Aaron preached on Ephesians 2:11-17, and I looked back to my April entry and saw that I also studied it before I started backtracking. The challenge of this passage is not the conceptual understanding -- I don't find the concept of unity between Jew and Gentile (or interracial reconcilation in general) difficult at all, nor to I find it hard to see that our way of salvation is the same, both through the blood of Jesus. The challenge of this passage for me is more emotional: Paul is laying out God's exciting purpose, and I don't really feel that excited. God made great sacrifice to bring Jew and Gentile together to create one people, and I tend to treat it in a blase manner.
I regret (but tend to accept) the cultural divisions that exist in the church today. I find that I don't really lament or grieve them, nor do I get that super-excited over the vision that God has, except when I'm sitting in church and someone else preaches about it or it is the theme of the worship or singing. Then I 'feel' it -- but day-to-day I tend to forget all about it as my personal daily concerns supercede everything else.
To Paul, though, it is front and center. God's vision for creating a unified purpose IS his personal daily concern!
I am reminded of Dr. Goldenhersch, at HSSC, teaching us the meaning of the word 'kvell', and kvelling on her children and grandchildren. Maybe I should be kvelling on God's vision for his people.
Merriam-Webster definition for kvell
Pronunciation: \ˈkvel\
Function: intransitive verb
Etymology: Yiddish kveln to be delighted, from Middle High German quellen to well, gush, swell
Date: circa 1952
: to be extraordinarily proud : rejoice
This is what Paul does all through Ephesians so far. He kvells constantly on the wonderful will and work of God.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Ephesians 2: 6-10 Sermon notes from Steve's sermon
Last week: (same passage) How bad it was, how good we now have it.
This week: Works -- Is it the right thing to do to really work at anything? Are grace and works really opposite? What is the relationship between them?
There's a time to let go of works and there's a time to embrace works. This passage helps us figure this out.
We are saved by grace, not by works. (v8) This lets us know there's no place to boast. God helps us -- NOT "God helps those who help themselves". All of salvation by faith is a gift. Our salvation is not meritorious. Faith is an instrument that God gives us that allows us access to this salvation he has made available.
What are we supposed to do with faith? First, we need to let go of works. Take inventory again and often -- do we hope to make ourselves presentable to God by our accomplishments, so we can say "in God's eyes I'm okay"? That's like slapping on a coat of paint over rotted walls. If we're hiding behind works, we should let go of them. God is the only one that can restore us.
We need to receive and cherish this gift of salvation -- use it, talk about it, etc. -- not put it up on a shelf somewhere. Look to grace instead of works when it comes to our salvation.
Yet there is a time to embrace works. We are created for good works. Works involve exertion. Works that bring God glory. We are called to 'stay in the game'. Works were prepared in advance for us to do. We can't do good works in our own power, but must do them in union with Christ, which means to be in the word of God to make sure we are continuing to learn about Jesus and be guided by him.
Look at our works as stemming from the grace we've been given, and issuing forth from that grace. There's a real purpose behind grace, and it involves being his handiwork made for good works. Let go of works when you find you're trying to hide behind them, but embrace works when you have received the gift of the gracious giver who is behind them.
This week: Works -- Is it the right thing to do to really work at anything? Are grace and works really opposite? What is the relationship between them?
There's a time to let go of works and there's a time to embrace works. This passage helps us figure this out.
We are saved by grace, not by works. (v8) This lets us know there's no place to boast. God helps us -- NOT "God helps those who help themselves". All of salvation by faith is a gift. Our salvation is not meritorious. Faith is an instrument that God gives us that allows us access to this salvation he has made available.
What are we supposed to do with faith? First, we need to let go of works. Take inventory again and often -- do we hope to make ourselves presentable to God by our accomplishments, so we can say "in God's eyes I'm okay"? That's like slapping on a coat of paint over rotted walls. If we're hiding behind works, we should let go of them. God is the only one that can restore us.
We need to receive and cherish this gift of salvation -- use it, talk about it, etc. -- not put it up on a shelf somewhere. Look to grace instead of works when it comes to our salvation.
Yet there is a time to embrace works. We are created for good works. Works involve exertion. Works that bring God glory. We are called to 'stay in the game'. Works were prepared in advance for us to do. We can't do good works in our own power, but must do them in union with Christ, which means to be in the word of God to make sure we are continuing to learn about Jesus and be guided by him.
