Ephesians 4 v.1/16

In the 4^th Chapter of Ephesians Paul writes forcibly on the theme of unity.  He saw the Church as the family of brothers and sisters in Christ, and like earthly families wanting to meet together in their Father’s house. 

When a person joins a society or institution, one is expected to embrace the aims of that body and to act in a way which will never bring discredit. Paul always wanted the Church to be one that brought credit on Christianity.  Paul wanted us to act as he understood what Christ expected from the Church. 

When writing this Letter, he is in prison for the sake of the gospel and is pleading for Christians to live in a manner worthy of the unity and holiness to which they were called.      As such they were to be set apart from the ways of the world, and to be distinct people of God. 

He laid down some basics of the Christian faith, and the qualities we should have. 

Humility, which means setting one’s life beside the example of Christ Himself, and the humble recognition of the value of other people.

Meekness, which means the gentility behind a strong character, and being angry for the right purposes, and not ever seeking to cause dissension.    

Peace, in that we seek to have good relationships with each other. 

Love, which is not the emotional kind, but that of a caring person, and withholding bitterness.

We are to hold one another up, to sustain and support each other, and to live according to the way God has spelled out in His Holy Word, holding to those principles. 

Paul laid out the ground rules for unity.  There is one body, Jesus being the head of the body.   There is one Spirit, or we may call it breath.  If there is no breath the body will not function and the vitalising breath of the Church is the Spirit of Christ.  It is the work of the Spirit which keeps it alive.

There is one hope. We should all be striving towards the same goal or aim; such is the secret of unity. Oneness is essential in the Church.   Individual presentations may vary, but all should lead to the one purpose of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ.  

There is one Lord. The ancient creed was ‘Jesus is Lord’ and it was the dream of God that a day would come when all would confess Jesus as that Lord, The word ‘Lord’ was understood to indicate a person as Master, and Christians were united in the possession and service of one master.  Paul had wonderful visions of a world turning to Christ with one baptism as acceptance of repentance and the confession of Jesus as Lord in the one faith. 

There is one faith. In the Bible faith means the complete trust and surrender of the Christian to Jesus and the following of his commands.  We are bound together in one because all have made a common act of complete surrender to the love of Christ.  We may well have a different act of worship, but there has to be one basis common to all.

 

There is one baptism. Paul saw the world turning to Christ with one baptism as an act of repentance and the confession of Jesus as Lord in one faith. In the early Church it was adult baptism because people made a confession publicly of faith, which was the gateway to the Church. There was none of the practice of calling a Minister and saying a christening was wanted and then being told to turn up at a Church at a stated time and date when false promises would be made and accepted.  There was only one way to enter the Church, the way of public confession of Christ.

There is one God in whom we believe; whilst our God is King and Judge, he is also Father.  He is always in control no matter what things may look like; guiding, directing, loving, sustaining, upholding.  Yet people still fail to acknowledge God’s constant presence.  To some he is just meant to be a benevolent giver of all their desires, or someone to blame when things go wrong, although they cannot spare one hour in the week to worship him.  God gets plenty of criticism, nut gets very little, if any, credit.

In 1984 there was a man created a bishop who denied the resurrection of our Lord in the most offensive and sneering terms. He was to be consecrated at York Minster much to the disgust of evangelical Christians.

On the night of that consecration York Minster went up in flames. There had been renovation work carried out and a new lightning conductor had been installed to protect the millions of pounds the renovation cost.  In addition, smoke detectors had been fitted around the building.

During the night a meteorological map showed the whole of Yorkshire had been clear, except for a very small cloud which should have produced only a few drops of rain which hovered over the Minster. Out of that cloud was a bolt of a million volt lightning without any thunder, and blew out the entire lightning system and smoke detectors.  The architect and sixteen meteorologists, none of them known to be believers all said that was God acting.

The Archbishop of York at that time commented that it not only was not God, it could not have been because God would never do such a thing; this showed he either did not know his Bible or chose to ignore it.  

The resurrection is an integral part of the Christian gospel, yet here is the second highest Office of the Church mocking the suggestion God had intervened, as if God was not interested in what was taking place in His Church.

People ought to be told, and made to realise, we live in God’s world and He is still in charge and will not be mocked.    

In verses 9/10 Jesus refers to Jesus descending and ascending. He meant Christ came into the world at our earthly level, and then ascended back to heaven here his presence can be given to so many more people.  

Paul lists the gifts Jesus gave for his Church, so we have a picture of the early Church. The Apostles had authority through put the Church and their ministry was not confined to one place.  There was never more than twelve, but they began to die out, for to be an Apostle a man had seen Jesus and had witnessed His  resurrection.  

This is why Paul had to fight to maintain his claim to be an Apostle; which he based on having met the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus.

The prophets were wanderers throughout the Church, proclaiming the will of God and forth telling his purpose.

The evangelists too were wanderers. They did not have the authority or prestige of Apostles; they were like itinerant preachers, or like those who lead modern Crusade meetings.

Finally, there were the pastors, who like the present-day Ministers. cared for the people of their town or place.

Paul went on to speak of what could be expected of members of the Church, especially those who held some form of minor office. Paul emphasised that all members should use their personal gifts for the benefit of the Church.  Every gift we possess is in itself a gift from God.  Each person is unique in oneself, and what we are given is meant to be use for the benefit of all.

