“The Perfect and Perfecting Love of God” 2012

Psalm 100 Ephesians 1:3-14

Psalm 100

1Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. 2Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing. 3Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name. 5For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Ephesians 1:3-14

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. 5He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight 9he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, 12so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. 13In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

“Life is difficult.”

So begins Scott Peck’s best seller, "The Road Less Traveled”;

in which he claims, that,

"Once we truly know that life is difficult, once we truly understand and accept it, then life is no longer difficult."

In the decades since I first read Peck’s book,

I have never found much comfort or hope in that idea.

Somehow, accepting that life is difficult in this broken world,

doesn’t provide all that much encouragement

for when I am hurting, disappointed or struggling,

and not much help in getting through my disasters.

Yes, I do know that life can be difficult,

and that our world can be terribly cruel and destructive,

though sometimes I forget the steadfast faithfulness of God.

Sometimes I let my problems, concerns and worries overwhelm me

discouragement and anxiety set me into a downward spiral…

… and I disregard the promises found in Scripture, à

àthat through the Lord’s amazing power and grace and presence,

even amid disappointment, suffering, failure or defeat

yet God will accomplish victory and good in our lives,

transforming even the most terrible stuff we face and fear

into something that reveals God’s love and God’s grace.

* That's a part of God's promise to us, that sometimes we forget…

… or we choose to assume that if we are faithful and well-behaved,

attentive and obedient to the word and law of the Lord,

then surely our life ought to be smooth & comfortable…

… but truth is, that not that nature of life in this world,

and stress from the challenges we face can be overwhelming.

More than 20 years ago I attended my first General Assembly,

and one of my most lasting impressions and surprises wasà

that the folks who disagreed with me weren’t heretics,

but these were Christians who did love the Lord…

… and much of our disagreement was because

we read and interpreted the same Bible, differently.

* That was a startling truth that I found encouraging and hopeful.

This year, as a commissioner to the General Assembly,

I found that to still be true,

but I came home feeling a bit discouraged & disappointed.

Some of it was simple lack of sleep and physical exhaustion,

and some was the stress and strain of trying to work through

very challenging discussions and difficult issues.

Our church, this congregation,

is doing some wonderfully faithful and meaningful ministry,

and we are making a real difference for God,

proclaiming the Gospel in our community and world…

… as by word and deed, we live out the Good News of Jesus Christ,

by feeding the hungry, caring for the needy and hurting,

and nurturing faith so that we grow in discipleship.

But some of the issues we dealt with at the General Assembly

could easily distract us, split us into factions,

and derail us from the faithful work of God we are doing…

… and I came home very concerned about that danger.

I chose the text we read from Ephesians today several months ago,

long before I knew I would be attending GA this year.

But I don’t think it is a coincidence that this passage about joy

is such a hopeful declaration of God’s abiding love & purpose.

Kathy and I have a little while dog named, Chloe,

who absolutely goes nuts leaping and jumping up and down

with endless joy and delight whenever we come home.

It doesn’t matter to Chloe how long or difficult my day has been,

she is still always thrilled and excited with contagious joy

reminding me, that life is so much more than just our burdens.

Maybe I should call this Ephesians text, a Chloe passage,

that greets me with that same hopeful joy and reassurance, à

as I am reminded that God is really in control …

… and it’s not me, nor the trials or defeats I face …

…for it’s still “My Father’s World”, and that will always be true!

So we might ask, what is it about this passage

that can so powerfully restore our joy, hope and confidence?

Perhaps more so than other books of the New Testament,

Ephesians is very Presbyterian, in the best sense of that word.

The author, like a good Presbyterian beginsà

with the theology of grace and God’s sovereignty,

and from there moves on to how we should live.

Listen to the initial focus that celebrates

what God has accomplished through Jesus Christ. vs. 3-4

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.

This is not a new or unique biblical theme,

but very much the same message as Psalm 100, vs. 1, 3, 5

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. … Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. … For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

From the starting point of God’s blessings through Jesus Christ,

and the promise that God is fulfilling His plan and purpose;

Ephesians moves to how that Reformed theology

makes a difference and guides how we live …

… in particular, how to live as faithful Christians

within the culture and context of ancient Ephesus.

In the chapters following this passage

there are specific instructions for Christians in Ephesus,

for husbands, wives, children, slaves and mastersà

all based on the theology of God’s blessings in Jesus Christ.

In Ephesus Paul was imprisoned and beaten, the church persecuted,

and though being faithful was very difficult and frightening

in that corrupt culture so hostile to Christianity,

… yet this passaged offers a vision of hope and God’s promise,

and a call to trust because our God has things under control…

… and that is a very encouraging truth to hear.

