12/3/23 Out of Exile, the Promise of Christmas. Matthew 2, Micah 5

He named his condition (my life is in the dust, I’m weary from grief).
He has asked for help from God through God’s Word.
Now, we see several statements of action.
The Psalmist writes, “I have chosen, I have set, I cling, I pursue/run.”
The writer has asked God to do what only God can do.
“Give me life through your word.”
“Teach me your statutes.”
“Help me understand.”
“Keep me from deceit.”
And now it is the Psalmist’s turn.
Life on Earth will have trouble and pain.
Jesus said, “In this world, you will have trouble.”
The Good News is that Jesus has overcome the world.
What that means is that, for the believer, pain and trouble are checkpoints, not destinations.
The Good News means that we do not have to stay in places of despair, pain, and hurt.
We cannot prevent all pain and trouble, but it does not have to define us because of what Jesus has done.
How do we move from despair to action?

How do we move from despair to action?

Believe that life, truth, and faithfulness are only found in God.
As long as we hold out hope that life or truth or faithfulness can be found elsewhere, we are not fully faithful to God.
For example, The other day, I was asked if it was ok to pay 99% of our tithes.
I asked them if it was ok for their spouse to be faithful only 99% of the time.
By holding even a glimmer of hope of finding salvation and life anywhere except from Christ alone, we are not being completely faithful.
But despair, sorrow, and pain can have clarifying functions.
There is something about hitting rock bottom and having everything else stripped away that can lead us to life in Christ alone.
Because pain is never neutral, pain will drive us toward God or away from God.
The Psalmist has confessed time and again that life is only found in God alone.
With that confession, he is committed to God and His Word for life.
It is worth our time to reflect upon where we believe life comes from.
We too often place our hope and faith in places that were never meant to be the source of real life.
Even good places like our spouse or kids.
They can be life-giving, but they are not the source of our life and strength.
To begin moving from despair to action, we must declare that Jesus is our only source and strength.

2. We must believe that God is Good.

We do not trust what we do not believe is good.
If the tires on your car are bad, you may still drive on them but you don’t trust them.
If a family member has stolen from you often, you don’t trust them because they are not a good person.
We will never fully trust in a God that we do not believe is good.
We must be convinced that God is good.
1 Chronicles 16:34 (CSB) ³⁴Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his faithful love endures forever.
Psalm 34:8 (CSB) ⁸Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in him!
Mark 10:18 (ESV) ¹⁸And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.[i]
This means that God is good, even when I don’t think so.
When we are at our lowest, this has to remain in front of us.
I may feel like God is not fair or good.
What I see with my eyes and think with my mind may lead me to question God’s goodness.
But, like the Psalmist, these are moments when I have established God’s goodness as “fact”.
We cannot move from despair into life if I don’t trust the Giver of Life.
Even when I feel like I’m in the dust, God is still good.
Even when I’m surrounded by all that is evil, God is still good.
With this foundation, I am able to leave despair and move toward action.

3. We must invest ourselves in God’s Word and God’s presence.

How do we choose, set, cling, and pursue when that part of our will seems broken, exhausted, and done?
Because God is good, trustworthy, and faithful, I can move forward with what little strength and will I have left.
It may not be much, it may be a mustard seed, but if that is all we can bring to the relationship, God provides the rest.
How often have we asked a small child to take hold of our hand before crossing a street or walking into a busy place like Silver Dollar City.
Are we asking that little kid to provide the strength necessary to not run in front of a car or not to be taken by a stranger?
NO.
When we tell a child to “hold my hand,” we are asking for their trust and proximity.
But the STRENGTH is provided by the Adult.
It is my strength and my reaction time and my awareness that is keep the kid safe.
Their hand in mine is their permission to keep them safe.
Oh, dear child of God, God isn’t asking for you to provide supernatural strength.
He is asking you to give Him your hand.
Give Him our permission for Him to exercise His strength and power.
Yes, cling with whatever you have left.
Yes, run with what you have.
Yes, set your mind upon God with your meditation.
We do have a part to play, but path forward is not for you to become super-human but to trust God and to set you mind upon Him.
When we trust in Jesus, we can believe that He will not put us to shame.

Apply: Put your life in Jesus’ hands.

I remind us, pain is a checkpoint not a destination.
We do not have to deny our present position to be a person of faith.
But instead, we trust in God and His goodness.
We put our hand in His hand.
Not that we have the strength to hang on but because He has the strength to pull us through.
We do what we can, however much or feeble that feels, and God who is faithful and just provides the rest.
Today, for all who are weary, tired, exhausted, depleted, done, and finished, let us move from despair to action.
Let us call upon Jesus.
Let us focus upon His Word.
Let us do what we can, and trust God for the rest.

[i] Here are 23 verses about God’s goodness.

https://www.davidjeremiah.org/knowgod/23-verses-about-the-goodness-of-god

“Help Me Understand!” Psalms 119:24-32

Paul RichardsonJuly 12, 2023

Psalm 119 Help me Understand

A-Z God is Good. Psalm 119:25-32 part 1

Paul RichardsonJuly 2, 2023

Psalm 119 Part 1

Psalm 119:25-32

From A-Z, God is Good

7.2.2023

Introduction:

Have you ever made something worse by trying harder?
I can think of several times when working on a car or putting together a piece of furniture that I reach a point where I get frustrated.
When I’m frustrated, trying harder makes things worse.
On the contrary, when I step back and take a break, often the solution comes to mind or my fingers work better and pieces “fall” into place.
The same can be true with lots of things.
Years ago, when I did some competition shooting, the natural tendency when making misses was to shoot faster instead of slowing down, focusing, and making each movement count.
Sometimes, the cure to your golf swing is not more practice but going back to the basics of your swing.
When professional athletes get in a rut, they often compare where they are with their swings or shots with previous moments when things were better, purer, and more comfortable.
I believe the same can be true with our relationship with Jesus and the Church.
I am all for complexity and going deep.
But when life is hard, overwhelming, or too much to bear, its simplicity that I crave.
What I need most in those moments is to hear and know from God.

That brings us to our text today, Psalm 119

Introduction to the Text

Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem.
Each stanza of 8 verses follows the Hebrew alphabet.
You will notice a Hebrew letter with English transliteration above each stanza.
This is followed by 8 verses, with the main theme of every verse and chapter focusing on God’s Word or Law, Torah.
Although 7 different words are used to represent Torah, they all carry similar meanings.
The Law, thus God, is good.
When it all seems overwhelming, we must remember that God is Good.
God is the only One that is Good.
Every other relationship has the capacity to fail, disappoint, shame, or sin.
But God is good.
Psalm 119 uses every letter of the Hebrew alphabet to get across this point: God is good.
Even though the writer’s life was full of struggle, pain, anxiety, and fear, he knew where to turn in the midst of his struggle.

Today I want to share a word that I hope encourages and refocuses our attention.
I’m too easily riled up or distracted by those things that, although important, are tangential to the focus of Scripture and Eternity.
Today, and maybe this whole month, I’m calling all of us to refocus our eyes on Jesus.
This week, this message is for me, a “chiropractic” word.[1]
The word “chiro” means “hand” and the word practice means practical. Thus, together, it means “done by hand”.
I’m praying that for myself and for each of us, that God’s word aligns, shapes, and forms us through this text so that we will all align with what God is doing and wanting to do.

TEXT

Psalm 119:25–32 (CSB)

ד‎ Daleth

²⁵My life is down in the dust;

give me life through your word.

²⁶I told you about my life,

and you answered me;

teach me your statutes.

²⁷Help me understand

the meaning of your precepts

so that I can meditate on your wonders.

²⁸I am weary from grief;

strengthen me through your word.

²⁹Keep me from the way of deceit

and graciously give me your instruction.

³⁰I have chosen the way of truth;

I have set your ordinances before me.

³¹I cling to your decrees;

Lord, do not put me to shame.

³²I pursue the way of your commands,

for you broaden my understanding.^,

Three Comments from Vs. 25-26

Two Questions

One Invitation

1. Psalm 119 is both Wisdom and Lament.

The Psalms is Hebrew Poetry.
It served as the basis for prayer and worship for both Israel and the Church.
It is the Prayer Book and the Hymnal of all who call upon God.
Even today, the words of the Psalms are equally inspired, the same as the words of Jesus and the writings of Paul.
This is because 2 Timothy 3:15-16 tell us that ALL of Scripture is Inspired and profitable.
While most of Psalm 119 is Wisdom, there is an element of lament.
Wisdom provides instruction on how to live.
Lament expresses grief or sorrow.
The writer is certainly under distress throughout this Psalm.
He starts Psalm 119 by saying, “Blessed, happy, or content” are those who walk in the Lord.
Yet the Psalmist is completely far from feeling blessed, happy, or content.
We don’t know who wrote Psalm 119.
It was possibly written by David.
Some propose Ezra, the scribe.
Perhaps it is anonymous for a reason, so that all who read it may relate to what the message is.
King David is raw in this Psalm.
The first two letters are pretty upbeat and happy.
But then the mood gets real, honest, and relatable.
The Psalmist is not in a good place.
He is not having fun.
He is stressed, perplexed, and longing for a change.
For 176 verses, he expresses his hurt and pain.
A few examples:

Psalm 119:107 (CSB) ¹⁰⁷I am severely afflicted; Lord, give me life according to your word.

Psalm 119:49–53 (CSB)

ז‎ Zayin

⁴⁹Remember your word to your servant;

you have given me hope through it.

⁵⁰This is my comfort in my affliction:

Your promise has given me life.

⁵¹The arrogant constantly ridicule me,

but I do not turn away from your instruction.

⁵²Lord, I remember your judgments from long ago

and find comfort.

⁵³Fury seizes me because of the wicked

who reject your instruction.

The writer perfectly captures the human condition.
He’s hurt by betrayal.
He’s angry and furious because people reject God’s instruction, causing others harm in the process.
If this is David, then we see him far from feeling like the same man who killed Goliath; instead he feels afflicted, ridiculed, and overwhelmed.
The beauty of the Psalms is that they encourage us to be honest with God and ourselves.
So much of what we do is fake or dishonest.
We act as if God cannot handle our frustration, our pain, or our disappointment.
Yet, God in His goodness, left for us the prayers and words of King David and others as examples of the kind of relationship He encourages us to have.
A relationship that cannot handle honest words and thoughts is unhealthy.

2. Psalm 119 expresses a longing for God’s Word.

7 different words are used to represent Torah; they all carry the same meaning.
The words are:[2]

ʿēd̠â, translated here as “decree” (used 23 times)
mišpāṭ, “ordinance” (23 times)
ḥōq, “statute” (22 times)
dāb̠ār, “word” (22 times)
miṣwâ, “commandment” (22 times)
piqqûd̠, “precept” (21 times)
ʾimrâ, “promise” (19 times)

These words help express the totality of God’s Word.
Not only the commandments, not only the promises, not only the decrees, but every word that comes from God.
Jesus quoted this Old Testament truth in Matthew 4:4 (CSB)

⁴He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”^,

The Psalmist longed for God’s Word because he valued the one behind the Word.
A letter written to me by a close friend, my spouse, or a trusted leader has far more value than a junk mailer.
For example, King David loved the Lord and thus desired the Word.
Even when the Word was a message of judgment from Nathan, David loved the Word.
Even when David was told he couldn’t build the Temple, he respected the word.
Jesus prayed, “Take this cup from me” and yet submitted to the Word of God to die for the sins of the world.
The Apostle Paul prayed for deliverance from a thorn in the flesh, yet God answered, “My grace is sufficient.”
You can’t love God’s yes and reject His no.
We all must
David, although far from perfect, loved the Lord and longed to hear from Him.
This is one of the things that made David a man after God’s own heart.
It wasn’t his skills as a warrior, but his passionate pursuit of God through His word.
God does not require perfect people, but people who are willing to be men and women who love His Word.

Third comment:

3. Psalm 119 is the Psalm of Pentecost

It would be relatively easy to dismiss this Psalm because it’s Old Testament.
But what if I told you this Psalm was repeated often by Jesus, His disciples, and all of the Jews between King David and Jesus, the Son of David?
Psalm 119 sits in a group of Psalms called Hallel.
Hallels (Hallelujahs) were read walking up to Jerusalem.
Psalm 113-118 were read journeying to the Temple for Passover.
Psalm 119, however, was recited not at Passover but at Pentecost.
“It is recited at the Feast of Pentecost, the spring festival observed fifty days after Passover, which celebrates the giving of the torah to Moses at Sinai during the wilderness wanderings.”^[3]
Every year, for hundreds of years, faithful people read aloud Psalm 119 at the Feast of Pentecost.
As part of their life and spiritual journey, they celebrated the giving of the Law each year.
Yet, I cannot but think it was no accident that on the Day of Pentecost, the same disciples that received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit had ALSO recited Psalm 119.
Just as water Baptism is full-immersion representing the complete giving over of ourselves to God, the Spirit Baptizes us fully.
Our victories, our struggles, our emotions, our trials, and our desires are brought under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

2 Questions

Question #1: Does your life feel like you are down in the dust?

This may seem overly dramatic.
But have you ever felt so dry and dead that you
Who in this room has thought about quitting?
Don’t RAISE YOUR HAND Who in this room has considered suicide recently?
Maybe you considered quitting your spouse or considering leaving the Church or, worse, Jesus.
Have you ever wondered how long you can keep going? When were you going to catch a break?
If so, you can relate to the writer of Psalms 119.
But instead of quitting, he asked the Lord to revive Him.
I want to encourage someone in this room today with this truth:
God never asked you to pretend like things are better than they are.
Instead, the place of miracles begins in a place of honesty.
When Jesus asked the blind man, “What do you want?” the blind man had to admit to being blind.
Before Jesus fed the five thousand, the people had to admit they were hungry.
Before Jesus binds the broken-hearted, we must confess our broken hearts.
Does your life and soul feel like it is so beaten down that you are eating the dust?
If so, that’s ok.
Because that position leads us to our petition.

Question #2: Have you asked to be revived?

This is the first of seven prayers in these 8 verses.
“Give me life through your word.”
The Hebrew says, “revive me”.
Yes, our lives may be in the dust, but we are to pray for God to revive us again.
Nine times in Psalm 119, the writer mentions the need for life and revival from God.
This is a gift that only comes from God.
The Good news is that we are invited to pray and receive life, revival, and renewal from God.
The Torah could not bring life, the Apostle Paul said.
But the Spirit brings life and freedom.
And on the Day of Pentecost, the day the Jews had recited Psalm 119, God sent His Spirit so that we might experience life, revival, and renewal.
If today you are feeling dry, dead, hopeless, or helpless, know that God invites you to bring your feelings, doubts, emotions, and experiences to Him.

Invitation: Notice the Invitation.

Psalm 119:26 (CSB)

²⁶I told you about my life,

and you answered me;

teach me your statutes.

Every person needs a friend, a pastor, and a counselor.
We all need people to talk with, pray with, and share with.
We were designed to live in a community.
But there are times when we take our hurts, opinions, feelings, and feelings to the wrong place.
When we do, we live out of alignment.
As great as other believers are, there is only one who can help us.
There is only one person that can revive us, heal us, and save us.
When you don’t know where to go, go back to where it all started.
Go to Jesus, the LIVING WORD.
Go to Jesus, who listens to our problems and offers us to cast all of our burdens upon Him.
Go To Jesus, who teaches us in Spirit and in Truth.
Go to Jesus, who a bruised reed He does not break,
Go to Jesus, Who does not snuff out a smoldering wick but encourages it to burn again.
Today’s Invitation

Matthew 11:28 (CSB)

²⁸“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

I invite all who will to come to Jesus this morning.
Tell Him all about your troubles.
Tell Him what feels too heavy to carry.
Tell Him about your life, and let Him teach you His ways and revive you again.

[1] Etymology. From chiro- (“hand”) +‎ practic; from Ancient Greek χείρ (kheír, “hand”) + πρακτικός (praktikós, “concerned with action”).

[2] deClaissé-Walford, Nancy. 2014.

^[3] deClaissé-Walford, Nancy. 2014. “Book Five of the Psalter: Psalms 107–150.” In The Book of Psalms, edited by E. J. Young, R. K. Harrison, and Robert L. Hubbard Jr., 870. The New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Dad Advice that Really Matters

Paul RichardsonJune 18, 2023

PDF->. Dad Advice that Really Matters

Dad Advice that Really Matters

6.18.23

Father’s Day

Introduction: A world in need of Fatherly advice.

There is no doubt in my mind that we live in a world in need of fatherly wisdom.
I’m not casting blame, but I’m admitting a fact.
Young, old, boys, and girls, we need godly wisdom from godly fathers and men and, of course, women.
Today, we look at a passage from Proverbs.
The man who wrote Proverbs was a lousy husband and father.
Solomon was the smartest and wisest man who ever lived but an absolute bust at home.
Yet God used him to record the Heavenly Father’s heart for His children to grow up wise, whole, and mature.
The first 9 chapters of Proverbs include incredible advice from a father to his son.
Each segment begins with the phrase, “my son.”
Originally, it was probably meant to be advice from Solomon to one of his sons on how to be a wise and godly king.
But the wisdom in these chapters is extremely applicable and appropriate to all of us.
The advice that follows serve as guardrails that, when followed, keep men and woman heading in God’s path.
Because God orders the steps of a righteous person, these are the steps that are included in our journey.
Regardless of your age or gender, these verses serve as incredible advice from our Heavenly Father to us, his children.
Today, we look at 6 words of wisdom we all need.

Proverbs 3:1–12 (CSB)

3 My son, don’t forget my teaching,

but let your heart keep my commands;

²for they will bring you

many days, a full life,^, and well-being.

³Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you.

Tie them around your neck;

write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴Then you will find favor and high regard

with God and people.

⁵Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and do not rely on your own understanding;

⁶in all your ways know him,

and he will make your paths straight.

⁷Don’t be wise in your own eyes;

fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

⁸This will be healing for your body^,

and strengthening for your bones.

⁹Honor the Lord with your possessions

and with the first produce of your entire harvest;

¹⁰then your barns will be completely filled,

and your vats will overflow with new wine.

¹¹Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son,

and do not loathe his discipline;

¹²for the Lord disciplines the one he loves,

just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.

1. Listen to godly teaching and instruction. 1-2

3 My son, don’t forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commands; ²for they will bring you many days, a full life,^, and well-being.

There is so much advice out there today on every conceivable topic.
All of the advice has a similar purpose:
To fix something that is wrong and make life better.
My YouTube feed is full of advice to help me be a better guitar player.
How to be a better handgun shooter.
How to wake up earlier and get more done or read more books.
Even the videos that are demonstrating or reviewing products have the purpose of selling me one more thing so that my life will be just a little bit better.
The world is looking for answers, specifically on how to make their life or some part of it better.
But it seems most people are not looking for solid, biblical advice that extends our days, gives us full life, and impacts our well-being.
We live in a world desperate to live their best lives while rejecting the source of real life.
The teachings found in Scripture lead us to Jesus, and Jesus is the Truth and the Life.
Furthermore, when we practice biblical wisdom we find what the world is looking for: “² many days, a full life,^, and well-being.”
So why doesn’t the world choose God’s advice?
A better question:
Why don’t people who claim to be Christians follow biblical wisdom?
What if the problem we have today is not so much a problem of disobedience but ignorance?
We don’t know what we don’t know.
We can’t forget teachings we’ve never received.
I was talking last week with some friends who work on college campuses as Christian missionaries.
They were talking about the struggles faced by incoming freshmen.
Some of the biggest struggles 18-20 years face are related to normal, everyday life.
How to do laundry, the need to eat when you are hungry, and other basic tenants of adulthood.
College campus missionaries are having to teach young men and women:
How to have actual conversations,
How to make phone calls for appointments.
Basic Financial stewardship and budgeting.
Is it possible that we have educated a generation to calculus but failed to teach them how to be productive adults?
The reality is that they don’t know because they weren’t taught.
There is a difference between teaching someone and doing it for them.
One produces productive adults or disciples, and the other produces consumers.
We live in a day and time when we desperately need parents and adults who are engaged in teaching and passing on wisdom.
This has ALWAYS been the calling of adulthood,
To pass on wisdom, instruction, and lessons in righteousness.
For all of the adults in the room, whether physical parents or spiritual parents, let me encourage you to remain gentle and patient when people ask you to teach them or answer questions.

2 Timothy 2:24 (CSB) ²⁴The Lord’s servant must not quarrel, but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach, and patient…

I’m afraid we have raised a generation that asks Google and YouTube all of the questions.
Why? The world is asking Google and YouTube because they are always patient and available.
To teach and disciple, you must be available and patient.
We all must model listening and obeying the Lord’s teaching and instructions.
The best way to teach is to model.
Let’s live an example before others that demonstrate the blessing of following Jesus.

2. Value loyalty and faithfulness. 3-4

³Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you. Tie them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. ⁴Then you will find favor and high regard with God and people.

If I were to describe America today, loyalty and faithfulness would not be at the top of my list.
Whether it is loyalty and faithfulness to the country, to family, to workplaces, or church, it doesn’t seem like people are as loyal and as faithful as they used to be.
Yet, loyalty and faithfulness are necessary for healthy communities and relationships.
When we are loyal and faithful, we experience favor with God and people.
I don’t know about you, but I want favor.
I want God to look favorably upon me.
I also want the community to see me as someone trustworthy, dependable, and consistent.
Loyalty and faithfulness are missing today among all generations.
Before we lay this problem at the feet of young people, listen to what the statistics are showing about church attendance:
“Patterns in church attendance show that people over 40—that is, Gen X and baby boomers—are at least as likely to stop attending church as millennials and Gen Z.”
But according to Barna, some of the biggest declines in church attendance over the past three decades have been among adults 55 and older.[1]
We all share the responsibility of teaching and modeling loyalty and faithfulness.
Model loyalty and faithfulness at home by loving your family consistently and constantly.
Model loyalty and faithfulness by working when you should work, resting when you should rest, and playing when you should play.
Model loyalty and faithfulness by putting down roots in the church and worshipping even when you do not feel like it.

3. Trust in the Lord. Vs. 5-6

⁵Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; ⁶in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.

This Proverb speaks to the importance of full devotion to God.
Trust the Lord with all your heart.
In all your ways, know Him.
The key to living our life for Jesus is to give it to Him fully.
This begins not with our actions but with our thoughts and intentions.
Where our heart goes, our feet follow.
Our problem is that we act like we know better than God or, at least, we know better what to do.
But my understanding is faulty.
My understanding leads me astray and gets me lost.
But when I follow the Lord’s understanding and follow His leading, He makes our paths straight.
Each of us has the responsibility of pointing others to the Truth, which is Jesus.
The best legacy you can leave for your kids is not a financial inheritance.
The best legacy is to model how to trust the Lord with all of your heart and to know Him.
This is easier said than done, but a few practical steps to not rely on your own understanding:
Pray about it.
Consult Scripture.
Avoid the easiest roads (the high road is usually hardest).
Pray again.

4. Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Vs. 7-8

⁷Don’t be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. ⁸This will be healing for your body^, and strengthening for your bones.

In other words, to be arrogant and don’t be a know it all.
Axiom: If you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room.
Axiom: All the people in the room are smarter than any individual.
This makes sense, but notice the reason!
This will be healing for your body and strength in your bones.
Fear of the Lord and turning away from evil is the only way to reverse the curse of death.
Earthly wisdom and knowledge is not enough to reverse the curse.
All the best minds and all the advice in Google cannot bring life, healing, or internal strength.
But the fear of the Lord brings life and healing.

5. Honor the Lord with your possessions. 9-10

⁹Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest; ¹⁰then your barns will be completely filled, and your vats will overflow with new wine.

I feel as if this advice is particularly aimed at us men.
Generally, women are not as strongly motivated by possessions or items, although diamond rings never hurt.
But guys love our possessions.
There are two realities here.
All of us men have enough “toys”.
But we would buy more if we could.
There is always something new, improved, better, handier, or prettier for us to pursue.
This pursuit is both fun and unfulfilling.
Scripture doesn’t tell us not to have possessions but to honor God with them:
If we honor God with our possessions and our tithe, we don’t do without.
Instead, God blesses what remains.
One of the most powerful prayers any man can pray is, “Here I am, and here is my stuff!”
One of the great tests of faith that God asks from all of us is to tithe.
Tithing is giving the first 10% of your income to the Lord through the Church.
The rest is yours.
Tithing and giving does a few things for us.
Tithing is an act of worship, as we give of what cost us to the Lord for His work.
Tithing keeps possessions from controlling us.
Tithing honors God.
Tithing brings God’s blessing upon the remainder.
The father in Proverbs taught his son to tithe because he wanted him to be blessed.
I want to teach you this because I want you to be blessed.

6. Do not despise the Lord’s instructions. 11-12

¹¹Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son, and do not loathe his discipline; ¹²for the Lord disciplines the one he loves, just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.

We do not teach or discipline people we don’t care about.
To teach is to share life with someone through the sharing of information.
To discipline is to inflict pain on both parties so that the lesser party may achieve his or her best.
Teaching and discipline are expressions of love.
For the son or daughter, we can’t accept God’s instruction if we do not accept His discipline.
When you sign your kid up for sports, you are entrusting your child to a coach to instruct and teach them and discipline where appropriate.
If the rule is to run laps for being late for practice, then your kid needs to run for being late.
The role of the coach is to bring the most out of the player, and that involves discipline and instruction.
Same is true for pastors.
The good news is that you all have a choice regarding what church you attend.
Within that choice, you have to be willing to accept a pastor’s teaching and, when necessary, discipline.
Every time I’ve told a parent about an incident involving your kid, almost all of you have responded, “We wouldn’t bring our kids here if we didn’t trust you.”
We can’t cling to Jesus’ teaching and reject His discipline.
Please do not despise the Lord’s instructions or His discipline.
We despise them to our detriment.

Close: As we close, I believe the best thing we can do this morning is to pray for the men in the room.

I’m not going to ask you to come from the front, but I would like to ask every male to stand where you are.
I want to pray with you and for you.
Let’s Pray
Would everyone stand!
Prayer.
Cookies.

[1] https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/march/gray-gen-x-boomers-older-churchgoers-leaving-church.html

License Credential Orientation June 2023

Paul RichardsonJune 15, 2023

Here is a link for Pastor Paul Richardson’s orientation notes!

Licensed Credential Orientation UPDATED 2023

June 11 2023, Message 26 PRAY, ENCOURAGE, LOVE

Paul RichardsonJune 11, 2023

Message 26 Pray Encourage Love

Message 26: Pray, Encourage, Love

6.11.23

Message 26

Ephesians Series

Ephesians 6:18–20 (CSB)

¹⁸Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. ¹⁹Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. ²⁰For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.

Ephesians 6:21–24 (CSB)

²¹Tychicus, our dearly loved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me so that you may be informed. ²²I am sending him to you for this very reason, to let you know how we are and to encourage your hearts.

²³Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴Grace be with all who have undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.^,

Introduction: Here ends Paul’s letter to Ephesus.

Ephesus had a unique place in Paul’s life.
He spent 3 years ministering in this city.
The younger pastor, Timothy, was the pastor, and they shared a special relationship.
It shouldn’t surprise us to realize that Paul had a love and affection for the Christians in Ephesus.
Paul’s Apostleship was marked by a genuine love for people.
Even today, God’s ministers should be characterized by a love for God’s people.
Because of Paul’s love for the Ephesians, he does not entrust this letter to just anyone.
Tychicus was a man who had become a trusted partner.
He was the letter-bearer, responsible for the safe delivery of the letter and the conveying of Paul’s love for the believers, his condition, and other updates.
It is likely that Tychicus carried the letter of Colossians also, and perhaps traveled with Onesimus, who was the subject of the letter to Philemon.[i]
Because Paul was in prison, he had to depend upon others to share in his ministry.
Thankfully, Paul didn’t have to create a network of co-laborers at the last minute.
He had been intentionally investing in people all along, and here in a time of need, Paul was able to entrust this important work to capable people.
The necessity of doing life, ministry, and spiritual warfare together is evident in the last sentences of Ephesians.
As we finalize this series of messages from Ephesians, I want to encourage us to pray for each other, for our community, and for those not yet known.
As we live and engage in spiritual warfare, we must remain committed to Jesus AND each other.
We can’t do this any other way.
Love God, Love others.

What does Paul say in his last words?

1. Stay alert with all perseverance and Intercession for all the saints.

We must Pray in the Spirit on all occasions for our own safety and for others.
It seems cliché, but prayer really is an act of service.
Often, when we reach out to people to help, many will say, “Just pray for me.”
But part of me wants to do more than that.
I want to do something “meaningful”.
I want to be hands-on.
But truthfully, often times the best way we can serve is to pray for people meaningfully.
Why pray for others?
Your prayers may keep people alive.
Your prayers may keep people safe.
Your prayers may be a conduit for God’s provision.
We need people praying for us.
The Apostle Paul was never shy about asking the churches to pray for him.
Why, then, are we shy about asking others to pray for us?
This isn’t only for missionaries but for each of us.
I am extremely thankful for all of you who pray for Julie and me.
I am convinced your prayers have sustained us, provided for us, and strengthened us in our calling.
What do we pray for?

2. Pray for others’ boldness.

Paul asks the believers to pray for God-given boldness.
As Paul awaits trial in Rome, he is asking “for a divine infusion of strength and courage to make the good news clear and powerful in every circumstance.”^[1]
This is especially important as Paul will have the opportunity to share the Gospel with none other than Emperor Nero.
A few years later, this Emperor sent the order for Paul’s execution.
But in this moment, the Apostle has one desire: To make known the mystery of the Gospel to this man.
The believers in Ephesus were unlikely ever to meet the Emperor, but they could pray for the one who would.
When we pray for other believers, we participate in the advancement of the Kingdom.
We each have unique circles of influence and responsibility.
Those circles are our mission field.
This is why we must pray for ourselves and have others pray for us so that we might be bold where only we can be bold.
There is never a good time for a weak presentation of the Gospel.
You don’t always have to be weird when you witness, but you must always be empowered.
When you pray, don’t forget to pray for boldness.
But remember, when you pray for boldness, you also pray for opportunity.
And if you refuse the opportunity, you won’t receive the anointing.
Be prayerful when someone comes to mind.
Holy Spirit often recalls people to our hearts and minds.
There are countless testimonies of people being led to intercede for others in moments of crisis and need.
I’m thankful for grandparents who would give God their nights to pray for their families.
For many of us in the room, we need to be more obedient and faithful to those 2 am wake-ups and pray for people as they come to mind.

3. Inform and Encourage each other.

Too many of us live our lives like spiritual orphans.
We withhold information and progress from each other, walking through life alone.
Then wonder why no one calls.
We wonder why we have no friends.
We wonder why it seems like no one cares.
Relationships require reciprocity.
The only way to build a healthy community is to inform and encourage.
No that doesn’t mean you share all of your life with everyone.
We do need to be mindful of what we share and with whom.
Not everyone can process what we are feeling, dealing with, or sensing from God.
It does mean that each of us need people, other than our spouse, to share our spiritual journey with.
The Apostle Paul was the most qualified person to exclude people from his life.
Yet, each of his letters is addressed to people and carried by dear friends and colleagues.
The end of Paul’s letters introduce us to his dear friends and co-laborers like Tychicus.
One of the many characteristics of Paul’s ministry is that he did not do it alone.
Let me encourage you to find people to walk this journey with.
Find someone to mentor you.
Find some peers, people who are in the same stage of life.
Find some people to mentor.
And in each of these relationships, inform and encourage.

4. Let your love remain incorruptible.

The letter ends with this:
²⁴Grace be with all who have undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.^, ESV
2^{. 24}Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. (NLT)
God’s grace is attached to those who love Jesus.
To be seated with Christ in the heavenly realms is only possible because of God’s grace.
To walk worthy of this calling that we have received is only possible because of God’s grace.
To stand in strength and victory is only possible because of God’s grace.
There’s nothing more valuable than having Jesus in your life.
May that love be incorruptible.
Let us be on guard for anything or anyone that corrupts our love for Him.
Be wary of anything and anyone who causes your love to grow weary and worn.
May your love be steadfast.
When times are great, love Jesus from the mountain top.
When times are hard, love Jesus from the deepest valleys.
But whatever you do, do not let love waiver.
May your love be characterized by God’s grace toward others.
Your love for Jesus should not make you angry to others.
Your love for Jesus does not give permission for envy, jealousy, pride, anger, or unforgiveness towards others.
Let your love be characterized by Grace.
In other words, “Love Jesus, and don’t be a jerk.”

Close:

Today we are preparing to do two things:
First, we want to participate in communion.
This act of participating in the broken body of Jesus and His shed blood is shared in community.
It is a reminder that Jesus’ love is not for “me”, but for “us”.
Then, after communion, we are going to serve the community of Success.
It is my hope that through these tangible expressions of water, we can also share the love of Jesus and the Church with others.
So, if you are able to help, right after service we will meet in the warehouse/gym area.
If you are unable, I’m going to ask you to invest 10 minutes or so and pray here in the sanctuary for a fresh outpouring of God’s Spirit and for a quick resolution to the water problem.

Prayer

^[1] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

[i] Paul commends Tychicus as a “dear and faithful servant in the Lord.” The term “dear” is actually “beloved brother” and emphasizes his extremely close relationship to Paul as his coworker and friend. Most likely he was traveling with Onesimus, Philemon’s returning slave, whom Paul also called “a dear brother” in Colossians 4:9 and Philemon 16. If so the two, who had become trusted associates, personally carried the three letters back to the province of Asia. Paul wanted them to bring these churches up to date on his “circumstances” (niv “everything”), which he summarized as “how I am and what I am doing,” specifying his personal situation and the state of his ministry in Rome.^[i] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Jesus, a Wedding, and a Divine Revealing June 7, 2023

Paul RichardsonJune 7, 2023

Jesus and wedding of Cana John 2

Jesus, a Wedding, and a Divine Revealing

6/7/23

Introduction: This year, I felt a clarification about my call.

It was in January, and I was reading through Matthew.
This passage from Matthew 13:52 provided some clarity:
Matthew 13:52 (ESV)

⁵²And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

This resonates with me so well.
One of my greatest joys as a pastor is to tell stories of Jesus and Scripture.
It is a joy to read Scripture, meditate upon it, and see the meaning and share it with others.
Nothing new here, and yet there is unrealized beauty before us.
Today, I want to read with you a passage from John.
With this passage, my intention is to take us on a journey that, when finished, I hope leads us to give Jesus even more glory and praise.
While we will be focused on John 2, it was necessary to bring many other passages into the conversation.
I will reference far more passages in this message than what is usual for me, but they demonstrate to us the beauty of the miracle Jesus performs in this passage and its prophetic significance.

John 2:1–12 (CSB)

2 On the third day a wedding took place in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’s mother was there, ²and Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding as well. ³When the wine ran out, Jesus’s mother told him, “They don’t have any wine.”

⁴“What has this concern of yours to do with me,^, woman?” Jesus asked. “My hour has not yet come.”

⁵“Do whatever he tells you,” his mother told the servants.

⁶Now six stone water jars had been set there for Jewish purification. Each contained twenty or thirty gallons.

⁷“Fill the jars with water,” Jesus told them. So they filled them to the brim. ⁸Then he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the headwaiter.” And they did.

⁹When the headwaiter tasted the water (after it had become wine), he did not know where it came from—though the servants who had drawn the water knew. He called the groom ¹⁰and told him, “Everyone sets out the fine wine first, then, after people are drunk, the inferior. But you have kept the fine wine until now.”

¹¹Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee. He revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

¹²After this, he went down to Capernaum, together with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples, and they stayed there only a few days.

1. John’s record of Jesus’ first miracle puzzles modern readers.

Of all the miracles John could have mentioned including:
Raising the dead, restoring sight to the blind, or cleansing a leper, this is the first miracle mentioned.
And only the Gospel of John records this miracle.
Question: Why did the other writers miss it?
Why would John even mention a miracle like this, when he could have chosen from an unlimited number of examples?
What does John see in this miracle that we miss?
John’s Gospel is tightly focused upon Jesus’ divinity.
Yes, Jesus’ humanity is consistently on display also.
But John consistently and constantly writes with Jesus’ divinity in mind.
In John, Jesus is the “Word who was in the beginning,” and the Word made flesh.
Jesus is the True Light that has come into the World.
Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
Jesus is the source of Living Water.
Jesus is the Bread, the manna, of Life.
The list goes on.
And most of these statements about Jesus occur within the first chapter of John.
What portrait of Jesus is John painting here?
Verse 11 points us to something significant that happened at Cana:
¹¹Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee. He revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
We would understand if this was the story of feeding the five thousand or the resurrection of Lazarus.
But, Where is the glory in multiplying wine, and why did this seemingly simple miracle result in the disciples believing in Him?

2. The scene of an unknown wedding.

John never mentions who the wedding is for.
But we know that there was a bride and a groom.
We also know that weddings in Israel were much different than in Western culture.
Weddings were a week-long affair.
The whole village would be welcomed and expected to attend.
And each day, new guests would appear to participate in the wedding feast.
The crowd would grow and swell.
There was no way to plan for everyone since anyone could attend.
The bridegroom and his family were responsible for ensuring that all guests were fed, happy, and fulfilled.
Ancient weddings were not focused on the bride, but the groom.
They were his guests, his responsibility, and it was his arrival that initiated the festivities.
Often, the groom would betroth himself and go off to prepare a home for her with his family.
He would also save up the bride-price.
And when the bride-price was raised and the home prepared, the groom would come to get his bride.
The bride and her party had to be ready, and anticipate his arrival because there would be no delay when he came. (sounds a lot like John 14).
When the groom appeared, having finished all preparations for his bride, the wedding would begin.
Because this was the social event of the year and maybe a lifetime, there was a lot at stake.
To disappoint your guests would lead to loss of “face” and shame.
Furthermore, several scholars emphasize that weddings were legal affairs.
The bride and groom were legally bound to each other.
But guests who did not bring an appropriate gift could be sued, (or thrown out as in Jesus’ parables) and hosts who did not provide a good enough party could be sued by the guests.[1]
Therefore, one of the worst things to happen would be to run out of wine before the event was over.
For people like me, who do not drink, this is where the disconnect takes place, tempting me to dismiss this parable.
While we cannot be sure about the alcoholic content of the wine, what must be understood is the significance of wine in Jewish culture.
In the OT, Wine often represents celebration and abundance.
Plenty of wine represents God’s blessing upon the harvest.
Absence of wine could indicate a time of difficulty or famine brought about by sin and God’s displeasure.

3. This difficult situation prompts Mary to ask for Jesus’ intervention.

2 On the third day a wedding took place in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’s mother was there, ²and Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding as well. ³When the wine ran out, Jesus’s mother told him, “They don’t have any wine.” ⁴“What has this concern of yours to do with me,^, woman?” Jesus asked. “My hour has not yet come.”

This is more than a mom believing her son was something special.
Mary is clearly asking Jesus to perform a miracle, even though He has not done so yet.
She asks Him to intervene in a situation that wasn’t his.
Two subtle clues let the reader know something big is happening.
The first can be found in the opening, “On the third day…”
This chronology does not really make sense with the preceding chapter.
It’s actually the 6^th or 7^th day of the trip mentioned in Chapter 1.
Also, according to custom, weddings for virgins took place on Wednesday and for widows on Thursday, neither of which would be considered the third day.^[2]
Often in Scripture, the third day refers to a time of Divine Intervention.
On the third day, Abraham saw the place of sacrifice afar off (Gen. 22:3-4)
On the third day, God descended upon Mt. Sinai in sight of the people (Exo. 19:11)
Jonah was three days in the belly of a whale.
Hezekiah was miraculously healed and went to the Temple on the third day.
Hosea 6:2 says, “He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, That we may live before Him.”
Of course, we know that Jesus was resurrected on the third day.
In fact, if we read a little further in this chapter, we see Jesus make a seemingly blasphemous prophecy.
Jesus cleanses the Temple of the money changers and, when asked by whose authority and by what sign He did this, He proclaimed, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
Therefore, it seems John intends for the readers to understand Jesus’ intervention in the wedding as divine intervention and not as a party favor.
Because what is a miracle other than the intervention of God in the natural world of man?
Perhaps John stresses that this is on the third day so that we might be prepared for Divine interaction, intervention, and interruption.
However, the clearest clue of Divine significance is in Jesus’ words: “My hour has not yet come.”
Jesus’ “hour” is the key to understanding this passage.
It is in this simple word that we interpret what Mary is asking and what Jesus is doing, and why the disciples believed that Jesus was the Messiah and Son of God.

4. Hour for what?

Jesus uses this phrase regularly throughout John.
John 7:6 (CSB) ⁶Jesus told them, “My time has not yet arrived, but your time is always at hand.
John 7:8 (CSB) ⁸Go up to the festival yourselves. I’m not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.”
John 7:30 (CSB) ³⁰Then they tried to seize him. Yet no one laid a hand on him because his hour had not yet come.
John 8:20 (CSB) ²⁰He spoke these words by the treasury, while teaching in the temple. But no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.
At first, Jesus said his time had not come. But once the Cross comes into view, He changes.
John 12:23 (CSB) ²³Jesus replied to them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
John 13:1 (CSB) Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
John 16:32 (CSB) ³²Indeed, an hour is coming, and has come, when each of you will be scattered to his own home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
John 17:1 (CSB) Jesus spoke these things, looked up to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you,
In view here in John 2, Jesus is not saying His time for miracles hadn’t come.
Instead, the hour of redemption had not come.
That day would come.
When Jesus would take upon Himself the sins of the world.
The day would come when His blood would be shed and his body broken so that those who accept Christ as their Lord and Savior would participate in the great and divine mystery of the marriage of Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:22-33).
The same John who tells of the Wedding at Cana is the same writer who tells us of a future wedding banquet:
Revelation 19:6–9 (CSB)
b^{. 6}Then I heard something like the voice of a vast multitude, like the sound of cascading waters, and like the rumbling of loud thunder, saying,

Hallelujah, because our Lord God, the Almighty,

reigns!

⁷Let us be glad, rejoice, and give him glory,

because the marriage of the Lamb has come,

and his bride has prepared herself.

⁸She was given fine linen to wear, bright and pure.

For the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints. ⁹Then he said to me, “Write: Blessed are those invited to the marriage feast of the Lamb!” He also said to me, “These words of God are true.”

In light of this hour, what Jesus does next in John 2 declares to His disciples what His ministry is all about.

⁶Now six stone water jars had been set there for Jewish purification. Each contained twenty or thirty gallons. ⁷“Fill the jars with water,” Jesus told them. So they filled them to the brim. ⁸Then he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the headwaiter.” And they did.

5. Ritual water becomes New Wine.

The six stone water jars had a purpose.
They were not designed to carry wine but water.
The Jewish law required water to be poured over the hands of each guest before eating.
Earthen vessels could become unclean, but stone could not.
So stone jars were often used.
In this way, the people were ceremonially clean to eat.
The jars were clean, but the water would be dirty.
Jesus’ instructions were probably burdensome but necessary.
How hard would it have been to dump 20-30 gallons of water?
How far did they have to go to draw water?
A few feet?
A few miles?
Yet it seems quite clear that Jesus had them pour out the old water and fill with fresh, clean water.
For the very water that had been used to purify the guests had, in fact, become dirty.
The dirty water of purification was unsuitable for the miracle Jesus wanted to accomplish.
Jesus doesn’t destroy the pots but instead fills them with clean water.
Jesus didn’t destroy the earthly temple in the next paragraph, He cleansed it to become what God intended again.
At times, what we all need, is the cleansing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, the rush of Living Water, to purify us again.
As the headwaiter, the man responsible for the feast, dips water, a miracle happens.
Somewhere between the pouring out, the pouring in, and the dip of the ladle, the water becomes wine.
Not the cheap stuff, expected at this time.
But the best stuff: a new wine that no one expects.
And not only is it the best, but there is an overwhelming amount of wine.
At this, they see and believe and give Him glory?
But because the wine tasted good?
What is it that they see, and feel, and sense in this first sign?

6. The disciples caught a glimpse of Jesus as the Promised Groom of Israel.

Several Old Testament prophecies spoke of a day like this, symbolized by an abundance of wine:
Amos 9:11–13 (CSB)

¹¹In that day

I will restore the fallen shelter of David:

I will repair its gaps,

restore its ruins,

and rebuild it as in the days of old,

¹²so that they may possess

the remnant of Edom

and all the nations

that bear my name—^,

this is the declaration of the Lord;

he will do this.

¹³Look, the days are coming—

this is the Lord’s declaration—

when the plowman will overtake the reaper

and the one who treads grapes,

the sower of seed.

The mountains will drip with sweet wine,

and all the hills will flow with it.

Joel 3:18 (CSB)

¹⁸In that day

the mountains will drip with sweet wine,

and the hills will flow with milk.

All the streams of Judah will flow with water,

and a spring will issue from the Lord’s house,

watering the Valley of Acacias.^,

When Mary asks of Jesus to intervene in this wedding, it is Jesus’ identity of “Groom” that is being pulled upon.
First of all, In Isaiah 25, we see the prediction of a heavenly wedding feast that the Messiah would usher in.

Isaiah 25:6–10 (CSB)

⁶On this mountain,^,

the Lord of Armies will prepare for all the peoples a feast of choice meat,

a feast with aged wine, prime cuts of choice meat, fine vintage wine.

⁷On this mountain

he will swallow up the burial shroud,

the shroud over all the peoples,

the sheet covering all the nations.

⁸When he has swallowed up death once and for all,

the Lord God will wipe away the tears

from every face

and remove his people’s disgrace

from the whole earth,

for the Lord has spoken.

⁹On that day it will be said,

“Look, this is our God;

we have waited for him, and he has saved us.

This is the Lord; we have waited for him.

Let’s rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

^10aFor the Lord’s power will rest on this mountain.

Jesus knew what He was called to do.
Jesus knew He was the one that would swallow up the burial shroud.
Jesus would unite the nations and invite them to a wedding feast.
Jesus would make it possible to wipe every tear and remove our disgrace.
Isaiah 25 is echoed in Rev. 21:

Revelation 21:1–4 (CSB)

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. ²I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.

³Then I heard a loud voice from the throne:^, Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples,^, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. ⁴He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.

As Jesus attends another man’s wedding, focused upon a different groom and a different bride, His mother’s request inaugurates a prophetic promise:
Even though her son, she knew that Jesus was the Promised Messiah, the Groom of Israel.
And that someday, Jesus would come back to Earth as the celebrated groom and would retrieve His bride.
John the Baptist knew it, when he declared:

John 3:27–30 (CSB)

²⁷John responded, “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven. ²⁸You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of him.’ ²⁹He who has the bride is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine is complete. ³⁰He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Apply: What do we do in light of John 2?

First, I believe we take a moment and give God glory.
This was the original response to this revelation.
The miracle wasn’t about what was in the jars but in the One who attended the wedding.
Here stood the Promise One of Israel, the Ancient of Days, the Source of Living Water, the Bread of Life, the Bride-Groom of Israel.
And very few even noticed.
Mary was first.
Then the servants understood what happened.
Lastly, a few of the observers and disciples.
But the groom, the bride, and most of the guests never realized that the ONE whom their wedding foreshadowed was actually in their midst.
Too often, we are so distracted and busy, that we fail to recognize that the Spirit of God is in the room.
Therefore, this passage should cause us to pause, worship, and give God glory.
Second, let us remember that God still fills and uses ordinary vessels.
Isn’t this just like Jesus?
The One who takes a few loaves and fishes and feeds thousands.
Or has Peter cast a fishing line and retrieved money from a fish’s mouth,
Is also the one that repurposes some jars, has them poured and refilled with something demonstrably better.
Without stretching the metaphor too far, I want to encourage us to allow God to use us however He sees fit.
That might require dumping, refilling, and a miracle.
Yet, God can and does use willing vessels for His glory.
Perhaps what is inside of us has grown stale and unclean.
Perhaps you are like me and in need of a fresh refilling.
May we allow the Spirit to empty us of ourselves and fill us, fresh, with Himself.
Lastly, remember that Jesus is coming soon.
Jesus is still yet to return.
When He does, it will be an event we do not want to miss.
I’m looking forward to the day when:
He wipes the tears from our eyes for the last time.
I look forward to a Kingdom with no more pain, sorrow, or grief.
I look forward to eating the Marriage Supper with the Nations, hearing their stories of how Jesus saved them and redeemed them.
Most importantly, I look forward to seeing Jesus face to face.
Today, we are reminded that Jesus is Coming Soon.

[1] J. Duncan M. Derrett has a very valuable discussion of this miracle. p 156 He points out that in the ancient Near East there was a strong element of reciprocity about weddings, and that, for example, it was possible to take legal action in certain circumstances against a man who had failed to provide the appropriate wedding gift. This is quite foreign to our wedding customs and we are apt to overlook such possibilities. But it means that when the supply of wine failed more than social embarrassment was involved. The bridegroom and his family may well have become involved in a heavy pecuniary liability. The gift made by Jesus was thus doubly important.^[1] Morris, Leon. 1995. The Gospel according to John. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

^[2] Morris, Leon. 1995. The Gospel according to John. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. pg 157.

June 4, 2023 Message 25 “Praying through the Attacks”

Paul RichardsonJune 4, 2023

Click Here for a PDF : Message 25 Praying through the Attacks

Message 25: Praying through the Battles

6.4.23

Ephesians Series

Synopsis:

How do we faithfully stand when the enemy seems relentless? The Apostle Paul told believers to pray at all times and to pray in the Spirit. Modern believers must heed Paul’s direction.

Ephesians 6:18-20

Introduction:

Paul teaches prayer in the context of Spiritual warfare.
Without prayer, the armor of God just lies that.
It is in prayer that we exercise the power of Jesus in our world.
Apart from prayer, we will not be “strong in the Lord” or able to resist the enemy.
It is in prayer that we exercise faith, and truth, and righteousness, and the Gospel of peace.
If we do not pray, how can we be Christians?
We can be moral people; we can be trustworthy; we can even have an appearance of goodness.
But because Prayer is the manner in which we commune with God, how can there be “prayer-less” Christians?
We will have times when we do not pray as we should.
We will have times when our prayers do not seem to matter much.
But how can it be possible for a Christian’s walk with the Lord not to involve prayer?

1. Pray at all times.

The danger of prayer is that we are too familiar.
We should be amazed and shocked when we realize that Christian prayer is the intentional communication of created man with the eternal God.
This only applies to Christian’s praying.
Other religions and even non-religions pray and meditate.
But when Christians pray, there is communion with God, and this is startling.
To have access to God at all times and for all reasons is the rare privilege of Christians.
Perhaps it would be helpful for us as Americans to stop and reflect upon this a moment.
Have we culturally appropriated prayer in a way that inoculates our culture to prayer’s beauty, wonder, and significance?
When we pray, we are having conversation and fellowship with God.
Because God is “Omni…”, we are invited to pray at all times.
God is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, and Eternal.
He is all-powerful, all-present, all-knowing, and has no beginning or end.
All elements that we are not.
The Apostle tells us to take advantage of this because we need what we are not.
We are not all-powerful and need God’s power.
We are not all-present, needing God to be both where we are and where we are not.
We are not all-knowing and need His wisdom, insight, knowledge, and discernment.
Finally, we are not eternal; we have definite beginnings and ordained ends.
In the midst of this spiritual warfare we call life, we MUST pray at all times.
On our own, we do not have what it takes to stand, resist, or endure.
We must pray.
And because we never know when the attacks will come, we must pray at all times.

