The Place to Be #30

Ephesians 6: 23 Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.

Paul concludes his letter with the same sentiments with which he began, with one or two additions.  He wishes for them once again Peace and Grace, in the reverse order from which he listed them in his greeting.  He trusts that theses believers will know, despite their present struggles and issues, the peace that comes knowing God is in charge and sovereign, more than able to do what needs to be done in our lives and in the church. His grace in Christ is still at work full force.  Along with these, Paul has spoken much about the love that God had shown in Christ, which was to be directed toward one another.  Add to these the faith He has given - the ability to believe God really loves us and to therefore trust Him and His plan, and Paul is willing and content to close his letter and allow God to do what only God could do.  May we experience His grace, peace, love and faith in like manner. 

The Place to Be #29

 

Ephesians 6:21 So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts.

Paul had written this letter both to warn and to encourage this church to stand strong together, realizing they had been build upon a firm foundation by Christ. In order to help encourage them, he knew the best thing was to send a "living" testimony - a fellow believer both recognized and appreciated by both Paul and the church.  Tychicus was such a person - a fellow-believer and partner in ministry. He would give them a verbal report on how Paul was doing. Since he was in prison they would have a lot of questions. Tychicus could answer their questions much more quickly and in greater detail than any letter, but this letter would add authority and clarity to his written report.  This is consistent with the theme of the letter: that there is nothing which will substitute for physical presence with God's people, the Church. We need one another.  It is a big part of the plan of God.  Without one another we will never fully realize all that God has for us, together and individually, in Christ. 

The Place to Be #28

Ephesians 5:18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Having warned his hearers (and us) about the unseen spiritual battle we are in, and reminding us of all the pieces of the armor God has provided for us in Christ to fight that battle, Paul now reminds us of the most powerful weapon and defense we have: prayer.  We must stay in constant contact with the Command Center.  Rather than radio waves we have the Holy Spirit.  We must also make sure our prayers are not self-centered but for the good of the whole Body.  We stand together or fall one by one.  We cannot underestimate the importance of the Body of Christ in God's plan for us as individual believers. If it is all about me being safe, comfortable, and hidden from danger, that means that we are allowing other believers to take the attacks alone.  In Acts 4 we find the church praying together for what Paul asks prayer for here: boldness.  He repeats it twice.  It's what he wants prayer for, and by implication, what we all need to ask for - that as a body we would be bold, together.  Along with the Holy Spirit's presence and power, that will make us strong together in living out God's plan and purpose for us.

The Place to Be #27

Ephesians 5:14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 

Having gotten to the climax of his letter - that we as followers of Christ are, indeed, involved in a spiritual battle - not with one another, but unseen forces of darkness, Paul then challenged his readers (and us) to get dressed for battle with spiritual armor: the truth of the Gospel, keeping our relationships with God and one another right, keeping peace to give us stability, facing each battle with trust that God is with us and wants what is best for us, conscious that we are indeed saved by grace, and studying and applying God's Word in every confrontation.  This is to be our daily, constant wardrobe to stand against the sneaky ways Satan will come against us.  May we put it on today. 

The Place to Be #26

Ephesians 5:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 

Having presented his big picture of the church as a unified body in Christ, and addressing them jointly and by various representative groups to do their part in maintaining that unity, Paul now gets to the core issue: their church was under spiritual attack.  They needed to depend upon Christ's strength to ward off the attack and protect against the devil's invasion.  The enemy was not their fellow believers, their spouse, or their boss; the Enemy was intensely evil, invisible, and intent on distracting, defeating, and disabling them from what God had called them to do.  He is still doing the same thing today.  We must make the same commitment, in dependence upon Christ, to stand together to fight and win the battle, every day.  

The Place to Be #25

 

Ephesians 6:5 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. 9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

The theme continues to be willing submission to authority. Just as wives are to respect their husbands and children their parents, bondservants were to willingly put themselves under the authority of the head of the household.  This was not merely for show, but with sincerity of heart.  As with the previous two paragraphs, there is and understanding that this is part of God's will and God's way for the church to make an impression on the world by demonstrating what Christ has done and is doing in the lives of believers. One again, there is also and understanding that believers who are in authority are to demonstrate change in their lives through Christ as well.  There is no place for bullies in the church, and as we go out into the world we must behave consistently.  We are to look to Christ as servant and Lord as our example and follow Him and His way of doing things.  When we fail to do so it causes disruption in the home and the church, robbing God of the glory due His name. 

