feeling of isolation and loneliness isn’t there.  When the body of Christ is functioning as she ought to, then not only is loneliness not present, but there is a sense of community that makes us feel as if isolation isn’t even a real thing.

                As we journey though Ephesians over the next several months, we’re going to look at the community that is the Church.  We’re going to look at the fact that all of us have a part to play.  We’re going to look at the fact that the Church operates at her best when all of her members are operating.  So, as we bring this introduction to a close today, I want to encourage you to think about the way in which you are engaged in the ministry of the Church.  I know that you can’t see it, but in my notes I have the “C” in Church capitalized.  I’m not asking what you do for this congregation.  I already know how that is for many of you, and some of you have given the Session those answer through your surveys as well.  What I’m asking you to think about is what you do for the kingdom.  Do you witness?  Do you financially support a gospel proclaiming organization or church?  Do you teach?  Do you engage in missions?  Do you engage in mercy ministries?  The old adage of the Church is that 20% or the people do 80% of the work (although some studies show it is closer to 10% do 90%).  Can you imagine what the Church, or the world for that matter, would be like if all Christians worked for the gospel?  Maybe one day we will wake up and find out.  Maybe one day Christians will act as if their calling is who they are, and not just a part of their identity.  However, for that to happen, we have to lay aside our own interests, and seek first the righteousness of the kingdom of God.  Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Matthew 28:19-20 "Go, Not Just Gather"

                Do you know what a congregational charge is?  By that, I mean those words printed in your bulletin that I read near the end of the service about going out into the word, enjoying the blessings of God, contending for the faith, and remaining in Christ.  Do you know what the purpose of those words really is?  Or have you just mindlessly said them (some of you your entire lives) without ever giving a thought as to what the purpose for our saying them is at all?  Well, a charge is when the minister charges or challenges the congregation to go out into the world and minister and witness in the name of Christ.  In essence, the charge is where the pastor or worship service leader challenges the hearers of the message for that day to take what they have just heard and to carry it out into the world.  Now, how effective this has been is another question.  Are you even listening to these words or are you telling yourself that now that the service is over it’s time to decide on a place for lunch?  The congregation that I used to work for in Mississippi had the whole congregation say the charge in unison, “We go nowhere by accident.  Wherever we go, God is sending us.  God has a purpose for our being there.  And He has given His Holy Spirit to us.”  Each Sunday as we prepared to leave worship, we were all reminded that no matter where we found ourselves, we were right where God wanted us to be and we were to seek how to minister to the people around us.  Even when we felt unequipped, we needed to remember that the Holy Spirit was there with us, giving us the power that we needed to accomplish God’s good work.

                Why, when our text is on the Great Commission, am I talking to you about charges and worship service ordering?  Well, it’s because I, along with many others, view the Great Commandment to be the somewhat charge of Jesus’ earthly ministry, with the benediction being the words that he gave to his disciples about being his witnesses in Samaria and Judea and all to the ends of the world.  You see, the main message behind a charge is the same message behind that of the Great Commission.  Well, at least the first aspect of them is the same.  Both a charge and the Great Commission start with going.  “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”  All of the commands of the Great Commission are imperatives.  Jesus was charging his disciples to go!  He wasn’t telling them that when the opportunity was right or when the feeling struck them that they ought to go, but he was commanding them to go.  It’s the difference between me or my wife telling our children that their rooms need to be cleaned up before we eat dinner, or simply looking at them and saying that one word, “Clean!”  One of those options provides a bit of choice, while the other is a direct command that is to be carried out that moment.  You see, Jesus tells us that the first step in reaching the lost in order to baptize them, make them disciples, and teach them is to go.  We have to go out into the world in search of the lost, in search of the hurt, and in search of those who are in need of hearing the good news of the gospel.

                The sad fact of the matter is that this is the exact opposite of the way that most of our supposed evangelism is done in the modern church.  We build fences, hire security, have certain protocols, and many other steps to make it difficult for people to get in, much less us go out.  Many Americans view of evangelism has become that they are willing to minister to only a certain type of person (usually someone who looks just like them), but only after that person makes the initial move and comes into the church in the first place.  Look, I’m not throwing grenades at others; we are just as guilty as any other congregation of doing the very same thing.  When was the last time that any of you can honestly say that you reached out to someone who wasn’t a Christian and spoke to them without them coming to you first?  Somehow, we’ve replaced the imperative “Go” with the situational “wait and see if someone comes to you and presents you with an opportunity to possibly share the gospel with them but by all means don’t be too pushy.”  I’ve made no secrets about mine and Amy’s families having some alcohol issues throughout the years.  Sitting back and waiting for someone to on their own come to church and realize that they need Jesus is like sitting back and waiting for the alcoholic to realize on his own that he has a problem.  Sure it may happen every now and then, but it most certainly isn’t the most effective way of dealing with the issue at hand.  We have to go out into the world if we are ever going to shine the light in the darkness as we like to say.

