Reprise

-


Scripture:

Eph. 6:23   Peace be to the whole community, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who have an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Observation:

Much of what we learn from Paul is about prayer. In this letter to the Ephesians he breaks out in prayer several times, and just when you think he’s finished praying and wrapping up his letter, he seems to pray again. 

Paul finishes up this letter by bringing his readers back to the main theme of the whole letter. The church is to be a place in which Messianic peace is lavished upon the entire community. This becomes expressed in action through holy love, lived out in faith by those who are willing to embrace the work of the Father expressed in the Lordship of Christ. All of this is bathed in unmerited grace as the church grows in her undying love for the Lord.

Application

Paul needed this prayerful reminder in his own life, as well as in the lives of those whom he’d help to disciple. The finest preachers and leaders need the prayers of the church. Those who find themselves working in dangerous places, especially need to be lifted up and surrounded by the community of faith in prayer. 

I’m currently in a part of Africa where I’m hearing stories of great sacrifice. It’s humbling to learn what our pastors and leaders are willing to do to share the good news of Jesus with the world. Their passion for Christ seems to exude from every pore of their bodies as they lay themselves down for the sake of others. They rejoice in the victories won, and grieve over the losses. Many have lost children, or even spouses, along this journey, and yet they press on. I have the feeling that I have been in the presence of saints; saints who desperately need the prayers and support of the church. 

The cosmic mystery of God’s plan is reprised here at the end of Paul’s letter. Jesus came to bring peace and unity. As diverse communities, knit together into one in the kingdom we watch a miracle unfold. Love, united with faith, cannot be restrained. This love overflows in and through the church community and the surrounding world. We are to be participants, through grace, in this great mystery. To the glory of God. 

Let’s not forget the great mystery that is to be revealed through the church. She is the bride of Christ, destined to reflect the holy Trinity in all things, to the world, and to heaven above. 

Prayer:


Lord, may the church take time to seriously reflect upon the mystery into which she has been invited. May you be lifted up and glorified in and through her. May she be your holy love in action, taking your mystery to the streets and to those in need. Amen. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Take Off Your Ornaments

-
Scripture: Ex. 33:4 ¶ When the people heard these harsh words, they mourned, and no one put on ornaments. Ex. 33:5 For the LORD had said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now take off your ornaments, and I will decide what to do to you.’” Ex. 33:6 Therefore the Israelites stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward. Observation: The people had sinned before God by making and worshiping the golden calf!  They had taken their golden jewelry — the earrings and other items they had gotten from the Egyptians and used them to create an idol.  Now, in an act of humility and repentance they were to take off all of their jewelry and ornaments.  It was a time of mourning over their sin and it included intentional action on the part of the Israelites.  Application: We don’t do all that well with humility and repentance!  It seems that we live in a time when we try to carry
Read more

Does God Value Boys More than Girls?

-
Scripture: Lev. 12:1 ¶ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Lev. 12:2 Speak to the people of Israel, saying: ¶ If a woman conceives and bears a male child, she shall be ceremonially unclean seven days; as at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. Lev. 12:3 On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Lev. 12:4 Her time of blood purification shall be thirty-three days; she shall not touch any holy thing, or come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification are completed. Lev. 12:5 If she bears a female child, she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation; her time of blood purification shall be sixty-six days. Lev. 12:6 ¶ When the days of her purification are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb in its first year for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. Lev. 12:7 He shall offer it before the LORD, and make atonement on her
Read more

The Advantage of Sanctification

-
Scripture: Rom. 6:22 But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. Rom. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Observation: Two sides of life are presented here in great contrast.  One is a life of sin and enslavement to evil.  The other side of life is freedom which provides the advantage of sanctification (or holiness as some translate the word) that leads to eternal life.  The options here are a life of sin, slavery and death; or freedom, holiness and eternal life.  The advantage of holiness or sanctification is the benefit of the life of freedom.  Jesus died so that we might be made holy like him and this is something that is offered as a “fruit” or “advantage” right now.  The end is eternal life — but the living of life is that it can be lived out in holiness.  The next verse is really just an affirmation of the verse 22.  Sin will lead
Read more