The Place to Be #24

 

Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

It's no surprise that if the husbands and wives were having issues in this church that they children would as well.  Living with the stresses and uncertainties of rebellious women and complacent fathers left them "pushing the limits" and struggling to find their own way in relationships.  But that was not to be used as an excuse, as they also had to keep in mind their role in the Family of God.   When we have our relationship with Him right, that affects the way we handle our relationships in earthly responsibilities.  Parents - especially fathers - are to react to their children with the same mercy and grace God has shown them, and not try to subdue them with hard hearts, harsh words, and a passive spirit. As we all know from church gatherings and fellowships, misbehaving children can disrupt and distract in worship and sharing in the goodness of God.  That is Paul's main concern here - anything that sidelines God's people from being able to focus on worshipping and serving Him.  

The Place to Be #23

 

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. 

As we compare this passage to yesterday's, which addressed the wives, it took Paul a lot more words of instruction for the husbands.  Men really need to hear harder and more often their need to love their wives. This love is self-sacrificing and protective; he needs to cling - to hang close to her, not in a suspicious, jealous manner, but in a protective and nourishing way.  Some of the women at Ephesus were being led astray by false doctrines, just like Eve was led astray in the garden. It wasn't all her fault. Adam had failed to lovingly protect her.  He may have been "with her" in the garden, but He wasn't "all in" in carrying out his role as spiritual leader.  Husbands often do the same.

The Place to Be #22

 Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

Paul is working his way through issues in the Ephesian church, giving exhortations based on violations of the oneness God intends there to be in churches.  In the paragraphs earlier in this chapter he challenged them to abandon old, selfish, sinful behaviors and patterns of speech which would infect and divide the church.  He now addresses oneness in the home.  The health and impact of the church would be compromised if the individual homes within the church were divided and unhealthy.  He first gives this one exhortation to the wives for their part.  Just as all believers should submit to one another (verse 21), Christian wives were called on doubly to do so.  The headship of the husband was being challenged by some of the women in their church.  They mistook their new freedom in Christ as a reason to resist and rebel against God-given authority.  As we will see in Paul's letter to Timothy, who was later at Ephesus, there were some women who rebelled against authority in the Church as well.  It was symptomatic of a deeper issue seen also in the home.  The relationship of husband and wife was both symbolic of Christ and the Church, and practical in God's design for the home.  In rebelling, they were questioning Christ. 

The Place to Be #21

 

Ephesians 5:15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Yesterday, we looked at the ways the Satan seeks to tear down the Body of Christ through bad attitudes, hurtful words, and the deception of sin.  This next paragraph gives us all sorts of ways we can have a positive influence on the atmosphere and strength of the Church.  We need to live with our eyes and hearts wide open, looking both for ways we are attacked and ways we can do something that blesses each other. Through the power, wisdom, and prompting of the Holy Spirit we need to speak and sign truth to one another, check to make sure we have a positive spirit of gratitude, and put one another's needs above our own.  This is all done "out of reverence for Christ," remembering what He has done for us and that His goal and plan is for us to be one in Him.  It means watching our words, weighing our actions, and wanting at all costs to glorify Him.  When that is our aim, we will find ourselves contributing to a culture of unity.

The Place to Be #20

 

Ephesians 5:3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
“Awake, O sleeper,
    and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

Paul has been spending a good part of his letter so far emphasizing the preservation of the unity of the Body of Christ. Now he makes a strong call to also preserve its purity.  There are so many ways Satan seeks to infect the church and rob it of health and strength: sexual sin, impure thoughts and speech, selfish covetousness, idolatry, false teaching, and all kinds of darkness. As believers we must avoid these traps at all costs, disassociating ourselves with them and those who do them. We must always live out in the light of Christ so that no accusation can be made against Him or His Body.  

