THE CHURCH TRIUMPHANT!

Ephesians 3:14-15

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.

. . . and from the Message:

My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth.

by Unknown

For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles -- (vs 1) . . . kneel (vs 14).  Paul responds to the knowledge of God's unfathomable love for people (Jewish and Gentile alike) and God's enormous, immeasurable desire to save us (Jew and Gentile alike) and His glorious and rich plan to make us one by getting on his knees before the Father.  It is a humble act on Paul's part.  An act of submission to the One who is all-wise and who makes all of Paul's brilliance and genius seem like nothing.  Up to his conversion, Paul lived a life of Jew against Gentile, Jew above Gentile; but, no longer.  God's plan for the Gentiles is revealed and now the apostle lives to make it known. The Church, with all its cracks and flaws, is alive.  At its best, it reflects the glory of Jesus Himself.  At its worst, it reflects the reason we need Jesus.  Paul knows this.  He fought for it.  He paid a great price for its growth (albeit, a price not comparable with that of Jesus).

This humble apostle knows who he is and to Whom he belongs.  Friends, we are named after Him!  We are God's family!  Co-heirs with His Son!  Adopted by Him and belonging to Him!

 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.  Romans 8:17, NIV

. . . He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—   Ephesians 1:5, NIV

We do not belong here -- we belong in heaven . . . and heaven is a part of us here and now.  The family of God is Jew and Gentile alike, no matter whether you are slave or free! (Gal. 3:28)  And, here's a truth: we are both slave and free.  A slave to sins that still grip us, but, in Christ, we live a free life . . . no longer condemned by those sins . . . not controlled by those sins, but controlled by the Spirit of God.

 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2, NIV

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you.  Romans 8:9a, NIV

The Church Militant and Triumphant by Andrea da Firenze

The Church is alive.  It has overcome the forces of evil that have tried to destroy it time and again.  It is not a building.  It is a Body!  It is made up of men and women of all nationalities, different personalities, a plethora of gifts, many cracks and flaws . . . its head is Jesus, and, . . . it lives.

  And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.  Ephesians 1:22-23, NIV

Paul fought hard for this truth so that nothing would divide it, but, instead it would be the Church triumphant!  For this reason . . . he kneels.

This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what's coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him!  Romans 8:15-17, MSG

I kneel,
Kerry

THE PRICE TO BE PAID

Ephesians 3:10-13

His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory. 

. . .and from the Message:

Through followers of Jesus like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels! All this is proceeding along lines planned all along by God and then executed in Christ Jesus. When we trust in him, we're free to say whatever needs to be said, bold to go wherever we need to go. So don't let my present trouble on your behalf get you down. Be proud! 

Paul at His Writing Desk, Rembrandt

Ever had issues in your church that seem insurmountable?  Ever been hurt or let down by your church or someone in it -- a trusted friend, elder, pastor?  Ever find it difficult to be excited about going to church?  Difficult to feel inspired by sermon after sermon, tradition after tradition?  Honestly . . . yes.  Yes, to all.  Church is a messy place and it's filled with messed up humans all trying to do their best to live like something that resembles Christ and failing miserably a good percentage of the time.  Here's the good news, though: by some miracle, we display the glory of God to the angels!  Friends, this is no small statement!  Through all of our mess . . . through all of our failures . . . through all of the cracks and chips and flaws and stains of the broken vessels that make up the Church, we make the angels stand up and listen!  (I think I'd rather listen to them, but whatever.)  God's extraordinary plan to save us from the mess we are and remake us into people who live and love well is done only through His Son.  And, because His plan is eternal, it applies to all of history, as well.  That means that God's eternal plan to save us through His Son was doing its work in the sacrificial system in place throughout the Old Testament.  That system was meant to lead people to the grace and mercy of God -- in the same way Jesus' death on the cross, the ultimate and final sacrifice once for all, leads us to the grace and mercy of God.  (Hebrews 7:27)  This IS the "manifold wisdom," God's varied and diverse and complex plan to save us, that the angels love to hear us talk about and rejoice over!

Worship Painting by Jun Jamosmos

Considering this grand plan, Paul draws a conclusion: when we trust in Jesus, we have freedom to approach God with boldness -- with confidence, knowing that this plan to save us through the ultimate sacrifice really did work and God accepts us as we are!  (Hebrews 4:16)  When we come to God through His Son we walk through the blood that cleanses us from unrighteousness and walk into the all embracing, never failing love of God.

In verse 13, Paul rounds off this lengthy parenthetical statement of the administration of God's grace that has been entrusted to him by reminding his audience that his imprisonment (first mentioned in vs. 1) should not bring them discouragement.  It should instead bring them blessing and freedom.  The Apostle Paul knew the messy-ness of people.  He experienced the church with all its cracks and chips and flaws and stains and still believed in its potential to be a powerful force in the world -- just as God planned -- and he fought hard for her.  He paid a big price for her growth and expansion.  Paul saw his imprisonment, and all his sufferings for the gospel, as the price to be paid for the Gentiles to know the gospel.  That's HUGE!    How about you?  Do you see any of your sufferings as an opportunity for others to know the gospel -- to know the love of Christ?  I don't know.  I tend to wallow a bit in my trials.  Paul's life gives us much to think about.

Worship by Miki De Goodaboom

 Here we are two thousand years later and the Church still exists, more than that, lives . . . more than that, THRIVES!  Yes, the Church can be a messy place, but at her best, she is beautiful to behold and a force to be reckoned with.  I believe the angels still stand up and listen whenever we proclaim the gospel or whenever we live out God's plan as a part of His Church.  God's plans cannot be thwarted!