The Church should have perfect unity and all members have the aim of building the Church to make it strong and have an influence in society. Factions must not exist, and no disruption caused. However, when clergy at ALL levels are contesting the Word of God and wanting to make it more accessible to people outside of the Church.  This is a total betrayal of trust and is shameful.  If anyone holding an Office in the Church cannot abide by that which God specifically laid down, and our Lord commanded to be accepted, they should consider why they still hold such a position and resign.

We have people giving false teaching and we should all be prepared to test what is taught by searching the Scriptures, for false teaching will destroy the Church. Liberalism has entered the Church in Western nations with its trendy social issues, and is causing the Church to fall apart.  Confusion is caused as to what a person should believe, as activists are trying to replace the gospel on moral and social matters to comply with society’s standards.

Paul finally warned that there will always be t  hose who need to be entertained with novelty.  This is so often extended to practices which frankly make the faith look and sound ridiculous.  God wants you to come to a place where there is stability and you will not be tossed around by every trendy wind.  Too many Christians are unstable because they have had no solid basis of doctrine and just don’t know what to believe or why.  The Church was built on the sure foundation of the teaching of the Apostles who were told by our Lord to go and teach all he had commanded.

We are called to worship the Lord with reverence and awe, and we do this by joyful praise and solid biblical preaching. We tell people God loves them and wants them all to be saved, for which purpose he sent Jesus to die on the Cross that their sins may be forgiven, which is the only way they can be saved and made fit for heaven; and we set examples by living respectable and decent lives and show ourselves to be worthy men and women followers of Jesus Christ

When we come together, we are expected to share those qualities Paul laid out.  There should never be disharmony amongst Christians, nationally or locally.

Anyone who has been in the Church for some time knows that no Church is perfect; there is usually one person who is a storm centre, who is not happy until total disruption is caused.  The Church can be a place of joy, but also one of heartache and pain.      

I have often been struck by the hypocrisy of weeks of Christian unity and I stopped attending years ago.  I am happy and always ready to join in worship with any fellow Christians in any Church.  When I first became a Christian, it was with a group of Christians in Kenya, where the members were from all different denominations and countries, of various ages and sex never having previously met, yet all one in Christ Jesus, enjoying and benefiting from being together. 

But now at gatherings in so called Christian unity weeks, each denomination tends to stay together and there is a refusal by some to have full Communion with other Christians.  If we are really sincere about unity, we have to be prepared to let it happen without reservation or conditions; which are not always practiced.

 

Paul thanked God for the Church, and that is something we should all do.  Our calling is to follow the example given by Paul so that we stand out in our communities. 

Let us all seek to have a Church, even if it just be our own local one, where the true gospel is taught as God intended; ready to support each other in times of trouble, ready to welcome strangers who come into our midst, and who are never reluctant to confess they are Christians.

 

 

John 6. V 52/70
Jesus was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum and said, ‘I am the bread of life’, one of his seven ‘I am’ sayings. The bread Jesus is giving relates to his death on the Cross, and those who believe in him are then spiritually satisfied.
Bread is an essential of life without which we cannot go on living. Jesus meant life to be more than mere existence, he was speaking of a new life in a relationship with God, which is only possible by accepting Jesus into your life as Saviour; without him no one can enter into a relationship with God. He is the bread in the sense that he nourishes us spiritually and satisfies the longing of our souls. Those who accept him into their lives will not therefore hunger, because their spiritual longing to know God will be known.

This chapter gives us a vision of Jesus whereby we can relate to him not just as someone we read about, but rather as someone we can turn to, and both he and God become a friend, as the hymn states, ‘what a friend we have in Jesus’. This invitation is extended to all people, but there is a stubborn resistance which refuses the offer, so that what the heart is really searching for is lost. This is where the Jews lost out, they could not believe that someone who came from an ordinary home could possibly be a messenger from God.

There is a memorable story about the famous T. E. Lawrence of Arabia fame, who was serving as ordinary airman in the Royal Air Force, and one day was visiting his friend Thomas Hardy the writer, and was wearing civilian dress. Whilst he was there the local Mayoress visited, and was affronted to meet a common airman without knowing of Lawrence’s fame. She spoke to Mrs Hardy in French saying, in all her life she had never sat in the company of a mere private, when Lawrence said in perfect French, ‘I beg your pardon Madame, can I act as interpreter as Mrs Hardy does not know French’. The woman was judging by external standards, and that is what the Jews did to Jesus as many people are doing now.

I have always been bemused by the general attitude of people within the Church who get overawed at the presence of a bishop, and who consider because of his Office assume he must be a superior Christian to a poor Vicar in knowledge and belief, when in fact it many cases it is the complete opposite case. Men, and now women, often achieve high Office through naked ambition, right contacts, projecting themselves, and serving in non-parochial positions.  The great names in Christianity have been humble men and women, serving often in harsh conditions following the example of the Galilean carpenter who is their inspiration.

When Jesus said he was the bread of life, he was saying he was essential for life, so to refuse to accept his offer means to lose eternal life in heaven. He was the mind and voice of God, who lived a human life among us and offers help to all who seek him. He spoke the words, ‘come to me all who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest’. When Jesus spoke of eating his flesh, he was meaning to let yourself be strengthened by his body.

