“The Power at Work Within” 2015

Isaiah 55:6-11 Ephesians 3:14-21

Isaiah 55:6-11

Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Ephesians 3:14-21

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

I’ve always enjoyed watching movies that inspire me,

and one of my favorites has a delightful scene,

it’s from the movie, Mr. Holland’s Opus.

The movie is about a musician who wanted to be a composer,

but reluctantly, became a high school music teacher.

A very bright and serious-minded student with pretty red-hair

played her clarinet horribly even with constant practice

and was making little progress despite her best efforts.

She was trying, driven to succeed, but wasn’t getting any better,

so she saw herself as a loser and hopeless failure in music.

One day,

she finally tells Mr. Holland that she’s going to give it up.

As she’s walking away, Holland asks her, “Is it any fun?”

With a shrug, she answers, “I wanted it to be.”

“You know what we’ve been doing wrong, Miss Lang?

We’ve just been playing the notes on the page.”

Confused, the girl asks,

“Well what else is there is to play?”

“There’s a lot more to music than notes on a page.

Playing music is supposed to be fun. It’s about heart.

It’s about feelings and moving people and something beautiful

and being alive and it’s not about just notes on a page.

I could teach you notes on a page.

but I can’t teach you that other stuff.”

Then he takes away her music and tells her to try it again,

and each time when she gets to a certain difficult spot,

her clarinet squawks and squeaks painfully,

and she is upset with herself for failing again.

“What do you like best about yourself?” he asks.

With a shy smile she says,

“My hair – my dad says it reminds him of a sunset.”

“Play the sunset.”

So she closes her eyes, and she begins to play –

really play, not just the notes, but the music.

She is so amazed when she does the hard part perfectly

that her eyes pop open and she stops.

Mr. Holland shares her amazement and says, “Don’t stop!”

And so, on she plays: eyes closed,

head beginning to sway with the rhythm as her joy overflows.

And we can tell that this time, she’s having fun.

Sometimes, we reduce Christianity to just notes on the page,

and our relationship with God to accomplishing tasks.

We settle for mere religion, focused on getting everything right.

We follow the rules, try to do what the Bible says,

thinking if we get it all right, surely God will approve…

… but it’s not our works that wins us God’s approval and favor.

Yes, God wants us to study and obey his word and commandments,

but like music, it’s a lot more than just words on a page.

The Christian life is a lot more than just obeying rules.

True faith is a lot deeper than just doing the right things

because something far more personal & relational is involved…

… just as Jesus tried to teach the scribes and Pharisees,

it’s not a matter of washing the outside of the cup,

but letting God’s Spirt cleanse us from the inside out.

Authentic Christian faith isn’t limited to the outward stuff,

it’s the presence and power of God bubbling up from the inside.

Our problem is that we can get so focused on externals

that we miss or ignore the more important interior, our souls.

For example, in getting ready to come to worship today, did you

put more time and effort on preparing your outward appearance,

or on preparing your heart and spirit for worship? …

… did you pause to pray

to be open and capable of receiving blessings from God today?,

or that those who are struggling and suffering

receive healing and hope that they need?

The passage we read earlier from Ephesians

follows a section about the wonder and glory of God’s grace

and how that gift and blessing can change everything.

In these verses,

Paul is praying that the Christians in Ephesus will receive

the full measure of all that God has and intends for them.

The book of Ephesians is thought to have been written

while the Apostle Paul was imprisoned in a dungeon,

where his thoughts turn to the Lord, not in complaint,

but joy as he is filled with amazed wonder and awe…

…as he thinks about all that God is doing in and through the Church

and finds himself caught up in heartfelt praise, worship & joy.

vs. 14-15

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name.

He recognizes in delighted amazement that all of creation

bears the naming and identifying mark of God, our creator,

to whom we all truly belong,

and who calls us His own, His beloved and precious.

And as Paul sits in that dreadful prison cell

and contemplates God’s gracious love and blessings,

wonder and awe flow over him in a crescendo of grace…

… listen, vs. 16-17

I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.

 

In the original Greek,

the words “you” and “your” are specifically plural,

referring not to the individual believers,

but to the whole Church family, the gathered body…

… that you may be strengthened, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts,

as you are being rooted and grounded in love, through his Spirit.

Thinking about the Church in Ephesus, the family he loves,

his prayer is that they set their roots deep in Jesus Christ,

for if they realized the astonishing depth of God’s love

that would change, drive and inspire

every aspect and detail of their lives & living …

… for if the foundation is built right, then everything else will fall into place.