"I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted."

Job 42:2, NIV

Part of His Church,
Kerry

A SERVANT OF THE GOSPEL

Ephesians 3:7-9

I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.

And, from The Message Bible . . .

This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details. When it came to presenting the Message to people who had no background in God's way, I was the least qualified of any of the available Christians. God saw to it that I was equipped, but you can be sure that it had nothing to do with my natural abilities. And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along.

What do you think of when you hear the word "servant?"  You might think of the people you find in mansion environments who do all the work, like maids and grounds keepers -- those who do the bidding of the wealthiest sorts.  Or, maybe you take it all the way back to slavery -- those who were forced into the service of another, no choice, no voice in his or her lot or fate.  The most typical picture and definition of a servant, however, is a table waiter.  A table waiter is always at the bidding of his customers.  The Apostle Paul lives and works as a servant (whatever image you have) doing the bidding of Christ and His church.

Apostle Paul by Rembrandt

Paul considers his services to Christ and the church a gift -- a grace given to him by Christ.  He did nothing to deserve such an important role as "servant of the gospel."  God did it.  God gave it to him.  God took care of every detail in Paul receiving this grace.  All Paul did was breathe.

We talked a little about Paul's deep humility my last post.  If you still weren't sure about Paul as a humble sort, maybe this statement will help: "although I am less than the least of all God's people . . ."  Paul was always aware of his past as a hater of The Way, a hater and murderer of Christ followers.  Do you struggle with a sin in your life that is difficult to live down, one that is always haunting you, always reminding you of how wretched you were and therefore making you feel as if you do not deserve anything good from God, least of all His forgiveness and grace?  I am convinced that Paul, being ever so human like the rest of us, allowed himself to be kicked around between two worlds: the "worst of sinners" and "beloved by God."  We all find ourselves there sometimes. Yes?  But, here's the good news:

  Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. (1 Timothy 1:15, NIV)

and . . . 

Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. (Isaiah 1:18, NIV)

This past summer I had the privilege of teaching several 5th and 6th graders about God's Word at a little 3 day retreat.  One of the many crafts designed to emphasize and highlight God's truth was soap making.  Isaiah 1:18 was the verse used for this particular craft.  They learned that crimson was the color of a deep, red permanent dye and its deep stain was impossible to remove from clothing.  They also learned that God doesn't just cover up our sin, He lifts it out and completely removes it from our lives.  In the case of the crimson dye, no amount of bleaching or scrubbing or re-dying to another color would hide the stain.  It was always there for you and me and the entire world to see.
Sometimes the stain of sin seems equally permanent.  With God, that crimson red stain, impossible to remove in any other way, is lifted out.  Not covered up -- lifted out and removed!  What once was stained, is now white as snow, like the white wool of a an unblemished lamb.

And so. . . here is Paul, over his head in writing about things that go against everything he was taught as a young Jewish boy and student of the Law.  He learned from his own life that it's all about grace and mercy and God's love for all of humankind and . . . servanthood.  He lives and works in the service of Christ and His church bringing out into the open everything that our mysterious God had planned for His people from the beginning of creation: the mystery about His love and generosity through Jesus Christ, my Lord and yours!

A servant,
Kerry 

A MYSTERIOUS TRUTH

Ephesians 3:4-6

In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. 

And, from the Message Bible . . .

As you read over what I have written to you, you'll be able to see for yourselves into the mystery of Christ. None of our ancestors understood this. Only in our time has it been made clear by God's Spirit through his holy apostles and prophets of this new order. The mystery is that people who have never heard of God and those who have heard of him all their lives (what I've been calling outsiders and insiders) stand on the same ground before God. They get the same offer, same help, same promises in Christ Jesus. The Message is accessible and welcoming to everyone, across the board. 

We are still in the midst of a lengthy parenthetical statement.  Simply put, as the Ephesians re-read Paul's letter to them, they will be able to make their own judgment about whether the apostle has really grasped the essence of God's secret plan.  It seems that Paul's credibility was always in question because of how he became one of the apostles  Unlike Paul, the other apostles were apostles because they lived with, ate with, spoke with and learned from the Master, Jesus, during His 3 years of ministry on earth.  Paul became an apostle later after Jesus went up into heaven.  He's always having to defend his credibility as one of the apostles equal to Peter and John and the others.  Maybe that's why he's always so long winded and works so hard at driving his point home and explaining his message over and over again.  How about you?  Do you ever feel as if you have to defend yourself, your credibility?  At work?  At home?  As a Christian with some knowledge of scripture?  I bet we can all relate to Paul a bit here.

The Apostle Paul in Prison by Rembrandt

The mystery of Christ was simply this: Christ lives in and among His believers and gives us an unwarranted and unexplainable hope of eternal glory.  This mystery was not made known to the generations before them.  Paul extrapolates this mystery out a little further knowing what we now know.  This mystery extends to Gentiles, too.  Now, in and of itself, this is not news.  Genesis 12:3 says that through Israel ALL nations will be blessed.  We've talked in depth about Israel's important role to the other nations.  It was through Israel that the other nations would know the Living God -- the same as the church's role today.

The big news here is that the old theocracy is superseded by the body of Christ composed of Jews and Gentiles -- equally.  We stand together on the same ground.  The ground is level at the foot of the cross of Jesus.  The Jews were no longer the ones through whom God would speak and lead the nations.  The Church now takes that role.  The Church, as we know, is made up of any and all who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  It knows no distinction between Jew and Gentile, slave and free, rich and poor, married and divorced, etc.  If you believe in Jesus as Savior and confess Him as Lord, you are among those to whom this mystery extends.  The Message is accessible and welcoming to everyone, across the board.