2. Pray in the Spirit.

There is a right way to pray.
Why is this distinction important?
I remind you that all religions pray.
Muslims pray faithfully multiple times a day.
The surrounding temples of Ephesus were busy with acts that looked and sounded like prayer.
Christian prayer is different because of God’s role in prayer.
It isn’t about the words you use.
You don’t have to be eloquent, loud, or use KJV or Hebrew.
What does it mean to pray in the Spirit?
Romans 8:26–27 (CSB) gives us insight here:

²⁶In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us^, with inexpressible groanings. ²⁷And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

This kind of prayer does not originate in our imagination but in the mind of God.
A few years ago, the Houston Astros were found guilty of stealing the signs of other teams.
Not only did the Astros have a great season, they won the World Series.
It’s much easier to hit a pitch when you know what’s coming.
The Apostle Paul says we can PRAY according to the mind of the Spirit and the WILL of GOD.
We are invited to pray according to God’s will, and yet we do not take advantage.
Why not?
Because we are freaked out about spiritual praying.
What does it sound like?
Paul says it sounds like groanings and a language we do not understand.
I get why we feel this way.
First of all, the spiritual realm scares most of us.
Second, many of us were taught that spiritual prayer and praying in tongues is wrong, confusing, or not for you.
So, over the years, we have developed an aversion to anything that comes close to praying in the Spirit.
Here is how I understand it:
If you offered me the most amazing Wagyu burger, cooked to perfection, with cheese and bacon, and that burger was a $100 burger, but if you put mustard on it, I’m going to pass.
Why? Because you added an ingredient that I do not want.
If I could offer you the kind of prayer that the Apostle Paul is talking about, without it being too spiritual or involving tongues, you would bite.
But most of us have an aversion to speaking in tongues.
But listen to what Paul told to the church in Corinth:

1 Corinthians 14:14–15 (CSB)

¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. ¹⁵What then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with my understanding. I will sing praise with the spirit, and I will also sing praise with my understanding.

D. Paul distinguishes between praying with his natural tongue and praying in the spirit.
Paul distinguishes between singing with our mind, our understanding, and with the Spirit.
This is not an either/or situation but a both/and.
Here is my recommendation:
This afternoon or tonight before bed, get alone for a few minutes, just you and the Holy Spirit.
And tell yourself and the Spirit, “I want all God has for me.”
And then give yourself room and time to pray with both your mind and your Spirit.
Although this seems unnecessary and “extra”, Paul says we are to pray this way WITH EVERY PRAYER AND REQUEST.

3. Pray in the Spirit with every prayer and request

Most of us triage our prayers.
We assume that because our resources are limited, we need to share only the most important prayer requests with God.
We don’t want to “bother” Him.
We are scared that we come across as the main character in the old video by Rex Stevens: “It’s me again, Margaret.”
We don’t want to waste our “one miracle” on something frivolous.
Many of us do not pray in the Spirit with every prayer and request because we project our weaknesses upon God.
Not only do we stumble over praying “in the Spirit,” but we also struggle with “every prayer and request.”
This should be good news:
We should be thankful that we can bring everything to God in prayer.
But too many of us feel like we are bothering God when we do what He invited us to do.
3. We think we are being thoughtful, considerate, mature, and responsible by not bringing everything to God in prayer when in reality, we are being disobedient.
1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)

⁷Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

Is there anything that “all” and “every” excludes?
And when we pray in the Spirit, we can be assured we are praying in the perfect will of God.

Close: Prayer

This morning, I want to lead all of us in prayer for both small requests and large.
Have you ever avoided praying about something because you thought it was too small for God to care about? Today, let’s take a moment to bring even those small things before God in prayer and trust that He is capable of handling them.
Let’s also bring those BIG, insurmountable requests to God as well.
And if you have never prayed in the Spirit, why don’t you practice?
Let’s all be open to what God wants to say and do in and through us.
Prayer.

May 21, 2023 Stand in the Armor of God

Paul RichardsonMay 21, 2023

Message 24 Christ’s Weapons for the Church

Message 24:Christ’s Weapons for the Church.

5.21.23

Ephesians Series

Ephesians 6:10–20 (CSB)

CHRISTIAN WARFARE

¹⁰Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. ¹³For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. ¹⁴Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, ¹⁵and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God. ¹⁸Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. ¹⁹Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. ²⁰For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.

Introduction: War, not peace.

The nature of this world does not permit peace.
As soon as sin entered humanity, we were put at enmity, or hostility, with God.
This hostility is our default condition:

Ephesians 2:1–3 (CSB)

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins ²in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. ³We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.

James 4:4b–5 (CSB)

⁴You adulterous people! Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility (enmity) toward God? So whoever wants to be the friend of the world becomes the enemy of God. ⁵Or do you think it’s without reason that the Scripture says: The spirit he made to dwell in us envies intensely?^,

The writers of the New Testament often viewed their world in an “Us Vs. Them” mindset.
Church versus the World.
Christ vs. Satan.
Righteousness against Sin.
When people accept Christ as their Lord and Savior, the Ruler of this world fights against them.
This is clearly evident each time we take a step of faith and devotion.
Try to spend time in prayer, the phone always rings.
Set time to worship, and the dishes suddenly call out to be washed or you have an irresistible drive to clean out the garage.
Start leading your family, a child rebels.
Start loving you spouse like Christ loves them, your spouse is all of a sudden meaner and angrier than ever.
These small skirmishes are actually representative of a far larger battle raging in the spiritual.
And it’s not in the background, out of sight, but in the forefront for all to see if they will pay attention.
To be honest, if we had a play-by-play announcer reading the Book of Revelation aloud, we might pay better attention.
We think we would notice the Beast or the AntiChrist.
But what if I told you that the spiritual warfare happening now is just as real as what we read about what happens at the end of it all?
The Apostle Paul wasn’t preparing the Churches for a future fight but for a present one.

1. First, we have to be convinced there is a real, spiritual enemy.

Just like in everything, there are extremes even within the Church.
Some people do not believe there is anything spiritual.
We believe that there is a heaven and probably a hell.
But the reality of demons, spirits, or anything we can’t see is not really on our radar.
Then there are those who see demons and spirits behind everything.
These people are the ones that when they run out of gas, they rebuke the devil instead of putting gas in the tank.
(Picture) They are kind of like the fictional character Don Quixote, chasing and fighting windmills because he thought they were dragons.
Scripture does not give detailed descriptions of principalities, powers, rulers, or authorities.
Scripture gives some examples, like the Prince of Persia mentioned in Daniel or Jesus’ many confrontations with the demonic, along with Paul’s encounters with persecution and worldly systems.
We do not know all the intricate details.
Unlike the pagan religions of Paul’s day, there is not an elaborate cosmology in Christianity.
But we do have all the information and power needed to stand against these authorities and to resist Satan’s schemes.
Allow me to provide some pastoral encouragement and exhortation:
First, believe that a very real spiritual war is raging around us.
This war involves you and your family and every person, regardless if they are aware or not.
Just because we may choose to remain ignorant of this spiritual struggle, it does not negate its reality.
Second, spiritual warfare doesn’t end until Jesus returns.
Every generation contends with Satan and his schemes.
No one is exempt, and the struggle does not care about your age, ministry status, or if you are retired.
Third, be clear where Scripture is clear and vague where Scripture is vague.
There is a lot of extra teaching on spiritual warfare available.
Some are helpful, and some are speculation.
Always interpret EVERYTHING through the clear teaching of Scripture.
Human visions, teachings, and revelations do not have the weight of Scripture.
Paul warned us in Galatians 1:8

Galatians 1:8 (CSB)

⁸But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, a curse be on him!

2. The Armor of God

Paul mentions 6 pieces of armor.
Every person in the Roman Empire would have been very familiar with this armor.
It was the standardized kit for a Roman Legionary.
And the whole world knew what they looked like.
From Britain to Gaul, to Italy, to the Middle East, the world knew a Roman soldier when they saw them.
Furthermore, Paul was imprisoned in Rome under guard.
The Praetorian Guards were with Paul every moment of his stay.
Therefore, each day, Paul saw the physical, carnal pieces of these soldiers’ protection.
But these Roman soldiers are not what inspired Paul.
Paul is not using a human illustration.
We often, rightfully, take something human to help us grasp a reality.
But Paul’s teaching was not a moment of brilliance but an expression of an, already divine truth.
The believers in Ephesus wouldn’t have known Isaiah’s vision, but Paul did. Isaiah in or around 700 B.C wrote:

Isaiah 59:16–17 (CSB)

¹⁶He (God of Israel) saw that there was no man—

he was amazed that there was no one interceding;

so his own arm brought salvation,

and his own righteousness supported him.

¹⁷He put on righteousness as body armor,

and a helmet of salvation on his head;

he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,

and he wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.

Paul isn’t being creative here.
He is saying what God had already said.
Now, he tells followers of Jesus to take advantage of the spiritual resources.

3. Complete protection.

The Roman soldier was protected from the top of his head to the sole of his feet.
He would have had a helmet, breastplate, sword, belt, shield, and sandals.
The key to Roman military success was not only their tools but also their tactics.
They fought grouped together, shoulder to shoulder.
When they remained together, they were a force to be reckoned with.
But if they became separated or fell, they were vulnerable.
This is likely what Paul had in view.
Individually, we are vulnerable.
If we do not stand strong, but fall, we will surely die.
Paul commands, after you have done everything, stand in the armor.
If we do not resist the onslaught of the enemy, we give way to the enemy.

1 Peter 5:8–9 (ESV)

⁸Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. ⁹Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

James 4:7 (ESV)

⁷Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

The armor protects every part of us.
But our strength is only in Jesus.
Be strong in the Lord.
Too often we try to fight Satan in our own strength.
When we do, it’s like bringing a squirt gun to a five-alarm fire.
Maybe you are stronger and more disciplined than most:
So instead of a Dollar General squirt gun you bought the biggest super-soaker money can buy.
But even then, it is NOT enough.
The attacks and power of the enemy is real.
Outside of Christ, you will not survive.
If you brought your own armor, you won’t make it.
Trusting in your own power is like buying your weaponry and armor from Wish.com.
It’s cheap for a reason.

4. Christ provides the armor, we put it on.

None of these elements belong to us or originate with us:

1. Who’s truth? Christ’s truth.
2. Who’s righteousness? Christ’s righteousness
3. Whose Gospel of Peace? Christ’s
4. What faith? Faith in Christ alone.
5. Whose salvation? Christ’s salvation through His blood.
6. Whose sword of the Spirit? Christ’s, the word of God.

The Good News is that in Jesus, we do not have to fear falling or failing.
Notice, again, the words of Isaiah.

Isaiah 40:28–31 (CSB)

²⁸Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the whole earth.

He never becomes faint or weary;

there is no limit to his understanding.

²⁹He gives strength to the faint

and strengthens the powerless.

³⁰Youths may become faint and weary,

and young men stumble and fall,

³¹but those who trust in the Lord

will renew their strength;

they will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not become weary,

they will walk and not faint.

The armor does not prevent attacks; it protects from attack.
Does this mean that nothing bad will happen to me?
No.
It does mean that nothing the enemy of our soul tries can accomplish his purpose of separating us from Jesus.
If you want to take the armor off, that’s on you, but Satan cannot take it off of you.
Christ provides, but we put on.
I like this quote from Eugene Peterson:

The labeling of each of the six aspects of the practice of resurrection with an item of armor helps us realize that this life in Christ is not made up of passive qualities; rather, each one forms a field of participation in Christ’s work of redemption. The words are not job descriptions from which we improvise a strategy and then implement the best we can. We are the weapons. Who we are takes precedence over what we do. (Peterson 3003-3006)

We are the weapons!
Armor and weapons sitting in the corner are not effective.
But when put on the body and in the hands of trained persons, they become mighty.
Paul tells us to PUT ON THE ARMOR.
How do we put on?
Some people mentally picture themselves putting each piece on.
For some that may be a helpful.
How many of us have a checklist before leaving the house?
Keys, wallet, cell-phone, lunch, all the kids, makeup, brush teeth, deodorant.
You could also consider a checklist for yourself:
For myself, a filter metaphor works better for me.
Because all of these pieces, except Scripture and prayer, are defensive, it helps me to remind myself to “take captive every thought” and to filter them through.
When I’m tempted to believe my righteousness is what got Him here, I “take off” that piece of armor and look at the tag inside, which says “plate of righteousness, property of Jesus Christ.”
When I’m struggling with truth or discerning what to believe, I check the “belt” I’m wearing to ensure it says, “truth, property of Jesus.”
The belt is important because it was the piece that supported the weight of all the other pieces, tied those pieces together, and was worn even when the armor was not.
If we separate ourselves from God’s truth as revealed in Jesus through Scripture, we fall apart.

Apply: How do I stay in the fight?

Next weekend, my friend Ty Buckingham will be sharing more about the Holy Spirit.
The week after, we will examine Paul’s direction to pray in the Spirit at all times.
We will be addressing several practical ways to implement this.
What do we do today?
Confess: I’m in a fight.
Wartime mentalities are different from peacetime mentalities.
We see, act, hear, and think differently in battle than at home.
That is why we must confess, “I’m in a fight!”
Tell your mind where your strength comes from:
Even if your body is tired, the Spirit of God that lives in you isn’t.
Even if you have faltered lately, Jesus hasn’t missed a step.
Satan isn’t scared of you, but Christ in you.
Plan on overcoming the attacks of the enemy.
If you plan to lose, you lose.
Time and again, the New Testament promises blessings to those who endure and overcome.
This is only possible through Jesus, but you have a part to play.
To stand, full in the armor of God, is your responsibility.

Message 23 Be Strong and Stand! Ephesians 6:10-20

Paul RichardsonMay 14, 2023

Click here for a PDF version of Pastor Paul Richardson’s sermon: ->Message 23 Be Strong and Stand

Message 23: Be Strong and Stand

Ephesians Series

5.14.23

Ephesians 6:10–20 (CSB)

CHRISTIAN WARFARE

Introduction. Ephesus existed at the crossroads of the demonic and the Gospel.

As people came and went through the city, one thing was sure:
They would be confronted with the powers of light and the powers of darkness.
They would encounter warfare and wrestle against “principalities and powers in heavenly places.”
Everyone who stayed in Ephesus would have to confront these powers, first for themselves, second for their families, and third for their community.
There is no middle ground in Ephesus.
Paul wraps up his letter with the final theme: Stand.
First, we are to Sit
Then, Walk
Finally, Stand
It seems appropriate that this message lands on Mother’s Day and graduation.
Mothers and grandmothers are called to be a line of defense against those who intend harm for their children.
With weapons spiritual and physical, the mother’s instinct to protect her kids, her cubs, is God-given.
The enemy of our souls knows that the surest way to bring a woman down is to go after her kids.
Graduates, this message is also appropriate.
You are being launched into a dangerous world.
You have already encountered spiritual warfare.
And in the days to come, you will encounter even more.
Graduates, moms, dads, and all believers are called to stand and be strong in the Lord.

1. Stand.

I think all of us can be territorial.
If a kid is at a table in their classroom and someone comes and sits in their seat, an argument or fight often starts.
Seniors in high school often have a “senior row” where underclassmen can’t park: it’s their spot.
Every dad, or male over the age of 23, has their favorite “chair” that is their spot.
We all tend to be territorial, wanting to be established in our “spot” or space.
Where are we called to stand? What is our spot?
Vs. 10 says, “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”
Many of us practice this different from what it says:
We read “be strong,”… and then fight, fuss, and fume in our own strength, forgetting what comes next.
The preposition “in” tells us how we are to stand.
Prepositions “mark special relationships between persons, objects, and locations.”
We stand strong “in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”
We are at our strongest when we are “in the Lord” and “in His strength.”
Of course, that’s easier said than done.
And now, Paul tells the believers to stand firm in their spot.
Notice, again, the progression:
Seated with Christ in the heavenly realm,
walking worthy of our calling.
And now, STAND

2. Where are we standing?

Before we can understand the ferocity of the fight, we need to know what’s at stake.
The context of Ephesians leads us to the reality of spiritual warfare.
There are spiritual battles being fought.
There is armor for us to put on.
A real enemy pulls the strings of systems, kingdoms, and ideologies.
Where are we called to stand?
Eugene Peterson describes it like this:

Stand firm in this place of blessing that we now inhabit. What can we hope to add to the blessings of God that have been lavished on us? Do we realize how unique this is and how refreshing it is to simply be blessed? And by God no less? In a world that confronts us with demands, criticism, misunderstanding, mistrust, manipulation, rivalry, getting and spending, lies and seductions, is there anything like this – sheer, unqualified blessing? Stand still and take it in. (Peterson 2893-2896)

Are we not called to stand in the presence and blessing of God?
Are we not positioned to be standing in the place of victory, power, authority, and righteousness?
So why are we willing to give it up so easily?
I believe the enemy knows the strategic value of where believers are called to stand better than we do.
When we don’t know the real value of something, we sell short.
Satan has done a great job of convincing believers that what God has given them isn’t as valuable as it really is.
It’s as if believers are taking the family jewels to the pawnshop or selling them in a junk sell.
We are being convinced that the position God has given us isn’t worth as much as it really is.
The result?
We don’t stand as strong as we should.
We give ground when we should gain ground.
We need more men and women who know what and where God has placed them, and to stand strong in the Lord’s strength.
We need believers who will say, That’s my spot.
That’s my place.
That’s my blessing.
That’s my inheritance.
That’s my child.
That’s my spouse.
That’s what God has given me, and I will not give it up.
And Christ, in His infinite mercy, has given us the tools not to be moved by the enemy’s schemes.
This is where the spiritual armor comes in.
We have not been left vulnerable or without the tools necessary to survive and stand.

3. Fighting a weakened enemy.

The Apostle Paul does not prepare the believers in Ephesus for peace but for war.
There are many in Christianity who want to take the blood and the warfare imagery out of Scripture.
But that is not the reality believers face.

¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. ¹³For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.

Ephesus was a secure Roman city.
It was protected by the might of Rome.
It is likely that there were very few veterans in the Church of Ephesus.
Yet, each believer was accustomed to the spiritual battle that raged in the city for the heart and soul of the people.
The most important battle we all face is spiritual.
Our enemy puts on human faces, and human ideologies, and organizes human systems.
But real warfare has spiritual origins.
One author said, “We need deliverance from evil that doesn’t look like evil, evil that we are not likely to recognize as evil.” (Peterson, 2942)
The Good News is that the enemy has already been weakened.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the city of Colossae:

Colossians 2:14–15 (CSB)

¹⁴He (JESUS) erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.^,

This is what Christ has done for us through the cross.
Through His death and resurrection, Jesus disarmed these principalities and powers, and spiritual forces of wickedness.
They are still real, and still active, and still threatening.
However, their power has been undermined.
Like a dog with no teeth,
A lion with no claws,
A snake with no fangs,
They can threaten and bark, charge and hiss, but they do not have the power they once had over believers.
But this only applies to those who are standing in Christ.
I found this explanation helpful:

…how can disarmed powers still constitute a threat? The answer is that they constitute no threat to those who are united by faith to the victorious Christ and avail themselves of his resources, the resources which are here described metaphorically as “the panoply of God.” But to those who neglect those resources, and especially to those who are disposed to give them some room in their lives, they continue to present a threat.^[1]

Apart from Christ, these powers are still very potent.
Apart from Christ, no human alive has the strength to withstand the attacks and temptations of Satan.
The enemy may be defeated, but he is taking many with him.
Satan is disarmed but not powerless.
Again, victory is only for those who are IN CHRIST JESUS.
Next week we will look at the 6 pieces of protection Christ has given us.

4. Some hills are worth dying on.

In Ephesus, upon the most prominent hill, stood the Temple of Artemis.
But down, where the people lived, there was a Church being birthed.
As these people worshipped Jesus, they could have this confident boldness:
That someday, every knee would bow and every person confess that Jesus was Lord.
Artemis didn’t win.
The Temple, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was destroyed by 401 AD.
Today, only a few fragments remain in the modern-day country of Turkey.
The Emperors are long since dead, relegated to history’s pages.
But this Jesus is high and exalted and worthy of all praise.
It was not on the hills that celebrated a Greek god or a Roman emperor that changed the world.
But the hill called Mount Calvary.
It was there that the blood of Jesus was shed to provide forgiveness for you and me.
It was there that our enemy realized its defeat.
Don’t die on every hill, but be willing to stand strong where it matters most.
Moms and Grandmas:
Some battles are not worth it.
But fighting for the souls of your kids, family, friends and neighbors IS worth it.
So don’t stop now.
Every person needs a praying mom and grandma.
But so many do not have that spiritual prayer warrior in their life, so YOU be that person.
Graduates:
Your future is in front of you, and that’s exciting.
But if you walk into that future only in your strength, experience, or expertise, you will not make it.
You need the Lord’s help and strength, and He has made that readily available to you if you will ask.
Just remember that not every opportunity, choice, decision, or struggle is equal.
But those that involve sin and righteousness matter more than you understand now.
So don’t die on every hill, but be willing to risk it all on those hills that matter to Jesus.

Close: Prayer for Spiritual strength.

I know today is Mother’s Day and we have several guests today.
Something we do almost every week is take a few minutes at the end to pray publicly and with each other.
Today, I want to lead us in a time of prayer for lost and hurting loved ones.
For our sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, and spiritual children.
We want to pray for them to come under the blessing and protection of Jesus, who has disarmed the powers and rendered them ineffectual.
I also want to pray for all of us to remain strong in the Lord.
This season has been incredibly hard.
And it may seem like you can’t keep going on.
So I want us to pray for each other to remain strong and standing for ourselves and our families.

Prayer.

^[1] Bruce, F. F. 1984. The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

May 7, 2023: Slaves, Masters, and Living for Jesus. Ephesians 6

Paul RichardsonMay 7, 2023

Click here for a PDF of Pastor Paul Richardson’s sermon notes -> Message 22 Slavery and Workplace

Message 22: Slaves, Masters and Living for Jesus

5.7.23

⁵Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as you would Christ. ⁶Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, do God’s will from your heart. ⁷Serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to people, ⁸knowing that whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord. ⁹And masters, treat your slaves the same way, without threatening them, because you know that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

Introduction: The Kingdom is lived out in relationships.

Today, we look at the third group of people the Apostle addresses.
First, it was husbands and wives.
Then Children and parents.
And now slaves and masters.
Our relationship with those we live and work with are where the Kingdom of God is most clearly visible.
The Apostle gives commands and instructions to three groups of people that he doesn’t participate in.
He wasn’t a husband, a parent, or a slave.
The Book of Acts tells us that Paul was born a citizen of Rome, a free person.
This placed Paul among the elite in the Roman Empire.
By our standards, Paul is the least qualified person to advise married couples, parents, or slaves and masters.
Yet, God used Paul as the medium for these divine truths.
What if the Apostle Paul was more qualified than we realize?
What if Paul understood each of these arenas in a way that was unique and profound?
Paul understood these realities in a deep way.
The Apostle Paul saw himself in these three situations:
He was part of the Church, therefore, a member of the Bride of Christ and his job was to submit to the headship of Jesus.
Paul understood that he was a co-heir with Christ Jesus, and although we are not divine, we are called sons of God. Thus, Paul’s life was a constant endeavor to honor and obey his heavenly Father.
Thirdly, Paul, the Roman Citizen, consistently identifies as servant, the slave of Christ.
With all the lofty language Paul employs in his letters, he never forgot that He served at the privilege of the Master.
I believe this is a helpful balance for us.
We are both co-heirs with Christ and servants of Jesus.
In eternity, we will receive crowns of glory and cast those crowns at Jesus’ feet.
Paul’s instructions for spouses, children, and slaves provide a framework that shapes our relationship with Jesus.
Submission and love, honor and obedience, diligence and sincerity are a few of the attitudes these relationships teach us.
Relationships with others are key elements of our discipleship.

1. Slavery and the Roman Empire.

It’s important for us to have an informed perspective on ancient slavery.
Slaves came from varied places and backgrounds.
Conquered peoples were perhaps the main source.
Some were born into slavery.
Others sold themselves into slavery due to debts.
Any number of races or people groups could become slaves.
Unlike 19^th century America where slavery was predominantly forced upon one racial group, slaves could come from any nationality, race, or people group.
Therefore, it could be hard to tell a freed person or citizen from a slave, as in the example of the Apostle Paul in Acts 22:25-29 who surprised the Roman soldiers with his citizenship.
Not all slavery situations were the same.
The worst situation was mining, where the life expectancy of slaves could be measured in days.
Many were involved in farming or construction.
Some slaves worked in wealthy households, having a better standard of living and potentially owning slaves themselves.
Regardless, slavery meant someone else owned your life, and you were property.
The Roman Empire was dependent upon slavery:
According to historians at the British Museum,

Scholars estimate about 10% (but possibly up to 20%) of the Roman Empire population of 50 million (in the first century AD) between five and ten million were enslaved. This number would have been unequally distributed across the empire, with a higher concentration of enslaved people in urban areas and in Italy. (British Museum)[1]

Within the Ephesian church, there certainly were members who were slaves and others who owned slaves.
Slavery was a real-life issue for the Church in Roman cities.
This does not mean slavery was ideal or even God’s plan.
Just like modern-day slavery, where an estimated 49.6 million people are in slavery,[2] Paul’s letter is not excusing slavery but providing guidance in a very sinful situation.
Most of what we of slavery in Roman history comes from texts written by slave owners.
These authors had little interest in describing servants’ daily lives and they only present us with polarised depictions of enslaved individuals.
They are presented either as stereotypical ‘good slaves’ or, more commonly, as ‘bad’, ‘disloyal’, ‘lazy’ and deceitful people.”[3]
This helps explain why Paul was adamant that those believers in Ephesus who were in slavery should be hard-working and diligent.
Even in their slavery, they represented Christ to their masters and household.
If they must be in slavery, they still had an obligation to represent Jesus.
Their newfound freedom in Jesus did not give them permission to be lazy, disloyal, or deceitful.

Why do we care? Although there are principles in Ephesians 6 that apply to employers and employees, we miss something of vital importance if we skip to application.

2. Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus.

Paul refers to himself in Romans 1, Philippians 1, and Titus 1 as “a servant of Christ Jesus.”
In each of these letters, Paul opens with this phrase.
I’m a firm believer that first impressions matter:
We often lead with our greatest achievement, attribute, or what matters most.
In these letters, Paul starts with what he felt was most important:
His position as a servant of Jesus.
The word Paul uses for servant is doulos: which means slave.
There are different degrees of slavery and servanthood, but it was the same word.
Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus.
Each time the Apostle refers to himself as a servant of Jesus, he relates his condition and position to slavery.
Jesus was his Master and Lord.
Where Jesus told him to go, he would go.
What Jesus told him to do, he would do.
What Jesus commanded him to say, Paul said.
Paul’s life was not his own but wrapped up in Christ.
It is crucial to remain mindful of our privilege and position and not let it lead us to become conceited and overconfident.
The Apostle Paul was confident in his position:
He knew who he was in Christ Jesus.
He knew he was seated with Christ.
The Apostle Paul enjoyed the privilege of walking worthy of God’s calling.
He saw miracles.
He spoke with kings and leaders.
He caused riots and was used to write Scripture.
He had all the qualifications and titles to his name.
Yet, his favorite introduction was “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus.”
Paul’s role model was Jesus.
The same Jesus that in Philippians 2, we read:

Philippians 2:5–11 (NLT)

⁵You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

⁶Though he was God,

he did not think of equality with God

as something to cling to.

⁷Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;

he took the humble position of a slave

and was born as a human being.

When he appeared in human form,

⁸he humbled himself in obedience to God

and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

⁹Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor

and gave him the name above all other names,

¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

¹¹and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

The men and women in Ephesus understood lordship.
They had sworn oaths at the Temple of Artemis and the Temple to the Roman Emperor.
But now that they were followers of Jesus, they were now called to confess Jesus as their Lord and Master.

3. Slavery is part of our identity.

This seems wrong, but it’s very clear in Scripture.
One of the clearest passages is in the book of Romans.
Paul declares that we were once slaves to sin, but through Jesus we became “enslaved to righteousness.”

Romans 6:15–23 (CSB)

FROM SLAVES OF SIN TO SLAVES OF GOD

¹⁵What then? Should we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? Absolutely not! ¹⁶Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of that one you obey—either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness? ¹⁷But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were handed over, ¹⁸and having been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness. ¹⁹I am using a human analogy because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you offered the parts of yourselves as slaves to impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification. ²⁰For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with regard to righteousness.^, ²¹So what fruit was produced then from the things you are now ashamed of? The outcome of those things is death. ²²But now, since you have been set free from sin and have become enslaved to God, you have your fruit, which results in sanctification—and the outcome is eternal life! ²³For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Our salvation through Christ is precipitated by our declaration of Jesus as Lord.
Jesus does not become your Savior by declaring Him to be your buddy.
Jesus is not your grandpappy.
Jesus must be your Lord and Master.

Romans 10:9 (CSB)

⁹If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Paul understood that the Christian life is a life of submission.
Submit one to another.
Wives submit to your husbands.
Slaves submit to your masters.
But most importantly, SUBMIT TO JESUS!
For those born free, in Christ, they are slaves.
For those born in slavery, in Christ, there is freedom.
1 Corinthians 7:22 (CSB)

²²For he who is called by the Lord as a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called as a free man is Christ’s slave.

The Kingdom of God is full of paradoxes like this.
The first shall be last and the last first.
In Christ, we are free to serve Christ.
Paul wrote to the Roman church in Romans to present their bodies as living sacrifices.
In Romans 12:1, some of the more modern translations end the passage by saying “This is your true worship (CSB) or spiritual worship.
But the KJV translates it in a way that captivates me.
Many of us mistakenly view worship as singing or church or giving money.
Worship is something that we feel like we can withhold when we don’t feel like or if it costs too much.
But The KJV makes a bold statement:
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
An employee can refuse to do something.
A worker can determine that something is outside of her contract or duties.
But a slave has no choice.
Everything the master asks of his servant is reasonable.
Regarding our relationship with Jesus, He is Lord and Master.
Therefore, whatever He asks of you is reasonable.

4. Living in light of this passage:

Principle #1. The why and how matter.
Slaves did not choose what they did.
There were no job fairs for slaves to attend.
Each slave performed the tasks before them.
You may not be able to choose what we do, but we can choose how we do it.
At work you may not have much of a choice in what you must do, but you can choose how you do it.
Work and serve in the sincerity of heart unto the Lord.
If you sweep floors, do it to for the Lord.
If you care for kids, love them with every fiber of your being.
What you are called to do is not nearly as important as the why and how.
Principle #2. All of us get graded on attitude.

⁶Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, do God’s will from your heart. ⁷Serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to people,

Even though Paul speaks specifically to people in actual slavery, this still applies to each of us.
Our attitude not only matters, but it impacts the reward.

⁸knowing that whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord.

The thing about being a Living Sacrifice, Rom 12:1, is we have a choice to stay on the altar.
I’m afraid that too often, our attitudes have us popping on and off the altar of sacrifice.
God ties our blessing with our service:
Principle #3. The only status that matters is our relationship with Jesus.

⁹And masters, treat your slaves the same way, without threatening them, because you know that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

Jesus shows no favoritism.
No matter the label the world puts on you, those labels are swallowed up in Jesus.
Servant, master, husband, wife, child, parent, slave, free, Greek, Jew, Roman, doesn’t matter.
The Lord does not love one over the other.
There is no favoritism:
God so loved the world…
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
Every person who has ever breathed has been in need of a Savior.
We live in a world that is getting creative with labels.
But the only label that matters is the label, “redeemed”.
“A servant in Jesus’ household is better than a king in Satan’s kingdom.”

Close: Where has Christ asked you to serve?

The Lord is calling all of us.
For some, the calling is to remain faithful where He has planted you.
Others, the Lord is preparing to move or transition you, but you have to trust Him and be faithful.
Regardless of where we are in this stage of life, remember who you belong to.
Jesus bought you with a price, the price of His blood.
When we give our lives to Jesus, we accept Him as Lord and Savior and must remain faithful, submissive, and obedient.
This morning, I want to lead us in a prayer of commitment.
Simply put: I want to lead this congregation in declaring our allegiance to Jesus.
Jesus, where you lead, I will follow; where you want me to go, I will go; I will speak what you have me to speak and be silent when you want me silent.
Lord, I am yours; Use me.

[1] https://www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/nero-man-behind-myth/slavery-ancient-rome#:~:text=Scholars%20estimate%20about%2010%25%20(but,and%20ten%20million%20were%20enslaved.

[2] https://www.antislavery.org/slavery-today/modern-slavery/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20latest%20Global,of%20modern%20slavery%20are%20children

[3] Ibid

Message 21: Honor and Healing at Home

Paul RichardsonApril 30, 2023

Click here for a PDF copy of Pastor Paul’s sermon -> Message 21 Honor and Healing at Home

Message 21: Honor and Healing at Home

4.30.23

Message 21

Ephesians series.

Ephesians 5:21 (CSB)

²¹submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.

Ephesians 6:1–4 (CSB)

6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, because this is right. ²Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, ³so that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land.^,, ⁴Fathers, don’t stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Introduction: Where is the Kingdom of God most often practiced?

Maybe we think that the most important place to practice the truths of Scripture is at Church or the mission’s field.
It’s easy for us to separate our lives between what we think is holy and secular.
Work is secular, church is holy.
But this is a false dichotomy (a false separation).
Paul begins his closing of this letter by telling the Ephesian believers that the places where we are to practice the glorious truths of Jesus are at Home and in Community.
Where do we spend the overwhelming part of our day?
At work and with family.
And nobody can test the Jesus in us like our spouse, our kids, or our coworkers.
The intensity of these relationships are PERFECT places for Kingdom work.
The sign of Christian maturity is not how we act at Church but how treat our most intimate relationships.
We walk worthy of our calling when we are loving well those God has put in our life.
Preface: Today is an example of Preaching as Spiritual Warfare.
The goal of today’s message isn’t necessarily to give you principals to make your children obey.
I feel that today’s preaching functions as spiritual warfare.
Meaning, as we read and declare what Scripture says about the family and relationships, I’m hoping we will see breakthrough, healing, victory, and resolution.

Because I believe the Gospel is life-giving, I’m praying that today’s message brings life to us all today.

1. Children, obey your parents in the Lord.

The family is dependent upon 3 pillars.
The individual’s relationship with God.
The relationship of spouses to each other.
Lastly, the relationship of children to their parents.
Paul teaches that we all are to practice mutual submission.
One of the ways families can get off track is through unhealthy and unbiblical relationships between parents and children.
I’m not talking about illegal or immoral relationships.
What is in view here are relationships where children are not in submission or obedience to their parents.
This is especially evident in households where the child is the boss, and the parents are submissive to the children.
This happens for many reasons, but I want to point us to the blessing that comes when this most important relationship is in right alignment.
We think we are doing our kids a favor by making them the center, but instead we are robbing them of God’s promises and blessing.
Children obey your parents in the Lord because this is right.
Kids and teens: honoring the people raising you is part of your discipleship process.
Obeying parents “…was to be a part of the young person’s walk with God.”^[1]
How do you learn to follow Jesus?
Ideally, it’s by following your parents.
I know this is imperfect.
Some parents are really bad people.
Some parents do not do what is right.
If you are in an abusive relationship, that is not what the Apostle Paul is talking about.
He is not telling you to take the next beating.
He is not telling kids to justify abuse.
What is in view are the simpler things, when your mom, dad, or grandparent raising you, asks you to do something, and you refuse to do it.
Or bad-mouthing your parent.
Why should kids and teens obey their parents?
First, Because it is the right thing to do.
Practicing what is right when you are young helps you to do what is right when you are an adult.
Obeying parents is part of God’s design for humanity.
This is not a flaw.
Obedience or submission is not a result of sin.
Jesus, himself was submissive and obedient to His earthly family, demonstrating the importance.
Second, obey because it is a commandment.
Engrained in the Law of God is the command, “children honor your father and mother…”
Just like we are not to murder, or lie, or have idols, we are to honor our parents.
How often do we expect God to BLESS us even when we are walking in open disobedience and rebellion?
Third, this commandment has a promised blessing.
If we honor our parents, our lives are improved and better.
For the Israelites, the promise was that they would be blessed with a long life in the Promised Land.
The reverse is also true: If the children refused to honor their parents, their days in the land would be shortened.
Dishonor brings a curse.
This applies to every relationship.
Dishonor your spouse, bring a curse.
Dishonor your coworkers, curse.
Dishonor spiritual authority, curse.
How much of our cultural problems today stem from the fragrant disobedience of this commandment to honor father and mother?
When small children look at their school teacher and say, “you’re not my boss…” it means they are used to being the boss.
When a young driver can look at a police officer or judge and have no respect for authority, it means they have no respect at home.
One commentator writes:

“… the strength of family life, and the training of children to habits of order and obedience, were the means and the marks of the stability of a community or nation. When the bonds of family life break up, when respect for parents fails, the community becomes decadent and will not live long.”^[2]

2. Not just for little kids.

Paul told children to obey, and the commandant says for us to “honor our father and mother.”
The command to honor parents, as we have seen, covers adult children as well as young children. Younger children were to obey, and older children were to respect and care for their aging parents^[3].
The commandment to honor our father and mother may be harder when we are adults than when we were kids.
Honoring aging parents is a hard thing.
For all of you in this room who cared for aging parents or are presently caring for aging parents, thank you for honoring them so well.
The Hard Part: One of the greatest challenges for adult Christians is forgiving our parents.
How can you honor someone who was mean, wrong, or evil.
I feel as if this is an important step for some of us in this room.
Growing up, your parents did not do you right.
The abuse or abandonment you experienced as a child was not your fault.
You didn’t understand that when you were younger.
But now, you are recognizing this, but you don’t know what to do with it.
We will talk about that more in just a minute because of its connection to the next part of this passage.

3. The parents’ role in “honor your father and mother.”

Look at what Paul says to the father:

⁴Fathers, don’t stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

In Paul’s world, this was a radical statement.
Just as men had no requirement to love their wives in the Roman world, fathers had no requirement not to anger their children.
In fact, fathers had unlimited authority over their households:

Both in the Roman and the Jewish worlds fathers wielded unlimited authority—even life-and-death power—over their children. While Roman social codes centered around that aspect of patriarchal power over children, Paul here reverses the norm and focuses on the obligation of fathers to rule lovingly and to raise up their children rather than beating them down^[4]

What Paul proposes is revolutionary.
Fathers, love your children.
Do not promote their anger.
But instead, teach and instruct them in the Lord.
The word for “bring them up” is the same word Paul used to tell husbands to “nourish” their wives as their own body.
In other words, All men have a calling to steward those around them so that others grow and prosper.
This stems all the way back to God’s instructions to Adam to care for the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:15).
We have an incredible calling to build up other people, but too often we tear them down.
For many of us, this doesn’t feel natural.
But that isn’t because of how God created us, but because of what sin did to us.
Sin placed us in a position where we do not want to be mutually submissive, or loving, or obedient.
One of the most important ways we build up our families and those around us is through the proximity of relationships.
Too often, we focus on the stick instead of the carrot.
Dr. James Dobson said, “Discipline, without relationship, breeds rebellion.”
Correction, without love, breeds resentment.

This is why Paul tells fathers to bring up their children in training and instruction.
The word “instruction” in Greek is negative and refers to the warning side of raising children: It’s the correction side.
The word for “training” in Greek is the positive side, referring to the process of leading someone to maturity.
Together, this picture shows a picture of a father caring for his children so that they are well-rounded and mature.
The biblical goal of parenting is a mutually rewarding relationship.
Children obey and honor.
Parents instruct and nurture.
Then, in adulthood, both can enjoy the relationship.

4. But what if it’s too late?

Perhaps this sermon is painful or becoming painful.
Perhaps you are thinking:
I wasn’t a Christian when I was raising my children. How can I fix this?
My parent(s) really hurt me. What should I do?
I didn’t have a good role model and see myself raising my kids like my parents modeled. Help!
First of all, can we take just a moment and sit with these questions in the presence of Holy Spirit?
Jesus, you never waste a hurt.
Bring hope in the midst of our story.
Lead us to your presence, and to healing.
I want to share some hope with you from Scripture:
First, There is hope because, in the last days, God has started a work that is restoring families.
Malachi 4:5–6a (CSB)

⁵Look, I am going to send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. ⁶And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers.

If your heart is far from your kids, or the hearts of your kids are far from you, we are praying that this prophecy will be fulfilled in your life.
Second, no matter who raised us, the Heavenly Father is the perfect Father and role-model.
Matthew 7:11 (CSB)

¹¹If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him.

Our raising has a tremendous influence in our lives.
How our parents raise us, for good or evil, affect us.
The way we raise our kids, birth-kids, adopted- kids, foster kids, or spiritual kids, matters.
Yet, the best parent, role model, and friend you can have for yourself or your kids is Jesus.
Regardless if your kids are little, teenagers, or full-grown adults…
Regardless if you think you were a great parent or not, the best thing you can do for your kids is point them to the Heavenly Father.
If you weren’t saved when you were raising them, show them the change Jesus has made in your life.
Say, “I love you” and “I’m sorry”, a lot.
If it’s true that it takes 5 positive comments to offset 1 negative, and you had years or decades of negatives, you will have to say I love you and I’m sorry, a lot.
Third, we are not meant to pay the price for our parents or kid’s sin.
During the days of the OT, the sins family members were paid by the family.
A son was punished for what his father did.
A father was punished for what his son did.
This was summarized in a proverb in Ezekiel 18:2

²“What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel:

‘The fathers eat sour grapes,

and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?

In many ways, I see that repeated today:
Many kids are paying for the sins of their parents and vice-versa.
We end up perpetuating family crises, generational problems and addictions.
But the Good News is that doesn’t have to be: God said through Ezekiel:
Ezekiel 18:14 (CSB)

¹⁴“Now suppose he has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, and though he sees them, he does not do likewise.

Ezekiel 18:17 (CSB)

¹⁷He keeps his hand from harming the poor, not taking interest or profit on a loan. He practices my ordinances and follows my statutes. Such a person will not die for his father’s iniquity. He will certainly live.

Ezekiel 18:20 (CSB)

²⁰The person who sins is the one who will die. A son won’t suffer punishment for the father’s iniquity, and a father won’t suffer punishment for the son’s iniquity. The righteousness of the righteous person will be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked person will be on him.

Your family’s legacy does not have to be its destiny.
This morning, I’m believing some family destinies are being altered.

Close: Prayer

This morning, I simply invite whosoever will to come to the altar.
We all struggle with parents, obedience, submission, and love.
We all get our eyes off of Jesus’ example.
Specifically, I’m praying that the hearts of every family member is being restored and healed.
May forgiveness and mercy flow through your relationships.
May we remember the blood of Jesus that was shed for each one of us.

Ezekiel 18:32 (CSB)

³²For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “So repent and live!

^[1] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

^[2] Foulkes, Francis. 1989. Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 10. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

^[3] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

^[4] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Message 20 Christ, Husbands, and Wives

Paul RichardsonApril 16, 2023

Click here for a PDF version of Pastor Paul Richardson’s sermon from Ephesians.

Message 20

Message 20: Christ, Husbands, and Wives

4.16.23

Preface: I generally preach through Books of the Bible.

I do this for several reasons:
It helps us really understand what we are reading.
It helps us see how to read our Bible as it is presented.
It really allows us to go deeper than we would normally.
It also ensures we don’t just cover stuff we like.
We all have our favorite topics and stories.
There are also elements that are confusing and convicting.
Today, if this is your first Sunday, you are catching us as we walk through Ephesians.
Don’t worry; many of the messages are online.
Each message stands alone.
Today, we are in a passage many people have heard about.
But I think the Lord is leading us to view this passage in a way that moves beyond husbands and wives.
Let’s turn to Ephesians 5, beginning with 21.
We aren’t preaching all of this today, but I want us to see the bigger picture and how it all fits.

Ephesians 5:21–6:9 (CSB)

²¹submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.

²²Wives, submit^, to your husbands as to the Lord, ²³because the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of the body. ²⁴Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives are to submit to their husbands in everything. ²⁵Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her ²⁶to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. ²⁷He did this to present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless. ²⁸In the same way, husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹For no one ever hates his own flesh but provides and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, ³⁰since we are members of his body. ³¹For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.^, ³²This mystery is profound, but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³To sum up, each one of you is to love his wife as himself, and the wife is to respect her husband.

SLAVES AND MASTERS

Introduction: The end of Ephesians 5 may be one of the most misused Scriptures.

Let’s Think through Ephesians so far:
Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are Seated in Christ in heavenly places.
We are empowered to Walk worthy of our Calling in this world through the ministry of Holy Spirit.
We are learning to speak to one another in ways that do not grieve Holy Spirit, with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.
We are preparing to wrestle against principalities and powers with the full armor of God in Ephesians 6.
Ephesus has no middle ground: everything is either in Christ or out of Christ.
Where are all of these wonderful and glorious truths lived out?
At home, at work, and with each other.
“Be subject to one another. . .” (5:21), followed by an immersion in the details of family life and work relationships. If we were expecting something cosmic, this is like a door slammed in our faces.” (Peterson)
Paul doesn’t point the Ephesians to new levels of Kingdom authority, or reveal mysteries of the third heaven, or anything seemingly supernatural.
Instead, Paul points us to where the principles of Christ’s Kingdom are most readily practiced: at home, at work, and at church.
Simply put: the Kingdom is practiced with people.
If we want to change the world we must start at home, at work, and in community.
The Apostle demonstrates this in the most intense of human relationships: Marriage.

1. What is marriage?

The Apostle Paul views Marriage as an enacted illustration.
He quotes Genesis, declaring that it was God’s idea for people to be united in marriage.
From the beginning, God intended the marriage relationship to represent the relationship between God and humanity.
This leads us to our first difficulty for our culture:
Who has the authority to define marriage?
If marriage is a state institution, then the State can allow anyone they want to be married.
If marriage is a religious, biblical institution, then the Scripture determines who can be married.
Because I am coming from a worldview and perspective that believes marriage is a biblical and religious institution, According to Scripture, Marriage can only be between a man and a woman, because any other combination does not reflect the relationship of Jesus to the Church.
Because Marriage is a divine mystery, pointing people to God, our marriages are to reflect the perfect relationship God has with His Church.
And in all of Scripture, nowhere is Jesus in a homosexual relationship.
I know there are some fringe theories out there that show on the History channel at 1am.
But these are not real scholarship.
Furthermore, Jesus is also not in a polyamorous or polygamous relationship: His only “love” is the Church.
Unfortunately, the Church does not understand this well enough to articulate the beauty and significance of marriage.
The more we understand this passage and this imagery, the more sacred marriage becomes to us.
Human marriage is not perfect.
We are marred by sin and too often mess up this most important relationship.
One of the greatest ways we can change the world and change culture is by living out healthy, God-honoring marriages.

2. Marriage: A Holy Mystery.

All throughout Scripture, we have imagery relating God to humanity in a marriage relationship.
God called Israel His wife.
The Old Testament Prophets condemned idolatry as spiritual adultery since worshipping other gods meant forsaking their True God.
The New Testament calls the Church the Bride of Christ, and the culminating event of Heaven is the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
We shouldn’t be surprised that the Apostle Paul uses marriage language in Ephesians.
Paul has written multiple verses in Ephesians explaining our relationship to God through Christ.
And now Paul explains that our relationship with others reflects our relationship with God.
It always surprises me that Christians can be so mean, angry, and hateful.
In all my time as Pastor, I cannot understand how we can sing “Oh how I love Jesus” or sing about the Reckless Love of God one minute and chew someone out the next.
Or why restaurant servers have reason to dread the church crowd on Sunday.
The quality of our human relationships are an indication of the health of our relationship with God.
Remember, we are called to be right both vertically and horizontally.
A pitch isn’t a strike unless it crosses the plate vertically and horizontally.
“You can’t be a Christlike jerk!”
Paul is not taking it easy on the Ephesians or us.
Are we “really” in right relationship with Jesus if our human relationships are all out of alignment?
Paul starts at the most intense relationship most of us have: a marriage relationship.

What is the key to a thriving relationship?

3. Mutual submission applies to all relationships.

²¹submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.

First of all, what does submission mean?
The word for submitting means: “to be or become inclined or willing to submit to orders or wishes of others or showing such inclination.”
Submission can look like letting the person with one thing in their cart check out before you do.
Submission to one another is tapping the break when you want to hit the gas.
Submission is a practice not just for women but for every one of us.
We submit to each other out of “fear”/respect for Jesus.
Because Jesus values people, and because they are created in the “image of God,” we submit one to another.
Love and Submission are not different coins but different sides of the same coin.
When I look at my spouse through this coin, when she sees submit, I’m looking at love.
“But preacher, it doesn’t say wives love your husband…”
But because this relationship is perfected and embodied in our relationship with Christ, let me ask you:
Do you love Jesus?
We show our love to Jesus by submission.
We show our submission to Jesus through love.
Where there is Christ-like love, there is Christ-like submission.
I cannot love my wife while I’m prideful, haughty, demeaning, and self-centered.
In other words, true love is submissive, willing to put the other first.
Furthermore, a person who submits without love is a slave, not a spouse.
I don’t want a slave: I want a loving spouse.

4. Husbands, Love: A Radical new way of life.

Paul is proposing a way of life contrary to cultures and human history.
One commentary notes, “Nowhere in Hellenistic texts are husbands called on to love their wives.”^[1]
That’s fancy language to say that NO other piece of Greek literature says what Paul is saying.
Ancient and modern history are full of examples of women submitting while the husband does whatever.
But Christianity demands something other cultures and religions do not: Husbands, LOVE YOUR WIVES.
This is radical, for it empowers the woman.
This is radical, for it contradicts what most men think or believe.
Paul calls for a radical reorientation because we reflect Jesus’ relationship with us.
Paul spends twice the amount of space telling husbands to LOVE than he does telling wives to submit.
That’s because the emphasis is on “husbands, love as Christ loves the Church.”
Men demonstrate their love for Jesus publicly by loving their spouses well privately.
There is no such thing as a perfect marriage.
But for those who are married, we are called to healthy marriage.

5. Christ’s love for the Church is intense.

He gave himself for her. vs. 25

Ephesians 5:25–26 (CSB)

²⁵Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her ²⁶to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word.

Many men here are willing to die for their spouse.
But how many of you are willing to wash the dishes?
How many are willing to pray for her and encourage her?
The love Paul has in view is a sacrificial love.
Not a fad love.
Not “puppy” love.
But a love that pours itself out for the other person’s benefit.
The Apostle Paul said in Romans, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Jesus didn’t love us for what we could give in return.
Men are not to love their wives because of anything they can give us.
Love is a calling, not a condition.
This phrase “cleansing her with the washing of water by the word” is wedding language.
“Before the bride was presented to the bridegroom she received a cleansing bath and was then dressed in her bridal array.”^[2]
Part of my responsibility as a husband and is to create an environment where my wife wants to draw closer to Jesus.
This applies to parents and even to coworkers.
We all have a responsibility to encourage each other in such a way that loving Jesus is easier, not harder.
Jesus does this for the Church through the washing of water by the word.
This probably involves the importance of baptism and the confession of Jesus as Lord and Savior.
For our personal relationships, I can’t help but picture this in negative terms:
How many spouses, children, or coworkers have looked at us and our relationship with Jesus and said, “if that is Christianity, I don’t want to be part of it.”
When we love each other well, people want to be part of something like that.

Christ’s intense love shows in how He presents her in splendor…vs. 27
This could also be translated as “radiant.”
The image is that of a lovely bride on her wedding day as she goes in procession to meet her groom.^[3]
When Jesus returns to take His Bride, the Church, home to the “place that He has prepared for us,” it’s as if Jesus will show the Father and say, “Isn’t she beautiful!”
True Love builds up.
True love does not disparage.
True love does not mock.
True love is intense.
When we are struggling with relationships with our spouse, our kids, or our coworkers, take a moment and remember how Jesus loves you!
When I think about the suffering Jesus experienced for my sake, many of our conflicts deescalate.
I can walk in love and submission to others because of Jesus’ intense love for me.
Jesus cares for the Church like his body vs. 28.

Ephesians 5:28–30 (CSB)

²⁸In the same way, husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹For no one ever hates his own flesh but provides and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, ³⁰since we are members of his body.

The two greatest commandments are “love God, love your neighbor.”
Paul says that husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies.
This includes care, protection, and covering.
When I love my wife well, I reflect God’s love for me.

Apply: What do I do with this message?

