 Introduction:
An ancient saying suggested that there are two wings by which we
rise: one being personal piety and the other community charity.
In our reading of Ephesians chapter 1, we are certainly impressed by
the occurrences of you and us. It is clear that this epistle, like
most other letters in the NT is written to the Christian community.
Yes, we come before God on an individual and personal level, but we
are also a part of God’s church, a member of his family.
The passage we read today is Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians
church. This and other prayers of Paul provide us with a model of
how to pray for each other. From its content, it also tell us what
some of the characteristics of a Christian community are.
This morning we want take a closer look at some of the tenets
of a Christian church, a Christian community.
I. A
Christian community is where faith expresses itself in action. Vs.15-1
In
vs16, “I have not stopped giving thanks for you……”. What was
Paul thankful for? Vs15, “ever since I heard about your faith in
the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,” Paul heard about
how their faith in Jesus Christ was expressed in their love for
others, therefore he had not stopped giving thanks for them.
When others heard of us, the Christians at HCC, what can they be
thankful for? The more I get to know you, the more I am thankful for
your love towards each other. I think of the several situations of
how many of you responded to individuals and families in crisis.
Sometimes without even knowing who they are, you reach out to them
financially. You open your houses to those whose lives are shattered
by tragic events. You wept with them. You walked with them through
the dark valley of death. You helped them rebuild their shattered
family. Your faith in Jesus Christ was seen in your love for others.
For this we can be thankful.
Our love for others must not be confined to crisis situations. It is
to be extended to everyone that God brings into our lives. Husbands
and wives, parents and children are to love each other in languages
that can be understood. When we come to church on Sunday mornings,
we are to reach out not only to those we know, but especially those
we don’t know. Greet those who sit alone in the sanctuary. It is
my prayer that when we go home on Sunday afternoons, all of us can
say, “I have been cared for and loved.
II. A
Christian community is a praying community.
Paul wrote, “……remembering you
in my prayers.” He prayed for the believers at Ephesus regularly.
In 6:18,19, we learn that Paul not only prayed for them but he also
asked them to pray for him.
In our discipleship group, every time
we meet, we have a time to share with each other on how others can
pray for our work, study and or family situations. We also ask
others to pray for our Christian character building.
When we come together in our
Fellowship or small group meeting, we remember asking each other
this simple question: “how can I pray for you this week?” In
today’s bulletin, we have a book mark with the names of our
missionaries and seminary students. We can use this to pray for them
everyday.
Sometimes it is easy to pray for
others, yet it is equally important to invite others to pray for us.
This means that there will be times when we have to share with
others some of our frustrations, struggles and weaknesses. You know,
when we invite others to pray for us, we also become more vulnerable
and more transparent. At the same time, we also become more real.
Our prayers will become so much more meaningful and personal.
III. A
Christian community is a thinking community.
How
do we pray for those whom God brings into our lives? Sometimes in a
typical prayer meeting, the requests sound like this: for so and
so’s job, for their loan approval, visa application be smooth and
successful, for so and so’s health. And you know what, after we
have settled down in this country for 10 years, we have a decent
job, we have a house, our children are grown, family life is sort of
stable, and all of a sudden we run out things to pray. I certainly
don’t mean that these are not important. But there is a greater
challenge before us. What does Paul pray for the believers at
Ephesus? Vs.17 That they may know God better. Knowing God is the
ultimate knowledge. Ever since the dawn of human civilization, men
have been searching for God, wanting to know God.
In the biblical context, the word
‘know’ means to understand and experience. Therefore true
knowledge of God always leads to real life experience.
Let’s look further. How did Paul
pray that they may know God? Vs17, “God our Lord Jesus Christ, the
glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and
revelation,………the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in
order that……” He was praying that God will give them Holy
Spirit to enlighten their hearts that they may know God better. Does
that mean that we are passive, and just let the Holy Spirit does the
work? No. You see, later on Paul talked about how God raised Jesus
from the dead. This had to do with the objective truth. So, on one
hand, the Holy Spirit is helping us, and on the other hand, we are
to observe, to reason and think. Sometimes we fall into either of
the extremes. Some would say, all we need is the Holy Spirit. There
is no need to spend too much time thinking or analyzing the
scriptural passages. Just go with our feelings, for this is how the
spirit guides us. Others will be spending so much time researching,
thinking and arguing that we completely ignore the work of the Holy
Spirit. The proper balance is both the spirit and our mind.