The Place to Be #19

Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Paul had just built up this long, detailed case and painted this detailed picture of the Church as the Body and Building of Christ, which is an integral part of the plan of God. He spent all of chapter 4 calling on his readers to maintain its unity and integrity. Now, in two short verses, he gives a third a most powerful illustration to reinforce his call: the Church is the family of God.  He is our Father. He has paid the greatest price possible for us.  Christ, with His willing and sacrificial love gave Himself for us.  Since God the Father and the Son have loved us so much to make us part of the Family, we should demonstrate the same love to the rest of the Family.  We are to mimic - not in a joking or sarcastic way - but in a manner that is the sincerest form of honor and respect, following God's example toward us: sacrificial love.    

The Place to Be #18

Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Having painted this big picture of the church as both a building and a body, and calling on his listeners to maintain the integrity and health of the church, Paul now gets down to the nitty-gritty of how to do so. Nothing will destroy mutual trust more quickly or deeply than lying to one another.  Anger unresolved will create bitterness that eats away at the mortar and brings aching to the joints.  Dishonesty and selfishness will detract from the core value of generosity.  Uncontrolled speech is a sure sign that the Word of God is not well-settled into one's soul.  For the health of the body and its witness to a watching world, all evil intentions must be removed and replaced with heartfelt commitment, compassion, and communion. 

The Place to Be #17

 Ephesians 4:17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Paul now takes his challenge to the next step.  Having painted this picture of the Body of Christ as a well-functioning entity of helping one another grow in our relationship with God, He confronts those things which would detract us from doing so individually and side-track us from building up the body as a whole. We might picture these sins as mental, physical, and spiritual venereal diseases that affect the way we think, act, and interact withing the body. They have a corrupting effect on the health of both the individual body parts and the body as a whole, and need to be put off and replaced with new, clean, healthy thinking patterns and lifestyles.  They do not just infect and affect the individual; they harm the whole body.  

The Place to Be #16

 

Ephesians 4:15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Paul has been painting this picture for us of the plan God has for us in Christ. Inseparable from this plan is the place of the Church, Christ's building and body, being carefully put together to serve Him.  At the beginning of this chapter Paul made a plea for the Ephesians (and us) to do all we can to maintain the unity and integrity of this building and body, and not let it be torn down or ripped apart. He now brings things to a critical point: since God's plan is for us all to grow up into Christ, and the church is the means by which He does so, the loving thing to do - toward Christ and one another - is follow His plan, speak the truth, help each other grow, and contribute to the strength of the building and health of the body - each and every part.  Love is only love if it helps the other grow in Christlikeness and glorify God.

The Place to Be #15

Ephesians 4:11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 

We have seen so far Paul's pen painting this picture of the Church as a building God is building, putting together all the pieces to make a beautiful masterpiece, with His people as living stones. Here he changes the image to one he uses elsewhere of the Body of Christ, will all the parts doing their part.  He has called his readers (including us) to make sure we are doing everything possible to maintain unity within the Body so that things will function as God designed in His master plan.  Begin a part of the fellowship of believers is crucial to what God wants to do in our lives and in the world.  It keeps "the faith" strong and steady; it helps us "grow up", and it keeps our message pure and powerful.  It is so easy to underestimate the power and importance the body of Christ has and to splinter into self-centered schemes that detract from God and His will.  How easily do we abandon God's plan for Christ and His Church?

The Place to Be #14

 

Ephesians 4:7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it says,
“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
    and he gave gifts to men.”
9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)

Having painted this big picture of the Church as a building built on Christ, and calling on them (and us) to do all in our ability to maintain this unity in every way, Paul then tells us how this is possible: the grace of God we have in Christ.  Grace, that "God-given ability to do what we cannot do by ourselves," not only gives us the ability to be saved through Christ, it gives us the ability to demonstrate Godly patience with one another, to work together on His plan, and to actually grow to love one another.  God had given us grace and grace "gifts," elsewhere described by Paul in detail.  As promised, Christ, after He ascended, sent His Holy Spirit with these gifts to distribute to His followers. These gifts enable us to carry out His plan together.  The whole point of the parenthetical statement at the end of this passage is to remind us that what Christ did, from His incarnation to His ascension was all part of the plan of God. We need to humbly accept our part just as Christ did, use our God-given gifts, and work to help each other do the same. 

The Place to Be #13

 Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.  