The hard part of a message like this is applying this to our life if we aren’t married or our spouse isn’t saved.
Isn’t it amazing that Jesus and the Apostle Paul gave the best marriage and parenting advice ever given: two men who were never married and had no biological children.
So what was the beauty that Paul saw in marriage, even though he wasn’t married?
Even though Paul wasn’t married, he saw the beauty of Christ’s relationship with the Church.
Paul marveled that the God of the universe would want to be in relationship with him and others like him.
Even though Paul was not married, he encouraged healthy marriages for others while practicing submission to Jesus.
Paul knew that Christ loved him, so he practiced submission to Christ.
All of Paul’s missionary journeys, all of Paul’s preaching and persecutions arose from his desire to submit and love Jesus.
All of us are called to love and submit to Jesus, regardless of our relationship status.
For those of us married, the application is easy to say but hard to practice.
A question or us to ask today is this: Does our most important relationship depict the way Jesus loves us?
We are not called to mimic the marriages or relationships of movie stars, cultural norms, or even our parents.
Instead, we are called to mimic and model the relationship between Christ and the Church.
As I lead us in a time of prayer today, I want to pray for all of our most important relationships.
Lord, help us to love and submit like you have taught us, modeled for us, and commanded us to.

^[1] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: LeIxham Press.

^[2] Bruce, F. F. 1984. The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

^[3] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

March 26, 2023 FIVE CORE BEHAVIORS for WISE BELIEVERS

Paul RichardsonMarch 26, 2023

Message 19 Five Core Behaviors

Message 19:Five core behaviors for wise Believers:

3.26.2023

Ephesians Series

Ephesians 5:15–21 (CSB)

¹⁵Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—¹⁶making the most of the time,^, because the days are evil. ¹⁷So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. ¹⁸And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit: ¹⁹speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord, ²⁰giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.

Introduction: The Apostle’s final thoughts on how to walk.

First, Paul made sure we knew out to sit with Jesus.
Then the language changes to “walking” with Jesus.
Ephesians 5:15 warns us to pay careful attention to how we walk.
We are to walk wisely.
Who in here likes to watch people?
Have you noticed that most people are not paying attention to how they walk or where they are going?
7 years ago, the Wall Street Journal set up in San Francisco for an experiment.
VIDEO
It is unwise for us to walk in a busy city, burying our heads, eyes, and ears in our phones.
Just because this is acceptable, it doesn’t mean it is wise.
This morning, we look at 5 core behaviors the Apostle Paul instructs believers to follow.

Core Behavior#1. Wise believers make the most of the time.

Some translations say “redeeming the time.”
The verb is a commercial metaphor used for purchasing a commodity, and it implies a period of vigorous trading while there is profit to be made.^[1]
There are two ways to measure time:
Chronos is the amount of time in a day.
Minutes,
hours
years.
Kairos refers to the opportunity within time.
Harvest season is not merely a measured time, but an opportunity.
If you don’t harvest at the right time, Chronos, you miss the Kairos.
Paul tells the Ephesians believers that wise people make the most of the opportunity God gives us.
This is especially important when we understand that the days are evil.
There is limited time and limited opportunity to tell people about Jesus.
There is limited time to say what needs to be said and do what needs to be done.
The Apostle Paul is aware of the temptation to waste this time and opportunity.
We redeem the time by understanding the Lord’s will and doing it Vs 17.

¹⁷So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

Doing the Lord’s will is not limited to church activities.
Included are raising kids, loving spouses, witnessing to neighbors, serving in the community, and a myriad of activities.
Never has the fleetingness of time been more obvious when we look up and whole months and years have gone by in a blink.
We are constantly asking, “where did that time go?”
But with that is “where did the opportunity go?”
Be wise, and redeem the time by making the most of every opportunity.

Core Behavior #2. Wise believers pursue a Spirit-filled life.

“Be filled with the Spirit” is a present-tense imperative, commanding a continuous infilling rather than a single, as it were, crisis experience.^[2]
This means that Paul tells the Ephesus believers to stay filled with the Spirit.
We are broken vessels, and we leak.
We need more than just one experience or encounter.
We need a life that is continuously being filled with the Spirit.
But Paul starts this sentence with a negative imperative: “Do not get drunk with wine…but be filled by the Spirit.”
The Ephesian context is key to understanding this:

Paul uses a pair of strikingly contrasting imperatives to focus our attention on just what is and what is not involved in worship: “Do not get drunk with wine .. . but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). Wine and Spirit are set in contrast as ways of worship. In the Asiatic world of Ephesus one of the most prevalent forms of worship centered around the god Dionysius. Dionysiac worship employed dances and exciting music to produce ecstatic rapture.

Dionysius was the god of wine. Intoxication with wine combined with dancing and music was the method of choice for getting to the desired state of enthusiasm (literally, ally, “the god within”). Paul points to these riotous, drunken orgies on display all around the people of Ephesus and contrasts them with what takes place in worship as Christians come to be “filled with the Spirit.” Not the “mere anarchy” of drunken dances, but rather the sweet harmony of “singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts” (5:19). The manic debauchery associated with Dionysiac worship sets a sharp and unforgettable contrast to the beauty of the singing, the melodic harmonies, that it is the work of the Spirit to bring to expression in each worshiping congregation. This is the church at worship as we drink our fill of God’s Spirit. We listen to God’s Word read and preached, and once again get our story straight; we receive the life of salvation eating and drinking the Lord’s Supper, his “fragrant offering and sacrifice to God,” and recover our Jesus focus; we find ourselves in the singing and giving thanks, in the greetings and the prayers, freshly renewed by the Spirit to practice resurrection in the company of the Trinity.[3]

Paul’s language on alcohol strongly contrasts the former life of the Ephesians with their present life in the Spirit.
Because the Ephesians used to drink as worship of false-gods, and false-hopes, he is telling them to stay away from what used to be and to embrace the new worship found in being filled with the Spirit and NOT with wine.
Their old life was filled with drunken dances and drunken singing.
Their new life would be filled with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.
Is drinking alcohol a sin?
Not necessarily, but in this context, it certainly seems unwise.
This is evidenced in Paul’s advice to the pastor of Ephesus, Timothy.
1 Timothy 5:23 (CSB)

²³Don’t continue drinking only water, but use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

If it had been Timothy’s habit to drink some wine, Paul would not have had to prescribe it medicinally.
From my understanding of Scripture, I believe it is unwise for believers to consume alcohol.
The writer of Proverbs 20:1 (CSB) says

Wine is a mocker, beer is a brawler;

whoever goes astray because of them is not wise.

Proverbs 31:4–7 (NIV)

⁴It is not for kings, Lemuel—

it is not for kings to drink wine,

not for rulers to crave beer,

⁵lest they drink and forget what has been decreed,

and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.

⁶Let beer be for those who are perishing,

wine for those who are in anguish!

⁷Let them drink and forget their poverty

and remember their misery no more.

Every time I read this Proverbs 31 passage, I’m reminded of a few things:
First, I’m seated with Christ Jesus and co-heirs with Him:
I am seated with Him in a position of authority and power.
Thus, I need to think clearly and be sober-minded.
Second. I am not as one perishing, or in anguish or in poverty.
Let beer and drink be for those without hope and in poverty and misery.
But that isn’t who I am.
The Apostle Paul says excess leads to reckless living.
At primary issue here is who is in control.
If alcohol is in control, then the Spirit of God isn’t.
The Apostle Paul presents a better life, one filled with the joy of the Spirit.
One Christian writer explains:

He does not seek simply to take away joys and pleasures from people’s lives. He would replace them by higher joys and better pleasures. It is no mere coincidence that in Acts 2 also the fullness of wine and the fullness of the Spirit are set side by side. There is the implication there, repeated here, that the Christian knows a better way than by wine of being lifted above the depression and the joyless monotony of life, a better way of removing self-consciousness and quickening thought and word and action than by the use of intoxicants. It is by being filled with the Spirit.^[4]

The Spirit of God presents us with a better, wiser, way to enjoy life and shoulder life’s heavy burdens.
We can either be filled with alcohol, which leads to reckless living, or filled with the Spirit, but we cannot be both.
To walk wisely, I live by the words of Peter:

1 Peter 5:8 (CSB)

⁸Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.

Core Behavior: #3. Wise believers minister with their words.

The Spirit-filled believer will minister one to another.
Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs will characterize our speech.
Perhaps there is some distinction between a psalm (scripture) hymns( which teaches doctrine), and spiritual songs that draw our spirits closer to the Lord.
But the three categories together stress the beauty of corporate and congregational worship.
This is, again, contrasted with the former way of life for the Ephesians:
Formerly, they would be drunk, singing in a drunken stupor to their idols.
But NOW, they were filled with the Holy Spirit, singing words that build each other up in Christ Jesus.
Music, perhaps more than any medium, connects our spirits with the spiritual realm.
Genesis 4:21 tells of Jubal, the first musician.
Since that time, people have sung and played instruments for many reasons:
For many of us, our internal radio is tuned into whom we are worshipping.
What we are humming or singing to ourselves when we don’t realize it is a good indicator of what is happening in our spiritual life.
The Apostle encourages the Ephesians, and us, to use our voices wisely.
Our voices and platforms are not for tearing down others but for building them up.
All throughout Ephesians, Paul implores us to be mindful of what we say to each other.
This is not our natural language, which is why we are to be filled with the Spirit, so that we may ^“9speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord,”

Core Behavior #4. Wise believers give thanks for everything.

²⁰giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Giving thanks is a sign of wisdom and maturity among believers.
Little children are happy when they get what they want.
They are also upset when things do not go their way.
Part of maturity is growing in contentment.
Wise believers give thanks for everything.
How do we do that?
First, thankfulness is a decision.
There are days and seasons where I have to “choose” thankfulness.
I don’t want to be satisfied.
I don’t want to be happy.
Thus, I have a decision; give thanks ALWAYS for everything to God or to be bitter and angry.
Second, thankfulness is a perspective.
When I lose sight of God the Father, I grow ungrateful.
It’s significant for Paul to refer to God as Father here.
“To refer to God as Father points to an intimacy of relationship that stands at the centre of the Christian faith. It is with gratitude that believers have a place in God’s family.”[5]
God didn’t have to love me, but He did.
He didn’t have to send His son to pay for my sin, but He did.
God didn’t have to make room for me in the Kingdom, at the Throne, or at the Table, but He did.
Thankfulness is a perspective.
When I see the world through the perspective of what Jesus did for me, I’m thankful.
Wise believers can view tragedy, disappointment, pain, success, and joy differently than other people.
Everything about my life is different because of what Jesus has done, and for that, I’m thankful in everything.

Core Behavior #5. Wise believers submit to one another.

This one is so important, it sets the tone for the next three paragraphs.
Because we will discuss this more in-depth in a few weeks, I want to comment on the big picture.
The word for submitting means: “to be or become inclined or willing to submit to orders or wishes of others or showing such inclination.”
The Apostle’s picture of the Church is of a body, with everything submitting, assisting, and working together.
When a knee decides it doesn’t want to hold us up, we go down.
A toe causes us to hobble.
A bad back can cause everything to come out of alignment.
As believers, we were designed to work with each other, not against each other.
That’s why it is important for us to submit one to another.
Maturity and wisdom are always built within community and relationship.
Romans 12:3–5 (CSB)

³For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one. ⁴Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, ⁵in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another.

A couple of weeks ago I was driving back from Springfield.
I’m moving along well and come up to a vehicle driving slower than I am.
Not a lot, mind you, but definitely not the same speed.
In the passing lane is a car coming alongside, with some room for me to move over if I did it right then.
But instead of hitting my blinker right then, I tapped the brake.
The car passes by, I blinker, and them I too am around the car.
But here is what came to my heart:
Submission to one another is tapping the break when you really want to hit the gas.
Submission is letting someone to take your spot, even for a second.
A way to practice submission is through little things:
Let someone in front of you at checkout.
Purposefully wait in a line so others can go ahead.
Tapping a brake when you really want to hit the gas.
Practicing submission in these little ways before we get to the hard ways of marriage, work, and parenting.

When believers act wisely by making the most of our time, and staying full of the Spirit, and build each other up with our words, and are thankful to God for everything, it makes submitting to each other much easier.

Bring up the worship team

Closing: There is an old hymn that holds a powerful reminder:

Verse 1:
You may own earth’s silver
Have riches untold
But all of earth’s wealth, my friend
Won’t save your soul
You may live in a mansion
All the world know your name
But at the foot of the cross, my friend
Everyone stands the same.

Chorus:
The ground is level at the foot of the cross.
Anyone may come there for there is no cost
Rich man or poor man, bonded or free.
The ground was leveled that day at Calvary.

This morning, I pray:

First, I pray that we may all grasp how much Jesus has done for us.
Second, I pray that we will strive to live wisely in this evil world.
The Kingdom of God does not need us fighting each other, so let us walk wisely, for the days are evil.
This morning, I want to lead us in a time of prayer where we each pray for maturity and wisdom.

^[1] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

^[2] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

[3] Eugene H. Peterson. Practice Resurrection: A Conversation on Growing Up in Christ (Kindle Locations 2569-2576). Kindle Edition.

^[4] Foulkes, Francis. 1989. Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 10. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

[5] Bock, Darrell L. 2019. Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary. Edited by Eckhard J. Schnabel. Vol. 10. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. London: Inter-Varsity Press.

March 19, 2023: Cutting Ties with Darkness

Paul RichardsonMarch 19, 2023

Click here for a copy of Pastor Paul’s sermon in PDF: Message 18 Cutting Ties with Darkness

Cutting Ties with Darkness

Message 18

3.19.22

Ephesians 5:1–14 (CSB)

Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, ²and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. ³But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints. ⁴Obscene and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks. ⁵For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

LIGHT VERSUS DARKNESS

⁶Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things. ⁷Therefore, do not become their partners. ⁸For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light—⁹for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth—¹⁰testing what is pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them. ¹²For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret. ¹³Everything exposed by the light is made visible, ¹⁴for what makes everything visible is light. Therefore it is said:

Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.

1. You were once darkness, but now you are light.

Darkness and light are not conditions we step in and out of as we want.
They are our identities.
We are either darkness, or we are light.
Paul writes to believers.
These men and women have not grown up in church.
They grew up and were raised in the shadows of temples.
Their earliest memories were of holidays to false gods.
The highlights of their lives, like weddings, the birth of children, and other memories, revolved around a way of life that was no longer compatible with Jesus.
The Ephesus believers knew the darkness.
A life of idolatry, adultery, gossip, and slander is what Jesus saved them from.
Salvation is not only future, ensuring eternal life after we die.
Salvation is also present, empowering us to live a resurrected, eternal life today.
Salvation is not a slow transition from darkness into light.
Salvation is a sudden and immediate transportation from a kingdom that has NO light into a kingdom that IS light.
Jesus changes us from people of darkness into people of light.
Even though we practice this imperfectly, this is our calling and privilege.
We are called to walk in light, producing the fruit of light.

2. What does light produce?

⁸For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light—⁹for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth—¹⁰testing what is pleasing to the Lord.

Light produces fruit.
Grant Osborne wrote:

Fruit denotes harvest, so these are the natural results of the work of the Triune Godhead in our lives. Just as light is a necessary ingredient in the growth of plants, so the light of God enables us to grow in these attributes. The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives must produce certain fruit, the natural result of life in the Spirit.[1]

What are we to produce?
Goodness
Righteousness
Truth
What is goodness?
We all have different views on goodness.
For example: some of you are still living a life that thinks mustard is tasty and good.
You are deceived and still in darkness…
Biblically speaking, because we are to be measured by the fullness of the stature of Jesus, we need to know what “good” is biblically.
A helpful definition: the quality of moral excellence; especially as a quality that is not stagnant, but actively working itself out. ^[2]
Goodness is something that is growing, fresh and not stale or rotting.
A believer who is producing “goodness” is bringing life to those around them.
Not death, not decay, not cursing.
But life, growth, and blessing.
We were saved from a disposition that leads to death to a disposition that leads to life for ourselves and those around us.
A good life brings wholeness and goodness to those around them.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is life and freedom.
And He wants to produce that in us and through us also.
What is righteousness?
The simplest answer is “right living.”
Righteousness is to be in right standing with God, which is only possible through Jesus.
“adherence to what is required according to a standard;”^[3]
“a status of legal rectitude that satisfies the moral requirements of God’s character.”^[4]
In this context: The light of fruit produces a life that is pleasing to the Lord.
When the light works in me, what comes out of me pleases Jesus.
Righteousness conflicts with the world’s understanding of goodness and truth.
The standard of righteousness is based upon pleasing Jesus.
If it doesn’t please Jesus, then it isn’t good, righteous, or true.
What is truth?
“the truth in view here has both content and ethical dimensions to it, forthright and honest behaviour. It is both thinking and acting in accordance with a true and authentic way of living.”^[5]
Truth is not only the right information but also the right heart.
This becomes clear in the context of Ephesians
4:25 (CSB) ²⁵Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor,^, because we are members of one another.
The right information must be given with goodness and righteousness in mind.
In these ways we test to see what pleases the Lord.
What we do and how we live has an effect upon God.
We can live in a way that pleases God.
Or we can live in a way that repels God.
How we walk and live matters.
Paul captures this reality by admonishing the believers to not participate in darkness.

3. What does it mean to participate in fruitless works of darkness?

Acts 19 tells us of the first time Paul was in Ephesus.

Acts 19:11 (CSB) ¹¹God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul’s hands,

Acts 19:18–20 (CSB)

¹⁸And many who had become believers came confessing and disclosing their practices, ¹⁹while many of those who had practiced magic collected their books and burned them in front of everyone. So they calculated their value and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. ²⁰In this way the word of the Lord spread and prevailed.

One of the keywords here is “disclosing.”
To disclose is to expose and reveal.
Many in the Ephesus church had participated in mystery religions and sects.
Not only did they publicly worship at temples, but behind the scenes, they were involved in all sorts of demonic and evil practices, magic, and witchcraft.
But when they got saved, they started confessing and disclosing.
Confession shows a change of heart and identity.
“Disclosing their practices” was to expose the darkness to light and render the powers powerless.
The new believers in Ephesus understood that they could no longer participate in the darkness they left behind.
The value of the books they burned was 50,000 pieces of silver.
Yet, what they found in Jesus was worth it.
Because of this demonstration, “the word of the Lord spread and prevailed.”
When we expose our darkness to the light, we are demonstrating what it means for the word of the Lord to spread and prevail.
A Bible, unopened, is not spreading and prevailing.
A person who proclaims Christ on Sunday while living in darkness during the week is not demonstrating the prevailing word of the Lord.
But every time a person repents and walks away from participating in darkness, we see an example of the power of God.
What level of involvement is necessary to be classified as participation?
Many of us have moved passed the breaking of the Ten Commandments stage.
Perhaps we have already put away the stealing, or the lying, or the murder.
As God prepares us, His Body and Bride, for what He has in store for us, the questions become more personal.
At the beginning of the semester, Pastor Larissa and I made a bold leadership move:
We challenged the teens that wanted to go deeper to sacrifice a few things, and one of those things was R-rated movies.
There was some hesitation, and rightfully so.
But I believed that if our teens were willing to give this up, it would create space in their lives for God to move.
I can honestly say, watching these teens the past few months pray, worship, preach, and serve has been some of the greatest highlights in my life.
Weekly, they set the pace in repenting and confessing sin as the Lord leads.
Question: If the Apostle Paul was here today, what would he say about what many of us adults participate in?
More importantly, what does the Holy Spirit think?
Are we positively testing what is pleasing to the Lord, or are we testing His grace and mercy?
We are grieving the Holy Spirit?
Are we asking the Spirit of God to go where He said He won’t go?

Apply: Are we participating in the fruitless works of darkness?

Here are the hard questions:
Does watching people have sex on television constitute participation?
Does listening to strings of profanity by my favorite YOUTUBER make me their “partner?”
If you could see Jesus walk through your house, and peruse your phone, what would He think and feel?
Because the truth is, He lives in us through the Holy Spirit.
We can grieve Him, and we can please Him.
As partakers in the light, we are called to please Him.
Some exposures you have no control over.
You don’t control your co-workers.
You don’t the songs on the radio in a restaurant or conversations in Wal-Mart.
But much of what we expose ourselves to is self-initiated.
The first glimpse is an accident, the second is a sin.
Paul warned the Ephesians: Do not go where darkness took you!
Do not return to the Temples with its pornography and cult prostitution.
Do not return to the sacrifices for the Emperors of Rome.
My dear friends, PLEASE be careful with how you live, walk, and lead.
Ephesians 5:15 (CSB)

¹⁵Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—

Perhaps it seems that the Apostle Paul and Pastor Paul are being hard on you today.
So I close with this story.

Closing STORY: Seventeen Inches

In 1996, Coach Scolinos was 78 years old and five years retired from a college coaching career that began in 1948. He shuffled to the stage to an impressive standing ovation, wearing dark polyester pants, a light blue shirt, and a string around his neck from which home plate hung — a full-sized, stark-white home plate.

Seriously, I wondered, who in the hell is this guy?

After speaking for twenty-five minutes, not once mentioning the prop hanging around his neck, Coach Scolinos appeared to notice the snickering among some of the coaches. Even those who knew Coach Scolinos had to wonder exactly where he was going with this, or if he had simply forgotten about home plate since he’d gotten on stage.

Then, finally …

“You’re probably all wondering why I’m wearing home plate around my neck. Or maybe you think I escaped from Camarillo State Hospital,” he said, his voice growing irascible. I laughed along with the others, acknowledging the possibility. “No,” he continued, “I may be old, but I’m not crazy. The reason I stand before you today is to share with you baseball people what I’ve learned in my life, what I’ve learned about home plate in my 78 years.”

Several hands went up when Scolinos asked how many Little League coaches were in the room. “Do you know how wide home plate is in Little League?” After a pause, someone offered, “Seventeen inches,” more question than answer.

“That’s right,” he said. “How about in Babe Ruth? Any Babe Ruth coaches in the house?”

Another long pause.

“Seventeen inches?”came a guess from another reluctant coach.

“That’s right,” said Scolinos. “Now, how many high school coaches do we have in the room?” Hundreds of hands shot up, as the pattern began to appear. “How wide is home plate in high school baseball?”

“Seventeen inches,” they said, sounding more confident.

“You’re right!” Scolinos barked. “And you college coaches, how wide is home plate in college?”

“Seventeen inches!” we said, in unison.

“Any Minor League coaches here? How wide is home plate in pro ball?”

“Seventeen inches!”

“RIGHT! And in the Major Leagues, how wide home plate is in the Major Leagues?”

“Seventeen inches!”

“SEV-EN-TEEN INCHES!” he confirmed, his voice bellowing off the walls. “And what do they do with a a Big League pitcher who can’t throw the ball over seventeen inches?” Pause. “They send him to Pocatello!” he hollered, drawing raucous laughter.

“What they don’t do is this: they don’t say, ‘Ah, that’s okay, Jimmy. You can’t hit a seventeen-inch target? We’ll make it eighteen inches, or nineteen inches. We’ll make it twenty inches so you have a better chance of hitting it. If you can’t hit that, let us know so we can make it wider still, say twenty-five inches.’”

Pause.

“Coaches …”

Pause.

” … what do we do when our best player shows up late to practice? When our team rules forbid facial hair and a guy shows up unshaven? What if he gets caught drinking? Do we hold him accountable? Or do we change the rules to fit him, do we widen home plate?

The chuckles gradually faded as four thousand coaches grew quiet, the fog lifting as the old coach’s message began to unfold. He turned the plate toward himself and, using a Sharpie, began to draw something. When he turned it toward the crowd, point up, a house was revealed, complete with a freshly drawn door and two windows. “This is the problem in our homes today. With our marriages, with the way we parent our kids. With our discipline. We don’t teach accountability to our kids, and there is no consequence for failing to meet standards. We widen the plate!”

Pause. Then, to the point at the top of the house he added a small American flag.

“This is the problem in our schools today. The quality of our education is going downhill fast and teachers have been stripped of the tools they need to be successful, and to educate and discipline our young people. We are allowing others to widen home plate! Where is that getting us?”

Silence. He replaced the flag with a Cross.

“And this is the problem in the Church, where powerful people in positions of authority have taken advantage of young children, only to have such an atrocity swept under the rug for years. Our church leaders are widening home plate!”

I was amazed. At a baseball convention where I expected to learn something about curveballs and bunting and how to run better practices, I had learned something far more valuable. From an old man with home plate strung around his neck, I had learned something about life, about myself, about my own weaknesses and about my responsibilities as a leader. I had to hold myself and others accountable to that which I knew to be right, lest our families, our faith, and our society continue down an undesirable path.

“If I am lucky,” Coach Scolinos concluded, “you will remember one thing from this old coach today. It is this: if we fail to hold ourselves to a higher standard, a standard of what we know to be right; if we fail to hold our spouses and our children to the same standards, if we are unwilling or unable to provide a consequence when they do not meet the standard; and if our schools and churches and our government fail to hold themselves accountable to those they serve, there is but one thing to look forward to …”

With that, he held home plate in front of his chest, turned it around, and revealed its dark black backside.

“… dark days ahead.”[6]

As the Apostle Paul wrote:

⁸For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light—^[7]

Thanks be to Jesus whom makes this possible!

Thanks be to Jesus who has redeemed me from darkness.

Thanks be to Jesus who invites us to Himself today.

[1] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press. 168-169

^[2] Brannan, Rick, ed. 2020. In Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament. Lexham Research Lexicons. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

^[3] Brannan, Rick, ed. 2020. In Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament. Lexham Research Lexicons. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

^[4] Ibid

^[5] Bock, Darrell L. 2019. Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary. Edited by Eckhard J. Schnabel. Vol. 10. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. London: Inter-Varsity Press.

[6] https://www.sperrybaseballlife.com/stay-at-17-inches/

^[7] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

March 5, 2023 “Imitate God, Walk in Love”

Paul RichardsonMarch 5, 2023

Message 17 Whose hand are you holding

Imitate God, Walk in Love

Message 17

3.5.23

Ephesians 5:1–14 (CSB)

LIGHT VERSUS DARKNESS

Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.

1. Be imitators of God…

That’s a bold command.
Imitate God.
“In the early church, many new believers needed models to show them how to live a redeemed lifestyle, since up to that time their lives were shaped by a pagan culture.”^[1]
Several times, Paul tells a group of believers to imitate God and Godly leaders so they may know how to live.
Paul gives strong instructions because ambiguity is the enemy of holiness.
“Did God really say…” is a powerful question that gets people in trouble.
All the details of Leviticus, and Exodus, and Deuteronomy made clear God’s expectations of Israel and what holiness looked like.
Paul desires the believers in Ephesus to walk closely with God.
However, there are actions and behaviors that God will not tolerate.
If we partner or participate with those actions or behaviors, we cannot walk with God.
C. “Be imitators of God…” is a loving opportunity.
It seems restrictive, and it is.
The Church is the Bride of Christ.
We can only be betrothed to one lover at a time.
To use Paul’s analogy in Ephesians, we can only be the body for one god at a time.
We must choose to either be the hands and feet of Jesus or the hands and feet of Satan.

2. To imitate God is to walk in love.

Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, ²and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.

The Christian’s walk looks like love.
We imitate God because He loves us, and we love Him.
If “imitation is the highest form of flattery,” then the invitation to imitate God expresses love.
Think about it:
The King of kings and Creator of the universe allows us to imitate and follow Him.
It is an offer to learn in His style and His methods.
Centuries ago, apprentices would follow a master and learn their style.
Even today, students learn in the style of their teacher or hero, mimicking their songs or the vibrato in the voice or the colors in their painting.
Children learn by mimicking the people around them, and the more the child loves the person, the more they mimic.
Ephesians 5 is an offer to be an apprentice, a disciple, to Jesus, learning how He loved and how He gave himself for us.
The apprenticeship in sonship teaches us how to please God.
Notice verse 2 says Jesus “gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.”
This refers to the sacrificial aspect of Jesus’ death, where He presented His blood upon Heaven’s altar, described in Hebrews.
We cannot do that, but we can love God and others in a way that is a pleasing offering to God.
The calling we have, to walk worthy of our calling, is to live and model Christ’s love.
A love that forgives.
A love that is faithful.
A love that endures.
Of all the things we are called to, every one of us is called to love as Christ loves us.

3. Sin is the “antithesis” of love.

Oxford dictionary: Antithesis: person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else. Their example:”love is the antithesis of selfishness.”

³But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints. ⁴Obscene and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks. ⁵For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Today, I do not intend to take time to define sexual immorality, or greed or what is obscene.
What I want to show you is that these actions and behaviors are the direct opposites of the life and love God has for us.
When I choose these things, I reject Christ’s love.
Those who reject Christ’s love have no inheritance in the kingdom.
Therefore, it is impossible to live a life characterized by sexual immorality, impurity, greed, or obscenity and be a member of the kingdom of Christ.
A key to understanding this hard truth is because of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
Paul wrote: 4: 30 ³⁰And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption.
First thing to notice is that the Spirit is a person, for He can be grieved and disappointed.
Second, grieving is a response of the Holy Spirit living inside of a believer.
Paul is not talking to unbelievers here but to born-again Christians.
Thus, it is possible for believers to live in such a way that our actions grieve the Spirit of the Living God.
God’s love for us is unconditional, but not His approval.
If God approved of everything we thought, acted, or lived, it would not be possible for us to grieve Holy Spirit.
Just because a child of God does something, it does not mean that the Father approves.
Paul says that if we participate long enough in those things, then we are cut off from our inheritance.
Thankfully, the Spirit lovingly convicts us to correct our path so we may walk “worthy of our calling.”
That is why we are asked to live so we do not grieve Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 5 warns believers about activities and lifestyles where the Holy Spirit does not participate.
We like to quote the promise that Jesus “will never leave us nor forsake us” which is true.
Yet, it is also true that He will not go with us if we go to where He has said not to go.

4. My Jesus wouldn’t do that?

But the Jesus of the Bible will.

Ephesians 5:6 (CSB)

⁶Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things.

It appears that even in Paul’s day, some people disagreed with this teaching!
Surely, Jesus is not that strict.
Surely, Jesus would not permit people to be punished.
Surely, Jesus wouldn’t be so mean.
When we read Scripture, we see a Jesus that takes holiness, truth, and standards seriously.
So serious that He is willing to look people in the face and say “no”. You have no inheritance here.
Yes, Jesus is loving.
But love does not negate or cancel out His expectations and standards.
If you want to walk hand-in-hand with Jesus, you can’t hold onto sinful things simultaneously.
The believers in Ephesus faced a drastic change.
To follow Jesus, they had to give up worship at Artemis’ temple.
Yes, it was part of their culture.
Yes, all their family and community worshipped there.
Surely, it wasn’t that big of a deal.
Yet the worship of Artemis or Rome stood in sharp contrast with the way of Jesus.
So they had to choose:
A life like their Gentile neighbors and former way of life, or a new life like Jesus.

Prayer: Becoming comfortable with tears of repentance.

I feel like we are being called to imitate God more closely.
Part of that calling involves repentance.
If we stay full of those things which separate us from God, then we cannot keep walking with God.
But the Good News is that through Jesus, we have everything needed to win.
The Holy Spirit never asks us to do what He won’t help with.
As we put away our old life, and put on the new, the Holy Spirit is there to ensure it goes on right.
When we are tempted, the Spirit gives us a way out if we will take it.
Through Jesus, you can walk a life characterized by God’s love.
You don’t have to live angry.
You don’t have to live cursed.
This morning, I want to make the prayer time pretty broad:
I want to invite all who desire to look less like our old selves and more like Jesus to join me in the front.
If we need to repent, we repent.
Then we rejoice over what Jesus has done.

^[1] Mounce, William D. 2006. In Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words, 352. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

February 26, 2023. “Take Off, and Put on”.

Paul RichardsonFebruary 26, 2023

Take Off, and Put On

2.26.2023

Message 16

Ephesians 4:17–32 (CSB)

LIVING THE NEW LIFE

¹⁷Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thoughts. ¹⁸They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts. ¹⁹They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more.

²⁰But that is not how you came to know Christ, ²¹assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, ²²to take off^, your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, ²³to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴and to put on^, the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.

²⁵Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor,^, because we are members of one another. ²⁶Be angry and do not sin.^, Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷and don’t give the devil an opportunity. ²⁸Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need. ²⁹No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. ³⁰And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption. ³¹Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. ³²And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

1. The Apostle compares the two teachers available to humanity.

The first teacher is sin.
Sin teaches us to be angry.
Sin teaches futile ideas that lead nowhere.
Sin teaches us darkness.
Sin promises much while leading humanity to a life excluded from God.
Sin cannot teach truth.

John 8:44 (CSB)

⁴⁴You are of your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

The first teacher is sin, but the best teacher is Jesus.

²⁰But that is not how you came to know Christ, ²¹assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus…

The call of Christianity is the same that the first disciples heard and accepted:
They were invited to follow Jesus and to learn from Him.
Everywhere Jesus went, they called Him “Rabbi”, or “Teacher”.
The invitation to life with Jesus is the invitation to be taught by Him.
We are all learning.
The Apostle reminds the Ephesian believers that we have a choice to who our teacher is.
We can live like the world and continue learning in the ways of the Gentiles, or we can come to Jesus and be taught by Him in the manner of truth.

2. Take off the former, and put on the new.

Paul’s word picture involves sets of clothes.
He pictures our old life as one set of clothes and our new life as another set of clothes.
Paul says what we take off is corrupted, soiled, and stained by deceitful desires.
That old way of life is not suitable for the new calling we have to follow Jesus.
It’s not enough to clean up our old selves, we must put on NEW ONES.
“The change of clothing imagery signifies an exchange of identities.”[1]
Jesus doesn’t offer Himself as an addition to our identity.
Jesus offers a new identity.
The Greek language Paul used is stronger than our English.
We are not being asked to merely lay aside our old life.
Nor is Paul offering us a chance to put away our old life in a closet for future use.
Instead, Paul says, “get rid of…” the old life that was corrupted.
I’m guessing that we all have clothes or shoes in our closets that do not need to be saved but thrown in the trash.
Our reasons for hanging on to them may be good or practical.
You have work shirts, stained with oil or paint, that you keep around for the next project.
You have old tennis shoes ready for when conditions are messy.
But there comes a time when it is time to throw them away and get something new.
Could it be that many of us in the room are still hanging on to pieces of our old life, just in case we “need” them again?
Have you ever pulled out a carton of milk that was going bad, and put it BACK into the refrigerator?
It doesn’t get fresher.
Why is it we hold on to our old life, just in case it helps us in the future?
It didn’t help us then, it won’t help you in the future.

3. Putting off the old, and putting on the new, are INTENTIONAL acts.

Each time Paul says “take off” and “put on” he is referring to our responsibilities.
Throughout Scripture, there is a tension between what God does for us and what we do with God’s help.
In the previous passages, Paul tells what God has accomplished for us:
Seated us with Christ in the heavenly realm.
Given us every spiritual blessing.
We have received an inheritance.
We are indwelt by Holy Spirit.
This is ALL God.
Now it is time for us, with the Spirit’s help, to put off the old ways and clothe ourselves with the new life.
Several times, Paul tells us to put away and to put on.
These are verbs, and commands meant for us to act upon.
We have a responsibility here:
to “put off old self”
to “Put away falsehood”.
to “Put away bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice.
There is also a positive command to “PUT ON the new self, created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.”
The work of the Holy Spirit does not leave us naked.
We are to remove the old clothes and the old ways and PUT ON clothes not of our own making.
Spiritual Clothes created according to God’s likeness.
They are in HIS style.
It’s time for us to put away the old life because the new life we haven’t doesn’t fit the old me.

4. Why is this all necessary? It’s not what you think.

This is not tied to our salvation.
Paul never says, “do these things to receive or keep your salvation.”
All of these changes are the results of salvation and sanctification.
As you put off the old ways of life and put on the righteousness and truth of Jesus, you cease doing these things.
Your language changes.
Even the world expects Christians to act differently.
When our behavior does not align with Jesus’ teaching, people call us “hypocrites.”
Your inner-thought life feels turmoil as you experience conviction.
What we used to be comfortable allowing into our lives suddenly is uncomfortable.
This inner tension is not guilt or shame, but conviction.
Shame and guilt are not redemptive in nature.
Shame and guilt want us to feel bad, and to never recover.
Conviction is redemptive and shows us where we are wrong and that help is available.
You stop lying, cheating, and stealing.
These changes are necessary as you become more like Jesus.
Because Jesus is not a liar, a cheater, or a thief.
These outward signs show the Spirit’s work in our lives.
But Paul’s context is not “me” focused, but “other” focused.
All of this is so we benefit and bless each other.

Catch the significance:
We put away lying and speak the truth because we are a community, members of one another.
I should be angry and not sin by not letting my anger flow into the body.
This is why biblical conflict resolution is vital.
My physical body cannot handle sustained anger, nor can the Body of Christ.
When I choose to control my anger, I’m blessing myself and the Body.

Prayer? For those who struggle with deep-seated anger, can I pray for you right now?

When I work for what I have instead of stealing, not only am I not breaking a commandment, I am putting myself in a position to be a blessing to the rest of the Body.
When I choose to not use profanity, I have more room to speak things that BUILD up others and the Body.
When each of us put off the old ways and put on the new with the Spirit’s help, ALL of the body benefits.
I do not change so that I, alone, am holy, but so we all are Holy.
The goal of Christianity, for too long, has been behavior modification.
We declare, “this is bad, so don’t do it.”
But the Jews had behavioral modification down to an art and religion.
Jesus’ purpose is not merely to alter your behavior but to make you into a new person.

5. This is all possible because of Holy Spirit and Jesus’ Forgiveness.

The Spirit is prominent in this passage.
We are told ²³to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
This really does not seem to teach that our minds have a spirit.
It actually makes better sense to read that the Holy Spirit renews our minds.
There is no way you will naturally put away anger, or lying, or anything of those things because they are part of the default design.
But, when we confess our sins, and repent of our ways asking for God’s help, He gives us the power and the permission to lay aside all that hinders us.
For some, that happens in an instant.
For others, it feels like a much longer battle.
BUT the Spirit does not ask you to do anything that He won’t help you with.
Paul tells us to “not grieve the Holy Spirit.”
First thing to notice is that the Spirit is a person, for He can be grieved and disappointed.
Second, this is a response of the Holy Spirit living inside of a believer.
Paul is not talking to unbelievers here but to born-again Christians.
Thus, it is possible for believers to live in such a way that our actions grieve the Spirit of the Living God.
God’s love for us is unconditional, but not His approval.
If God approved of everything we thought, acted, or lived, it would not be possible for us to grieve Holy Spirit.
Just because a child of God does something, it does not mean that the Father approves.
Thankfully, the Spirit lovingly convicts us to correct our path so we may walk “worthy of our calling.”
That is why we are asked to live so that we do not grieve Holy Spirit.
One of the many ways we grieve Holy Spirit is by allowing unforgiveness to live in us.

³²And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

Anger and unforgiveness are not appropriate lifestyles for us.
It was permissible for the Gentiles and for the gods of the Gentiles.
It was not permissible for followers of Christ.
Whereas the gods of Greece and Rome encouraged revenge, hatred, anger, and unforgiveness, the true God forgave us in Christ.
Therefore, we should live a life that does not permit unforgiveness to live in our body or the Body of Jesus.

Prayer:

Each week, we have a call to prayer.
It’s always appropriate to pray for salvation.
It’s always appropriate to pray for healing, deliverance, and the empowering of the Holy Spirit.
I cannot shake the significance of praying for those of us who are angry or harboring unforgiveness.

Prayer?

Worship Time?

[1] Lincoln, Andrew T. 1990. Ephesians. Vol. 42. Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas: Word, Incorporated.

February 26, 2022 “Take Off, and Put on”

Paul RichardsonFebruary 26, 2023

Message 16 Take Off and Put on

Take Off, and Put On

2.26.2023

Message 16

Ephesians 4:17–32 (CSB)

LIVING THE NEW LIFE

1. The Apostle compares the two teachers available to humanity.

The first teacher is sin.
Sin teaches us to be angry.
Sin teaches futile ideas that lead nowhere.
Sin teaches us darkness.
Sin promises much while leading humanity to a life excluded from God.
Sin cannot teach truth.

John 8:44 (CSB)

The first teacher is sin, but the best teacher is Jesus.

²⁰But that is not how you came to know Christ, ²¹assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus…

The call of Christianity is the same that the first disciples heard and accepted:
They were invited to follow Jesus and to learn from Him.
Everywhere Jesus went, they called Him “Rabbi”, or “Teacher”.
The invitation to life with Jesus is the invitation to be taught by Him.
We are all learning.
The Apostle reminds the Ephesian believers that we have a choice to who our teacher is.
We can live like the world and continue learning in the ways of the Gentiles, or we can come to Jesus and be taught by Him in the manner of truth.

2. Take off the former, and put on the new.

Paul’s word picture involves sets of clothes.
He pictures our old life as one set of clothes and our new life as another set of clothes.
Paul says what we take off is corrupted, soiled, and stained by deceitful desires.
That old way of life is not suitable for the new calling we have to follow Jesus.
It’s not enough to clean up our old selves, we must put on NEW ONES.
“The change of clothing imagery signifies an exchange of identities.”[1]
Jesus doesn’t offer Himself as an addition to our identity.
Jesus offers a new identity.
The Greek language Paul used is stronger than our English.
We are not being asked to merely lay aside our old life.
Nor is Paul offering us a chance to put away our old life in a closet for future use.
Instead, Paul says, “get rid of…” the old life that was corrupted.
I’m guessing that we all have clothes or shoes in our closets that do not need to be saved but thrown in the trash.
Our reasons for hanging on to them may be good or practical.
You have work shirts, stained with oil or paint, that you keep around for the next project.
You have old tennis shoes ready for when conditions are messy.
But there comes a time when it is time to throw them away and get something new.
Could it be that many of us in the room are still hanging on to pieces of our old life, just in case we “need” them again?
Have you ever pulled out a carton of milk that was going bad, and put it BACK into the refrigerator?
It doesn’t get fresher.
Why is it we hold on to our old life, just in case it helps us in the future?
It didn’t help us then, it won’t help you in the future.

3. Putting off the old, and putting on the new, are INTENTIONAL acts.

Each time Paul says “take off” and “put on” he is referring to our responsibilities.
Throughout Scripture, there is a tension between what God does for us and what we do with God’s help.
In the previous passages, Paul tells what God has accomplished for us:
Seated us with Christ in the heavenly realm.
Given us every spiritual blessing.
We have received an inheritance.
We are indwelt by Holy Spirit.
This is ALL God.
Now it is time for us, with the Spirit’s help, to put off the old ways and clothe ourselves with the new life.
Several times, Paul tells us to put away and to put on.
These are verbs, and commands meant for us to act upon.
We have a responsibility here:
to “put off old self”
to “Put away falsehood”.
to “Put away bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice.
There is also a positive command to “PUT ON the new self, created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.”
The work of the Holy Spirit does not leave us naked.
We are to remove the old clothes and the old ways and PUT ON clothes not of our own making.
Spiritual Clothes created according to God’s likeness.
They are in HIS style.
It’s time for us to put away the old life because the new life we haven’t doesn’t fit the old me.

4. Why is this all necessary? It’s not what you think.

This is not tied to our salvation.
Paul never says, “do these things to receive or keep your salvation.”
All of these changes are the results of salvation and sanctification.
As you put off the old ways of life and put on the righteousness and truth of Jesus, you cease doing these things.
Your language changes.
Even the world expects Christians to act differently.
When our behavior does not align with Jesus’ teaching, people call us “hypocrites.”
Your inner-thought life feels turmoil as you experience conviction.
What we used to be comfortable allowing into our lives suddenly is uncomfortable.
This inner tension is not guilt or shame, but conviction.
Shame and guilt are not redemptive in nature.
Shame and guilt want us to feel bad, and to never recover.
Conviction is redemptive and shows us where we are wrong and that help is available.
You stop lying, cheating, and stealing.
These changes are necessary as you become more like Jesus.
Because Jesus is not a liar, a cheater, or a thief.
These outward signs show the Spirit’s work in our lives.
But Paul’s context is not “me” focused, but “other” focused.
All of this is so we benefit and bless each other.

Catch the significance:
We put away lying and speak the truth because we are a community, members of one another.
I should be angry and not sin by not letting my anger flow into the body.
This is why biblical conflict resolution is vital.
My physical body cannot handle sustained anger, nor can the Body of Christ.
When I choose to control my anger, I’m blessing myself and the Body.

Prayer? For those who struggle with deep-seated anger, can I pray for you right now?

When I work for what I have instead of stealing, not only am I not breaking a commandment, I am putting myself in a position to be a blessing to the rest of the Body.
When I choose to not use profanity, I have more room to speak things that BUILD up others and the Body.
When each of us put off the old ways and put on the new with the Spirit’s help, ALL of the body benefits.
I do not change so that I, alone, am holy, but so we all are Holy.
The goal of Christianity, for too long, has been behavior modification.
We declare, “this is bad, so don’t do it.”
But the Jews had behavioral modification down to an art and religion.
Jesus’ purpose is not merely to alter your behavior but to make you into a new person.

5. This is all possible because of Holy Spirit and Jesus’ Forgiveness.

The Spirit is prominent in this passage.
We are told ²³to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
This really does not seem to teach that our minds have a spirit.
It actually makes better sense to read that the Holy Spirit renews our minds.
There is no way you will naturally put away anger, or lying, or anything of those things because they are part of the default design.
But, when we confess our sins, and repent of our ways asking for God’s help, He gives us the power and the permission to lay aside all that hinders us.
For some, that happens in an instant.
For others, it feels like a much longer battle.
BUT the Spirit does not ask you to do anything that He won’t help you with.
Paul tells us to “not grieve the Holy Spirit.”
First thing to notice is that the Spirit is a person, for He can be grieved and disappointed.
Second, this is a response of the Holy Spirit living inside of a believer.
Paul is not talking to unbelievers here but to born-again Christians.
Thus, it is possible for believers to live in such a way that our actions grieve the Spirit of the Living God.
God’s love for us is unconditional, but not His approval.
If God approved of everything we thought, acted, or lived, it would not be possible for us to grieve Holy Spirit.
Just because a child of God does something, it does not mean that the Father approves.
Thankfully, the Spirit lovingly convicts us to correct our path so we may walk “worthy of our calling.”
That is why we are asked to live so that we do not grieve Holy Spirit.
One of the many ways we grieve Holy Spirit is by allowing unforgiveness to live in us.

³²And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

Anger and unforgiveness are not appropriate lifestyles for us.
It was permissible for the Gentiles and for the gods of the Gentiles.
It was not permissible for followers of Christ.
Whereas the gods of Greece and Rome encouraged revenge, hatred, anger, and unforgiveness, the true God forgave us in Christ.
Therefore, we should live a life that does not permit unforgiveness to live in our body or the Body of Jesus.

Prayer:

Each week, we have a call to prayer.
It’s always appropriate to pray for salvation.
It’s always appropriate to pray for healing, deliverance, and the empowering of the Holy Spirit.
I cannot shake the significance of praying for those of us who are angry or harboring unforgiveness.

Prayer?

Worship Time?

[1] Lincoln, Andrew T. 1990. Ephesians. Vol. 42. Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas: Word, Incorporated.

February 19, 2023 How “Not” to Walk

Paul RichardsonFebruary 18, 2023

For a PDF copy of Pastor Richardson’s notes, click the link below!

Message 15 How Not to walk

How “NOT” to Walk

Message 15

2/19/23

Ephesians 4:17–32 (CSB)

LIVING THE NEW LIFE

Intro. Can we take a moment and process what we’ve just read and heard?

The more I read this passage, the more it challenges me.
The conjunction “therefore” in verse 17 anchors everything that Jesus has done for us and connects that work to us.
If a person was to read the first 3 and a half chapters of Ephesians only, we could feasibly believe that the individual believer has no part to play in God’s plan of salvation.
However, Paul’s “therefore” shifts toward us.
Because of what Jesus has done, because of who God is, and because of the presence of the Holy Spirit, we must “walk worthy of this calling” and not walk as the Gentiles do.
Paul is very clear:
2. It is possible to walk rightly BECAUSE of what Jesus has done for us.
Paul declares it is possible to live a life that is not characterized by:
Anger
Slander and profanity.
Promiscuity
Sin and stupidity.
Paul does not give us any legitimate excuses for walking in disobedience.
For the many of you who learned to march in the military, I doubt your drill instructors accepted any excuses for your marching out of step.
I love observing elementary school hallways because it’s like the evolution of dance happening as kids find a million ways to walk without walking right.
One of my favorite things on Sunday morning is when the toddlers go past the back doors to their toddler church.
They NEVER walk like an adult; they walk like a kid.
Every teacher tells the kids, “walk right.”
The Apostle Paul, serving as an Apostle for Ephesus, is fulfilling a mix between a drill instructor and an elementary teacher.
And his message here is “walk right,” “take off your old life,” and “put on what is new.”
This series of messages seems appropriate for the season we are in:
Many of you are following the revival happening at Asbury.
How did it start: a student confessing his sin and repenting.
Repentance never asks for permission to sin again.
These next couple of weeks will shine the spotlight of Scripture into the darkest areas of our lives.
“I want you all to know I love you. And the way I can love you the best is by being truthful and clear. Even we disagree, know that I’m speaking out of my love for Jesus, Scripture, and you. I hope you still love me when this series is over.”

1. Paul opens this passage by contrasting the “walk worthy of your calling” with how to NOT walk in Christ.

Do not walk like the Gentiles.
But they were all born gentiles, just like Paul was born a Jew.
What Paul has in mind is not ethnicity.
Paul declares that their present lifestyle must look different than their past lifestyle.
How they walk is not based on where they came from but who they are now in Christ Jesus.

Eugene Peterson, in his book Practicing Resurrection, explains it like this:

He said that the Greeks and Gentiles understood morals, but morality had nothing to do with religion and was not for normal people.
But the men and women in the street, mostly unschooled, along with a considerable slave population, wouldn’t have been much affected by the philosophers. In the imagination of the common people, Zeus and Hera presided over a pantheon of sexually profligate and murderously rapacious deities. The stories the Gentiles told about their gods and goddesses sometimes showed remarkable psychological insights and were endlessly entertaining, but they were also devoid of righteous moral content. Artemis, the reigning goddess of the city of Ephesus, was a fertility figure on public pornographic display, an idol carved with a thousand breasts. So that is the world that seems most likely to be behind the term “Gentile” here – not so much an ethnic designation in contrast to Jew but a reference to this culture that was rich in religious imagination and so impoverished morally.[i]

Paul had to shift the Ephesian understanding away from the gods of their past to the God of their present and future.
The God that saved the Ephesian believers was not like Zeus or Artemis.
They were not sleeping around.
They were not torturing each other.
God was nothing like what they had spent a lifetime of worshipping.
Growing up in Christ requires laying aside what you used to know, believe, and practice and embracing the newness of Christ.
If we don’t lay that aside, we end up with dangerous a dangerous form of syncretism.
Syncretism is the mixing of various beliefs and gods into a new whole.
Paul wasn’t inviting the people in Ephesus to add Jesus to their gods but to proclaim Jesus as the ONLY God and the ONLY source of salvation.
Paul declared the necessity of laying aside what used to be and embracing a new life.
If we, as American Christians, are not careful, we merely add Jesus to our old ways instead of living a new life in Christ.
If we are to accept this passage of Scripture, we have to admit a few things:
First, there is truth.
And not “your truth” versus “my truth.”
But absolute truth.
Second, there is a way Jesus expects us to walk.
Third, standards are not the same as works.
We are all Protestants in this room, believing we are saved by grace and not works.
But we mistakenly throw out the idea that faith and belief are followed by action and work.
Paul invests the first 3 chapters describing all the great things God has provided that we did NOTHING for.
Seated in the complete work of Jesus.
THEN, Paul describes how we are to “walk.”
And these next several paragraphs are full of verbs and commands and actions meant for us.