Whenever
we listen to any message, including this sermon, we are to ask, is
this in accordance with the biblical teaching. Does this
interpretation go well with the rest of the Bible? Is it in
agreement with the major themes in the Bible? We don’t just take
in anything. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we discern what we
read and hear. This is how we can come to know God better. We ask
the Holy Spirit to remove the clouds in our minds so we can
understand him better. This is a thinking community.
IV. A
Christian community is a community with expectations.
Yes, we are to know God. Paul also
tells us more about the content of such knowledge. V18, “the hope
to which he has called you….” What is this hope? In the previous
verses, we read about being chosen, being predestined by God to be
his children. In Romans 8:30 we read about that we are also being
called. What are we called for?
When your supervisor called you,
there is an expectation, purpose, making you nervous. He/she won’t
just call you for nothing. So, when God calls us, what is he calling
us to or for? The rest of the NT is the answer to this question.
When he calls us, he is calling us to belong to him, to be saints,
to be holy. We are called to have fellowship with God and with each
other. Called into one body. Yes, everyone of us is unique and
different, with different background, but we are members of one
body. There is unity in diversity. He has also called us to
suffering and to the renewal of mind. This is the hope of our call.
What
does it mean to us? When God calls us, he is calling us into a
totally different life style and value system. Our lives will be
different. It cannot be business as usual. You see, the Christian
community is a community of expectation, a community where
individuals are constantly changing to become more and more
Christ-like.
V. A
Christian community is a community with eternal hope
In vs18 we come across again
this word, “inheritance”. We ask the same question: whose
inheritance? In vs14, we concluded that we are God’s inheritance,
God’s portion. Col 1:12 is similar to the passage here. The word,
“inheritance” is used in the context of our inheritance. So Paul
here is talking about the inheritance that belongs to the saints,
the believers. He is writing about the final, the future, the end.
He is referring to the final, ultimate glory that belongs to he
believers. The end when we shall see God face to face. It will be a
glorious moment.
If our Christian faith is confined to the present world,
present state, then what difference is there between us and the
people around us, between Christianity and Buddhism? We not only
have hope in this present world, but there is also a glorious hope
in the future.
However, we don’t know too much about that glorious day.
Not too much information is given us regard what that final day is
like. The science minded Christians have suggested in that glorious
age, we will be busy travel from galaxy to galaxy. The choir members
say we will be singing non stop forever and ever. The Doers say that
we each will be given a planet to govern. The thinkers look forward
to the day when God will answer all their questions.
However,
there are things we can know for God has revealed them to us. In
that glorious day, we will see God face to face. We will worship
him. We will become like him in our character. We will be joined
together with other saints. There will be perfect fellowship. Now,
our fellowship with each other is marred with the marks of sin and
human brokenness. It is anything but perfect. But on that day, we
will enjoy perfect fellowship with one another. This is what we look
forward to.
Presently,
wherever we turn, we see the marks of human brokenness. Our body is
getting weaker and weaker. We come down with serious illness. We
look at the broken relationships around us. There are wars between
countries. Even in this 21st century, we still don’t
know how to live in peace with each other. Oh, how we wish Jesus
will soon come back and put an end to all this pain and suffering.
On that day we will see God face to face. This is the glorious
inheritance that belongs to us.
VI.
A Christian community is a powerful community
Vs19,
“and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
That power is like the working of his mighty strength,” God
has called us. This is in the past realm. Our glorious hope lies in
the future. His power is in the present. His power is manifested
through Jesus Christ. His power raised Jesus Christ from the dead.
The power enthroned Jesus over all beings. His power made Jesus the
head of the church.