Paul is exhaustive in his attempts to bring this point home -- to make it clear to Jew and Gentile alike -- to you and to me.  As far as his credibility goes, even the great apostle Paul had his insecurities.  Friends, if nothing else, this should make him someone to whom you can relate.

Living into the mystery,
Kerry

REACH HIGHER, LIVE BETTER, LOVE MORE FULLY

Ephesians 3:2-3

Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 

Sometimes, many times, I am most grateful for the Message bible and Eugene Peterson's fresh interpretation of God's Holy Word.  It takes what SHOULD be a simple message, made somewhat convoluted by other interpretations (like the NIV, for instance) and makes it just that, simple.  Here it is from the Message:

I take it that you're familiar with the part I was given in God's plan for including everybody. I got the inside story on this from God himself, as I just wrote you in brief.

 Verses 2-13 seem to be parenthetical.  Paul really is the master at this type of writing.  What humors me about this little passage is the phrase "as I have already written briefly."  I would argue that Paul knows how to write on anything "briefly."  His idea of "brief" and my idea of "brief" are two different things.  Chances are, if he was writing books today, he wouldn't have much of a following.  People today would probably say things like, "he's too wordy;" "it takes him too long to get to the point;" "he's too hard to follow."  Although all that may be accurate, the truth is, he is brilliant and altogether humble.  Qualities that don't always mesh together in an individual.

Very few people in scripture can claim to hold the trophy on legalistic righteousness (Philippians 3:6) and then turn around and write a flaming manifesto on the need for God's grace (Galatians) like the apostle Paul.  I've known more than a few people in my life who do not like Paul and have a hard time appreciating his writings.  Not me.  I think his life is fascinating and his writings challenge me.

One of the most intriguing things about Paul is how, at first glance, he comes off as hard-nosed and black and white about everything.  Upon further study of Paul's life and motives and personality, however, you find a man who is not hard-nosed at all.  On the contrary!  He is very tender to those around him and so in love with the One who saved him that day on the road to Damascus that it causes him to speak out relentlessly about God's love and grace.  It's Paul's tenacious personality along with his brilliant intellect that makes him a force to be reckoned with.  And this would be true no matter the group of people that might have laid claim to his loyalties.  It is his humble attitude, humility taught him by the same One who humbles each of us, that allows him and moves him to challenge each one of us to be more than we are right now.  To reach higher and live better and love more fully as we take each breath of life given us by the One who created us.  That's what I hear the Apostle saying to me.

All of that to say, these two verses are not as complicated as they sound.  Paul is simply being conversational.  When you read verses 2-13 like they were in parenthesis, you read it with a bit more understanding.  As he has explained throughout this letter, several times, because he is not "brief," his commission is to the Gentiles and this commission is from God himself.  It's a reminder.  Thank you Mr. Peterson for your simple and fresh approach to God's word.

Reaching higher, living better, loving more fully,
Kerry

FOR THIS REASON . . .

Ephesians 3:1

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— 

Paul's great desire was for the Church to rise up and continue to grow and build.  Paul has made certain that the Ephesians know and understand ALL THAT GOD HAS DONE to bring it about!  And, we have spent weeks learning this as well!  So, it's for THAT reason . . . so for this reason . . . what?  What is the apostle trying to say here? He doesn't finish his thought.  At least not yet.  "I, Paul," the apostle who can write in "asides" and "digressions" without us ever even realizing it, who so fluently and fluidly writes under the influence of his mad passions and mad skills and mad knowledge of truth . . . doesn't finish this thought until verse 14 where he softly and humbly says, "For this reason . . . I kneel . . ."  We'll have to wait a few weeks to finish his thought. Whatever he is trying to say, it if for this reason: the Church, this mystery wrapped in flesh.  In the meantime, we will sort out all that's in between verses 1 and 14.  (It's kind of like he put a really long thought in parenthesis between 1 and 14.)

St. Paul in Prison by Rembrandt

Paul is a prisoner in Rome.  Paul, however, refuses to regard himself as a victim either of the Jews or of the Roman emperor, rather, he is the prisoner of Christ Jesus.  This statement alone marks him as a true apostle.  It is because of his calling to the Gentiles that the Jews had him thrown in prison.  In Acts 21 we read this account.  Paul arrived in Jerusalem and was immediately warned by fellow Jewish believers that Jews from the province of Asia were in hot pursuit of him, watching for any reason to accuse him of breaking Jewish law.  When they sited Paul in the city with Trophimus, an Ephesian convert, they assumed that Paul had paraded him inside the temple area.  This would be a stretch of an accusation since a) it was forbidden in Jewish law for Gentiles to enter the temple, an act requiring the punishment of death for the gentile who entered; b) Paul was extremely educated in Jewish law and would not have been so careless as to risk the life of Trophimus in such a way; and, c) the law required that Trophimus be punished for entering the temple, not Paul.  They were looking for a reason to imprison Paul -- to stop him from including Gentiles in the promises of God and in the process converting Jews to believers in Jesus Christ as Messiah.

His calling was to the Gentiles but he also loved his fellow Jews.  Paul, a Jew of Jews, zealous for the law, once a Pharisee and persecutor of those who belonged to the Way . . . it is for the sake of the Gentiles that he is imprisoned.  Refusing victim status, no whining or complaining about his circumstances, is a prisoner of Jesus Christ whether he is in chains or walking free -- his status and calling is sure.

. . .circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.  But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  Philippians 3:5-7, NIV

Kneeling,
Kerry

WONDER OF WONDERS!