                Secondly, when Jesus tells us to make disciples of all nations, notice the word all.  Do you remember the words of the promise made to Abraham (then Abram) in Genesis 12?  God told Abraham, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.  And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you ALL the families of the earth shall be blessed.”  I mentioned just a moment ago that for many of us our evangelism stops when it comes to people who look different than us, dress different than us, live different than us, and even talk different than us.  Now, I won’t deny that or personalities and our gifts sometimes lend themselves to our being more at ease with certain groups over another.  When I was in youth ministry, I had a much easier time relating to the middle-class white children that I went to church with than the African American kids from the inner-city that I taught.  However, my responsibility to minister and witness to them and to help them see their potential and to strive for success was the same with both groups.  When I have gone to Mexico, Jamaica, or Haiti, my call to share the gospel has been the exact same as it is here in the U.S.  You see, the gospel isn’t for one people group or one nationality, but for all people.  My wife can attest to you that we talked a lot about the state of the church following the shootings in South Carolina.  While the tragedy of what happened was terrible and I’m not trying to diminish it in any way, what we found most disturbing was that the church was constantly described as a black church.  Look, I get it.  I’m from the south; I’ve never lived any further north than Starkville, MS.  I get that things are still referred to (rightly or wrongly) as black and white.  However, and this may be just because of how I see things, a church should never be classified according to race.  After all, all churches (and by this I mean real, Bible-centered, God-fearing churches) are worshipping the same resurrected Lord.  We’re all worshipping Jesus Christ.  And the truth of the matter is that none of us are worthy of what he offers us, but he stills offers.  So, we cannot ever think that the gospel is more for one group of people than any other.

                So, what is it that Jesus is exactly calling us to do it the Great Commission?  What does it mean to make disciples?  What does it mean to baptize people in the name of the Triune God?  What does it mean to teach them to observe all the commands of God?  Well, to try and sum all of this up into as simple a statement as possible, all of this means that we are to help others grow in their relationship with God.  We are to witness to them and help them to see the importance of what God is offering them.  Now, I will clearly state here that only God can turn someone’s heart from stone to a heart that seeks after Him.  Only God can truly change a person from being one who runs from God to one who follows Him.  However, many times it’s people just like you and me that God chooses to work through in order to accomplish these purposes in His children.  When we make disciples, we are teaching people the importance of Christ, but also helping them to incline their hearts to live lives that more honor God.  You can see very easily that this also fits in with the command that we have for teaching others to observe all that God has commanded us.  One of those commands is for all believers to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  When we are baptized, it symbolizes our admittance into the church.  Baptism is a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of our being united with Christ, of our rebirth, and of our forgiveness of sins.

                One of the other great fallacies to the modern American church (in addition to the poor methods of evangelism that I mentioned earlier), is that many times little thought is given to real Biblical training.  Many times, the majority of energy and effort is placed upon bringing people in.  Even in churches that don’t fit the model I previously mentioned that have good evangelistic ministries, there is a real drop-off when it comes to Christian education.  One of the most frequently asked questions of semi-new Christians is “now what?”  In other words, after someone professes faith in Christ and is baptized; after someone has come to see the deep need that they have for Jesus in their life, they want to know what the next step is.  In essence, they want to grow.  They want to learn more, they want to dig deeper and find out more and more about God who created and sustains all things.  They want to hear more about this Savior named Jesus who was fully God and fully man at the same time who paid the price for their sins.  They want to know more about the Holy Spirit, this third member of the Trinity who dwelt in Jesus then and dwells within us now. 

Have you ever been to a really nice, fancy dinner?  I don’t mean your anniversary dinner to a nice restaurant; I’m talking about a real ornate meal surrounded by a lot of folks that you don’t know.  I know that I don’t give off the refined vibe, but my wife will tell you that I actually can function in this world when required, largely due to my upbringing.  You see, I was taught by my grandmother about table etiquette and which fork goes where and what utensil you use to eat a certain dish.  I’ve got that knowledge and I can use it when the situation requires.  Well, let’s say I didn’t have that knowledge, I would be completely lost.  In other words, just because I am at this nice dinner surrounded by a bunch of people who know what they’re doing (assuming that they actually do), that really wouldn’t be enough for me to correctly go through the steps of the meal.  Sure, I could fake it and probably make my way through the meal unscathed, but should that really be the goal, should that be the goal of our faith?  Should our goal really be about being able to fake it long enough so that we don’t get discovered for how little we know or how shallow our faith truly is?  NO!  Our goal ought to be to grow.  Our goal ought to be to grow so that we may more accurately and faithfully honor and bring glory to God.