2. This effort is necessary because our “default” condition is broken.

Look how Paul describes our former way of life:

You should no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thoughts. ¹⁸They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts. ¹⁹They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more.

First, our way of thinking was messed up: Futile and dark.
Second, our default condition is excluded from the life of God.
Three, The old life is ignorant.
Four, our hearts were hard.
This is followed by callousness and the practice of every kind of impurity.
Vs. 19. The word used for “callous” is rare and means “the ultimate in moral depravity, a lack of shame or guilt for any sin or vice.”^[1]
when there is no shame or guilt, there is no repentance.
We do not repent of what we are proud of.
Would it be safe to say that the world, apart from Jesus, lives and thinks in a way that is: futile, dark, excluded from real life, ignorant, and without shame?
Paul’s definition of life apart from Jesus is just as accurate today as it was then.
Often, we are shocked at how many people think and act the way they do.
But I point you to the futility of their thinking.
With Jesus, we think differently, see the world differently, and interact differently.

Next week, we will dig in further as Paul tells us to “put away” and take off our old ways of living and put on a new self.

3. What must we do to start walking differently?

First, Repent of past ways and flare-ups.
Let me repeat this:
We do not repent of what we are proud of.
The other day, one of our kids in children’s church used a bad word.
He was pretty proud of it, but he didn’t know it was a bad word.
Part of the parenting and leadership process is to inform the kid “that’s a bad word.”
One of the teenagers dropped this wisdom:
Under-exposure is just as bad as over-exposure.
Could it be that we have God-loving people living in sin because no one has ever clearly taught them the Scriptures?
But if he or she keeps saying it, then it goes from an accident to a willful sin.
I believe the Lord has been dealing with many people in this room over the last few months.
God is showing you that what was permissible as a new believer is not permissible now.
God does not reveal our sin because He hates us, but because He loves us.
As God shows us areas needing repentance, would you repent and then ask for His help to stop?
B. Second, renew your mind daily.
Most of us remember all our mistakes, and very few of our victories.
“Our memories are only as good as our last mistake.”
In 2018, the special assistant to the Air Force Surgeon General did research that says it takes 5 positive comments to offset every one criticism.[2]
Some of you Army and Marine guys think you didn’t hear 5 positive comments the whole time you were in the military.
But it seems right: It only takes 1 negative to deflate a lot of good.
This is where Satan wants you to live.
Too many of us think about God for an hour on Sunday and believe it will offset the other 167 hours during the week.
Did you notice that what Paul confronted about the Gentile way of life was mostly areas of thinking?
First, our way of thinking was messed up: Futile and dark.
Second, our default condition is excluded from the life of God.
Three, The old life is ignorant.
Four, our hearts were hard.
Paul told the Romans, “be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Daily, I need to think about what Jesus has done and what He is calling me to.
I’m not talking about placebos, or karma, or daily affirmations.
I am talking about reminding myself that Jesus loves, me, I am forgiven, and I am empowered with the Holy Spirit.
I don’t have to sin today; that power was broken years ago.
Measure our life by the right standards.
Did you ever correct one of your kids, and they tell you, “but so-so’s mom lets them do it?”
As believers, the world is not your standard; Jesus is.
Vs. 24 “We are to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.
In the beginning, we were created in the “image of God.”
Sin marred the image and fastens us into the image of sin and the curse.
But through Jesus, we are to put on a new life that looks like God’s righteousness, purity, and truth.

Closing/Prayer

Dedication, confession, repentance

^[1] Bratcher, Robert G., and Eugene Albert Nida. 1993. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. UBS Handbook Series. New York: United Bible Societies.

[2] https://www.airforcemedicine.af.mil/News/Display/Article/1499653/51-feedback-improves-medical-care/#:~:text=The%205%3A1%20feedback%20ratio%20is%20an%20important%20Trusted%20Care,for%20every%20one%20criticism%20given.

[i] Eugene H. Peterson. Practice Resurrection: A Conversation on Growing Up in Christ (Kindle Locations 2190-2194). Kindle Edition.

February 12, 2023 Victorious Christ, His Gifts, and a Victorious Church Part 2

Paul RichardsonFebruary 11, 2023

Click this link for a PDF copy of Pastor Paul’s notes or scroll below!

Message 14 The Victorious Jesus and His Gifts for a Victorious Church Part 2

The Victorious Jesus and His Gifts for a Victorious Church Part 2

2/12/22

Message 14

Ephesians 4:7–16 (CSB)

⁷Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸For it says:

When he ascended on high,

he took the captives captive;

he gave gifts to people.^,

⁹But what does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower parts of the earth?^, ¹⁰The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, to fill all things. ¹¹And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, ¹²to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, ¹³until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. ¹⁴Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. ¹⁵But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ. ¹⁶From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part.

Introduction. The Victorious Jesus gives gifts to His people.

At Jesus’ ascension, Jesus sits on the throne of Heaven at the right hand of the Father.
In celebration or commemoration, Jesus gives gifts.
The gifts Paul mention are different than what I would expect.
What Paul mentions are five gifts to the Church to ensure the Church will not falter or fail in her ministry
These are not the only gifts Jesus gives.
Paul mentions gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12.
But Paul thought these were the gifts the believers in Ephesus needed to know about.
Paul, however, does not describe them in detail.
He assumes the congregation will be familiar with them because they have seen them in action.
The best way to understand the gifts of Ephesians 4 are to see them for yourself.

1. Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Oh, MY.

The order of these gifts is not necessarily in the order of importance, but they do seem to be in the order of scarcity.
There are many more teachers than there are people serving as pastors.
There are more pastors than those serving as evangelists.
There are fewer true prophets than evangelists.
And fewer still true apostles.
Just because a gifting is rare, or abused, does not mean that we may conclude they do not exist.
Apostles: The word “apostle” means one sent as a messenger.
The role of apostle is unique in the New Testament.
The first apostles saw and knew Jesus personally.
They also had an important function of starting new works in dark places.
Wherever the Apostle Paul went, he planted churches leading people to Jesus, casting out demons, and healing the sick.
Apostles also suffered greatly for their work.
Paul, in the letter of 2 Corinthians, defends his Apostleship by appealing to both his success and his suffering.
Apostles went to the hardest and darkest places, telling them about Jesus.
But are apostles still for today?
I’m going to disagree with most of my commentaries and bible studies by saying that I do believe there are modern- day apostles.
Modern day apostles look different than what we see in the NT but the function is still there, and I don’t believe God has rescinded this gift to the church.
I do not see evidence that there are a lot of apostles today, because there were not many in Paul’s day either.
But isn’t God still calling people to go into the darkest, hardest places and make Jesus known with signs and wonders following?
Beware of people who demand to be called “apostle.”
A general rule of thumb: Beware of people who demand to be called by titles.
Let their calling be confirmed by the saints and by the presence of God upon their lives.
Watch them and weigh their work.
And if someone insists on being called “apostle” or “prophet,” be careful.
And read 2 Corinthians.
Prophets: Revealers and Keepers of Covenant.
The role of the prophet in the OT was to declare God’s word to the people and to enact the covenant.
When Israel acted sinfully, a prophet would call out their sin, give them a chance for repentance, and then tell of the upcoming consequences.
Prophets were messengers of God’s will to the nations and leaders.
In the New Testament, the role of the prophet is a little different.
Prophets “stand out clearly from the New Testament as people of inspired utterance, whose ministry of the word was of the utmost importance for the young church. On occasion they might foretell the future, as in Acts 11:28 and 21:9, 11, but like the Old Testament prophets their great work was to ‘forth-tell’ the word of God. This might be in bringing to light with convicting power people’s sins (1 Cor. 14:24–25), or in bringing new strength to the church by the word of exhortation.^[1]
New Testament prophets primarily function to reveal God, His Word, and His will to the people.
A prophet might confront a spiritual leader over secret sin.
A prophet could confirm God’s will for your life.
A prophet may also help interpret a situation by revealing the spiritual environment.
There is a lot of crazy stuff happening that people label “prophetic.”
But don’t dismiss this gift to the Church just because some people are weird or wrong.
God does still call people to the ministry of revealing.
Evangelist: Ministers to the lost, outside the church.
The real heart of an evangelist is to minister to people who are apart from Jesus and the Church.
It is not someone who travels from church to church.
That’s an important ministry, but the gifting of evangelist is to tell others about Jesus.
Someone like a Billy Graham, Luis Palau, or Reinhard Bonnke were great evangelists who spoke to millions and saw them come to Jesus.
Their pulpits were rarely ever in a comfortable church.
Instead, they preached in coliseums, stadiums, large tents or open fields.
The greatest evangelist America never talked about was Reinhard Bonnke. His last crusade in Africa in 2017 saw 1.7 million people attend in 5 days.[2] PICTURE
Evangelists are gifted at introducing those outside the body of Christ to Christ and then connecting them to a local church.
Pastors and teachers are ministers inside the church.
If you think in terms of Emergency Medical Services, Evangelists are the paramedics and EMTs that stabilize and transport, doing what needs to be done where the people are.
Pastors are the personnel in the hospital.
BOTH roles are necessary.
BOTH roles overlap.
The arena evangelists work in looks different than the pastor.
Some in this room are evangelists.
I know this, because you always have new people with you.
You are constantly having conversations with lost people, sharing love and hope, answering questions and inviting to journey with you.
Healthy churches HAVE TO HAVE evangelists.

Pastor/Teacher: If you have ever been in a church, you have witnessed the gifts of pastors and teachers.
I believe these gifts are distinct.
Yes, pastors do teach, and teachers do shepherd/pastor people.
But just because someone teaches, it does not mean they have the heart of a pastor.
A big difference between pastoring and teaching is the weight burden/anointing. Let me describe this a bit:
3:40 am Monday morning found me awake. Upon my heart was the same thing that was on my heart when I went to sleep: YOU!
By name.
On Purpose.
What keeps me up at night, what keeps me going and striving, are not buildings or projects or missions.
For all my education and my love for teaching, I am not captivated by subjects, ideas, theory, or information.
The Lord has given me a heart for you.
When I go on vacation, I take you with me.
The moment my car turns back towards Licking, I feel the weight of this community and her lostness and potential.
The Lord reminded me early Monday morning that these feelings are not problems to overcome but a sign of the gifting as a pastor, and that is what it means to be a gift to the Church.
Julie shares calling and weight with me.
The majority of our conversations in our home are not about our own families but yours.
What saddens Julie and I most about this season we are in is that we look over this congregation and we DON’T know everyone here.
Our Sunday afternoon conversation involves her and I going over who wasn’t at church and wondering if they are ok.
“What does the exalted Christ give to the Church? He gives people, these particular people who proclaim the word and lead.”^[3]
Of all the distinctions between these gifts, they all are involved with proclaiming the word and leading.
According to Ephesians 4, they all assist in fulfilling God’s plan and purpose.
3. It seems from Scripture that the Church needs all the gifts in the right proportions.

2. What kind of gifts are these?

Ephesians 4:11–16 (CSB)

¹¹And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, ¹²to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, ¹³until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. ¹⁴Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. ¹⁵But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ. ¹⁶From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part.

A. Gifts of edification.
I almost didn’t use that word because we don’t use it much.
But it’s an appropriate word, so let me define it.
To edify is “To instruct or improve someone.”
These gifts are to equip the saints for ministry.
Even though these gifts interact with the world and the lost, they are gifts to the church “to equip the saints for the work of the ministry.”
Jesus gave the command: Go into all the world and preach the Gospel. Matt 28:18-10
Jesus told His followers to lay hands upon the sick, cast out demons, and raise the dead.
Jesus gave the saints the gifts of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers to equip the Church to do what He has asked.
The ministry isn’t for a select few but for all the saints.
Gifts of Growth.

Ephesians 4:13 (ESV)

¹³until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

Christ gives these “gifts” to build up the body, “growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.”
The ESV says “to mature manhood.”
This is in contrast to verse 14, “no longer be children.”
You do not begin this Christian life as a fully mature believer.
Maturity takes time and intentionality.
As we intentionally sit under the ministry of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers, we embrace a process that results in Christian maturity.
We ALL need help in our maturity.
Because the goal is not to be bigger or better than each other but to measure up to Christ’s fullness.
That’s why we need people gifted in drawing our eyes to Jesus.
Our standard is Jesus, no one else.
C. Gifts of protection. Vs. 14
When the gifts are in proper order, they will protect believers from false doctrine and deceit.
Just as children are prone to believe in fairytales, monsters under their beds, and other wrong ideas, maturing believers need others to guide them through the confusion caused by “every wind of teaching.”
Just because something is convincing, it doesn’t mean it is true.
True Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers bring clarity, not confusion.
Gifts of Unity.
Paul uses a verb here: “reach unity in the faith.”
The Greek is a word used to describe arriving at a destination.
Unity in the faith and knowledge of God’s Son is the destination.
Unity is not peace at any cost: unity is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit to bring disparate pieces into a beautiful whole.
The Holy Spirit is making us into the Bride of Christ, not the Bride of Frankenstein.
This is where many of us fail.
Unity is a supernatural work, not a natural one.
The first thing out of Adam’s mouth after giving in to sin was division: It was THIS woman YOU GAVE ME.
If left to ourselves, we trend toward chaos and disfunction and not unity.
But with the Gifts that Jesus has given and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, unity is possible.

Closing: Growing into the Likeness of Christ.

Growing up involves the work of the Holy Spirit forming our born- again spirits into the likeness of Christ.[4]
This morning, I want to lead this congregation in a time of prayer.
It’s always appropriate to pray for healing, for your family, for provision and all those things.
Today, I want to lead us in a time of prayer that declares, “I want to be like Jesus!”
Many of us in this room are ready to draw closer to Jesus.
We are ready to be free from the sin that so easily entangles and want to walk in the Freedom of the Spirit.
We want our lives to reflect Jesus!
The Good News is that Jesus has already done the impossible part.
He has already provided forgiveness.
He has already conquered the very powers that hold you captive.
He has already sent His Spirit to dwell in you.
Our part is to place our will and desires under the headship of Jesus.

Today, we pray: Jesus, I want to be like you!

^[1] Foulkes, Francis. 1989. Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 10. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

[2] https://renewaljournal.wordpress.com/2017/03/30/reinhard-bonnkes-final-crusade-in-africa/

^[3] Lincoln, Andrew T. 1990. Ephesians. Vol. 42. Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas: Word, Incorporated.

[4] Eugene H. Peterson. Practice Resurrection: A Conversation on Growing Up in Christ (Kindle Location 65). Kindle Edition.

February 5, 2023 The Victorious Jesus and His Gifts for a Victorious Church Part 1

Paul RichardsonFebruary 5, 2023

Click here for a PDF of Pastor Paul Richardson’s notes or follow below:

Message 13 The Victorious Jesus and His Gifts for a Victorious Church

The Victorious Jesus and His Gifts for a Victorious Church Part 1

Message 13

2.5.23

Introduction: Today’s passage is familiar to many of us.

But I want to approach this passage over two weeks.
Too often, we jump into the details of who these “gifts” or “offices” are.
We want to debate about Apostles and prophets or the differences between a pastor and a teacher.
We will do some of that next week.
Paul’s attention here is clearly upon Jesus.
When we put our eyes on the gifts instead of the gift giver, we become out of balance.
A believer who is walking worthy of their calling stays focused upon Jesus.
It’s not about the minister.
It’s not about the person on the platform or on the screen.
It’s all about Jesus.
It is Jesus who has given gifts to His people.

Ephesians 4:7–16 (CSB)

⁷Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸For it says:

When he ascended on high,

he took the captives captive;

he gave gifts to people.^,

1. Christ’s Victory brought us gifts.

The Apostle draws the reader’s attention to what Jesus has done.
Now Grace was given…
Grace is a great word.
Greek, it is Charis.
It’s where we get our word “charismatic.”
In its simplest form, Grace means a gift.
Unmerited, undeserved favor.
For us, Grace is not a salary or wage that we earn, but a gift that we must receive.
With this definition in mind, notice again what Paul is saying:

⁷Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

The word translated as “gift” is a different word than Charis.
But we could read this as “Now gifts were given to each according to the measure of Christ’s gifts.”
That may feel confusing.
But if I gave you a birthday present, what did you receive? A gift.

C “You got me a present!” “Thank you for the wonderful gift.”

Before Paul describes what Jesus gives us, He tells us the measure or the size:
According to the measure of Christ’s gift.
This is a recurring theme in Ephesians:
Not “from” but “according.”
A hundred dollars from a millionaire is not according to their wealth but from their wealth.
Jesus gives accordingly, which is with great abundance and grace.

2. Why is Jesus giving gifts?

Conquering heroes and new kings often gave gifts to their subjects.
The Roman emperors were great at this.
After victories, they would throw feasts and give gifts to the people.
The leader’s victory was shared with the subjects.
Let’s be honest, American politicians do the same: reward those who got them elected lol.
Paul has something similar in view here.
Jesus, who had defeated death and ascended to the “throne,” celebrates by giving gifts to His people.
This allows Jesus’ followers to participate in Jesus’ victory.
But Paul also has a broader picture in mind.
In our Bibles, verse 8 is in different formatting and may be in bold.
This tells you this is a quotation from the Old Testament.
When we read this, we should read the whole context.
Most of your Bibles will include a little lettered footnote and a reference to Psalm 68.

Psalm 68:1–20 (CSB)

¹God arises. His enemies scatter,

and those who hate him flee from his presence.

²As smoke is blown away,

so you blow them away.

As wax melts before the fire,

so the wicked are destroyed before God.

³But the righteous are glad;

they rejoice before God and celebrate with joy.

⁴Sing to God! Sing praises to his name.

Exalt him who rides on the clouds—

his name is the Lord—and celebrate before him.

⁵God in his holy dwelling is

a father of the fatherless

and a champion of widows.

⁶God provides homes for those who are deserted.

He leads out the prisoners to prosperity,

but the rebellious live in a scorched land.

⁷God, when you went out before your people,

when you marched through the desert,

Selah

⁸the earth trembled and the skies poured rain

before God, the God of Sinai,

before God, the God of Israel.

⁹You, God, showered abundant rain;

you revived your inheritance when it languished.

¹⁰Your people settled in it;

God, you provided for the poor by your goodness.

¹¹The Lord gave the command;

a great company of women brought the good news:

¹²“The kings of the armies flee—they flee!”

She who stays at home divides the spoil.

¹³While you lie among the sheep pens,

the wings of a dove are covered with silver,

and its feathers with glistening gold.

¹⁴When the Almighty scattered kings in the land,

it snowed on Zalmon.^,

¹⁵Mount Bashan is God’s towering mountain;

Mount Bashan is a mountain of many peaks.

¹⁶Why gaze with envy, you mountain peaks,

at the mountain God desired for his abode?

The Lord will dwell there forever!

¹⁷God’s chariots are tens of thousands,

thousands and thousands;

the Lord is among them in the sanctuary

as he was at Sinai.

¹⁸You ascended to the heights, taking away captives;

you received gifts from people,

even from the rebellious,

so that the Lord God might dwell there.^,

¹⁹Blessed be the Lord!

Day after day he bears our burdens;

God is our salvation.

Selah

²⁰Our God is a God of salvation,

and escape from death belongs to the Lord my Lord.

The context of Psalm 68 celebrates Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai.
God is depicted as leading his people out of slavery and bondage.
Psalm 68 pictures Yahweh as a Divine Warrior descending from Mount Sinai, striding across the earth winning victory after victory for his people, and then ascending Mount Zion surrounded by an entourage of the heavenly host in order to establish his throne room (temple) there. It is the prayer of the psalm that this power of God be exercised once again to deliver his people.^[1]
In Psalm 68, God gave victory to Israel over the enemy.
Paul now applies that the the believers in Ephesus.
Now, it is Christ who conquered over the cosmic and spiritual powers, making an example of them.

Ephesians 1:20–22 (CSB)

²⁰He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens—²¹far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given,^, not only in this age but also in the one to come. ²²And he subjected everything under his feet^, and appointed him as head over everything for the church,

If you lived in a pagan city, with altars and shrines on every corner, wouldn’t you want to know that Jesus had defeated them too?

3. Paul reinterprets Psalm 68 with Jesus as the main figure.

For it says:

When he ascended on high,

he took the captives captive;

he gave gifts to people.^,

First, notice Paul adjusts the Psalm:
In Psalm 68, the people gave gifts to God.
Now, Jesus gives gifts to His people.
Paul rereads Psalm 68 with Jesus at the center.
Jesus descended to the Earth, born in human flesh.
He descended to the Earth in the incarnation.
And at His Ascension, when He returned to Heaven, He ascended to sit at the right hand of the Father.

Matthew 26:64 (NLT)

⁶⁴Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

In the process of descending and ascending is that Jesus’ resurrection and ascension is proof of Jesus’ power over death, hell, and the grave.
We make much of Jesus’ crucifixion and His resurrection, but the ascension is equally as important.
Countless numbers of people have been crucified.
Many have come back to life after being pronounced dead.
But only Jesus has been crucified, resurrected, and ascended to heaven!
At His ascension, Jesus took the captives captive!
Who were the captives?
All Those enslaved to sin.
Just as God set the Israelites free from the bondage of slavery, Jesus set all who believe in Him free from the bondage of sin.

4. Now what?

In light of this Scripture, what do I do next?
I can’t shake the feeling that before we dive into the details of the gifts that Jesus has given the Church, we should focus on this great gift of freedom that Jesus has given us.
What good is being able to describe the functions of an apostle, prophet, or pastor if you don’t enjoy the freedom Jesus has given us?
Because Jesus “took captives captive”, and because Jesus has given good gifts, each one of us can come before God today and receive what we need.

Matthew 7:7–11 (NLT)

Effective Prayer

⁷“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. ⁸For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

⁹“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? ¹⁰Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! ¹¹So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

Jesus does not end verse 11 with a question, but a statement (there is a period, not a question mark.)
Today, I want to invite all who are weary and heavy-laden to come and receive rest.
Today, I invite all who desire freedom to come to Jesus and receive the freedom only the Holy Spirit can bring.
Today, I invite all who are sick and hurting to come to Jesus for healing.
Today, we are invited to benefit from the good gifts that God has given us through Jesus Christ!

^[1] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

1/29/23 Walk Worthy Ephesians 4:1-6

Paul RichardsonJanuary 29, 2023

Sermon 12. Walking Worthy

Walking Worthy

1/29/22

Sermon 12

Ephesians Series

Ephesians 4:1–6 (CSB)

4 Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, ²with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope^, at your calling—⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

Introduction: Paul’s metaphor changes in Chapter 4.

The first 3 chapters are connected with the theme of “Seated”.
Paul writes often about Jesus, who is seated at the right hand of the Father.
And because Christ is seated at the right hand, we, too, are seated with Christ in the heavenly realm.
To “sit” is to be in a position of completion.
The work is done.
Now, it is time to enjoy and rest in what has been accomplished.
However, it seems that this would be the last step for believers.
For most of us, we sit at the end of the day or the task.
But for believers, it is the first thing we learn to do.
Until we can sit in the completed work of Christ, we are not ready to walk in our calling.
Paul changes the dominant metaphor from “sit” to “walk.”
Over and again, Paul describes how believers are to “walk” in this new position with Christ.
In Christ’s Kingdom, being comes before doing.
We sit in our position of Christ first, and then we walk in the calling we have received.

1. Paul knows whom he is walking with.

“Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord….”
Not “a prisoner of Rome”.
Not “prisoner of circumstances.”
But the prisoner in the Lord.

4.“…while Paul may be incarcerated by Rome, he has actually been captured by the Lord. Christ, not Rome, is truly in charge, and Paul belongs to him and has been incorporated into him.”^[1]

Knowing the who and the why of walking matters.
In ancient contexts, prisoners walked differently than the victorious soldiers.
Captured soldiers would often be led in a triumphal procession back to the capital city to be paraded, humiliated, and even executed.
On the contrary, the victorious army marched with their heads held high.
And the winning general rode on a white horse, paraded as the hero.
Paul had no problem admitting that he was a prisoner.
But he refused to give credit to Rome for his present situation.
Instead, he saw his situation through a much larger lens.
He wasn’t a victim to circumstances: he was instead walking out a plan that Jesus had for Him.
And even though that plan was at times painful and difficult, it was God’s plan and purpose, and Paul was operating within that plan.
Our culture spends too much time teaching people how to be better victims instead of people of God.
Part of my calling is to bring a faith perspective.
Most of us in this room are realists and practical.
I do not have to convince you to see the difficulties, the problems, or what could go wrong.
So part of what I’m called to do is remind us of the faith perspective.
What does it mean to walk victoriously in Christ Jesus?
What does it mean to walk by faith, not by sight?
What if we talked more about what God can do than what we can’t do?
Paul, although under arrest by Roman authorities, could look at his situation and declare: I’m a prisoner of the Lord.
When we walk with Jesus, He sets the pace.
Whom you walk with determines the pace.
You walk differently with your great-grandma than you do with your grandkid.
We walk differently in a uniform than we do wearing pajamas.
When we live for Jesus, we walk according to His pace.
We step when He steps.
We pause when he pauses.
We go where He leads us.

2. Walk Worthy of the calling you have received.

The word Paul uses here is “axios”.
Eugene Peterson helps explain this:

Axios is a word with a picture in it…An axios is a set of balancing scales, the kind of scales formed by a crossbeam balanced on a post, with pans suspended from each end of the beam. You place a lead weight of, say, one pound in one pan, and then measure out flour into the other pan until the two pans are in balance. Balance means to be in equilibrium. When the flour in one pan balances the one-pound lead weight in the other, you know you have one pound of flour. The unknown weight of what is being measured in one pan is equivalent to the known weight in the other. The two items, lead and flour, are axios – worthy. They have the same value, or, in this case, weight. They can be as different as lead and flour, but they “fit,” like a pair of shoes fits a man’s feet, like a dress fits a woman’s body, like a crescent wrench fits the head of a nut, like a wedding ring fits the finger of the beloved. The items balanced in the Ephesians scales are God’s calling and human living: “I beg you,” writes Paul, “to walk (peripateo) worthy of the calling to which you have been called (kaleo).” When our walking and God’s calling are in balance, we are whole; we are living maturely, living responsively to God’s calling, living congruent with the way God calls us into being. Axios, worthy – mature, healthy, robust.[i] (Peterson)

To walk worthy of the calling is to be balanced in both our walk and our calling.
So what is our calling?
Paul said in Ephesians 1:18–19 (CSB)

¹⁸I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength.

Your calling is not defined by what you do, but whom you are called to be.
Your gifts are not the focus of your calling.
The Giftings are expressions of our relationship to Jesus.
To walk worthy is to be in balance with who we are in Christ and how we live for Christ.
That is why we sit before we walk.
“Christian belief comes before Christian living. The mindset must be changed before one’s conduct can follow suit.”^[2]
Who you are in Christ Jesus is more important than what you do for Jesus.
That is why Jesus could say there will be people who cast out demons and heal the sick, and yet the Father rejects them.
We must never divorce what we do for Jesus from who we are in Jesus.
To walk worthy is to be in balance and maturity.
It means I’m walking in my giftings and in a relationship with Jesus.
And I’m not too heavy on one side or the other but in balance.
What does that look like?

3. Characteristics of a Christian’s Walk.

²with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Interestingly, Paul doesn’t talk about productivity first.
He talks about giftings in a minute.
What Paul lists here is more like the fruit of the Holy Spirit than the fruit of human effort.
I like to get stuff done, but that isn’t a priority.
I like to be busy, but that isn’t a badge of Christian maturity.
How do we walk worthy of the calling?
We are to walk with Humility and Gentleness
This is very different from the Roman ideal.
Rome wasn’t known for humility or gentleness.
But Jesus was.
Isaiah prophesied, and Matthew 12:20 confirms, that Jesus would not break a bruised or damaged reed or put out a smoldering flax.
Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 5 extol the peacemakers, the humble, and the meek.
If people were to walk in your footsteps, would they see Jesus’ humility and gentleness in your life?
I’m afraid that most of us would convince people that Jesus was mean, angry, and hostile instead of humble and gentle.
Sure, Jesus is no wimp.
We must not confuse humility and gentleness with weakness.
Instead, show people how gentle and humble He has been to you.
We are to walk in Patience.
Patience is a fruit of the Spirit because we do not do it well on our own.
Yet, to walk worthy of the calling we have received is to walk patiently.
We cannot hurry God, and we cannot hurry others.
But we live in a world that is harassed and harried, not patient.
A grocery store chain in Holland is trying something unique:[ii]
They have started “slow checkout lanes” where people who are not in a hurry and desire to socialize can choose to be instead of feeling like they are holding up the line.
This was originally designed for senior citizens, many whom profess to loneliness.
Whereas in America, we prize efficiency and many of us are happy to self-checkout to speed things up, parts of Europe are finding ways to slow down and accommodate people whose needs are better met when we slow down.
Jesus ministered at the speed of a walk.
2-4 miles per hour was how fast Jesus traveled.
At that speed:
Jesus could see people as he walked by.
People could catch Jesus as he walked by.
Jesus had time to notice a man in a tree.
Jesus had time to have a conversation with a woman at a well.
c. To be like Jesus is to walk patiently, making time for people to be seen, heard, and discipled.
We walk Lovingly Uplifting.
“Bearing with one another in love.”
I love this definition:

Bearing with one another in love allows one to negotiate the conflicts that inevitably emerge in relationships. It is enduring a behaviour and then working through it. Unity requires tolerance at a relational level without being indifferent to truth.^[3]

Another way to say this is we are to “suffer” with each other.
When multiple people work together, there will be times when our togetherness is more like suffering than fun.
But if we get mad and quit, or gossip, or slander each other, we are not “bearing with one another in love” we are instead being divisive.
Every one of us are in the middle of our sanctification.
Not one of us are perfect in every action or deed.
We all have difficulties in our lives, and sometimes we let them out in the safety of church community.
How can we expect Jesus to love us through our toughest moments and not extend that kind of love to others?
Walk Intent on Unity
Some people are divisive, no matter how you treat or love them.
Paul told the pastor Titus to have nothing to do with them.
Otherwise, we are to strive for unity.
The Trinity is perfectly unified, although also distinct.
What we are to strive for is a unity that reflects the nature of God.
You cannot walk worthy of your calling if you constantly look for opportunities to divide.

Close: How we walk and live matters.

The question today is: Are you walking worthy with Jesus?
Are you so focused on what you are doing for Jesus and not being with Jesus?
Are there elements in your walk that is putting you out of step with Him?
Are you not patient?
Are you not humble?
Are you not gentle?
Are you not loving?
Today, I call us all to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal how He wants us to walk and live.
To bring us back into balance and in step with Jesus.
May you walk worthy of the calling you have received.
May we learn to sit with Jesus before we walk with Jesus.

^[1] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

^[2] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

^[3] Bock, Darrell L. 2019. Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary. Edited by Eckhard J. Schnabel. Vol. 10. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. London: Inter-Varsity Press.

[i] The rest of the quote is:

The balancing scales, the axios, centers the Ephesian letter. Everything thing in Paul’s letter is designed to keep God’s calling (chapters 1-3) and our walking (chapters 4-6) in equilibrium. We cannot measure ourselves by examining ourselves in terms of ourselves, by evaluating ourselves against a non-relational abstraction such as “human potential.” Nor can we abstract God into an impersonal “truth” apart from our hearing and responding to the words he uses to call us into life, into holiness, into relationship. We can understand neither God nor ourselves in any living, adequate, and mature way that is an impersonal, non-relational way. When God’s calling and our walking fit, we are growing up in Christ. God calls; we walk.

Eugene H. Peterson. Practice Resurrection: A Conversation on Growing Up in Christ (Kindle Locations 381-393). Kindle Edition.

[ii] https://www.thedailymeal.com/1172603/some-european-supermarkets-have-slow-checkout-lanes-for-chatty-shoppers/

January 22, 2023 ADOPTED

Paul RichardsonJanuary 22, 2023

Click this link to open a PDF copy of Pastor Paul Richardson’s sermon notes or follow along below.

Adopted

1/22/23

Sermon leading back into Ephesians 4

Galatians 4:4–7 (CSB)

⁴When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. ⁶And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” ⁷So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then God has made you an heir.

Ephesians 1:3–6 (CSB)

³Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. ⁴For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.^, ⁵He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.

Introduction: “Do you understand that if the court approves this adoption, then it will be, for all legal purposes, as if you are the natural father…”

Some of my favorite moments of pastoring are attending adoption ceremonies.
Tuesday, I was honored to witness John Blaylock’s adoption of Kaitlyn’s daughter Kora.
I have permission to share this:
It amazed me that at 10 am on Tuesday morning, John was Kaitlyn’s husband but not the legal father of Kora.
By 10:15 am, John was Kaitlyn’s husband and Kora’s legal father.
With just a word, the judge changed more than a name.
Birth certificates, official documents, everything changes.
It was amazing to see what one declaration of a judge can do.
“Once the court completes the adoption, the spouse has all the same rights and responsibilities that the biological parent has towards the child.”
If a judge has this much power in an earthly court, how much more power does God have within Creation?
Today, I want to walk us through this concept of adoption.
Because I don’t believe most of us grasp what it means to be adopted and part of the family of Christ, I want to take this opportunity to discuss this concept.
Next week, we return to the Book of Ephesians.
But this idea of adoption is central to the message of Ephesians.
So what does Scripture say about this?

1. Scripture says we are adopted into Jesus’ family.

The apostle Paul loves this theme.
As he preached and ministered to non-Jewish people, he constantly reminded them of their relationship status.
Status matters:
In Paul’s world, there was a chasm between a citizen of Rome and a slave of Rome.
In Paul’s world, Jewish men had access that Jewish women didn’t.
And Jewish children had slightly more access than a slave or servants.
Say what you want, but status matters in America too.
There’s a significant difference in status between a homeowner and a homeless person.
The 1% live lives the rest of us have no concept of.
But the most important difference is the eternal difference between someone who has been saved and redeemed through the blood of Jesus and those who aren’t.
The Apostle Paul gets it.
He had it all:
He was perhaps one of the most educated people of his day.
He came from a middle-class family.
He was a Roman citizen and one of the elites in the Jewish realm.
Yet, God in his wonderful grace, sent Paul to those who were not originally part of the family of God.
A Gentile in Ephesus or Galatia had no claim to the promises of God.
What that person needed was for someone to adopt them into the family.
The concept of adoption was foreign to Judaism.
One of the most popular adoption stories in the Old Testament was of Pharaoh’s daughter adopted Moses.
But this was not a Jew adopting an outsider.
But an outsider adopting a Jew.
In Paul’s day, the people who practiced adoption the best were the Romans and Greeks.[1]
But nobody brings strangers into the family better than Jesus.

2. Characteristics of our adoption.

Galatians 4:4–7 (CSB)

First, our adoption was a deliberate action of God.
How many in this room have participated in adoption?
My sister and brother-in-law have adopted two girls.
I can assure you that there was nothing accidental in their adoption.
To adopt involves petitions, courts, lawyers, home studies, frustrations, tears, and so much more.
Most adoptions are preceded by tragedy.
Death in families.
Unsafe situations.
There was nothing accidental about God sending His son to this world.
The Father knew our condition and our sin.
Thus, The Father did not spare His Son from what we would have avoided.
Second, our adoption had a price.
Paul said that Jesus came to redeem those under the law.
This does not refer only to Jews, although that applies.
We were under the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:2 (CSB)

²because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.

The price of our adoption was nothing less than the life of Jesus.
Next week’s verse in Ephesians 4 will tell us to “walk in a worthy manner” because of God’s calling.
Why?
Because our adoption and redemption had a high price.
And Because Jesus has a great name.
How we live matters because our adoption was costly and Jesus has a great name.
Third, the Spirit confirms our adoption.
It’s one thing to say you are adopted.
But legal adoptions require proof.
For us, our proof is in the presence of the Holy Spirit.
How do I know God loves me?
It’s in the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Just because you don’t feel loved, that does not mean you are not loved.
The presence of the Holy Spirit is more than an emotional response.
An adopted child can go to the birth certificate, and it will reflect the NEW relationship.
We, too, have proof that God, the Father, is indeed our father.
So when you feel unloved and broken, when you feel like you are abandoned and forsaken, take more than a moment and call upon Jesus.
Why is it that we spend hours and nights and years dwelling on how abandoned or unloved we feel, but will not stop, stare, and soak in this new reality:
I am saved, I am redeemed, I am loved, I am adopted.
Although I remember my old life, I choose to spend more time staring at my new birth certificate instead of my old one.
D. Fourth, we are given new access.
When you and I are introduced to people, it is proper to start with the formal before we move to the familiar.
For example: When I meet a new pastor, I call them Pastor or Brother or an appropriate address first.
Sometimes people will say, “please call me…” then, with that permission, I become informal.
I can assure you that when we were in Judge Gaston’s courtroom this week, every adult in the room respected him.
The only person who did not say “yes sir” or “your honor” was the 4-year-old.
And with the judge, the kid had permissions that the adults did not.
When the Spirit comes into our life, we are granted an intimacy that we do not have otherwise.
Most scholars do not translate the word “abba” as daddy.
That is too trivializing for that day and time.
But Abba is an expression of intimacy and how Jesus talked to the “Father.”
Someday, every person will bow their knee and confess Jesus is Lord.
But we get the opportunity to call Him our Heavenly Father, our Abba.
We have the opportunity for intimacy.
Lastly, we are given new status.
This is the kind of status that matters.
Paul said that, since we are adopted, we are full-grown sons.
And as full-grown sons, we have full rights.
And thus, we are co-heirs with Christ.
Co-heirs with Jesus: If ANYONE else had written this, I would call it heresy.
Sons and daughters of the Father, and co-heirs with Christ Jesus.
But here it is and it’s true.
That’s the power of God’s declaration of adoption over us.
With just a Word, we have been adopted into the Kingdom.
With just a Word, our past is changed.
Scripture says we used to be sons of the evil one (Matt 13:38)
Scriptures says we used to be Sons of this world. (Luke 16:8)
Ephesians 2:2 and 5:6 say we used to be sons of disobedience and rebellion.
But through Jesus, we are sons of God!
Romans 8:14 (CSB) ¹⁴For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons.
Of all the verses we memorize, the verses on adoption may be the most important.

3. What do I do with this new reality?

You can embrace this truth or reject it.
You have the choice.
The call to follow Jesus is a choice.
But what happens if you reject this?
What happens if you choose to live as if you still belong to Satan and this world instead of Jesus?
What happens if you choose to not walk worthy of this calling?
What does it mean to reject this truth?
You live like nothing is different.
You go about your days, never gazing into the most beautiful opportunity ever presented.
So instead of your theme song sounding like this old hymn that says, “Redeemed how I love to proclaim it, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb! Redeemed by His infinite mercy a child and forever I am…”
Your theme song sounds more like:

So no one told you life was going to be this way.
Your job’s a joke, you’re broke, you’re love life’s DOA.
It’s like you’re always stuck in second gear,
When it hasn’t been your day, your week, your month, or even your year

If your life with “Jesus” looks the same as it did before “Jesus,” then what you found was not Jesus; it was religion.
To reject adoption is to walk outside the family of God.
To be part of the family of God will change you.
What happens if we embrace the new reality?
Because we are sons and daughters of the Father, I will walk worthy of my new calling and life.
Actions that were appropriate before I met Jesus are not appropriate now.
The biblical term for this is sanctification.
It seems like the Holy Spirit regularly asks me to reprioritize and crucify my desires.
What was permissible in the early stages of my walk with Jesus may become hindrances in later stages.
Because we are sons and daughters of the Father, I will put away all of those characteristics that defined my old life.
What is permissible in some families is punishable in others.
What was permissible when your father was the Devil is NOT permissible when your Father is the Heavenly Father.
Because we are sons and daughters of the Father, I will not dwell on what used to be but give thanks for what is.
Funny: I still remember many of the strikeouts and fielding errors I made in high school baseball.
As a pastor, I have to write down most of the victorious because those I will forget: But I don’t write down the painful moments or my failures because they are etched into my heart.
For most of us here, we need not dwell on our past sins because God isn’t.
What we need to dwell on is not the old certificate that tells of our brokenness and sin but the new certificate that tells of our new family, our new beginning, and God’s grace.
Philippians 4:8 (CSB)

⁸Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things.

Thus sayeth the Lord.

Prayer!

[1] Since the institution of adoption was not Jewish but was widely known in Greek and especially Roman law, Paul most likely drew the term from the Hellenistic world; at the same time, “we should allow for the probability that in his mind it also had other associations”⁷⁶—not least the Old Testament (cf., e.g., Ex. 4:22f.; Hos. 11:1) as its theological background. Fung, Ronald Y. K. 1988. The Epistle to the Galatians. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Notes for Licensed Minister Credentialing Lecture

Paul RichardsonJanuary 20, 2023

Hey! If you were with Pastor Richardson this past week and wanted a copy of his notes for the Southern Missouri Ministry Network minister orientation, then click below for a full PDF copy.

Licensed Credential Orientation UPDATED 2023

January 1, 2023

Paul RichardsonJanuary 1, 2023

Celebration

1/1/2023

Mortgage Burning Service

Ezra 6:13–18 (ESV)

The Temple Finished and Dedicated

¹³Then, according to the word sent by Darius the king, Tattenai, the governor of the province Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates did with all diligence what Darius the king had ordered. ¹⁴And the elders of the Jews built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They finished their building by decree of the God of Israel and by decree of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia; ¹⁵and this house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

¹⁶And the people of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the returned exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. ¹⁷They offered at the dedication of this house of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel 12 male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. ¹⁸And they set the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their divisions, for the service of God at Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses.

Introduction. Overcoming The ravages of exile.

The Book of Ezra tells of God’s restoration.
For 70 years, God had judged Israel for her sin.
That judgment involved the destruction of Jerusalem, the Temple, and their banishment.
Now, several generations later, the once grand Temple has been rebuilt.
Today, I briefly share from this passage for the purpose of helping is look backward and forward.
We look backward as we celebrate where God has brought us.
From a church that had the chance of being closed to a church of over 200.
We reflect upon where God has brought this body.
We also look forward to where God is taking us.
As we anticipate the days ahead, we must keep a few things in mind:
First, we must expect opposition.
Two, we need the ministry of truth-tellers.
Three, we need favor with both God and men.

1. The enemy attacks what is built for God.

The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah both detail men of God leading God-ordained building projects.
The Book of Ezra is concerned with the rebuilding of the Temple.
Nehemiah is concerned with the building of the Wall of Jerusalem.
Both projects faced intense warfare and opposition.
Nothing is built for God that the enemy does not oppose.
Today, we celebrate the burning of our church mortgage.
But if you missed those early days, then you missed some of the opposition, the struggles, and the frustrations.
In the coming weeks, we start renovating and expanding the sanctuary to create more room for people.
I can assure you there has been spiritual opposition to this move.
What excites me most about 2023 is not moving this wall.
What excites me is the increased focus on the family for 2023.
What excites me is the people choosing to seek more of God’s presence for 2023.
And I can assure you that this will not be easy.
There is great opposition when we start redeeming what we have given away and exercising spiritual authority in areas we have abdicated.
Once you lose control of something, it’s hard to reign it back in.
When we start ‘going to the enemy’s camp and taking back what he has stole from us”, I can assure you there is opposition.
When you start telling your body you will NOT smoke that, or drink that, or watch that, there will be rebellion.
When you look your kid, young or grown, in the eye and say “No,” there will be opposition.
So expect a struggle, and you won’t be surprised.

2. Built and prospered…

¹⁴And the elders of the Jews built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo.

The ESV captures this beautifully:
They built and prospered “through the prophesying” of these two prophets.
Coming up in our Ephesians series, we will briefly discuss what New Testament prophets do.
But what was happening here, and why do we care?
#1 Haggai and Zechariah kept them focused on God.
The role of the prophet is to ensure that God’s people are looking Godward.
When we take our focus off of God, we are prone to wander.
And wandering people get lost.
Thankfully, amid the opposition and the struggle, God had placed men who knew how to keep the people focused where it mattered.
#2. Haggai and Zechariah spoke truth.
There were lots of lies and rumors going around.
It was hard for the people to know what to believe.
Haggai and Zechariah were clear voices of truth in the midst of trouble.
Even today, we need God-ordained men and women who declare truth and keep us focused on God.
Only some people who claim to be prophets are true prophets.
This was true in biblical days, and it is true today.
Not everything declared “in the name of the Lord” is true.
But just because there are false prophets, that does not mean we do not need the genuine.
The enemy only counterfeits what has value.
Prophets are still for today.
As we press on into this new year, I declare that we need all of the Spiritual Gifts in order for us to build and prosper.
Spiritual gifts are not limited to preaching, teaching, or prophesying
They also include administration, serving, and even building.
It is my genuine prayer that what we are building and dedicating to the Lord will prosper.

3. The decree of God and other kings.

They finished their building by decree of the God of Israel and by decree of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia;

We understand that for anything to be blessed, it must be decreed by God.
It makes sense for most of us that we want God to bless what we are doing.
We want God to bless our:
Families.
Jobs.
Church.
Nation.
Communities.
We struggle to obtain that blessing.
In other words, we want God’s blessing, but we don’t actually know how any of that works.
So, too often, we muddle through, hoping God blesses our efforts.
But notice that the Temple was built with the “decree” or the blessing of God and the ruler of the day!
Could it be that God wants to do things in you, through you, and around you, but He is waiting for you to be on the same page?
Jesus taught us to pray, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven…”
Jesus taught us to align our will, plans, and purposes with God’s.
Perhaps, some of us are sabotaging what God wants to do in our life because we and God are not on the same page!
The good news is that we can start praying, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done.”
January 1^st is the BEST day to start living, building, and loving like Jesus.

4. Celebrate the dedication of the house of God with joy!

When it was time, they celebrated with joy!
Their celebration involved every part of their being:
They worshipped.
They sacrificed from their possessions.
They cried and cheered, and they thanked God for what He had done.
It is exceedingly good for us to pause and thank God.
Today, we have heard of God’s grace and power in the lives of Barbara and Dollie.
These are merely a few of the testimonies of what God has done.
In just a moment, we will celebrate the fulfillment of our mortgage.
Last year, $149,627 was paid!
The majority of that came through your tithes and offerings.
That’s why, when you came in this morning, each one of us received a piece of paper.
While I’m going to have the deacons join me in a few moments to ceremoniously burn our note, each one of you gets to be part.
Please, do not light yours on fire.
But in just a moment, I want to invite you to tear that apart and throw it up in the air like confetti.
Why? Because we all had a part to play in making this possible.

Prayer of Dedication for 2023!

Mortgage Burn:

Deacons,
Bill and Brenda Link and Don Lotz
Give every person a paper to shred and tear!

People Like Us: Ruth

Paul RichardsonDecember 18, 2022

People Like Us RUTH

PEOPLE LIKE US: Ruth

12/18/22

Ruth 1:1–22 (CSB)

NAOMI’S FAMILY IN MOAB

1 During the time of the judges, there was a famine in the land. A man left Bethlehem in Judah with his wife and two sons to stay in the territory of Moab for a while. ²The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife’s name was Naomi. The names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They entered the fields of Moab and settled there. ³Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, died, and she was left with her two sons. ⁴Her sons took Moabite women as their wives: one was named Orpah and the second was named Ruth. After they lived in Moab about ten years, ⁵both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was left without her two children and without her husband.

RUTH’S LOYALTY TO NAOMI

⁶She and her daughters-in-law set out to return from the territory of Moab, because she had heard in Moab that the Lord had paid attention to his people’s need by providing them food. ⁷She left the place where she had been living, accompanied by her two daughters-in-law, and traveled along the road leading back to the land of Judah.

⁸Naomi said to them, “Each of you go back to your mother’s home. May the Lord show kindness to you as you have shown to the dead and to me. ⁹May the Lord grant each of you rest in the house of a new husband.” She kissed them, and they wept loudly.

¹⁰They said to her, “We insist on returning with you to your people.”

¹¹But Naomi replied, “Return home, my daughters. Why do you want to go with me? Am I able to have any more sons who could become your husbands? ¹²Return home, my daughters. Go on, for I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me to have a husband tonight and to bear sons, ¹³would you be willing to wait for them to grow up? Would you restrain yourselves from remarrying? No, my daughters, my life is much too bitter for you to share, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me.” ¹⁴Again they wept loudly, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. ¹⁵Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. Follow your sister-in-law.”

¹⁶But Ruth replied:

Don’t plead with me to abandon you

or to return and not follow you.

For wherever you go, I will go,

and wherever you live, I will live;

your people will be my people,

and your God will be my God.

¹⁷Where you die, I will die,

and there I will be buried.

May the Lord punish me,

and do so severely,

if anything but death separates you and me.

¹⁸When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped talking to her.

¹⁹The two of them traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole town was excited about their arrival^, and the local women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”

²⁰“Don’t call me Naomi. Call me Mara,” she answered, “for the Almighty has made me very bitter. ²¹I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has opposed me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”

²²So Naomi came back from the territory of Moab with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabitess. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

Introduction: Does your faithfulness matter?

Do you ever feel as if what you do doesn’t really matter?
Does it really matter what you do every day?
Will anyone care if you live for Jesus or don’t?
Perhaps you feel invisible or disposable.
Ruth was a great candidate to be someone forgotten in history.
She was a foreigner.
She was a widow.
She had no children and no amazing skills.
Even her story isn’t terribly impressive or tragic.
Yet, God preserved Ruth’s story as a testament to what God can do through ordinary people like us.
Ruth may not be the most familiar story.
Even though it is only 4 chapters long, I hope to summarize instead of reading the whole book.
The significance of Ruth’s story is that she becomes one of the women mentioned in Jesus’ genealogy.
The faithfulness of Ruth shows us what God can do in people who are willing to be faithful.
The One thing I hope you walk away with today is a firm commitment to be faithful where God has placed you and with the people God has placed you with.

1. Naomi and her husband left in a time of famine.

This is an interesting context:
Remember, this is the same promised land that God had given to Israel, and that was possessed in the book of Joshua just a few decades earlier.
The presence of famine in this context, along with timing during the days of the Judges, tells us that this was during a sinful period of Israel’s history.
God promised Israel blessing if they obeyed.
But sin and disobedience would lead to seasons of famine.
Naomi’s family is willing to leave their inheritance to escape the dual hardships of starvation and moral compromise.
While in the neighboring lands of Moab, the father dies, and the sons marry local women.
This wasn’t ideal, as Jewish people were supposed to marry other Jews.
But the family seemed desperate to put down roots.
But before Orpah and Ruth could conceive children, their husbands die, leaving Naomi and her two daughters-in-law.
Naomi starts heading home, and Ruth stays by her side.
When you don’t know where to turn, go to the place where God planted you.
Naomi knew she couldn’t survive where she was, so she turned towards home.

3.They walk back to Naomi’s family: in Bethlehem.

Bethlehem means “house of bread”.
This is the same Bethlehem that would welcome Jesus into the world.
The “house of bread” would be the birth place of the Bread of Life.
The small community that fed thousands would be the landing place for the One who would feed the multitudes.
On the way to Bethlehem, we begin to see the character of Ruth.
Ruth could have stayed with her people, in her home town.
But she had married into this family, and this was the family she would journey with.
We don’t know if Ruth was pretty, smart, or talented.
But we know she was faithful.
And “faithful” is what God is looking for.

2. The Book of Ruth is only 4 chapters long.

A summary of what happens next is like this:
Naomi is too old to remarry and have children to continue the family name.
Ruth younger and had every right to remarry whoever she wanted.
She was only family by marriage.
Yet, she seems to truly love Naomi.
For these women to survive, two things needed to happen:
They needed food.
Ruth needed a husband.
Ruth takes advantage of a Jewish law that allowed widows and the poor to harvest after the harvesters have gone through.
Because harvesters gleaned by hand, they would inevitably drop or leave some of the harvest.
They weren’t allowed to go back and reharvest, because what was left was for the care of the poor.
Ruth wants to ensure that she and Naomi had something to eat, so she went to work.
Sometimes, God’s provision comes through sweat and hard work.
God provided for Ruth’s and Naomi’s needs, but Ruth had to engage the process to receive the provision.