Ephesians 2:19-22

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. 

Because of a promise God made to Abraham, the Gentiles were on the outside looking in.  God promised Abraham that from his ancestors a great nation would emerge and He would be their God and they would be His people.  The Gentiles were allowed into citizenship in Israel as long as they adhered to circumcision and followed the laws of the Living God -- the laws God gave to Israel.  The requirements for the Gentiles were no different than the requirements of the Jews.  But . . . we've been through all of that.  Here's the good news: we are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people because Jesus made it possible through His death.  In Him we are one with no barrier between us.

The Cornerstone by Richard Tuvey

Paul paints a wonderful picture of architecture, community and family by calling us a household.  The foundation, the mortar being the apostles and prophets.  Typically, Paul attributes the title "foundation" to Jesus, but here he attributes it to the apostles and prophets who were witnesses to the resurrection appearances of Jesus and who preached the good news.  And, also typically, when a New Testament writer refers to "prophets" they are referring to the prophets of old, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, etc., but here Paul is referring to the prophets of a new Israel.  The apostles and prophets who established the church, Paul, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, etc. by preaching God's message of salvation through Jesus Christ.  And, Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone.  In ancient times, "cornerstone" was referred to as the capstone or building stone.  Placed first before all other stones, it covered a right angle joining two walls together and held the whole building together.  Often a royal name was  inscribed on it and in some parts of the world it was considered more important than the foundation.  Paul expounds on this idea and so the purpose behind Paul calling Jesus the chief cornerstone was in the image of being "joined together" into one building, one household, by one chief cornerstone.

So with that image in mind, Paul takes a jab at the Ephesian gods of the day by claiming that this building of God rises to become a holy temple.  Now, "temple" is surely a term that the Jews understood since the days of Moses, but Ephesus was steeped in a cult religion that worshiped the goddess Artemis whose temple was so magnificent that it was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. 

Ruins of the ancient temple

The new Church rises, and continues to rise, continues to build.  The process of joining together the two families into one household began with Jesus Christ, the chief cornerstone, and it continues to this day.  Churches work together to put differences aside, individuals work to put differences behind them.  This continual "building" has centuries of proof behind it that it cannot be destroyed.  It will not be left in ruins like the cult temples of old.  It is the dwelling of the Living God made possible by His Spirit.  The Church is truly the greatest wonder of them all!

Rising up!
Kerry

ONE NEW HUMANITY

Ephesians 2:14-18

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Rainbow in My Hand by Gwen Meharg

God never intended for a great barrier of hostility to exist between the Jews and the other nations.  God only intended for the Jews to be set apart and used for God's glory with the result being that other peoples and nations would see the difference between the Living God and the false gods they were worshiping.  He wanted the other nations to see that He was a God of grace and mercy and love, that He created them and would therefore care and provide for them, and that He NEVER demanded the sacrifice of their children to appease His anger.  But, instead of the nations always seeing that through the Jews relationship with the Living God, the Jews shut them out and soon it developed into an "us" against "them" mentality.  But, to be fair, if I was part of a nation that God used to wipe out entire people groups, I might gain that mentality myself.  It would be easy to get confused in such a situation.  What's important to remember here is that God didn't wage war on people groups to prove the superiority of the Israelites, He did it to prove His own superiority as the God of gods, the Living God over all the other gods in a world where many, many false gods were being heavily worshiped and to whom children were being sacrificed. (Romans 1:20-25 and Jeremiah 7:31-32 and Leviticus 20:2, Deuteronomy 9:4-5)

Painting of Nineveh capital of Ashur ca 700 BC

The book of Jonah is such a great example of God's great mercy and grace to the other nations. When God sent Jonah to warn the Ninevites that judgment and wrath were coming to them, Jonah ran away.  He would have sooner drowned in the sea than give the Ninevites opportunity to turn to God.  The Ninevites were part of "them" -- they were Gentiles and enemies of Israel.  Jonah did finally give them God's message, albeit very begrudgingly, the Ninevites repented and turned to God for mercy.  Guess what God did?  He extended mercy to them and told Jonah,

"And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?" (Jonah 4:11, NIV)

Any move towards God and God reaches out His long arm of mercy and grace, rescues those that were lost and far away and brings them near where they find peace.

God had commanded the Jews to care for the the foreigner and alien.  Any foreigner or alien who became one of their servants or who sought refuge with the Israelites was to be included as one of the Israelites:

"When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God." Leviticus 19:33-34, NIV

They were to be allowed to glean from their harvest fields and the Jews were commanded to leave what was dropped and to leave the corners of their fields alone so the poor and hungry, no matter who they were, could eat.

"When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the LORD your God." Leviticus 19:9-10

There is no place in God's economy or law for "us" and "them."

Paul points out that in Christ, through His sacrifice, there is no dividing line.  The Jews no longer have to follow all of the rules and regulations that kept them separate from the other nations.  The Jews are no longer the only ones through whom God speaks and shows Himself mighty.  We see all of that now as one body of believers, one church through which Jesus Christ is worshiped as King and Savior and through whom we all have access to the Living God -- Jew and Gentile alike.  He brought peace to all the nations -- whether we live into it or not.  Christ and no one else has solved the problem of our relationship with God and with each other.

Remember, Paul's objective in the letter to the Ephesians is to take them higher and help them rise above the day to day sins that beset each of us, to root them deeper into the truth of God's word and to widen their scope of understanding about who God is and His purpose for humankind.  He's telling them and us, "Enough with the walls and barriers you put up between you and them.  In Christ, those walls and barriers DO NOT exist.  Out of the two worlds, Jew and Gentile, Christ has made a new creation.  One that is at peace.  One that strives to love each other.  One that no longer emphasizes the differences, but embraces the unity of Christ's sacrifice for all."  We are one in Christ.