Finally, we have to remember the final words of our text.  Jesus told the disciples, “And behold, I am with you always, to the ends of the age.”  Jesus’ name at his birth of Immanuel means God with us.  Friends, the end of the age has not come yet because Jesus has not returned.  Therefore, Jesus is still with us.  No, he may not be physically present with us just as he was with the disciples when he said these words.  In fact, he wasn’t to be with them either after only a few days.  However, he is still with us, sitting at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, serving as our eternal advocate with the Father.  Not only that, but the same Holy Spirit that we have mentioned remains with us, applying the work of Christ to our hearts each and every day.  Our objective is a simple one:  we are to go out into the world.  When we go out into the world, we are to tell everyone about Jesus.  When we find someone who doesn’t know God, then we are to witness to them and help bring them to the Lord.  Have you gone out into the world in search of the lost lately?  Have you sought to help someone grow in their already existent faith lately?  Have you even gone out into the world lately with the message of the Gospel?  The task is clear and concise, as Christians, we ought to be going and not just gathering.  Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 "What is Love?"

                This thirteenth chapter of Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth is commonly known as the love chapter.  It’s a favorite of many Christians, and particularly a favorite to use during Christian marriage ceremonies.  In fact, if you have been to a wedding that I have officiated (as some of you have), then you have heard me read part of this chapter during the service.  You see, every wedding that I have had the privilege and honor of officiating (as well as the one that I was actually a participant in), these words have been read and expounded upon during the homily portion of the service.  I don’t go into the text and bring out Greek words, original meanings, and unique phrasings within the chapter.  Instead, I mainly just point to the common sense meaning of this text as it comes to us in vv. 4-8a.  I tell the two being joined as husband and wife about the fact that Paul was writing to a group of Christians that had confused love for something else in an effort to remind them about what true love really is.  I remind the two being married about the fact that the only true love that we have is a love that seeks to bring honor to God and seeks the welfare of His kingdom.  I do this so that those being married, as well as all those in attendance, will stop looking at love in the sense in which we define it today and start defining love in the sense that God created it; that we will stop trying to change the definition of love from that which God intended.  The word love has become highly subjective in our modern world.  It’s possible for us to tell someone we love them and then turn right around and say that we love a good pulled pork sandwich.  Now, Amy will attest to you that my favorite food is barbecue.  I could eat it every day.  However, it’s comical to think that my affection for a great rack of ribs is anywhere close to the devotion that I have towards my wife.  So, how are we supposed to understand love in God’s terms?  How does that differ from what we define love as today?  Well, that is exactly what Paul lays out for us in this chapter.  Simon Kistemaker, a retired seminary professor whom I had the privilege of learning under, beautifully sums up this chapter by saying that “[Paul’s] presentation of love, however, is without sentimentality, devoid of sensuality, and free from sexuality.”  In other words, love isn’t about the butterflies in your stomach, but about our being shaped into who God would have us be.

                The first thing that we see here is the imperative or importance of love.  Paul says that it doesn’t matter if he speaks as a man or an angel (obviously something that he can’t do), whether he has the power to prophesy, understand all things, or cause miracles to occur, or whether he gives generously or even becomes a martyr; all those things are nothing without love.  Now, Paul isn’t trying to say that none of those things matter, he’s just saying that none of them really matter without the right motive or desire.  The desire behind all that we do must be love in order for it to be of any good.  Look, you can give a ton of money to a local charity, but if it is for the wrong reasons, then it isn’t really a good work.  Sure, some good may come out of it, but in-and-of-itself, it is not a good work.  Well, what makes a good work?  When we looked at the book of James a few months ago, we said that good works were those things that flowed naturally out of our faith in Jesus Christ.  Our thanks, our love for God, manifests itself in the form of good works.  You see, the Greek word here that is translated as love is the word agape.  Now, this particular word isn’t just a generic type of love.  It is a love that exists between God and man.  It is a love that begins with God, who communicates that love to us through numerous means (God’s providence, the gift of His Son, the Holy Spirit, or the works of creation just to name a few), and we are to reflect that love back to Him.  Now, it is possible for us to have this type of love for another person, but that love must be built upon and rooted in our love for God first and foremost.

                The next section of Paul’s chapter on love is what I call the demonstration of love.  As I said, this is that part that I typically read at weddings.  This section speaks to the character of love, or perhaps we could say the characteristics that this agape love ought to have in our lives.  Being patient or forbearing, meaning slow to anger, just as God is patient with us.  You know that someone truly loves you when they have the ability to be patient with you.  Patience is also one of the fruits of the Spirit as they are given to us in Galatians 5.  Another fruit of the spirit comes next; kindness.  This is the only time the verb “to be kind” is used in Scripture.  Kindness is the extending of the love of God to others.  Continuing on in our text, we see next that love doesn’t envy or isn’t jealous.  Now, this isn’t the good type of jealousy (i.e. God being jealous for us).  This is the type of jealousy that we think of with the sin of covetousness.  Love doesn’t boast or brag.  Love isn’t arrogant or rude.  Paul has already touched on some of this in his opening to this chapter about it not mattering who you are or what you do or have done, true love is what matters.  Paul goes on to say that “[love] does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.”  In essence, if we are demonstrating this agape love, then we are not forceful or behaving indecently or keeping count of errors, but we simply seek the truth of God.  “Love searches out the truth and rejoices when that truth is triumphing over wrong.  Love and truth are inseparable partners residing in God himself.  God shares these characteristics with His people.  He endowed them with love and truth, which, though tainted by sin, are renewed in Christ Jesus through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Kistemaker).”