3. Chapter 2 introduces a family relative named Boaz:

Boaz is presented as both wealthy and righteous.
Boaz is not like Judah was.
Judah took advantage of Tamar, a woman in distress.
Boaz assists Ruth with protection from predatory people and plenty of opportunities to harvest the food she needs.
Boaz, although not perfect, is a much better example of biblical manhood than Judah.
Biblical leaders:
Protect those around them.
Provide opportunities for growth.
Do not take advantage of people in desperate situations.
Boaz, without any motive, acted in such an honorable manner that Ruth wanted to be with him.
Are you living your life in a way that people want to be around you?
Do people leave your presence feeling encouraged, nurtured, protected, and wanted, or do you leave behind you people more broken and hurt than before?
At this point, Naomi introduces more information that changes the story.
Boaz is family, and one of the few in a position to serve as the Kinsman Redeemer.
Definition: Kinsman Redeemer: a man sharing the same racial, cultural, or national background as another. In the Old Testament the word “kinsman” is often used as a translation of a Hebrew word that means, “one who has the right to redeem.” Since an Israelite could sell himself, his family, or his land (Lev. 25:39–43) in cases of poverty, the kinsman-redeemer (Lev. 25:25) was provided to protect the clan. This person, a near relative, had the first option by law to buy any land being sold, thus allowing it to be kept within the clan (Lev. 25:23–28; Jer. 32:6–10).^[1]
God instituted kinsman redeemers because He knew that there would be seasons and situations when we wouldn’t be able to save ourselves.

4. How to “catch” a husband.

Ruth 3:1–9 (CSB)

3 Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, shouldn’t I find rest for you, so that you will be taken care of? ²Now isn’t Boaz our relative? Haven’t you been working with his female servants? This evening he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. ³Wash, put on perfumed oil, and wear your best clothes. Go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. ⁴When he lies down, notice the place where he’s lying, go in and uncover his feet, and lie down. Then he will explain to you what you should do.”

⁵So Ruth said to her, “I will do everything you say.” ⁶She went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had charged her to do. ⁷After Boaz ate, drank, and was in good spirits, he went to lie down at the end of the pile of barley, and she came secretly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.

⁸At midnight, Boaz was startled, turned over, and there lying at his feet was a woman! ⁹So he asked, “Who are you?”

“I am Ruth, your servant,” she replied. “Take me under your wing,^, for you are a family redeemer.”

What’s happening here?
At the very least, Ruth signaled her desire for marriage.
She doesn’t choose a young man, but the man uniquely positioned to bless Naomi and her former husband’s family.
In a male-dominated culture, Naomi knew Ruth would have to be sly about it.
Ruth couldn’t propose to him.
Naomi guided Ruth in the cultural way to signal the desire for marriage.
But what about “feet”?
Scripture mentions several times that Ruth uncovered Boaz’s feet.
Two ways to try to understand this:
She literally snuck up and uncovered his feet.
This is a BIG deal in a culture where men and women were clothed head to toe.
Or, feet serves as an euphemism for Boaz’s male parts.
Some scholars think Ruth uncovered Boaz enough to ensure that Boaz didn’t miss the hint.
Considering most men don’t take hints well, it kind of makes sense.
This seems especially likely considering Naomi told Ruth to wait until he had drunk enough wine to feel good.
It is possible, but not certain, that Ruth signaled her desire for Boaz very sexually.
This would make sense considering, in Jesus’ genealogy, the other women were all surrounded by sexual scandal.
Tamar, Rahab, Bathsheba, and Mary were all surrounded by scandal.
Just because there is a scandal, that does not mean it was true.
Regardless of what happened that night, Boaz knew that Ruth wanted to marry him so that he would redeem her family.
Ruth requests in Verse 9, “Spread your garment over me…”Vs. 9.
In that culture, spreading your garment over someone is a sign of marriage and covenant.
The first time this happened was back in Genesis 3, when God “covers” the sins of Adam and Eve with clothes made from skins.
Ezekiel 16:8 tells of God’s Covenant with Israel, and God is said to have “spread the corner of his garment and covered Israel’s nakedness.
Perhaps it is no accident that the New Testament speaks of righteousness as a covering in Romans 4:5-7.
Redemption, forgiveness, and covenant always have a price.

5. There is a process for redemption.

Boaz knows there is one family member closer that has the first right to redeem.
Chapter 4 tells this story.
The person who should have redeemed the family is notified.
Boaz tells him that Naomi has to sell the family land.
The redeemer likes this, because he could always use more land.
But the bombshell is:

Ruth 4:5–6 (CSB)

⁵Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from Naomi, you will acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the deceased man, to perpetuate the man’s name on his property.”^,

⁶The redeemer replied, “I can’t redeem it myself, or I will ruin my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption, because I can’t redeem it.”

This man wanted the land, but did not want the responsibility of fulfilling the levirate marriage.
He’s kind of like Onan from the Tamar story:
He wants the fun but not the responsibility.
But thankfully, Boaz is willing to redeem the family.
We read what happens next:
Ruth 4:13–22 (CSB)

¹³Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. He slept with her, and the Lord granted conception to her, and she gave birth to a son. ¹⁴The women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you without a family redeemer today. May his name become well known in Israel. ¹⁵He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. Indeed, your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” ¹⁶Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap, and became a mother to him. ¹⁷The neighbor women said, “A son has been born to Naomi,” and they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

DAVID’S GENEALOGY FROM JUDAH’S SON

¹⁸Now these are the family records of Perez:

Perez fathered Hezron,

¹⁹Hezron fathered Ram,

Ram fathered Amminadab,

²⁰Amminadab fathered Nahshon,

Nahshon fathered Salmon,

²¹Salmon fathered Boaz,

Boaz fathered Obed,

²²Obed fathered Jesse,

and Jesse fathered David.

6. Boaz and Ruth’s faithfulness blessed many.

The old Naomi held in her hands the promised grandchild that would perpetuate the family line.
Ruth raised the baby she had been denied to this point.
And Boaz became the Great, Great Grandfather of a King.
We must never forget that the Gospel is for people like us.
Week after week, I hope you realize that YOU are part of God’s plans.
God’s plan involves people just like you and me.
And we never know what part of the story God will ask us to play.
Do not underestimate the significance of your faithfulness.
Every woman in Jesus’ genealogy was faithful.
They believed when others did not.
They stayed when others would have left.
They fought when others quit.
Today, the voice of the Holy Spirit is reminding you to be faithful.
Be faithful to your God.
Be faithful to your spouse.
Be faithful to your kids.
Be faithful to your church and country.
Do not quit, but be faithful.
Believe when others doubt.
Pray when others grumble and complain.
Love when it’s easier to hate.
Bless when everyone else seems to curse.
Be faithful!

Prayer.

^[1] Youngblood, Ronald F., F. F. Bruce, and R. K. Harrison, Thomas Nelson Publishers, eds. 1995. In Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc.

People Like Us: Story of Rahab

Paul RichardsonDecember 11, 2022

People Like Us RAHAB

People Like Us: Rahab

12.11.22

Matthew 1:2–6 (CSB)

FROM ABRAHAM TO DAVID

²Abraham fathered Isaac,

Isaac fathered Jacob,

Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers,

³Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar,

Perez fathered Hezron,

Hezron fathered Aram,

⁴Aram fathered Amminadab,

Amminadab fathered Nahshon,

Nahshon fathered Salmon,

⁵Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab,

Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth,

Obed fathered Jesse,

⁶and Jesse fathered King David.

FROM DAVID TO THE BABYLONIAN EXILE

David fathered Solomon by Uriah’s wife,

Joshua 2:1–24 (CSB)

SPIES SENT TO JERICHO

2 Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two men as spies from the Acacia Grove, saying, “Go and scout the land, especially Jericho.” So they left, and they came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab, and stayed there.

²The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelite men have come here tonight to investigate the land.” ³Then the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they came to investigate the entire land.”

⁴But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I didn’t know where they were from. ⁵At nightfall, when the city gate was about to close, the men went out, and I don’t know where they were going. Chase after them quickly, and you can catch up with them!” ⁶But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among the stalks of flax that she had arranged on the roof. ⁷The men pursued them along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as they left to pursue them, the city gate was shut.

THE PROMISE TO RAHAB

⁸Before the men fell asleep, she went up on the roof ⁹and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and everyone who lives in the land is panicking because of you.^, ¹⁰For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings you completely destroyed across the Jordan. ¹¹When we heard this, we lost heart, and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below. ¹²Now please swear to me by the Lord that you will also show kindness to my father’s family, because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign ¹³that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and save us from death.”

¹⁴The men answered her, “We will give our lives for yours. If you don’t report our mission, we will show kindness and faithfulness to you when the Lord gives us the land.”

¹⁵Then she let them down by a rope through the window, since she lived in a house that was built into the wall of the city. ¹⁶“Go to the hill country so that the men pursuing you won’t find you,” she said to them. “Hide there for three days until they return; afterward, go on your way.”

¹⁷The men said to her, “We will be free from this oath you made us swear, ¹⁸unless, when we enter the land, you tie this scarlet cord to the window through which you let us down. Bring your father, mother, brothers, and all your father’s family into your house. ¹⁹If anyone goes out the doors of your house, his death will be his own fault, and we will be innocent. But if anyone with you in the house should be harmed, his death will be our fault. ²⁰And if you report our mission, we are free from the oath you made us swear.”

²¹“Let it be as you say,” she replied, and she sent them away. After they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord to the window.

²²So the two men went into the hill country and stayed there three days until the pursuers had returned. They searched all along the way, but did not find them. ²³Then the men returned, came down from the hill country, and crossed the Jordan. They went to Joshua son of Nun and reported everything that had happened to them. ²⁴They told Joshua, “The Lord has handed over the entire land to us. Everyone who lives in the land is also panicking because of us.”

Joshua 6:22–25 (CSB)

RAHAB AND HER FAMILY SPARED

²²Joshua said to the two men who had scouted the land, “Go to the prostitute’s house and bring the woman out of there, and all who are with her, just as you swore to her.” ²³So the young men who had scouted went in and brought out Rahab and her father, mother, brothers, and all who belonged to her. They brought out her whole family and settled them outside the camp of Israel.

²⁴They burned the city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the Lord’s house. ²⁵However, Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, her father’s family, and all who belonged to her, because she hid the messengers Joshua had sent to spy on Jericho, and she still lives in Israel today.

Introduction: God tells stories differently than we do.

We read Jesus’ genealogy, and there are people that do not belong.
Tamar and Judah would not be who we would choose to be in Jesus’ story.
Rahab is even more unlikely.
Rahab is remembered in the Old Testament for two reasons:
First, before she was a follower of Israel’s God, she recognized God’s power and placed her hope and trust in Him.
This faith was evidenced in her hiding two unqualified spies.
Second, she is remembered because she married an Israelite and gave birth to Boaz.
Through this, she was part of not only Jesus’ genealogy but also part of the story of faith.
Today, we read another story of how God works amongst people.
God uses the most unlikely of people and situations to bring Him glory and to advance His purposes.
Furthermore, we see more proof that God can redeem our genealogy.

1. Due diligence in a Promised Land.

At this moment, Israel has just crossed the Jordan river.
No longer are they in the Wilderness; now they are in the Promised Land.
This is the Land that God had promised to give them.
Even though it was their promise, there were still enemies in possession of the land.
Israel had the task of dispossessing the possessors.
Joshua, the leader of Israel, doesn’t know the details yet.
And the first obstacle after crossing the Jordan River was the walled fortress of Jericho.
Most of us know that the walls of Jericho fall miraculously.
Joshua knows he will be victorious, but he is expecting a typical kind of battle: with a siege or an assault.
So Joshua does his due diligence.
It was not a sin to go and recon the city.
Joshua chooses two men to go spy on the city.
Joshua, 40 years before, had performed a similar mission in the same land.
It’s even possible that Joshua, 40 years before, had even seen the city of Jericho.
Now it’s time for Jericho to fall, and Joshua wants some intel.

2. The spies are really bad at their job.

The walls of Jericho were massive.
History tells us that the walls were large enough to perform chariot races across the top.
This was a fortified city that served as a major obstacle for the armies of Israel moving into the land.
It takes no time for the whole city to know they were there.
They go to what seems to be a tavern since taverns and prostitution were linked at that time.
They thought they could be sly by visiting a common traveler’s spot, hoping no one would spot them and they could listen to what the inhabitants had to say.
But very quickly, everyone knows they are there including the king of the city.
We don’t know if the spies intended to “take advantage” of being with a prostitute.
It doesn’t seem likely that they did, especially considering that they would have been circumcised and no other males would have been.
Regardless of what happened, they are quickly discovered and need help to save their mission.
But that help comes from the most unlikely of sources: a prostitute.

3. Rahab knows the plan of God.

I am struck by what happens next.
Rahab has hidden the spies overnight.
Then she gives them this insight:
“I know the Lord has given you this land…” Vs. 9.
All the land knew of the wonderful works God had done.
What the Israelites did not yet understand is that the Fear of the Lord had gone before them.
The enemy was defeated long before Israel had ever arrived.
I am learning this lesson:
The weapons of my warfare are not carnal.
God can do more in a moment than I could ever do on my own.
Some of us in this room are dealing with stuff right now.
If so, I point you to Jesus!
For if He is for us, then who could stand against us? Romans 8:31.

4. “Give me a sign”. Verse 12.

Rahab knew that Jericho was going to fall.
She does not know that the walls are going to collapse.
But she knows two things:
The Lord has already decreed the defeat of the city.
Walled cities and fortresses that resisted, were usually utterly destroyed by the attacking army.
Here, Rahab a prostitute, asks for a sign.
She’s asking for a promise.
Because of her kindness, because she risked her life to protect the spies, she asks to be remembered when destruction comes.
By asking for this promise, she is putting her life in the hands of Israel and Israel’s God.

Joshua 2:17–21 (CSB)

²¹“Let it be as you say,” she replied, and she sent them away. After they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord to the window.

The promise had conditions:
Do not leave the house, which are the bounds of safety.
Do not betray the mission.
Hang the scarlet cord on the window.
These conditions sound similar to the day of Passover in Exodus.
As God promised to bring destruction upon Egypt and the Firstborns, He gave these conditions.
Stay in your house.
Be ready for the journey.
And place the crimson/scarlet blood of a lamb over the doorposts.
Those who obeyed would live, regardless of if they were Jewish or not.
Faith and obedience have always been more important to God than where you came from.
Even today, the Promises of God require us to stay within the bounds of relationship and faith.
You cannot call upon the promises if you are outside of a relationship with Jesus.
2 Corinthians 1:20 (CSB)

²⁰For every one of God’s promises is “Yes” in him. Therefore, through him we also say “Amen” to the glory of God.

The symbol of the promise was a scarlet cord.

5. A Scarlet Cord and a Crimson stain.

The Hebrew word for scarlet and crimson are the same.
These colors are made by taking a specific louse from a unique oak tree. The female louse is collected and sprayed with an acid solution and then dried.
Then they are dissolved in water to produce the red/crimson/scarlet die. It required 70,000 insects needed to produce 1lb of dye.[i]
There are associations with these colors.
Scarlet is the color of sin, especially sexual sin.

Isaiah 1:18 (CSB)

¹⁸“Come, let’s settle this,”

says the Lord.

“Though your sins are scarlet,

they will be as white as snow;

though they are crimson red,

they will be like wool.

There is a classic book called “The Scarlet Letter”, with the main character is labeled with the letter “A”, being scarlet in color symbolizing sin.
Scarlet and Crimson stand out, especially in a culture or environment like Jericho.
These colors represent both sin and blood.
Furthermore, they also represent the costly nature of dying cloth.
It was very expensive to dye cloth crimson.
The only color more expensive to dye in those days was “purple”, which was reserved for royalty.
Certainly, Rahab was not royalty.
But she had made enough money through prostitution to own cords or fabric that had been dyed scarlet.
This scarlet strand would be the marker upon her household that there resided a woman not of prostitution but a woman of faith.
Fast word 30 plus generations, some 1200 years, and we see that Jesus, of the earthly genealogy of Rahab, gave his life to grant us eternal life.
Unlike Rahab, we are not saved by a scarlet thread hung from a window.
But instead, we are saved through the crimson blood of Jesus.
I am thankful for a scarlet thread that led to a crimson stain!
Jesus, while being mocked and crucified, was dressed in a scarlet robe.

Matthew 27:28 (CSB)

²⁸They stripped him (Jesus) and dressed him in a scarlet robe.

The Roman soldiers were mocking Jesus:
They mocked his royalty.
What they did not understand or realize is that the blood from this Man that stained the ground around them, that bled into the fabrics of that robe, that would soon pour upon the wooden beams and the spear, would be the blood that paid for their salvation.
It was THAT blood that forgives sins.
It was THAT blood that would bring healing.
It was THAT blood that would be offered in Heaven’s Temple as a perfect, sinless sacrifice.
How amazing that this act of faith by Rahab, in the city of Jericho would result in her being part of the genealogy of Jesus.
Rahab and her family join the Israelites in their journey.
She marries an Israelite named Salmon and has a son.
That son was named Boaz, who married Ruth.

6. From Prostitute to Person of Faith.

The New Testament writer of Hebrews lists all of the wonderful people of faith in the Old Testament.
He talks about Abraham, Isaac, David, and all the usual greats.
In Hebrews 11:31, he mentions Rahab!
Hebrews 11:31 (CSB) ³¹By faith Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed.
The same hope that Rahab had amid her crisis is the same hope we have today.
Although she did not fully understand the plan of God, or fully know the God she was trusting in, she believed and was saved.
We have an advantage over Rahab.
Our advantage is that we can read about, know, and experience Jesus for ourselves.
As you face your own obstacles, know that faith in Jesus is the key.

Close: For those in the midst of a trial, let me encourage you to go to Jesus.

Take your problem to Jesus.
Make your petition and prayers known.
Hang on to the Promises that Jesus has given.
DO not waver and do not quit.

[i] Boyd, Mary Petrina. 2000. “Scarlet, Crimson.” In Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible, edited by David Noel Freedman, Allen C. Myers, and Astrid B. Beck. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.

People Like Us: Tamar and Judah

Paul RichardsonDecember 4, 2022

People Like Us TAMAR

People Like Us: Tamar

Week 1

12.4.2022

Introduction:

Have you ever read a story and not connect with the characters?
I think so often we read about Joseph and Mary but we don’t really connect with them.
We don’t sympathize with the virgin Mary.
Maybe we don’t relate to the righteous Joseph.
The Magi and shepherds are colorful people in a world we don’t understand.
This is where genealogy comes in.
Matthew and Luke are the only two Gospel writers to give Jesus’ lineage.
Both genealogies actually vary, showing some differences in how the writers traced the story of Jesus’ earthly family.
Question: Does anyone here have a messed-up family? Photos
Some of our families look like the family from Full-House: well-intentioned adults but the kids run the show.
Or maybe you have an uncle kind of like Tony Soprano: you want to ask him about the family business and what used to happen, but you don’t want to “swim with the fishes” whatever that means.
And we all have a Cousin Eddie, who is crazy, obnoxious and a bad example for the kids.
But, what if I told you that Jesus’ family and lineage was more messed up than yours?
Here’s the good news we get from Jesus’ genealogy:
God used ordinary, flawed, and messed-up people leading up to Jesus’ miraculous birth.
And that means that God can and will use people like us to spread the Gospel to the Nations.

Matthew 1:1–6 (CSB)

THE GENEALOGY OF JESUS CHRIST

1 An account of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:

FROM ABRAHAM TO DAVID

²Abraham fathered Isaac,

Isaac fathered Jacob,

Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers,

³Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar,

Perez fathered Hezron,

Hezron fathered Aram,

⁴Aram fathered Amminadab,

Amminadab fathered Nahshon,

Nahshon fathered Salmon,

⁵Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab,

Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth,

Obed fathered Jesse,

⁶and Jesse fathered King David.

FROM DAVID TO THE BABYLONIAN EXILE

David fathered Solomon by Uriah’s wife,

Genesis 38:1–30 (CSB)

JUDAH AND TAMAR

38 At that time Judah left his brothers and settled near an Adullamite named Hirah. ²There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite named Shua; he took her as a wife and slept with her. ³She conceived and gave birth to a son, and he named him Er. ⁴She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and named him Onan. ⁵She gave birth to another son and named him Shelah. It was at Chezib that^, she gave birth to him.

⁶Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. ⁷Now Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the Lord’s sight, and the Lord put him to death. ⁸Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife. Perform your duty as her brother-in-law and produce offspring for your brother.” ⁹But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he released his semen on the ground so that he would not produce offspring for his brother. ¹⁰What he did was evil in the Lord’s sight, so he put him to death also.

¹¹Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Remain a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up.” For he thought, “He might die too, like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s house.

¹²After a long time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had finished mourning, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers. ¹³Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.” ¹⁴So she took off her widow’s clothes, veiled her face, covered herself, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had grown up, she had not been given to him as a wife. ¹⁵When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.

¹⁶He went over to her and said, “Come, let me sleep with you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law.

She said, “What will you give me for sleeping with me?”

¹⁷“I will send you a young goat from my flock,” he replied.

But she said, “Only if you leave something with me until you send it.”

¹⁸“What should I give you?” he asked.

She answered, “Your signet ring, your cord, and the staff in your hand.” So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him. ¹⁹She got up and left, then removed her veil and put her widow’s clothes back on.

²⁰When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite in order to get back the items he had left with the woman, he could not find her. ²¹He asked the men of the place, “Where is the cult prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim?”

“There has been no cult prostitute here,” they answered.

²²So the Adullamite returned to Judah, saying, “I couldn’t find her, and besides, the men of the place said, ‘There has been no cult prostitute here.’ ”

²³Judah replied, “Let her keep the items for herself; otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send this young goat, but you couldn’t find her.”

²⁴About three months later Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law, Tamar, has been acting like a prostitute, and now she is pregnant.”

“Bring her out,” Judah said, “and let her be burned to death!”

²⁵As she was being brought out, she sent her father-in-law this message: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these items belong.” And she added, “Examine them. Whose signet ring, cord, and staff are these?”

²⁶Judah recognized them and said, “She is more in the right than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her intimately again.

²⁷When the time came for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb. ²⁸As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand, and the midwife took it and tied a scarlet thread around it, announcing, “This one came out first.” ²⁹But then he pulled his hand back, out came his brother, and she said, “What a breakout you have made for yourself!” So he was named Perez.^, ³⁰Then his brother, who had the scarlet thread tied to his hand, came out, and was named Zerah.

PRAYER:

Lord, help me to tell your story. Through this, may we see your love for us in the midst of our sinfulness. I ask that, through this word, we are encouraged to place our story, with all our hurts and pains and struggles, into your redeeming hands. Remind us that, through Jesus, that the ending of our story is infinitely better than our beginning. God, open our eyes to see, our ears to hear, and our spirits to feel the power, and the glory, and the honor presented forth in your Word. Jesus name, Amen.

1. Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew serves a purpose.

Matthew’s purpose, in large part, is to show Jesus’ credentials.
Matthew is a Jew, writing to Jews.
So he wants to make two things clear:
Jesus can trace his heritage to Abraham (this appeals to Jews and Gentiles).
He also needs to show that Jesus is the heir of King David, and has the necessary Messianic lineage.
The genealogy provides the confirmation that Jesus is the promised Savior, the descendent of David.
Our families’ story is part of our story.
For example: This may not mean much to people not from around here.
But it seems like to me that everyone in this part of the country is somehow related to either Davy Crockett or Jessie James.
Especially when we were kids, we often tell our stories vicariously through our relatives.
As Matthew lists Jesus’ earthly lineage, he is connecting the Jesus story to everyone’s story.
But sometimes it feels as if there is a disconnect, because Our story is messy.
We have a lot more in common with people like Judah and Tamar than we do with Mary.
The Good News of the Gospel is that Jesus not only uses people like Mary and Joseph but also the Cousin Eddies.
One scholar points out, “There is no pattern of righteousness in the lineage of Jesus.”^[1]
Jesus is the only perfect person in the human story.
Everyone else is, simply, people like us.
The Good News is that God uses the most unlikely of people to carry out His plans and purposes.
The women in Jesus’ lineage point to this truth.

2. In a world dominated by men, the mention of women is significant.

Remember, this is Matthew, the Jewish believer, here.
Christianity revolutionized the role and importance of women, restoring their value closer to the value that God gave women in the Garden.
Do not believe the lies that Christianity subjugates women.
When you understand the historical context, the opportunities presented to women in the NT were revolutionary.
Furthermore, consider the much newer religion, Islam founded around 600 AD, that is completely restrictive of women to this day.
Therefore, the mention of these five women in the text should capture our attention.
Most lineages do not include women, so when they do, we should take notice.[i] (in the footnotes of my notes, five reasons are presented)
These names, and especially the women mentioned here, show “the all-embracing love of God”. (NIVAC)
Furthermore, these women demonstrate that salvation was possible for all people and people groups. (in particular, the women mentioned are not Jewish).
Just as important, we see through Jesus’ genealogy that when God’s chosen people are unfaithful, God will use anyone who is willing, even if they weren’t exactly right with God to begin with.
When we read Jesus’ genealogy, we read the story of ordinary but messed up people.
This family of Abraham was chosen not because they were holier than everyone, but because of God’s sovereign choice.
God has the right to choose and use whoever He wants.
God chose the family of Abraham.
And the sons of Jacob (also called Israel), would serve as Jesus’ earthly family.

3. The Story of Judah and Tamar.

Judah is proof that God has plans and purposes for people that I would disqualify.
The family, or tribe, of Judah plays a HUGE part in the Bible story.
God chose this family to bring the Messiah into Earth.
This elite role is viewed in places like Exodus and Numbers where the Tribe of Judah leads Israel in the march to the Promised Land.
God himself declared, “Send Judah first”.
400 years after Genesis 38, Judah’s tribe is in the lead.
But if this was our story, it would have stopped here.
And it almost did.
God saw the evil of two of Judah’s sons and killed them.
Perhaps, the only reason Judah wasn’t killed was because of God’s promise and plan to Abraham.
Judah’s story is contrasted with his brother Joseph.
1. Genesis Chapter 37: The brothers, sons of Jacob/Israel, sell Joseph into slavery.
Genesis Chapter 39 is the story of Joseph in Potiphar’s house, where Potiphar’s wife begs Joseph to sleep with her but he won’t and is punished.
Genesis Chapter 38 shows how utterly corrupt Judah and his family were.
Judah marries a non-Jew, and is never named.
Then Judah’s oldest two sons were utterly evil.
Er, the oldest, was so evil that God “put him to death.”
We will look at Onan’s sin in a bit.
Truth is, if we would have picked a great, great, grandfather for Jesus’ family, I would have picked Joseph not Judah.
Tamar’s story is brief but tragic.
Tamar, in Jesus’ lineage, is the first of several women mentioned who had NO right be women of God but were.
We can understand God using someone like Mary, but Tamar is a strange choice.
She isn’t Jewish.
She is married to Judah’s son, Er.
Er is so evil in God’s sight, that the Lord kills him.
We don’t know the sin, but it’s the same phrase used to describe the evil men of Sodom in Gen. 13:13.[2]
This leads to Tamar being “given” in marriage to the next brother, Onan.

Let’s talk about this for a minute.

4. The Sin of Onan.

We do deal with adult content in this section. I don’t apologize for the content, since it is part of the Christian conversation regarding this text. But I do strive to be respectful and proper.

But if you were wondering if/when you should have the TALK with your kids, and they are with you in the service today, then you need to plan on having that talk soon lol You’re welcome

I’ve heard this passage used for all types of purposes.
I’ve heard it used to teach against contraception.
I’ve heard it used in discussion to “self-pleasure”.
But neither of these is the reason for Onan’s sin and judgment.
The context and culture are the key factors here.
Family, and the sustaining of family, was vital.
The only way to ensure a family’s continued existence was to have male children.
Onan had the responsibility to ensure that his brother’s family kept going.
This is called “levirate marriage”.

Levirate: It was the duty of the nearest male relative of a deceased man to marry the childless widow and to father her children. Her firstborn son would then be acknowledged as the son of her deceased husband and would inherit his property. This practice is known as levirate marriage (from “levir,” Latin for “husband’s brother”). ^[3]
This term “Levirate” will apply also to Ruth further in the series.
The enormity of Onan’s sin is in its studied outrage against the family, against his brother’s widow and against his own body.
The standard English versions fail to make clear that this was his persistent 1. practice. When should be translated ‘whenever’.^[4]
The sin of Onan, in other words, is that he slept with Tamar often with no intention of fulfilling his responsibilities to her, his brother, his family, or to God.
Onan enjoyed the opportunity with Tamar, without the responsibility.
Therefore, Onan, like his brother, is killed by the Lord.

5. The sins of Judah.

The first sin of Judah is betrothing the youngest to Tamar with no intention of them marrying.
Shelah was next, but was too young.
But just like Judah’s father was super protective of Benjamin after Joseph was thought dead, Judah does the same with Shelah.
Judah sends Tamar back to her family’s home, and tells her to wait.
B. But Tamar’s waiting was more than waiting, it was betrothal.
So technically, Shelah and Tamar were married but not intimate.
Tamar was required by law to remain faithful to a kid that was intentionally being kept from her.
Desperate people do desperate things.
Please remember: Just because something is mentioned and used for God’s glory, that does NOT mean this is how we are supposed to do it.
Tamar, and her family, realizes that she has been set up by her father-in-law, Judah.
By this time, Judah’s wife has died.
So he is sexually vulnerable.
Let’s be honest, we permit many bad things when we are vulnerable.

6. Be sure your sins will find you out.

Two things are clear:
Tamar set Judah up.
But Judah was looking for trouble.
He was INTENTIONALLY looking for someone to hook up with and leave.
Tamar is shrewd here.
She knows deep down that she was destined and called to have children and to bless the family in this way.
She had been robbed of this blessing by an evil husband, an evil second-husband/brother-in-law, and her father-in-law.
She has no legal recourse: no court to apply to.
She does something desperate.
She is DETERMINED to receive what she believes is hers.
That is to have not just any children, but children in the line and tribe of Judah.
In a way, her actions are the desperate moves of a woman with faith.
This faith was not perfect.
Her decisions are justifiable, but not perfect.
But God sees something in her that nobody in this narrative realizes yet.
There was only one more way for that to happen.
Tamar plays on the Judah family weakness: sexuality.
Tamar also knows that, if she does this and gets caught, she would be called an adulterous and killed.
So she demands 3 articles from Judah to “guarantee” payment.
These 3 articles, the ring, the cord, and the staff, are clearly the property of one person and can be traced back to Judah.
So she demands a down-payment.
But she has to hide her identity:
But wouldn’t Judah recognize his own daughter-in-law?
Not necessarily because she was completely covered, face and body, only exposing what needed to be exposed.
In our culture, this seems impossible but was likely far more common in non-western culture than we realize.
After the deed is done, Judah leaves and Tamar goes home, HOPING to be pregnant.

7. Pregnancy, Execution, and a really big OOPS.

News travels to Judah, where he is told “your daughter in law is acting like a prostitute and is pregnant.”
This is a really big deal because she is BETHROTHED to the youngest son.
Here is a woman, found to be pregnant, while legally bound, but not intimate, with another man.
Does this sound like a familiar, Christmas story?
The legal punishment for breaking a betrothal was being stoned to death.

5.. Unlike the righteous Joseph in the Christmas story, Judah pursues the death penalty.

Judah doesn’t just want Tamar dead, he wants her punished.
He doesn’t know she was the one who he slept with.
Yet he wants her not stoned to death, but burned to death.
What is motivating Judah’s extreme hatred?
He is probably blaming HER for his sons’ death, instead of laying the sin and blame upon his sons.
Also, by her dying, it would give Judah opportunity to break the betrothal between her and the youngest son.
Finally, he would be done with this “mistake” that he had made and could start over.
But, then Tamar presents the evidence of Judah’s guilt.
Presented with Judah’s signet ring, and his cord, and his staff, Judah does something that changes the course of his family.
He repents.
Judah confesses that Tamar, and not himself, is “righteous”.
Judah declares her in the right, and himself in the wrong.
The text doesn’t say Tamar marries Shelah.
But it does say that Judah did not sleep with her again.
6-months after this, Tamar gives birth to twins.
Just like Esau and Jacob (who was Judah’s father), Tamar gives birth to fighting twins.
Just like with Esau and Jacob, the youngest receives the blessing while the oldest misses out.
And, technically, the sons Perez and Zerah carried on the lineage of the evil son Er and not Judah.
And you thought your family was messed up.

8. Result: This incident changed the direction of the whole family.

Sometime after this incident, a famine hits the land where Judah and his brothers and his father Jacob are living.
This story is told in the last chapters of Genesis.
What we see about Judah is a changed man.
It’s a long story, but their brother Joseph who is alive and living in Egypt sets the family up to determine if their hearts are right.
Have they changed?
Or are they still the evil family that he remembers.
After several tests, Judah makes this statement before Joseph:

Genesis 44:16 (CSB)

¹⁶“What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed your servants’ iniquity. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and the one in whose possession the cup was found.”

From this point forward, Judah’s role changes.
Too often we define our lives by our Genesis 38 moments, instead of Genesis 44.
If you quit at Genesis 38, before repentance, before heart change, before redemption, then you and your family never get to experience the blessings that come much later.
The same, incestuous family of Genesis 38 leads all of Israel in battle 400 years later.
It was through this family that would bring forth the perfect, sinless, Son of God.
It took a while, but God is faithful.

Matthew 1:17 (CSB)

¹⁷So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations; and from David until the exile to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the exile to Babylon until the Messiah, fourteen generations.

It was 42 generations later (so 39 or 40 from Judah), but Tamar is praised for her tenacity and belief in God’s promise.

9. One final Story:

John 8:2–11 (CSB)

AN ADULTERESS FORGIVEN

²At dawn he went to the temple again, and all the people were coming to him. He sat down and began to teach them.

³Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, making her stand in the center. ⁴“Teacher,” they said to him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. ⁵In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” ⁶They asked this to trap him, in order that they might have evidence to accuse him.

Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger. ⁷When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.” ⁸Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. ⁹When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only he was left, with the woman in the center. ¹⁰When Jesus stood up, he said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

¹¹“No one, Lord,” she answered.

“Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”]

Look at what Jesus did.
The ONE who traces his lineage to Tamar, and Rahab, and Bathsheba.
The one whose family included immoral moments and lifestyles including Judah, David, and Solomon stands among the scribes and Pharisees, they themselves descendants of Abraham like himself.
Yet, when all the world is calling to kill the Adulterous woman, Jesus does not.
At first he pauses an uncomfortable length of time.
And he writes words in the dirt that we DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY SAY.
But what if…Jesus was writing down the names of those in His story that deserved to die but received grace instead!
What if he wrote in the dust the names:
Judah, Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, David, Bathsheba, and even his mother Mary?
What if he wrote in the dust the sins of the men in the group condemning the woman?
What if he was writing MERCY!
You who are without sin, cast the first stone.
In Genesis 38, it was Judah calling for Tamar’s death.
In John 8, the Pharisees called for this woman’s death.
But Jesus called for mercy instead.
The difference between Jesus and his ancestor Judah was that Jesus was perfect and sinless.
Jesus could have thrown the stone.
But, instead, He says “go and sin no more.”

Close: Is there anyone righteous in your family?

That’s the loud question from Judah and Tamar’s story here.
No one in this story is perfect.
And this story is not a great example of what we should do.
But each woman in Jesus’ genealogy teaches us this It only takes 1.
It only takes 1 person to change a family.
It takes 1 person to change a community.
It takes 1 person, used by God, to bring forth God’s power.
The story of Tamar does not commend prostitution.
It does not give us permission to sin so that good might happen.
The end does not justify the means.
But what it does tell us is that God sees us, and our pain and struggles and sin.
God sees us in the midst of our imperfect situations.
God sees us as we are.
And He also sees our faith.

Prayer: Two groups we pray for today.

For those who have experienced so much pain, and heartache, and trouble, and mistakes, know that God sees you.
And He isn’t calling out to you with a voice of condemnation, but a voice to forgive.
Perhaps you have been living with guilt, condemnation, and the belief that God cannot and won’t use you.
Today, I’m here to tell you that you are valuable in God’s eyes.
Your family might have treated you like trash.
Your story be messed up.
But know that Jesus loves to bring order out of chaos.
If you have never accepted Jesus’ forgiveness for your sins, we pray that for you today.
Second, we pray for those who are making a stand for our families, our community, and nation.
We believe that God does use people like us to be used for His glory.
Today, we pray for those who are willing to say to Jesus “Here am I, use me.”

NOTES:

The mention of a mother alongside a father occurs also in Old Testament genealogies; cf. 1 Chronicles 1:32; 2:17–21, 24, 26, etc. V 1, p 79 p 79 The mention of Tamar as the mother of Perez and Zerah is in fact derived directly from 1 Chronicles 2:4, and that of Bath-sheba in v. 6 from 1 Chronicles 3:5. But the four mothers selected for mention form a striking group. Probably all four were non-Jews (Tamar was a local girl, so presumably a Canaanite, Gen. 38:11, 13–14; Bathsheba was the wife of a Hittite), indicating Matthew’s interest in the universal relevance of Jesus’ coming (cf. the Magi of 2:1–12); and in each case there were at least suspicions of some form of marital irregularity, though all four were in fact vindicated by God’s subsequent blessing. They form an impressive precedent for Jesus’ birth of an unmarried mother from an obscure background. Rahab is otherwise unknown as mother of Boaz; presumably the harlot of Jericho (Josh. 2:1, etc.) is in Matthew’s mind, though this identification poses chronological problems.^[5]

^[1] Wilkins, Michael J. 2004. Matthew. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

[2] Pettus, David D. 2016. “Tamar, Daughter-in-Law of Judah.” In The Lexham Bible Dictionary, edited by John D. Barry, David Bomar, Derek R. Brown, Rachel Klippenstein, Douglas Mangum, Carrie Sinclair Wolcott, Lazarus Wentz, Elliot Ritzema, and Wendy Widder. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

^[3] McWhirter, Jocelyn. 2016. “Marriage.” In The Lexham Bible Dictionary, edited by John D. Barry, David Bomar, Derek R. Brown, Rachel Klippenstein, Douglas Mangum, Carrie Sinclair Wolcott, Lazarus Wentz, Elliot Ritzema, and Wendy Widder. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

^[4] Kidner, Derek. 1967. Genesis: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 1. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

^[5] France, R. T. 1985. Matthew: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 1. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

[i] Men and women. Most scholars see the inclusion of the five women in Jesus’ genealogy as another clue to Matthew’s emphases. As noted above, women were not always included in Old Testament genealogies. When they were included, there was usually some particular reason. Speculation about Matthew’s purpose has a long history, but he seems to have a variety of reasons for including these women in Jesus’ genealogy. Something positive can be said for each of the following, although it may be difficult to narrow Matthew’s purpose to any one alone.

(1) Women had experienced increasing marginalization and even abuse within Jewish society. Jesus’ line includes Tamar, a woman wrongfully denied motherhood by the deceitfulness of men. The women in the genealogy represent the gender equality that had been denied them within much of Jewish culture. From the beginning Jesus came to restore the personal equality and dignity of women with men.

(2) Tamar, Rahab, and Bathsheba had reputations for morally indiscreet behavior and character. They are examples of women sinners Jesus came to save, a powerful statement about the offer of salvation to those of either gender.

(3) The first four women may have been Gentiles, although the ethnicity of Tamar and Bathsheba is unclear. It is clear, however, that Ruth was a Moabitess, and to the tenth generation a Moabite was not to be admitted to the congregation (Deut. 23:3). Rahab was undoubtedly a Canaanite. Matthew may thus be indicating that salvation is a possibility for every ethnic group, which is a strong motif in this Gospel (Matt. 8:5–13; 28:18–20). Jesus Messiah, who could not have male Gentiles in his ancestry, nonetheless had p 68 Gentile ancestors in these women, suggesting his suitability as the Messiah for Gentiles as well as for Jews.

(4) The women mentioned had unusual marriages, sexual scandals, or suspicions of having had illegitimate children. Matthew may be disarming prejudice against Mary’s circumstances by those Jews who might forget their own history, even as he refutes charges of illegitimacy against Mary (1:18–25).

(5) These women each represent a crucial period in Israel’s history when a Gentile displayed extraordinary faith in contrast to Jews who lacked courage and faith: Tamar versus Judah’s disloyalty, Rahab versus the desert generation’s faithlessness, Ruth versus the unfaithful Israelites at the time of the judges, and Uriah versus David’s sinfulness with Bathsheba. The messianic line was preserved, even through Gentiles, when Israel was unfaithful.^[i]

Prayer for Spiritual Power. 11/20/22

Paul RichardsonNovember 20, 2022

Ephesian sermon 11 PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL POWER

PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL POWER

11.20.22

Ephesians Series

Sermon 11

Ephesians 3:14–21 (CSB)

PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL POWER

¹⁴For this reason I kneel before the Father ¹⁵from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. ¹⁶I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, ¹⁷and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, ¹⁸may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, ¹⁹and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

²⁰Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Introduction

Prayer is both simple and complex.
Children can easily pray with prayers that echo heaven.
Adults can also pray an entire lifetime without exploring the great depths that are there.
This prayer for spiritual power ends a section within Ephesians.
Chapter 4 institutes a change in direction for Paul.
The next section begins with Therefore, and talks about believers WALKING with Christ.
The first section was to teach believers how to be SEATED with Christ.
The last section of Ephesians ends with “Stand”.
Sit, Walk, Stand is a helpful lens to study Ephesians.
Today, we dig deep into Paul’s prayer for the believers.
This is the second prayer in Ephesians, ending the section on how believers are “seated” with Christ in the heavenly realm.
Because of Jesus, we not only have access to the Father in prayer, but we can get close enough to know Him.
Imagine: Gentiles who had no opportunity to draw close to God in Judaism or paganism could now not only pray but could grasp the depths of God’s love for them.
My hope is that your walk with Jesus will not only be academic.
I have plenty of colleagues who are brilliant scholars of the Bible and religion but have no relationship with Jesus.
It is possible to sit in this room year after year and hear sermons and teaching and yet not draw close to God.
Neither the Apostle Paul or this Pastor Paul want that for you.
Today, let us look at the kind of access that Paul prayed for these believers to have.

1. You need to know who you are praying to.

Have you ever heard someone pray and it sounds like they don’t know who they are praying to?
I hear people pray who use every name or spiritual buzz word they can find, hoping something sticks.
Some people’s prayers are more like shotgun blasts in the dark instead of a laser pointed at Jesus.
Paul KNOWS who he is praying to.
He just said that “in Christ we have boldness and confident access.”
Now, with boldness, Paul kneels before the Father.
Boldness is not the same as rudeness.
Confidence is not the same as disrespect.
Paul, bold and confident that God will hear and answer his prayers, kneels before the Father.
Even though we are co-heirs with Christ Jesus,
Even though we are seated at the right hand of the Father,
He is STILL the One who is above all names.
When you pray, do you know the one you are praying to?
God answers prayers on the basis of relationship.
Our best prayers are prayed in relationship, with specificity.

What did Paul pray for on behalf of the Ephesian believers?

2. First, Power for the inner being through the Spirit.

The work of the Holy Spirit is internal before it is external.
Often we focus on the outward expressions.
These outward expressions are good and necessary.
But they are also easier to deal with.
b. Just because we no longer sin with our hands or mouths, that does not mean we have stopped sinning in our heart and mind.
It is vital for all of us to grow IN Christ.
Have you noticed that it doesn’t get easier?
Life does not get easier.
The challenges, at least for me, grow larger and more complex.
The spiritual battles I find myself engaged in grow larger, not smaller.
What is increasingly clear is that I need Jesus more each and every day.
The Apostle understands this.
So he prays for them to be granted the opportunity to grow in Christ Jesus and to be strengthened in their inner being.
I absolutely believe that everyone in this room is being given a chance to grow in Christ Jesus.
Each week you are challenged with the Word.
Each week you are provided opportunity to grow in worship.
Do not waste this.
The only thing holding you back is you.
Paul establishes this request “According to the riches of his glory.”
Remember the difference between giving from your riches and according to your riches?
A $100 from a billionaire is giving from their riches, not according to their riches.
I was incredibly humbled when I watched this body of believers give generously toward paying this property off.
You all gave according to what God has provided.
No one here is wealthy.
Yet many of us gave sacrificially.
The Good News is that the heavenly Father has no limit to His resources.
Because your Heavenly Father is rich, we have no reason to be discouraged.
“In Christ we are given the means and capability to be what we previously could not be.”[1]
In Christ, the excuses for discipleship are removed because there is no limit to His resources.

3. Second, Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

Most of us understand that at salvation, Jesus enters our hearts.
The “heart” is not the physical organ that pumps blood.
Instead, it refers to that innermost part of us that makes us who we are.
It’s our personality, and emotions, and our Spirit.
Paul’s prayer is not only that Jesus will change our hearts, but that He will inhabit our innermost life.
Accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior will change every aspect of our lives.
Paul prays that Christ may “dwell”.
The term for dwell (katoikeō) refers to a residing, a habitation, not a temporary stay.^[2]
When someone comes to live with you, things change.
When we have people stay over, many of our habits change.
We men may do the same things, but the women in our lives become very focused on meals, and comfort, and making sure things are clean.
Paul is praying that the Ephesian believers might experience Jesus in such a way that their innermost lives are changed.
Paul prays for the inner life of the believers to be a place hospitable to the presence of God.
Not every house is hospitable.
Some structures are simply not safe places to live.
Truth: Even nice homes have the potential to become inhospitable if we fail to steward it.
Julie and I drive by many farm houses and old houses in cities and wonder “I wonder what that place use to look like?”
Ephesians 4:30 says that we can “grieve” the Holy Spirit.
It is possible for us to live in such a way that the Holy Spirit won’t dwell in you.
My grandpa was an old time preacher, who had lots of stories and jokes.
He told the story of a young preacher who went to the house of an older lady.
He was new to the church and was trying to be a good pastor, and was invited to her house for Sunday dinner.

He arrives and the settings were set for him.

He noticed that the plate wasn’t clean, but still had remnants of food on it.

Trying to be polite, he didn’t say anything but she noticed his discomfort.

The lady said, “I’m sorry, but that’s the best cold-water could can do.”

He thought, oh that makes sense: She is poor and doesn’t have a dishwasher and maybe she doesn’t have a hot water heater.

As food is put on his dirty plate, he picked up his fork and noticed the same. I’m sorry, she said but that’s the best cold water can do.

He doesn’t want to offend, so he eats with a smile praying a little extra for the blessing upon the meal.

Dessert is served, and he notices the same thing: The bowl isn’t super clean and the spoon was OK so he eats. Again, the older lady apologizes, “That’s the Best cold water can do.”

After lunch is served and eaten, the pastor offers to help her wash the dishes hoping he could show her a better way.

But the lady stops him and says, “Don’t worry, Cold-water will take care of it.” She then whistles, calling her dog “Come here cold-water, time to wash the dishes: he comes, she puts the plates and bowls down, let’s the dog lick it up and puts the dishes into the cabinet.”

Even the friendliest pastor wouldn’t come back to her house for lunch.
Hopefully, you would never subject your friends or pastor to that kind of behavior, so why do we expect the Holy Spirit to dwell in our lives while we subject Him to all sorts of sin and nastiness.
Paul adds a conditional word “May”.
He prays that Christ “May” dwell.
What are some of the conditions?
First, is faith.
Others include:
Habitual disobedience.
Unrepented sin.
Paul is praying that these believers would live such faith filled lives that Jesus would live, stay, and inhabit every part of their lives.

4. Third, Paul prays for Comprehension of God’s love.

Love brings security.
We do our best in an atmosphere of love.
Many of us were taught God’s wrath before we were taught God’s love.
Fear and Love cause different responses.
People motivated by fear will leave the first chance they get.
People motivated by love will stay no matter how difficult the present moment.
Paul wrote to the pastor of Ephesus in 2 Timothy 1:7 (CSB)
⁷For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power,^, love, and sound judgment.
God wants us to live in love, not in fear.
Remember that God’s love is different than our love.
Love is not the absence of discipline:
God disciplines those HE loves.
In Junior High and HS, I had a new baseball coach each year.
One coach, however, demanded the absolute best:
We showed up to practice.
We ran, and did pushups and learned the cost of mistakes.
We conditioned and dressed for success.
Several of the other coaches didn’t even have practices.
My first game with one, I didn’t even have a uniform.
The first time I ever pitched wasn’t in practice but in a game.
20 years later, guess who I still love the most: The one who loved me enough to encourage, discipline, and push me to be the best I could be.
God’s love is also not fickle.
He loves you through thick, thin, and ups and downs.
The purpose of God’s love is to provide safety for you to grow.

‘Being rooted in God’s love provides a stability and security from which to grow.^[3]

5. Lastly, Paul prays to know Christ’s love so that we may be filled with all the fullness of God.

“the fullness of God includes the infusion both of divine power and of divine love.^[4]
1. Power, without love, is tyranny.
Love, without power, is impotence.
God wants us to be filled with BOTH power and love.
This is not anyone else’s power.
Not the power of Rome.
Not the power of a false-god.
But to know the FULLNESS of God in a personal way.
Paul depicts a life that constantly being filled with God’s love.
I’m so sad that many Christians believe that at Salvation, that is as good as it gets.
Paul described a life with Jesus that grows ever deeper the more we explore and mine the depths of His love.
Thus Paul prays for them to KNOW Christ’s love and to be filled to the measure.
Paul calls us to a relationship of love for Christ, not lust.
Lust is shallow and shrinks over time; whereas love deepens with time.
Paul’s prayer is that we might grow in our love for Jesus!

Close: To Him who is able…

May be this seems impossible.
To grow in love for Jesus seems nice for others but not possible for you.
Other people experience Jesus, and others have encounters, and others receive miracles, and others are used in the gift: but not you.
Paul ends by saying: To Him who is able to Ephesians 3:20 (CSB)
²⁰Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—

God is not limited by your prayers or by your thinking or by your power.
Because He is able to do ABOVE our thinking, and our asking, and our ability.
Each week, as we pray, we are not praying to ourselves or to each other.
But we are praying to Jesus!
The One who is seated at the right hand.
The One who conquered death.
The One who all power in heaven and earth has been given.
Thus we pray with boldness and confident access, and to Him be glory in the church and in every generation.

Prayer.

[1] Bock, Darrell L. 2019. Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary. Edited by Eckhard J. Schnabel. Vol. 10. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. London: Inter-Varsity Press.

^[2] Ibid.

^[3] Bock, Darrell L. 2019. Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary. Edited by Eckhard J. Schnabel. Vol. 10. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. London: Inter-Varsity Press.

^[4] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

The Big Reveal. 11/13/22. Ephesians 3:1-13

Paul RichardsonNovember 13, 2022

Ephesian Sermon 10 The Big Reveal

The Big Reveal

11.13.22

Ephesians Sermon 10

Ephesians 3:1–13 (CSB)

For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—²assuming you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that he gave me for you. ³The mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have briefly written above. ⁴By reading this you are able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ. ⁵This was not made known to people in other generations as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: ⁶The Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and partners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. ⁷I was made a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of his power.

⁸This grace was given to me—the least of all the saints—to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of Christ, ⁹and to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things. ¹⁰This is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens. ¹¹This is according to his eternal purpose accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. ¹²In him we have boldness and confident access through faith in him. ¹³So, then, I ask you not to be discouraged over my afflictions on your behalf, for they are your glory.

Introduction. Is anyone here a fan of mysteries?