In unity,
Kerry

JEW AND GENTILE: DIFFERENT AND THE SAME

Ephesians 2:11-13

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 

It's easy to read these verses and gather the impression that Paul is pointing out the low class of the Gentiles and how it's only by God's good graces that they would be considered for inclusion into God's kingdom with the Jews.  And, all of that is true, only not in the sense that you might think.

The Gentiles, those not born of Jewish descent, you and me, were simply that -- not born of Jewish descent.  That's the only real difference between us as human beings . . . different from the Jews, that is.  Once again Paul is drawing the distinction that because that is the only thing that separates, there is really nothing that separates us.  In Bible times, circumcision was the outward sign that set you apart as a member of the Jewish race of people.  God had Abraham circumcise himself and his entire household, sons, grandsons, servants, slaves and foreigners and aliens that were among them as a sign of the covenant between him and God.  The covenant was this: for Abraham's part, the Lord alone would be his God, whom he would trust and serve; for God's part, He would be with Abraham and his descendants and make them a great nation because of Abraham's faith and that He would be with them and be their God. (Genesis 17:1-14)

As time went on, the Jews used the term "uncircumcised" in a very contemptuous way, believing and pointing out the Gentiles lowly state of their soul.  Paul, on the other hand, is simply using the term here to make his point (hence the quotation marks) that "circumcised" or "uncircumcised" doesn't matter because circumcision is only something that is done to the flesh . . . by human hands.  What matters is if our hearts, not our bodies, bear the mark of the covenant promise . . . of the Eternal One who brings us near to Him and gives us citizenship in His kingdom. 

Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. Deuteronomy 10:16-19, NIV

A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God. Romans 2:28-29, NIV

It's true, there was definitely a distinction between Jew and Gentile, but not in a spiritual sense.  The distinction was made through Abraham.  Because Abraham had faith in God, God chose him to bring the blessings of God to the rest of the world, to the foreigners and aliens . . . those outside of Abraham's descendants.  Abraham's descendants became the Jewish nation.  God chose Abraham's descendants to do a special work. 

What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.  Romans 3:1-2, NIV

. . . the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.  Romans 9:4-5, NIV

The Jews were given the special tasks of bringing God's word through history, they were the picture of adoption into God's family and they enjoyed the glory of God's presence (like with the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night as in Exodus 13:21-22).  God made his covenant with them to bless all the peoples of the earth through them.  In the receiving of the law He gave to them the standard of living for all people, and He didn't just speak the law to them, He wrote it on stone tablets.  These tablets became prize possessions to the Jews symbolizing their relationship with God.  He gave to them the standard for worship and the precious promise of a Savior.  And, not at all least of these, is the patriarchs.  God was pleased to be the Father of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and it was through these faithful few that we trace the human ancestry of Jesus.

So, yes.  There was a distinction between being Jew and being Gentile in terms of responsibility to the human race.  BUT, that in no way means that there is a distinction between Jew and Gentile in terms of the spiritual condition of our souls.  The Jews were chosen for the task of showing the rest of the world, the foreigner and the alien, the non-Jew, who this living God was, but they still had to circumcise their heart.  Being chosen by God to do this work did not negate their own need for God's grace and mercy.  They still had to come to God the same way the Gentiles had to, in faith . . . like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Being a Jew did not gain them access into God's presence.  Faith did.

These verses go on to tell us that the Gentile was separated from Christ and excluded from citizenship in Israel, going through life unaware of the covenants and promises and without hope of really knowing the God who created them.  Again, that was Israel's job.  They were to love the foreigner and alien and, in the Old Testament, if the foreigner and alien were willing to be circumcised, then they were to be counted as part of Israel.  It's no different now, New Testament life.  Those outside of the knowledge of salvation, those who haven't yet believed, go through this life unaware of God's love and hope and knowledge of the God who loves them.  Paul tells us that now, through Christ's work on the cross, through His blood, those outside do not need to remain outside, unaware.  The work of Christ is for us all.  We no longer depend on Israel to be God's messengers.  They did their job.  We have God's word and it tells us everything we need to know about who we are, who God is, how we should live, whom we should love, how much God loves us, the message of the cross and blood that leads us to life.

The message is this:  there is no difference between us or anyone else -- Jew, European, African, Indian, Middle Easterner, or American.  In God's economy no one is any lower class than the other.  And, God is not begrudgingly allowing us the opportunity to gain eternal life with Him.  He is GLADLY holding out the promises to you and to me!  He has gone to the most extreme lengths to insure our salvation.  His grace is extravagant and it lavishly ushers those on the outside in as soon as they desire it.  We all must come to the same place the same way: to the cross in faith (like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) believing that through Jesus' blood we are brought near to the throne of God, the Ruler of all who live, who will live and have ever lived.

In Christ's family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal. That is, we are all in a common relationship with Jesus Christ. Also, since you are Christ's family, then you are Abraham's famous "descendant," heirs according to the covenant promises.  Galatians 3:28-29, MSG

In faith,
Kerry

A GOOD LIFE

Ephesians 2:10

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. 

This verse shows us that one of the things that salvation is intended for is to produce the good works that bear out its reality, its truth.  Let's be clear here.  "Works" plays NO PART in securing salvation.  It is, however, how we prove our faith. 