Paul is saying that the presence of the Holy Spirit

is the Church’s true hope, strength and power

so that we are rooted and grounded in God’s gracious love

which makes all the difference, as we are in Christ.

But what does that mean and how does that work?

First, we and our faith are strengthened and sustained

by the witness and presence of the company of believers

with whom we worship, fellowship, grow and serve.

In a mystical and practical way other Christians help our faith,

and we have a responsibility to them as well,

to be present and connected for their spiritual growth.

Second, when we gather as the body of Christ, the Holy Spirit

is present among us differently than when we are alone,

as the Spirit speaks to us through word and sacrament, strengthening us to take the Gospel out into the world.

Paul continues and goes deeper, vs. 18-19

I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

 

This isn’t saying that Christ’s love can be measured,

but is a prayer that the Church will recognize and appreciate

the infinite reach and power of grace in all directions.

Do you know what it is to experience the fullness of God?,

for too many Christians and Churches are missing out on that.

Though we try to live lives of faithful and obedient service,

yet we lack the joy and delight

God has and intends for his beloved children.

We’re playing notes on a page, rather than enjoying the sunset.

It comes down to one simple question, “Do I really trust God?” …

… or am I trying to hang-on to the illusion that I am in control?

Do I really trust God to bring me through every adversity?,

and that the power and corruption of this age and culture

will not have the last word or defeat God’s purpose?

 

To be practical and down-to-earth about it,

I don’t always like or welcome the opportunities

God gives me to grow deeper, more faithful and trust,

but that is the experience of living in grace…

… as God explained through the prophet Isaiah, vs. 8-9

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

 

The Ephesians builds on that same assurance

of the sovereign power of the Lord to bring healing and hope.

vs. 20-21

Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

When we face a difficult situation or overwhelming trouble,

when we mean to be faithful but are fearful

and when the deck is clearly stacked against us …

- when we ask where is God, and does our faith make any difference?

What do we really believe about trusting God’s love,

in God’s power, God’s presence, and in God’s promises?

I think the problem is that

sometimes we envision a God far too small and too distant…

… not big enough to embrace and govern our world

and not close enough to touch our lives

in a powerfully personal and meaningful way.

This substitute many have fashioned is limited, narrow and tame

does nothing surprising, amazing, or outside science & reason

a god explainable, boxed-in, captive to our preconceptions.

This false god of human reason who fits modern perceptions,

cannot or does not chose to get involved in our world,

and can offer little more than sympathy or advice

for coping with our life’s problems and defeats.

But if God can only watch, powerless, or off in the distance,

and we do have to figure it all out for ourselves and succeed,

that is far less than the God described in Ephesians, who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine.

The real God, the God Scripture is vast beyond our explaining,

mysterious, powerful and wonderful beyond our imagining.

Such a God's great love leaves us breathless with astonishment,

and is far beyond our control, comprehension or understanding,

the breadth and length and height and depth of that love,

shines with such dazzling glory that it fills every shadowy

corner of our hearts and of the universe with joyful hope.

And here’s the most joyful and wonderful news, an authentic and

faithful walk with our God isn’t a self-improvement project,

or our efforts at trying to clean-up our own lives.

The God of Scripture offers endless love, blessings and grace

to fill us up when we are empty, strengthens us when we are weak

and encourages us when we are fearful and anxious…

… whose grace and truth keeps us rooted and grounded in love,

even when everything else is moving, shaking, and in flux.

Our call and challenge? Are we willing to go deeper in our faith?,

what do we really believe, and do we really trust God’s love?

Many years ago, I remember visiting my parents one weekend

to tell them that I was thinking about going into ministry.

My mother was a woman of deep faith, but also quite pragmatic,

and had doubts that I should leave a successful career

for the uncertain path of becoming a pastor.

In the end, I trusted God’s call, and it’s been

one the best decisions of my life in countless ways.

Today the powerful promises of the Ephesians and Isaiah texts

disturb me a little bit, and challenge me,

to consider the question, but what I have done lately?,

or have I become

too comfortable, complacent and familiar in my faith?

I am still breathing, so it’s clear that God’s not done with me yet

so how is God calling me now to step out in faith and serve?,

and how can I be more of a part of what God is doing now?

I like the gentle way vs. 20-21 are paraphrased in The Message,

God can do anything you know – far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.

Our call and challenge? Are we willing to go deeper in our faith?,

what do we really believe, and do we really trust God’s love?