Not Without the Spirit (Ephesians 1:15-23)

SCRIPTURE

Ephesians 1:15-23

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

COMMENT

Have you ever wondered how the early church grew, thrived, or even survived without men who had seminary degrees, without bloggers, without TV evangelists? My only conclusion can be that it was the working of the Holy Spirit in the believers of the early church. Paul sees this and is thankful for this. I love the phrase, "having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you." That speaks to me of the fact that no matter what we think or do, God is in control. I fear that we have lost some of this. Not because God is less powerful, but because we place our faith in knowledge over love. The preacher is exalted as the divine orator of God's plans, and we are to fall in line. I think of the millionaire mega-pastors. I think of a pastor in our city who convince his congregation to move to a new site, buy a large parcel of land, and build a mega building. Then, they would attract new businesses to that area, and sell off some of the extra land to pay for it all (at a handsome profit, of course). Then the 2008 recession hit. They ended up having to lay off some of their staff. I am sure that programs had to be altered, and perhaps their giving to missionaries as well. The pastor soon took a position somewhere else. Having been in ministry for a few years, having gone to church for many others, and even working as a teacher in a Christian school, I have other stories I could tell... 

I wonder if the Jews, who did not understand about the true mission of the Messiah, laughed at the Christians when they suffered. Maybe a "How's your Jesus working for you now!" might have been uttered. But these Christians knew that it was not about an earthly kingdom or for our ease and comfort that Jesus bled and died. 

The church, and I mean the real, universal body of true believers is His body, is the fullness of Him. Not the local congregation, although there are some that fulfill this role well. While others put on an impressive show of wealth and piety. I think we would do well to measure our actions against those of the Jewish leaders Jesus constantly had to contend with. I think we would do well to remember that our mission is not to grow or save the church. God has been doing a great job of taking care of that for years. Our mission is to respond to our salvation in love for God and others. Our mission is to reveal His glory through our lives and not our buildings or programs. I think of 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

I am not against buildings or programs. But without love, without submission to God' Holy Spirit, it really is in vain.

Proverbs 16:9 The heart of man plans his way,

but the Lord establishes his steps.

Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man,

but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

Wow! I really did not see that going there this morning.