1. The power that raised
Jesus from the dead. V20
In Genesis we read that we human come from dust and shall
return to dust. In last week’s Chinese newspaper was a report
about prolonging life to 120 years old. This is the most we human
can do, to prolong life, or to postpone death. But the reality is
that no one can escape death. Here, we read that God did something
no one has ever done before. V20, “which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from
the dead”.
He
raised Jesus from the dead. What are the evidences? The empty
tomb, his appearances to his followers after his resurrection.
What does it mean to us today? From time to time we hear
Christians say that we want to experience God’s power. If God
provide me with this job, heal my sickness, then I will know his is
powerful. But if we understand the scripture correctly, God has
already demonstrated his power to us by raising Jesus from the dead.
If he raised Jesus from the dead, then we can also be certain that
one day he will raise us from the dead.
If we believe in this, then there is no need for us to be
afraid of death. To us believers, death is not the end. Death is a
transition from this life into the next. Through death, we are being
ushered into God’s presence. You see, even as we live today, we do
not have to be afraid of the dead we are going to face, sooner or
later. For our God is powerful enough to raise us from the dead just
as he raised Jesus from the dead.
2.
The power that enthrone Jesus in the heavenly places. 20-22.
Vs 20-22, “……… and seated
him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far 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. And God
placed all things under his feet…” This means that God has
placed Jesus to the place of extreme honor and authority. He is
above all the angels, evil and human rulers.
When we look at the church
history, there are moments that seemed very dark indeed. The church
was threatened by external hostility and internal corruption. Many
of the basic doctrines were distorted and even destroyed. Yet
through it all, Jesus was still the one in control, and the truth
just keep marching on. For he is the one who sits on throne above
everything else. Yes, today we still experience the influence of the
evil in our everyday life, but we look forward to the day, when he
will exercise his perfect dominion over all evil forces. On that
day, all the creatures will sing “Crown him, crown him………”
3.
The power that made Jesus the head of the church.
V22,
“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.” He is not only the head of the universe, but also the
head of the church. He is he head of the Christian community. The
one that fills the universe also fills the church. Being the head
means he is the one that provides us with direction and guidance. At
times people ask, who is the leader of this church? Its so easy for
us to point to the pastors or the elders and deacons. The real
answer is that Jesus is the head of this church.
If he is the head, then why is it
sometimes the church(es) seem to be so weak and without power? Why
is it sometimes churches have so much problem? I think one answer is
that very often we fail to let Jesus be our lord and head. We insist
on doing things our way, and ignoring what he wants from us.
God’s power had raised Jesus from the dead, seated him
above all the rulers and heavenly beings, making him the head of the
church. When the Holy Spirit helps us to understand this truth, what
is our response? The only proper response is to recognize Jesus
Christ as our Lord. He not only is the lord of the church, but also
my Lord. He is to be the lord in my family. His lordship covers what
and how I think. He is Lord over my value system and my core values.
Conclusion:
In our study of this 1st chapter of the book of
Ephesians, we have discussed how our location influences us. Our
location or status in Jesus Christ defines our worldview and how we
live.
I think
of the Japanese Royal family. As a member of that family, whether by
birth or marriage, his/her life will be totally different from the
rest of the citizens. No matter where you go, what you do, you have
to follow certain protocol. You learn how to bow, how to talk and
how to choose the unique usage of grammar and vocabulary. This sets
you apart from the commoners. It is very different from the European
royal families.
Isn’t
this also true with us? We have been called into a very unique and
special community. A community where faith in Jesus Christ and
actions go hand in hand. A community where individuals love and pray
for each other. It is a community full of expectations and with
eternal hope. It is also a community demonstrating God’s power.
This is God’s Royal household and it will define how we live.
The
rest of this book is like that royal protocol, telling us how to
live with people who are so different from us. It provides us with
guidelines on the manner we talk, our moral and ethical standards
and how we treat those who are close to us. And the purpose for all
this is: when the world sees us, it will say good things about God.
Rev. William
Hsueh Oct 15, 2000
Houston Chinese Church, Houston, Texas
|