Look at our works as stemming from the grace we've been given, and issuing forth from that grace. There's a real purpose behind grace, and it involves being his handiwork made for good works. Let go of works when you find you're trying to hide behind them, but embrace works when you have received the gift of the gracious giver who is behind them.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Ephesians to the family
Does anyone besides me write out paraphrases of passages directed to themselves to try to figure out what they really mean? Here is one I started -- don't know if I'll ever finish it -- but I envisioned saying what Paul says to the Ephesians to my own family...
Gail Havens, a follower of Jesus who is a wife, mother, crafter, and educator by the will of God,
To the Havens saints, also followers of Jesus.
I (and Paul) wish you grace and peace the Father and the Lord Jesus.
I give praises to God for the way he has blessed all of us spiritually. He actually chose us to be forgiven through the work of Jesus way before we were born. He planned to adopt us into his family because he wanted to -- it would give him pleasure and it would show him off as a God who forgives freely because he loves his son Jesus. All because of Jesus' work on the cross, we have been snatched back from eternal seperation from God and forgiven for all our sins. When God lavishes forgiveness on us, don't think he doesn't know how bad we really are -- he has complete wisdom and understanding of us. As each of us was brought to him and made a profession of faith, we saw his purpose at work in our life, which is part of the Great Purpose -- to bring EVERYTHING and EVERYONE together under the rule of Jesus.
The Apostles followed Jesus, just like God planned beforehand that they would, to give glory to Jesus. Then, later, we also were included as followers of Jesus when we heard and accepted the truth that sending Jesus was God's plan to forgive our sins. At that time, God marked each of us with the Holy Spirit, who will keep on reminding us of God until the time comes that we're actually face to face with him in his kingdom.
Paul (and I) never stop thanking God for his work in each of your lives. I hope and pray that you keep on following Jesus...
Gail Havens, a follower of Jesus who is a wife, mother, crafter, and educator by the will of God,
To the Havens saints, also followers of Jesus.
I (and Paul) wish you grace and peace the Father and the Lord Jesus.
I give praises to God for the way he has blessed all of us spiritually. He actually chose us to be forgiven through the work of Jesus way before we were born. He planned to adopt us into his family because he wanted to -- it would give him pleasure and it would show him off as a God who forgives freely because he loves his son Jesus. All because of Jesus' work on the cross, we have been snatched back from eternal seperation from God and forgiven for all our sins. When God lavishes forgiveness on us, don't think he doesn't know how bad we really are -- he has complete wisdom and understanding of us. As each of us was brought to him and made a profession of faith, we saw his purpose at work in our life, which is part of the Great Purpose -- to bring EVERYTHING and EVERYONE together under the rule of Jesus.
The Apostles followed Jesus, just like God planned beforehand that they would, to give glory to Jesus. Then, later, we also were included as followers of Jesus when we heard and accepted the truth that sending Jesus was God's plan to forgive our sins. At that time, God marked each of us with the Holy Spirit, who will keep on reminding us of God until the time comes that we're actually face to face with him in his kingdom.
Paul (and I) never stop thanking God for his work in each of your lives. I hope and pray that you keep on following Jesus...
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
The enemies and the great reversal
The sermon this week focused just on the first six verses of chapter 2, and I am only writing today about the first three:
I was dead in my transgressions before I became a Christian. I was by nature an object of wrath. This is strange to think about in the context of the fact that we baptise infants and claim God's promises for our children at this young age. Is William, at 4 months old, a dead object of wrath (and, at the same time, a precious and loved child of God)? How can that be? The question I really don't want to ask is "If this precious baby died without having become a believer, would he go to heaven?" How can you say he's a dead object of wrath, and also maintain that God would bring him home to heaven? Or, what if I had been hit by a car and died a month before I accepted Christ back in 1969? What would have happened to me?
It makes no sense except for the glorious fact of God's sovereignty over the world, from the smallest child to the largest movements of nations. God protects the eternal life of ALL his children and brings them home to him at the time he has ordained. Even though we believers go through a time of being 'dead' as we become responsible for our actions and have not yet embraced Christ for ourselves, I think that even that time of deadness does not occur outside of the circle of God's providence, and is not our final state according to God's plan and promise. God's will and power supercede the possiblity of one of his own being lost. In other words, those people don't die until God says so. This is perfectly in sync with the FACT that 'the church is not peripheral to the world, but the world is peripheral to the church' (this phrase quoted from the sermon). God IS the final power. God's plan to make a people for himself IS the real reality and purpose within the stream of life, and all events need to be understood in relation to this reality. We need not fear that God will mess it up.