                Paul finishes off this section on the character of love with those famous words, “[love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”  In other words, there is nothing that you won’t do for something or someone that you truly love.  There is a selflessness to true love.  There is absolutely nothing that you could propose to me that I wouldn’t endure for the sake of my kids’ welfare or the welfare of my wife because I truly love them.  Do y’all know who Devon Still is?  He’s a defensive lineman for the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals.  Well, do you know who Leah Still is?  She is Devon’s 5 year old daughter who has neuroblastoma, a type of cancer.  The story of this little girl has become quite popular over the past year and a half, largely due to the strong faith and resolve displayed by this family.  I saw a video recently of Leah poking her father in the stomach a bunch of times and asking him if he felt anything yet.  When the folks recording this event asked what they were doing, Devon told them that his prayer for so long had been that God would take the cancer that his daughter was fighting and put it in his body.  You see, his daughter was trying to help Devon answer his prayer by transferring her cancer to him; such an innocently sweet moment.  While Devon admitted that his daughter was twice as strong as he was when it came to this fight, he would do anything; endure any pain, in order for his daughter to be spared the pain that she lives with on a daily basis.  That is a love that is willing to do anything for the sake of another.  That is a love that sums up what we mean when we read the word agape.  This man cares not for himself, but seeks more the welfare of another.

                Finally, Paul has this last section on love.  In this section, Paul speaks to the immovability or stability of love.  He begins with those beautiful words, “Love never ends.”  Now, of course love never ends because it comes from God.  We’re told that in 1 John 4.  God doesn’t end, therefore love never ends.  As Paul goes on to point out, prophecy ends, speaking in tongues ends, and knowledge has its limits.  These are things that were seen as indicators of those who loved God and were committed to His kingdom, but they all had their limits.  They all have their temporary, earthly function.  Paul spends a great deal of time then talking about things that are partial becoming full and things that are imperfect becoming perfect.  We find those famous words, “When I was a child, I spoke like a child.  When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.”  A little later on, “Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”  What does all of this mean?  It speaks to the permanent nature of love.  It speaks to the fullness that a proper application of the word love employs.  When I was in youth ministry, I used to always laugh at the kids who would tell me that they loved someone, only to find that they didn’t love them a week or two later.  Now, we laugh at this and brush it off as childish behavior, but we shouldn’t be so quick to do so.  You see, I don’t view a great deal of difference between this and the couple who pledges to love one another in the sight of God, only to get divorced a year or two later because they’re not happy and marriage isn’t what they thought it would be.  There is no such thing as falling out of love in God’s eyes.  As I’ve said many times before, marriage isn’t about our happiness but about our faithfulness to God.  God doesn’t call us to enter into marriage to make us happy, but to join us together with someone who we can work beside in honoring God through faithful support, devotion, and possibly raising children.  We have to grow up!  We can’t keep using a childish definition of love, but the full definition of agape, a love that generates from God towards us, that we reflect back to God.

                As somewhat of a way of drawing the audience back to the focus of the chapter, love, Paul ends with this final verse.  “So now, faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”  Now, unfortunately, there have been those both inside and outside of the church that have looked at this statement and taken away from it that the only thing that matters is love.  Look, I like the Beatles too, but when it comes to a right relationship with God, you need more than love.  Saying that love is the greatest of these three is like me saying that one of my three children is the smartest.  All three have proven themselves to be pretty sharp thus far.  So to say that one is the sharpest isn’t to call the other two idiots, it’s just pointing out which of the three seems to be a little bit brighter.

                The Christian faith as it exists today ought to be the response to the revelation of the Creator as the God of love.  Out of love for those who did not love, the Father gave the Son, the Son gave His life, and the Father and the Son together have sent the Holy Spirit, to save sinners from misery and lead them into glory.  The mark of the Christian life is Christian love, whole-hearted obedience to God and a sacrificial mindset when it comes to our neighbors.  Christian love is to be devoid of all self-concern.  It seeks the good of others over the good of the self.  Remember, love is a principle of action rather than an emotion.  It is a matter of doing things for people out of compassion for them.  Whether or not we feel personal affection for them is irrelevant.  It is by our active love for one another that followers of Christ may be recognized. 

