EMMDEV 2011-10-27 [Ephesians] Digressions 4 - unthwarted

13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory. Ephesians3:13

Paul started the chapter wanting to pray for the Ephesians, but he digressed. The reason for his digression was the fact of his imprisonment which was paradoxical to the freedom and peace he wrote about in ch.2.

This is a paradox we struggle with. We know of the victory of the cross and the empty tomb. We find it hard to accept that the gospel - the "good news" - so often comes through broken people and in broken circumstances.

It is hard to accept that the same church that was responsible for the Crusades and the Inquisitions is still being used by God. It is difficult to accept that the people who lead us to Christ sometimes have feet of clay. It is confusing that coming to Christ can result in rejection by family or social circles. It's hard to understand that trouble, hardship and even imprisonment can happen to the children of God.

The so-called "prosperity gospel" (in its worst form) tells us that we are "kings kids" and that our wallets should be loaded, our circumstances peachy and our victories sure. But the real truth is that our Saviour was tougher than the nails. The early Christians retained their faith in spite of hardship. The real gospel isn't the absence of trouble - it is the hope and fortitude to overcome. Trouble doesn't thwart the gospel.

You and I should not be dismayed or discouraged at trouble. Jesus, our champion and hero, overcame a "perfect storm" of trouble and He will help us.

Paul sees his imprisonment as an opportunity for the Ephesians: he's stuck in prison and so baton goes to them! The gospel is unthwarted!!!

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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/

EMMDEV 2011-10-26 [Ephesians] Digressions 3 - Purpose

10 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, 11 according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. Ephesians3:10-12

Paul is still digressing: He is trying to explain that his imprisonment is not a setback, but that that God is still at work. He has argued this in two ways already:
1. Mystery: The way God works in the world is greater than we can grasp - the wonder of the mystery is greater than our suffering.
2. Privilege: Paul sees it as a privilege to be part of God's plan - even in suffering.

And now we come to his third argument: Purpose.
Paul sees the church as the agent of revelation and disclosure making the wisdom of God known to all including "rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms."

Our purpose is to glorify God.
Our purpose is to lift up Jesus Christ as Lord.
Our purpose is to show others that we can approach God with "freedom and confidence."

Some feel that the "God's glory" being the purpose of the universe makes God a narcissist...
And, if God were not completely good, then this accusation would be true BUT because God _is_ completely good, His being glorified is the best thing that could possibly happen to the universe and us.

Paul's imprisonment took the focus off Paul and placed it on Christ alone. Christ, whose grace, love and salvation are not frustrated by prison bars.

Have you thought about God's glory and how it is portrayed in your life - even in your weakness?

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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/

EMMDEV 2011-10-21 [Ephesians] Digressions 2 - privilege

7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. 8 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, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. Ephesians3:7-9

Paul's digression continues... Even though he is in prison, Paul does not focus on his circumstances but on his privilege. He feels privileged that he has become a servant of the gospel and that God has called him to serve.

Paul is painfully aware of his past as a persecutor of the faithful and a legalistic bigot... This makes him even more grateful for the grace and privilege he has been given to proclaim the gospel.

Paul is very excited to be able to share his faith! This passage reverberates and shakes with the passion Paul has for the message. Look how he describes it:
- Preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ
- Making plain the administration of the mystery

Paul is thrilled to speak of the glory and majesty of Christ. He loves to tell what Christ has done for a fallen world. He feels privileged to explain "administration (economy) of the mystery": how the story unfolds through Moses and the Prophets and the whole of the Old Testament until the time was right for Christ to come.

Paul doesn't see the bars of the prison he writes from - he sees a needy world that needs to hear the glorious salvation message and he counts it a huge privilege to tell others about Christ.

How do you feel about having a wonderful Saviour and message to share?

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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/

EMMDEV 2011-10-20 [Ephesians] Digressions 1 - mystery

1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles -- 2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 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. 6 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.
Ephesians3:1-6

A professor we love very much had the habit of holding his index finger upright while he was digressing from the main (examinable) theme of his lecture. We loved this for two reasons: his digressions were always fascinating _and_ we could rest our hands from frantic note-taking.

In vs.1 Paul is about to pray for the Ephesians, but as he mentions the fact that he is in prison as he writes to them - he is caught up with the thought that there is a tension. The tension is that he has spoken to them about freedom in Christ and yet he is in prison. He is concerned that they may read "failure" into his circumstances, and so he digresses...

The digression has to do with "mystery":
- The mystery of God's grace given to us to give to others (v.2-3)
- The mystery of Christ (v.4-5)
- The mystery that Gentiles can be part of the body of Christ (v.6)

The best way to describe Paul's use of the word "mystery" is to describe it as something that is "beyond our grasp" - something that leaves him "gobsmacked."

* Paul is gobsmacked that the God's grace would be "administered"* through him.
* He is gobsmacked at the Incarnation - that God's son would take on our humanity and be revealed to us.
* He is gobsmacked that those who were far are now near to God.

All three of the above-mentioned scenarios are highly unlikely and yet they are true! Only God can do this!!!
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* The word "administration" in Greek is the word from which we get "economy" - Paul is saying that he is gobsmacked that the economy (the orderly execution of a plan) of God includes little-old-him to reach the gentiles.

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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/

EMMDEV 2011-10-19 [Ephesians] Conclusion - ch.2

All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. Ephesians2:3-5

This is the twelfth devotion on ch.2!
It is a powerful chapter that describes the gospel in all its aspects. I hope you have enjoyed working through it and coming back to the basics of our faith.

I also hope the analogy of:
a Building (Church)
- under a Cross (what Christ did)
- with Vertical (our relationship with God)
- and Horizontal beams (our relationship with others)
has been a helpful image to summarise message the chapter.