Jesus said he was the living bread in that all who believe in him shall have their spiritual longing filled. He went on to say unless we ate the flesh and drank the blood, there would be no life within them. To eat the flesh means to believe in him, and to drink his blood means to accept his death on the Cross where he shed his blood.  In Jewish thought, blood stood for life, and when a body bleeds life flows out of it, and to a Jew blood belongs to God, which is why Jews will not eat meat unless it is has been completely drained of blood. Jesus wants us to take his life into the very centre of our hearts and life.

Some people were thinking God did not choose them and Jesus would turn them away but he promises anyone who turns to him will never be turned away.Jesus said no one can come to him unless God sent him/her, which implies that no one has the moral and spiritual ability to come to Christ unless God the Father draws them, that is gives the desire and inclination to do so. All of us who have turned to Jesus and accepted him into our hearts and lives, were inspired to do so when God touched our hearts and gave us the choice of accepting or rejecting Jesus. All who truly believe in Jesus will be saved and have eternal life, and on the day of judgement will be raised up to the fulness of eternal life.

You may have a precious book which you never got down to reading it, just having left it in a bookcase. Eventually you do read it, it thrills, entertains and inspires you, and you are left wondering why you turned away from it from the start.

But people are still finding is a problem and staying away, and what increases their resistance is the demand he makes on our lives; we are bound to accept him as the ultimate authority and accept moral standards of purity. The reason the Church is falling apart is that fewer and fewer within are accepting those demands. God is not going to bless a Church which is acting and preaching contrary to that which he has laid down. We are making accommodation in our teaching and liturgy for what is unequivocally rejected by God in his Word, (the Bible).

As I mentioned in a previous post, we have a man appointed to control a Cathedral authorising an immoral function; we have another flying the rainbow flag to celebrate diversity for Gay Liberation, an organisation whose stated aim ‘is the abolition of the family’; no diversity or tolerance there, and in fairness not the aim of the majority it claims to represent. For senior representatives of the Church to act so, reveals the shallow nature of their belief. Christ is rejected because he challenges and condemns.

We need to seriously consider what we understand a follower of Jesus, in other words a Christian means and demands. A lady once said to me, ‘Vicar I heard a man say on Songs of Praise he had attended church for years but had just become a Christian.

We must not accept Jesus as just a character in a book, but someone to whom we can turn to as the final authority in life. The invitation is given to all people, but there remains a stubborn something which refuses the offer. The human heart defies God, but when we accept him the heart finds what it has been searching for.

As we come to the last verses in this chapter we read that ‘many of his followers said this is very hard for us to understand, how can anyone accept it. Such followers were not true and genuine believers, but were following him for what he could do for them, such as healing and multiplying food.

Jesus knew there were some who were unsettled, and knew they would never accept the doctrines he expounded. Paul warned some people in the Church would not either, and would turn to those who were ready to say the things wanted to be heard, and how that is manifest in to-day’s Church.

Millions have been baptised, and such has been the mendacious meaningless procedure, that we have never seen them attending further. We live in an age of free thought and behaviour, in which the sole aim is pursuit of self-pleasure. Those who deceive themselves they are heaven bound because they consider they are so righteous on spurious grounds, will one day see their judgement overruled by divine judgement. Jesus said human effort accomplishes nothing,

When Jesus saw people walking away, he asked his Apostles were they going to leave him, and Peter who loved the Lord asked, ‘to whom shall we go?’  Peter knew Jesus was the only way to God.

There is much to be learned from this passage.  

The eating and drinking is not a reference to Holy Communion.  People place too much emphasis on ceremonial procedure, but Christianity makes the state of the heart the principal matter.

Flesh and blood means the atonement of Jesus, and eating and drinking means faith.  Faith in the atonement of Jesus is of absolute necessity to salvation, and we are united with our Saviour.

We see the hardness of people’s heart.  Even when the preacher was Jesus, who Peter describes as ‘the Holy One of God’,( that is the One set apart for service to God) yet was not accepted by so many. When Jesus spoke kindly and clearly, not all listened.

The true grace of God is an everlasting possession, and true followers do not fall away.  But there is also fake and unreal religion in the Church, which is why some people do leave. Like the ground spoken of in the parable of the Sower, the stone is hard and nothing can take root there. Many words and resolutions are made, but they have not had the grace of God.

If Jesus experienced so much, well might we do so, but do not be discouraged; do not let your faith be threatened, there have always been failures in the Church who fail and want to take others with them  the remarks of Peter apply to us.

Casual Christianity is not enough to save our souls.  Grace is needed to make a true believer which will enable us to serve God in the most difficult times.  Never rest until you have that grace properly established in the soul.  The words of our Lord come to us when he states, ‘ask and it shall be given you’.

All Christians should by faithful and loyal to Jesus, and demonstrate this by not being hypocritical in their way of living, rather accepting and practising his commands. and demonstrate this by not being hypocritical in their way of living.

May the Lord richly bless you.

 

This morning I want to turn with you to Psalm 23.

Written over 3,000 years ago it is still the most known passage in the Bible by believers, non believers and part believers. I have taken hundreds of funerals over the years and I could count on my fingers the number of times this psalm has not been either said or sung. Whilst it is so popular at funerals, it is not meant for death, but rather life, and sometime is more appropriately used at weddings.

The psalm was written by David, the greatest name in Jewish history and their greatest king. When he wrote it he had been overthrown from his throne temporarily by his own son, and had to flee to the wilderness. He never lost trust and faith in God, and was confident of the Lord’s care.

Drawing on his boyhood experience of tending sheep, he pictured himself as a sheep and God as the shepherd, and applied the imagery of both to his human situation.