1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
I was dead in my transgressions before I became a Christian. I was by nature an object of wrath. This is strange to think about in the context of the fact that we baptise infants and claim God's promises for our children at this young age. Is William, at 4 months old, a dead object of wrath (and, at the same time, a precious and loved child of God)? How can that be? The question I really don't want to ask is "If this precious baby died without having become a believer, would he go to heaven?" How can you say he's a dead object of wrath, and also maintain that God would bring him home to heaven? Or, what if I had been hit by a car and died a month before I accepted Christ back in 1969? What would have happened to me?
It makes no sense except for the glorious fact of God's sovereignty over the world, from the smallest child to the largest movements of nations. God protects the eternal life of ALL his children and brings them home to him at the time he has ordained. Even though we believers go through a time of being 'dead' as we become responsible for our actions and have not yet embraced Christ for ourselves, I think that even that time of deadness does not occur outside of the circle of God's providence, and is not our final state according to God's plan and promise. God's will and power supercede the possiblity of one of his own being lost. In other words, those people don't die until God says so. This is perfectly in sync with the FACT that 'the church is not peripheral to the world, but the world is peripheral to the church' (this phrase quoted from the sermon). God IS the final power. God's plan to make a people for himself IS the real reality and purpose within the stream of life, and all events need to be understood in relation to this reality. We need not fear that God will mess it up.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Backtracking
Ephesians 1:19-23
The sermon Sunday made it definitely worth going back to this passage.
Some nuggests from the sermon:
-Overall theme of Ephesians: Cosmic Reconciliation
-The church is the most significant and beautiful place in the world. Christ has been exalted to the supreme place in the universe, and what's going on in the church is the heart of the action.
-The church is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church.
I often live as if being a Christian is somethng that is a private option for people, sort of a sideline, not to be brought out overtly in my public or work life, or my everyday commerce. In fact I am uncomfortable when people are 'too open' about their faith at work; or I cringe and draw away. Now, there is such a thing as speaking inappropriately -- however, if what Kurt said about this passage is true, then I must remember that there is no place that the truth of Christ is not relevant and even ofprimary importance!. So -- athough every expression of my faith would not be appropriate in every situation, there is an appropriate expression of faith for every situation because Christ is over all and in all, and I am primarily a follower of Christ whether I am at work or at the store or at home. An appropriate expression may be in certain actions or in certain words, and possibly it is verbal more often than I have thought. But mainly I need to absorb the idea that the workplace is not 'over' Christ, nor are modern ideas of social or political correctness 'over' Christ. Therefore, although it makes me uncomfortable, it may actually be appropriate at times to ignore conventions and speak out. Social approbation is nothing compared to the possibility of whetting someone's appetite for Christ, and letting them know that I am someone who is willing to tell them about him. I need to be ready and willing to give an account for myself and my actions at all times, even to random people when the opportunity arises. The more I do that, the more they know that Christians are all over the place, which might be an encouragement to seek God.
18I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
The sermon Sunday made it definitely worth going back to this passage.
Some nuggests from the sermon:
-Overall theme of Ephesians: Cosmic Reconciliation
-The church is the most significant and beautiful place in the world. Christ has been exalted to the supreme place in the universe, and what's going on in the church is the heart of the action.
-The church is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church.
I often live as if being a Christian is somethng that is a private option for people, sort of a sideline, not to be brought out overtly in my public or work life, or my everyday commerce. In fact I am uncomfortable when people are 'too open' about their faith at work; or I cringe and draw away. Now, there is such a thing as speaking inappropriately -- however, if what Kurt said about this passage is true, then I must remember that there is no place that the truth of Christ is not relevant and even ofprimary importance!. So -- athough every expression of my faith would not be appropriate in every situation, there is an appropriate expression of faith for every situation because Christ is over all and in all, and I am primarily a follower of Christ whether I am at work or at the store or at home. An appropriate expression may be in certain actions or in certain words, and possibly it is verbal more often than I have thought. But mainly I need to absorb the idea that the workplace is not 'over' Christ, nor are modern ideas of social or political correctness 'over' Christ. Therefore, although it makes me uncomfortable, it may actually be appropriate at times to ignore conventions and speak out. Social approbation is nothing compared to the possibility of whetting someone's appetite for Christ, and letting them know that I am someone who is willing to tell them about him. I need to be ready and willing to give an account for myself and my actions at all times, even to random people when the opportunity arises. The more I do that, the more they know that Christians are all over the place, which might be an encouragement to seek God.
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