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:14-17, NIV

You are God's handiwork.  Handiwork means to have the characteristic quality of a particular maker.  It's like when you look at a Van Gogh painting, you can tell it's a Van Gogh.  It has that distinctive look and feel to it.

YOU are God's handiwork!  You have the touch of the Maker all over you!  And, what's more, the good works you are to do, the good life you were meant to live, were created in advance for you to do!  Let me try to explain.  In Genesis 1:26 it says this:

"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image . . .'" 

The "us" and "our" in that verse clearly indicate that God, the Creator-King, is not alone.  The idea of the Trinity is introduced for the first time here and God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are actively involved in the work of creation together.  In John 1:1-3, the apostle is talking about "the Word," referring to Jesus, as being with God in the beginning and that "the Word" was God and that

"through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." 

Jesus was with God in the beginning, active in creation and is, in fact, God.  And, YOU, dear Believer, were created by Jesus himself with the idea that you would put your faith in Him on display by the good effort you put forth at living the life He gave you.  Better put: the good life, or the life of goodness, that having faith in Christ produces was prepared for Believers from the beginning.  It was meant for you from the beginning of time to live a good life, or to live a life of goodness.  And, that life of goodness will demonstrate the reality of our salvation.  Furthermore, you cannot boast about this life of goodness because even IT has its source in God -- the One who made it possible.


For goodness sake,
Kerry

I LOVE THAT I'M LOVED!

Ephesians 2:8-9

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. 

Let's keep this simple and to the point.  You did nothing to warrant, deserve or contribute to God's gracious act on your behalf.  Salvation is His gift to you.  Furthermore, the faith it takes to believe cannot even be produced by you.  The faith it takes to believe in this gift of salvation is simply a trustful response on your part.  A trustful response.  He already did the work to bring you to this place of trust, and trust is your response to that work.  It is not to be misconstrued as an effort or action on your part that helped the process along.  It's like simply loving to be loved.  You did nothing to be loved by God or to earn that love.  Loving that your loved by Him is your response to a God that loves you!  The Holy Spirit produces faith in us.  We cannot produce it ourselves.  Salvation is a gift of God's grace; it is the unmerited favor of God to you and to me.  To take any credit, or to boast about any action on my part in achieving salvation is altogether out of place.

He did it all!  I love that I'm loved!
Kerry

Images for this post can be found at www.freymanc.com.

RAISED UP AND SEATED!

Ephesians 2:6-7

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 

In my last post, we talked about how Paul points out 3 things that God did for us in Christ in these verses (5-7).  The first one is that He "made us alive with Christ."  The second thing He did for us is "raised us up" and the third thing is He "seated us with him in the heavenly realms."  When reading these few verses, it's easy to feel a little disoriented and bewildered by the picture we're given and by the words used to convey this message.  I mean, seriously . . . I don't feel raised up from anything today and I don't think I'm sitting in the heavenly realms right now.  With all that life has put on my plate today, I'm pretty sure I feel like I'm right here, right now, on earth in this mortal body.  You with me on this one?  But, let's just break it down a bit and find the literal parts of the symbolic.  Understanding these verses are key to understanding the reality of our salvation.

"The Redeemed Walked There" by Marcia Hinds

The actual part of this story is that Jesus actually left the tomb where he was laid as a dead man and appeared to His disciples, alive.  Forty days later He ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father.  That's the literal part of this story.  Our part in this story is that we participate with Him in this.  Here's how:

• We literally anticipate resurrection and glorification with Him in the coming age.  When we die and leave our mortal bodies behind, we live on in a new body (whatever that may look like!).  Death did not keep Jesus in the tomb, and it will not keep us lying in a grave, non-existent, with no life to live. 
• We can face each day knowing how temporal this mortal life is.  Yes, we have problems to deal with, car repairs to be paid for, health issues niggling at us, (insert your own here) . . . but, Friends, it IS temporary.   

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."  2 Corinthians 4:17-18, NIV

And, know this: I AM NOT making light of the problems you face today.  I have my own and I know that they are small by comparison to some who face much greater tragedies than I.  I am not blind to what's going on this world.  Life -- this life! -- is full of problems that must be solved, decisions that must be made.  The apostle just wants us to understand that there is something greater in this life with Christ that transcends every problem we face today.  And, that "something greater" is eternal life!

• Because we have been seated with Him in the heavenly realms, we participate with Him in His action in this world -- in this life. 

Our problems are opportunities for His glory and our decisions make a difference in the lives of people around us.  Here's the good news: every problem, every decision is weighed at the throne of God and weaved into the story of humankind.  Now, how I handle my problem of paying for my car repair today may not seem consequential to humankind or history, but how I face problems like this IS consequential to those around me -- my family and friends.  Will I give them a picture of faith and of a God who loves me enough to be involved in my life?  Or, will I give them a picture of a small life with eyes that can't see past the nose on my face? 

http://www.sonoitacrossroads.org/sv/character.html

God wants to show off and demonstrate His great love for us in the lives around us . . . in the lives to come . . . and in the lives of the past.  By raising us up and seating us in the heavenly realms, He shows off His greatness and love to those who will believe and to those who already believe.  We certainly do not deserve this participation with Him and He didn't have to make this part of the deal of our salvation in Jesus Christ.  But He did!  You could call this act of grace His "publicity program" for the whole of history and beyond.  He planned a continual exhibition of His favor towards humankind to cover all of history, all of the future and into eternity.  His great riches toward us are "incomparable!"  His kindness to us in life is shown in His act of love to us through Jesus Christ.