Although widely used now, most people do not think about, or understand, what it is saying. It is especially helpful to anyone passing through an emotional experience, or personal crisis.

Of course many people don’t feel they need any help, certainly not spiritually, and think they can solver their own problems, not David, nor anyone who has come to know the Lord.

A shepherd in Eastern terms was rather different to what we know as a shepherd; it was a 24 hours job, and as there were not the fields for the sheep to graze in, it meant the shepherd had to walk the sheep many miles to find pasture, and so a close relationship existed between sheep and shepherd, with the sheep being known by name.

It was a dangerous occupation, for the shepherd had to protect the sheep from wild animals roaming, and those trying to steal sheep.

David begins with the word, ‘The LORD is my shepherd’. The original word used was Jehovah, the one true God, the God of the Bible, the God of Israel. Other faiths have their own gods, but in the Judeo/Christian belief there is only one God.

He is the shepherd. I shall not want. If God is our shepherd we shall not want. This does not mean we shall be provided with riches or luxuries, but He will provide what we need. He is claiming a close relationship, and Christianity is a personal relationship which we now have between us and Jesus Christ, for all who accept His death on the Cross was their forgiveness. If we trust God we will lack for nothing; God wants us to depend on Him and feel we need Him.

David then sets out the way our needs are met. He makes me lie down in green pastures beside still waters. The shepherd will know where there are such pastures and will guide the sheep to them where they can eat and drink. Sheep cannot drink from running water so need somewhere where there is still water.

The sheep are pictured being led to an idyllic spot where they will be fed, for the shepherd will have gone ahead to make sure that is the right place. This reminds me of being in the Scottish Highlands with sheep resting on the side of a Loch.

As we feed upon the word of God we see the Lord Jesus there. We draw upon him and our inner man is satisfied. Jesus told His disciples, ‘this is the work of God, that you believe in him whom He has sent.’

The second thing the Good Shepherd does is to give direction in life: He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. The path the sheep would take would in fact be a narrow, well-worn trail. The shepherd knows the trails. He has been there before, and the sheep trust him.

The sheep would be led along a narrow track and be guided by the shepherd so they did not stray. God wants us to guide us, and directs us the road to take. Jesus said the road was narrow and only few would take it. This is because sacrifices must be made; a certain way of life led according to biblical teaching, and restraint of undesirable passions. It is so easy in this secular world to be led astray.

Yea thought I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear not evil for thy rod and staff they comfort me. The third thing David says that a good shepherd does is to provide protection:

The shepherd would lead his sheep back home at evening. As they go down through a narrow gorge it would be dark and dangerous. The sheep, because they are so timid and defenceless, would be frightened by their experience. But they trust the shepherd, and therefore they are at ease.

Sometimes we may be frightened by the evil we see in the world, horrified by the moral depths we see people partaking in, and wonder if the Lord has left the world to its own devices. But God says he never leaves us and is always there. Therefore we have no reason to fear.

‘Your rod and staff they comfort me’. The rod was a heavy wooden club with a knob on the end, which was used to drive off wild animals. It was never used on the sheep, but was a heavy instrument used to protect the sheep from other wild animals. The staff was a slender pole with a little crook on the end. It was used to aid the sheep. The crook could be hooked around the leg of a sheep to pull him from harm. Or it could be used as an instrument to direct, and occasionally to discipline the sheep, with taps on the side of the body.

When we go wandering away he doesn't come with a big club, like a caring father He corrects and shows us how to act righteously. Like sheep we can go astray if left to our own devices, so the heavenly shepherd keeps us on the right path.

In Verses 5 and 6 David changes the tone moving God from the good shepherd to the generous welcoming host. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

The Lord spreads a sumptuous meal before him, a great banquet, in the presence of his enemies. This embraces all the benefits David has used before. That God feeds and provides, leads and protects.

In the East it was customary to anoint a guest to make them look and smell nice, so they would place perfumed oil over the head and smooth it down. A drink would be poured out in such a way that the wine would overflow the cup so the host would be seen to be giving all he could.

The psalm ends with David his life continuing with God. David says that God's goodness and mercy shall follow him, for the rest of his life and then after death will live in God’s house in the next life. He looks forward to spending all his days in the house of the Lord where he will always have a home.

 Ephesians 3 v 1/13

The reading this morning is Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesian Church.

In every bible study there are three stages; first you hear or read the passage; the fid out what it means; then thirdly consider how relevant it is to us and the Church in the present day.

You have heard the passage read, so let us try to see what Paul was meaning.

He is in a Roman prison awaiting trial by the Emperor Nero, and is writing to the Ephesian Church describing himself as a servant of Christ, and sees himself as a prisoner for Christ. He is in prison because he preached to the Gentiles so upsetting the Jews, who had forced the Roman authorities to act against him.

God had originally chosen the Jews to be the people to whom He sent Jesus to offer salvation, but when they rejected Jesus, God chose Paul to take the Gospel to the Gentiles. The love, mercy and grace of God was now being extended to all mankind. The gospel is for all people, regardless of colour, race or gender.

Paul was proud of the fact that when Christ called him on the Damascus Road he had the revelation that God was going to send him to the Gentiles, giving him the special task of taking the gospel to the non Jews, and it had been revealed to him by God, of the secret plan to reconcile the Jews and non Jews who had hatred between them. Now both would receive all the blessings meant for the Jews alone, and Paul saw himself, having been given the special privilege of discovering the secret of God’s grace.