Many people love mysteries.
A good mystery is fine to watch or read.
But what I hate those mysteries that you know in the first 5 minutes who the bad guy is or who done it, you know like the ones on Hallmark.
I also hate a mystery that tries to surprise you so bad that the result doesn’t make sense.
But a well thought out mystery is pretty entertaining.
The Spiritual life contains real mysteries.
The Greek word for mystery means “a matter to the knowledge which initiation is necessary; a secret which would remain unless there is special revelation.” (Mounce 3696).
Humanity is COMPLETELY dependent upon Special Revelation:
In other words, we can only know what God wants us to know and what He reveals.
Examples:
What did Jesus write in the dirt when confronted with the woman caught in adultery: We will never know because God did not reveal it.
What did John in Revelation see, but was told not to tell it? We can’t know because it wasn’t revealed.
When is Jesus returning? We will know just as soon as God wants us to know.
The Good News is, God reveals a LOT.
The even better news is that what God has revealed through Jesus is the best news of all.
Paul is talking about the Great Mystery of Christ:
The mystery is how “Gentiles are coheirs with the Jews to receive the promises we have in Jesus.”

1. Why was this a mystery?

The fact that God included both Jews and Gentiles seems pretty obvious to us.
But we have the benefit of reading backwards.
When you read a mystery from the back forward, all of the pieces make much more sense.
When we read the Bible from this side, it is much easier to see how God always intended salvation and presence for all people.
But this was not clear then.
The Apostles struggled, wondering if this salvation was for people other than Jews.
When we are introduced to Paul in Acts, he is first completely against Gentiles and anyone who believed that Jesus was the Son of God.
It wasn’t until He had an experience with Jesus Himself that the mystery was revealed to Him.
Education is helpful, but is no substitute for revelation.
English speakers like us are weird.
We believe that everyone can understand English if we speak SlOw eNoUgH.
But if someone does not know English, then speaking it slowly does not help.
We often think that the key to helping people know something is by educating them.
I’m all for education.
But without revelation, education leads to hollow understanding.
Paul had the best education in the world, but still could not understand this UNTIL it was revealed to him through Jesus.
I encourage all of you to read, study, and be diligent in growing in grace and understanding.
But sometimes what you need is not more information but Revelation.
The revelation that Paul had with Jesus radically transformed him.

2. Transformations are not wasted when others benefit.

Often we think of spirituality and religion as very personal.
That’s true.
But experiences with Jesus were never meant to be kept to yourself.
Testimonies are meant to be shared.
Isn’t it amazing how we rarely share great experiences, but have no problem sharing bad reviews?
We have tons of people sharing their bad experiences with religion, but not nearly as many sharing their great experiences with Jesus!
The Kingdom of God is expanded through our testimony!
When we share what Jesus has done for us, we are expanding the Kingdom.
When we point people to Jesus, through Scripture and experience, we are proclaiming the Gospel.
God will use dreams and visions in places where people do not have easy access, but He prefers to use people like you and I to share where sharing is possible.
The Apostle was thankful for his encounter with Jesus.
He had this great insight into a mystery that no one else had understood until this point.
So Paul does what He was supposed to: He shared the message and the experience.
And it wasn’t only Paul who received this message, but the holy apostles and prophets were also being shown the same great message through the Holy Spirit.
Two components to transformation:
The first is the revelation or experience.
Maybe you experienced healing, or God’s provision, or God has taught you or shown you something that is necessary for today.
This is not limited to Apostles or Preachers, but is for every believer who desires to be used by God.
The second component is grace.
Paul, in verse 8, says that “grace was given me-the least of all the saints-to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of Christ…
Paul did not deserve this revelation or knowledge.
Paul, all too well, remembered the wrongs he had done before he met Jesus.
Yet God, who is rich in mercy and in grace, used Paul in a mighty way.
Every one of us is God’s workmanship.
Every one of us is eligible to experience God for ourselves, and share Jesus with others.
When God starts using you, here are a few things to remember:

#1. I’m being used because of God’s grace, not because of my merit.

#2. If I won’t share with others, opportunities will be taken away.

#3. Jesus is the main character in this story: It’s not about me.

This week I was at a powerful conference with 1^st Responders.
These 1^st responders told their stories of encountering suicide, PTSI and depression and coming out on the other side.
Amazing stories of survival and resilience:
What is different about their stories and ours?
When we tell of our suffering and survival, we point people past ourselves and to Jesus.

3. Paul bookends this section with the truth of affliction:

Paul is a prisoner, but do not be discouraged over affliction.
He starts this section with “I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus.”
He ends with, “So, then, I ask you not to be discouraged over my afflictions on your behalf, for they are your glory.”
What does Paul have in mind here?
The Answer is found in Acts 21.
Paul arrives in Jerusalem.
Paul never travels alone, always bringing fellow workers with him.
The Jewish Apostles are playing some politics, and ask Paul to go and pay an offering at the Temple on behalf of some Jewish background believers.

Acts 21:26–35 (CSB)

THE RIOT IN THE TEMPLE COMPLEX

²⁶So the next day, Paul took the men, having purified himself along with them, and entered the temple, announcing the completion of the purification days when the offering would be made for each of them. ²⁷When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd, and seized him, ²⁸shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law, and this place. What’s more, he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” ²⁹For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.

³⁰The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul, dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut.

³¹As they were trying to kill him, word went up to the commander of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in chaos. ³²Taking along soldiers and centurions, he immediately ran down to them. Seeing the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. ³³Then the commander approached, took him into custody, and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He asked who he was and what he had done. ³⁴Some in the crowd were shouting one thing and some another. Since he was not able to get reliable information because of the uproar, he ordered him to be taken into the barracks. ³⁵When Paul got to the steps, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd,

Paul is arrested, goes through years of court, and is presently waiting his day in court because he was falsely accused.
He was falsely accused for permitting an Ephesian into the section of the Temple reserved only for Jews.
The Ephesians are a large part of why Paul is under arrest.
BUT, Paul does not blame them, discourage them, or curse them.
Instead, he suffers so that they may fully appreciate the access they now have in Jesus.
Even if Paul had brought Trophimus the Ephesian into the inner realm of the Temple, that would have been ok with God.
The man-made barriers had been torn down, even though many did not realize that yet.
The mystery revealed to Paul was now being lived out through them.
With Jesus, there is access to platforms and places that we would never have had access to before.
Every believer is seated at the right hand with Jesus.
Every believer is a co-heir with Christ.
Now what Paul said makes sense:
¹²In him we have boldness and confident access through faith in him.
Trophimus probably did not enter the court of the Jews.
If he did, he had to hide.
If he did, he had to read the sign that said “Gentiles die who cross and it’s your own fault.”
But Paul says: Forget that sign, and forget that Temple.
Jesus gives us bold and confident access, through faith in Jesus, to the Father.
And that, my friends, is far better.
We have bold and confident access to the Father because we belong there.
This is not arrogance, this is grace.
This is not pride, this is love.
This is Jesus, bringing people like us into the Kingdom saying “No One Belongs Here more than You.”
This is Paul, who can call himself the “least of all the saints” (vs 8), saying we all belong with Jesus.
Jews, Greeks, Male, Female, Slave or Free.
We all have one Person in common: That’s Jesus.

4. It’s time to make this Good News Known.

It’s time for the Big Reveal.
How is this happening?
The answer is Verse 10:
10 This is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens.
First, the inclusion of Gentiles is not a mistake, it’s wisdom.
The proper use of knowledge and information is wisdom.
Paul is reminding his readers: God did not make a mistake, and the inclusion of people like us is not a correction; it’s part of the plan.
Not only is it wisdom, but it’s multi-faceted.
Paul uses a Greek word that points to the beautiful, intricate detail of a flower or embroidered pattern.[i]
God’s plan, and the wisdom involved, is not simple, but requires the creator to point out the intricate details so that the person admiring may appreciate the complexity.
Second, this wisdom is being made known through the Church.
Who is the Church?
It’s Jesus’ body of saints, joined with Him.
It’s the gathering together of people like us.
The Church is the assembling together of people who share a common story: I was lost, but Jesus found me.
The Church are the people that is loved like Jesus’ body, His Bride, and His Temple.
The Church is God’s chosen instrument to reveal the message of the mystery!
Third, the rulers and authorities in the heavens are put on notice.[ii]
Remember, that Ephesus was a city full of magic and darkness.
Because of the centrality of magic in the Roman province of Asia (the result of the temple of Artemis and its influence), Paul places great emphasis in Colossians and Ephesians on the defeat of the cosmic powers.^[1]
Many of the believers in Ephesus would never go to the Temple in Jerusalem, look at the sign that forbid their entrance and say “That no longer has any power over me.”
But every one of them would walk outside the door of the house, and walk along the streets, and see the temples of Artemis or the idols cast in her image and say “not today Satan.”
There are real demonic forces.
Just as there is a positive hierarchy with angels, there is also a hierarchy in the demonic.
There are spiritual forces at work over nations, mindsets, and cultures.
But the news the Church is to proclaim is “You are defeated!”
They may still be at work, but they can’t win.
They may still fight, but they are also doomed.
We are the messengers of the message that Jesus wins, Satan loses.

Close: Today, I believe it to be appropriate that we reflect on the win.

I love time around the altars.
A time that we confess our need to Jesus and to each other.
They are usually times of surrender to Jesus, and prayers for healing, all of which is appropriate.
But today, I want us to take a few moments to profess the message that Jesus wins, and Satan has lost.
What would it look like for us to live within that power?
Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, never forgot that He has already won.
We are not victims to circumstances, but we are more than conquerors.
Today, can we gather around the front for a few minutes and remind the enemy that he is defeated?
A few minutes to speak the name of Jesus over our lives and families and communities!
This week, Licking was on KY3 news for all the drug deaths in the prison, we need to remind the enemy that his days are finished.
Prayer.

^[1] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

[i] It is polypoikilos (the simple form poikilos is used in 1 Pet. 4:10), a word that means ‘variegated’, and that was used in classical Greek writers with reference to cloth or flowers, and so here it suggests ‘the intricate beauty of an embroidered pattern’ (Robinson) or the endless variety of colours in flowers. Such, the apostle says, is the wisdom of God that the church declares.^[i] TNTC commentary on Ephesians 3:10

[ii] Because of the centrality of magic in the Roman province of Asia (the result of the temple of Artemis and its influence), Paul places great emphasis in Colossians and Ephesians on the defeat of the cosmic powers. The language of “making known” here does not mean that the church is to evangelize the demonic forces. They have made an eternal decision to oppose God (Rev 12:4, 7–9) and are beyond redemption. Rather, the church reiterates Christ’s preaching to the spirits in prison (1 Pet 3:19) and tells the cosmic powers they have lost. It does so through its victorious ministry in the world. Though they have rejected God, the fallen angels are supremely aware of his wisdom, for p 90 they know the Scriptures and see God’s wisdom worked out every day in the lives of his victorious people.^[ii] Osborne Commentary

11/6/2022 “Aliens, A Peacemaker, and a New Family”. Ephesians Series

Paul RichardsonNovember 6, 2022

Ephesian Sermon 9 Aliens a Peacemaker

Aliens, a Peacemaker, and a new Family.

11/6/22

Ephesian Sermon 9

Ephesians 2:11–21 (CSB)

11 So, then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands. 12 At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh, 15 he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace. 16 He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death. 17 He came and proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

Aliens, a Peacemaker, and a new Family.

Introduction: Have you ever been in a place and knew that you didn’t belong there?

I’ve felt this way several times, and mostly in a city’s Union Station.
The first time was in 2003 in Union Station in Washington D.C.
I was in high school, from Podunk Missouri.
It was the first time ever seeing homeless people or being around a bustling city.
Another time, in 2019, I was in Denver at Union Station.
I enjoyed Denver.
But it’s so liberal and legal marijuana was everywhere.
As nice as it was downtown, and at Union Station, I just felt like I didn’t belong.
But I will never forget in 2017 being at Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles.
I had meetings in Anaheim and I wanted to go to a Dodger Game.
No Big deal.
I told a friend I was traveling with and said I would take the bus. They told me I was too country to ride the bus to LA. So a friend from there drove.
We go downtown, toured Azusa Street, and made our way to Union Station to park our car and hitch a bus to the stadium.
When I stepped into Union Station, I knew I was not in MO anymore.
The people didn’t wave. They didn’t smile as they walked by. They were either in a hurry or strung out.
They looked different, smelled different, and saw the world very differently for me.
I loved the Baseball game, but I couldn’t wait to get out of Union Station.
We’ve all experienced being out-of-place.
Another word for that is alienated.
But one of the most powerful gestures a human can do is to make someone feel welcomed and at home.
To make someone feel like they belong, that is an amazing gift.
Many times, Julie and I have been invited to your family gatherings and treated like “one of the kids”.
What we strive to do here at this Church is to help people feel like they belong through friendliness and hospitality.
We have room to grow in that area, especially as we grow.
But if you’ve ever walked into a church and felt like you didn’t belong or were interrupting their private, family get together, then you know how important a welcoming church is.
This desire to be welcoming and inclusive stems from the heart of Jesus.
We were all sinners, aliens apart from the family.
But Jesus brings diverse people together in a way that reflects the God’s original plan for people like us.

First, let’s talk about Aliens.

1. God’s original plan always involved people like us.

Genesis 1-11 tells the story of God interacting with all of humanity.
Genesis 12 and the rest of the Old Testament tells of God selecting Abraham and blessing the world through the descendants of Abraham.
Abraham is both the Father of all Jews while still being a Gentile.
Abraham received all of the promises and the Covenant of God before accepting circumcision as the sign.
LONG before the Law was given.
God’s word to Abraham: Through you, all the nations will be blessed.
Although the Old Testament is strictly focused upon the descendants of Abraham, there were always people like us in the mix.
Women like Rahab and Ruth were not Jewish, yet participated in God’s blessings and promises AND become part of the lineage of Jesus.
But there was always a wall and division between Jew and Gentile.
That wall got bigger over the centuries.
By the time of Jesus and Paul’s day, there was a major division between Jews and everyone else (gentiles).
The Jews were very concerned with who was in and who was out.
People always want others to be inclusive, until they are in.
And then they want to be exclusive.
We want people to invite us, but no one else.
We want God to forgive us for our sins, but not that other person.

We see a good example of this exclusivity in the example of Peter, who did not want salvation or the Holy Spirit to come upon the Roman Cornelius’ house.

2. The Ephesians began life separated from God.

Paul says all of the ways the Ephesians did not belong:
Not circumcised.
Without Christ
Excluded from citizenship of Israel.
Foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God.
But Jesus changed all of that.
The Ephesians, and Gentiles, might have started off as aliens.
We were foreigners as far as the Jews were concerned.
But Jesus changed that.
BUT NOW IN CHRIST JESUS (vs. 13).
We who were far have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
This is why Paul talks about us being saved by grace through faith just a few verses before.
We had NOTHING going for us.
But when you have Jesus, you have more than enough.

We were aliens, apart from the promises and blessings. But Jesus is our peacemaker.

Let’s talk about Jesus as Peacemaker.

3. For He is our peace (Vs. 14).

Jesus was born a Jew.
He was the perfect fulfilment of the Law and Commandments.
There was no sin in Him, thanks to the virgin birth.
He committed no sin, and thus was sinless and perfect.
Upon the Cross, the sinless Son of God became sin who knew no sin. (2 Cor. 5:21).
The Gospel John saw Jesus as the Lamb of God, that would shed His blood as the only perfect sacrifice.
Hebrews tells of Jesus ascending into heaven and offering his sinless blood upon the altar making atonement for our sins.
Thus, Jesus, the perfect Son of God, whose body was pierced by the sinful Romans, shed His blood so that you and I might experience peace and wholeness.
Paul has a very specific picture in focus.
In Jerusalem, between the temple proper and the Court of the Gentiles, there was a stone wall on which there was an inscription in Greek and Latin: ‘No one of another nation to enter within the fence and enclosure round the temple. And whoever is caught will have himself to blame that his death ensues.^[1]
In other words, there was a physical wall that represented the Jews’ view of inclusion and exclusion.
Jews alone could draw close to God.
The Gentiles would always be limited and restricted.
But Jesus abolished such practices and brought peace through the Cross.
Jesus perfectly fulfilled the Law, creating a new level of peace.

4. Jesus made no effect the law…

If you remember back to Exodus and Leviticus, there are a lot of commandments.
Those commandments were given to guide Israel in living a God honoring, holy life in the midst of Canaan.
The Law and Commandments pointed people to the holiness of God and their sinfulness.
Every sacrifice and offering pointed forward to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus.
Once the perfect sacrifice was made, no more were needed.
The good news to the Ephesian believers was: you don’t have to be Jewish to follow Jesus.
Because of Christ’s work, we Gentiles do not have to live by the Law.
We don’t have to be Jewish to be loved by Jesus.
The Law didn’t bring peace.
The Apostle Paul said it was the Law that showed us our sin but could not save us from our sin.
You don’t have to become more Jewish to be loved by Jesus.
There is a dangerous element in American Christianity that is pushing people to become “Messianic Jews”, sometimes called Hebrew Roots Movement.
Examples: You say the name YESHUA instead of Jesus.
You say YAWHEH instead of God.
They demand you celebrate all the Jewish Feasts.
Might even wear a Tallit or prayer shawl.
I know this because I went down the Messianic Road pretty hard in High School.
I love the Jewishness and the history of Scripture.
I learned some of the prayers.
I attended a few conferences.
I love seeing Christ in the Tabernacle and in the Feasts.
Someday, I would love to go to Israel and walk where Jesus walked.
This was dangerous because, of my personal love of history and rule following, it made sense.
There is value in understanding the Jewishness of Scripture but that does not result in Salvation.
If being Jewish, and following the Law, was what God intended then there would have been no need for a Cross and the Jewish people would not have crucified Jesus.
If this is what we were to follow the Law and become Messianic Jews, then Paul would have told the Ephesians to get in line and start looking like him.
Instead, Paul focuses on how Jesus, the Great Peacemaker, made peace where there was no peace.
Jesus took two separate and distinct pieces and made a unified whole with the Cross at the center.

Biblical peace is more than a personal sense of tranquility and well-being. It carries the idea of harmony, first with God and then with those around us. It includes the idea of order and wholeness, of disparate areas of life and people groups coming together with a cessation of conflict and a sense of security.^[2]

This same peace is proclaimed to those who were near (Jews) and those who were far (everyone else).
Jesus is the Savior of both Jew and Gentile.

Jesus, the great Peacemaker, brings the aliens into the fold and creates a new family.

5. One, Unified, Family.

¹⁸For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, ²⁰built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. ²¹In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. ²²In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit. ^[3]

Paul stresses the unity, where there used to be division.
One Body
One Kingdom (citizens)
One Building.
All made possible through One Spirit and One Cross.
We sin against God when we add division where God has declared unity.
Diversity is different than unity.
It is possible to be distinct and still unified.
Marriage is a great example:
Two individuals become One flesh, yet have distinction.
Julie and I are one, yet have different tastes, likes and desires.
This week was a great example:
We went to Texas Roadhouse and had amazing steaks.
I ordered mine Medium…she ordered hers WELL-Well done.
Yet, we both were in unity that we loved the experience.
We did not replace the Jewish people, but joined with them through Jesus.
We are distinct, yet unified through Jesus.
Before the Cross, only the Torah and circumcision would bring unity.
But now, through Jesus, we are unified.
Jesus tore down the old dividing walls to build a new Temple, the Church.
Jesus is the cornerstone.
Cornerstones had to be perfect, because if they weren’t the building would not be right.
Jesus is perfect and we build upon and from him.
The foundation is the apostles and prophets.
This is not the Law or Torah, but the Word and ministry given to the Apostles and prophets and the other offices.
He emphasizes this again in chapter 3 and 4.
What is in view here does not seem to be only Scripture, but the gifts that God gives the church.
Ephesians 4 says “and God gave some to be Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip the saints and “build up the body of Christ”.
Again, we see the building analogy.
Jesus was serious when He told Peter “Upon this rock I will build my Church.”
God is still building and perfecting the body and building we call the Church.
What’s the purpose?
Notice Vs 21-22:

21 In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.

For God’s dwelling in the Spirit.
Just as the Tabernacle and Temple of old held the Spirit and presence of God, now through Christ we are being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.
This is not an individual promise:
In view is not our individuality.
In view is the unity of the corporate body.
Do we need the Church?
Absolutely, because we are being built together for God’s dwelling.
To reject the fellowship of believers is to reject the body of Christ and His dwelling.

Conclusion: No One Belongs Here More than You.

For the past several years, this phrase has been on our door and our wall.
I have seen other churches use similar phrases, but I remember when Whitley Hart told me that she believed that should be our motto.
We try to live that out, because it reflects the heart of Jesus.
In our natural state, we are aliens.
We were excluded because of our sin.
But Jesus made forgiveness and salvation possible and available.
He has seated us at the right hand of the Father, a platform we did not deserve.
He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.
Jesus brought peace and gave us a new family.
This morning, I’m reminded that one of the attacks of the enemy is to remind you of your past.
By doing so, we forget what Jesus has done for us.
When that happens, we stop living with Jesus and start living for ourselves.
Perhaps the past few weeks have been brutal for you.
Crisis after crisis.
Tragedy after tragedy.
Pain upon pain and disappointment upon disappointment.
If so, I remind you who you are in Jesus.
The enemy’s attacks are real, but so too is the victory in Jesus.
Only Jesus can bring peace where there never was peace.
Today, I want to pray prayers of encouragement, strength, and hope for you.

^[1] Foulkes, Francis. 1989. Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 10. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

^[2] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

^[3] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

Sunday 10/30/22. ” Raised and Seated.”

Paul RichardsonOctober 30, 2022

Ephesian Sermon 8 Raised and Seated

Raised and Seated

Ephesians Sermon 8

10/30/22

Ephesians 2:4–10 (CSB)

⁴But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, ⁵made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! ⁶He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, ⁷so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—⁹not from works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

Intro. Our New Life begins with Resurrection.

People are not basically good.
Every two-year-old proves this truth:
Tell a two-year-old to mind, and they won’t.
Two-year-olds are gifts from God to remind people that we can be cute, and guilty.
Even old people can be cute but sinful.
I once watched a couple women at the Senior citizens get in a fight over who made better gravy for the biscuits.
The worst day of the week to shop at Wal-Mart is when the seniors get their checks.
Joking aside, we have all seen enough to know how dark and sinful people can be.
The Apostle Paul was not immune.
He knew how sinful he was, and he reminds all of us that we were all DEAD in our trespasses and sins.
But it doesn’t have to end there.
You do not have to stay “dead”.
Because GOD who is rich in mercy makes resurrection available to those who were once dead.
It’s a shame we only talk about Christ’s resurrection and Ascension once a year.
Because Jesus’ resurrection and Ascension set the pattern for us.
When you give your life to Jesus, you too are raised from dead to life.
But, there is one more aspect:
When we give our lives to Jesus we are raised from death to life and SEATED at the right hand of the Father with Jesus!
Though you may feel like you are just hanging in limbo, Paul says that our spirit person is already seated with Jesus in heaven.

1. Have a seat.

Before we appreciate where we are sitting, we do well to remember where we used to sit.
Illustration; Has anyone ever had really good seats to a ball game?
Growing up, I always loved the top rows and the bleachers at Busch Stadium.
I have been in the cheap seats in 2 Busch Stadiums, Coors Field in Denver, and Dodger Stadium in LA.
And all of those tickets have something in common: I paid for them.
But It was a thrill just to be there.
But on two occasions, I had the opportunity to sit in really good seats.
Twice, I’ve had seats where you could actually see the baseball.
Once you’ve had really good seats, the cheap seats lose their thrill.
However, The bad seats helped me appreciate the good seats.
Ephesians tells us that Jesus gives us access to a platform that we could have never expected.
Kings, power brokers, and even Satan have tried for these seats, but they have never sat in the position of God’s right hand.
Then, Jesus ascends to heaven to reclaim his position.
But the next part is what I can’t grasp.
Paul says, through Christ Jesus, we are then seated at Christ’s right hand.
If this wasn’t in the Bible, I would say NO WAY.
How could it be possible that people, like you and I, are seated at the right hand of the Father because of Jesus?
Jesus is at the position of power and authority with the Father.
We are seated with Christ in the heavenly realm.
Yet, this is exactly what Scripture says happens.
And it’s not just an invitation (I had to be careful with language).
At salvation, Jesus does not just invite us to this spiritual platform, He seats us.
You don’t have to do anything or earn your spot, because we are saved by Grace, lest we boast about our work ethic.
Therefore, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the same one that brought us from spiritual death to spiritual life.
It’s the same Spirit.
It’s the same power working.
It’s all the same.
There isn’t a 1^st Century version of the Spirit and a 21^st Century version of the Spirit.
There isn’t a New Testament power and a lesser, modern-day power.
The Same Father, the Same Jesus, the Same Holy Spirit, the Same Power has raised us to the right hand.
The position of sitting signifies that the work is done
To be seated means that your part is done.
The work is done.
The show is about ready to begin.
Have a seat, Jesus says, while He brings to pass the victory He has promised and ensured through His blood.

2. Because of this, Jesus’ enemies are our enemies.

When we face attacks, you aren’t the ultimate aim.
It’s because of the God you love.
The attacks are because of who you serve.
Following Jesus puts in the crosshairs of Satan.
Satan can’t hurt God, so he hurts God’s people.
The Good News: Jesus’ victory is our victory.
We, too, wait until the final enemy is defeated.
Revelation tells of Satan’s final days.
Soon, there will be a day when the believer experiences no more pain, sorrow, or tears.
Soon the day will come when every knee bows and every tongue confess Jesus is Lord.
But until that day, every so called “win” of the enemy is a hollow victory.
Because Satan cannot stop God or hurt Him.
And you and I are seated at Christ’s right hand in the heavenly places.
Yes, the pain you feel is real.
The consequences are painful.
The struggle is real.
The Apostle Paul knows, because he writes this under arrest.
In a few years, his life would end at the hands of a Roman soldier and his sword.
Paul knew ALL about how Satan fights and attacks, but he also knew that Satan could not touch his spirit.
Because his spirit man was already seated at Jesus’ right hand, and Jesus’ victory was his victory.

3. All because God is rich in mercy.

Paul doesn’t linger long on this thought.
He considers what he says next to have great importance.
I know most of us want to more detail here.
What do the thrones look like.
What kind of power comes with it?
The focus is not upon us.
Paul uses all sorts of prepositional phrases to remind us who is in focus here:
Over and over: in Christ is the theme.
Apart from Jesus, there is no benefit or blessing.
But in Jesus, all things have been made available and access granted.
Reminder: Apart from Jesus, none of these promises are true.
It’s not because you are a good person.
It’s not because you have saved yourself.
For we are saved by Grace, through faith and you have no reason to boast.
So why does God does this?

4. So that He might display and make known the immeasurable riches.

Paul declares, “We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.”
The person you are becoming because of Jesus gives God glory.
Your story may be riddled with pits, holes, and very dark places.
But in Jesus we are able to point people to the miracle, life changing power of God.
We are proof that Jesus changes lives.
We are His workmanship.
Paul’s uses this illustration elsewhere including 2 Timothy 2:20, the pastor of Ephesus.
Every house had noble and non-noble vessels.
They called them honorable and dishonorable.
I learned years ago that just because you can wash something, some dishes should never be used for certain purposes.
I might have been guilty of uses one of Julie’s nice dishes to bail water out of the toilet (years ago).
Many of you have the fine-china and the paper plates.
Both get the job done but in very different ways.
But remember, that both the person who gives their life to Jesus and the person who suffers the wrath of God’s righteous judgment BOTH bring God glory but in very different ways.
The Apostle says we are created in Christ Jesus to do GOOD works.
Notice whose workmanship this belongs to.

1.We are God’s workmanship.

Humanity is created in the image of God.
Intricately and beautifully made.
Sin mars the image of God and makes us look unrecognizable.
That is what sin does.
All around us we see the beauty of God’s workmanship being maligned and marred, and messed up.
How is that happening?
The enemy says, “If god created them male and female, let’s destroy Gods distinction.”
The enemy says, “If God made life as something precious, let us kill and destroy as many as possible.”
The enemy says, “Let there arise monsters, like Jeffrey Dahmer and encourage people to watch his life story on Netflix and further the degradation God’s image in humanity.
The enemy says, “Let’s cheapen God’s image in humanity through pornography and let’s throw it in the trash like an aborted fetus. “
Because we are created in Christ’s image, if we are his workmanship, then we have a job to do.
We have the responsibility of showing the world the beauty of Jesus.
We have the responsibility to expose Satan’s plan to destroy and blame God. (What he has done since the beginning).

Close: In the coming days God is going to use you to display His kindness, mercy, and power.

So don’t forget.
You are God’s workmanship.
You are created for good works.
The enemy cannot eternally hurt you because you are spiritually seated at the right hand of the Father.
All of this is true when we stay “in Christ Jesus”.
Let’s Pray

Resurrected, not Resuscitated

Paul RichardsonOctober 16, 2022

Ephesians Sermon 7

Resurrected, not Resuscitated

10.16.2022

Ephesians Sermon 7

Ephesians 2:1–10 (CSB)

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

Introduction: Paul has talked about the victory, now he talks about the battle.

The first chapter is beautiful.
It exalts Jesus and all that He provides for us.
Jesus is victorious, seated at the right hand of the Father.
Jesus’ resurrection and ascension are the reasons for celebrating.
Now, Paul shifts to talking about how Christ’s victory brings us victory.
To talk about victories, we have to confess that we went through battles.
I’m afraid that in our desire to have a positive confession, as some call it, we live in denial of the battles that we have endured and that Christ has overcome.
Paul never tells us to deny our obstacles or our struggles.
By denying what we are going through, we deny the reality of Jesus’ power to overcome.
If the struggle isn’t real, the victory isn’t real.
Before we can know our position in Christ, we need to know where our position was in sin.

1. I was Dead in my sin, not just dying in it.

There’s a difference between dead and dying.
I wasn’t dying in my trespasses and sin; I was DEAD in them.
I didn’t need CPR, resuscitating me. I needed resurrection.
Spiritually speaking, without Jesus we are dead in our sins.
Physical death is an event, and we can mark it with a gravestone.
Spiritual death is a state of existence, and it is the default mode of humanity.
The only way out of this mode is to experience a spiritual resurrection.
Paul says we were dead in our trespasses and sins.
Paul is using these two words almost as synonyms to stress the significance of the distance between us and God.
We are just wrong, we are wrong TWICE!
We were hopelessly lost, Paul wants us to remember.
The word trespasses or transgressions has a legal tone: to take a false-step.
In our old life, we are walking falsely against God.
He says “step right”, we “step left”.
He says “up” we go “down”.
He says “here is the boundary, do not pass”, we step across the line and violate God and His Word.
The great theologian, Bugs Bunny, once faced a terrible dilemma to hit someone in the face with a pie: He says “If I doood it, I get a whoopin: I doood it.
The first sin was the trespassing of a God ordained boundary.
Sins are taking false-steps against God, often as we take false-steps against each other.
The word used for sins pictures the missing of the mark.
Regardless of what name or title we attach to it, we all were dead in our trespasses (plural) and sins (plural).
It didn’t matter if your story was like the Apostle Paul’s, or like the Ephesians, we all were dead and need of resurrection.
The longer you are a Christian, the easier it is to forget how sinful you were.
Time and distance has a way of sugar-coating and whitewashing the truth.
They were not necessarily the “good-old” days.
We easily forget the depths of the pit that Jesus saved us from.
One of my favorite attributes of the Apostle Paul is that he remained clear on how lost and sinful he was.
Paul knew who he was in Christ, but he never forgot who he was without Jesus.
That’s why he could call himself the chief of sinners.
That’s why Paul consistently pointed to who he used to be, “the wretched man” of Romans 7.
Please do not forget what God has brought you out of.
Your past tells a glorious story when viewed through the lens of Jesus’ saving work.
The story of where God has brought you gives glory to God and hope to others.

2. Dead in our sins and walking according to the ways of this world.

Paul adds to the analogy a bit: he says we were dead, yet walking according to the ways of this world.
Paul is talking about us spiritually.
Spiritually we were dead.
Nothing in us wanted God.
We couldn’t save ourselves because we were dead.
While we were dead to God and separated from Him, we were still walking around.
What we were walking in was according to the ways of this world.
Years ago, I watched the movie The Green Mile.
In it is a scene where a man is being led to the electric chair.
One of the guards leading him kept proclaiming:
Dead man; we have a dead man walking here.
Even though he was still living physically in that moment, his fate was secured.
He WAS going to die, and that was a fact.
There was no appeal.
There was no hope.
And the guards, on the day of his execution, walked the man down the Green Mile, and led him according to that way which led to death.
Before Jesus saved us, we were being led down the path of death.
We were, in a way, alive but also fully dead.
Without a pardon or intervention, we were dead in our walk.
We were being led, according to the ways of the world which led to death.
Every step was a trespass and transgression against God.
Apart from Christ, there is no life.
That’s Paul’s point.
In the next sentences, he celebrates what Christ has done for us.
But before we can appreciate what Christ has done, we have to remember where we were.
One of the most dangerous beliefs we have today is the belief that good people go to heaven.
Jesus said that No one is good, except God.
There is no good in us.
We are dead apart from Jesus: and dead things stink.
The right question is not: Are you a good person?
Because, without Jesus, we are dead in our sins.
The right question is, “Have you given your old, dead life to Jesus and experienced resurrection with Him?
If we are not walking with Jesus, then we are walking with the Devil.

3. Paul then shows the spiritual forces that were walking with us in death.

Verse 2b:…walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.

Those who are not with Jesus walk, “according to the ruler of the power of the air”.
This reference is to Satan in Scripture.
Even though we may not realize it, there is always spiritual activity happening in the background.
And it isn’t as far away as we think.
In fact, it is working in the disobedient.
Other versions say, “sons of disobedience”.
Who are the disobedient?
It refers to all who do not serve God.
If you are not walking with Jesus, then you are walking with Satan, who is the ruler of the power of the air.
There is no middle-ground in Ephesus.
Either you are walking with Jesus or you are walking according to the ways of this world.
Either you are being led down the “green mile” to your eternal death or you are walking toward eternal life with Jesus.
Most Americans would never admit or agree that they are walking with the Devil.
They may describe themselves as not religious, or they may not believe in Jesus, or they may confess that they aren’t right with God.
But very few people would say they are being led by Satan.
Sam Storms writes: The fact is, all people, young and old, male and female, belong to one of two kingdoms: the kingdom of light or the kingdom of darkness. If people are not “in Christ,” they are “in the power of the devil”—even if they have no visible, sensible awareness of being in the devil’s grip. Thus, not to serve God is to serve Satan, whether you are conscious of it or not.[1]
Scripture talks often about the prevalence of the devil’s influence on our thinking:
Paul told the believers in 1 Cor. 2:16 that they have the mind of Christ.
Phil. 2:5, Paul said we are to adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus.
Romans 12 tells us not be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
Before Christ, we carried out the “inclinations of our flesh and thoughts”.
Have you ever wondered why people can’t see how sinful some ideas are?
One church member this week texted: “Why can’t simple logic bring the educated yet clouded minds to sensible conclusions?”
Then he asked, “how can so many opinion leaders be perfectly possessed” referring to all of them having such bad and sinful ideas.
The answer is ancient:
Without Jesus, we are pulling from the same thought database.
Without Jesus, our thoughts are sinful, wicked, and place us under wrath.

4. The Solution? But God who is rich in mercy…

I have a love/hate relationship with the conjunction “But”.
But connects two opposing ideas.
But inserts a change in direction.
You are a hard worker, but we are going to have to let you go.
You’re a nice guy, but I’m not interested.
Your hair looks beautiful, but your face is a wreck.
Yet, when Scripture says “But God…” I like what comes next.
Paul describes how sinful and hopeless we were.
BUT GOD, who is rich in mercy…
This has been a common theme already: inheritance, possession, down-payment.
And now, mercy.
And God is rich in it.
And because of God’s great love for us, we receive mercy.
Mercy means we do not receive what we deserve.
Mercy is a gift you do not deserve.
Mercy is a gift you did not earn.
Mercy is initiated by God and from God through Jesus.
Even though we deserve death, God makes mercy available for all who will receive it.

Close: Let us Pause this morning to reflect on God’s Word to us.

Many of us are dealing with spiritual warfare but didn’t realize it.
Then enemy had a hold and claim on you for so long, he is not relinquishing that easily.
Perhaps the people you love are undergoing terrible attacks and you don’t know how to help.
The weapons of our warfare are not carnal.
Through believing the Word, prayer, worship, and other spiritual disciplines we endure and overcome the enemy.
This morning is a time for us to pray four ourselves and each other.

[1] Storms, Sam. Understanding Spiritual Warfare (p. 10). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

10/9/22 Jesus is not sitting at the Kiddy Table (PART 2)

Paul RichardsonOctober 9, 2022

Sermon 6 Jesus is not Sitting at the Kiddy Table part 2

Jesus is not Sitting at the Kiddy Table

Part 2 Ephesians Sermon 6

Ephesians 1:20–23 (CSB)

Introduction. Jesus is the Greatest.

We live in a world full of options.
There are over 1,000 brands of cereal in the world.
There are 4067 coffee companies in the United States in 2022.
One store in Washington state has 114 brands of root beer in the same place.
There are more than 37 million YOUTUBE channels, and more being added.
There are 3,000 brands of mustard in the world.
We live in a world full of options, and most are unnecessary.
We live in a world that wants options for their worship as well.
There have always been options for worship.
Each religion and each civilization had their own pantheon of gods.
In fact, what makes Judaism, Islam, and Christianity so unique and different was they were the first religions who proclaimed there is only ONE GOD.
In our desire to announce that there is only ONE GOD, we have also denied the existence of other spiritual influences.
There is only ONE GOD, who is above all.
But that does not mean there are not other spiritual influences that oppose the One true God.
The Apostle Paul, and the believers in Ephesus, understood this.
The Ephesians confronted the reality of other spiritual powers every single day.
That is why Paul’s words here are so important.

1. Paul reminds the Ephesian believers that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father.

Because all power belongs to Jesus, and because He conquered death, He is elevated to the right hand of the father.
This was not a new position for Jesus.
Jesus is not created.
He is eternal, with no beginning or end.
Jesus was not a new god, elevated to a new position.
Before the world began, Jesus was sitting at the right hand of the Father.
Sorry LEFITES: The right hand is the position of power, authority, and privilege.
This was Jesus’ original seat in eternity.
But when Jesus submitted Himself, and came to Earth as a baby, and put on human flesh, He temporarily gave up that seat.
But when the Father, through the Spirit, raised Christ from the grave, and Jesus ascended to heaven, He took over his seat.
And now, He is seated far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given.
The ancients understood something that we miss:
There are real, spiritual influences in this world.
Every civilization and every culture has manifested these real influences in some way or form.
In Ephesus, they worshipped the Emperor, which gave them Roman privilege.
They also worshipped Artemis which gave them sexual pleasure and promised fertility.
Today, the activity of principalities, powers, and the supernatural is just as real.
Have you ever wondered why every culture has a fascination with the supernatural, paranormal, and the occult?
It isn’t limited to the continent of Africa or majority world countries, but even here in America we are fascinated and affected by these powers in heavenly places.
I profess I do not fully understand how these principalities and powers work.
But I know that when you visit certain cities or communities, you can feel the darkness.
I’ve walked into homes here in Licking and I just knew that there were ungodly things happening that I couldn’t see.
To deny the reality of principalities, powers, dominions and authorities is to deny Jesus his rightful place above and over these things.
The reality is, we have a lot of options to choose from.
Test me in this: Just pay attention to the entertainment and focus upon this month here in the US, and you will see a great interest in the supernatural.
Furthermore, where do you think the ideas for mass-murder come from?
The same spiritual forces that we read about in the Bible are still active today.
And they will be until Jesus returns.
My question for you and I: is Jesus in the rightful place in your life?
This is a consistent and constant battle for me.
Too often, we play a spiritual game like the Elf on the Shelf.
Every day, we put the Jesus Elf somewhere else in our lives and, on Sunday, we put him in the forefront for a couple of hours
Then on Monday, we put him somewhere else, somewhere less conspicuous.

2. The Good News: Jesus is not sitting at the kiddy table.

²²And he subjected everything under his feet^, and appointed him as head over everything for the church,

Everything is Subjected under his feet.
This phrase is bold ink in most translations.
The bold means this is a direct quotation from the OLD Testament.
Psalms 8:6 and Psalm 110:1.

Psalm 8:5-6

⁵You made him little less than God^,

and crowned him with glory and honor.

⁶You made him ruler over the works of your hands;

you put everything under his feet:

Psalm 110:1 (CSB)

¹This is the declaration of the Lord to my Lord:

“Sit at my right hand

until I make your enemies your footstool.”

The picture here is of the ancient practice of stepping on a defeated enemy.
The books of Joshua and Isaiah describe times when the vanquished foe would be brought before the leaders.
The victor would either step on the neck of the enemy, or…
They would cause the enemy to lie down and walk from one point to the next on top of their bodies.
The Psalmists and the Apostle depict Jesus as both putting the enemy under His feet AND anticipating the enemy becoming his footstool.
There is an element here that is “already, not yet”.
The result is already: It’s done, and guaranteed and secure.
Yet, there is still coming a day in the future when the enemy is completely, utterly defeated and cast out.
So Jesus’ victory is already, and still yet to come.
Let this be confirmed by these two passages:

Hebrews 2:5–9 (CSB)

JESUS AND HUMANITY

⁵For he has not subjected to angels the world to come that we are talking about. ⁶But someone somewhere has testified:

What is man that you remember him,

or the son of man that you care for him?

⁷You made him lower than the angels

for a short time;

you crowned him with glory and honor

⁸and subjected everything under his feet.

For in subjecting everything to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. As it is, we do not yet see everything subjected to him. ⁹But we do see Jesus—made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace he might taste death for everyone—crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death.

1 Corinthians 15:20–27 (CSB)

²⁰But as it is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. ²²For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

²³But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; afterward, at his coming, those who belong to Christ. ²⁴Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he abolishes all rule and all authority and power. ²⁵For he must reign until he puts all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶The last enemy to be abolished is death. ²⁷For God has put everything under his feet.^, Now when it says “everything” is put under him, it is obvious that he who puts everything under him is the exception.

What does this mean?
First, we have nothing to fear.
It is very easy for us to give into fear because fear is the primary language of the enemy.
Ladies and Gentlemen, do you not notice how consistent the message of fear is today?
But we do not have to give into this message, because Jesus is victorious.
Jesus has the victory, and we are partakers in that.
Christ’s power guarantees victory, not ease.
Second, when we forget who Jesus is, we forget who we are.
I’ve covered much Scripture today.
Perhaps this message has been less “practical” than usual.
But what if we aren’t called to walk in the practical, but instead we are called to walk in the presence and power of Jesus?
For the saints in Ephesus, the power and presence of Jesus was practical because, without it, they could not live or survive.

Notice²²And he subjected everything under his feet^, and appointed him as head over everything for the church, ²³which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

3. Jesus is the head over everything.

Paul was adamant: Jesus is the head, we are not.
Jesus is the boss, the leader, and the priority.
Through Christ the church has everything it needs from God to be what it is called to be. Victory over these hostile forces will not only come one day; it is possible now, whatever they throw the church’s way, provided the church draws on the enablement Christ gives.[1]
The way for us to live in this victory is by remembering that Jesus is the head, not the tail or feet.
We are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
Paul says that we all have parts in the body, but we are never the head.
When we forget that, we get in trouble.
“When your feet are over your head, something has gone wrong.”
The way for you and I to live in victory, and to experience this victory in our world, is by keeping Jesus in the rightful place.

4. There are a lot of names vying for our attention.

Daily, you and I must decide whose name we are going to worship.
There are still various voices, calling for our allegiance.
It may not be an Emperor or a goddess, but there are still lesser gods crying for our attention.
That which has our attention has our worship.
But there is only one King, and One Lord, and in Him we find fullness and joy, peace and provision.
This morning, I know many of us find ourselves in storms.
Storms at work and at home.
Storms attacking our bodies and our families.
All of these storms have two voices:
One voice calls us to focus on our self or on our problem.
The other voice calls us to Jesus, seated at the right hand of the Father, the Head of the Church, systematically making his enemies footstools of His glory.

Close. Jesus receives the Glory either way.

Both the victorious overcomer and the defeated enemy bring God glory.
The overcomer brings God glory as a demonstration of Christ’s power to save, redeem, strengthen and restore.
The defeated bring God glory as a demonstration of Christ’s power over all forces that oppose Him.
To the one who overcomes, Jesus gives eternal life.
The defeated are made the footstool of the conquering Christ.
Today, as I look around this room, I see testimonies of God’s power to save, change and transform.
Today, is a great time to respond through prayer.
A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned the benefit of coming to the front for prayer.
By coming to the front, we express our belief in Jesus and we express our love and need for the saints.
In just a moment, I’m going to ask any who will to come to the front for a few moments to pray and to be prayed for.

[1] Bock, Darrell L. 2019. Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary. Edited by Eckhard J. Schnabel. Vol. 10. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. London: Inter-Varsity Press.

Ephesians 1:18-23 Jesus is not at the Kiddy Table

Paul RichardsonOctober 1, 2022

Sermon 4 UPDATED Jesus is not at the Kiddy Table

Jesus is Not Sitting at the Kiddy Table

10.2.2022

Ephesian Series

Sermon 4

Ephesians 1:18–19 (CSB)

Ephesians 1:20–23 (CSB)

Introduction:

“imagine this question. There was a human being in the first century who was called “Divine,” “Son of God,” “God,” and “God from God,” whose titles were “Lord,” “Redeemer,” “Liberator,” and “Savior of the World.” Who was that person? Most people who know the Western tradition would probably answer… Jesus of Nazareth. And most Christians probably think that those titles were originally created and uniquely applied to Christ. But before Jesus ever existed, all those terms belonged to Caesar Augustus. To proclaim them of Jesus the Christ was thereby to deny them of Caesar the Augustus. Christians were not simply using ordinary titles applied to all sorts of people at that time, or even extraordinary titles applied to special people in the East. They were taking the identity of the Roman emperor and giving it to a Jewish peasant. Either that was a peculiar joke and a very low lampoon, or it was what the Romans called majestas and we call high treason.”[1]

The people of Ephesus were, first, people of their world.
Before some believed in Jesus, they worshipped the Emperor and the goddesses Diana and Artemis.
Many made their livings from crafting idols.
The worship of other gods was a focal point of their life and their city.
It is a fallacy, a lie, that a person can separate their religion from the other parts of their life.
Our worship is always intertwined with our business, the way we raise our family, our politics, and our play.
Who we really worship will be demonstrated in and throughout our lives.
There is no middle ground in Ephesus.
No one understood this better than the people in Ephesus.
The lives of the Ephesians changed when they heard about Jesus.
At first, it was the story of a man in Israel who was crucified and arose from the dead and ascended.
Then they learned that He was actually the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and not the Roman Emperor.
Quickly they had to decide to stop worshipping other gods, because there was only One God, manifest in three persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
Now they had to decide: Was Jesus worthy of all their worship?
Just like the Israelites coming out of Egypt, the Gospel in Ephesus demanded a relinquishing of old gods and the acceptance of Jesus alone.
For the Ephesians, the call to follow Jesus meant their weekends would never be the same.
Where they earned their livings would have to change.
When their city gathered at the temples, they would stand out from the crowd.
The call to follow Jesus was the trading of one life for another.
But was it worth the trade?
Paul thought so.
The saints in Ephesus agreed.
Therefore, Paul uses exalted language to paint a picture of how much greater Jesus is over everything and everyone else.
For you and I today, we still must decide if we will give Jesus the place in our life that He deserves.
When we watch the news, and see the horrors, do we still believe that Jesus is above all else?
When the bad report comes, or a difficult situation arises, do we still lean upon the name of Jesus that is above every name?
Are there words, diagnosis, or situations that tempt us to bring Jesus down to our level and elevating the problem to an unholy place?
The words of Paul help remind us EXACTLY where Jesus belongs.

Today, notice how Paul reminds saints like us of Jesus’ power, victory, and place in the universe.

1. Toward us who believe, there is the immeasurable greatness of his power. Vs. 19

Time and again, we are told that there is power in and through Jesus.
To the pastor of Ephesus, Timothy, Paul wrote that God did not give us the spirit of fear but of power…
To the saints of Ephesus, Paul reminds them that God makes known his immeasurable power to them through Jesus.
For believers everywhere, we are reminded that Jesus is not the God of the wimps, but the God who is the source of all power.
Not only does God have this power, but He demonstrates that power in and through us.
Jesus said in Acts 1:8, “and you shall receive “power” after the Holy Spirit comes upon you.”
Christ’s victory over sin and death is our victory too.
Jesus never intended to hog all the power and victory, but desires to pass that power and victory to those who Believe.
Jesus’ victory is our victory too.
For example: Some of you here today have fought to for your sobriety.
By doing so, you are not just fighting for your victory but for your kids and grandkids.
You victory isn’t just for you but for those who come after you.
Christ passes His victory onto us.

2. The Father exercised this Power by raising Jesus from the dead.

The resurrection and ascension of Jesus are two of the most important events in the New Testament.
“To Paul, and in the New Testament generally, the cross, the resurrection and the ascension are considered as three parts of one great act of God.”^[2]
The message of resurrection and ascension is not only for the Easter season, but it is for every season.
That’s because the same power that raised Jesus from the grave lives in us!
The New Living Translation of Ephesians 1:19–20 (NLT)
¹⁹I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power ²⁰that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.
Paul told the saints in Rome:

Romans 8:11 (CSB)

¹¹And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.

“Thus the resurrection and ascension, as well as indicating that the work of Christ on earth was finished, express the measure of the Father’s power made available to humanity.” ^[3]
It’s important that we do not separate the crucifixion from the resurrection and the resurrection from the ascension.
Jesus’ resurrection and ascension is meant to impact our everyday life.
It is through this power, we overcome sin.
It is through this power that the saints will be raised from the dead.
It is through this power that we can live in victory on this Earth, not defeat.
In Ephesus, Rome had the power to bring death, but she did not have the power over death.
Think of it this way: Rome was merely a tool of death.
Rome knew how to use and be used by death to bring to terror and destruction.
But Jesus defeated death and passed that power on to us.
Jesus said in Matthew 10:28: Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

3. Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father.

Because all power belongs to Jesus, and because He conquered death, He is elevated to the right hand of the father.
This was not a new position for Jesus.
Jesus is not created.
He is eternal, with no beginning or end.
Before the world began, Jesus was sitting at the right hand of the Father.
The right hand is the position of power, authority, and privilege.
This was Jesus’ original seat.
But when Jesus submitted Himself, and came to Earth as a baby, and put on human flesh, He temporarily gave up that seat.
But when the Father, through the Spirit, raised Christ from the grave, and Jesus ascended to heaven, He took over his seat.
And now, He is seated far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given.
The ancients understood something that we miss:
There are real, spiritual influences in this world.
Every civilization and every culture has manifested these real influences in some way or form.
In Ephesus, they worshipped the Emperor, which gave them Roman privilege.
They also worshipped Artemis which gave them sexual pleasure and promised fertility.
Today, the activity of principalities, powers, and the supernatural is just as real.
Have you ever wondered why every culture has a fascination with the supernatural, paranormal, and the occult?
It isn’t limited to the continent of Africa or majority world countries, but even here in America we are fascinated and affected by these powers in heavenly places.
Test me in this: Just pay attention to the entertainment and focus upon this month here in the US, and you will see a great interest in the supernatural.
Furthermore, where do you think the ideas for mass-murder come from?
The same spiritual forces that we read about in the Bible are still active today.
And they will be until Jesus returns.

4. The Good News: Jesus is not sitting at the kiddy table.

²²And he subjected everything under his feet^, and appointed him as head over everything for the church,

Everything is Subjected everything under his feet.
This phrase is bold ink in most translations.
The bold means this is a direct quotation from the OLD Testament.
Psalms 8:6 and Psalm 110.

Psalm 8:5-6

⁵You made him little less than God^,

and crowned him with glory and honor.