It is by God’s action of love that we know just how much He cares for us.  It’s not because He gives us everything that we want, but because He was willing to go to the greatest lengths imaginable to redeem us.  He was willing to give up His one and only Son, to forsake Jesus, all for our sake.  Friends, don’t turn love (either our love for one another or God’s love for us) into something that it’s not.  Don’t make yourself the center of your definition of love.  Place God at the center of your love, where He rightly belongs.  I can promise you, that if God is the basis, standard, and center of your love, then you will experience this wonderful gift from God like you never have before.  Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 "The Power of the Word"

                Why should I live my life according to what some book says?  Why should I listen to it, especially when that book is over 2,000 years old and some of the parts of it contain things that happened 6000+ years ago?  Why should my wants, desires, and actions be shaped by a piece of literature that was written by people who couldn’t have imagined the world that we live in today?  How can I really completely follow a book that talks about a sea parting before people’s eyes, 3 year droughts, people coming back from the dead, and demons being driven out of people and into pigs?  You see, these are just a few of the many questions that we face today when trying to convey the importance of Scripture when it comes to our daily lives.  The scary part is that many times, these are the types of questions that we get from our Christian friends.  Our non-Christian friends don’t even ask us these things, because they’ve already dismissed all of Scripture as laughable many times.  Our Christian friends will say, “Yes, I believe in God and I believe in Jesus, but the Bible is just so outdated and irrelevant in today’s world.”  I can’t begin to tell you the number of times that I’ve heard this quote in almost this exact wording.  Even worse, I can’t begin to give you even a glimpse into the heresies and fallacies that have come about as scholars, pastors, and some neo-theologians have sought to update Scripture into our modern context.  They think that the message is still in there somewhere, but that somehow it needs our help in becoming applicable in today’s world.  As we’ll see, the Bible speaks clearly enough to our world today, because it finds its origin, its source of creation, in the One who has known all that will come to pass since before the foundations of the earth.

                What is the Bible?  If someone were to walk up to you on the street leaving church this morning and ask you what the Bible is, what would you say?  Why is it called the Bible?  Well, because the Greek word that means book is biblia.  How many books are there in the Bible?  In total, there are 66 books, with 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.  Who wrote the Bible?  Well, the human authors who actually put pen to paper totaled about 40, with their occupations ranging from kings, fishermen, priests, shepherds, farmers, doctors, and government officials.  However, as the words of our text tell us, the Bible ultimately has only one author, and that is God.  Who is the Bible about?  While the Bible has a host of characters throughout its pages, the Bible is ultimately the story of Jesus.  It’s not the story of you or me, it’s not our motivational or self-help handbook (like we’ve said the past two Sundays), but it’s the story of Jesus Christ.

                Paul is writing here in the third chapter of this letter of encouragement to his friend and younger minister Timothy and reminding him of the calling to which he has been called.  Yes, he’s encouraging him as a minister of the Word, but also just as one who is found in Jesus Christ.  Near the end of this encouragement, he gives him this reminder about the power of Scripture.  He says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”  All Scripture (which as it existed at the time of Paul’s writing this was the Old Testament) is breathed out by God, or God-breathed.  All of Scripture, while it may have been penned by human hands, finds its origins in God Almighty.  The Greek word here that is translated as God-breathed, this is the only occurrence of that word in Scripture.  You see, Scripture is not just some collection of works written by a bunch of random folks, but a collection of works written by different people whom God worked through throughout history to compile this complete story about Jesus.  Now, I mentioned a moment ago that these words were in reference to the Old Testament specifically in Paul’s day.  However, we know from the writings and teachings of the early church that the apostles and church leaders taught that this verse was just as true for the New Testament as it was for the Old.  All of Scripture, the entirety of it, every word, every punctuation mark, is inspired by God.  Yes, there are human traits within it, but the substance is from God.

                So, we read and affirm that this God-breathed work is profitable or useful for teaching, reproof, correction, and training.  Well, how is it useful in all of these areas?  I want to take a second and look at each of these elements or aspects that Scripture is useful for, starting with teaching.  This one should be pretty obvious.  Scripture contains the things of God; therefore, we must spend time and energy in Scripture if we are ever to come to know God.  Yes, we may feel God’s presence outside of Scripture or come to an initial faith apart from His Word, but we don’t really get to know Him.  I have a good friend of mine who I went to college with.  We were at school together for two years, but never really spent a great deal of one-on-one time together.  However, when he finished college, he came back to his hometown for a semester before beginning law school.  Since he didn’t want to spend all of his time at his parents’ house, he was over at our house probably four days a week.  I really got to know him on a personal level better in those 4 months than I had the previous few years that I had known him, and to this day he is one of my closest and best friends.  To really know God, we have to be in His Word and be being taught from and by His Word.  We have to spend time alone with God through the study of His Word if we ever want to truly know Him.  Anything else runs the risk of us just making things up about who God really is.