He points out that previously God never disclosed His intentions, but on this occasion God had told him of the plan to bring the non Jews to share with the Jews all the rich blessings inherited by those who follow Jesus, and which would be given to all who accepted what Christ had done for them on the Cross. In addition God had given to Paul the privilege of telling everyone, and endowed him with special ability to do so.

He admits he had done nothing to deserve this and had been totally unworthy as he did not claim to be much of a Christian, knowing personally of the way he had persecuted non Jews previously before his Damascus Road conversion. He was now able to tell all people of the endless treasures they could have if they turned to see Jesus as their Saviour, which God had planned from the very beginning through Jesus Christ as Lord. Now all the angels in heaven could rejoice that Jews and non Jews alike could share the inheritance.

We now have to consider how it relates to us and the Church in the present times.

This passage ought to be a lesson to those Church leaders in the West who adopt anti-Israel views and express criticism unjustly in any situation, and have unwisely endorsed a boycott of Israel made goods, when in fact they provided employment for non Jewish citizens. The United States Churches have on the other hand have recognised we Christians and Jews worship the same God, and are part of an ancient Judea-Christian tradition.

Paul was an example to all who are allowed to preach for Christ, he always remembered and acknowledged he had been favoured and never claimed credit or showed pride. He never expected others to look at him or seek praise, and was someone quite a few people I have met could learn from. He was never ashamed of the gospel and suffered mightily for preaching it without spirit of timidity, and never ever failed to acknowledge the gospel’s authority as the Word of God, or support any behaviour or action contrary to God’s commands.

Paul understood the grace of God meant it would enable us to face up to any situation in life. He constantly told that in Jesus we have free approach to God as a child to a father; we can turn to God as our heavenly Father, this only through Jesus Christ who had been deemed the only one to give us way to God. He now had the authority to be known as an Apostle along with those previously chosen.

The times of Paul were as decadent and immoral as those we now face, bible literacy at an all time low, whilst immorality has reached new heights; it may reasonably be said that one is consequent on the other.

Despite the evil they faced Paul and the Apostles were following the command of Jesus to make disciples and teach all that He had commanded, and they had much success. They taught that the Bible had the authority and completeness for all things in life; they told of the need for us to be in a proper relationship with God, which was only possible because of the death of Jesus on the Cross so that all who put their faith and trust in Jesus and accepted Him as Saviour would be seen as righteous by God, and the gospel spread quickly without any of the wonderful technological aids we enjoy. Over the years men added unnecessary and false doctrines which changed the message.

There are various ways we come to know Jesus; through a friend telling us; through a poster carrying a message; but primarily through hearing a preacher. Paul was intent that people could only hear and believe if someone told them, and this was the appointed task and duty of the preacher.

We celebrate the Protestant Reformation, perhaps more in the United States than in this country, which motivated Luther to write his theses, one of which states ‘the true treasure of the church is the most holy gospel of the glory and grace of God.’ This is the message the Church should now be preaching, but instead too many are more concerned with following an equality agenda which is obsessing the country. Luther’s stance was that any issue which tended to overshadow the gospel must be ignored and abandoned. He recalled the Church to follow the gospel.

Figures have just been released for Church attendance and are frightening; it looks as is the Church is falling apart. We desperately need to recall the Church back to the gospel as we see it flagrantly abandoning the teaching our Lord gave. Until we get back to the teaching of the Apostles there will be little improvement.

We have services of baptism in which we encourage people to make false promises; we tell that ways of living which are expressly deemed wrong in Scripture are perfectly acceptable; we hold funeral services which we infer heaven is open to all irrespective of their lack of belief in Jesus as the only way to God.

We have largely replaced God’s law to placate and win favour from the State and its people. Consequently fidelity to Scripture is avoided because preachers are ashamed to preach the Bible.

We live in a very aggressive secular society, one in which there are numerous minority groups who expect and demand consideration above their proportion. If we are to face the challenges of the day, we have to be people of the Bible, which is why sound doctrine has to be given.

The Bible should be the basis for ALL our preaching, it is the foundation of all truth. We cannot just pick and choose which parts we want, and cast out those which are not popular with society. We should all be preaching on the same lines. We have to also accept that the Church exists primarily for one purpose, to proclaim the Christian gospel. All other activities are subsidiary.

People have a right to expect a positive message when they attend Church, a biblical message. This is why Billy Graham became the most successful preacher of all time. His preaching was uncompromisingly based on the Bible, and people flocked in their tens of thousands to hear him, and they respected him for his directness

It is good and helpful to have involvement in social activities, but the primary means of bringing people to Christ is through the preaching of the gospel. If we restrict that then we have no claim to be here; people can get social amenities from many sources, they can only get the gospel from the Church.

The Bible states the gospel is the power of God leading to salvation for all who believe. This means more than just believing there is a God, the devil accepts that. It is not enough to just hear and say you believe, it demands a response. God wants all people to turn to Him.

In conclusion, never be ashamed of the gospel. When Paul wrote to Timothy he told him not to have a spirit of timidity, but be ready to preach the word that God saved us by His grace which He has given us through Christ Jesus.

Let us Christians be as proud of our faith as other faiths are of theirs, remembering there is salvation in no one else than Jesus, for there is no other name under heaven given among men, by which we can be saved.