Paul had spent the first half of his letter painting the picture of the plan of God for His Church. He had sent His Son as a ransom to buy a people back - a people made up of Jews and Gentiles. This people He was making into a beautiful building for His presence.  But this building was a living building with each person doing their part, working together as one.  Paul begins by reminding them of his predicament: he was not able to be together with them. He was stuck in prison, unable to experience the full joy of being with God's people.  He therefore challenged them to hold onto this great plan God had devised, doing all they could in their relationship to maintain this oneness.  It requires a humble spirit, gentle words, a patient disposition, and a love that can only come from Christ. We also need to remember that the triune God is watching over us, and it all really belongs to Him anyway.  Let's carry out His plan, not destroy it. 

The Place to Be #12

Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Even though we are only through half of this letter from Paul to the Ephesian church, he erupts in a benediction of praise, entrusting both them, and himself, into the hands of God.  First, he reminds us of the very character of God as abundant in power and endless in resources to enable us to do what He is calling on us to do.  Second, Paul reminds them that God, through His Spirit, is at work within them - not just Paul, but the Ephesian believers as well.  Thirdly, Paul reminds us that this promise and blessing apply to us and every succeeding generation of Christ-followers as well.  It is God's plan - always has been, always will be.  God blesses us, uses us, and draws us into closer fellowship with Him and greater understanding as to what His Gospel plan is all about, for us, His Church, and this world.

The Place to Be #11

Ephesians 3:14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

What a prayer! Having reminded these believers of all the blessings they had in Christ, the horrible past from which they had been saved, and the part God had in mind for them to play in His plan, Paul had just told them of how he had found his part in the plan. He wants them to experience God in a similar way, so he prays for them. He reminds them that they serve the same wonderful God, who offers them strength, faith, and love.  As He bestows these blessings upon them in Christ, they together can come to know God in His fulness.  Note that they can only comprehend this with all the saints. The way that God has designed His plan can only be completely fulfilled together. We need Christ and His people. His love compels us to seek fellowship with one another and to grow together. 

The Place to Be #10

 Ephesians 3:7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.

Paul now pulls together everything he has been talking about: the Grace of God, the Riches of Christ, the Purpose of God as it has been revealed in Christ, and the part of each person in God's Plan.  In the middle of the paragraph Paul points out the reason for it all: 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. God presented His plan first to them so they could show it to spiritual beings.  It is one of those things you cannot understand until it is demonstrated to you.  In the same way, Paul applies all this to his present situation, being in prison.  He is part of what God is doing, and though it may seem strange that an ambassador for the King would be rotting in jail, it was consistent with God's plan of revealing his Gospel far and wide, up and down, and all around.  It is all part of learning to see things from God's perspective.

The Place to Be #9

Ephesians 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Having explained all the spiritual blessings we have in Christ, which God has intended for us to share with other believers, Paul now explains how this Good News was brought to his readers.  God had made known to him, and the other apostles, His plan of redemption - to buy us back and bring us back to Himself through the work of Christ. This was the Good News that had not been shared with previous generations, but now was being made clear by the Holy Spirit.  Paul then reemphasizes the results for the people of God: we are fellow heirs, complementary parts, and joint participators with one another in Christ's church. This big picture perspective both helps us find our part and appreciate those around us in the Body of Christ. This is not just a chance result of God's plan; this is His intended result. 

The Place to Be #8

 

Ephesians 2:18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

As Paul continues to describe the kind of people God intends His people to be, he turns to the picture of a temple, a place of worship, but also a place of dwelling.  Everyone has a longing, known or suppressed, to be in the presence of God.  That being the case, it will never be a solo audience. We will be surrounded by all those who seek Him.  As a living "building" we surround Him. He is central. We all "find our place" in relationship to Christ, the cornerstone. As more and more people trust in Him, the building grows in size and strength. Somehow, rather than feeling farther away from God and the Cornerstone with each new arrival, we actually sense a greater closeness, strength, and purpose. We become more aware of the filling of the Holy Spirit in the building, the church.  If we fall back into any kind of self-centeredness, then we become the crack in the wall, a means for instability, distracting from the Center, in a sense allowing the presence of the Holy Spirit to "leak out" the crack we have created.  Together we stand; divided we are unstable. 