                Secondly, Scripture is useful for reproof.  Actually, I’ll handle reproof and correction together, since they are (or at least ought to be) two-sides of the same coin.  You see, reproof, Biblically speaking, is being shown what sin is.  Reproof is being shown that sin is a transgression or breaking of God’s law.  So, when we say that Scripture is useful for reproof, we’re saying that Scripture is useful for showing us our sins.  John Calvin, who viewed and promoted three uses of God’s law, stated in his first use this principle of reproof.  Calvin stated that the law is a mirror that while showing us God’s holiness, also shows us our sinfulness and our weakness which in turn drives us to Christ.  So, when we learn about God, then we see how far off we are from God through our sinfulness, and hopefully we seek to correct those sinful acts and tendencies.  Now, this is where the disconnect comes in that I opened with this morning.  People have no issue learning about God.  They even have no problem learning what sin is and what things are considered sinful.  The problem comes in in that there is, for many, little-to-no desire to correct their sinful behavior.  This is quite honestly a mind-boggling thing to me.  It’s just foolish.  It’s like having a gas appliance that you know leaks carbon monoxide and having no desire to do anything about it.  Carbon monoxide is deadly in the physical sense just as sin is in the spiritual sense.  We hear things like “Everyone sins, so what’s the big deal?”  Well, the big deal is that when you understand the severity of sin, then you understand how saddening a statement like “everyone sins” truly is.  We try and dull the power of Scripture by saying that it has lost its meaning and application in today’s world because of its age.  If something is inspired by God and is without fault, error, or inaccuracy, then why would we not do everything in our power to adhere ourselves to such a standard?  Maybe it’s because many Christians don’t believe the Bible to be without error; maybe you’re one of those who doesn’t think that Scripture exists without error.  If Scripture isn’t fully inspired and fully without any flaw, then it cannot be our source of reproof and correction like Paul so plainly tells us that it is.

                Finally, Scripture is useful for training in righteousness.  This is a nice way of saying that Scripture is useful for preemptive correction.  It’s a beautiful way of saying it that conveys the sense in which it isn’t reactionary discipline, but something that seeks the good of others.  In all of this hatred-spewing that has seemed to go on in our world recently with court cases and political agendas, we have seen this firsthand.  Amy had some friends who were having an online debate over the issue of same-sex marriages and one of the girls stated that the reason why she opposed it was because she loved her friends deeply and didn’t want to see them commit such an egregious sin.  The other girl responded with, “You can mask hate any way you want to, but it’s still hate.”  Now, this second girl’s misguided and incorrect response aside, the initial comments made by the first girl is the nature of Scripture when it comes to discipline.  Scripture isn’t a list of do’s and don’ts placed upon us to hinder us.  The things that we are called to in Scripture, some of them things to do and others things not to do, are for our benefit.  If we can’t see that they are for our benefit, then that’s a problem with us, not with Scripture.  My son Robert loves to be outside.  That kid would spend all day outside if we let him.  One of his favorite things to do is to try and put his face in the dog’s water bucket outside just like the dog does.  Now, every time we get on to him about it he cries (or at least pouts).  Amy and I aren’t fussing at him to be mean; we’re fussing at him for his own good.  There’s no telling what he could catch from that bucket if we just let him do what he wanted to do.  The only act of love that we have is to stop him from doing it.  We’re not being loving parents if we let him continuously drink from a bucket that has much more than water in it.  God doesn’t place certain commands and responsibilities on us for our lives because He’s mean, unjust, unfair, or any other adjective you’ve heard.  He places them upon us for our benefit, so that we may live holier lives that draw us closer to Him, where we were originally created to be.

                So, what is the point of it all?  What is the point of Paul reminding Timothy of Scripture’s origin?  What is the point of Paul reminding Timothy of these four ways in which Scripture is for our benefit?  Well, because as he says in verse 17, that “the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”  Now, this doesn’t show up in the English, but in the Greek, the words translated as competent (or completed in other translations) and equipped are variations of the same Greek word.  In other words, the children of God aren’t just equipped; they’re super equipped, perfected for every good work.  Notice that Paul isn’t just talking about ministry work, but every good work.  Being taught, learning from Scripture, equips us for every kind of good work that we can imagine.  We’re not just somewhat prepared, we’re perfectly prepared.  I was never a boy scout, but my wife will tell you that I have their motto down pat.  I’m always prepared.  I’m not the guy who rolls into a situation and doesn’t have what he needs.  When I show up, I have what I need, what someone else might need, and even the things that I might need in case of the most bizarre of emergencies.  Paul is telling Timothy that through Scripture, God has given him everything that he needs for a life of ministry, as well as just living a Godly life.