 

Ephesians 2 v 11 /end

I am turning to the Epistle to the Ephesians.

In this passage there are two parts. In verses 11-15 Christ makes peace between Jew and non-Jew (Gentile) to unify one people.  There is only one united people of God.

Our epistle looks at the hostility that existed between Jew and Gentile in Paul’s time.  The Jews hated the Gentiles, so much so, that if a Gentile woman fell into difficulty during labour, they would not help her, in order to stop another Gentile being born into the world; and the Gentiles were not too fond of the Jews either. 

The Jews saw themselves as God’s chosen people, which gave them the right to hate others; they had been promised the Messiah; and they alone had been part of God’s Covenant.  Anyone else did not belong to God’s people, which meant judgement with hell as the natural consequence.

The Jews had a national home in Palestine, but were scattered around the Mediterranean area.  Wherever they went they took with them a high moral standard, and pure faith in a holy and righteous God in contrast to the Gentile gods.  They did not want to be dragged down morally by those who lived in a world of moral and spiritual corruption.  For them the Mosaic law was the solution, for it regulated every aspect of life.  So it was this law which separated Jew and Gentile.  The Jew was determined to maintain this separation and not let the Gentile have any share in the promise of salvation, unless he accepted and obeyed every line of the law

The Jews considered the Gentiles had rejected God, which in fact they had, so causing a dividing line of hostility.  In the Temple Courts there were separate Courts, and there was an inscription on the wall, which stated that any Gentile caught within the Temple area would face death.  The Temple was at the heart of Judaism, and was a symbol of all the law stood for,    

The Gentiles had their own gods. It was a multi-faith society, and like those today who have their own gods of money, property, etc, all of which do not give the spiritual satisfaction of belief in the one true God, they were without hope, for there is no fulfilment in an empty product.

To be separated from Israel was to be separated from Christ, because salvation was from the Jews. God had made his Old Testament redemption and promises by his oath bound covenants with Abrahamic, Davidic and Mosaic covenants, but the new covenants fulfils all the divine promises

The Gentiles had a mixed reaction to the Jews.  Some returned the hatred; others were attracted by the moral outlook of Judaism.  They saw in the Jewish Synagogue fellowship and brotherhood, that contrasted with the disintegration of their own society.  They saw noble standards.  The barrier was the acceptance of 613 laws, plus any Rabbinic additions.     

The Gentiles felt like many people today, in that they did not seem to belong to anything and had no clearly defined belief.  They knew there must be something better within their grasp and wanted to find it.

We can see a parallel situation within the main line Churches to day.  People see clearly defined doctrine being ignored and re-interpreted, to suit and embrace modern culture, and to make the Church appear worldly friendly, but  which lacks a clear moral basis.  So each year there is a decrease in the number of members, whilst people go to the small evangelical churches or just drop away, which is extremely sad and very worrying for the future.      

           The evangelical wing has formed an association called the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, which is campaigning for a return to orthodox doctrine and biblical integrity, yet whilst everyone is entitled to an opinion, some of the remarks from the liberal establishment, you would think they were trying to destroy the Church and deprive people of their liberty.  It may be significant the Queen has sent two letters of support to the leaders. 

Paul was trying to explain the loss of not being Jews. The Gentiles were seen as foreigners, and as such were excluded from all the benefits of Israeli citizens, namely the promises made by God to Moses and David. 

Paul believed that all Gentiles apart from Christ were unsaved and without God.  This meant there were two classifications, Jews or Gentiles.  To be brought near meant to have access to God. In Christ’s death, he died not only for Jews, but for all his followers even for those who were far off.

When the word peace is mentioned, it refers to a harmonious friendship between all peoples in the church.  The opposite of peace is hostility which Christ quenched.

Whilst Paul was an Apostle to the Gentiles, he still had great concern for the Jews, and was striving to bring the two together.  He talks of the dividing wall, which prevents them from mixing, and says we all have to get right with God, and until we do so we will not get right with other people.  We get the answer by Jesus death on the Cross, who brings reconciliation for us to be right with God and people. Jew and Gentile can now sit down together as one, and form what became known as the third race, Christians.

In the mention of commandments and ordinances, this referred to the Mosaic law which would separate Israel from other nations.  This created a dividing wall which Christ had abolished, by removing people from the law’s condemnation.  This meant a new man denoting a human race under Christ.

Paul uses illustrations which would be vivid to a Jew to show hatred can be ended, and unity achieved.  He said those who were far off had been brought near.  When Rabbis spoke about receiving a convert into Judaism, they said he had been brought near.  He assures the Gentiles and Jews that they can be followers of Jesus, and end the resentment because of the peace earned for them by His death on the Cross.

You Ephesians, he says, "are no longer strangers and foreigners’. Once you were strangers, says the apostle. You did not know what God could do for you. Now that you have come to Christ you are no more strangers.

And you are no longer foreigners, either. A foreigner is different than a stranger. A foreigner may be very familiar with the country in which he lives. He may have lived there for years, but he has no ultimate rights. He is living on a passport.   

So as we come to Church, perhaps even on a regular basis, we have to be careful, we come not like the foreigner with a passport, but as one who has the full rights of a citizen of the Kingdom of God.          