The Place to Be #7

Ephesians 2:11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

Having reminded the Ephesians (and us) of all the riches to be found in Christ, the past we have been delivered from, and the great gift of grace He has given, Paul gives us something else to remember: the isolation of separation.  When God brought us back to Himself through Christ, He also brought us back together.  He came to reconcile us into one body.  His intention is for us to be "together as one." Such unity is difficult (but not impossible) to maintain when we are all grateful to God and trusting in Christ.  We must always keep in mind that this is all part of the plan of God, and if we are not contributing to it, we are distracting from the plan of God. If we are at peace with Him, He will show us how to be at peace with one another. 

The Place to Be #6

Ephesians 2:3 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

As we saw yesterday, when Paul addressed the church at Ephesus, he wanted them to remember their past as a point of comparison. They had been dead in the darkness of sin. Paul now makes the sharp contrast by staring with one of his most strategic phrases: But God... God brought us back to life spiritually, saving us from sin and raising us up into a fellowship with Christ that is eternal.  God did this all out of His great love and grace, without us having to ask Him to do it.  If God did that, he must have had a purpose in mind, and He did: He has a life of activities planned for us that make us a part of His perfect plan. There is no better place to be than walking with Christ living the life God has for us. 

The Place to Be #5

 

Ephesians 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Having reminded us of all the spiritual blessings God has given us in Christ, and the attitude of gratitude we should therefore have and live by, Paul goes on to remind us of what we had before these spiritual blessings.  We had death, darkness, disorientation, disobedience, debauchery, distorted desires, and were doomed under the dominion of the Devil.  It was a sad, hopeless existence lived in slavery to sin. There is also a reminder here that there are still many living that way as reminders of who we once wore. We don't want to go back there.  Sometimes to appreciate all we have in Christ and where He has brought us from requires that we look back to those dark days and see their ugly reality.  

The Place to Be #4

 

Ephesians 1:15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 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, 18 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, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 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. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Having reminded them of all the blessings to be found in Christ, and the surety of their inheritance, Paul went on here to pray one big prayer.  It's always good to know someone is praying for you. What did Paul pray? That they would fully realize everything God had given them in Christ and therefore, in the Church. Just as a body without a head does not work, it only works right when the Head has a Body. Christ does: it is the Church.  Paul's prayer was that these believers, and we, would appreciate and live out God's perfect plan for His people through the church.  Things do not go right personally or corporately unless we do so. 

The Place to Be #3

Ephesians 1:11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Having listed a whole string of blessings we have in Christ, Paul now focuses in on the fact that no one can take these blessings away.  They are ours in Christ.  It is our legal inheritance, which has been sealed by the Holy Spirit of God, who guarantees that we will receive what has been promised to us.  It is the most secure and solid thing in the world.  We can count on it more than anything.  The point is that this fact alone should make a drastic difference in how we live - as secure in Christ - which will make others want to come and share in this inheritance, with no one having less because more people are sharing in it. When we are convinced and confident Christ is ours and we are His, the Church will be the place all will want to be. 

The Place to Be #2

Ephesians 1:3 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, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

We saw yesterday that for the church to be everything it ought to be we need to keep in mind our part to be holy and faithful.  If there is one work to summarize the passage above it is grateful.  We need to be thankful to God for all the spiritual blessings He has given us in Christ.  When we are grateful it makes us gracious and giving.  When we are not grateful, it makes us bitter, contentious, selfish, fault-finding, and divisive.  It also wears down our faithfulness and makes us less likely to be concerned about our holiness. Today, dwell on all the blessings you have in Christ, and you'll be a much healthier part of the Body.

The Place to Be #1

Ephesians 1:1  Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

How can we make sure we are doing our part to make the Church the place people want to be, and where those outside of Christ can be drawn in and find Him?  Paul begins right away giving us some indicators by reminding us of some of the characteristics of God's people that should be evident.  We are saints - set apart to serve and support one another in our pursuit of holiness.  Much of what keeps people outside of the church and helps make them what to leave is our failure to keep this calling.  That does not excuse those who claim to be Christ-followers and "bail ship" because of some personal confrontation with someone else in the Body, but it does help explain why we don't live up to "being the place to be."  The other piece of the puzzle here is our being "faithful" - trusting God enough to help us deal with all the uncertainties of life that come to the believer, as well as the certainty that others will let us down. The failure of other human believers is no excuse for us being unfaithful to Christ and His Body. There really is no other plan God has given for growth in Christ than doing so as part of His Body.  Being faithful means trusting His plan for our salvation and sanctification: Christ and His Church.