Life moves on and you cannot stop it.  Problems come and go -- there is always something to be stressed about.  But you are part of a bigger, grander picture, one that includes life eternal.  God planned for you and had you in mind at the creation of the world, so you have always been a part of this grand story of life. This life is a stop along the way and you will go on from here because of His great love!

Exhibiting His favor,
Kerry

NOTORIETY AND RENOWN - THAT'S YOU AND ME

Ephesians 2:4-5

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 

"New Thing" by Gwen Meharg  www.drawneartogod.com

Human beings are renowned for rejecting God.  We are notorious for this behavior.  Throughout all of history, human beings have rejected their Creator and instead given their hearts to created things. 

"For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. . . They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen." Romans 1:21-23, 25, NIV 

I am no exception.  I remember well when I was one of the walking dead.  But in spite of this churlish behavior, Paul says that God loves me -- loves us.  He loves us in spite of it all!  Meditate on that for a minute.  Swallow it and internalize it.  In spite of it ALL . . . He LOVES us!  He didn't let our constant rejection of Him stand in the way of the great love He has for us!  Can you say the same?  Most of us have faced rejection of some kind and we always feel like it is unwarranted.  And rejection always hurts.  And, most of the time, when we face rejection from someone, we reject them back.  But not our God.  His love for us led to mercy.  We reject Him and He showers love on us.  It is difficult to fathom.  Instead of loving us even more, He could have destroyed such a rebellious and unlovely creation such as human beings.  And He would be justified.  Instead, He sees our weaknesses and flaws and unholy behavior and is moved to mercy.  He does not approve of our rebellion and unholy behavior, but He does approve of His creation -- you and me.  He made a way for you and me to find our way back to Him and to change our "walking dead" ways.  That way is Jesus Christ.  It works like this: when we were the most unlovable, Jesus stood in the way and God looked through Him and saw us . . . cleaned up, standing firm, living right, giving back, loving Him!  Because of Jesus, we are alive and well!

He is Risen by Paula Maybery

In verse 5, Paul points out one of 3 things that God did for us in Christ.  The first one is He "made us alive with Christ."  (The other 2 we will discuss in my next post.)  God gave us new life together "with Christ."  It's like a partnership (although we can take no credit for this partnership).  We were dead in transgressions . . . Jesus died on a cross.  When Jesus beat death by overcoming the grave, we too were given new life.  Death and the grave could not hold Jesus and it cannot hold us now, either.  We no longer have to live this life as a dead person.  We live because HE lives!  It was an act of God's power that Jesus was literally raised from the dead . . . it's an act of God's grace that we are literally given new life with Him.  Because of God's grace we share this life with Christ.  Mercy overflowed from God's heart at the cross right to you and me.  We deserve death but we got life = mercy.  We do not deserve life, but we got it anyway = grace.

Here's the good news, friends: you are no longer dead . . . you are ALIVE because God LOVES you!  God's loving heart holds a treasury of mercy and it cannot be exhausted.

"Yet this I call to mind
   and therefore I have hope: 

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
   for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
   great is your faithfulness." 

Lamentations 3:21-23, NIV

"It wasn't so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn't know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It's a wonder God didn't lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah."

Ephesians 2:4-5, The Message

May grace rain down on you today!
Kerry

DEAD OR ALIVE! PART II: WALK -ABOUT

 Ephesians 2:2-3

 . . . in 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.  All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 

You were dead in your transgressions and sins in which you used to live. The word here "live" in the Greek literally means "walk about." That's right! Like in Australia when you hear them talking about going "walk about." There it means they're going to go travel about a bit and see what they can see. It has a similar meaning here only add a zombie-like attitude to the traveler. This is how you used to walk about this life before you came to know Jesus. The walking dead. Transgressions and sins used to be your manner of living. True life, real life, was not something you could grasp, although it was always within your reach. It's like being in a prison cell with the keys hanging within reach right outside the bars, but you don't see them or know they're there.

The evil one, the devil, is identified here as the ruler of the kingdom of the air. Taken literally, the air signifies the atmosphere around the earth and the earth is Satan's abode. According to ancient cosmology, the atmosphere was believed to be the habitation of demons. I'm sure you would agree that it's not a big stretch to see this world as being ruled by the evil one. When you consider everything that bombards us on the daily news reports, it's certainly easy to see the evil one at work. That's not to say that the work of the Holy Spirit isn't just as prevalent -- but those reports never hit the daily news. The devil is the spirit who is at work in those who are disobedient -- those who refuse to believe in the saving power of Jesus Christ. He is constantly at work keeping God's creation from choosing life -- from becoming alive and aware of the life God created for you. But, take heart. The Holy Spirit is also constantly at work in those of us who are obedient to call of Christ.

Paul started out in chapter 2 addressing the Gentile Christians, but in verse 3 he's addresses the Jews. Jewish believers were no better, despite their inclination that God's promises to them somehow made them better people and exempt from God's wrath. All of us have lived in the grip of sin, Paul included. "This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Romans 3:22-24, NIV  Human beings are sinful and we have numerous ways (too numerous to count, actually) of expressing our sinful side. We lie, we lust, we hate, we seek revenge, we are ungrateful. In fact, we are so sinful by nature that we need very little help from the devil, if any at all. One thing about Paul, he is very clear on the condition of humankind. Gentile, Jew . . . we're all the same and we all have to come to the same place to gain life: the foot of the cross. You have to remember that when Paul wrote this letter he was a Jew of the highest quality, sent to minister to the Gentiles, who every Jew considered to be of lesser quality, and had to find a way to make this Gospel message real and appealing and believable to both. He could not allow the Jewish believers to think of themselves as better nor could he allow the Gentiles to think of themselves as unworthy of God's promises. Therefore, we are ALL deserving of God's wrath.