Paul is writing as a Jew to a largely Gentile people, and wants to show how wonderful it is to be a Christian and to belong to a Church. He sees the Christian as part of a great building, and each Christian a stone built into the Church.  Jesus is the corner stone, and if you take the cornerstone away the building will collapse. A cornerstone is the main stone in the course of foundation which ensures the building is square and heavenly family with one Father, and with Jesus, and we have a common spirit.  T  

Unity comes from Jesus not from any organisation, ritual or liturgy.   When we are able to understand how God sees the Church, we will want to do all we can to make others want to become part of it.

In verses 16-18 there is Peace with God, which was obtained by the death of Christ on the Cross  which had done away with the hostility between Israel and other nations.  Two parties were reconciled, brought into a relationship  to satisfy God’s wrath against his enemies. They are now friends in one body, the church

To draw near to God, and to enjoy him forever in the new creation, is both mankind’s greatest good and ultimate accomplishment of Christ’s earthly work of redemption.

Christians have to know and really be convinced, of who they are as members of God’s household if they are to live accordingly as one.  Strangers were deemed to have no connection with God.

We have to accept that our world has divisions, the clashes of interest are real.   Despite all the wonderful advanced technology and aids we have today, we haven’t advanced that much in relationships.  We have wonderful medical operations which perform heart transplants, yet many hearts are without compassion. 

In every walk of life we find hostility, even regrettably within the Church.    We don’t have to go back 2000 years however to find racial or cultural hostility. There is still a wall in place in Belfast, erected during the troubles to keep Protestant and Catholic apart. 

Such rivalry in the name of religion was appalling, but even more shameful was the fact that such rivalry could have been cut out, if the Church leaders of both faiths had got together, and told their peoples to stop, for clergy in Northern Ireland have more influence and are listened to more than here, but on either side there was support for their own factions, one especially so.   

There are differences between people, which God no doubt intended.  We are not, despite the efforts of the equality zealots in Parliament, all equal or the same.  Those inequalities and differences can be an asset.  You don’t have a body which is all hands or heads. If the body of Christ is to be complete and functional, it needs to have various qualities.  And each sex performs some functions in life in a better way than the other, and should be allowed to get on without interference.

Christians should be able to rise above strife. People sometimes see others through their own eyes.  Two ladies who had not tasted champagne one day decided to try some. It ended with one accusing the other of being drunk.  She said I know you are drunk, I can see you have two noses.  We allow the emotional differences people have, to be given greater significance than what they have in common.

In the concluding verses of our passage, Paul wants to encourage us to come into a living relationship with God.

The final verse speaks of built on the foundation of the Apostles and prophets.  They were thought to be foundational  because they proclaimed the very words of God, which became the books of the New Testament. Since a foundation can be laid only once there can be no further apostles or prophets to day and their function has been replaced by the Bible.

The holy temple is where God meets with his people in joyful worship and fellowship.  We are children of God, who cares for us and has a purpose for our life.  As Christians we belong to the church, this means we meet not with strangers, but as brothers and sisters of God’s family.

May God bless you. 

 

 

 

 

 

`

 

The appointed reading this morning is Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesian Church, Chapter 1 v 3 to 14.

 In every bible study there are three stages; first you hear or read the passage; then find out what it means; then thirdly consider how relevant it is to us and the Church in the present day.

 You have heard the passage read, so let us try to see what Paul was meaning.

 He is in a Roman prison awaiting trial by the Emperor Nero, and is writing to the Ephesian Church describing himself as a servant of Christ, and sees himself as a prisoner for Christ. He is in prison because he preached to the Gentiles so upsetting the Jews, who had forced the Roman authorities to act against him.

 God had originally chosen the Jews to be the people to whom He sent Jesus to offer salvation, but when they rejected Jesus, God chose Paul to take the Gospel to the Gentiles.   The love, mercy and grace of God was now being extended to all mankind. The gospel is for all people, regardless of colour, race or gender.

 Paul was proud of the fact that when Christ called him on the Damascus Road he had the revelation that God was going to send him to the Gentiles, giving him the special task of taking the gospel to the non Jews, and it had been revealed to him by God, of the secret plan to reconcile the Jews and non Jews who had hatred between them. Now both would receive all the blessings meant for the Jews alone, and Paul saw himself, having been given the special privilege of discovering the secret of God’s grace.

 He points out that previously God never disclosed His intentions, but on this occasion God had told  him of the plan to bring the non Jews to share with the Jews all the rich blessings inherited by those who follow Jesus, and which would be given to all who accepted what Christ had done for them on the Cross.  In addition God had given to Paul the privilege of telling everyone, and endowed him with special ability to do so.

 He admits he had done nothing to deserve this and had been totally unworthy as he did not claim to be much of a Christian, knowing personally of the way he had persecuted non Jews previously before his Damascus Road conversion. He was now able to tell all people of the endless treasures they could have if they turned to see Jesus as their Saviour, which God had planned from the very beginning through Jesus Christ as Lord.  Now all the angels in heaven could rejoice that Jews and non Jews alike, could share the inheritance.

 We now have to consider how it relates to us and the Church in the present times.

 This passage ought to be a lesson to those Church leaders in the West who adopt anti-Israel views and express criticism unjustly in any situation, and have unwisely endorsed a boycott of Israel made goods, when in fact they provided employment for non Jewish citizens. The United States Churches have on the other hand have recognised we Christians and Jews worship the same God, and are part of an ancient Judea-Christian tradition.