⁶You made him ruler over the works of your hands;

you put everything under his feet:

Psalm 110:1 (CSB)

¹This is the declaration of the Lord to my Lord:

“Sit at my right hand

until I make your enemies your footstool.”

The picture here is of the ancient practice of stepping on a defeated enemy.
Both the books of Joshua and Isaiah describe times when the vanquished foe would be brought before the leaders.
The victor would either step on the neck of the enemy, or…
They would cause the enemy to lie down and walk from one point to the next on top of their bodies.
The Psalmists and the Apostle depict Jesus as both putting the enemy under His feet AND anticipating the enemy becoming his footstool.
There is an element here that is “already, not yet”.
The result is already: It’s done, and guaranteed and secure.
Yet, there is still coming a day in the future when the enemy is completely, utterly defeated and cast out.
So Jesus’ victory is already, and still yet to come.
Let this be confirmed by these two passages:

Hebrews 2:5–9 (CSB)

JESUS AND HUMANITY

⁵For he has not subjected to angels the world to come that we are talking about. ⁶But someone somewhere has testified:

What is man that you remember him,

or the son of man that you care for him?

⁷You made him lower than the angels

for a short time;

you crowned him with glory and honor

⁸and subjected everything under his feet.

1 Corinthians 15:20–27 (CSB)

What does this mean?
First, we have nothing to fear.
It is very easy for us to give into fear because fear is the primary language of the enemy.
Ladies and Gentlemen, do you not notice how consistent the message of fear is today?
But we do not have to give into this message, because Jesus is victorious.
Jesus has the victory, and we are partakers in that.
Christ’s power guarantees victory, not ease.
Second, when we forget who Jesus is, we forget who we are.
I’ve covered much Scripture today.
Perhaps this message has been less “practical” than usual.
But what if we aren’t called to walk in the practical, but instead we are called to walk in the presence and power of Jesus?
For the saints in Ephesus, the power and presence of Jesus was practical because, without it, they could not live or survive.

5. Jesus is the head over everything.

Paul was adamant: Jesus is the head, we are not.
Jesus is the boss, the leader, and the priority.
Through Christ the church has everything it needs from God to be what it is called to be. Victory over these hostile forces will not only come one day; it is possible now, whatever they throw the church’s way, provided the church draws on the enablement Christ gives.[4]
The way for us to live in this victory is by remembering that Jesus is the head, not the tail or feet.
We are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
Paul says that we all have parts in the body, but we are never the head.
When we forget that, we get in trouble.
“When your feet are over your head, something has gone wrong.”
The way for you and I to live in victory, and to experience this victory in our world, is by keeping Jesus in the rightful place.

6. There are a lot of names vying for our attention.

Daily, you and I must decide whose name we are going to worship.
There are still various voices, calling for our allegiance.
It may not be an Emperor or a goddess, but there are still lesser gods crying for our attention.
That which has our attention has our worship.
But there is only one King, and One Lord, and in Him we find fullness and joy, peace and provision.
This morning, I know many of us find ourselves in storms.
Storms at work and at home.
Storms attacking our bodies and our families.
All of these storms have two voices:
One voice calls us to focus on our self or on our problem.
The other voice calls us to Jesus, seated at the right hand of the Father, the Head of the Church, systematically making his enemies footstools of His glory.
Today, is a great time to reprioritize through prayer.
A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned the benefit of coming to the front for prayer.
By coming to the front, we express our belief in Jesus and we express our love and need for the saints.
In just a moment, I’m going to ask any who will to come to the front for a few moments to pray and to be prayed for.

[1] Crossan, John Dominic. God and Empire: Jesus Against Rome, Then and Now (pp. 28-29). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

^[2] Foulkes, Francis. 1989. Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 10. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

^[3] Foulkes, Francis. 1989. Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 10. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

[4] Bock, Darrell L. 2019. Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary. Edited by Eckhard J. Schnabel. Vol. 10. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. London: Inter-Varsity Press.

9/11/2022 Ephesians 1:15-19 Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Insight

Paul RichardsonSeptember 11, 2022

PDF: Sermon 4 Prayer for Spiritual Insight

Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Insight

9.11.2022

Sermon 4

Ephesians Series

Ephesians 1:15–19 (CSB)

PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL INSIGHT

¹⁵This is why, since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, ¹⁶I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. ¹⁷I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you the Spirit^, of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. ¹⁸I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength.

Introduction. Paul shares his pastoral and apostolic heart for the believers in Ephesus.

Paul helped found the church and stabilized it in its beginning.
He invested 3 years of his life there, which was a long time for Paul.
The best ministers always leave part of themselves wherever they go.
They also take a piece of that place and people with them.
On this occasion, Paul reflects on the great people serving and loving Jesus in Ephesus from house arrest.
Are they ok?
How are they facing the struggles?
Who has been added to the kingdom?
Is the man down the street saved yet?
Has sister so-so received the Baptism since he was away?
How’s Timothy doing (the same Timothy of the letters is the pastor)?
Paul thinks of them often and prays for them continuously, and now he pulls back the curtain for a moment to reveal the kinds of prayers he is praying for them.
This week especially, I found myself praying similar prayers for many of you.
This may sound strange, but the heaviness of what you all face lands upon Julie and me.
We do not feel it the same as you, but we do feel for and with you.
Midweek, I found myself thankful that I was preaching this passage because the timing, for me, is perfect.
Paul’s writings helped provide language for my own prayers.
When I don’t know what to pray for, Paul gives me some examples.

When Paul prayed for the believers in Ephesus, what did he say?

1. First, Paul prayed, “THANK YOU”!

¹⁵This is why, since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, ¹⁶I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.

The word Paul used for “thank you,” you may have heard before.
It’s the word eucharist.
If you were raised Catholic or in a liturgical church, you have maybe heard that word before.
We usually don’t say the “eucharist” but instead say “communion” or the “Lord’s Supper.”
eucharist means “to give thanks.”
On the night Jesus was betrayed, “And when he broke bread, he gave thanks and said….”
Jesus gave thanks, amid trial in the midst of betrayal and strife
Paul, unable to leave or move as he wanted, cannot stop “giving thanks” every time he remembers them in his prayers.
One of the most powerful prayers we can pray is the prayer of thanks.
Not just thanking God for the tangible blessings, but for the people blessings.
Unfortunately, I do not get to talk to everyone on Sunday.
But if we talk even for a few minutes together, I find myself saying this phrase a lot:
There is a lot of good people here.
This is a great place.
I’ve never been part of a church with such wonderful people.
As your pastor, I’m thankful and appreciative of the building, and solid finances, and all of the blessings God has provided.
But first, and foremost, I’m thankful for you!
When we choose to bless those God has put in our lives, we experience the benefit of that blessing returning back to us.
When you curse what you should bless, you cause good things to die.
Don’t curse the people around you, and wonder why they leave or turn toxic.
But instead, let us give thanks to God in our prayers for each other!

PRAYER of Blessing for each other.

2. Second, Paul prayed for them to receive the Spirit of knowledge and wisdom.

What Paul is praying for here is, first of all, only possible through Holy Spirit.
Notice that the English is capitalized, referring to a specific Spirit.
There is only ONE way to know and experience God: through the Holy Spirit who reveals Jesus.
Therefore, it makes perfect sense that as Paul desires the believers in Ephesus to know God more fully, that He would pray that God would give them the Spirit of Wisdom and Knowledge.
The wisdom and knowledge here is not merely for information.
Many wise and knowledgeable people do not know God or grasp the “mysteries” of salvation.
There are also plenty of people who do not have much earthly knowledge or education, yet who are deep and wise in the things of God.
The purpose of wisdom and knowledge is to know Christ.
It is to have a personal knowledge of God.
You do not have to live off someone else’s knowledge and experience: You are called to have your own experience, wisdom, and knowledge of who Jesus is and the glorious riches of His grace.
Paul’s prayer was for each believer to have their own knowledge and experience with Jesus.
That is my prayer for you as well.
That EACH of you will have a ever deepening relationship with Jesus, the ONE who loves you, redeems you, and grants you an inheritance and a share in eternal life.

3. Third, Paul prayed that they would WAKE UP to what God has provided through Jesus.

The “eyes of your heart” is more than an emotional understanding.
The “heart” in ancient writing refers to the center of the personality.
It’s the inner man in its entirety[1].
Paul is praying for the Ephesus believers to not only to feel God, or to understand God, but to fully grasp all that God has provided through Jesus.
Paul prays for them to fully know 3 things:
First: The hope to which he has called you.
This is the hope of present salvation and our eternal inheritance.
Hope is always present, never future.
What you may be hoping for may lie in the future.
But the HOPE is always present.
For example: I HOPE the Cardinals when the World Series:
The result is in the future, but the hope, the feeling, the anticipation is PRESENT.
Paul wants them to know the “hope of his calling.”
This is not just something future, although there is an anticipation of a future event.
But the HOPE is for today!
Jesus’ future return is called “THE BLESSED HOPE.”
We LIVE in the hope of Jesus’ soon return.
Many of us today are fighting to stay in hope.
Fear pushes away hope.
Hope is the first casualty of fear.
Life, without hope, is deadly.
Maybe today you are in need of HOPE!
HOPE: Living in anticipation of God’s moving, providing, and His restoring.
Paul prays that those who read will know the hope of his calling.
Second, Paul prays they may know the wealth of Christ’s glorious inheritance in the saints.
Paul has in mind the special relationship God wants to have with us.
We are Christ’s inheritance, we are the prized possession, His portion.
When we realize that Christ wants us, and died for us, we realize our worth in God’s eyes.
Third, Paul prays they know the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe.
God is all-powerful, whether we admit it or not.
But for those who believe, we can beautifully experience that power.
Consider the many men in this room:
Many of you have had the joys of holding your babies or wiping the tears from your child’s eyes.
Yet, those same hands that wipe away tears or cradle a loved one are the same hands that are prepared to protect that family and do harm to any threat that may threaten them.
Same hands, same person, different response.
The same hands that will wipe away every tear from the believer’s eyes is the same hands that wields judgment’s sword.
For those who believe, we may know the immeasurable greatness of his power.
My prayer for you is that you will KNOW God, and His power, and His might.
That He will anchor you in the storm.
That He will be your shield when under attack.
May the Devil’s challenge be God’s opportunity to demonstrate the immeasurable greatness of his power in your life.

Close: Thank You, Eucharisteo.

In a few moments, we will give thanks to God through the Eucharist.
But first, I cannot help shake the idea that many of us need precisely what Paul was praying for.
You need God’s power in your life.
You need wisdom and knowledge of Him.
You need your life enlightened, because life is getting increasingly dark.
This morning, I want to provide opportunity to pray with you and for you.
I believe that this prayer of Paul is still in force today.
God wants you to have and experience these very things.
I’m going to pray, and have you remain seated.
In just a moment, if you would like prayer for any reason at all, would move from your seat to the front so this body of believers might give thanks to God for you and pray for your healing, your growth, and for God’s presence to be demonstrated in your life.
This will allow us to fulfill the first part of Paul’s opening:
He had heard of the Ephesian believer’s faith in Jesus AND their love for all the saints.
When we come around the front to pray we demonstrate these things: OUR FAITH in Christ AND our love for the saints.

[1] The verse V 10, p 69 p 69 speaks specifically of the eyes of your hearts and we need to remember that in biblical expression the heart is not simply the seat of the emotions, nor the seat of the intellect or ‘understanding’ (av), but as Masson puts it ‘the centre of the personality’, to which God speaks, ‘the inner man in his entirety^[1]

Ephesians Sermon 3 According to His Riches. 9/4/2022

Paul RichardsonSeptember 4, 2022

PDF is AVAILABLE HERE: Sermon 3

According to the Riches of His Grace

9/4/2022

Sermon 3

Ephesians Series

Ephesians 1:7–14 (CSB)

⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace ⁸that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding. ⁹He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ ¹⁰as a plan for the right time—to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.

¹¹In him we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, ¹²so that we who had already put our hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory.

¹³In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. ¹⁴The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.

Introduction: Are there any professed “procrastinators” here?

Some people are simply wired to always be late and to always put off until the last minute what they should have done beforehand.
Thankfully, God isn’t a procrastinator.
Paul, in Ephesians, uses the highest language possible to talk about His God in these first verses of Ephesians.
In these verses, Paul reminds us that God is never late.
Paul talks about the “fullness of time”, “mystery”, and “predestined” throughout these verses.
These words do not describe a God who is “playing” catchup.
He is not late, or behind, or surprised.
Instead, God is purposeful, intentional, and planned in what He is doing.
That includes what God is giving.
Today, Paul’s verses speak to what God has planned for and provided His people.
Redemption, Inheritance, and a down-payment are some of what Paul describes in these verses that God has given us.
Let’s look at: What God Gives, The Measure He Gives with, and the Means of His Giving.

1. God Gives Redemption

This is one of several words Paul uses in this passage that has a legal tone, with a financial coloring.
Before redemption was a theological word, it was a common word.
Often, we think of “redeem” as a verb: I redeem a coupon for a discount or I redeem a ticket for entrance into a concert.
To redeem is viewed as an action to “ransom”, with the replacement of one thing for another.
But in this text, Paul uses a noun instead of a verb.
A verb is an action word.
A noun is a person, place, thing, or idea.
Here, Paul is talking about the “NOUN” of Redemption.
In other words, Paul is not referring to what was enacted, but what was given.
“In him we have redemption”…
Through Jesus, and in Jesus, we have redemption.
Redemption from what?
Sin.
Paul would have had in mind the 3 great redemptions in human history.
The first was the redeeming of Israel from Egypt through the Exodus.
Israel was enslaved in Egypt for 400 years.
But God “redeemed” them from their slavery and set them free.
The second was the redeeming of Israel from exile and slavery to Babylon.
Because of Israel’s sin, she was “sold” into bondage to Babylon for 70 years.
But at the appointed time, God redeemed Israel once again and returned her to her land.
The third great redemption: The sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross to free humanity from the bondage of sin and death.
To have in our possession this redemption in Jesus means we are no longer enslaved to sin, but free to live for Jesus. (Romans 6)
Through Jesus, you are in possession of redemption,
Your “freedom” ticket has been punched and given to you, to live for Jesus.
This is why we must be careful how we live!
Because, through Jesus, we have been redeemed from sin, and have redemption in Christ Jesus.

2. God gives an Inheritance

God doesn’t stop with redemption, but He also gives us an inheritance.

Ephesians 1:11–12 (CSB)

1. Inheritance is all about relationship.
We do not inherit from people we do not know.
In fact, there are many instances when people bypass their own blood family and give to someone else because that person had a relationship with them, when blood family did not.
We receive our inheritance on the basis of relationship.
The language Paul uses refers to a mutual benefit.
In fact, the Greek refers to language referring to “a person’s lot or portion”.
It’s the same language used in Deuteronomy and elsewhere that declared that Israel was God’s portion and prize.
Far from this being solely about the recipient, the inheritance is first of all about the giver.
Paul uses all sorts of language that gives praise and glory to God and Jesus, not us.
We did not earn the inheritance.
We did not deserve God’s grace and blessing.
We did nothing but receive what was offered, through Jesus.
The greatness of the gift is not dependent upon us!
Think of this:
God gives us redemption, and then gives us an inheritance that is reciprocal: He is OUR God and we are His People.
And then, to make prove that the inheritance was real and true, He gives us a down-payment of that inheritance.

3. God Gives the Spirit: The Seal and Down Payment

Paul gives two images or illustrations to demonstrate what the Holy Spirit does at salvation.
When we give our lives to Jesus, God gives us redemption and freedom from sin.
He brings us into the family of God, and thus the inheritance.
Then the Holy Spirit is given as both a seal and an earnest deposit.
What does the seal mean?

“In the ancient world the seal was the personal sign of the owner or the sender of something important, and thus, as in a letter, it distinguished what was true from what was spurious.”[1]

The personal sign of the owner…
How do we experience our redemption, and blessing, and inheritance here on Earth?
The Holy Spirit living in us is a seal that says this is FROM God and this salvation is genuine.
Holy Spirit in your life is God’s proof that this is true and real.
The Holy Spirit is God’s stamp of ownership on you.
The Holy Spirit is the Christian’s seal. The experience of the Holy Spirit in their lives is the final proof to them, and indeed a demonstration to others, of the genuineness of what they have believed, and provides the inward assurance that they belong to God as children^[2].
b. When the world looks at you, they should see the mark of the Holy Spirit upon your life, knowing you are the real deal.
Deny the Holy Spirit, you deny the authenticity of what Jesus has done.
The Holy Spirit is also an earnest deposit or down-payment.
Again, we see a financial image here.
When buying property, we have to put down money in earnest:
It means we are serious and there is more coming.
One writer says, “The gift of the Spirit, then, is the guarantee of coming immortality.^[3]
How do I know Jesus is real, and that Eternal life awaits me?
Because I’m enjoying a down-payment of that eternal life NOW.
There is also another image connected with this “guarantee”.
In it’s earliest usage, the word we use for down-payment was related to the idea of an engagement ring (footnote in Bruce).
When you put a ring on it, you come back for it!
Scripture is full of wedding imagery:
Jesus said “If I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and bring you to myself.”
The Holy Spirit reminds us that Jesus is coming back for us.
And when He comes back, we will be united in a much fuller and beautiful way than ever before.
You see, this is the down-payment, the guarantee, the earnest deposit, but don’t wait: EVEN MORE IS COMING.

4. How God Gives:

Paul says that God gives “according to the riches of his grace”.
I came across this illustration that help

Think of it this way: John D. Rockefeller was the richest man in the world, the richest man America had ever produced. If Rockefeller wished to give of his riches there were two ways he could — according to his riches, or from his riches. History records that he most often did the latter, giving from his riches. The most famous picture of Rockefeller shows him as a wizened old man, dressed in a top hat and cut-away coat giving a dime to some little waif. Rockefeller reportedly did this again and again for the press to dutifully photograph. One wonders how many boys were truly set on the road to wealth and moral excellence by a wonderful gift from Rockefeller’s fortune.

But think what it would have been like had he given according to his riches. If he had done that, he would have perhaps given a grand home, say the famous greystone Kykiut on the family estate Pocantico, and for the living room a Gilbert Stuart or George Washington, a Rodin for the lawn, and a forest, and a Dusenberg for the carriage house.^[4]

God does not give “From” his riches.
God gives according to them.
“When God gives “in accordance with the riches of [his] grace” he gives from his unlimited treasure-house.”^[5]
What we have to give is limited.
But what God gives is unlimited:
He isn’t running out of grace.
He isn’t overwhelmed with miracle requests.
He isn’t trying to balance heaven’s budget to make sure you get what you need.
Not only that, He does not give in a limited manner.
Luke 6:38 says that God gives us a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over.
We have to stop treating God has if He has the same limitations you do.
When God gives, He gives ACCORDING to His riches.
Nothing expresses this better than the means with which God provided all of this:

5. The Means: Through His Blood

Notice the means Paul talks about:
“In him we have redemption through his blood…”
The Apostle Peter said : 1 Peter 1:18–19 (CSB)

¹⁸For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, ¹⁹but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb.

The most precious resource ever given is not gold, diamonds, platinum, or anything of that sort.
But the most precious substance was the blood of Jesus that was shed for me.
Sinless, perfect, pure, and it, alone, could provide forgiveness of our sins.
Only the blood of Jesus can give us repentance, setting us free from slavery to sin and death.
Only the blood of Jesus can give us an inheritance that is far grander than anything any earthly father can pass along.
Only the blood of Jesus opens the doors to eternal life and relationship with God.
There is no blessing or anything good apart from the sacrifice of Jesus.
But BECAUSE JESUS HAS DIED, and BECAUSE HIS BLOOD WAS SHED, we can experience every blessing that God has provided.
And it is not an imposition for us to ask God and to lay hold upon those blessings, because God has provided them as our inheritance!!!

Close: An old hymn of the church says:

1.Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!

Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;

Redeemed through His infinite mercy,

His child, and forever, I am.

Refrain:

Redeemed, redeemed,

Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;

Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!

His child, and forever, I am.

2 I think of my blessed Redeemer,

I think of Him all the day long;

I sing, for I cannot be silent;

His love is the theme of my song. [Refrain]

3 I know I shall see in His beauty

The King in whose law I delight,

Who lovingly guardeth my footsteps,

And giveth me songs in the night. [Refrain]

I really think that many of us underestimate God’s love for us.
If nothing else, may this sermon catch us off guard so that we may pay attention to all that has already been done for us.
May we not take for granted Christ’s love for us.
May we not be ignorant of the blessings and benefits made available through the Blood of Jesus.
What do we do from here?
Today, I want to invite all who would like prayer today to come to the front in just a minute.
If you are tired, and a nap won’t fix it, I want to pray for you.
If you are struggling, I want us to pray for you.
If you need healing in your body, would you come to pray this morning.
If you want to draw closer to Jesus, I invite you to pray for a few moments this morning.

[1] Foulkes, Francis. 1989. Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 10. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

^[2] Ibid.

^[3] Bruce, F. F. 1984. The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

^[4] Hughes, R. Kent. 1990. Ephesians: The Mystery of the Body of Christ. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

^[5] Hughes, R. Kent. 1990. Ephesians: The Mystery of the Body of Christ. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

Blessed for Wherever you Are

Paul RichardsonAugust 28, 2022

Ephesians Sermon 2

Blessings for wherever you are.

8/28/2022

Message 2

Ephesians Series

How to Get the Most out of a sermon (SLIDES)

Introduction: Have you ever found yourself in a place that surprised you?

Sometimes, we find ourselves in surprisingly good places.
I love those moments where you look around and think, “this is amazing!”
Moments that you are thankful and joyous and simply amazed that you are where you are.
Sometimes, we find ourselves in surprisingly tough places.
Often, through no fault of our own, we arrive in challenging places.
Sickness, loss of a job, a wayward child, or unfair criticism and persecution are some of the tough places almost all of us find ourselves in.
Question: Do you feel just as blessed in challenging places as in good places?
When you are in a difficult season, can you still call yourself blessed?
The Apostle Paul, under arrest, is writing to a group of Christians in a hostile environment.
Yet, he cannot stop writing about all of the blessings that they all have in Jesus.

Ephesians 1:3–6 (CSB)

1. Paul writes this from a Roman prison or house arrest.

Paul is imprisoned in Rome.
We know this because of the timelines that Acts and church history provides.
We know Ephesians is one of several letters Paul wrote while awaiting trial before Caesar.
As I read this, I wonder, What would I write if I was in prison?
Many Christians, over the years, have written from prison.
The Chinese Christian, Watchman Nee, wrote from prison.
German pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote many letters and prayers for fellow prisoners while awaiting execution in a Gestapo prison cell[1].
The Puritan John Bunyan also wrote in an English prison, eventually writing the classic “Pilgrim’s Progress.”
The History of Jesus’ Church is full of stories of people experiencing hardship, persecution, and even prison.
I’m not talking about the people who did wrong and got caught.
But faithful saints who found themselves in difficult and trying places.
The furnace of affliction perfects our faith in these difficult and trying places.
CIRCUMSTANCES DON’T CREATE OUR SPIRIT, THEY REVEAL IT!
Paul refused to be a victim of circumstance.
Instead, he Blessed the saints in Ephesus and encouraged them to walk in that blessing regardless of their surroundings.
There is no middle ground in Ephesus.
And for Paul, there was no middle-ground in blessing:
Either we are blessed, or we are cursed; there is no in-between.
If I had been mistreated in a city like Paul had and was writing them a letter, what would the tone be? What would I say?
The truth is that I would not have written what Paul wrote.
For most of us, it’s hard to talk about glory and blessing when our surroundings look more like a prison than a palace.
But that is what Paul does.
He blesses God while he is in chains.
He blesses the believers in a city that abused him, persecuted him, and rioted because of him. (Acts 19)
Paul lays claim to his adoption as a son through Jesus, even though he did not look or feel like a son at the moment.
Consider this: Paul, an adopted son of God through Jesus, was presently in prison.
Yet, Paul’s circumstance could not touch his identity.
Whatever you are going through, please do not let your circumstances touch your identity.
Whatever your experience, please do not let your circumstances go to your heart.

2. Understanding “Blessing”.

Blessing is a word we use A LOT in Christianity, but the definitions are often unclear.
What blessing is “not”.
Blessing is not “good vibes” or thoughts.
Blessing is not a cute slogan on a T-shirt.
Blessing is also not conditional: if you have been given a check for a thousand dollars or a bill for $10,000, your position of blessing has not changed.
Blessing in the NT “conveys the idea of being especially favored:” (Mounce)
In the OT, blessing denotes the pronouncement of good things on the recipient or the collection of those good things themselves.^[2]
To Bless others is to express God’s favor for them.
To be blessed is to receive the pronouncement of good made by God or through Jesus by others.
Blessing is serious business, and the OT and NT writers took this very seriously.
The word “blessed” implies something that is spoken.
How do we bless and receive blessings?
It starts with something spoken, something verbal.
Paul, through the longest sentence in the Greek language, is conveying the blessing, the favored position, of the believers in Christ Jesus.
This blessing was already reality; Paul is simply reminding them of what Jesus has done.
When you “bless” someone, you are not creating a new condition.
When I bless you at the end of the service, I am simply stating what Jesus has already done for you.
Protection, provision, completeness, wholeness, peace, and grace: they don’t come from me they come from Jesus.

3. Paul is adamant that blessing is only from God through Jesus.

The other day, I started reading a book called “The 5am Club”.
Personally, I’m disciplining myself to start my day earlier so I can be more productive.
This book had great reviews and a title that intrigued me.
So I bought it, hoping I could glean a few things.
I knew it wasn’t a Christian book, but that’s ok.
But I noticed that there was a ton of spiritual language in it.
In fact, it used language that many of us might use in our personal life or at church.
But something was really missing.
Then it hit me:
This author was declaring peace, and blessing, and completion, and wholeness for his readers.
BUT, the difference was that, instead of these blessings coming from the Father through Jesus, they were coming either from “self” or from the “cosmos.”
There is No blessing APART from Christ.
In fact, apart from Jesus, there is only the pronouncement of the Curse.
Even though a person may appear highly successful, healthy, productive, or wealthy, apart from Jesus, they are not a BLESSED person.
Additionally, a person may struggle financially, be surrounded by opposition, and endure struggle, and still be BLESSED.
Blessing comes from Jesus, nothing else.
Paul is thankful to God for the blessing of Jesus.
With Jesus comes every spiritual blessing.
And, first and foremost, these blessings are held for us in heavenly places.
Paul doesn’t even describe all of the spiritual blessings in this.
For me, I want to know everything Paul has in mind here.
I also want to know more about them being in the “heavenly places.”
But Paul moves past this pretty quickly.
Perhaps Paul moves quickly because the focus is never on the “what” and always on the “who”.
These verses are ALL about Jesus.
And they are all about being IN Christ.
If you are in Christ, everything else is a bonus.
Christ is the prize, and everything else is a perk.
The perks are amazing, but Jesus is the prize.

4. What does it mean to be “chosen”?

⁴For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him., ⁵He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.

An imperfect analogy:
A way I picture this is that every name of every person is on a list.
And God selects every name of every person to be on His team.
Unlike choosing teams in school, where we pick two team captains and they pick the best people for their team, with the best going first and leaving the worst to last.
Instead, God the best of the team captains, chooses everyone to be on His roster.
But then this imagery switches:
The people on the list, however, get to pick the team they want to be on.
Every person was picked, chosen, and predestined to be on God’s team, but not everyone chooses God.
This understanding is very important.
There are many doctrines out there relating to salvation, election, and the sinfulness of man.
And it’s all confusing, even for me.
But this is vitally important for us to grasp.
An incomplete view of salvation, or misunderstanding of “election” is very dangerous and leads to excess.
I’ve heard several of you mention you were taught “once saved, always saved”.
Actually, that isn’t what anyone calls that doctrine.
They will call it “Unconditional Election” and “Perseverance of the Saints” and “Supralapsarianism.”[3]
Some people claim license to live however they choose, flaunting the grace and glory of God.
But Paul is not arguing for a God who random chooses some to save and others to damn.
The Romans, at times, practiced “decimation.”
Decimation was the choosing at random every 10^th person and scourging them and executing them to punish an army for rebellion or defeat.
When a group or army rebelled or failed to perform well, the leaders would decimate them, hoping the 90% left would be scared to not fail again.
God is not practicing eternity like the Romans practiced “decimation’.
God is not marching through eternity, marking random people for destruction.
Yes, many people will be punished with eternal death.
But it is because of their sins that they receive eternal death, not God’s active choice.
For God does not delight in the death of the wicked, but desires for everyone to come to a saving knowledge.
Notice that Paul does not say this choosing of love was a response to sin:
God chose to love us BEFORE he created humanity.
Before the Garden, before the Fall, before Abraham, before Jesus, God had chosen humanity as the subject of his greatest affection.
As much as God enjoys the rest of His creation, humankind is His favorite.
Anything that distracts from that love is dangerous.
It was humanity that God has chosen.

5. Being chosen by God is a good thing.

“The life of a Christian depends on a love that never began as well as a love that will never end.”
Before you ever made your first dollar, said your first prayer, or anything else, God chose you as an object of His love and affection.
He chose you as someone to bless, with every spiritual blessing on the heavenly places.
Paul, writing from under arrest, is praising the name of Jesus for how great it is to be chosen by God,
Being chosen, in Christ Jesus, is greater than any earthly reward.
None of us watch award shows, but so often, nominees for the Emmy’s or the Golden Globes will say:
It’s an honor just to be nominated.
Better yet, in Jesus, you are not just nominated, but you are BLESSED and Adopted.

6. We are not nominated, we are adopted into the family.

VERSE 5: He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself

The Roman cultures loved adoption.
Adoption happened at every level, and many influential leaders were adopted when they were younger and given access and privilege that they would never have on their own.
The word for “adoption” (hyiothesia) means “sonship,” and it refers to the process in the Roman world by which a child was brought into a new family, receiving all the rights of a natural child and taking the name of the new family.^[4]

2.In Paul’s world, the males received a greater inheritance.

But through Jesus, everyone receives the greater inheritance and portion.
My grandma use to tell the story of growing up as the youngest child during the depression.
One of my favorite stories her portion of the meal, her dinner, was nothing more than chicken feet.
The men and boys had been out working all day, so they were served first.
Then the adult women and older sisters were served.
She was the youngest, so by the time she got to eat, the only thing left was the chicken feet.
But these sort of things do not happen in God’s kingdom.
Through Jesus, we receive the son’s portion.
Not a girl’s portion, not a step-child’s portion, but the sons portion.
There are no step children in the Kingdom.
And God has chosen YOU, and has invited YOU to be adopted into the family, with all the benefits and blessings.
What are we chosen for?
We are chosen to be holy and blameless.
We are chosen to be set apart and to live by a different family dynamic.
Every family has certain behaviors that are encouraged or despised.
Perhaps there were certain actions or behaviors that you were punished for, but other families thought was fine.
My family did not belch out loud: ever.
My family also didn’t encourage sports, even though I played baseball.
But my dad and mom would sacrifice greatly to make sure that I had books and access to instruments and music lessons.
In God’s family, He calls us to a new family dynamic: one characterized by holiness and being blameless.
“The Christian life contains both privilege (the gift of salvation) and responsibility (the demand to live life God’s way).”^[5]
When we accept adoption into Christ’s family, we no longer live for ourselves but for God and the family.
But, this is no sacrifice: It is a blessing that includes every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

Application: Where do I go from here?

For some here today, the place I have to start is with reminding you that Jesus loves you.
He doesn’t love you because of what you have done, but in spite of it.
Jesus loves you because He loves you.
Maybe you have been beet down so much over the years that you don’t know the height, the depth, or the width of God’s love for you.
Would you take a moment this morning and tell yourself “Jesus loves me.”
Forget about the buts.
Not Jesus loves me, but…
Simply: Jesus loves me.
I am loved.
I am chosen, and I am adopted into the family, and I am blessed.
Next: In light of that love and blessing, now choose to walk in that understanding.
You are not defined by what you used to do but who Jesus says you are.
You are a Saint, called to live a holy and blameless life.
Because God chose me to be part of His family, I will live like it.
Prayer.

[1] https://thebonhoefferproject.com/weeklycolumn/bonhoefferinprison

^[2] Mounce, William D. 2006. In Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words, 70. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

[3] The doctrine that God decreed both election and reprobation prior to creation and then allowed the fall of man as a means of carrying out his divine purposes.

^[4] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

^[5] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

No Middle Ground in Ephesus

Paul RichardsonAugust 21, 2022

Sermon 1

No Middle Ground in Ephesus

8/21/2022

Ephesians Series

Message 1

Ephesians 1:1–3 (CSB)

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will:

To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus.

²Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1. Preaching a book like Ephesians is a challenge.

It’s different from a book like Exodus.
In Exodus, you deal with big picture stuff.
You can read multiple verses, and there is really just a few key concepts that we should walk away with.
The letters that Paul wrote are really different.
Each sentence is pregnant with meaning.
Each word is loaded and full of information being transferred.
Paul’s writing style makes it even more a challenge.
If you were to study Greek at seminary, they do not start you off with Paul’s writings because his writings are terribly complex.
For example, “Ephesians 1:3–14 constitutes the longest sentence ever discovered in the Greek language…^[1]”.

2. Ephesians is one of the most beautiful and important books in the NT.

I’ve noticed tons of preachers and ministries focusing on Ephesians lately.
Why?
One reason is that I believe Holy Spirit is convincing people of the importance of their identity in Jesus.
Another is the importance of having a high view of God!
When we read Ephesians, we are confronted with some of the highest words of praise ever used.
There is a time to talk simply about God.
Jesus himself told stories and parables to connect with ordinary people.
Jesus looked and walked like an ordinary man, and it was prophesied that there would be nothing special about his appearance to attract people to Him.
There is a time to speak about God in plain language.
Then there are times when even the best of human language can never be enough.
Ephesians chapter 1 is written like Paul is trying to find a way to adequately address and praise God and, yet, finds the human language falling far too short.
Ephesus plays an important role in the early church.
Ephesus is mentioned in Acts and in Revelation.

Asia occupied the western third of modern-day Turkey. It was a very pro-Roman province and quite wealthy as a result. Pergamum was the capital, but Ephesus was the leading city and center of Christian activity. It was one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire (behind Rome and Alexandria), with about a quarter million in the city and its environs. It was the major port city of the region and a trade center for the whole province and was home to one of the seven wonders of the Roman world, the temple of Artemis (her Greek name; her Roman name was Diana). Because of this temple it was the religious center of the province; it also boasted three temples to the emperors, making the imperial cult (the worship of the emperor as a deity) especially prominent. Magic was also prominent there, as attested by the interconnected stories of the sons of Sceva and the burning of the magic books in Acts 19:13–20. Because of this fascination with the occult, the war against the cosmic powers was especially relevant to Ephesus.^[2]

Ephesus existed at the crossroads of the demonic and the Gospel.
As people came and went through the city, one thing was sure:
They would be confronted with the powers of light and the powers of darkness.
They would encounter warfare, and wrestle against “principalities and powers in heavenly places”.
There is no middle-ground in Ephesus.
As we journey through Ephesians together, we will learn what it means to live for Jesus in the middle of hostile territory.
Paul, the prisoner surrounded by guards, is writing to believers surrounded by pagan Temples.
Will the Ephesian believers influence their surroundings or will the surroundings win over the faith of the believers?
There is not middle-ground in Ephesus, and there is no middle-ground in our culture today.

Let’s look at Acts 19 which tells of the Apostle Paul’s first extended encounter with the people of Ephesus.

Acts 19:1–7 (CSB)

19 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples ²and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

“No,” they told him, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

³“Into what then were you baptized?” he asked them.

“Into John’s baptism,” they replied.

⁴Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus.”

⁵When they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy. ⁷Now there were about twelve men in all.

3. Nothing wrong with John’s Baptism, but it wasn’t complete.

Today, several are following in the footsteps of Jesus, the Disciples, and all the Saints in submitting to water baptism.
It is a baptism of repentance.
A public declaration that the old me has died, and a new me lives.
Water baptism is a beautiful and necessary moment in the life of believers.
The Baptism of John, a baptism of repentance, was the front door to a grander and more powerful encounter with God.
To be Baptized only in water is much like buying tickets to a great theme park, entering the front gate, and going no further.
I’ve been to the doors of both Disneyland and Disneyworld, but I’ve never actually gone into either.
I’ve also spent time in the airport in several cities and a few countries, but never stepped outside to explore.
So, although technically, I’ve been to those places, my experience is very different than actually touring those places.
In a sense, this is what had happened to the Ephesus believers.
Notice, that the writer of Acts calls them “disciples’ and asks about when they believed.
Some scholars and groups say these people were not “saved”.
They dismiss the language, and consider this experience their salvation experience.
But Paul treated them like they were fellow Christians.
He called them disciples, followers, just like he was a follower of Jesus.
And he asked them specifically about what they received when they believed.
The word for believed is the same word for faith that is used throughout the New Testament.
In other words, these believers WERE followers of Jesus.
This is why Paul takes immediate action after he learns they had not received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Paul could not grasp or comprehend of followers of Jesus who did not receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit also.
When we read Ephesians, we are reading a letter penned to Spirit filled people.
These were people who had been filled with the Spirit, and spoke in tongues, and prophesied.
Ephesians, just like every New Testament letter, is a Pentecostal letter written to Spirit-filled people.
What does that mean?
To get the most from the Book of Ephesians, we need to experience Jesus like Paul and the Ephesians did.
When we walk in the fullness of the Spirit baptism, we can appreciate the 3 benefits or declarations that Paul mentions in these first few verses.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will:

To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus.

²Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4. Paul opens his letter with 3 declarations:

He was sent from God, by the will of God.
Apostles are messengers sent on a mission.
Paul was certainly that kind of guy.
How could Paul boldly know what his mission was and what God’s will was?
Paul experienced Jesus in a meaningful way, and stayed connected to Jesus in meaningful ways.
Our identity and confidence in God’s will comes from exposure and experience.
Exposure to God’s word.
Experience with God’s spirit.
Paul knew who he was and what he was about because of his intense relationship with Jesus through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Paul knew he could call these people the “faithful saints in Ephesus.”
Faithful and saints.
Sainthood is not a position of perfection but of relationship.
Paul could call the believers in these cities “saints” not because they had it all together but because they were together in Jesus.
Catholocism messed up the biblical view of sainthood as someone who is dead and who did miracles during or after their life.
Biblically, saints are those who are in relationship with Jesus.
The word “saint” is “holy”, means separated for a godly purpose.
Every “saint” should strive to be faithful.
We are faithful when we do not stray in our worship.
When we make Jesus our everything, and strive to honor him with our lives, we become faithful saints.
Every one of us here are called to be faithful saints “in Christ Jesus”.
Apart from Jesus, you are neither faithful nor a saint.
In Jesus, you are both.
Through the Father and Jesus, we receive grace and peace.
Grace and peace are two of the greatest benefits for every believer.
Grace is unmerited or undeserved favor.
Grace is unearned acceptance.
Peace is an expression of completeness in God: wholeness, wellbeing, tranquility in the midst of a storm.
Paul prays that the believers might receive exactly what you and I need today:
We all want acceptance and wholeness.
Our culture is striving to be accepted and to be whole.
And Paul speaks those very possibilities over them as he writes this letter.

5. As we close, I again mention this concept: There is no Middle-Ground in Ephesus.

Everything about this letter and Paul’s experience in Ephesus, is pushing them AND us toward a life fully committed to Jesus.
Acts 19: Don’t merely repent of sins, but be TRANSFORMED and FILLED with the Holy Spirit.
Paul in the first verses tell them what they are and should be in Jesus:
They are not loveable losers, they are faithful saints.
They are not “in “Ephesus” or in the “Diana” or “in the cult of the Emperors” but they are IN JESUS.
Even though they experience persecution, attacks, and spiritual battles that manifest in physical forms, they can also lay claim to the Grace and Peace that only God provides through Jesus.
This morning, can you sense God leading you to get out of the middle and into a relationship with Him?
As we pray this morning together as a response, my prayers are for this:
If you are not Baptized with the Holy Spirit, then you will be.
Second, if you are struggling with God’s will then you will know exactly what that is, just as Paul knew.
Third, that you will walk in faithfulness and sainthood.
Lastly, that each of you will know God’s grace and peace in an amazing way.
Let’s pray.

^[1] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

^[2] Osborne, Grant R. 2017. Ephesians: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

End of the Age Part 2 August 7, 2022

Paul RichardsonAugust 7, 2022

End of the Age part 2

8/7/2022

1. This Summer we have talked about eternity.

When we leave this life, we will end up in eternity.
Those who believe in and love Jesus enter eternal life.
Those who ignore and reject Jesus, eternal death.
Eternal death is not what we were made for.
That is not God’s heart towards humanity.
However, Rejection of God on Earth leads to rejection by God in eternity.
This morning, I want to share one more biblical glimpse into eternity.
Revelation grants us a beautiful, but complicated glimpse into eternity.
This morning, I hope to leave you with a better understanding of what God has prepared for the Saints, specifically, after this Age is over.
We will briefly several key themes connected to eternal life.

Revelation 21:1–27 (CSB)

THE NEW CREATION

⁵Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” ⁶Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life. ⁷The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be my son. ⁸But the cowards, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

THE NEW JERUSALEM

⁹Then one of the seven angels, who had held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues, came and spoke with me: “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” ¹⁰He then carried me away in the Spirit^, to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, ¹¹arrayed with God’s glory. Her radiance was like a precious jewel, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. ¹²The city had a massive high wall, with twelve gates. Twelve angels were at the gates; the names of the twelve tribes of Israel’s sons were inscribed on the gates. ¹³There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. ¹⁴The city wall had twelve foundations, and the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb were on the foundations.

¹⁵The one who spoke with me had a golden measuring rod to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. ¹⁶The city is laid out in a square; its length and width are the same. He measured the city with the rod at 12,000 stadia. Its length, width, and height are equal. ¹⁷Then he measured its wall, 144 cubits according to human measurement, which the angel used. ¹⁸The building material of its wall was jasper, and the city was pure gold clear as glass. ¹⁹The foundations of the city wall were adorned with every kind of jewel: the first foundation is jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, ²⁰the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. ²¹The twelve gates are twelve pearls; each individual gate was made of a single pearl. The main street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.

²²I did not see a temple in it, because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. ²³The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb. ²⁴The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.^, ²⁵Its gates will never close by day because it will never be night there. ²⁶They will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.^, ²⁷Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Revelation 22:1–15 (CSB)

THE SOURCE OF LIFE

22 Then he showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb ²down the middle of the city’s main street. The tree of life was on each side of the river, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, ³and there will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will worship him. ⁴They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. ⁵Night will be no more; people will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will give them light, and they will reign forever and ever.

THE TIME IS NEAR

⁶Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”

⁷“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

⁸I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. When I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had shown them to me. ⁹But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you, your brothers the prophets, and those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!”

¹⁰Then he said to me, “Don’t seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near. ¹¹Let the unrighteous go on in unrighteousness; let the filthy still be filthy; let the righteous go on in righteousness; let the holy still be holy.”

¹²“Look, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me to repay each person according to his work. ¹³I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

¹⁴“Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates. ¹⁵Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

2. The New Covenant requires a New Home.

The first heaven and earth “passed away”.
This is not “passed away” as in died.
The Greek means to “go away” or depart.
God moved the first heaven and earth out of the way to make room for the new one.
Behold, I am making everything new.
This is the anthem of eternal life.
The people of God become “new creations” in Christ Jesus.
That which was tainted and tormented by sin is no more, replaced by that which is perfect and untainted.
Revelation stresses the vast difference between the way things presently are and the way it will be.
One of the greatest differences is the central role God’s presence has in eternity.
God’s presence in eternity will be unmistakable, as His throne is in the center.
As the sun gives way to God’s glory, the moon is needed no more for there is no longer night.
The greatest benefit and blessing of Heaven is the presence of God

3. Eternal life is described by both what is missing and what is present.

What is missing is the pain and tragedy brought by sin.
Verse 4: “Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.”
Eternal life means that What was dying has died, and will die no more.
Grief, crying, and pain are all the result of sin and sin’s decay.
But that will be no more for those who enter eternal life.
Sin is no more, which means no more sinners.
Notice the absence of sinners.
⁸But the cowards, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
God draws a strong dividing line between those who receive eternal life and those who do not.
What is a “sinner”?
Anyone who is apart from Jesus.
If we do not receive forgiveness for our sins through confession, repentance, and faith, we are not part of Jesus.
Without Jesus, our identity is still tied to our sin.
Through Jesus, our identity is no longer tied to our sin but to Christ.
But we have to remain in Christ.
What separates us from Jesus?
The simple answer is “sin”.
All sin separates.
All sin needs Jesus’ forgiveness.
But praying a solitary prayer when we are young isn’t what salvation is.
Salvation is the inbreaking of eternal life in the here and now.
It is a radical change in a person’s life because of what Jesus has done in us and to us.
The promise of Eternal Life requires us to live for Jesus here on Earth.
When we do not live for Jesus, we have no other sacrifice!
Hebrews 10:26–31 (CSB)

WARNING AGAINST DELIBERATE SIN

²⁶For if we deliberately go on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire about to consume the adversaries. ²⁸Anyone who disregarded the law of Moses died without mercy, based on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁹How much worse punishment do you think one will deserve who has trampled on the Son of God, who has regarded as profane the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰For we know the one who has said,

Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay,^,

and again,

The Lord will judge his people.^,

³¹It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Living with our eyes on eternity must lead us to live in a manner worthy of Jesus’ sacrifice.
Here’s the Good News about salvation.
For those of us who are scared about “losing” our salvation every time we cross our eyes wrong, we are far more secure than we realize.
For those of us who live for the Devil but expect a Saints reward, be careful lest you hear Jesus’ words, “depart from me, I never knew you.”
Some of Jesus’ last words recorded in Scripture are found in Rev. 22:14
Jesus’ last words:

The key here is the word “wash”.
Wash is a verb.
There is an action here.
It also means that all of us are clothed in that which is dirty.
But the difference between someone who is with Jesus or apart from Jesus is “have you washed your robes in the blood of the Lamb”?
In other words, have you admitted that your life is dirty?
Have you come to the only One who can make you clean?
And are you walking in the realization that only Jesus saves, and only Jesus cleanses, and only Jesus satisfies?
Or are you walking around with a dirty robe, unfit for entrance into the Kingdom?
If your robes, your actions, deeds, and lifestyle, have not been washed in Jesus’ blood, then you are positioned with the dogs.
Jesus told several parables about guests being invited to a banquet but not being dressed for it.
In those parables, the one who isn’t dressed appropriately is thrown out where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Weeping speaks to pain, and the gnashing of teeth speaks to anger, especially directed to God.
But the people who are still known by their sin will not inherit the Kingdom.
To put it bluntly, “Are you a Saint or are you a Sinner?”
If you are a sinner, walking in sin, dressed in sin, living in sin, and known by your sin, you are not entering into Eternal Life.
If you are saint, someone who confesses Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who has washed their life/robes in the Blood of the Lamb, who has been created as a New Creation in Christ Jesus, then you are Saint and saints have privileges.
Salvation was never meant to be kept “past tense”.
Yes, there was a day when we made a decision to follow Jesus.
But every day since then, we walk in that salvation and that newness of life.
Jesus said that He came to “give life and life abundantly.”
That is something you live in, not remember.

4. The saints are given the privilege to access the Tree of Life.

In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had access to the Tree of Life.
But their rebellion, to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil cost them the right to this tree.
Why?
If they had eaten of the Tree of Life in their now sinful state, they would have remained forever sinful.
But God, in His mercy, banished humanity from that Tree so that He could redeem them and restore the right.
This is the restoration of Eden.
What was restricted due to sin, is now unrestricted. The cherubim have been removed and access restored.
Therefore, in Eternity, the Nations will eat from this tree and delight in it.
Revelation beautifully depicts the restoration of Eden.
What sin destroyed, God restores.
What was lost because of sin is returned through Jesus.
Not only that, the one Tree in Genesis is now an unlimited number of trees.

Revelation 22:1–3 (CSB)

THE SOURCE OF LIFE

5. Lastly, eternal life is an invitation to a marriage.

The Old Testament is full of wedding language.
Often it is negative, accusing Israel of infidelity and unfaithfulness.
This is because God had committed to “marry” Israel.
Repeatedly, God uses the formula “I will be your God, and you will be my People”.
This Old Testament language is brought full force in Revelation.

Revelation 21:3 (CSB)

Revelation 21:9 (CSB)

⁹Then one of the seven angels, who had held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues, came and spoke with me: “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

A confusing part of Revelation is the mixing of the imagery.
John describes both God’s people and the New Jerusalem as the bride.
But this is consistent with other portions of Scripture.
The Apostle Paul calls the Church the Bride of Christ, and he is right.
But John uses the language of the prophets to show God’s delight in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 62:1–2 (CSB)

62 I will not keep silent because of Zion,

and I will not keep still because of Jerusalem,

until her righteousness shines like a bright light

and her salvation, like a flaming torch.

²Nations will see your righteousness

and all kings, your glory.

You will be given a new name

that the Lord’s mouth will announce.

Isaiah 62:3–5 (CSB)

³You will be a glorious crown in the Lord’s hand,

and a royal diadem in the palm of your God’s hand.

⁴You will no longer be called Deserted,

and your land will not be called Desolate;

instead, you will be called My Delight Is in Her,

and your land Married;^,

for the Lord delights in you,

and your land will be married.

⁵For as a young man marries a young woman,

so your sons will marry you;

and as a groom rejoices over his bride,

so your God will rejoice over you.

Isaiah 62:11–12 (CSB)

¹¹Look, the Lord has proclaimed

to the ends of the earth,

“Say to Daughter Zion:

Look, your salvation is coming,

his wages are with him,

and his reward accompanies him.”

¹²And they will be called the Holy People,

the Lord’s Redeemed;

and you will be called Cared For,

A City Not Deserted.

What do we do with this mixed imagery?
We embrace God’s excitement about the future eternity He has prepared for His people.
God is excited about the New Jerusalem, and the people that will fill it.
God is excited to show off what He has been working on, fulfilling John 14 “I go to prepare a place for you…”
God is excited that, finally, redeemed and sinless humanity will again enjoy full fellowship with God.
Jesus isn’t merely excited for the beauty of the city, but for the enjoyment He and His people will have there.
Sin separated humanity from God’s presence.
Jesus’ sacrificial death undid this separation.
Eternity with Jesus ushers in a new age, where humanity is restored to God’s presence.
This new relationship is symbolized in both the City and in Marriage.
That’s why Revelation 19 talks about the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!
It is the bringing together of what has been two, distinct, parts into a new and unified whole.
The consummation of the Marriage, the uniting, points to more fun to come.
“To think about the new heaven and new earth as though there might not be sufficient contrast to make it interesting would be as foolish as a single man being worried that after the wedding day there is nothing left to which to look forward.”^[1]
The Wedding Day is not meant to be the high point of any marriage.
The Wedding Day is designed to be the first of many great days and times together.
And Revelation really only describe the first moments of this new relationship between God and the Saints.
What lies beyond that is yet to be known.
But that which awaits the believer is greater than anything yet known.

Close: Eternity with Jesus is going to be amazing.

The picture of this beautiful future is intended to bring hope and encouragement to believers.
This picture gives me hope of infinitely better days, where Jesus is before us and he wipes the tears from the corners of our eyes.
In that place and that time, death will no longer wreak havoc upon our bodies, our minds, and communities.
In that place, we will experience life the way God fully intended.
Today, if you are tired and weary; if you are tired of the struggle, wondering if it is worth it, think about these things.
Jesus is preparing a place for all of us, and that includes you.
Now is not the time to give up.
Now is the time to draw closer to Jesus, and let Him minister to your soul.
Question: Are you ready?
If Jesus was to return today, are you ready to meet Him?
What about your, your friends, and your neighbors?
Eternal life is too good to not share, and hell is too harsh to not warn about.