Alive! Gwen Meharg

Here's what Paul is saying: though you lived, you used to be counted among the dead and those that followed the evil one and his ways, even without knowing it. But not now, believer. Yes, you still sin. We all do. The difference is transgressions and sins no longer define who you are. It's true for all of us. I'm not better than you and you're not better than me. We were all there at one time, ruled by sin and deserving God's anger. Faith, love, truth, life . . . these are the things that define you now. You walk about this life ALIVE!  The devil may rule this earth, but Jesus Christ rules your heart!

Defined by Life,
Kerry

DEAD OR ALIVE!

Art by Christella: http://christellaart.blogspot.com/

Ephesians 2:1

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins. . .

In our natural, physical state, death seems so final . . . the end of a life.  And, clearly, there is that aspect to death: finality.  In death our physical bodies cease to live.  The "physical," however, is not all that we are.  Thankfully.  We are also spiritual beings.  As Christians, we believe that we live on even after our physical bodies die.  But the apostle Paul is not talking about a physical death here.  The type of death he is talking about, however, is very real and very present.  It's like living without life.

"As for you" is directed once again to the Gentiles believers.  (Make no mistake, however, the apostle will throw the Jewish believers, himself included, into this mix as well a few verses from now.)  "As for you, [Gentile believers,] you were dead in your transgressions and sins."  Our spirit is the essence of who we are.  It is the most vital part of our personality and it's dead to the most important factor in life -- God.  When we come to the cross we receive new life and the forgiveness of our sins.  The God of the universe, the Creator of our souls, IS life and the only way to real life.  Without the death of our Savior, Jesus, and without the atonement made for us at the cross, we are the walking dead.  We live but we are not alive.  God's mercy and forgiveness have always been available to us, even before Christ walked this earth.  But since Christ came, mercy and forgiveness comes to us by means of the cross -- by the death of Jesus.  When we accept those terms, life begins anew to us.  Our spirits become alive and intrinsically aware of something greater than ourselves.  Our sense of belonging and of being loved awakens.  On the other hand, however, so does our understanding of transgressions and sins.  And so the clean-up process begins.  We have been made aware of our state.  No longer dead.  New life. 

The essence of this verse, however, is not so much about death as it is about life.  Yes, we become aware of the multiplicity of ways in which we have sinned, but we also become aware of the One who has forgiven us these many sins.  We become aware of the life He has given us and multiplicity of ways in which He has shown His love to us.  For those to whom Paul is speaking, Gentile believers, you and me, we were dead but now we live!  Life begins with God

"Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live."  Isaiah 55:3, NIV

Alive!
Kerry

LIVING IN EPHESUS

Before I go on to discussing chapter 2 in the book of Ephesians, let me give you a little background on the city of Ephesus. When the Apostle Paul started the church in Ephesus and at the time of his writing the letter to the Ephesians, the city of Ephesus was a metropolis surrounded by 230 independent communities within the Roman province of Asia.  The harbor of Ephesus was one of the main routes to the eastern empire and the metropolis of Ephesus had few equals.  It ranked with Rome and Corinth and Antioch and Alexandria.

Paul was under house detention in Rome at the time of this writing, but enjoyed the privileges of many visitors.  Many, including representatives from the Jewish community, came to him inquiring about Christianity.  He received visitors from many of the churches he started all wanting instruction and direction regarding problems that had arisen among their congregations.  Although still so new, Christianity was quickly gaining ground.  These new believers and new churches did not hold in their possession the entire word of God as we have it today.  They clung to words of instruction and direction given to them by letters written by the apostle and circulated them from church to church.  As easy as it is for us today to go to the Word and find truth and food for our hungry souls we still get messed up in the way we think and act. You can imagine how difficult it was for these new congregations to stay on the right track having only, in many cases, the remembrance of what the apostle Paul had to say to them from God's heart.

One of the most important aspects of the letter to the Ephesians is its call to unity.  A hymn of unity, one might say.  God's ultimate purpose is "to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ." (1:10)  And, Jesus has been appointed "head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." (1:22-23)  Unity was highly sought after in the first century A.D.  The Roman Empire believed they were achieving unity due to the fact that much of the Mediterranean world was unified under its rule.  Because of this fact, they had visions of a universal commonwealth. The philosophers of the day were recognizing an order to the universe and many of the popular cults were offering a sense a oneness in their religious practices.  They were a little obsessed with unity and Paul was trying to teach them that only through Christ, the supreme Head, and through His Lordship will true and lasting unity be found.  All of this is very familiar to us today. Yes?

Through this letter, Paul's desire is to take this group of people, and anyone else who finds this letter, beyond the daily mishaps of church life and beyond the day to day struggle of sin. In this letter, he doesn't deal with particular sins or correct wrong thinking or expose false teaching. Paul's desire is to transcend the every day battles of sin and and to rise above the argument of whether the Church had the right to exist.  It's like he caught a vision of the true body of Christ and the fellowship that is to be among us and how we are to exist in a hostile world. He also caught a vision of reconciliation between the entire universe and Christ. In essence, the apostle wants his readers to rise above and go deeper. Only in true submission to the Head of all things will we find true unity. Only in recognizing the One who is Lord, this one Lord over all who gave us incredible gifts to live well and right, will we overcome the every day struggle of sin. We cannot live as an island but, instead, we must live and function within this body which belongs to Christ, is made up of Christ, is held together by Christ, is filled up with Christ and filled by Christ.  In so doing we understand who we really are.

Rising above and going deeper,
Kerry