 Paul was an example to all who are allowed to preach for Christ, he always remembered and acknowledged he had been favoured and never claimed credit or showed pride.  He never expected others to look at him or seek praise, and was someone quite a few people I have met could learn from.  He was never ashamed of the gospel, and suffered mightily for preaching it without spirit of timidity, and never ever failed to acknowledge the gospel’s authority as the Word of God, or support any behaviour or action contrary to God’s commands.

 Paul understood the grace of God meant it would enable us to face up to any situation in life. He constantly told that in Jesus we have free approach to God as a child to a father; we can turn to God as our heavenly Father, this only through Jesus Christ who had been deemed the only one to give us way to God.  He now had the authority to be known as an Apostle along with those previously chosen.

 The times of Paul were as decadent and immoral as those we now face, bible literacy at an all time low, whilst immorality has reached new heights; it may reasonably be said that one is consequent on the other.  Despite the evil they faced Paul and the Apostles were following the command of Jesus to make disciples and teach all that He had commanded, and they had much success.  

They taught that the Bible had the authority and completeness for all things in life; they told of the need for us to be in a proper relationship with God, which was only possible because of the death of Jesus on the Cross so that all who put their faith and trust in Jesus and accepted Him as Saviour, would be seen as righteous by God, and the gospel spread quickly without any of the wonderful technological aids we enjoy.  Over the years men added unnecessary and false doctrines which changed the message.

 There are various ways we come to know Jesus; through a friend telling us; through a poster carrying a message; but primarily through hearing a preacher. Paul was intent that people could only hear and believe if someone told them, and this was the appointed task and duty of the preacher.

 We yearly celebrate the Protestant Reformation, perhaps more in the United States than in this country, which motivated Luther to write his theses, one of which states ‘the true treasure of the church is the most holy gospel of the glory and grace of God.’  This is the message the Church should now be preaching, but instead too many are more concerned with following an equality agenda which is obsessing the country. Luther’s stance was that any issue which tended to overshadow the gospel must be ignored and abandoned.  He recalled the Church to follow the gospel.

 Figures have just been released for Church attendance and are frightening; it looks as is the Church is falling apart.  We desperately need to recall the Church back to the gospel as we see it flagrantly abandoning the teaching our Lord gave.  Until we get back to the teaching of the Apostles there will be little improvement.

 We have just found the Methodist Church, that which was founded to take a more biblical message to the world which the established Church was failing to do; and despite being led by John and Charles Wesley, two of the great names of the Church in this country; has now abandoned their heritage, to adopt a doctrine   contrary to God’s Word and plan. 

 We have services of baptism in which we encourage people to make false promises; we tell that ways of living which are expressly deemed wrong in Scripture are perfectly acceptable; we hold funeral services which we infer heaven is open to all, irrespective of their lack of belief in Jesus as the only way to God.

We have largely replaced God’s law to placate and win favour from the State and its people.  Consequently fidelity to Scripture is avoided because preachers are ashamed to preach the Bible.   

 

We live in a very aggressive secular society, one in which there are numerous minority groups who expect and demand consideration above their proportion.  If we are to face the challenges of the day, we have to be people of the Bible, which is why sound doctrine has to be given. 

 The Bible should be the basis for ALL our preaching, it is the foundation of all truth.  We cannot just pick and choose which parts we want, and cast out those which are not popular with society. We should all be preaching on the same lines.  We have to also accept that the Church exists primarily for one purpose, to proclaim the Christian gospel.  All other activities are subsidiary.

 People have a right to expect a positive message when they attend Church, a biblical message.  This is why Billy Graham became the most successful preacher of all time. His preaching was uncompromisingly based on the Bible, and people flocked in their tens of thousands to hear him, and they respected him for his directness

 

It is good and helpful to have involvement in social activities, but the primary means of bringing people to Christ is through the preaching of the gospel. If we restrict that then we have no claim to be here; people can get social amenities from many sources, they can only get the gospel from the Church.

 

The Bible states the gospel is the power of God leading to salvation for all who believe.  This means more than just believing there is a God, the devil accepts that.  It is not enough to just hear and say you believe, it demands a response.  God wants all people to turn to Him.

Paul is telling of the new unity which Christ brings and he speaks of Jews and Gentiles being together.  The Jews had been given a plan by God, they were the first to believe in and to expect, the coming of Jesus.

 

All through their history the Jews hoped for, and dreamed of, the Messiah. They were to be the nation from who God’s chosen on should come from. .Each nation has its place in God’s scheme of things. The Jews taught religion and prepared to receive the Messiah.  But God had plans for other nations to receive the message when Jesus came into the world. The Jews had the privilege of being the first nation to await the coming of the Anointed One.

 

The Gentiles received the Word from Christian preachers. It was the word of truth about God and the world they lived in, and it was good news.  It was the message of the love and grace of God, and they were sealed by the Holy Spirit to indicate it was from God

 

Paul then tells the Holy Spirit is a foretaste in this world of what we may expect in the heavenly place. We are given the guarantee that one day we will enter into the full possession of the blessings of G.  Here is the great truth of Christian peace and joy of what we shall one day enter.  God will give us all.

 

In conclusion, never be ashamed of the gospel. When Paul wrote to Timothy he told him not to have a spirit of timidity, but be ready to preach the word that God saved us by His grace which He has given us through Christ Jesus.

 

Let us Christians be as proud of our faith as other faiths are of theirs, remembering there is salvation in no one else than Jesus, for there is no other name under heaven given among men, by which we can be saved.