                I want to close this discussion on the inerrancy, infallibility, inspiration, and power of Scripture by reading to you something that Dr. R.C. Sproul wrote about his view of Scripture.  Sproul wrote, “I think the greatest weakness in the church today is that almost no one believes that God invests His power in the Bible.  Everyone is looking for power in a program, in a methodology, in a technique, in anything and everything but that in which God has placed it—His Word.  He alone has the power to change lives for eternity, and that power is focused on the Scriptures.”  Friends, there is no greater source that we can look to other than Scripture.  There is no added wisdom that God is going to impart upon us in terms of knowing who He is.  Yes, He may reveal certain things to us, but those things come through careful study of and complete trust and obedience in His Word.  All Scripture is God-breathed for our benefit.  Don’t waste this precious gift that God has given to all of us.  Don’t allow you Bible(s) to collect more dust than they do tears, wrinkles, and smudges from constant use.  Don’t allow the Word of God to become stale and complacent in your life.  After all, God has given His Word to us so that we might be drawn closer to Him.  Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Jeremiah 29:11 "God's Good Plan"

                Before we really get started, I’ve got to tell y’all a somewhat humorous story about something that happened to me this past week.  You see, each Sunday I take a manuscript of my sermon and post it to a blog, an online page that I maintain.  It’s not an exact copy of the sermon, but it’s a rough draft of sorts for how I plan on the flow of the sermon going and the information being delivered.  Well, I got an email from someone this past week who apparently stumbled across my blog and wrote me a short but pointed opinion about my particular interpretations of our last two texts, John 3:16 and Philippians 4:13.  She was particularly upset with the way in which I “demolished a beautiful text of personal motivation like Philippians 4:13.”  She said that it was her favorite verse and that no matter what I said it wouldn’t change what it meant to her.  Two things, next Sunday we’re going to look at 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and Scripture’s inerrancy and infallibility, so I hope she decides to read that one as well, and also, I hope that Jeremiah 29:11 isn’t her second favorite text if her interpretation of it is similar to that of the verse from Philippians that we examined last Sunday.

                Look, I gave you that story (which actually happened by the way) in order to do two things.  The first of which is to introduce the way in which we’re approaching our text for today, looking at it in its context and not just an out-of-nowhere framework.  The second is to give you an understanding as to why I’m doing this short exercise with a handful of verses.  The way in which many Christians have taken God’s Word and corrupted it and made it more about themselves than about God has, I think, a lot to do with the state of affairs in our country and our world as it pertains to the Christian church.  The gospel has, for many, become more about them that about Christ.  Jeremiah 29:11 is a prime example of such a misinterpretation.  As we will see in a moment, these are words spoken by God through the prophet Jeremiah to God’s chosen people who were living in exile.  These were words of encouragement to a people so that they didn’t lose their hope.  However, many so-called Christians today use them as Scriptural backing that whatever financial or business venture they embark upon that there is success to be found because God has promised it, or that God is going to deliver them from a time of suffering to a time of prosperity in this earthly life.  They interpret these words to mean that the Christian life is to be a life that is free of pain and suffering, or at least minimal pain and suffering.  Well, you know that that isn’t the case; just look at what we said last Sunday about sometimes the Christian life specifically being a life of suffering and hardship.

                If we were to look at the context in which we find these words spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, we would see that they were given originally to the nation of Israel.  Not only were they given to the nation of Israel, but they were given to Israel very early during their exile into Babylon.  So, God’s people since the time of the promise made to Abraham have been through a rollercoaster in terms of their status.  They enjoyed prosperity under Joseph, and then slavery after Joseph had passed.  They were delivered through Moses, enjoyed growth under Joshua, and struggled during the time of the judges.  They were blessed under Saul, David, and Solomon, but had deteriorated slowly since that point, ultimately ending in this Babylonian Captivity.  And notice if you will, that God doesn’t come out and say not to worry because He’s getting ready to give them right back what they lost through being exiled and then some.  No; God’s words spoken through Jeremiah immediately before this say, “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.”  Now, we will deal with how God ultimately fulfilled this in a minute, but did you notice the seventy-year timeframe?  If you were going through a difficult time and I told you that all you had to do was wait seventy years, would you take comfort in that?  I don’t even know that we would take comfort if we were promised seventy days of hardship, much less seventy years.  Also, don’t forget that there had to be some of the Israelites who were thinking “God, didn’t we endure 400 years of slavery in Egypt already?  Didn’t we endure 40 years in the wilderness wandering without a home?  Hasn’t one of our kingdoms already been destroyed and overthrown?  Do we really need to be in exile for another 70 years?”  I know I’m not one to criticize God, but there had to be those who were thinking that this suffering was just an endless list of “just wait a little longer.”

                Also, God doesn’t tell Israel that they need to suffer and can just sit and sulk for the entirety of that time.  Earlier on in this chapter, in verse 7, God tells them to “seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”  In other words, these folks, God’s people, who are in exile (i.e. not supposed to be there) are commanded by God not to try and get back to where they are supposed to be, but to seek to have an impact on where they are.  It doesn’t matter if you’re not at the physical, financial, occupational, or social destination that you want to be at or that you feel that you are supposed to be at.  What matters is that you are having an impact for the gospel right where you are.  God is giving a command that no matter where we find ourselves, that our goal ought to be the promotion and glorification of His kingdom and His righteousness and His glory.  Our primary goal isn’t to be the restoration of our status, but the declaration of God’s status.