We don’t have to struggle and stagger on our own

under the weight of disappointment, despair or defeat;

but in trust we can hope because God is working His plan & purpose.

The point is that the Lord was not shocked or surprised

by their struggles and suffering in Ephesus,

for God had set his plan in process even before Creation,

which in the end,

will be entirely and perfectly fulfilled.

We may feel disappointed, frustrated or anxious, but God is not…

and that truth, our hope is sure on that firm foundation

of God’s steadfast love and gracious purpose,

that all will end up, exactly as the Lord intends.

So it’s not our call or place to manipulate, fret or worry,

but it’s our task to trust and to live out God’s grace & will.

From the context of struggle and faithless hostility,

Ephesians offers a theology of hopeful endurance

for times of an anxiety & living with a uncertain future;

for when we wish God would solve and resolve

our situations more quickly and clearly.

The author doesn’t focus on disappointments or troubles,

but on God’s continuing purpose and plan, effects of grace

that cannot and will not be defeated or derailed …

… surely a truth worthy of our Chloe-like joy and praise, vs. 3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing.

Though for ease and clarity, most English translations

break these verses of Ephesians into several sentences,

in the original Greek it’s just one long sentence

that reads like a rushing and splashing cascade

of escalating joy and exuberant praise of God…

… that explodes with grateful joy and delight in verses 11-12

In Christ we have obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory.

The point is,

that even before the foundations of the world had been laid,

God had already destined,

according to his divine purpose and will,

all things according to his counsel and will,

so that we might live for the praise of His glory,

having set our hope and trust in Jesus Christ.

This faith of hope, trust, endurance and assurance

is not a matter of just believing certain facts,

but is a life lived in relationship with God

in which that relationship of grace and love

is what drives our thinking, our deeds & behavior.

The fact is and God’s promise is that our lives are so arranged

that we were chosen, loved and destined for mercy,

long before the foundations of the world.

* This is a very important point that the author is making.

And when it says, “having been destined according to his purpose”

that doesn’t mean some are saved regardless of their will,

or that some are predestined for damnation …

… but that though people do terrible and stupid things,

yet it is God’s purpose to show them love and mercy.

To be created is to be already precious and loved by God.

And to live, means that God’s grace is a gift always present.

One time I ordered eggs and bacon at a diner in Calabash, NC.

When my order arrived,

there was a scoop of a nasty white substance on my plate,

and I told the waitress, I hadn’t ordered any grits.

She declared, “But you did order breakfast didn’t you ?!

Nobody orders grits, they just show up on your plate.”

God’s grace and love are something like that – they just show up.

Grace in Ephesians is not just about getting into heaven,

but it is about the richness of Christian life & living,

based on who God is, what God has already done for us,

what God continues to do for us,

and what God will accomplish in the future for us.

It means that just as God won’t be surprised to see us in heaven,

(having already chosen - destined us for heaven),

so too God isn’t surprised by the events of our lives,

including, on-going struggles, & disappointments.

Our God is not in any way remote or cut off from us or our lives,

but is personally involved in our lives and our living,

and it’s not accident, fate or bad luck, but God’s plan

that leads to and is preparing for our inheritance;

and it’s a call to trust God’s plan and intention to bless us.

vs. 11

In Christ we have obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will.

So what does this mean??

how does it impact our lives and daily living?

It means that amid our worst disappointments or disasters,

and as we live with struggle and anxiety about the future,

we are assured that God is with us, has a plan for us,

and prepared us in advance

for the hardships or tasks that we face,

* because God is preparing us for a glorious future.

So whatever does lie ahead for us,

God’s plan and purpose are already there,

and we are being prepared even today,

to glorify God in whatever comes our way tomorrow.

In the corporate world, I observed a number of entrepreneurs

gradually giving

their children responsibilities in the business,

training and teaching and preparing their children

day by day for their inheritance,

when they would own and run the family business.

Just as God gave manna in the wilderness day by day,

so too God equips us day by day for our journey of faith

preparing us for our promised inheritance in Christ…

… and there is no easy way or shortcut

in this process of gradual spiritual growth.

Our call is to trust and hope in faithfulness,

and to bear with life’s uncertainty and confusion

yet trust in the sure knowledge of God’s love,

and the assurance of God’s promises fulfilled in Jesus.

As it’s proclaimed

in that familiar and favorite hymn, Amazing Grace:

Through many dangers, toils and snares... we have already come.

T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far... and Grace will lead us home.

The Lord has promised good to me... His word my hope secures.

He will my shield and portion be... as long as life endures.