I tried to find the verses that formed the "crux" of the chapter and after quite a bit of thought, I settled on verses 3-5. Without the truths expressed in these verses, the rest cannot happen.
These verses describe:
- The extent of our "lostness"
- The mercy and love of God
- The centrality of Grace
- and the Life-that-was-not-ours that is given to us

When we are flagging in our devotion to Christ, others and the church, this chapter is a good "vision-renewer."

Why not read it in full now? (I have pasted it below)

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1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 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. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 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. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men)-- 12 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. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

THANKS BE TO GOD!

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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/

EMMDEV 2011-10-18 [Ephesians] Building 3: Bricks

And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Ephesians2:22

This temple building - the church - is built out of "people-bricks." (Peter uses the phrase: "Living Stones")

I like the idea of stones rather than bricks. Especially if it is NOT dressed-stone (i.e. stones that have been chipped and cut to be uniform) but individual stones of different shapes, colours and sizes.

The church is made up of unique individuals who are bound together with the "cement" of love and commitment. When we have this building we experience the presence of God through the power of His Spirit.

God is the builder, He identifies us and places us where we need to be. He has a purpose in mind for us. Some are placed low for our strength, some placed near the window because we complement the view, others are used in the corner because we fit right. Some will tuck in next to the roof trusses and others will be in the arch for the door. Take any of these stones away and there is a hole in the wall! The more holes, the less likely that we experience His Spirit.

I saw an amazing sign on a church signboard...
It read:

C H _ R C H .
What is missing?
"U" are!

(I think that says it all!)

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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/

EMMDEV 2011-10-14 [Ephesians] Building 2: A Holy Temple

In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. Ephesians2:21

When a group of people gather socially, it can be a club, a friendship circle, an interest group, a gang, a clique or a gathering. Today the sociologists are talking about "tribes."

But there is something amazing that happens when we bring Christ into our gatherings. When the vertical and horizontal aspects of the cross are realised in our community we become a "Holy Temple" - the Church.

A temple is a place of reconciliation, worship and celebration.

In the Old Testament worshippers would come to the temple, make sacrifices so that they could be reconciled to God, then they would worship and celebrate God's goodness and they would take that sense of celebration and gratitude into their day-to-day lives.

They would worship _together_. Confessing their sins as a people, praying prayers of lament as a community and offering joyful songs of worship as a nation.

Today, with the boundaries between God and us, and us and our neighbours removed, we are privileged to be part of God's Holy Temple - now no longer a physical building but wherever God's gather for fellowship and worship.
We are:
- reconciled (Holy) but by the sacrifices of Christ and not our own
- able to worship a risen Saviour with eternity in our hearts
- filled with God's Spirit to be able to transform our day to day lives

God keeps giving and giving to us. He gave us creation, He gave us life, He gave us His Son, He gave us the Holy Spirit, He gave us new birth, He gave us the Holy Spirit and He gave us the church.

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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/

EMMDEV 2011-10-12 [Ephesians] Building 1: Foundation

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. Ephesians2:19-20

We've been looking at Ephesians 2 as a summary of the gospel and the visual analogy we have been using is a building with a cross on the roof. The cross has a vertical beam representing our relationship with God and a horizontal beam representing our relationship with one another.

We've dealt with the vertical and horizontal beams of the cross and now we come to the building - the Church.

There are many who argue that you don't need the Church to be a Christian. It is very interesting to me that Paul pushes us very hard from an individualistic Christianity ("just me and Jesus" - only the vertical beam of the cross) to a faith that includes others and leads us toward the "household" of the church.

When I talk about the church, I don't mean Denominations - the New Testament pretty much worked with the local neighbourhood church being the real focus of attention.

The building (household) Paul describes here is built solidly:
- The cornerstone is Christ. The placing of cornerstone would always be the first act of building and was done by the Master Craftsman. It defined the start and orientation of the building. The less-skilled builders would be orientated by the Cornerstone.

- The foundation is the prophets and apostles: This reminds us of our heritage both Scriptural (Old Testament and New Testament) and Historical.

So Paul is pushing us from individual faith to community and from community to the Church. The Church _must_ be based, centred and orientated by Christ otherwise it is not the Church. It must also value its heritage and history and learn from them.

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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/

EMMDEV 2011-10-11 [Ephesians] Horizontal Beam 4: Fellow citizens

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household... Ephesians2:19

Today we look at the last facet of the horizontal beam:
We have been given citizenship!

There are some fascinating insights that pop out of the original Greek of this verse. (I don't usually "geek out" on the Greek like this - but the insights are too good not to share!)

1. We were Foreigners (the Greek word is "Xenos" from which we get "xenophobia") We did not belong, we were out of place and had the stigma of our sin and brokenness that marked us out as those who do not belong, but the cross makes us "fellow citizens" with God's people. (Paul uses the word "hagioi" which means "saints") Today we think a saint is someone who has achieved a state of goodness, but Paul means people who are forgiven by God.

2. For "fellow citizens" Paul uses the word "sumpolitai."
The preposition "sum" implies "together with" and "politai" is where we get the word "politics." But in Graeco-Roman culture "politics" wasn't the party politics we know and dislike today, instead it meant the "art of living in community." By granting us forgiveness, God makes us saints. It means that God's Spirit gives us the ability to love each other as forgiven saints.

3. We were Aliens (the Greek implies living alongside, but not in the household*) but now we are "members-of-God's-household." We are not on the outside looking in, we are part of the household and family of God.

This is very good news!
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* In Greek "oikos" means "Household" and so the similarities in Aliens ("paroikos" - para-oikos - alongside the household but not in it) and Members-of-God's-Household ("oikeioi") are too interesting to ignore.

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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/