^[1] Hamilton, James M., Jr. 2012. Preaching the Word: Revelation—The Spirit Speaks to the Churches. Edited by R. Kent Hughes. Wheaton, IL: Crossway. 382-383.

The End of the Age Part 1

Paul RichardsonJuly 31, 2022

The End of the Age part 1

7/31/2022

Intro. The question of what happens immediately after we die is complex.

The Bible uses several words to describe this stage of existence.
Words like Gehenna, Hades, Hell, and Sheol all depict judgment and a holding place for those who died apart from God.
We also learn of terms such as paradise and Abraham’s bosom to describe existence after death for those who lived for God in this life.
However, any understanding of these terms still do not describe what happens AFTER this age.
This AGE ends when Jesus returns and commences the final judgment.
At this time, Heaven and Hell pass away.
Heaven gives way to New Heavens and New Earth, with the New Jerusalem in the middle of the New Earth.
Hell is cast into a Lake of Fire.
Heaven and Hell are not the Final Destinations of the righteous or the wicked.
These final destinations are described in Revelation.

1. A quick primer on Revelation.

The Book of Revelation is pretty complex.
It’s written like a letter.
It addresses itself to the Seven Churches of Asia.
This makes it a letter.
But it contains many elements that are apocalyptic.
Apocalyptic is not a modern word, but very ancient.
The word “apocalypse” means an “unveiling”.
It is also prophetic, revealing what will happen in a manner that only Jesus could reveal.
John’s vision is tied very closely to visions given earlier to prophets like Isaiah and Ezekiel.
We believe that ALL of Scripture is inspired according to 2 Tim 3.
That means not only the words but also the form and genre.
Revelation has its own, unique, and inspired form.
It uses various images that must be interpreted biblically and intelligently.
With that understanding, this week and next we are looking at two passages that depict what awaits all of humanity and creation at the end of this Age.
With Jesus’ return, certain events will take place that have been ordained long before.
Resurrection, Judgment, reward, and restoration are the key words for these passages.

This week, we focus upon resurrection and judgment.

Revelation 20:1–15 (CSB)

SATAN BOUND

20 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven holding the key to the abyss and a great chain in his hand. ²He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan,^, and bound him for a thousand years. ³He threw him into the abyss, closed it, and put a seal on it so that he would no longer deceive the nations until the thousand years were completed. After that, he must be released for a short time.

THE SAINTS REIGN WITH CHRIST

⁴Then I saw thrones, and people seated on them who were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and who had not accepted the mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. ⁵The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed.

This is the first resurrection. ⁶Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

SATANIC REBELLION CRUSHED

⁷When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison ⁸and will go out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the sea. ⁹They came up across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the encampment of the saints, the beloved city. Then fire came down from heaven and consumed them. ¹⁰The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT

¹¹Then I saw a great white throne and one seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. ¹²I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books. ¹³Then the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them; each one was judged according to their works. ¹⁴Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. ¹⁵And anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

2. The End of the Age involves epic battles between Good and Evil.

It looks like there are two “Final” Battles.
There is one at the end of Revelation 19 that results in the false-prophet and the beast of Revelation being thrown into the lake of fire.
In this battle, Jesus triumphs and Satan is bound for a thousand years.
This thousand year period is called the Millennial reign of Christ.
A time where Satan is powerless for 1,000 years (which I believe is literal and not figurative).
During this time, the saints reign with Jesus on Earth without the effects or influence of sin.
At the end of this 1,000 year reign, Satan is released and leads one last rebellion.
The first rebellion Satan led was of the angels in heaven.
Satan’s second rebellion was in the Garden of Eden, leading Adam into rebellion with God.
This is the FINAL rebellion of Satan’s existence.
This is the battle of Revelation 20.
Satan deceives the nations, especially called “Gog and Magog”.
These names have been on Facebook recently.
Specifically, people are talking about the alliances between China, Russia, and Iran.
Could this be Gog and Magog?
Maybe.
True, Satan will deceive real nations and real people to rebel against God.
But each generation has tried to predict who Gog and Magog were, who the AntiChrist might be and all sorts of details that God has hidden behind a mystery.
When reading Scripture, and especially Revelation, we must be clear where Scripture is clear and vague where Scripture is vague.
What is absolutely certain is that God does not need you to figure this out before He can do it.
He is not waiting for you to unlock the puzzle.
He is asking for your to be faithful to the mission, and to trust God with the process.
When the time comes, it will be clear to all of God’s people what is happening and taking place.
In the meantime, be faithful.

What happens when it is all over?

3. Two Resurrections are mentioned in Revelation.

Revelation 20:4–6 (CSB)

Resurrection is a major theme in the New Testament.
Not only do we live here on Earth,
But we also live in eternity.
Those who follow Christ are raised to eternal life and those who do not are raised to eternal death.
At Jesus’ return, the first resurrection belongs to those who have died in Christ.
Even though it specifically references those who were martyred, it seems that this does include all the saints.

2.That was the picture Daniel saw in Daniel 7: (CSB)

Daniel 7:21–22 (CSB)

²¹As I was watching, this horn waged war against the holy ones and was prevailing over them ²²until the Ancient of Days arrived and a judgment was given in favor of the holy ones of the Most High, for the time had come, and the holy ones took possession of the kingdom.

²⁷The kingdom, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the holy ones of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey him.’

The “second” resurrection is not even called a resurrection here.
Those who rise with Christ are called blessed and holy.
Those who do not rise with Christ, however, are considered cursed because a second death awaits them.
“believers experience the first resurrection while unbelievers experience only the “second death”^[1]
The language of Revelation makes it clear that there is no purgatory or second chance in the afterlife.

4. The resurrection of the believer leads to amazing opportunities.

After believers are united with Christ, either through resurrection or rapture, they get to reign with Jesus on Earth for a thousand years.
It is a time when Satan is bound.
At the very least, this means that Satan can no longer deceive people.
The deceptive power of sin is removed for a thousand years.
Honestly, you and I cannot grasp or imagine what this reign will be like.
Scripture provides a brief sketch.
But it will be an age like none other, with Jesus and His saints ruling the nations.

Isaiah 65:17–25 (CSB)

A NEW CREATION

¹⁷“For I will create new heavens and a new earth;

the past events will not be remembered or come to mind.

¹⁸Then be glad and rejoice forever

in what I am creating;

for I will create Jerusalem to be a joy

and its people to be a delight.

¹⁹I will rejoice in Jerusalem

and be glad in my people.

The sound of weeping and crying

will no longer be heard in her.

²⁰In her, a nursing infant will no longer live

only a few days,

or an old man not live out his days.

Indeed, the one who dies at a hundred years old will be mourned as a young man,

and the one who misses a hundred years will be considered cursed.

²¹People will build houses and live in them;

they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

²²They will not build and others live in them;

they will not plant and others eat.

For my people’s lives will be

like the lifetime of a tree.

My chosen ones will fully enjoy

the work of their hands.

²³They will not labor without success

or bear children destined for disaster,

for they will be a people blessed by the Lord

along with their descendants.

²⁴Even before they call, I will answer;

while they are still speaking, I will hear.

²⁵The wolf and the lamb will feed together,

and the lion will eat straw like cattle,

but the serpent’s food will be dust!

They will not do what is evil or destroy

on my entire holy mountain,”

says the Lord.

Notice a few things:
There is incredible peace.
There is work and labor, but with success and fulfilment.
There will be births, but it will be as God meant in the Garden of Eden.
There will be death, but no tragedy.
This 1,000 year reign can be compared to the restoration of the Garden of Eden.
But then, Satan is released once again.
What does this prove?
One writer says that it fulfills all the prophecies that God had made to Israel such as the promises of land, and relationship, and such.
Certainly, the release of Satan after the Millennium proves the guilt of sinners.
For a thousand years, Jesus reigns perfectly.
The people who live are those who were resurrected with Christ and those who survived the epic battle and were born during Jesus’ perfect reign.
But as soon as humanity is given an opportunity to rebel against God, many take the chance.
In a way, Satan’s release proves God’s justice in the judgment to come.
No one can say “I didn’t have a chance”.
No one can accuse God of being unfair.
No one can accuse God of stacking the deck against people.
The Millennium reign and Satan’s release proves that people, if given the chance, will rebel against God.
This is the last rebellion, which leads to the last judgment.

5. The Final Judgment of the Wicked.

Revelation 20:11–15 (CSB)

THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT

Notice that nothing prevents resurrection.
I have heard of people who were generally concerned by cremation, organ donation, or those who were buried at sea.
Please know that nothing can prevent the future resurrection.
It is important for you, as a family, to discuss what your wishes are for after you die.
But these decisions are for the sake of your family, not to determine if your body is resurrected or not.
If you are not judged through Christ, you will be judged by your works.
For the believer, our sins are judged through Jesus.
According to Revelation, it appears that by this point, the believer has already been resurrected.
But this is called the second death, where the unbeliever is judged by God through their works.
And no one passes on their own merit.
God never says “oh, you lived such a good life and so, even without Jesus, you are good enough.”
If your name is not in the Lamb’s Book of Life, you go to eternal death.
The Lamb is ALWAYS Jesus.
The Lake of Fire is the final destination.
Death, Hell, Hades: this is where all of these elements are cast into.
It is the same destination for Satan, and his false prophet and his beast.
Unfortunately, it is not a picture of punishment until their sin is paid.
Scripture says this:

¹⁰The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

The unbeliever experiences the same final destination as the devil.

6. What do we do in light of this Scripture?

We do whatever it takes to overcome and stay connected with Jesus.
Next week, we will look at the next passages that specifically exclude certain people from heaven.
Those are people who neither confess Jesus or live for Him.
There are people who believe they are assured heaven but live only for the devil.
Ask yourself, “are you living for Jesus?”
Does your life reflect His values, His fruit, and His forgiveness?
Second, we make sure we take someone with us.
Please, do not go to heaven alone.
We must take others with us.
Have those hard conversations, walk across that street, do what needs to be done to make sure that your friends, family, neighbors, and children know Jesus.
Lastly, remember that Jesus wins.
The book of Revelation would have been very encouraging to its original audience.
If you were in one of the Churches this letter was written to, under the iron fist of Rome and experiencing persecution, you would have needed hope.
And the hope was this:
Jesus wins.
For the modern-American, Revelation may be scary or discouraging.
It predicts persecution, trials, and difficulties before Jesus wins.
But if you are in the middle of a trial, knowing that Jesus wins is good news.
We must be mindful to live in the knowledge that Jesus’ wins.
Jesus is the focus of eternity.
Jesus is the focus of End-Times events.
Jesus is the victor, the Groom, and the Architect of the New Jerusalem.
And if you are with Jesus, you win too!

PRAYER

^[1] Osborne, Grant R. 2016. Revelation: Verse by Verse. Osborne New Testament Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Jesus’ Favorite Word July 24, 2022

Paul RichardsonJuly 24, 2022

Adult Service Matthew 11 REST

Jesus’ Favorite Word

7.24.22

Matthew 11:28–30 (CSB)

²⁸“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

1. This is not the message I thought I would preach today.

But one thing I’m learning is to make plans, but be flexible.
I actually prepared this message for Friday night.
But I noticed in my preparation that this seemed to me to be the message that God was blessing for this weekend.
I love preaching through series, but God has a different message for us today.
This morning is my attempt to listen to God’s voice and to speak what He is wanting to say.
Both Friday night and this morning, I feel that God wants to minister to our weariness.
Our younger generations are anxious, stressed, depressed, and oppressed.
And they are learning that from their parents and grandparents.
They are internalizing what we are externalizing.
The fact is, we are really good at doing things for Jesus but not good at “coming” to Jesus.
We are doing a great job of teaching people how to work for Jesus, but not how to rest in Jesus.
In our passage, I’m struck by Jesus’ invitation to come and learn from Him.
First, the fact that He invites people like me at all is amazing.
Then, Jesus invites people to learn from Him.
He’s willing to teach us what we don’t know.
He’s willing to show us what we can’t see.
He’s willing to move us to where we couldn’t go.
Jesus offers us the opportunity to learn how to live our lives with Him.
And Jesus isn’t stressed out.
Jesus isn’t frantic.
Jesus takes naps.
Jesus gets away from crowds to pray and rest.
Jesus offers to teach us His ways, and His ways lead to a life that is characterized by rest and calm.
Why does Jesus do this in this passage?
Because Jesus knows how burdened they were.
Jesus sees the cares that we try to hide from everyone.
He sees the weight on our shoulders, and He gives us an invitation.

3. Jesus sees how stressed and burdened His people are.

Jesus is teaching a crowd, and He knows that they are stressed and burdened.
Most of their burden came from their religious culture.
They were taught that to be a “good Jew”, to be a good person, they had to fulfill all of these extra requirements.
Not just the requirements of the Old Testament.
I’m talking extra requirements that their rabbis required.
The Jewish people weren’t trying to please God, they were trying to please their religious leaders.
It was exhausting
And they were failing.
So Jesus calls out to them:
Come to me all who are weary and burdened.
An older Bible says, “all who are heavy ladened”.
That’s a picture of people with a huge burden on their back.
It’s carrying a load you weren’t meant to carry, for a longer time than you can stand.
It is the picture of someone hunched over from the weight, ready to fall down and not get back up again.

4. Jesus offers them a different “yoke”.

A yoke was a piece of equipment that tied two animals together.

PICTURE

A wooden piece that the necks go into.
It tied the animals to the load and to each other so the animals could pull them together.
Over time, the yoke would rub and fit the animal more perfectly.
Kind of like wearing a pair of shoes will mold it to your feet.
The Wrong yoke or unequal yokes are painful and frustrating.
When the yoke wasn’t right, the work to be done would either take a lot longer or couldn’t be done.
Last night I did an Illustration with Boys doing pushups.

1 with minimal weight. (no friend)

1 with medium weight (one friend)

1 with enough weight to guarantee failure. (3 friends)

Pushups are hard enough.
But trying to carry unnecessary weight makes it impossible.
Jesus didn’t come to make your life impossible.
Jesus said, My yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Two things:
If you are in one side of the yoke, who is on the other side?
It’s Jesus.
Jesus would be in the other side.
But this is only true if you and Jesus are in the same yoke.
It isn’t the yoke you brought with you.
That one doesn’t fit Jesus.
It fits your friends, it fits your worldview, it fits what everyone else is doing.
But it doesn’t fit Jesus, so He brings His own.
Next, it is you and Jesus pulling the load together.
There is a load.
There is a yoke.
BUT you are pulling it WITH Jesus.
And that load is not unnecessarily heavy.
I’m always amazed at the size of the purses and bags some ladies carry.
Some of you ladies carry a bag BIGGER than you.
Question: How many wives carry stuff in your purse for your husband?
Can I help you out for a minute:
Men’s pants have pockets, use them.
Women carry all kinds of stuff.
Then you wonder why your neck hurts, back hurts, and shoulders hurt.
You go through life, carrying all of this stuff that you weren’t designed to carry every single day.
Jesus offers what no one or nothing can offer.
“Jesus doesn’t promise escape from reality, but he promises the right equipment to deal with it.”^[1]
There is something to carry, but don’t worry, it doesn’t have to feel like work.
God certainly calls us to do hard things.
He certainly calls us to challenging things.
But it isn’t crushing

5. Let’s talk about the wrong yokes.

What are some of the wrong yokes we put on?

#1. Wrong relationships.

They add more stress.
It is so important to surround yourself with people who encourage you to follow Jesus.
Wrong relationships create “unequally yoked” situations.

Picture ILLUSTRATION

When the partners are not yoked equally, one of the partners really suffers.

#2. Wrong expectations.

Expectations are so important.
How we view the world and how the world views us.
When expectations are not even, and do not meet reality, resentment builds.
And Anxiety.
And Depression.
And Anger.

#3. Doing it alone.

These yokes are designed to be run in teams.
Some of you aren’t in bad relationships or using drugs or nothing like that.
Nope, you are doing it all by yourself and it doesn’t work.
The yoke you were designed to pull was designed to be done as a team, with Jesus.

6. Jesus’ favorite word: Come.

My favorite word is probably Go.
When I go and I’m busy, I feel better about myself.
When I tell my dog “do you want to go for a ride, even she loves it.”
But my dog also loves it when I say,
“Come here”!”
Not angry, like when I’m mad at her for running off.
But she loves it when I’m excited about her presence and I want her to come spend time with me.
My dog knows the difference when I ask her to “come”.
Jesus isn’t angry with this group.
He isn’t angry that they are tired, or weary, or stressed, or burdened.
Sometimes, I get frustrated with people who are tired or stressed.
I’m not always the most patient with those who are hurting or frustrated.
That doesn’t bother Jesus.
He sweetly says “Come to me, ALL who are weary.”
Did you notice who are invited?
Jesus said ALL.
That means you.
Before you can “go” for Jesus, you have to “come” to Jesus.

7. Jesus gives real rest.

The presence of rest means that there is work.
The reality is that your work looks very different than mine.
But my work looks different than other peoples.
My work is very mental and relational.
Maybe your work is very physical.
Jesus doesn’t invite you to a life of sitting around.
I bet some of you feel tired all the time.
Even when you sleep late, or don’t do anything but watch YouTube or play video games.
That’s because those things do not provide real rest.
They provide an illusion of rest but not the real thing.
Jesus invites you to a life of productivity but also rest.
The idea of “rest” is more like “peace”.
Not striving,
Not trying to “earn” your keep.
This is where I am at.
When I’m not frantically running from meeting to meeting, and call to call, and emergency to emergency, I don’t feel like I’m doing enough.
I act like that it is a sin to NOT BE STRESSED and overwhelmed.
Jesus offered “rest” as a badge of honor, and we offer “stressed”.
Rest is a completeness and belonging.
I bet many of you wish you could just “belong”.
Jesus offers a rest that you can’t find anywhere else.
And HE says, COME.
IF you are tired, COME.
If you are burdened, COME.
IF you are worried, NO problem, COME.
If you haven’t been living right, COME.
Jesus’ favorite word is “COME” and He is talking to you.

Close: Today, I invite anyone who is overloaded to come to Jesus.

In just a moment, I’m going to ask you to come to the front and pour your heart out to Jesus.
And know that, when you come to the front of a church, you aren’t coming to the preacher.
You are coming to Jesus.
I really feel like today is the time for you to pour your heart out to Jesus.
Some of you are so overwhelmed.
You are anxious and stressed all the time.
You wouldn’t normally say that you were “weary and heavy ladened” but you carry such a heavy load all the time you just wonder how much more you can take.
I feel like today is a time to unburden your soul.
Today is a time to unpack your backpack and remove some of the extra burdens you have been carrying.
Some of you are carrying loads you weren’t intended to carry.
Just because someone else can carry it, it doesn’t mean you are supposed to.

^[1] O’Donnell, Douglas Sean. 2013. Matthew: All Authority in Heaven and on Earth. Edited by R. Kent Hughes. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

The “Right” Side of Eternity. Eternity Week 2. July 17, 2022

Paul RichardsonJuly 17, 2022

Message 2 Eternity Series

The “Right” side of Eternity

Eternity Series

Week 2

7.17.22

Matthew 25:31-46 (CSB)

THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS

³¹“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels^, with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. ³²All the nations^, will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. ³⁴Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

³⁵“ ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; ³⁶I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me.’

³⁷“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or without clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick, or in prison, and visit you?’

⁴⁰“And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

⁴¹“Then he will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels! ⁴²For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink; ⁴³I was a stranger and you didn’t take me in; I was naked and you didn’t clothe me, sick and in prison and you didn’t take care of me.’

⁴⁴“Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or without clothes, or sick, or in prison, and not help you?’

⁴⁵“Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

⁴⁶“And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

1. The “Right Side” of History.

I hate that phrase.
If you haven’t heard this before, it refers to people making decisions now that will be judged by the future.
However, it seems to always be used by people with an agenda.
One way it is used refers to the issue of American slavery.
I am saddened that, for centuries Christian people used Scripture to justify the sin of slavery.
Unfortunately, many within our country now uses this phrase “right side of history” in arguing for relationships that are contrary to Scripture.
Their argument is that, someday, we will finally grow up and realize that we were reading the Bible wrong and we will openly accept their accepting views.
And if we don’t, history will judge us.
It isn’t history that I’m worried about.
Let’s be honest, Americans do not like history.
Furthermore, we write and rewrite history to our whims and our desires.
What concerns me is not being judged by history but being judged by God.

2. Matthew 25 is all about judgment.

Jesus tells 3 parables in Matthew 25.
The first is about ten virgins.
Five are ready for the groom’s arrival.
Five are not.
The five who are not miss out on his coming and miss the banquet.
The second parable tells of three servants, each given some talents.
A talent was worth about 6,000 Roman denarii, or 20 years wages.
The wicked and lazy servant buries the master’s money, losing any growth.
This servant was “thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
The parable of the sheep and goats forms the 3^rd parable emphasizing the same point.
The point: Judgment is certain.
The Biblical letter of Hebrews says:

Hebrews 9:27–28 (CSB)

²⁷And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment—²⁸so also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

This is what, I believe, bothers people today.
We don’t like the idea of judgment.
Even within the Church, we are very touchy about the theme of judgment.
Judgment necessitates clear TRUTH.
To honestly judge, there has to be a right and wrong.
And that truth cannot be relative.
Relative judgment is not righteous judgment.
The reality of judgment is not the same as hate.
On Earth, A good judge does not hate people, but loves the law.
God does commit people to hell out of hate, but out of His love for His own righteousness.

3. What does God have against goats?

The answer is nothing.
God loves goats, but he is only keeping sheep.
When we apply this analogy to Christians and Sinners, the Bible is clear that God doesn’t hate sinners.
In fact, in several places in the Bible it is said that God does not want anyone to perish and go to eternal death.

Ezekiel 33:11 (CSB)

¹¹Tell them, ‘As I live—this is the declaration of the Lord God—I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked person should turn from his way and live.

But because of God’s holiness, He will only allow those that accept Jesus and their Lord and Savior into eternal life.
Those that reject him are allowed to go to eternal death.
God is not sending people to hell.
Often we get this picture of an angry God throwing people into a place of fire and torment and laughing the whole time he is doing it.
But that couldn’t be further from the truth.
God is not looking forward to the day that he can send you or anyone else into eternal damnation.
In fact, he his holding back his righteous judgment so that we might receive another chance.
2Pe 3:9 NIV – The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
God is not sending us to hell, sin is.
The consequence of sin is eternal death.
God is offering to save you from that death but if you reject him, hell is your eternal destiny.

4. What does Matthew 25 say about “the Right side of history”?

Jesus’ parable says that the Shepherd will separate sheep from goats.
“He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.”
Picture: You and I are facing the throne of God.
He is separating the righteous from the unrighteous.
He is sorting them, not because he loves one and hates the other.
God doesn’t “hate” goats, but he is only collecting sheep.
The herds start moving.
But guess what? They aren’t moving the way you thought.
Your right is God’s left.
Jesus didn’t say they moved to our right or our left.
We are facing a different direction than God is.
So His left is my right.
My left is His right.
It’s possible to believe you are on the right side of eternity and ultimately realize you were facing the wrong direction.
It isn’t my direction that matters but God’s.
That is why repentance is so important.
Repentance faces us in the right direction.

5. Eternity shows up in our actions.

Jesus points out that eternal life is connected to what we do here on Earth.
He said that there will be those who inherit eternal life because they served God through the least of people.
And there will be those who receive eternal death, and their indictment is their refusal to do good.
How does this work?
We are not saved by works.
We cannot work hard enough to earn our way to heaven.
But good deeds ARE PART of the Christian life.
Faith without works is DEAD.
My love for Jesus will flow through me in acts of love and service to others.
Jesus does more than question the salvation of those who claim to love God but hate fellow man.
Jesus says that those people who refuse to love the “least of these” will go away to eternal punishment.
People who have been radically affected by the love of Jesus will love other people.
People who love Jesus do not want others to miss out.
People who love Jesus overflow with compassion.
People who have grasped eternity want others to grasp it as well.

Close: Jesus said that a day of separation is coming.

He will separate God’s people from those who rejected Him.
And at that day Matthew 25:46 (CSB)

⁴⁶“And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

We have a responsibility to share this hope of eternal life with all we come in contact with.
Today, we must first ask “Am I on the right side of eternity?”
Let me tell you this story;

Toward the end of the nineteenth century, Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel awoke one morning to read his own obituary in the local newspaper: “Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, who died yesterday, devised a way for more people to be killed in a war than ever before, and he died a very rich man.”

Actually, it was Alfred’s older brother who had died; a newspaper reporter had bungled the epitaph.

But the account had a profound effect on Nobel. He decided he wanted to be known for something other than developing the means to kill people efficiently and for amassing a fortune in the process. So he initiated the Nobel Prize, the award for scientists and writers who foster peace.

Nobel said, “Every man ought to have the chance to correct his epitaph in midstream and write a new one.”

Few things will change us as much as looking at our life as though it is finished.^[1]

Today we apply this message to in a few ways:
First, if judgment was today, where would you land?
It’s possible to think you are on the right and realize you were actually on God’s left.
But you don’t have to stay there.
In fact, that can all change for you today.
Second, may be you are wondering how YOU can change the eternity of others around you.
Two key ways: Prayer.
Love.
Today, you won’t argue someone into the Kingdom, but you might be able to love them into it.
Let us ask God for a clearer view of eternity and the empowerment to tell others about Him.

^[1] Larson, Craig Brian. 2002. 750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers & Writers. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

July 10, 2022: Good and Bad Seed. ETERNITY SERIES

Paul RichardsonJuly 10, 2022

Message 1 Matt 13

Message 1: Good and Bad Seed

Eternity Series

Message 1

July 10, 2022

Main Idea: Eternity is real.

Matthew 13:24–30, 36-43 (CSB)

Introduction: Why this series?

Back on January 2 of this year, I was in bed reading and studying.
That night, I believe the Lord dropped this message into my heart:
The Spirit said “Paul, prepare these messages for when the time is right.” 1/2/2022.
He then added this instruction:
This sermon series can’t be pithy.
No play on words or puns.
Must be preached with tears, With longing and, With sincerity and desperation.
In other words, this is not a joke. It’s serious.
Two weeks ago, I was sitting at my kitchen table studying.
These days, I’ve been studying more at home so I can focus on the Word and Prayer.
During this preparation, there was a nervousness and a heaviness upon my life.
Preaching is always a serious task.
But sometimes the anointing lays heavy upon a person’s body and mind.
When this is true, the servant must pay close attention.
I believe that this simple series of messages are to capture our attention.
Why this message?
Because we have lost sight of eternity.
Furthermore, Jesus believed in hell and warned us of its dangers.
Yet, I’m afraid, the American Church no longer believes in hell or eternity.
We do not want to live in fear of hell, but we do not want to forget that the “wages of sin is death.”

1. Jesus taught on eternal death often.

R.C. Sproul said, “Jesus talked more about hell than he did about heaven.”
For those inclined to believe in eternity, nobody doubts that there is heaven.
But doubting the existence of hell makes sense.
Not believing in “hell” feels right.
Not believing in “hell” makes us feel superior than all of the ignorant people who came before us, we think.
That’s why this is a tough topic and it’s confusing.
Why is it confusing?
Because it deals with eternity.
Because Christians do not agree on this doctrine.
Because Satan has made a mockery of hell in music and movies.
Because we hope hell isn’t true.
Part of the reason there are many theories about hell is not because Scripture isn’t clear, but because we hope it isn’t true.
I wish nihilism (also called conditionalism) was true: where the good live forever with Jesus and the evil simply cease to exist.
I wouldn’t mind believing in purgatory.
But these are not true biblical doctrines.
What did Jesus say about eternity?

2. Jesus uses strong language to emphasize the reality of eternity.

Notice what Jesus says in Matthew 13

Matthew 13:24–30, 36-43 (CSB)

THE PARABLE OF THE WHEAT AND THE WEEDS

²⁴He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left. ²⁶When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared. ²⁷The landowner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’

²⁸“ ‘An enemy did this,’ he told them.

“ ‘So, do you want us to go and pull them up?’ the servants asked him.

²⁹“ ‘No,’ he said. ‘When you pull up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I’ll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but collect the wheat in my barn.’ ”

JESUS INTERPRETS THE PARABLE OF THE WHEAT AND THE WEEDS

³⁶Then he left the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

³⁷He replied, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; ³⁸the field is the world; and the good seed—these are the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one, ³⁹and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. ⁴⁰Therefore, just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. ⁴¹The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom all who cause sin and those guilty of lawlessness.^, ⁴²They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Let anyone who has ears listen.

At first, Jesus teaches about eternity with a parable.
Parables are great.
Parables are images that illustrate a truth.
But surely Jesus didn’t not mean that there would be a harvest and a reckoning.
If Jesus had not interpreted this parable, we could interpret this however we saw fit.
But Jesus interprets His own parable.
He tells His disciples exactly what this means.
People are the seed.
There are righteous people.
There are sinful people.
Actually, the imagery is more like: There are sons and daughters of God and there are sons and daughters of Satan.
They are sown together, and grow together, in the same field.
When harvest comes, there is a separation.
God keeps the good crop, “the children of God”.
He burns the bad crop “the children of Satan.”

3. Jesus believed there would come a day of reckoning.

We all believe in death.
Every person dies.
All of us adults have been to a funeral or have known someone to pass away.
We do not question that death is a reality.
We do question the reality of eternity.
Part of the reason we question eternity is because both life and death seem unfair.
Overtime, we may start to question how eternity works, why it is the way it is, and how could God allow a place like Hell to exist.
These are not bad questions.
Questions are not sins.
The problem arises when we look for answers to questions that God has already answered.
When our answers to these questions come from philosophers, fiction writers, athletes, influencers, and YouTubers, we are opening up ourselves to the wrong answers and the wrong way of thinking.
A helpful question for us is, “What did Jesus believe?”
It is obvious that Jesus believed in eternal life and eternal death.
Notice verses 42-43

⁴²They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Let anyone who has ears listen.

Jesus saw the righteous shining like the sun.
Jesus saw the unrighteous weeping and gnashing teeth.
These comparisons are side-by-side.
In other words, if Life is eternal, Death is eternal.
Jesus compared Life and Death equally.
We cannot believe in an eternal heaven if we do not also believe in an eternal hell.
Either humanity lives eternally after we die or we do not live at all after we die.
In this day and time, we need reconvincing of eternity’s reality.

4. Where did the unrighteous or bad seed come from?

Jesus said it was from the enemy.
This is interesting.
Jesus doesn’t say “oh, they are good at heart but got a little lost on the way”.
He actually says that the bad seed comes from HIS enemy.
The devil isn’t our enemy.
Satan is God’s enemy.
Satan attacks us because that is how he strikes at God.
God created humanity in HIS IMAGE.
What Satan is attacking is not my image but God’s image within me.
God is not some disinterested observer in this cosmic warfare.
The main battle is between God and Satan, and we are in the middle.
The seed the enemy planted was designed to look just like the wheat and to be indistinguishable until it was growing.
The hope of the enemy is to ruin the harvest.
The enemy sows bad seed in hopes that the harvest will be lost.
Some believe that Jesus had a “bearded darnel” seed in mind.

This weed looks rather like wheat when young, but matures to have a black seed and plays host to a fungus that can be quite toxic to humans. The verse starts and ends with the features that mark the invisibility of the act: the enemy acts while others sleep and after a busy night does not stay around to be seen afterwards.^[1]

What we know about the seed:
There is good and bad seed.
The seed represents people.
The “bad” seed is indistinguishable from the good, at least initially but is obvious after it starts producing after its kind.
At harvest time, the crop is gathered.
The wheat stays while the tares are destroyed.

5. Didn’t you buy the good stuff?

This was the question of the servants who were sowing the fields.
The seed could have come from two places.
First, the farmer could have held seed over from a previous harvest.
Or, the farmer could have bought the seed from elsewhere.
Either way, the servants noticed that the quality was very mixed after they planted.
But, if they dealt with the bad seed NOW, they could pull up the tares and save the crop.
This sounds wonderful, doesn’t it!
In the 1956 short story “Minority Report”, which became a movie starring Tom Cruise, we see this kind of thing happen.
There is a “precrime” unit that is able to stop crime BEFORE it happens.
If we HAD OUR WAY, stopping sin and crime BEFORE it happens by eliminating the evil people sounds like an amazing deal.
But this isn’t what the master in Jesus’ story does.
Because this is a parable, Jesus is teaching an aspect of the Kingdom here.
It is true God could eliminate all the bad people and evil people from the start.
It is true that God could take the nuclear option, so to speak, and eliminate what is wrong before the seed produces the tares..
But the Master in this story says “NO! you might also harm the wheat.”
Why the delay?
The Gospel according to Barney Fife says, “Nip it in the bud.”
The Gospel according to Jesus says, “Wait a little longer, I don’t want anyone lost.”
The Father is willing to allow weeds to thrive, for a season, so that His seed may flourish.

2 Peter 3:9–11 (CSB)

⁹The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come like a thief;^, on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.^, ¹¹Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness

6. Do not confuse love for weakness.

The Master refusing to immediately deal with the problems is not a sign of weakness.
It’s an act of love.
It is also an assurance of His ability.
The Master knows that, when it is time for harvest, He and his servants know how to properly sort the good from the bad.
God’s patience is for our benefit.
At the end of the age, God isn’t going to miss a thing.
Every sin will be punished, either through the Blood of Jesus or through the fires of eternal death.
Nothing good goes unnoticed and nothing evil is eternally rewarded.
When the End comes, and the angels are sent to gather humanity, God’s love will be on full display.
The love that rewards the Righteous is the same love that condemns the Unrighteous.
The presence of Hell does not make God unjust or unloving.
The presence of Hell means that God is just and good.
A good God could not allow sin to go unpunished.
That is why He sent His Son to receive the punishment for our sin.
So that everyone who believes upon Him will be saved.

Conclusion:

Reflecting upon Jesus’ parable, notice that He lets both seed grow and produce.
He doesn’t judge the seed until it produces its crop.
The seed that produces righteousness is saved.
The seed that produces unrighteousness is burned.
James 1:15 says it this way: (CSB)

¹⁵Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.

This of this through the imagery of seed again:
Conception is because of a “seed”.
The “seed” produces whatever it was designed to produce.
The Good News is that Jesus changes this!
Because Jesus was not of human “seed”, He breaks the cycle of desire, sin, and death for all who believe in Him.
Even though all of us have been tainted with sin and, left to our own will produce death, we can be changed.
PRAYER: Two areas of prayer for us this morning.
If anyone here today does not know Jesus, this is the first place we must pray.
Please do not wait to confess your sins to Jesus.
Please do not take a chance on entering eternity without knowing Jesus.
Second, Let us pray for boldness to tell others about eternity.
We all have friends and neighbors who may not know.
No one is guaranteed tomorrow!

^[1] Nolland, John. 2005. The Gospel of Matthew: A Commentary on the Greek Text. New International Greek Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press. 545

June 18, 2022. Father’s Day

Paul RichardsonJune 19, 2022

PDF Link

Joshua 5 Picking up what our father’s put down

Picking up what our Fathers laid down.

6.19.2022

Father’s Day 2022

Joshua 5:1–9 (CSB)

5 When all the Amorite kings across the Jordan to the west and all the Canaanite kings near the sea heard how the Lord had dried up the water of the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, they lost heart and their courage failed because of the Israelites.

²At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelite men again.” ³So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelite men at Gibeath-haaraloth. (NAME MEANS CIRCUMCISION HILL) ⁴This is the reason Joshua circumcised them: All the people who came out of Egypt who were males—all the men of war—had died in the wilderness along the way after they had come out of Egypt. ⁵Though all the people who came out were circumcised, none of the people born in the wilderness along the way were circumcised after they had come out of Egypt. ⁶For the Israelites wandered in the wilderness forty years until all the nation’s men of war who came out of Egypt had died off because they did not obey the Lord. So the Lord vowed never to let them see the land he had sworn to their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. ⁷He raised up their sons in their place; it was these Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised, since they had not been circumcised along the way. ⁸After the entire nation had been circumcised, they stayed where they were in the camp until they recovered. ⁹The Lord then said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the disgrace of Egypt from you.” Therefore, that place is still called Gilgal today.

Introduction: Joshua starts 40 years after leaving Exodus.

The people who were at the foot of the Mountain in Exodus 40 are dead.
They died because they refused to believe God.
God led them to the edge of the Promised Land, and they balked.
Because of this, God had them march around for 40 years, 1 year for every day they scouted the promised land and refused to believe. (Numbers 14:33-34).
When the 40 years was over, no one who was fighting age at the time of the disobedience was alive except Joshua and Caleb.
In reading this passage this past week, I feel both hopeful and worried.
I’m worried about our failure to be obedient to God.
Worried about all the opportunities we are missing.
Worried about the generations that we are raising.
YET, I see hope.
Ronald Reagan said, “Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction.”
There is also hope that, within one generation, we can see things turn around.
I’m believing that I’m part of that generation.
Let’s look at this passage and see how a generation addressed their parents’ rebellion and tried to change.

1. The enemies are not God’s focus, Israel is.

We humans like having someone to blame.
Common enemies unite us.
Having a common enemy also allows us to ignore our issues while focusing on the other.
Passing blame is easier than examining our own lives.
Jesus recognized this when He said, “Why focus on the speck in your brother’s eye when you have a log in yours?”
While you and I like to focus on the enemy, God focuses on us.
We love focusing on the enemies.
The enemy is not an obstacle for God.
He is not worried about defeating them.
God is focused on preparing Israel.
God allows the enemy to live in dread for a while so that He can prepare the Israelite men.
If we only focus on the external problems, we miss the internal problems that will derail us.
Too many of us here are so focused on what’s happening out there that you give no intention to what is happening inside you.
This is human nature.
But we aren’t called to live by our human nature anymore.
Isn’t it time that you and I start working with the Holy Spirit to do the hard work of our inward life?
When we fail to deal with OUR problems, we pass those problems on to others.

2. Circumcision: A pattern of Disobedience

This passage addresses the failure of Israel to circumcise a whole generation.
The oldest men would have been 59 or less (military age was 20 and over, and they were in the wilderness for 40 years).
All the men who came out of Egypt were circumcised.
Even in slavery, the older generations kept this promise.
Even when they could not feel God’s presence, they practiced the Covenant sign of Abraham.
Their parents knew that the only way out of Egypt was through God’s Covenant with Abraham.
Because God promised Abraham, God would deliver them.
The sign of that Covenant: Circumcision.
No circumcision, no covenant, and no deliverance.
But for 40 years, Israel did not practice the Covenant sign.
Here’s the crazy part: Their parents believed, even without seeing or sensing God, for 100 generations of slavery.
This generation disbelieved for a whole generation while GOD WAS IN THEIR MIDST!
Millions died in Egypt without ever seeing the Presence of God. But they still carried the Covenant with them,.
But this generation died in the unnecessarily in the Wilderness while GOD’s Presence led them.
Never underestimate the foolishness of a rebellious people.
Unfortunately, this rebellious spirit started in Moses.
God almost killed Moses in Exodus 4 for failing to circumcise his son.
Early on, Moses failed to obey God AND bring his son into the Covenant with God.
While Moses was leading His family to go deliver Israel from Egypt, Moses DID NOT circumcise his kid.
And God got angry and almost killed them because of their rebellion.
No Covenant, no deliverance.
No Covenant, no Salvation.
No Covenant, no Mercy.
That’s why Jesus said “This is a NEW COVENANT in my blood.”
Moses failed to walk in obedience to this covenant sign.
In fact, his wife Zipporah circumcised Moses’ son.
Moses did not do it.
TRUTH: If we are not intentional with our obedience, we pass on our patterns of sin.
During the wilderness wanderings, Moses again fails to ensure that the sons of Israel were circumcised and brought into the Covenant.
This was Moses’ job to enact the Covenant.
Moses was an amazing prophet, but he was not perfect or sinless.
Therefore, Moses passed on this disobedience.
Furthermore, he led the fathers of the land to pass this disobedience down to the sons.

3. You cannot walk in victory AND disobedience.

God called upon Joshua to circumcise the sons that God raised up in place of the disobedient fathers.
Joshua was circumcised.
But he could not move Israel forward if he and Caleb were the only obedient men.
Joshua was the bridge.
He bridged the generation of the disobedient to the generation of promise.
In this way, Joshua foreshadows Jesus, who bridged sinful humanity with the sinless God.
In fact, both Joshua and Jesus are practically the same names, meaning “Save us.”
The next stage in Israel’s journey was to conquer Jericho.
As long as Jericho held, Israel would not be secure.
Jericho was to be the first physical battle of the Promised Land.
But the first spiritual battle was the battle with disobedience.
Before you slay spiritual giants or conquer enemy territory, you have to deal with your disobedience and rebellion.
We cannot expect God’s blessing to be seen in public obedience to his commands if there is hidden compromise in the private world of the self and the family.^[1]
Hidden compromise doesn’t stay hidden forever.
A good excuse is never a reason for disobedience.
“My parents didn’t teach me.”
“I’m too old to obey now.”
“Won’t this hurt?”
“The enemy will attack me while I’m vulnerable.”
“we must never attempt to justify our disobedience by speculating about what the consequences might be.”^[2]

4. Spiritual preparation precedes conquest.

Another author said it this way:
That such spiritual preparations preceded the actual “conquest” of the land illustrates the priorities we have noted: God was going to give Israel the land, and Israel’s task was to be sure it obeyed and was adequately prepared spiritually.^[3]
Before the victory came spiritual preparation.
If Joshua had not led Israel in obedience, he would have led them in defeat.
If you do not lead your family in obedience, you will lead them in defeat.
You can’t walk in disobedience and rebellion at work and expect to live in victory at home.
Disobedience will follow you until you deal with it.
If you won’t walk in obedience, God will raise up someone in your place.
1. Israel chose rebellion over presence and walked away from their position as sons.
So God raised up sons in their place.
Sons that are obedient.
Sons that will pick up the call of the Covenant and walk in it.

5. How can we start walking in Victory for our families?

Stop the disobedience.
The only people who could stop Israel from walking in disobedience was the men.
That’s a heavy idea and not real popular in America today.
And I cannot fix the issues that are “out there”.
But I can speak to you and implore you to pick up what other generations have left behind.
Lead your families in worship!
Pray aloud and pray often.
Don’t be loud for a football game but silent for prayer.
Read your Bible in front of your family.
Let others see you in the altars, let others see you lifting up holy hands, let others see your tears of repentance.
What you are doing is not just for you or your blood kin.
There are many who are “spiritual orphans” who are looking for someone to follow.
Stop the disobedience so others can find freedom!
Start with the obvious.
The obvious first step may be the most painful.
Don’t ignore the pain, name it.
Joshua named their pain: The hills of circumcision.
If I was writing my history, I would have ignored it.
They could have completely ignored this painful story in their journey, but they didn’t.
Instead they named it!
Can you imagine what this would have looked like?
What about the smell of rotting flesh?
There was pain in their obedience, but that pain was necessary to walk in future victory.
Some of us today KNOW what we should do, but it is painful to consider.
Yet, if you know what God is asking, you must do it.
Disobedience is ultimately more painful than obedience.
Make Circumcision hill a memorable place:
Gilgal became a place of significance.
It was where the Lord “rolled away” the disgrace of Egypt.
I can see 4 ways Circumcision hill became memorable:
A place of confession “our fathers were disobedient”.
That’s a tough confession.
To confess “my parents failed.”
My father or mother did not lead me so well.
The purpose here is not shame but acknowledgement.
But instead of perpetuating our sin further, we start our victory by confessing our defeats, our sin.
A place of contrition.
Contrition means “the state of feeling remorseful and penitent”.
This passage carries a sense of remorse.
Remorse for what happened.
Remorse for what could have been.
Why is contrition important?
We rarely change what we are proud of.
If we are proud of our sin and rebellion, we will never confess or change.
To start walking in victory God’s way, there must be moments that we are not proud of.
We do not find victory over sin by denying that we have sinned, but by bringing that sin under the blood of Jesus through confession and contrition.
1 John 1:8–10 (CSB)

⁸If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

A place of change.
True confession must lead to change.
Admitting we sinned, while making no plans to change, is not repentance but bragging.
When we decide to put away the sins and rebellions of our past, Gilgal becomes the place where we irrevocably change and move in a different way.
Think about how powerful it would be for you to point your family, friends, and neighbors to a moment in your life where your life forever changed!
People can’t celebrate what they don’t know about.
But some of you here today are in a point where it’s time to show people your Gilgal.
It’s time for you to testify of what God has done, what He has changed, and where He has brought you from.
You aren’t declaring that you are perfect, you are declaring that you are changed!
Some of the most painful moments of our lives can become places of great testimony.
A place of Covenant.
As Israel stopped here in the Promise Land, more is at stake than perhaps realized.
The next part of this Chapter says that the newly circumcised men celebrated Passover for the first time in the Promised Land.
And then they ate from the crops of the land.
It was here, at the doorsteps of Jericho, that the manna ceased.
And it was here that the Covenant is picked up by the wandering generation.
By putting aside their parents’ rebellion, this generation was able to march into victory in the Promised Land.
Unfortunately, they were not able to keep it.

Close: We are on the precipice.

Lately, I’m feeling a burden that hadn’t previously been mine.
I use to be the youngest in the room, but no longer.
I’m in the midst of my adulthood and some of the prime years of life.
With the wisdom, experience, and energy that God has given me at this point in life comes a responsibility.
Lately, I’m feeling burdens that used to belong to those older than me.
Now, those burdens are being passed on.
God is raising up a generation to pick up what the Fathers had dropped.
Do you remember that quote from Ronald Reagan?
Perhaps you have heard that quote before, but here is the rest:
Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. And those in world history who have known freedom and then lost it have never known it again.
Governor Reagan was talking about American Freedom, and he was right.
But I can’t help but see spiritual applications.
Freedom, or victory, but be fought for and defended for each generation.
In words of our message, “each generation must be circumcised.”
Now, as believers, we take part in a circumcision not of human flesh but of the heart.
But if you do not undergo this painful blessing, you have no part of the Covenant.
In other words, if we do not give our lives to Jesus, we cannot claim the benefits that only Jesus can give.
I want to take this application one step further.
In our attempts or our parents attempt to make sure that the next generation has more than we had, we have done them a disservice.
We don’t want to see our kids in pain, so we ignore the painful places of obedience.
We don’t want our kids to do without, so we shield them from consequences and discipline.
We think that we are doing them a service, but instead we are teaching them how to disobey and pushing back the price that always comes due.
Can you imagine:
Baby boys were to be circumcised 8 days after birth: painful but forgettable.
But because of a generation’s rebellion, adult males and teenage men had to fix where their parents disobeyed.
I want to show you a video clip from Coach Aaron McKie.
McKie played in the NBA and now coaches at Temple.
At his coach’s funeral, Aaron McKie related this story that should cause us all to think: VIDEO
When blessing and success lead us to disobedience, we fail those coming after us.
The generation who marched victoriously out of Egypt, died in the wilderness just short of the Promised Land.
The next generation entered the Promised Land and obeyed.
But after Joshua and this generation died, notice what is said about them.

Judges 2:6–13 (CSB)

JOSHUA’S DEATH

⁶Previously, when Joshua had sent the people away, the Israelites had gone to take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance. ⁷The people worshiped the Lord throughout Joshua’s lifetime and during the lifetimes of the elders who outlived Joshua. They had seen all the Lord’s great works he had done for Israel.

⁸Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110. ⁹They buried him in the territory of his inheritance, in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. ¹⁰That whole generation was also gathered to their ancestors. After them another generation rose up who did not know the Lord or the works he had done for Israel.

¹¹The Israelites did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. They worshiped the Baals ¹²and abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed other gods from the surrounding peoples and bowed down to them. They angered the Lord, ¹³for they abandoned him and worshiped Baal and the Ashtoreths.

The generation that was circumcised at Gilgal wasn’t perfect.
But they lived for God and led Israel to follow God.
But their kids had to make the choice.
And they disobeyed.

CLOSE: We can’t change the past, and we cannot control the future.

But we can lead today!
This morning, I want to pray for this body to be empowered to lead boldly and well in this day and time!

Prayer.

^[1] Jackman, David. 2014. Joshua: People of God’s Purpose. Edited by R. Kent Hughes. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

^[2] Jackman, David. 2014. Joshua: People of God’s Purpose. Edited by R. Kent Hughes. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway. PG 61

^[3] Howard, David M., Jr. 1998. Joshua. Vol. 5. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers. PG 144

Sermon Notes

12/3/23 Out of Exile, the Promise of Christmas. Matthew 2, Micah 5

11/26/23 Out of Exile, the Promise of Christmas

11/19/23 Portraits of a Prophet 10. 2 Kings 2

11/12/23 Portraits of a Prophet (A Mighty but Weary Prophet)

11/5/23 Portraits of a Prophet #8

October 29, 2023 Portraits of a Prophet 7: Elijah

October 8, 2023 Portraits of a Prophet 6

October 1, 2023: Portraits of a Prophet 5

9/24/23 Sermon Notes

License Orientation, August 17, 2023

August 13, 2023 Portraits of a Prophet 3

Portraits of a Prophet Message 2

Portraits of a Prophet: 1 Kings 17:1-4

Moving from Despair to Action. Psalm 119:24-32

1. The Psalmist is moving from despair toward action.

How do we move from despair to action?

2. We must believe that God is Good.

3. We must invest ourselves in God’s Word and God’s presence.

Apply: Put your life in Jesus’ hands.

“Help Me Understand!” Psalms 119:24-32

A-Z God is Good. Psalm 119:25-32 part 1

Psalm 119:25-32

From A-Z, God is Good

Introduction:

Introduction to the Text

TEXT

Three Comments from Vs. 25-26

1. Psalm 119 is both Wisdom and Lament.

2. Psalm 119 expresses a longing for God’s Word.

3. Psalm 119 is the Psalm of Pentecost

2 Questions

Question #1: Does your life feel like you are down in the dust?

Question #2: Have you asked to be revived?

Invitation: Notice the Invitation.

Dad Advice that Really Matters

Dad Advice that Really Matters

Introduction: A world in need of Fatherly advice.

1. Listen to godly teaching and instruction. 1-2

2. Value loyalty and faithfulness. 3-4

3. Trust in the Lord. Vs. 5-6

4. Don’t be wise in your own eyes. Vs. 7-8

5. Honor the Lord with your possessions. 9-10

6. Do not despise the Lord’s instructions. 11-12

Close: As we close, I believe the best thing we can do this morning is to pray for the men in the room.

License Credential Orientation June 2023

June 11 2023, Message 26 PRAY, ENCOURAGE, LOVE

Message 26: Pray, Encourage, Love

Introduction: Here ends Paul’s letter to Ephesus.

1. Stay alert with all perseverance and Intercession for all the saints.

2. Pray for others’ boldness.

3. Inform and Encourage each other.

4. Let your love remain incorruptible.

Close:

Jesus, a Wedding, and a Divine Revealing June 7, 2023

Jesus, a Wedding, and a Divine Revealing

Introduction: This year, I felt a clarification about my call.

1. John’s record of Jesus’ first miracle puzzles modern readers.

2. The scene of an unknown wedding.

3. This difficult situation prompts Mary to ask for Jesus’ intervention.

4. Hour for what?

5. Ritual water becomes New Wine.

6. The disciples caught a glimpse of Jesus as the Promised Groom of Israel.

Apply: What do we do in light of John 2?

June 4, 2023 Message 25 “Praying through the Attacks”

Message 25: Praying through the Battles

Introduction:

1. Pray at all times.

2. Pray in the Spirit.

3. Pray in the Spirit with every prayer and request

Close: Prayer

May 21, 2023 Stand in the Armor of God

Message 24 Christ’s Weapons for the Church

Message 24:Christ’s Weapons for the Church.

Introduction: War, not peace.

1. First, we have to be convinced there is a real, spiritual enemy.

2. The Armor of God

3. Complete protection.

4. Christ provides the armor, we put it on.

Apply: How do I stay in the fight?