                When Jeremiah says the words, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord…” we have to realize that the “I” that is being referred to there isn’t Jeremiah, it isn’t the people of Israel, and it most certainly isn’t you and me, but it is God Almighty.  God alone knows what plans He has for us in the future.  God alone knew the plans that He had for Israel and their “welfare and not for evil, to give [them] a future and a hope.”  God alone knew that Christ was the aforementioned future and hope of Israel and our future hope as well.

                I want to speak very plainly to what many times we see folks do with this verse.  They do this with similar verses as well, but I want to focus on this verse in particular this morning.  One thing is that we put ourselves as the focus of this verse.  When it’s something that we want, then we just assume that it’s God’s plan for us.  I really want that job, that car, that house, that life, that whatever it might be, and so God’s plan must be for me to have that.  That’s not what this verse means at all.  You know we talked just a second ago about the “I” being God?  Well, when we think along these lines, then we are putting ourselves as the “I” and not God.  Another thing that we see, and I already mentioned this a little earlier as well, is that we see many people use these words as Biblical validation for a lucrative business deal.  Somehow, the focus of this verse has become the Hebrew word shalom, which is translated in various English versions of this text as either, welfare, peace, or to prosper.  We particularly like the translation that renders the reading of this text as “to prosper” because that just carries with it a certain image of success in our world.  But you see, this verse isn’t about gaining wealth.  It’s about a restoration, but not in a completely financial sense like we tend to see it.  This verse is somewhat of an Old Testament version of Romans 8:28, “All things work for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purposes.”  We know that not everything is good in-and-of itself; not every experience is good or pleasant, but that God works all things for good, for the glorification of His kingdom.  Well, the words of Jeremiah 29:11 are saying that God knows the plan.  The plan may not be enjoyable, like 70 years of exile, 400 years in slavery, 6 months unemployed, the loss of friendships, or the alienation from certain folks, but know that because it is God’s plan that it ultimately is a plan of peace, a plan of shalom, and a plan of hope.  Because it is God’s plan, it’s a good plan.

                So, the question is probably lingering out there right now, “Well, if you’ve spent all this time talking about how this was a specific promise for Israel, then does it have anything to do with us; does it have any meaning for us?”  You know, that’s a good question.  Many folks don’t know how to distinguish general promises of God (i.e. those made for all Christians at all times) from specific promises (those made to a certain group).  Recently “retired” pastor and theologian John Piper in an interview about this passage was asked a similar question.  He was asked if we can claim this passage in any way.  His answer, “Absolutely we can claim it, and we can completely claim it because of Christ.”  You see, this entire prophecy in Jeremiah is about Christ.  When Jeremiah speaks of the hope and the future for Israel, he’s speaking specifically about the promised Messiah.  Just as Jesus was the hope for Israel, he’s our hope too.  You see, the promise that God was making Israel through Jeremiah about a restoration, a hope, and a peace, is a promise that He has fulfilled for us in Christ through his life to perfection, his saving death, and his glorious resurrection.

                In a few moments, we’re going to partake of the Lord’s Supper.  As I deliver to you the words of the institution of that sacrament, I will remind you that Christ said in the Upper Room, gathered there together with his disciples, that the cup, which he poured out for them, was the new covenant in his blood.  In other words, Christ was saying to his disciples, “When I die, I am securing for you all the new covenant promises that have been made.  All of the promises that my Father made with the nation of Israel, His chosen people, will be fulfilled in His new covenant people, all those who profess saving faith in me (i.e. the Church).”  The Apostle Paul, in his second letter to the church in Corinth, told them that “all the promises of God find their Yes in Christ.”  All of the promises that God has ever made to His people find their completion, their fulfillment, in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

                The words of Jeremiah 29:11 are powerful words.  They are very famous and important words.  They may even be your favorite words in all of Scripture aside from “He is risen.”  I know and have known may folks that claim this verse in Jeremiah to be their favorite verse, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.  This is right up there with some of my favorite verses.  In fact, all three verses that we’ve looked at (John 3:16, Philippians 4:13, and Jeremiah 29:11) are among my favorite verses in Scripture.  However, we cannot misinterpret them or take their meaning out of context.  God has a plan.  He has a plan to prosper us, to give us peace, to give us hope, to give us welfare, to give us a future, and to restore us.  That plan is already in motion.  It started before the foundations of the earth, it was revealed in the Garden to Adam and Eve, clarified through the prophets, accomplished by Jesus Christ, and the fruits of that plan are being applied this very day by the Holy Spirit.  God’s plan looks different for each and every one of us, but the One through whom that plan is accomplished is the very one whom we remember this day through the partaking of the elements on the table before us.  God’s plan is very complex, but at the same time very simple.  God’s plan is Jesus Christ.  Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.